The invention pertains to a printing form precursor, and particularly a printing form precursor that can form printing forms, or printing plates, having improved properties. The printing form precursor includes a photopolymerizable composition containing an additive having a structure of Formula (I). The presence of the additive results in ease of processing and/or better cleanout and reduction in webmarkings on solid areas of the printing form.

The invention pertains to a printing form precursor, and particularly a printing form precursor that can form printing forms, or printing plates, having improved properties. The printing form precursor includes a photopolymerizable composition containing an additive having a structure of Formula (I). The presence of the additive results in ease of processing and/or better cleanout and reduction in webmarkings on solid areas of the printing form.

The platemaking apparatus according to the present invention forms a pattern on an ink film-forming press plate that has a surface layer containing a stimulus-responsive compound whose physical property can reversibly change in response to an external stimulus. The platemaking apparatus includes: a first stimulator that applies, to a surface of the press plate, a first stimulus that changes the physical property of the surface from a first physical property to a second physical property to form the pattern, on the basis of image data; a second stimulator that applies, to the surface of the press plate, a second stimulus that changes the physical property of the surface from the second physical property to the first physical property, to erase the pattern; and a cleaning unit that removes an ink remained on the surface of the press plate.

The platemaking apparatus according to the present invention forms a pattern on an ink film-forming press plate that has a surface layer containing a stimulus-responsive compound whose physical property can reversibly change in response to an external stimulus. The platemaking apparatus includes: a first stimulator that applies, to a surface of the press plate, a first stimulus that changes the physical property of the surface from a first physical property to a second physical property to form the pattern, on the basis of image data; a second stimulator that applies, to the surface of the press plate, a second stimulus that changes the physical property of the surface from the second physical property to the first physical property, to erase the pattern; and a cleaning unit that removes an ink remained on the surface of the press plate.

Described is a recording element which is suitable for the production of high-resolution flexographic printing plates by means of digital information transmission that can be imaged with actinic laser radiation and comprises or consists of the following layers: (A) a carrier film, (B) a photopolymerizable layer/relief forming polymer layer which is cross-linkable by actinic radiation, (C) an actinic radiation transparent intermediate layer composite, comprising at least two polymer comprising composite layers lying on top of each other, a first composite layer (C1) acting as blocking layer or barrier layer and a second composite layer (C2) acting as adhesion modulator against the relief forming polymer layer, (D) a recordable template layer comprising a monomeric diazonium compound, and (E1) optionally a peelable protective film or cover film on the recordable template layer (D).

Described is a recording element which is suitable for the production of high-resolution flexographic printing plates by means of digital information transmission that can be imaged with actinic laser radiation and comprises or consists of the following layers: (A) a carrier film, (B) a photopolymerizable layer/relief forming polymer layer which is cross-linkable by actinic radiation, (C) an actinic radiation transparent intermediate layer composite, comprising at least two polymer comprising composite layers lying on top of each other, a first composite layer (C1) acting as blocking layer or barrier layer and a second composite layer (C2) acting as adhesion modulator against the relief forming polymer layer, (D) a recordable template layer comprising a monomeric diazonium compound, and (E1) optionally a peelable protective film or cover film on the recordable template layer (D).

Provided are a printing plate precursor including a support, a layer containing a polymer on a printing surface side on the support, and a layer containing tabular particles on a non-printing surface side opposite to the layer containing a polymer in a state of sandwiching the support therebetween, and a printing plate precursor laminate which is obtained by laminating a plurality of the printing plate precursors, wherein the printing plate precursor laminate is formed such that an outermost layer on a surface where the layer containing the polymer is provided and an outermost layer on a surface where the layer containing the tabular particles is provided are laminated by being brought into direct contact with each other.

Provided are a printing plate precursor including a support, a layer containing a polymer on a printing surface side on the support, and a layer containing tabular particles on a non-printing surface side opposite to the layer containing a polymer in a state of sandwiching the support therebetween, and a printing plate precursor laminate which is obtained by laminating a plurality of the printing plate precursors, wherein the printing plate precursor laminate is formed such that an outermost layer on a surface where the layer containing the polymer is provided and an outermost layer on a surface where the layer containing the tabular particles is provided are laminated by being brought into direct contact with each other.

A method for thermally developing a relief precursor comprising a supporting layer and photopolymer layer having cured and uncured portions comprising the steps: (a) fixing the relief precursor with the supporting layer adjacent to a movable support; (b) repeatedly moving the support with the relief precursor fixed thereon in a multitude of movement cycles; (c) heating the relief precursor to a temperature sufficient to cause the uncured portions of the photopolymer layer to soften or liquefy; (d) contacting the relief precursor with a development medium to allow the liquefied material of the uncured portions to be adhered to and removed by the development medium;
wherein the heating and contacting is carried out in cycles A, B, C or D each corresponding to a single movement cycle such that (i) in a cycle A, the relief precursor is heated with higher heating power and not contacted the relief precursor with the development medium; (ii) in a cycle B, the relief precursor is heated with higher heating power and contacted with the development medium; (iii) in a cycle C, the relief precursor is not heated or heated with lower heating power and contacted with the development medium; (iv) in a cycle D, the relief precursor is not heated or heated with lower heating power and not contacted with the development medium;
wherein cycle B is carried out once or more and at least one of cycles A, C or D is carried out once or more.

A method for thermally developing a relief precursor comprising a supporting layer and photopolymer layer having cured and uncured portions comprising the steps: (a) fixing the relief precursor with the supporting layer adjacent to a movable support; (b) repeatedly moving the support with the relief precursor fixed thereon in a multitude of movement cycles; (c) heating the relief precursor to a temperature sufficient to cause the uncured portions of the photopolymer layer to soften or liquefy; (d) contacting the relief precursor with a development medium to allow the liquefied material of the uncured portions to be adhered to and removed by the development medium;
wherein the heating and contacting is carried out in cycles A, B, C or D each corresponding to a single movement cycle such that (i) in a cycle A, the relief precursor is heated with higher heating power and not contacted the relief precursor with the development medium; (ii) in a cycle B, the relief precursor is heated with higher heating power and contacted with the development medium; (iii) in a cycle C, the relief precursor is not heated or heated with lower heating power and contacted with the development medium; (iv) in a cycle D, the relief precursor is not heated or heated with lower heating power and not contacted with the development medium;
wherein cycle B is carried out once or more and at least one of cycles A, C or D is carried out once or more.