A method of forming a digital image on a flexographic printing plate comprising: attaching a portion of photopolymer to a dimensionally stable backing sheet; attaching a lead edge strip and a trail edge strip to said dimensionally stable backing sheet to form a flexographic printing plate; securing the flexographic printing plate comprising a portion of photopolymer to an imaging cylinder by securing the lead edge strip to a lead edge lock formation and securing said trail edge strip to a trail edge lock formation; imparting an image to said portion of photopolymer; and washing said photopolymer to remove unreacted photopolymer and drying said photopolymer to form a processed flexographic printing plate.

A method of forming a digital image on a flexographic printing plate comprising: attaching a portion of photopolymer to a dimensionally stable backing sheet; attaching a lead edge strip and a trail edge strip to said dimensionally stable backing sheet to form a flexographic printing plate; securing the flexographic printing plate comprising a portion of photopolymer to an imaging cylinder by securing the lead edge strip to a lead edge lock formation and securing said trail edge strip to a trail edge lock formation; imparting an image to said portion of photopolymer; and washing said photopolymer to remove unreacted photopolymer and drying said photopolymer to form a processed flexographic printing plate.

A platen having a first dimension and a second dimension. The first dimension is perpendicular to the second dimension. The platen has two opposing long edges along the first dimension and two opposing short edges along the second dimension. The platen has a higher stiffness in the direction of the second dimension than in the direction of the first dimension. Each of the two opposing long edges has at least three biased attaching members spaced therealong to bias the platen towards a structural support.

A system and method for aligning a generally flat, planar object and for facilitating the mounting of the generally flat planar object, such as a printing plate, in near perfect alignment in a cylindrical manner. A printing plate cylinder is covered with stickyback having a release liner. A narrow axial strip of release liner is removed and replaced with a piece of release liner that may be pulled or tugged from beyond the end of the printing cylinder. The printing plate is next rolled into a cylindrical form and held in place on a device which allows registration marks on the printing plate to align the two ends of the printing plate prior to the printing plate ends being temporarily adhered to one another using a piece of tape or similar product. The aligned printing plate is next slid over the printing cylinder which is covered with sticky back. The piece of release liner covering the section of previously removed stickyback is removed and a portion of the aligned printing plate is adhered to the stickyback at that point. The piece of tape holding the two ends of the printing plate in alignment is now removed along with the remainder of the release liner on the stickyback of the printing cylinder and the remainder of the printing plate is attached to the printing cylinder, providing an aligned printing plate on a printing plate cylinder. A machine vision system is used to record and certify the alignment and can also be used to aid in the alignment process based on prior aligned plates or a reference target alignment position.