Lithographic printing plates are provided by imagewise exposing negative-working lithographic printing plate precursors having one or more radiation-sensitive imageable layers, followed by contacting with a processing solution that contains up to 10 weight % of one or more compounds represented by Structure (I) shown as follows:
R.sup.1—C(═O)—N(R.sup.2)—R.sup.3   (I)
wherein R.sup.1, R.sup.2, and R.sup.3 independently represent hydrogen or a substituted or unsubstituted hydrocarbon group, or two or three of R.sup.1, R.sup.2, and R.sup.3 are combined to form one or more cyclic rings, and the total number of carbon atoms in the Structure (I) molecule is at least 7 and up to and including 33. Both negative-working and positive-working lithographic precursors can be imaged and processed using this processing solution using one or more successive applications of the same or different processing solution. The processing solution can be derived from a corresponding processing solution concentrate that can also be used for replenishment.

A method according for preparing a lithographic printing plate containing a lithographic image consisting of printing areas and non-printing areas includes the steps of jetting and curing droplets of a first curable fluid on a hydrophilic support thereby forming a printing area of the lithographic image; and jetting and curing droplets of a second curable fluid in a non-printing area of the lithographic image thereby forming a hydrophilic protective layer on the hydrophilic support.

The invention relates to a method (100) for producing an image structure (12) according to an image specification (20), in particular for a letterpress process and/or intaglio printing process, characterized in that the following steps are carried out: a) providing a base (10) for receiving the image structure (12), b) producing an image structure (12) on the base (10) so that an image layer (11) is formed on the base (10) by means of the image structure (12).

A method of preparing a lithographic printing plate includes the steps printing a liquid on a lithographic support to form a printing area which corresponds to a raster image, wherein the raster image includes a section which has a tone-value from 90% to 100%, and the jetted liquid droplets for this section, on a corresponding part from the printing area on the lithographic support, are contactless with each other.

An object of the invention is to provide a water-based lithographic printing method that is excellent in printing quality and environmental aspects. The invention concerns a method of producing a printed material, including the steps of: allowing a water-based ink to adhere to a surface of a heat sensitive layer of a lithographic printing plate having a surface on which an ink repelling layer and the heat sensitive layer exist; and transferring the adhering water-based ink directly or via a blanket to a printing substrate.

Lithographic printing plates are provided by imagewise exposing negative-working lithographic printing plate precursors having one or more radiation-sensitive imageable layers, followed by contacting with a processing solution that contains up to 10 weight % of one or more compounds represented by Structure (I) shown as follows:

R.sup.1—C(═O)—N(R.sup.2)—R.sup.3   (I)

wherein R.sup.1, R.sup.2, and R.sup.3 independently represent hydrogen or a substituted or unsubstituted hydrocarbon group, or two or three of R.sup.1, R.sup.2, and R.sup.3 are combined to form one or more cyclic rings, and the total number of carbon atoms in the Structure (I) molecule is at least 7 and up to and including 33. Both negative-working and positive-working lithographic precursors can be imaged and processed using this processing solution using one or more successive applications of the same or different processing solution. The processing solution can be derived from a corresponding processing solution concentrate that can also be used for replenishment.

The invention relates to a method (100) for producing an image structure (12) according to an image specification (20), in particular for a letterpress process and/or intaglio printing process, characterized in that the following steps are carried out: a) providing a base (10) for receiving the image structure (12), b) producing an image structure (12) on the base (10) so that an image layer (11) is formed on the base (10) by means of the image structure (12).

An imaging blanket comprises a base comprising an elastic polymer and sulfur. A barrier layer is on the base and a surface layer is on the barrier layer. The surface layer comprises an elastomer and a platinum catalyst.

A method according for preparing a lithographic printing plate containing a lithographic image consisting of printing areas and non-printing areas includes the steps of jetting and curing droplets of a first curable fluid on a hydrophilic support thereby forming a printing area of the lithographic image; and jetting and curing droplets of a second curable fluid in a non-printing area of the lithographic image thereby forming a hydrophilic protective layer on the hydrophilic support.

An apparatus and method of manufacturing a fluorosilicone composite for a variable data lithography imaging member surface layer. Examples of the fluorosilicone composite include a first part and a second part, the first part having fluorosilicone, carbon black, silica and butyl acetate, the second part having a platinum catalyst, a crosslinker, butyl acetate and an inhibitor. The first part may also include a dispersant (e.g., a polyoxyalkylene amine derivative) that removes a need for shaking the dispersion by paint shaker and instead allows a more manufacture friendly roll ball milling process. The dispersant will also help in stabilizing the fluorosilicone composite for scaled up production.