Abstract: A system comprises an electrophotographic subsystem, a transfer subsystem, an imaging member, and an inking subsystem. The electrophotographic subsystem comprises a photoreceptor, a charging subsystem, an exposure subsystem, and a development subsystem. In operation, the photoreceptor is charged areawise. An exposure pattern is formed by the exposure subsystem on the surface of the charged photoreceptor to thereby write a latent charge image onto the photoreceptor surface. The image is developed with an image definition material, such as a dampening fluid. The image definition material forms a positive pattern of the image to be printed. The image pattern is then transferred to the reimageable surface. The transferred pattern is then developed by selectively applying an ink over regions of image definition material. The inked image may be transferred to a substrate.

Abstract: The invention pertains to a method and apparatus for preparing a printing form from a precursor, particularly a method and apparatus for preparing the printing form by thermally treating a photosensitive precursor having a photopolymerizable layer. The method and apparatus includes heating the photosensitive precursor to a temperature sufficient to cause a portion of the layer to liquefy, contacting the precursor with a development medium to remove the liquefied material, and supporting a development medium with a core member adjacent an exterior surface of the photosensitive precursor, wherein a compressible collar of a closed-cell foam having a Poisson's ratio of less than 0.4 is disposed between the core member and the development medium.

Abstract: A printing method for producing durable images is disclosed. Said method encompasses applying a pre-treatment composition, including a liquid vehicle and a polyvalent metal salt as fixing agent, onto a recording medium; applying an ink composition over said pre-treatment composition, said ink composition including an aqueous liquid vehicle and a colorant; and applying an over-print varnish composition.

Abstract: Fluorescing highlights can be provided in selected portions of non-color image areas of a printed toner image using fluorescing dry toner particles, such as fluorescing magenta and fluorescing yellow dry toner particles. Before fixing, each fluorescing dry toner particle comprises a polymeric binder phase and a fluorescing colorant that emits at one or more ?max wavelengths of at least 420 nm and up to and including 690 nm and that is dispersed within the polymeric binder phase.

Abstract: The present invention concerns a print medium and a method of producing such a print medium. In particular, the present invention is directed to a print medium comprising a substrate having a first and a reverse side, and at least one coating layer on of the substrate sides.

Abstract: A free radical curable liquid for inkjet printing of food packaging materials includes no initiator or otherwise one or more initiators selected from the group consisting of non-polymeric di- or multifunctional initiators, oligomeric initiators, polymeric initiators, and polymerizable initiators; and a polymerizable composition of the liquid consists essentially of: a) 25-100 wt % of one or more polymerizable compounds A having at least one acrylate group G1 and at least one second ethylenically unsaturated polymerizable functional group G2 selected from the group consisting of a vinlyether group, an allylether group, and a allylester group; b) 0-55 wt % of one or more polymerizable compounds B selected from the group consisting of monofunctional acrylates and difunctional acrylates; and c) 0-55 wt % of one or more polymerizable compounds C selected from the group consisting of trifunctional acrylates, tetrafunctional acrylates, pentafunctional acrylates and hexafunctional acrylates.

Abstract: The present disclosure is related to an apparatus for a flexographic printing process with wet on wet capability based on controlled polymer or polymer segment precipitation that leads to gel formation of ink compounds by controlling the solubility parameter of the ink system. Insoluble segments in the ink form a reversible gel that is broken to a liquid by heat and/or shear forces during the application process, allowing application of a liquid ink. After application, the ink reverts to its gel state with such strength as to allow overprinting in the wet on wet flexographic printing process. The disclosure is also related to a flexographic printing apparatus comprising a feeding system for providing a flexographic ink, wherein the ink in a liquid state has a viscosity ranging from about 100 cps to about 4,000 cps, and the ink in a gel state has a measurable hardness.

Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to provide a process for making a lithographic printing plate that enables a one-bath processable lithographic printing plate having excellent printing durability, ink laydown and resistance to staining during printing.

Abstract: A method for operating an offset printing press having at least one printing unit with an inking unit, a plate cylinder for receiving a printing plate, a blanket cylinder, an impression cylinder and a dampening unit, and for controlling an application of dampening solution from the dampening unit onto the plate cylinder, includes predampening the printing plate. After a printing pressure has been switched on between the blanket cylinder and the impression cylinder and after a printing material transport through the offset printing press has been switched on, a supply of dampening solution to the plate cylinder in the printing unit is reduced to a pronounced extent at least once for a short predefined time period, as a result of which an excess of dampening solution produced by the predampening does not accumulate permanently in the inking unit. A printing press for carrying out the method is also provided.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a cliche for offset printing for forming a mesh pattern, and more specifically, to a cliche for offset printing comprising a mash pattern with a plurality of intersection units, wherein the plurality of intersection units are formed in a curved shape with a radius of curvature 0.6 to 4 times that of a mesh line width. When the cliche for offset printing of the present invention is used, line width reductions generated around the intersection units during mesh pattern printing may be reduced. As a result, when a final product is manufactured by using the cliche for printing of the present invention, the surface resistance properties of the product may be improved.

Abstract: A laser-engraveable composition comprises one or more elastomeric rubbers and 2-30 phr of a near-infrared radiation absorber, such as carbon black and optionally 1-80 phr of an inorganic non-infrared radiation absorber filler. This laser-engraveable composition can be used to form various flexographic printing precursors that can be laser-engraved to provide relief images in flexographic printing plates, printing cylinders, or printing sleeves.

Abstract: A water based fluid that can be utilized in a standard inkjet printer to image a lithographic printing plate. The water based fluid may include a polymer that is soluble in an alkaline aqueous media and that is resistant to neutral or acidic aqueous media. In addition, the water based fluid may include a sufficient volume of water soluble material to raise the pH level higher than 8. Further, the water based fluid may include a sufficient volume of humectant co-solvents to prevent the nozzles of an inkjet printer from drying out. The water based fluid may be used to image a lithographic plate that include an inkjet ink accepting hydrophilic layer hydrophilic properties. Various embodiments of the water based fluid advantageously allow a plate to be imaged, and then without baking or adding other chemical treatments, the plate can be immediately used for printing.

Abstract: A laser-engravable composition comprises one or more elastomeric rubbers including at least 10 parts of one or more CLCB EPDM elastomeric rubbers, based on parts per hundred of the total weight of elastomeric rubbers (phr). The laser-engravable composition further comprises 2-30 phr of a near-infrared radiation absorber and either 1-80 phr of an inorganic, non-infrared radiation absorber filler, or a vulcanizing composition that comprises a mixture of at least two peroxides. One first peroxide has a t90 value of 1-6 minutes as measured at 160° C., and a second peroxide has a t90 value of 8-20 minutes as measured at 160° C. This laser-engravable composition can be used to form a laser-engravable layer on a compressible layer that is disposed on a substrate, and to form various flexographic printing precursors. The compressible layer can also be laser-engravable.

Abstract: A method for producing a structured surface making contact with printing material, preferably a cylinder cover, includes producing a structured coating having microparticles on a substrate, preferably a stainless steel plate. The microparticles are encased antiadhesively and agglomerated by adsorption of nanoparticles, and the agglomerates being produced are fixed in a sol-gel matrix. A surface produced in this way has a structured coating on a substrate and the coating has microparticles. The coating has agglomerates fixed in a sol-gel matrix and including microparticles encased antiadhesively by adsorption of nanoparticles and preferably formed of silicon carbide. The surfaces advantageously have a self-repair function since, in the case of abrasion of structural elevations, the antiadhesive casings of the microparticles are exposed and the antiadhesive property of the coating is maintained.

Abstract: A lithographic printing method including exposing an imaging surface layer of a printing plate to a first expose source to render the surface layer uniformly hydrophilic; the surface layer comprising a compound having reversible light controlled wettability whereby the surface layer is reversibly hydrophilic and hydrophobic. The surface layer is disposed over a variable image portion of the printing plate imaging surface or disposed over substantially all of the printing plate imaging surface. The surface is exposed to a second expose source to render image areas of the surface layer hydrophobic. Polar liquid attracts to non-image hydrophilic areas. Hydrophobic liquid colorant attracts to hydrophobic image areas. The surface layer is contacted an offset receiving member and the image is transferred to an image receiving substrate.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a blanket for a printing roller which can enhance adhesive force to an printing liquid and a method for fabricating the same. The blanket for a printing roller includes a base film, a buffer portion formed on a backside of the base film, and a printing mold formed on an entire surface of the base film to have methylic resin such that the printing mold has adhesivity to a surface thereof.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a silicone rubber like material and a printing device including a stamp layer (100;201) comprising such a material. The material is suitable for use in soft lithography as it enables stable features having dimensions in the nanometer range to be obtained on a substrate, and also allows for the accommodation onto rough and non-flat substrate surfaces. The invention also relates to methods for manufacturing the silicone rubber like material and stamp layer (100;201) and use thereof in lithographic processes.

Abstract: The invention pertains to a method and apparatus for preparing a printing form from a precursor, particularly a method and apparatus for preparing the printing form by thermally treating a photosensitive precursor having a photopolymerizable layer. The method and apparatus includes heating the photosensitive precursor to a temperature sufficient to cause a portion of the layer to liquefy, contacting the precursor with a development medium to remove the liquefied material, and supporting a development medium with a core member adjacent an exterior surface of the photosensitive precursor, wherein a compressible collar of a closed-cell foam having a Poisson's ratio of less than 0.4 is disposed between the core member and the development medium.

Abstract: There is provided a lithographic printing plate precursor that enables image recording using a laser and that provides an excellent scumming resistance and an excellent developability while maintaining a satisfactory printing durability. Also provided are a platemaking method, and a novel polymerizable monomer. A lithographic printing plate precursor has a support, and an image recording layer disposed thereon and containing a radical polymerization initiator and a polymerizable monomer that has a sulfonamide group and at least two ethylenically unsaturated groups; a lithographic printing plate platemaking method uses this lithographic printing plate precursor; and a polymerizable monomer has a sulfonamide group and at least two ethylenically unsaturated groups.

Abstract: A laser-engraveable flexographic printing precursor or patternable element comprises a laser-engraveable layer having two orthogonal dimensions. This laser-engraveable layer comprises one or more elastomeric resins and non-metallic fibers that are oriented in the laser-engraveable layer predominantly in one of its two orthogonal dimensions. The non-metallic fibers have an average length of at least 0.1 mm and an average diameter of at least 1 ?m. The oriented non-metallic fibers reduce curl and shrinkage in the precursor and improve print quality and press life.