Abstract: It is especially described a control process for intaglio printing, in particular for printing paper securities, such as banknotes. This control process includes defining on an intaglio printing plate (80) control areas (150, 151-155; 170, 171-179) designed in such a manner as to allow in particular evaluation of effects of the printing pressure applied during printing of a substrate by means of the intaglio printing plate (80) and evaluation of effects of the ink coverage applied during inking of the intaglio printing plate (80), which control areas (150, 151-155; 170, 171-179) are engraved in a portion of the intaglio printing plate (80) in order to produce corresponding printed control zones (160, 161-165) on the substrate. The process further includes carrying out of measurements in the printed control zones allowing evaluation of the printing pressure applied during printing of the substrate as well as of the ink coverage applied during inking of the intaglio printing plate (80).

Abstract: A method of selectively exposing a liquid photopolymer printing blank to actinic radiation to create a relief image printing plate and a liquid platemaking exposure system. The method includes: (1) positioning a programmable screen programmed with an image file of a desired image between the top glass and an upper source of actinic radiation; (2) exposing the layer of liquid photopolymer to actinic radiation from the upper source of actinic radiation through the programmable screen to crosslink and cure at least a portion of the liquid photopolymer adjacent to the backing sheet and create a floor layer therein; and (3) imagewise exposing the layer of liquid photopolymer to actinic radiation from a lower source of actinic radiation through a negative of the relief image to crosslink and cure selective portions of the liquid photopolymer on the floor layer and create the relief image therein.

Abstract: An imprint apparatus according to one embodiment includes a contact processing unit and a defect determination unit. The contact processing unit brings a template pattern formed on a front surface of a template into contact with resist placed on a substrate. The defect determination unit determines a defect in an imprint process, on the basis of force which is generated from at least one of the template, the resist, and the substrate, during the imprint process.

Abstract: Apparatus, systems and methods that use alpha-ionizers to discharge electrostatic charge accumulated on the working surfaces of imprint lithography templates and/or substrates.

Abstract: Dry, ablation-type, nitrocellulose-containing lithographic printing members include dual adjacent imaging layers, both including an absorber and at least one containing a binder (which may include or consist essentially of a melamine resin). The absorber of the nitrocellulose-containing layer is a pigment and this layer contains no absorbing dye, while the absorber of the other imaging layer includes or consists essentially of a dye.

Abstract: A nanoporous stamp for printing a variety of materials is disclosed. The nanoporous stamp may include a substrate and an array of carbon nanotubes disposed on and attached to the substrate. The array of carbon nanotubes can have an etched top surface and a wettable, nanoporous structure, and may include a coating thereon. The nanoporous stamp can be used in a variety of printing applications, and can print, among other things, colloidal and non-colloidal inks on a variety of substrates with a high degree of accuracy and fidelity.

Abstract: Provided is a planographic printing plate precursor including: a support; and an image recording layer formed on the support, in which the content of fine particles per unit area in a region on a plate surface on the image recording layer side from an end portion of the planographic printing plate precursor to a portion inside the end portion by 5 mm is greater than the content of the fine particles per unit area in a region other than the region by an amount of 10 mg/m2 or greater, edge stains are not generated therein, and transferring of the image recording layer is prevented even in a case where planographic printing plate precursors are stored in a stacked state. Further, provided are a method of producing the same and a printing method using the same.

Abstract: A method for embossing at least one microstructure or nanostructure with an embossing die that has at least one embossing structure with the following steps, in particular the following sequence: aligning the embossing structure of the embossing die relative to a metering device, metering an embossing material in the embossing structure by means of the metering device, at least partial hardening of the embossing material and embossing of the embossing material, characterized in that the embossing structures point in a gravitational direction (G) at least in the case of the metering. In addition, the invention relates to a corresponding device.

Abstract: A printing press is provided which includes a printing unit for printing on a web. The printing unit includes a plate cylinder, a blanket cylinder, and an impression cylinder. The press further includes a web displacement bar movable between a first position in which the web displacement bar is spaced apart from a web passing between the blanket cylinder and the impression cylinder, and a second position in which the web displacement bar holds the web in contact with the impression cylinder and spaced apart from the blanket cylinder. A method of operating the press is also provided.

Abstract: Provided is a planographic printing plate precursor including: a support; and an image recording layer formed on the support, in which a region on the plate surface on the image recording layer side from an end portion of the planographic printing plate precursor to a portion inside the end portion by 5 mm contains a polymer containing a functional group represented by the following Formula (A), and the content of the polymer per unit area in the region is greater than the content of the polymer per unit area in a region other than the above-described region by an amount of 10 mg/m2 or greater.

Abstract: In some examples, a printing device includes a first print drum comprising a first ring gear defined on a surface of the first print drum, a second print drum comprising a second ring gear defined on a surface of the second print drum, a rotatable drive shaft, and pinion gears to engage the first ring gear and the second ring gear, wherein rotation of the drive shaft causes the pinion gears to interact with the first and second ring gears to rotate the first print drum and the second print drum at different angular velocities.

Abstract: A printing press is provided which includes a printing unit for printing on a web. The printing unit includes a plate cylinder, a blanket cylinder, and an impression cylinder. The press further includes a web displacement bar movable between a first position in which the web displacement bar is spaced apart from a web passing between the blanket cylinder and the impression cylinder, and a second position in which the web displacement bar holds the web in contact with the impression cylinder and spaced apart from the blanket cylinder. A method of operating the press is also provided.

Abstract: Provided here are hard transparent polymer pen arrays, methods of printing indicia using the same, and methods of preparing the same.

Abstract: Provided is an electrophotographic member that has a high excessive charging-suppressing effect under a low-temperature and low-humidity environment, and has high charge-providing performance under a high-temperature and high-humidity environment, and a process cartridge and an electrophotographic apparatus each including the electrophotographic member. The electrophotographic member is an electrophotographic member including an electro-conductive substrate and an electro-conductive resin layer, the electro-conductive resin layer contains a cation and at least one anion selected from the group consisting of anions represented by the following formulae (1) to (5): where X represents an arbitrary halogen atom, n in the structural formula (4) represents an integer of from 2 to 6, and n in the structural formula (5) represents an integer of 2 or 3.

Abstract: A method of making a lithographic printing plate includes the steps of a) image-wise exposing a lithographic printing plate precursor including a hydrophilic support and a coating containing a colorant precursor to form a lithographic image consisting of printing areas and non-printing areas, b) developing the plate precursor to remove the coating in the non-printing areas from the support, and c) drying the plate precursor, and d) subjecting the plate precursor to heat or radiation to induce a colour change of the coating in the printing areas, wherein before step b) the coating in the non-printing areas and the support are characterised by a CIE 1976 colour difference ?E1 which is 5.0 or less, and after step d) the CIE 1976 colour difference ?E2 between the coating in the printing areas and the non-printing areas is more than 6.8.

Abstract: A method of preparing a printing form precursor for printing, or a printed circuit board precursor or a semiconductor precursor, the method comprising the step of applying electromagnetic radiation having a pulse duration of not greater than 1×10?6 seconds, in an imagewise manner, to an imagable surface of the precursor. The imaging process may cause ablation of the coating of the precursor or permit its development in a developer. In each case the imaging radiation needs not be tuned to imaging chemistry (if any) present in the coating. Alternatively the imaging process may induce a change of hydrophilicity or hydrophobicity, or other change of state, of an uncoated substrate.

Abstract: This invention relates to a zero alcohol offset printing system, comprises the following parts: Plate cylinder (3), its outer cylindrical surface is covered by printing plate (4); Ink exertion system (1), which comprises ink source (8) and several inking rollers, to exert ink to the printing plate; Dampening liquid exertion system (2), which comprises dampening liquid source (7) and several dampening rollers, to exert dampening liquid to the printing plate; wherein the dampening rollers include a distributor roller (6); wherein the structure of the distributor roller (6) is as follows: it comprises a metal cylinder surrounded by a ceramic layer, and the ceramic layer has texture on its outer surface; wherein the content of alcohol or ether in the dampening liquid is zero.

Abstract: The invention pertains to a printing form and a process for preparing a polymeric printing form from a curable composition that includes a multifunctional urethane in a specified reactive group equivalent weight range, and an initiator. The process includes coating the curable composition onto a supporting substrate, such as a print cylinder, to form a layer, curing the layer with heat or by exposure to actinic radiation, and engraving the resulting cured layer to form at least one printing cell in the cured layer. The process prepares novel polymeric printing forms, particularly novel polymeric gravure printing forms, having a cured polymer-based composition layer that is engravable, resistant to solvent inks, and capable of printing gravure-quality images. The present invention shortens the time to prepare gravure printing cylinders and removes the need for and disposal of toxic heavy metals such as copper and chrome associated with conventional gravure print cylinder preparation.

Abstract: A web transport system for transporting a web of media along a web-transport path including a fluid bar for guiding the web of media, and a scavenger blade positioned downstream of the fluid bar. A liquid is pumped through holes in an exterior bearing surface of the fluid bar, thereby pushing the web of media away from the fluid bar. The scavenger bar includes a blade edge facing the first surface of the web of media, the blade edge being spaced apart from the first surface of the web of media by a gap distance. The scavenger blade removes at least some liquid from the first surface of the web of media as it passes by the scavenger blade, thereby reducing the amount of liquid that is carried along to portions of the web-transport path that are downstream of the scavenger blade.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the field oxidative drying inks suitable for offset, letterpress and intaglio printing. In particular, it relates to oxidative drying inks for printing by an offset process, letterpress process or intaglio process on a non-porous substrate selected from the group consisting of polymer materials, composite materials, metals or metalized materials and combinations thereof, said oxidative drying ink comprising at least one oxidative drying varnish and one or more neutral manganese complex compounds.