A printing plate includes a defined image area having a microstructure pattern. The microstructure pattern is defined by a plurality of rows each having a plurality of diagonal oriented elevated 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. Processes, computer readable media programmed with instructions for performing the processes, and tools for making the printing plate are also described.

By a lithographic printing plate precursor including a support having provided thereon an image-recording layer capable of forming an image by supplying at least any of printing ink and dampening water on a printing machine after image exposure to remove an unexposed area thereof, wherein the image-recording layer contains an infrared absorbing agent, a polymerization initiator, a polymerizable compound and a polysaccharide having a sulfonic acid group or a group made by a salt thereof and a plate making method of a lithographic printing plate using the same, a lithographic printing plate precursor which exhibits good development property while maintaining printing durability of a lithographic printing plate after development and a plate making method of a lithographic printing plate using the same can be provided.

There is provided a photosensitive resin composition which enables production of a lithographic printing plate precursor having a non-image portion which has good solubility in an alkali aqueous solution and which enables production of a lithographic printing plate having excellent printing durability, excellent chemical resistance, and, in particular, excellent printing durability at the time of using a low quality print material, a lithographic printing plate precursor obtained by using the photosensitive resin composition, and a method for producing a lithographic printing plate.

The photosensitive resin composition contains a polymer compound having a linking group represented by Formula A-1 in the main chain; and an infrared absorbing material. In Formula A-1, R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 each independently represent a hydrogen atom or a monovalent organic group, and X.sup.1 is a specific linking group.

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By a lithographic printing plate precursor including a support having provided thereon an image-recording layer capable of forming an image by supplying at least any of printing ink and dampening water on a printing machine after image exposure to remove an unexposed area thereof, wherein the image-recording layer contains an infrared absorbing agent, a polymerization initiator, a polymerizable compound and a polysaccharide having a sulfonic acid group or a group made by a salt thereof and a plate making method of a lithographic printing plate using the same, a lithographic printing plate precursor which exhibits good development property while maintaining printing durability of a lithographic printing plate after development and a plate making method of a lithographic printing plate using the same can be provided.

A printing plate includes a defined image area having a microstructure pattern. The microstructure pattern is defined by a plurality of rows each having a plurality of diagonal oriented elevated 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. Processes, computer readable media programmed with instructions for performing the processes, and tools for making the printing plate are also described.

A method for imaging a mask layer includes providing a mask layer, receiving an image file and detecting at least one solid area and at least one halftone area in the image file, imaging an area of the mask layer corresponding to the at least one solid area, using a first imaging setting, wherein prior to or during the imaging a sampling pattern is superimposed on pixels of the at least one solid area, so that only a portion of the pixels of the at least one solid area is imaged, and imaging an area of the mask layer corresponding to said at least one halftone area, using a second imaging setting which is different from the first imaging setting.

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.

A film for flexographic printing plate production, comprising: a base material; and an ablation layer stacked on the base material, wherein the ablation layer contains a resin having a constituent unit (1) represented by the following general formula (1), and the base material has a thickness of 10 m or more and less than 100 m:

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wherein, in the formula (1), R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 each independently represent a non-polar group, and R.sub.3 and R.sub.4 each independently represent a hydrogen atom or a non-polar group.

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.

Systems and methods for curing a photopolymer printing plates. A radiation source, such as an UV LED source having a radiation-emitting lateral dimension in a range 10-60 cm, is spaced from a substrate that holds the printing plate. The source and substrate are configured to move relative to one another in a movement direction that defines a leading edge of the radiation source and a trailing edge of the radiation source. A cooling air handling system directs a volume of cooling air into the gap between the radiation source and the printing plate in a direction from the trailing edge to the leading edge. The cooling air handling system may have one or more outlets attached at least one edge of the source, may be configured to only direct air from the trailing edge to the leading edge, or a combination thereof.