An apparatus for thermally processing a relief image printing element and a method of using the same are described. The printing element comprises at least one photopolymer layer and is selectively exposed to actinic radiation to crosslink portions of the at least one photopolymer layer. The apparatus comprises: (a) means for supporting the printing element; (b) heating means for melting or softening non-crosslinked portions of the at least one photopolymer layer; (c) at least one rotatable roll that is capable of bringing a blotting material into contact with the at least one photopolymer layer to remove the melted or softened non-crosslinked portions of the at least one photopolymer layer; and (d) an element arranged adjacent to the at least one rotatable roll for removing non-crosslinked photopolymer remaining on a surface of the at least one rotatable roll after step c). The apparatus may alternatively be operated without a blotting material.

An apparatus for thermally processing a relief image printing element and a method of using the same are described. The printing element comprises at least one photopolymer layer and is selectively exposed to actinic radiation to crosslink portions of the at least one photopolymer layer. The apparatus comprises: (a) means for supporting the printing element; (b) heating means for melting or softening non-crosslinked portions of the at least one photopolymer layer; (c) at least one rotatable roll that is capable of bringing a blotting material into contact with the at least one photopolymer layer to remove the melted or softened non-crosslinked portions of the at least one photopolymer layer; and (d) an element arranged adjacent to the at least one rotatable roll for removing non-crosslinked photopolymer remaining on a surface of the at least one rotatable roll after step c). The apparatus may alternatively be operated without a blotting material.

Embodiments of the present disclosure provide an embossing plate and a manufacturing method thereof, and an alignment layer transfer plate and a manufacturing method thereof. The embossing plate includes an embossing plate body, and a plurality of protrusions distributed in an array are formed on an embossing surface of the embossing plate body. The embossing plate according to the present disclosure can improve a thickness uniformity of the alignment layer and a quality of the surface of the alignment layer.

Printed matter having a continuous color pattern, such as a high-definition fine printed design pattern. The printed matter has a printed portion on a surface of a printing substrate. The printed portion is formed of an ink and visually recognized as a continuous color pattern. Further, the printed portion is constituted of a combination of a plurality of lines each being formed of an ink and having a line width of 100 m or less. Of the plurality of lines, two adjacent lines have a spacing there between which is 50 times or less the line width of the line that is the narrower one of the two lines defining the spacing.

Printed matter having a continuous color pattern, such as a high-definition fine printed design pattern. The printed matter has a printed portion on a surface of a printing substrate. The printed portion is formed of an ink and visually recognized as a continuous color pattern. Further, the printed portion is constituted of a combination of a plurality of lines each being formed of an ink and having a line width of 100 m or less. Of the plurality of lines, two adjacent lines have a spacing there between which is 50 times or less the line width of the line that is the narrower one of the two lines defining the spacing.

A printing intaglio (100A), (100B) is a printing intaglio for use in intaglio printing, the printing intaglio having a surface which has a plurality of first recessed portions (12) that form a pattern to be printed, wherein at least one of the plurality of first recessed portions has a plurality of minute recessed portions (16p) inside the first recessed portion, and when viewed in a direction normal to the surface of the printing intaglio, a two-dimensional size of the plurality of minute recessed portions is not less than 10 nm and less than 500 nm.

The present invention is to provide a flexographic printing plate having high ink transferability and making it possible to perform printing with a high ink density in a solid portion, a flexographic printing plate precursor, a method for manufacturing a flexographic printing plate, and a method for manufacturing a flexographic printing plate precursor. A flexographic printing plate includes a relief layer including a non-image area and an image area having an uneven structure formed on a surface thereof, in which an average length RSm of roughness curve elements of the surface of the image area having the uneven structure is 15 to 120 m, an oil-retention volume A2 is 2 to 180, and a load length ratio Rmr 30% at a cutting level of 30% is 20% to 90%.

The present invention is to provide a flexographic printing plate having high ink transferability and making it possible to perform printing with a high ink density in a solid portion, a flexographic printing plate precursor, a method for manufacturing a flexographic printing plate, and a method for manufacturing a flexographic printing plate precursor. A flexographic printing plate includes a relief layer including a non-image area and an image area having an uneven structure formed on a surface thereof, in which an average length RSm of roughness curve elements of the surface of the image area having the uneven structure is 15 to 120 m, an oil-retention volume A2 is 2 to 180, and a load length ratio Rmr 30% at a cutting level of 30% is 20% to 90%.

Provided are a functional cylinder body, including a plurality of layers having magnetic patterns and non-magnetic patterns formed adjacently, and a manufacturing method therefor. The functional cylinder body comprises at least: a cylinder main body; a first functional pattern part, which includes first patterns and first functional patterns, the first patterns having first recess patterns and first non-recess patterns formed by forming recesses on a first material layer made of any one of a magnetic material and a non-magnetic material, the first functional patterns being made of any one of the magnetic material and the non-magnetic material embedded in the first recess patterns; and a second functional pattern part, which is formed in a position of the cylinder main body shallower than a position of the first recess patterns and has magnetic patterns of the magnetic material and non-magnetic patterns of the non-magnetic material formed adjacently.

Provided are a functional cylinder body, including a plurality of layers having magnetic patterns and non-magnetic patterns formed adjacently, and a manufacturing method therefor. The functional cylinder body comprises at least: a cylinder main body; a first functional pattern part, which includes first patterns and first functional patterns, the first patterns having first recess patterns and first non-recess patterns formed by forming recesses on a first material layer made of any one of a magnetic material and a non-magnetic material, the first functional patterns being made of any one of the magnetic material and the non-magnetic material embedded in the first recess patterns; and a second functional pattern part, which is formed in a position of the cylinder main body shallower than a position of the first recess patterns and has magnetic patterns of the magnetic material and non-magnetic patterns of the non-magnetic material formed adjacently.