Where printing plate is to be secured to a plate cylinder by means of double-sided adhesive tape, the surface of the printing plate to be secured to the plate cylinder is, prior to bonding, partially pre-treated by means of a low-temperature plasma pencil after cleaning with isopropanol.

Where printing plate is to be secured to a plate cylinder by means of double-sided adhesive tape, the surface of the printing plate to be secured to the plate cylinder is, prior to bonding, partially pre-treated by means of a low-temperature plasma pencil after cleaning with isopropanol.

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.

Techniques are disclosed for connecting a printing plate to a print cylinder or surface. The techniques may be implemented, for instance, with respect to a printing plate, a print cylinder, a print sleeve, or some combination thereof. In an embodiment, a field of mechanical fasteners is provisioned on a printing plate, and a complementary field of mechanical fasteners is provisioned on a print sleeve or cylinder. The mechanical fasteners collectively operate to provide a mechanical bond or interface that inhibits lateral and rotational movement of the plate during printing operations, and can also be configured to manage backlash between engaging surfaces of the interface. In some cases, backlash management includes use of cushion effect integral with the mechanical bond itself and/or unidirectional and possibly angled fastener elements to provide a snugging effect. The mechanical bond may be implemented with hook-and-loop, hook-and-hook, hook-to-channel, male/female-type fittings, vacuum, suction, and/or magnetics.

Provided is a PSA sheet with which good air release properties can be obtained while whose quality can be further enhanced. This invention provides a PSA sheet comprising a substrate film and a PSA layer provided to at least one face of the substrate film. The PSA sheet further comprises a coating layer partially covering the PSA layer surface. The PSA sheet's adhesive is formed of the PSA layer and the coating layer. The coating layer has a linearly extending part running from one edge to another edge of the adhesive face. The linearly extending part has a first face forming the PSA sheet's adhesive face and a second face located on the PSA layer side relative to the first face. The second face of the linearly extending part forms an overall gently curved line in a cross section perpendicularly intersecting the length direction of the linearly extending part.

The disclosure provides a flexographic printing original plate which comprises an adhesive layer that exhibits excellent solvent resistance and excellent adhesion to a supporting body. The disclosure provides a flexographic printing original plate 10 which sequentially comprises, on a surface of a supporting body 12, an elastic layer 16 and an adhesive layer 14, wherein the supporting body 12 contains a polyester resin and the adhesive layer 14 contains the components (a), (b) and (c) described below. (a) a polyester resin (b) an isocyanate compound (c) a xylene resin which has a melting point or softening point of 100° C. or less.

An Adhesive Printing Form Attachment Layer comprises a permanently sticky layer, characterized in that the Adhesive Printing Form Attachment Layer is in the shape of a tube, preferably a seamless tube, and the permanently sticky layer forms at least the outer surface of the tube. The Adhesive Printing Form Attachment Layer can be used to adhesively fix a printing plate, preferably a flexographic printing plate, to a printing cylinder during the printing operation. The Adhesive Printing Form Attachment layer provides for easy replacement and easy installation on a printing sleeve or printing cylinder. Also provided are an assembly, comprising an adhesive printing form attachment layer according to the invention mounted on a printing sleeve, and a method of operating a printing machine, the method comprising forming the assembly by pulling the adhesive printing form attachment layer over the printing sleeve.

An Adhesive Printing Form Attachment Layer comprises a permanently sticky layer, characterized in that the Adhesive Printing Form Attachment Layer is in the shape of a tube, preferably a seamless tube, and the permanently sticky layer forms at least the outer surface of the tube. The Adhesive Printing Form Attachment Layer can be used to adhesively fix a printing plate, preferably a flexographic printing plate, to a printing cylinder during the printing operation. The Adhesive Printing Form Attachment layer provides for easy replacement and easy installation on a printing sleeve or printing cylinder. Also provided are an assembly, comprising an adhesive printing form attachment layer according to the invention mounted on a printing sleeve, and a method of operating a printing machine, the method comprising forming the assembly by pulling the adhesive printing form attachment layer over the printing sleeve.

Where printing plate is to be secured to a plate cylinder by means of double-sided adhesive tape, the surface of the printing plate to be secured to the plate cylinder is, prior to bonding, partially pre-treated by means of a low-temperature plasma pencil after cleaning with isopropanol.