Abstract: The present invention pertains to a process and an apparatus for treating a photosensitive element to form a relief structure suitable for flexographic printing plate. The apparatus comprises an enclosure, a conveyor, a heatable roller with absorbent material conducted over it, and a roller that can significantly smooth or uniformly roughen the relief structure of the flexographic printing plate. Previously selectively cured photosensitive elements are developed by means of the heatable roller by blotting with the absorbent material, and the resulting relief structure is made uniform by way of a smoothing or roughening roller. The flexographic plates produced by the method and apparatus are especially suited to processes that require substantially smoothed or uniformly roughened printing plate surfaces, which are capable of producing better quality printing.

Abstract: A printing plate has a substrate, an array of cells on the substrate, wherein each cell corresponds to an element of a print image, a deformable polymer material localized into the cells such that each cell is at least partially formed from the deformable polymer material, a reservoir corresponding to each cell to collect the deformable polymer material as needed when the deformable polymer material is one of either melted or softened, and a heater to cause the deformable polymer material to either melt or soften.

Abstract: The invention pertains to a method and apparatus for exposing a cylindrical print sleeve. The method and apparatus can accommodate exposing various cylindrical print sleeves having different sleeve lengths and/or diameters. The apparatus includes a sleeve support for supporting the cylindrical print sleeve at one end, a plurality of light tubes supported in a longitudinal orientation, and a means for positioning the light tubes along one of a plurality of concentric rails to form a substantially circular wall of light tubes about the print sleeve.

Abstract: A method for pad printing a pattern on a textile substrate with a pad printing machine, and fabric and apparel so formed from the textile substrate. The method includes the steps of positioning the textile substrate on the printing area of the pad printing machine, transferring a pattern having at least one color from the cliché of the pad printing machine to a printing pad, and transferring the pattern from the printing pad to the textile substrate.

Abstract: A media tray assembly for a printer includes an output tray that is removably and pivotally mounted onto an input tray. The output tray is configured such that it can be easily installed into and quickly removed from the printer. In addition, the output tray can be pivoted upward from a substantially horizontal position and latched into an inclined position in one continuous motion by a user.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a printing plate includes forming first trenches having a first depth into an insulative substrate, forming an organic film over the insulative substrate including the first trenches, and forming second trenches having a width smaller than that of the first trenches into the organic film, the second trenches formed at positions corresponding to the first trenches by selectively removing the organic film.

Abstract: A device as well as method for deactivating without developing an exposed lithographic printing plate is disclosed. The device comprises a structure for providing a deactivating agent that is capable of deactivating without developing the plate. The plate comprises on a substrate a photosensitive layer capable of hardening upon exposure to a radiation, and becoming incapable of or having reduced rate of hardening after contacting with a deactivating agent. The deactivated plate is safe or has better stability at room lighting, and can be handled under room lighting before and during development. The development can be on press with ink and/or fountain solution or off press with a liquid developer.

Abstract: The present invention is an electrostatographic reproduction apparatus which includes a primary imaging member for producing an electrostatic latent image on a receiver, a development station for applying toner particles to said latent image which forms a developed toner image on the receiver. A fuser assembly is included for fixing the developed toner image, to form a fused toner image on the receiver. A transport member is provided for transporting the receiver to or from the fuser assembly, the transport member having a substrate bearing an oil-absorbing layer that includes transparent alumina inorganic particles of siloxane coated gamma-alumina, dispersed in an organic binder, and a fluorosurfactant.

Abstract: Provided are a method of fabricating a stamp, a thin film transistor and a liquid crystal display device using the same. The stamp has an improved contact property with respect to a substrate. A charged zone is formed on the substrate using the stamp, and nano material charged with opposite charges to those of the charged zone is coated or plated to form a self-assembled monolayer (SAM). Therefore, the thin film transistor and the liquid crystal display device can have precise nano patterns, thereby improving the performance of the device.

Abstract: An installation for preparing dampening solutions for offset printing with a device (10, 62, 72) for preparing a dampening solution and a device (40, 60, 70 for feeding one or more basic liquid materials (42) for preparing the dampening solution into the device (10, 62, 72) for preparing the dampening solution, in which the feeding device (40, 60, 70) is provided for cooling the basic material or materials (42) or a mixture thereof, which is to be supplied.

Abstract: A lithographic printing plate precursor which is capable of undergoing on-press development by supplying at least one of printing ink and dampening water and includes a support and an image-recording layer, wherein the image-recording layer contains at least one of compounds represented by the formulae (1) to (3) as defined herein.

Abstract: A method of treating an on-press developable lithographic printing plate with a treating solution after imagewise exposure and before on-press development is described. The plate comprises on a substrate a photosensitive layer developable with ink and/or fountain solution and capable of hardening upon exposure to a radiation. The plate is imagewise exposed with a radiation, overall treated with a treating solution to cause at least one chemical or physical change in the photosensitive layer or on the substrate surface, and then on-press developed with ink and/or fountain solution. Such a treatment allows improvement on the performance of the imagewise exposed plate by, for example, improving the white light stability, forming visible imaging, increasing the hydrophilicity of the substrate, or increasing the developability of the photosensitive layer.

Abstract: A method of forming visible image on an on-press developable lithographic printing plate is described. The plate comprises on a substrate a photosensitive layer developable with ink and/or fountain solution and capable of hardening upon exposure to a radiation. The plate is imagewise exposed with a radiation, overall treated with a discoloring agent to form visible image or enhanced visible image, and then on-press developed with ink and/or fountain solution. The formation of visible image allows easy identification or inspection of the plate by the pressman before mounting on press.

Abstract: An offset printing apparatus for transferring a phase change ink onto a print medium, which includes a) a phase change ink component for applying a phase change ink in a phase change ink image; b) an imaging member for accepting the phase change ink image from the phase change ink component, and transferring the phase change ink image from the imaging member to the print medium, the imaging member having i) an imaging substrate, and thereover ii) an optional outer layer; and iii) iii) a release agent material coating, wherein the release agent material coating includes a perfluorinated polyether having a skeleton selected from the group consisting of Formulas I and II and mixtures thereof: CF3—(CF2CF2)m—O—(R1R2O)—(R3R3O)n—(R3O)p—(CF2)q—CF3??Formula I and R1—(CF2CF2)m—O—(R2R2O)n—(R2O)p—(CF2)q—CF3—R1??Formula II.

Abstract: The use of polymers which comprise amino groups modified with acid groups for the preparation of fountain solutions for offset printing. A process for printing by means of the offset technique, in which a fountain solution which comprises polymer which comprises amino groups modified with acid groups is used.

Abstract: A measurement field allows determining the smearing limit during printing, in particular during lithographic wet offset printing. The measurement field is arranged on a printing form, in particular a printing plate, which has printing, ink-carrying regions and nonprinting, dampening solution-carrying regions on its surface. A dampening solution-carrying property in the region of the measurement field is reduced by a nanoscopic coating (e.g., with amphiphilic molecules) or an unscreened, microscopic coating (e.g., a polymer coating) in comparison with the dampening solution-carrying property in the nonprinting regions of the surface of the printing form. The nanoscopic coating or the microscopic coating advantageously leads to a shifting of the smearing limit, that is to say to a displacement of the starting point of scumming, by the dampening solution requirement which is increased for scum-free printing within the region of the measurement field.