An apparatus comprises: (a) a rotatable drum configured to have a UV-curable printing plate with an ablatable layer thereon, placed thereon; (b) at least one laser beam to image the plate on the drum by ablating some of the ablatable layer according to image data to form an imaged plate; (c) an unloading area onto which a plate is movable when unloaded; and (d) a plurality of UV LEDs configured to apply UV radiation to the back of the UV-curable plate or to both the front and back of the UV-curable plate during or after the unloading of the imaged plate.

An apparatus for back-exposing a printing plate and method for exposing a printing plate therewith. Light-emitting diodes (LEDs) are arranged in one or more arrays, including at least two sets of LEDs, each set having an emission spectrum different than a corresponding emission spectrum of at least one other set. One or more controllers connected to the LED array is configured to activate the array to cause the plurality of sets of LEDs to emit radiation toward the back, non-printing side of the printing plate simultaneously. Performing the method includes providing the one or more arrays spaced a pre-defined distance from the printing plate and irradiating the back, non-printing side of the printing plate with the emission spectra of the at least two sets of LEDs simultaneously.

Embodiments of the present invention involve three-layer printing members having a central layer that is non-conductive yet abalatable at commercially realistic fluence levels. In various embodiments, the central layer is polymeric with a dispersion of nonconductive carbon black particles therein at a loading level sufficient to provide at least partial layer ablatability and water compatibility of the resulting ablation debris.

Embodiments described herein generally relate to an apparatus and methods for removing a glue residue from a photomask. The glue residue may be exposed when a pellicle is removed from the photomask. Before a new pellicle can be adhered to the photomask, the glue residue may be removed. To remove the glue residue, a laser beam may be projected through a lens and focused on a surface of the glue residue. The glue residue may be ablated from the photomask by the laser beam.

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 writing an imageable material using multiple beams includes preparing subsequent patterns each having Y rows of N pixel locations, said subsequent patterns including first and second patterns; where the first and the second pattern overlap with each other in an overlap area consisting of O columns and Y rows of pixel locations; selecting for each row i of said first pattern Mi1 pixel locations; selecting for each row i of said second pattern Mi2 pixel locations; writing simultaneously, for each row i, said Mi1 selected pixel locations by moving the N beams in a fast scan direction relative to said imageable material; and moving said N beams relative to said imageable material in a slow scan direction over (NO) pixel locations; writing simultaneously, for each row i, said Mi2 selected pixel locations by moving the N beams in a fast scan direction relative to said imageable material.

Embodiments described herein generally relate to an apparatus and methods for removing a glue residue from a photomask. The glue residue may be exposed when a pellicle is removed from the photomask. Before a new pellicle can be adhered to the photomask, the glue residue may be removed. To remove the glue residue, a laser beam may be projected through a lens and focused on a surface of the glue residue. The glue residue may be ablated from the photomask by the laser beam.

An aqueous ink composition including water; an optional co-solvent; an optional colorant; a sulfonated polyester; and an isoprene rubber. A process of digital offset printing, the process including applying an ink composition onto a re-imageable imaging member surface at an ink take up temperature, the re-imageable imaging member having dampening fluid disposed thereon; forming an ink image; transferring the ink image from the re-imageable surface of the imaging member to a printable substrate at an ink transfer temperature; wherein the ink composition comprises: water; an optional co-solvent; an optional colorant; a sulfonated polyester; and an isoprene rubber. A process including combining a sulfonated polyester resin, water, an optional co-solvent, an optional colorant, a sulfonated polyester, and an isoprene rubber to form an aqueous ink composition.

An aqueous ink composition including water; an optional co-solvent; a sulfonated polyester, wherein the sulfonated polyester has a degree of sulfonation of at least about 3.5 mol percent; and an isoprene rubber. A process of digital offset printing including applying an ink composition onto a re-imageable imaging member surface at an ink take up temperature, the re-imageable imaging member having dampening fluid disposed thereon; forming an ink image; transferring the ink image from the re-imageable surface of the imaging member to a printable substrate at an ink transfer temperature; wherein the ink composition comprises water; an optional co-solvent; a sulfonated polyester having a degree of sulfonation of at least about 3.5 mol percent; and an isoprene rubber. A process including combining a sulfonated polyester resin, having a degree of sulfonation of at least about 3.5 mol percent, water, an optional co-solvent, and an isoprene rubber to form an aqueous ink composition, wherein the ink composition is substantially colorless.

An aqueous ink composition including water; an optional co-solvent; an optional colorant; a polyester; and a polymer additive, wherein the polymer additive is selected from a member of the group consisting of styrene-butadiene, acrylonitrile-butadiene, acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene, and combinations thereof. A process of digital offset printing including applying an ink composition onto a re-imageable imaging member surface at an ink take up temperature, the re-imageable imaging member having dampening fluid disposed thereon; forming an ink image; transferring the ink image from the re-imageable surface of the imaging member to a printable substrate at an ink transfer temperature. A process including combining water, an optional co-solvent, an optional colorant, a polyester, and a polymer additive, wherein the polymer additive is selected from a member of the group consisting of styrene-butadiene, acrylonitrile-butadiene, acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene, and combinations thereof, to form an aqueous ink composition.