Abstract: A method of coating a peripheral surface of a sleeve core with a radiation curable coating liquid including the steps of: supporting a sleeve core in a vertical position coaxial with a coating axis; providing an annular coating collar, supplying the coating liquid to the annular coating collar and moving the annular coating collar along the sleeve core in a vertical direction coaxial with the coating axis, thereby coating a layer of the coating liquid onto the peripheral surface of the sleeve core; wherein the coated layer of the coating liquid is cooled by the peripheral surface of the sleeve core to have a viscosity at the temperature of the peripheral surface of the sleeve core and at a shear rate of 10 s?1 which is larger than a minimum viscosity ?min, with: ? min = d 2 50 wherein d represents the thickness of the coated layer expressed in ?m, and ?min is expressed in mPa·s. Also, a coating device for performing the above coating method.

Abstract: A direct-to-plate flexographic printing plate precursor is disclosed including in the order given, a flexible support, a photopolymerizable layer containing an elastomeric binder, an image recording layer including a thermoplastic binder and optionally a cover layer characterized in that the image recording layer and the photopolymerizable layer can be liquefied so that they can be penetrated to a depth of at least 5% at a temperature of 110° C. by a ballpoint probe having a diameter of 3 mm, which is subjected to a force of 0.1 N. Furthermore, a method is provided for making a direct-to-plate if lexographic printing plate precursor.

Abstract: Photosensitive printing element for preparing flexographic printing plates via computer-to-plate technology with a support, a photopolymerizable layer and an IR-ablatable layer substantially opaque to actinic radiation which comprises at least one heat-combustible polymeric binder, at least one IR-absorbing material and at least one aliphatic diester, and a process for making a flexographic printing plate using such an element.