An apparatus for preparing a relief plate precursor, such as a printing plate precursor, that has to be treated. The apparatus includes a transport bar provided with at least one penetration element, preferably a plurality of penetration elements; and a plate coupling station configured for coupling a relief plate precursor to the transport bar by causing a penetration by the at least one penetration element through an unperforated area near an edge of a relief plate precursor.

An apparatus for preparing a relief plate precursor, such as a printing plate precursor, that has to be treated. The apparatus includes a transport bar provided with at least one penetration element, preferably a plurality of penetration elements; and a plate coupling station configured for coupling a relief plate precursor to the transport bar by causing a penetration by the at least one penetration element through an unperforated area near an edge of a relief plate precursor.

The stamp comprises a base and a stamping surface. The stamping surface includes one or more singularities; one or more conjoined singularities; and one or more fused singularity sections all of substantially uniform height. The singularities can be protrusions separated by one or more gaps. The conjoined singularities can include one or more connections between them, wherein the connections are substantially the same height as the stamping surface and can be part of the stamping surface. A method of manufacturing an improved stamp is also disclosed.

The stamp comprises a base and a stamping surface. The stamping surface includes one or more singularities; one or more conjoined singularities; and one or more fused singularity sections all of substantially uniform height. The singularities can be protrusions separated by one or more gaps. The conjoined singularities can include one or more connections between them, wherein the connections are substantially the same height as the stamping surface and can be part of the stamping surface. A method of manufacturing an improved stamp is also disclosed.

Provided is a method for manufacturing a sleeve printing plate capable of forming an image pattern which applies printing on an object to be printed by laser engraving without generating cracks and chippings in a printing plate made of a photosensitive resin. The method for manufacturing a sleeve printing plate by making a printing plate made of a photosensitive resin surround an outer peripheral surface of a circular cylindrical sleeve body and forming an image pattern on the printing plate by laser engraving includes the steps of: washing and cooling the printing plate with water; applying heating treatment to the printing plate at a predetermined temperature; and applying heat radiation treatment to the printing plate after the heating treatment.

Provided is a method for manufacturing a sleeve printing plate capable of forming an image pattern which applies printing on an object to be printed by laser engraving without generating cracks and chippings in a printing plate made of a photosensitive resin. The method for manufacturing a sleeve printing plate by making a printing plate made of a photosensitive resin surround an outer peripheral surface of a circular cylindrical sleeve body and forming an image pattern on the printing plate by laser engraving includes the steps of: washing and cooling the printing plate with water; applying heating treatment to the printing plate at a predetermined temperature; and applying heat radiation treatment to the printing plate after the heating treatment.

A photosensitive resin printing plate precursor includes at least a substrate and a photosensitive resin layer, the photosensitive resin layer containing: (A) a partially saponified polyvinyl acetate, (B) a polyamide having basic nitrogen, (C) a compound having an ethylenic double bond, and (D) a photopolymerization initiator; the photosensitive resin layer including at least an underlayer and a printing surface layer; the substrate, the underlayer, and the printing surface layer being included in this order; and the photosensitive resin layer containing, as the partially saponified polyvinyl acetate (A), those (A1) having an average polymerization degree of 1,200 to 2,600 in the printing surface layer and those (A2) having an average polymerization degree of 400 to 800 in the underlayer.

Provided are a printing plate and a printing method that allow for high-resolution printing and efficient use of printing ink. The printing plate has an image area and a non-image area. The image area of the printing plate is a recessed area formed by a layer containing silicone rubber. The non-image area is a raised area formed by a layer containing a fluorine compound on a surface of the layer containing silicone rubber. The height difference between a surface of the image area and a surface of the non-image area of the printing plate is from more than 0.1 m to 10 m. The printing method includes an ink-applying step of applying a printing ink to an image area of a printing plate and a transfer step of transferring the printing ink from the image area to a substrate. A method for manufacturing a printing plate has the steps of forming a second layer containing silicone rubber in a region that becomes a non-image area on a first layer containing silicone rubber to obtain a layer containing silicone rubber; and forming the layer containing the fluorine compound on a surface of the second layer containing silicone rubber.

The invention pertains to a printing form and a process for preparing a polymeric printing form from a curable composition that includes a multifunctional urethane in a specified reactive group equivalent weight range, and an initiator. The process includes coating the curable composition onto a supporting substrate, such as a print cylinder, to form a layer, curing the layer with heat or by exposure to actinic radiation, and engraving the resulting cured layer to form at least one printing cell in the cured layer. The process prepares novel polymeric printing forms, particularly novel polymeric gravure printing forms, having a cured polymer-based composition layer that is engravable, resistant to solvent inks, and capable of printing gravure-quality images. The present invention shortens the time to prepare gravure printing cylinders and removes the need for and disposal of toxic heavy metals such as copper and chrome associated with conventional gravure print cylinder preparation.

The invention pertains to a printing form and a process for preparing a polymeric printing form from a curable composition that includes a multifunctional urethane in a specified reactive group equivalent weight range, and an initiator. The process includes coating the curable composition onto a supporting substrate, such as a print cylinder, to form a layer, curing the layer with heat or by exposure to actinic radiation, and engraving the resulting cured layer to form at least one printing cell in the cured layer. The process prepares novel polymeric printing forms, particularly novel polymeric gravure printing forms, having a cured polymer-based composition layer that is engravable, resistant to solvent inks, and capable of printing gravure-quality images. The present invention shortens the time to prepare gravure printing cylinders and removes the need for and disposal of toxic heavy metals such as copper and chrome associated with conventional gravure print cylinder preparation.