The present disclosure provides a flexographic printing plate containing at least: a support; and a relief layer sequentially stacked, wherein in dynamic elasticity mapping measurement by AFM on a cross section obtained by cutting 1 m from a surface layer of a face on the side opposite to a face where the relief layer is in contact with the support, the cross section has at least: a region (A1) having a storage modulus of 100 MPa or more and 500 MPa or less at a frequency of 2,000 Hz; and a region (B1) having a storage modulus of 3 MPa or more and 15 MPa or less at a frequency of 2,000 Hz.

The present disclosure provides a flexographic printing plate containing at least: a support; and a relief layer sequentially stacked, wherein in dynamic elasticity mapping measurement by AFM on a cross section obtained by cutting 1 m from a surface layer of a face on the side opposite to a face where the relief layer is in contact with the support, the cross section has at least: a region (A1) having a storage modulus of 100 MPa or more and 500 MPa or less at a frequency of 2,000 Hz; and a region (B1) having a storage modulus of 3 MPa or more and 15 MPa or less at a frequency of 2,000 Hz.

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.

A thermal development apparatus for forming a relief structure on a photosensitive printing element. The apparatus comprises conveying means upon which the photosensitive printing element is securable, (b) a heatable roller mounted in the enclosure, wherein the heatable roller is heated to and maintained at an operating temperature at which the uncured portions of photosensitive material begins to liquefy or soften; (c) an absorbent material covering at least a portion of the heatable roller that is capable of absorbing liquefied or softened uncured portions of photosensitive material from the photosensitive printing element when the photosensitive printing element comes into contact with the absorbent material on the portion of the heatable roller; and (d) an auxiliary heating zone arranged relative to the conveying means that is configured to heat the photosensitive printing element from a first temperature at a location at which the photosensitive printing element enters or re-enters the thermal development apparatus to the operating temperature of the heatable roller.

A thermal development apparatus for forming a relief structure on a photosensitive printing element. The apparatus comprises conveying means upon which the photosensitive printing element is securable, (b) a heatable roller mounted in the enclosure, wherein the heatable roller is heated to and maintained at an operating temperature at which the uncured portions of photosensitive material begins to liquefy or soften; (c) an absorbent material covering at least a portion of the heatable roller that is capable of absorbing liquefied or softened uncured portions of photosensitive material from the photosensitive printing element when the photosensitive printing element comes into contact with the absorbent material on the portion of the heatable roller; and (d) an auxiliary heating zone arranged relative to the conveying means that is configured to heat the photosensitive printing element from a first temperature at a location at which the photosensitive printing element enters or re-enters the thermal development apparatus to the operating temperature of the heatable roller.

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.

Provided are a washout processor and a method for manufacturing a flexographic printing plate precursor, which have good productivity and work efficiency. A washout processor that develops a flexographic printing plate precursor after imagewise exposure using a developer includes a station for attaching the flexographic printing plate precursor, and a measurement unit that measures at least one of a size or a thickness of the flexographic printing plate precursor and a position of the flexographic printing plate precursor on the station.

Provided are a washout processor and a method for manufacturing a flexographic printing plate precursor, which have good productivity and work efficiency. A washout processor that develops a flexographic printing plate precursor after imagewise exposure using a developer includes a station for attaching the flexographic printing plate precursor, and a measurement unit that measures at least one of a size or a thickness of the flexographic printing plate precursor and a position of the flexographic printing plate precursor on the station.

A printing intaglio plate including a resin layer constituting a plate surface, in which a Shore A hardness of the resin layer is 30 degrees or more and 90 degrees or less, a surface free energy of the resin layer is 10 mN/m or more and 35 mN/m or less, and the resin layer includes a cell on the plate surface and a coefficient of variation in cell volume of the cell, for printing at the same ink concentration, is 0.2 or less.

A printing intaglio plate including a resin layer constituting a plate surface, in which a Shore A hardness of the resin layer is 30 degrees or more and 90 degrees or less, a surface free energy of the resin layer is 10 mN/m or more and 35 mN/m or less, and the resin layer includes a cell on the plate surface and a coefficient of variation in cell volume of the cell, for printing at the same ink concentration, is 0.2 or less.