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.

An exposure apparatus 10 includes an optical pickup 12 configured to emit laser light and being capable of adjusting the focus of the laser light, a control computing unit 16 configured to adjust the focus of the laser light, an auxiliary stage 21 having the light source unit 12 set thereon, the position of the auxiliary stage 21 being adjustable in the direction toward the master 1, an auxiliary stage control unit 25 configured to control the position of the auxiliary stage 21, wherein the optical pickup 12 includes an object lens 124 configured to direct the laser light to the master 1, a VCM actuator 125 configured to displace the object lens 124 in accordance with a drive current, and the auxiliary stage control unit 25 controls the position of the auxiliary stage 21 in accordance with the drive current for the VCM actuator 125.

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.

A method and apparatus to expose photosensitive printing plates with a predetermined radiation density from the main side (top) and a predetermined radiation density from the back side (bottom). The method comprises executing the main exposure with a time delay after the back exposure. The time delay between back exposure and main exposure is optimized to create smaller stable single dot elements on the photosensitive printing plate after processing and smaller single element dot sizes printed on the print substrate. The plate floor may be adjusted by performing a back-side-only exposure prior to executing the combined back and main exposure with the time delay.

A method and apparatus to expose photosensitive printing plates with a predetermined radiation density from the main side (top) and a predetermined radiation density from the back side (bottom). The method comprises executing the main exposure with a time delay after the back exposure. The time delay between back exposure and main exposure is optimized to create smaller stable single dot elements on the photosensitive printing plate after processing and smaller single element dot sizes printed on the print substrate. The plate floor may be adjusted by performing a back-side-only exposure prior to executing the combined back and main exposure with the time delay.

A pattern forming apparatus comprising: a rotary drum that includes a cylindrical outer circumferential surface which is curved at a predetermined radius from a predetermined center line, that rotates about the center line in a state in which a part of a sheet substrate is supported in a length direction of the sheet substrate along the outer circumferential surface; a pattern forming part that forms the pattern on the sheet substrate at a first specific position; a scale disk that is fixed to an end portion of the rotary drum in a direction in which the center line extends while being coaxial with the center line and that includes a circular scale; and a first reading mechanism that is arranged to oppose with the scale formed at the outer circumferential surface of the scale disk, that is arranged at substantially same azimuth as an azimuth.

A pattern forming apparatus comprising: a rotary drum that includes a cylindrical outer circumferential surface which is curved at a predetermined radius from a predetermined center line, that rotates about the center line in a state in which a part of a sheet substrate is supported in a length direction of the sheet substrate along the outer circumferential surface; a pattern forming part that forms the pattern on the sheet substrate at a first specific position; a scale disk that is fixed to an end portion of the rotary drum in a direction in which the center line extends while being coaxial with the center line and that includes a circular scale; and a first reading mechanism that is arranged to oppose with the scale formed at the outer circumferential surface of the scale disk, that is arranged at substantially same azimuth as an azimuth.

An apparatus comprises: (a) a rotatable drum configured to have a UV-curable printing plate with an ablatable layer thereon, placed thereon; (b) at least one laser beam to image the plate on the drum by ablating some of the ablatable layer according to image data to form an imaged plate; (c) an unloading area onto which a plate is movable when unloaded; and (d) a plurality of UV LEDs configured to apply UV radiation to the back of the UV-curable plate or to both the front and back of the UV-curable plate during or after the unloading of the imaged plate.

An apparatus comprises: (a) a rotatable drum configured to have a UV-curable printing plate with an ablatable layer thereon, placed thereon; (b) at least one laser beam to image the plate on the drum by ablating some of the ablatable layer according to image data to form an imaged plate; (c) an unloading area onto which a plate is movable when unloaded; and (d) a plurality of UV LEDs configured to apply UV radiation to the back of the UV-curable plate or to both the front and back of the UV-curable plate during or after the unloading of the imaged plate.

An apparatus for back-exposing a printing plate and method for exposing a printing plate therewith. Light-emitting diodes (LEDs) are arranged in one or more arrays, including at least two sets of LEDs, each set having an emission spectrum different than a corresponding emission spectrum of at least one other set. One or more controllers connected to the LED array is configured to activate the array to cause the plurality of sets of LEDs to emit radiation toward the back, non-printing side of the printing plate simultaneously. Performing the method includes providing the one or more arrays spaced a pre-defined distance from the printing plate and irradiating the back, non-printing side of the printing plate with the emission spectra of the at least two sets of LEDs simultaneously.