Abstract: A manufacturing process for a lead-frame forming material, comprises continuously subjecting a metal web to a degrease treatment and an acid cleaning treatment, coating a light-sensitive material on said metal web, followed by drying to form a light-sensitive layer, and cutting the above coated lead-frame forming metal web thus obtained in fixed lengths along a longitudinal direction or winding said coated lead-frame forming metal web into a roll. The lead-frame having a uniform quality can be produced in large volume.

Abstract: The present invention allows the reproduction of a crystalline aluminum hydroxide having a high particle strength and a high purity which can find wide application such as abrasive from a supersaturated sodium aluminate solution which is being recycled in the production of aluminum hydroxide or lithographic printing plate. In a process for the purification of aluminum hydroxide which comprises the hydrolysis reaction of a supersaturated solution of sodium aluminate to crystallize aluminum hydroxide, the improvement which comprises the steps of keeping the temperature of a suspension formed by mixing a mother liquor having a total caustic soda concentration of from 50 to 700 g/l and an aluminum concentration or from 0 to 300 g/l with crystalline aluminum hydroxide at a range of from 10.degree. C. to 200.degree. C. for at least 1 to 48 hours, mixing the suspension with the supersaturated solution of sodium aluminate, and then causing the crystallization reaction at the crystallization reaction temperature.

Abstract: An aluminum alloy support for a planographic printing plate is disclosed, which is an aluminum alloy plate comprising 0<Fe.ltoreq.0.20 wt %, 0.ltoreq.Si.ltoreq.0.13 wt %, Al.gtoreq.99.7 wt % and the balance of inevitable impurity elements, wherein the number of intermetallic compounds present in the arbitrary thickness direction with in 10 .mu.m from the plate surface is from 100 to 3,000 per mm.sup.2 and the intermetallic compound has an average particle size of from 0.5 to 8 .mu.m, with the intermetallic compounds having a particle size of 10 .mu.m or more being in a proportion by number of 2% or less. Also disclosed is a method for producing the above-described aluminum alloy support.

Abstract: There are disclosed a support for a planographic printing plate, which decreases dispersion in a material quality of an aluminum alloy support and improves a yield of an electrolytic graining treatment and which can produce the planographic printing plate having a small heat softening property after a burning treatment and providing a low cost, and a method for producing the same. The support for the planographic printing plate is an aluminum alloy plate comprising 0<Fe.ltoreq.0.20 weight %, 0.ltoreq.Si.ltoreq.0.13 weight %, 99.7 weight %.ltoreq.Al and the balance of inevitable impurity elements, wherein a solid solution amount of Fe is 10 ppm to 800 ppm, and the support has a tensile strength of 14 kg/mm.sup.2 or more and an offset stress of 10 kg/mm.sup.2 or more when it is subjected to a heat treatment by holding at 300.degree. C. for 7 minutes.

Abstract: Disclosed are a positive type lead-frame forming material which contains a light-sensitive material comprising an o-quinonediazide compound and a novolak resin, and a positive type lead-frame forming material which contains a positive resist composition comprising (1) a water-insoluble but alkaline water-soluble resin, (2) a compound capable of generating an acid by irradiation with active rays or radiant rays, and (3) a compound containing a group decomposable by acid which can increase its solubility in an alkaline developer through the action of the acid.

Abstract: Disclosed are i) a lead-frame forming material which contains a light-sensitive material comprising (1) a diazo salt light-sensitive resin and (2) a water-insoluble but alkaline water-soluble lipophilic high molecular weight compound, ii) a lead-frame forming material which contains a light-sensitive material comprising a photodimeric light-sensitive composition, and iii) a lead-frame forming material which contains a light-sensitive material comprising (1) a water-insoluble but alkaline water-soluble resin, (2) a compound capable of generating an acid by irradiation with active rays or radiant rays, and (3) a compound containing at least one crosslinkable group by the action of the acid.

Abstract: A method of producing a support for a planographic printing plate, which comprises after continuous casting an aluminum plate having a thickness of not more than 3 mm from molten aluminum by a twin roller continuous casting method, heat-treating the aluminum plate and then reducing the thickness of the plate to 0.5 mm or less by cold rolling.

Abstract: Disclosed is a support for planographic printing plate prepared by a process which comprises subjecting molten aluminum alloy to continuous casting by a twin-roll continuous casting machine to directly caste a plate, subjecting the plate to cold rolling and heat treatment once or more times, respectively, reforming the plate, and then surface graining the plate, wherein crystalline grains on a cross section of the finished plate (a) have an average diameter in circle equivalence of 15 .mu.m to 35 .mu.m, (b) contain those having an average diameter in circle equivalence of not less than 40 .mu.m in a proportion of not more than 30% and (c) assume a shape factor of not less than 4.0.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for splicing together the ends of metal webs by TIG welding. In the method and apparatus, since the tapered end portion of an electrode disposed at the leading end of a welding torch for use in TIG welding is formed in a semi-spherical shape or in a circular flat surface, arc can remain stable even if the length of the arc in the TIG welding is changed suddenly at the welding starting or terminating end portion of the weldedly spliced portion of the metal webs.

Abstract: A method of producing a planographic printing plate support in which after aluminum is continuously cast directly from molten aluminum into a thin aluminum plate, the aluminum thin plate is subjected to cold rolling, heat treatment and flattening to obtain an aluminum support. The aluminum support is then subjected to surface toughening. The components of the aluminum support areFe: 0.4%-0.2%,Si: 0.20%-0.05%,Cu: not larger than 0.02%, and the Al purity is not smaller than 99.5%. After continuous casting, Fe in a range of from 20% to 90% of the Fe total content exists in a grain boundary and the rest of Fe exists as a solid solution in grains. In this case, it is preferable that in a section perpendicular to the direction of continuous casting, the grain size is in a range of from 2 .mu.m to 500 .mu.m.

Abstract: An apparatus for anodizing a support for a lithographic printing plate which comprises a backing roller which guides a web made of aluminum or an alloy thereof in a state of contacting the backing roller, (an) electrode(s) which is/are arranged along the peripheral surface of the backing roller in a concentric arc, an electric supplier which is provided at least on the upstream side or the downstream side of the backing roller, and an electrolyte solution which fills the clearance between the backing roller and the electrode, and an anodizing method using the same. By using the apparatus, the electric voltage loss can be reduced in electrolyte solution, and only a single surface of the supports is anodized without the necessity for providing any special means. Anodizing can be conducted at a high speed and the thickness of anodized layer easily increased. Moreover, thin supports can be anodized without fusion troubles.

Abstract: An apparatus for continuous electrolytic treatment of an article of aluminum web or an aluminum alloy including an electrolytic part, a pre-stage power supply part provided upstream of the electrolytic part, a post-stage power supply provided, downstream of the electrolytic part and a power source, at least one electrode in the pre-stage power supply part and at least one electrode in the post-stage power supply part part being connected with one pole of the power source, and at least one electrode of the electrolytic part being connected with the other pole of the power source. This apparatus can decrease a running cost such as the electric cost and the cooling cost as well as the facilities cost, can conduct a high speed treatment and increase the thickness of a film without fusing an aluminum article, even if the aluminum article has a small sectional area, such as a wire, a foil or a thin web.

Abstract: An electrolytic treatment apparatus for continuously electrolyzing an elongated product of aluminum or an aluminum alloy at a low electrolyzing voltage and reduced amount of electric power. The apparatus includes at least one electrolytic section and front- and rear-side power supply section disposed respectively at front and rear sides of the electrolytic section in the longitudinal direction of the elongated product in the electrolytic section. Each of the power supply sections contains at least one electrode, and the electrolytic section contains a plurality of electrodes. The electrolytic section and the power supply sections are filled with an electrolyte in which the elongated product and the electrodes is immersed.

Abstract: A method of producing an aluminum support for a printing plate by electrochemical graining. The aluminum support is soaked in an acid electrolytic liquid of nitric acid or hydrochloric acid in preferred ranges. An alternating current including a t.sub.F positive period and a t.sub.R negative period is applied between the aluminum support and an opposite electrode, with current reach peak levels in the positive period t.sub.F and the negative period t.sub.R being reached within the initial range of 0.1-20% of either period.

Abstract: A method for producing a printing plate support without using sodium hydroxide is provided. An aluminum plate is subjected to cathodic electrolysis in a neutral salt aqueous solution, electrochemically surface-roughened in an acid aqueous solution, and subjected to cathodic electrolysis in one of an acid aqueous solution or a neutral salt aqueous solution to remove smut. Further, a common DC power source is used for cathodic electrolytic treatment and for anodizing treatment. To prevent sparks, an AC current is partially shunted before use in cathodic electrolysis. Finally, an aluminum plate is first electrolytically treated as a cathode in a neutral salt electrolyte, and then is electrochemically surface-roughened in an acid aqueous solution.

Abstract: A method of splicing together metal webs for use in planography with the ends thereof being butted or lapped against each other. In the metal web splicing method, the ends of the metal webs are spliced together in a butted manner, the spliced portion thereof is welded, and the welded spliced portion is rolled. According to the splicing method, there is no level difference in the welded spliced portion, which eliminates the possibility of the spliced metal webs being broken during the movement thereof and also has no adverse effect on the coating process for the spliced metal webs.

Abstract: An aluminum plate is subjected to electrochemical surface-roughening treatment etching treatment, and an additional electrochemical surface-roughening treatment in an acidic electrolyte, in the stated order. The electrochemical surface-roughening treatment is carried out in an electrolyte containing nitric acid by using alternating current. The resulting plate has excellent printing performance and long running characteristics.

Abstract: An electrolytic treatment apparatus is provided in which one or more electrolyte discharge outlets and one or more electrolyte supply inlets are provided between main counter electrodes so that the concentration and temperature of the electrolytic treatment solution at the the inlets and at the outlets can be made close to one another. As a result, uniformity and fineness in grains can be maintained, electrolysis efficiency can be raised, and the production speed can be improved.

Abstract: A support for a planographic printing plate is produced by continuously performing casting and hot-rolling from molten aluminum to form a hot-rolled coil of a thin plate, transforming the hot-rolled coil into an aluminum support through cold-rolling, heat-treatment and correction, and finally, graining the aluminum support.

Abstract: A process for producing an aluminum support for a lithographic printing plate is disclosed, which comprises etching a surface of an aluminum plate, particularly an aluminum plate containing manganese, with an alkali etching solution in such a manner that from 0.01 to 1.0 g/m.sup.2 of aluminum is removed, chemically etching in an aqueous solution containing sulfuric acid in such a manner that from 0.001 to 5.0 g/m.sup.2 of aluminum is removed, and subsequently subjecting the aluminum plate to electrolytic graining in an acidic electrolytic solution. The aluminum support has a uniform grain and provides a lithographic printing plate excellent in printing durability and stain resistance.