Abstract: To produce a printing block, a relief is introduced into a surface of a printing block blank. To form the relief, material of the printing block blank is removed along tracks by radiation. The relief regions may be formed at different depths along one and the same track by frequent exposure to radiation.

Abstract: To produce a printing block, a relief is introduced into a surface of a printing block blank. To form the relief, material of the printing block blank is removed along tracks. The material is removed by radiation to form recesses, between which plateaus will be formed. The surface of the printing block blank located between the recesses is also removed by radiation in order to obtain lower-lying plateaus.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for producing a printing form, in which a covering layer (5) is applied to a first radiation-sensitive layer (4) arranged on a carrier (1), the applied covering layer (5) is structured in accordance with a pattern to be printed, in order to form an irradiation mask (5′), and the radiation-sensitive layer (4) is irradiated and developed. In this way, in the production of printing forms, an irradiation mask (5′) can be applied very precisely in accordance with a pattern to be printed later.

Abstract: In the production of a screen-printing stencil, a covering layer is applied to only some regions of a fine-mesh screen in accordance with a desired printing pattern. In this case, for the application of the covering layer, the screen is closed on the rear side by a support, so that the passage of covering liquid through the screen is prevented, which leads to qualitatively high-grade patterns.

Abstract: A pattern forming method and system includes producing a repeatable individual pattern within an individual repeat to generate an overall pattern consisting of a plurality of individual patterns. The regions of motifs which project beyond the individual repeat are transferred into the individual repeat in such a way that, when forming the overall pattern, the original motifs are re-formed by joining the individual repeats containing the repeatable individual pattern, to one another, with no discontinuities therein. Any shape that may be repeated can be used to define the individual repeat.

Abstract: A method of applying a pattern to a surface of a substrate includes forming mutually parallel pattern rows applied by at least two output channels. In order to produce a pattern without strip-like visible faults, provision is made for the output channels in each case to be displaced transversely in relation to the pattern rows such that pattern rows can optionally be applied by at least some of the output channels in order to obtain a complete pattern. The individual pattern rows are applied by different output channels and are mixed with one another.

Abstract: In the production of a screen-printing stencil, a covering layer is applied to only some regions of a fine-mesh screen in accordance with a desired printing pattern. In this case, for the application of the covering layer, the screen is closed on the rear side by a support, so that the passage of covering liquid through the screen is prevented, which leads to qualitatively high-grade patterns.

Abstract: In the production of a printing stencil, for example a rotary printing stencil for textile printing, for the purpose of transferring a pattern stored in an electronic memory, liquid is applied to the lateral surface of the printing stencil as it rotates. A nozzle which supplies the liquid is driven by pattern data belonging to the pattern. Pattern data situated earlier or later in the circumferential direction of the stencil cylinder are read out as a function of at least one deviation between the actual and desired positions of the lateral surface which respect to the pattern data belonging to the desired position, in order to prevent distortion of the pattern owing to the deviation.

Abstract: In a half-tone printing process according to the invention, there is provide at least one half-tone printing stencil having at least two regions which have stencil opening structures which are uniform but different from region to region. A sample print is carried out, using such a half-tone printing stencil, to produce printed images associated with the respective regions. A comparison is made of optical data of the respective printed images with corresponding desired values. Readjustment of printing parameters can occur based upon the comparison in such a way that the optical data in the case of the next print approach the corresponding desired values. To this end, there may preferably be an optical measuring device for measuring the optical data in the prescribed regions of the half-tone print, and a control unit altering the printing parameters as a function of the measured optical data.

Abstract: A method and system for producing a rotating, clamped stencil includes producing a pattern in the surface of the stencil by means of an engraver by moving an engraving head of the engraver relative to the stencil. The engraving head is switched on and off by a control computer in coincidence with a predefined bit sequence which is generated from a byte sequence taken from a color file. The color file describes a pattern and is stored in a large-scale memory of a server. The server sends the color file containing the byte sequence relating to the engraving of the stencil to a further computer or to the control computer. This further computer or control computer creates the bit sequence assigned to this stencil. The result is a saving in computing time and memory capacity for the server. The bit sequence is created by the further computer or control computer only when the engraving of a stencil is actually to be carried out. The production of the bit sequence can also be carried out "on the fly.

Abstract: A device for producing a screen printing stencil has a light source for emitting a bundle of light whose focus lies in the region of a light-sensitive layer present on a stencil screen. Furthermore, there is an apparatus for generating a relative movement between the bundle of light being incident on the light-sensitive layer in accordance with a desired stencil pattern. The bundle of light is linearly polarized in at least one section. An electro-optical modulator for rotating the plane of oscillation of the bundle of light is arranged in this section. The electro-optical modulator rotates the plane of oscillation of the bundle of light in accordance with received stencil pattern data. An analyzer is positioned in the light path downstream of the electron optical modulator. The analyzer passes the bundle of light having a plane of oscillation at one orientation and blocks the bundle of light having a plane of oscillation at an opposite orientation.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for producing a grey-shade stencil in which a pattern which is bounded by edges is transferred, with a grey-shade grid superimposed on it, into a radiation-sensitive base. The grid is extended continuously over edges of the pattern which come to rest on one another, in order to avoid strips being formed in the area of mutually adjacent edges of pattern reproductions.

Abstract: In the production of a screen printing stencil, a thin-walled hollow cylinder having a light responsive layer on the outside is rotated about its cylinder axis and exposed by means of a laser beam impinging on it. The laser beam is focused in the region of the light responsive layer. The laser beam is moved in the direction of the cylinder axis, and is switched on and off in agreement with a desired stencil pattern. A radial deviation of the actual position of the wall of the hollow cylinder from its ideal position is determined from at least one measuring position fixed relative to the laser beam for a multiplicity of circumferential positions of the hollow cylinder. A first actuating signal is then derived from at least one of the radial positional deviations obtained at the measuring positions.

Abstract: A device for producing a printing stencil, in particular a screen printing stencil, having a rotatably supported printing cylinder, a laser for generating a laser beam incident on the printing cylinder and capable of being displaced in the longitudinal direction of the printing cylinder, and focusing optics to focus the laser beam onto the surface of the printing cylinder. The focusing optics have at least one deflection mirror with an elastically deformable mirror diaphragm. At least one sensor is provided to measure a distance between itself and the surface of the printing stencil. An actuating signal generator generates an actuating signal as a function of the measured distance. Actuating devices set a curvature of the mirror diaphragm as a function of the actuating signal.

Abstract: During the production of a half-tone stencil, a stencil pattern hole structure is engraved in a predetermined stencil pattern area of a basic stencil element in order to form a stencil pattern. A plurality of uniform reference hole structures having different degrees of permeability are formed on the basic stencil element outside the stencil pattern area. These reference hole structures are used during the subsequent printing for producing printing patterns used for assessing the quality of color fidelity of a stencil pattern print.

Abstract: A method for producing a screen printing stencil comprises the following: applying at least one light-sensitive layer to an essentially closed covering surface of a cylindrical base body; removing portions of the light-sensitive layer from the covering surface in accordance with a prescribed screen pattern; filling the portions thus removed of the light-sensitive layer with metal for the purpose of forming a cylindrical screen; and removing the cylindrical screen from the base body. A hollow cylinder is used as the base body and is inflated via at least one of its ends by a compressed gas to such an extent that it obtains a circular cross-section.

Abstract: An optical reading device has projection optics which have an optical axis and focus light emitted by a light source present in a reading head, and having light receiving optics, arranged horizontally with respect to the optical axis, for receiving light focused by the projection optics and reflected back from an object. The light source can be displaced along the optical axis, relative to the projection optics, in order, during the scanning of pattern originals, to be able to change the size of the scanning light point in accordance with the original structure, without a displacement of the light receiving optics being necessary.

Abstract: A screen printing stencil is produced by irradiating a light responsive layer situated on the surface of a rotating screen printing cylinder in a punctiform fashion by means of a laser beam which impinges at least approximately radially on the screen printing cylinder and is moved in the radial direction thereof. The screen printing cylinder is supported only in the region of its opposite end faces, while it is inflated so strongly over at least one of these end faces by means of a compressed gas that it assumes a circular cross-section. If the circumferential surface of the screen printing cylinder is opened by burning away the light responsive layer, sealing elements can be blown into the screen printing cylinder in order to seal the cylinder in the region of its exposed perforation.

Abstract: In the production of a screen printing stencil, a thin-walled hollow cylinder having a light responsive layer on the outside is rotated about its cylinder axis and exposed by means of a laser beam impinging on it. The laser beam is focused in the region of the light responsive layer. The laser beam is moved in the direction of the cylinder axis, and is switched on and off in agreement with a desired stencil pattern. A radial deviation of the actual position of the wall of the hollow cylinder from its ideal position is determined from at least one measuring position fixed relative to the laser beam for a multiplicity of circumferential positions of the hollow cylinder. A first actuating signal is then derived from at least one of the radial positional deviations obtained at the measuring positions.

Abstract: A device for determining the color value of light includes a linear graded interference filter, which has only one expansion direction through which the light is incident on a number of photodetectors. The photodetectors are arranged adjacent to one another in the expansion direction of the graded interference filter and are used to supply measuring signals, on the basis of which the color value is calculated. Focusing optics arranged in front of the graded interference filter are used to focus the light onto the photodetectors. The light is fed via a plurality of optical guides, whose light exit ends are arranged closely adjacent to one another along one or more rows extending in the expansion direction of the graded interference filter. The focusing optics contain a cylindrical lens extending in the expansion direction. Advantageously, the photodetectors are PIN photodiodes and the optical waveguides are optical fibers.