Abstract: A plate processing line and methods for producing a flexographic printing plate. An imaging station applies image information to a first plate. A first exposure station cures the first plate. One or more of water, a solvent, and/or a thermal process is further applied to the first plate. A drying station or an after-exposure station is configured to expose the plate to further radiation. A feeding station is configured to feed the first plate cured by the exposure station and a second plate cured by a second exposure station to the processing station. A transportation cart may transport the plate between the first or second exposure stations and the processing station.

Abstract: Systems and processes for making a flexo plate, and plates made thereby. Non-printing indicia defined by areas of presence and absence of polymer in the plate floor are readable downstream of the washing or other non-cured-polymer-removal step but do not print in the printing step. The non-printing indicia may define a repeating pattern of alphanumeric characters, non-text graphics, or a combination thereof.

Abstract: A finished flexo plate with printing dots and non-printing indicia. The printing dots have an elevation above the plate floor sufficient to transfer ink to a substrate in a printing step, whereas the non-printing indicia are configured for persistent readability relative to the plate floor but have a height relative to the plate floor insufficient to transfer ink to the substrate in the printing step. The non-printing indicia define a pattern of alphanumeric characters, non-text graphics, or a combination thereof, and are disposed on the plate floor in the form of areas of presence and absence of polymer defined by structures formed of microdots, each microdot having an elevation relative to the plate floor lower than a printing height.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and non-transitory memory media embodying computer readable instructions for minimizing voids in front of a trailing edge of a solid rendition or linework print region printed using a photocurable flexographic printing plate having a printing surface corresponding to information in an image file. At least one solid rendition or linework image region corresponding to the solid rendition or linework print region has a pattern of “on” and “off” single pixels that correspond to openings formed by an imager in a mask layer of the plate. Micro-screen openings in an edge region of the solid rendition or linework mask region are imaged with a different size than micro-screen openings in a center region of the solid rendition or linework mask region.

Abstract: A process for constructing a printing plate by successively depositing a plurality of n layers of photopolymer on a substrate, curing each layer 1 through (n-m) using a wide area radiation source, and selectively curing layers (n-m+1) to layer n using a small area radiation source modulated in accordance with a desired image to be printed by the printing plate. Non-cured polymer is removed from layers (n-m+1) to n, and all of the layers are further cured with a detacking area radiation source. Also disclosed is a system for constructing a printing plate by additive manufacturing, including a printing assembly and means for providing relative motion between the substrate and the printing assembly. The assembly comprises one or more ink jet print heads, at least one wide area radiation source, and the small area radiation source.

Abstract: A printing plate having a printing surface for receiving ink, including a defined area of an image intended to print with ink and a surface pattern applied to the defined area. The surface pattern includes a plurality of rows each having a plurality of diagonally oriented line segments, each line segment corresponding to an ink-carrying relief structure in a raised area of the plate, the plurality of diagonally oriented line segments having orientations alternating between a positive angle in one row and a negative angle in an adjacent row, wherein each line segment has a first end aligned with a middle portion of and spaced apart from a first line of a first adjacent row and a second end aligned with a middle portion of and spaced apart from a second line of a second adjacent row.

Abstract: Systems and processes for making a flexo plate, and plates made thereby. Non-printing indicia defined by areas of presence and absence of polymer in the plate floor created using microdots imaged during a LAMS layer imaging step are readable downstream of the washing or other non-cured-polymer-removal step but not to print in the printing step. The non-printing indicia may define a repeating pattern of alphanumeric characters, non-text graphics, or a combination thereof. A difference in growth of plate structures corresponding to different types of microdots may be used for characterizing processing conditions.

Abstract: Systems and processes for making a flexo plate, and plates made thereby. Non-printing indicia defined by areas of resence and absence of polymer in the plate floor are readable downstream of the washing or other non-cured-polymer-removal step but do not print in the printing step. The non-printing indicia may define a repeating pattern of alphanumeric characters, non-text graphics, or a combination thereof.

Abstract: Systems and processes for making a flexo plate, and plates made thereby. Non-printing indicia defined by areas of presence and absence of polymer in the plate floor created using microdots imaged during a LAMS layer imaging step are readable downstream of the washing or other non-cured-polymer-removal step but not to print in the printing step. The non-printing indicia may define a repeating pattern of alphanumeric characters, non-text graphics, or a combination thereof. A difference in growth of plate structures corresponding to different types of microdots may be used for characterizing processing conditions.

Abstract: Systems and methods for making a flexo plate, and plates, machines, readers, and computer readable media for use therewith. In the system, a plurality of processing machines, each configured to perform one or more process steps in a workflow, includes a controller, a variable operating parameter controlled by the controller, and a reader configured to read machine-readable indicia on the flexo plate. The machine-readable indicia (e.g. bar code, RFID tag, text) is configured for persistent readability downstream of washing (and cutting) steps, without printing in the printing step. The indicia may embody information including at least a plate identifier and instructions corresponding to the at least one variable operating parameter for each of the processing machines or information corresponding to an address in computer storage where the information resides.

Abstract: A finished flexo plate with printing dots and non-printing indicia. The printing dots have an elevation above the plate floor sufficient to transfer ink to a substrate in a printing step, whereas the non-printing indicia are configured for persistent readability relative to the plate floor but have a height relative to the plate floor insufficient to transfer ink to the substrate in the printing step. The non-printing indicia define a pattern of alphanumeric characters, non-text graphics, or a combination thereof, and are disposed on the plate floor in the form of areas of presence and absence of polymer defined by structures formed of microdots, each microdot having an elevation relative to the plate floor lower than a printing height.

Abstract: A printing plate having a printing surface for receiving ink, including a defined area of an image intended to print with ink and a surface pattern applied to the defined area. The surface pattern includes a plurality of rows each having a plurality of diagonally oriented line segments, each line segment corresponding to an ink-carrying relief structure in a raised area of the plate, the plurality of diagonally oriented line segments having orientations alternating between a positive angle in one row and a negative angle in an adjacent row, wherein each line segment has a first end aligned with a middle portion of and spaced apart from a first line of a first adjacent row and a second end aligned with a middle portion of and spaced apart from a second line of a second adjacent row.

Abstract: Apparatus, method, and system for exposing a photosensitive printing plate to radiation, including a plurality of LED point sources configured to emit UV light. The plurality of LED point sources in at least one of a front side set or back side set are controllable in subsets smaller than an entirety of the collective irradiation field corresponding to the respective set. A holder receives the printing plate in a stationary position to receive incident radiation and a controller is configured to control the plurality of LED source subsets. A first LED point source subset is configured to be controlled at a first intensity differing by a factor relative to a second intensity of a second LED point source subset to give the radiation emitted by the respective set an intended degree of homogeneity.

Abstract: A system for preparing a photopolymer printing plate includes exposure unit comprising a plurality of UV light emitting diodes (UV LEDs), a holder comprising a UV translucent material configured to receive the printing plate, and a controller configured to activate the plurality of UV LEDs. The UV LEDs include a plurality of stationary back UV LEDs configured to emit UV radiation toward the non-printing back side of the printing plate through the holder with the printing plate disposed in a stationary position on the holder, the plurality of stationary back UV LED sources together defining at least one back array having a collective irradiation field covering an area at least coextensive with the lateral length and lateral width of the plate.

Abstract: A method of creating a bitmap for a printing plate, including defining an area of an image intended to print with a solid color, applying a halftone screen to the defined solid color area, and creating the bitmap embodying the halftone screen in the defined solid color area. The halftone screen pattern includes a plurality of dashes with a plus or minus 45-degree orientation, a plus or minus 135-degree orientation, or a combination of two or more plus or minus 45-degree and 135-degree orientations. Each dash or component dash thereof has a same number of two or more adjacent touching pixels in length and a number of one or more adjacent touching pixels in width, or the dashes are orthogonally arranged in rows and columns, or a combination thereof. Masks, plates, processes for making them, and print methods using the bitmaps are also described.

Abstract: A combined radiation and functional layer application system includes one or more radiation sources and a commonly located functional layer application unit configured to dispose a functional layer over the surface of a fixed target ahead of the radiation sources during relative motion between the target and the radiation sources/application unit. System and method embodiments include those in which the target is stationary or moving, and embodiments in which the functional layer is applied as a liquid or as a solid laminate. Embodiments relate to application of an oxygen-blocking layer of a printing plate prior to exposure to actinic radiation. Certain solid laminate embodiments include a two-roll system for positioning the laminate for cutting adjacent a trailing edge of the plate.

Abstract: The overall mechanism for creating the exposure may comprise a table having an outer frame 1110 that holds a transparent (e.g. glass) inner portion 1112. The upper 1120 and lower 1122 linear radiation sources (e.g. banks of LED point sources, optionally mounted inside a reflective housing) are mounted on a gantry system or carriage 1130. The radiation sources are connected to a power source, such as an electrical power cord having sufficient slack to extend the full range of motion of the carriage. Tracks (not shown) disposed on the outer frame portion provide a defined path for the gantry system or carriage to traverse. The carriage may be moved on the tracks by any drive mechanism known in the art (also coupled to the power supply and the controller), including a chain drive, a spindle drive, gear drive, or the like. The drive mechanism for the carriage may comprise one or more components mounted within the carriage, one or more components fixed to the table, or a combination thereof.

Abstract: A system for preparing a photopolymer printing plate includes an imager, a plate unloader configured to automatically unload the plate from the imager and deliver the plate to an exposure unit comprising a plurality of UV LEDs, and a controller configured to operate the imager, the plate unloader, and the exposure unit. The imager has a rotatable drum configured to rotate while laser beams ablate portions of an ablatable layer of the printing plate in accordance with imaging data. The UV LEDs include a back array and a front array configured to expose the front of the UV-curable plate, at least one of which is configured to emit UV radiation toward the plate during relative motion between the plate and the array.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for directly curing photopolymer printing plates, such as with UV radiation. Printing plates are cured directly by radiation, such as emitted from a high power UV laser beam. No LAMS layer or film bearing the image information is required on top of the polymer plate. The laser beam may be split into several individually-modulated beams by means of an Acousto Optical Deflector. Each individual beam is capable of curing pixels of the image that are to be transferred to the printing plate. Support shoulders for the printing details, formed by the pixels are determined by the caustic of the UV beam propagation.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for exposing a printing plate having a photosensitive polymer to curing radiation. A plurality of light-emitting diodes (LEDs) are arranged in an array of columns and rows, including at least two, and more preferably at least three, different species, each species having a different center emission wavelength, preferably in the UV spectrum. The LEDs species are disposed adjacent one another in a repeating sequence. A controller connected to the array is configured to activate the array and to independently control each of the species to cause them to emit radiation towards the printing plate simultaneously with emissions patterns of adjacent members overlapping one another on the plate. A linear or planar source may comprise a plurality of independently controllable arrays.