A mask element for flexographic printing can include: a substrate; a polymeric layer on the substrate and having a first infrared absorbing material; a non-silver halide thermally-ablatable imaging layer on the polymeric layer and having a second infrared absorbing material and an ultraviolet absorbing material in an thermally-ablatable polymeric binder; and a particulate-treated protective topcoat on the non-silver halide thermally-ablatable imaging layer and having a thermally-ablatable polymer containing inorganic particles of from about 0.25% to about 20% by dry weight of the particulate-treated protective topcoat. The inorganic particles include silicon dioxide or metal dioxide or combinations thereof. The inorganic particles can be thermally-ablatable particles, such as iron oxide, or be not thermally ablatable particles, such as silica, titanium dioxide, zinc oxide, or combinations thereof. the inorganic particles are present from about 0.5% to 10%. The inorganic particles have a size range from 0.05 microns to 1 micron.

An ablation layer for a photosensitive resin for a relief printing plate, the ablation layer containing at least an acid-modified polymer and an infrared-absorbing agent and having a layer acid value as defined below of 2 mg KOH/g or more and 400 mg KOH/g or less, and a neutralized salt ratio as defined below of 0.9 or less, wherein the Layer acid value=(Acid value of the acid-modified polymer)×(Mass ratio of the acid-modified polymer to an entire ablation layer); and wherein the Neutralized salt ratio=(Number of moles of polymer wherein acid in the acid-modified polymer exists in neutralized salt state)/(Total number of moles of the acid-modified polymer).

An ablation layer for a photosensitive resin for a relief printing plate, the ablation layer containing at least an acid-modified polymer and an infrared-absorbing agent and having a layer acid value as defined below of 2 mg KOH/g or more and 400 mg KOH/g or less, and a neutralized salt ratio as defined below of 0.9 or less, wherein the Layer acid value=(Acid value of the acid-modified polymer)×(Mass ratio of the acid-modified polymer to an entire ablation layer); and wherein the Neutralized salt ratio=(Number of moles of polymer wherein acid in the acid-modified polymer exists in neutralized salt state)/(Total number of moles of the acid-modified polymer).

Flexographic printing members amenable to aqueous (or organic) development do not exhibit the deleterious effects on printing performance characteristic of some conventional alternatives. Embodiments of the invention utilize a photopolymerizable layer comprising, consisting of, or consisting essentially of a photopolymerization initiator and a water-dilutable (but not water-soluble) monomer.

Flexographic printing members amenable to aqueous (or organic) development do not exhibit the deleterious effects on printing performance characteristic of some conventional alternatives. Embodiments of the invention utilize a photopolymerizable layer comprising, consisting of, or consisting essentially of a photopolymerization initiator and a water-dilutable (but not water-soluble) monomer.

The present invention provides a photosensitive resin composition for a flexographic printing plate, the photosensitive resin composition including at least a hydrophilic copolymer (A), a thermoplastic elastomer (B), a photo-polymerizable monomer (C), a photo-polymerization initiator (D), a plasticizer (E), and an acidic group-containing polymer (F), wherein the photosensitive resin composition for the flexographic printing plate has an acid value of 1 to 100 mgKOH/g, as measured by neutralization titration.

The present invention provides a photosensitive resin composition for a flexographic printing plate, the photosensitive resin composition including at least a hydrophilic copolymer (A), a thermoplastic elastomer (B), a photo-polymerizable monomer (C), a photo-polymerization initiator (D), a plasticizer (E), and an acidic group-containing polymer (F), wherein the photosensitive resin composition for the flexographic printing plate has an acid value of 1 to 100 mgKOH/g, as measured by neutralization titration.

Systems and methods for making a flexo plate, and plates, machines, readers, and computer readable media for use therewith. In the system, a plurality of processing machines, each configured to perform one or more process steps in a workflow, includes a controller, a variable operating parameter controlled by the controller, and a reader configured to read machine-readable indicia on the flexo plate. The machine-readable indicia (e.g. bar code, RFID tag, text) is configured for persistent readability downstream of washing (and cutting) steps, without printing in the printing step. The indicia may embody information including at least a plate identifier and instructions corresponding to the at least one variable operating parameter for each of the processing machines or information corresponding to an address in computer storage where the information resides.

Systems and methods for making a flexo plate, and plates, machines, readers, and computer readable media for use therewith. In the system, a plurality of processing machines, each configured to perform one or more process steps in a workflow, includes a controller, a variable operating parameter controlled by the controller, and a reader configured to read machine-readable indicia on the flexo plate. The machine-readable indicia (e.g. bar code, RFID tag, text) is configured for persistent readability downstream of washing (and cutting) steps, without printing in the printing step. The indicia may embody information including at least a plate identifier and instructions corresponding to the at least one variable operating parameter for each of the processing machines or information corresponding to an address in computer storage where the information resides.

A flexographic printing plate precursor is disclosed in which the size and the number of pinholes in a heat-sensitive mask layer are reduced in a simple manner, and to provide a flexographic printing plate almost free from disadvantages caused by the pinholes, based on the flexographic printing plate precursor. A flexographic printing plate precursor comprising at least a support (A), a photosensitive resin layer (B), a heat-sensitive mask layer (C) and a cover film (D) which are laminated in this order, characterized in that the surface energy and the surface roughness (Ra) of a surface of the cover film (D) which contacts with the heat-sensitive mask layer (C) are 25.0 to 40.0 mN/m and 0.01 to 0.2 μm, respectively, and that a protection layer (E) formed from a polymer compound dispersible in a developing solution is provided between the photosensitive resin layer (B) and the heat-sensitive mask layer (C).