Abstract: The invention provides a planographic printing plate material that excels in on-press development property, printing durability, sensitivity and resistance to fogging by pressure, and a printing process employing the planographic printing plate material. As a means thereof, a planographic printing plate material of on-press development type is used which comprises a support and provided thereon, a hydrophilic layer and a thermosensitive image formation layer, wherein the thermosensitive image formation layer contains heat fusible particles in an amount of not less than 10% by weight based on the total solid content of the thermosensitive image formation layer, the heat fusible particles comprising a heat melting compound having a melting point of from 60 to 100° C. and a heat softening compound having a softening point of from 70 to 150° C.

Abstract: The Object of the invention is to provide a lithographic printing plate material excellent in the on-press developability, running durability, and resistivity to pressure fogging, the production method of the lithographic printing plate material and the printing method using the lithographic printing plate material. The above object can be attained by a lithographic printing plate material having a hydrophilic layer and a thermo-sensitive image forming layer piled on a support in which the hydrophilic layer is formed by coating a coating composition containing a compound having an addition polymerizable unsaturated bond and a polymerization initiator onto a support and polymerizing the compound having the addition polymerizable unsaturated bond.

Abstract: Disclosed is a planographic printing plate material comprising a hydrophilic support and provided thereon, an image formation layer whose alkali solubility is changed after near-infrared laser exposure, wherein the image formation layer contains, as a infrared absorbent, a compound having absorption maximum in the wavelength regions of from 700 to 900 nm, the compound being selected from the group consisting of compounds represented by formulae IRD1, IRD2 and IRD3,

Abstract: A printing plate material product, is provided with a printing plate material including a substrate and a image forming layer provided on the substrate; and a wireless memory tag mounted on a part of the printing plate material and including a semiconductor memory and an antenna coil through which data is written in or read from the semiconductor memory. The semiconductor memory stores product data written in at the time of the manufacturing process of the printing plate material product.

Abstract: Disclosed is a printing plate material in roll form of the on-press development type comprising a support, a functional layer including a hydrophilic layer and a thermosensitive image formation layer provided on one side of the support, and a back coat layer provided on the other side of the support, the functional layer containing first matting agents and having first protrusions formed from the first matting agents, and the back coat layer containing second matting agents and having second protrusions formed from the second matting agents, wherein an average protrusion height of the first protrusions is 0.5 to 5.0 ?m higher than that of the second protrusions.

Abstract: Disclosed is a process of preparing a printing plate from a printing plate material comprising a support, and provided thereon, an image formation layer, the process comprising the steps of fixing the printing plate material onto a fixing member with suction through-holes by suction that evacuates air through the suction through-holes, the surface (rear surface) of the support opposite the image formation layer facing the fixing member, and then imagewise exposing the fixed printing plate material to laser to form an image on image formation portions of the image formation layer, wherein a degree of flatness of the surface on the image formation layer side of the fixed printing plate material is not more than 50 ?m at the image formation portions.

Abstract: An image forming method comprising, superimposing an ink sheet on an intermediate transfer medium, the ink sheet comprising a thermally transferable ink layer, and the intermediate transfer medium comprising a support having thereon an interlayer and an intermediate image receiving layer in the order; applying heat in response to an imagewise signal onto the ink sheet to form an ink image on the image receiving layer of the intermediate transfer medium; peeling off the ink sheet from the intermediate transfer medium having the ink image; superimposing a final image forming material on the intermediate transfer medium having the ink image; and applying heat or pressure to the superimposed final image forming material on the intermediate transfer medium so as to transfer the ink image onto the final image forming material, wherein the image receiving layer is imagewise transferred to the final image forming material together with the ink image.

Abstract: A printing plate material product, is provided with a printing plate material including a substrate and a image forming layer provided on the substrate; and a wireless memory tag mounted on a part of the printing plate material and including a semiconductor memory and an antenna coil through which data is written in or read from the semiconductor memory. The semiconductor memory stores product data written in at the time of the manufacturing process of the printing plate material product.

Abstract: Disclosed is a printing plate material in roll form of the on-press development type comprising a support, a functional layer including a hydrophilic layer and a thermosensitive image formation layer provided on one side of the support, and a back coat layer provided on the other side of the support, the functional layer containing first matting agents and having first protrusions formed from the first matting agents, and the back coat layer containing second matting agents and having second protrusions formed from the second matting agents, wherein an average protrusion height of the first protrusions is 0.5 to 5.0 ?m higher than that of the second protrusions.

Abstract: Disclosed is a process of preparing a printing plate from a printing plate material comprising a support, and provided thereon, an image formation layer, the process comprising the steps of fixing the printing plate material onto a fixing member with suction through-holes by suction that evacuates air through the suction through-holes, the surface (rear surface) of the support opposite the image formation layer facing the fixing member, and then imagewise exposing the fixed printing plate material to laser to form an image on image formation portions of the image formation layer, wherein a degree of flatness of the surface on the image formation layer side of the fixed printing plate material is not more than 50 &mgr;m at the image formation portions.

Abstract: A laser-induced thermal transfer ink sheet for forming a transfer image, comprising a support having thereon a light-to-heat converting layer containing a light-to-heat converting compound, an interlayer containing a resin, and an ink layer in that order, wherein the light-to-heat converting compound and the resin satisfy one of the following requirements (a) and (b); (a) the light-to-heat converting compound is soluble in an organic solvent and the resin is soluble in water; and (b) the light-to-heat converting compound is soluble in water and the resin is soluble in an organic solvent.

Abstract: An image forming method comprising, superimposing an ink sheet on an intermediate transfer medium, the ink sheet comprising a thermally transferable ink layer, and the intermediate transfer medium comprising a support having thereon an interlayer and an intermediate image receiving layer in the order; applying heat in response to an imagewise signal onto the ink sheet to form an ink image on the image receiving layer of the intermediate transfer medium; peeling off the ink sheet from the intermediate transfer medium having the ink image; superimposing a final image forming material on the intermediate transfer medium having the ink image; and applying heat or pressure to the superimposed final image forming material on the intermediate transfer medium so as to transfer the ink image onto the final image forming material, wherein the image receiving layer is imagewise transferred to the final image forming material together with the ink image.

Abstract: A laser-induced thermal transfer ink sheet for forming a transfer image, comprising a support having thereon a light-to-heat converting layer containing a light-to-heat converting compound, an interlayer containing a resin, and an ink layer in that order, wherein the light-to-heat converting compound and the resin satisfy one of the following requirements (a) and (b);

Abstract: Disclosed is provide an intermediate image receiving sheet for a laser thermal transfer recording method, which can easily transfer an image to even a rough surface paper with high quality and stable repeatablility, and can use a variety of papers to produce and image proof which yields results similar to a print made in a production run.

Abstract: Disclosed is provide an intermediate image receiving sheet for a laser thermal transfer recording method, which can easily transfer an image to even a rough surface paper with high quality and stable repeatability, and can use a variety of papers to produce an image proof which yields results similar to a print made in a production run.

Abstract: An image forming material comprises a support and provided thereon, a light sensitive layer containing a compound capable of generating an acid on irradiation of an active light, a compound having a chemical bond capable of being decomposed by an acid and an infrared absorber.

Abstract: A light sensitive composition comprising (a) a vinyl type polymer having a unit represented by the following Formula (1) and a carboxyl group, (b) a monomer, oligomer or polymer containing at least one polymerizable double bond in its molecule, (c) a photopolymerization initiator and (d) a polymerization inhibitor capable of trapping a radical, ##STR1##

Abstract: An image forming process of an image forming material comprising a support and provided thereon, a photosensitive layer and a covering layer in that order comprises imagewise exposing the material by laser beam scanning, and peeling the covering film from the exposed material to form an image on the support or on the covering film, wherein said photosensitive layer contains a colorant, an addition-polymerizable or cross-linkable compound and a salt of a cationic dye with a borate anion represented by the following Formula (1):Formula (1) ##STR1##

Abstract: An apparatus for forming additional images such as characters, illustrations and the like freely in any portion on a photographic paper having a primary photographic image is disclosed. The apparatus includes an image edit system and a thermal transfer system. The edit system designates additional image positions on the primary image on the photogrpahic paper, using the inputted primary image data and the inputted additional images data. The thermal transfer system has a thermal ink transfer ribbon and thermal transfer head for transferring the additional images on the photogrpahic paper according to the edit system. In a preferred embodiment, the photographic paper surface is covered with a UV-cured resin layer.

Abstract: A thermal transfer recording medium suitable for multiple setting is disclosed. The recording medium comprises a support and a plurality of heat softening colorant layer provided on said support, and a porous or island-like resin layer having a softning point higher than that of said heat softning colorant layers or having no softning point interposed between said heat softning colorant layers.