Flexographic Printing Plate Resin Composition for Laser Engraving
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Flexographic printing plates made using laser engraving often suffer from printing deficiencies due to residues adhering to the plate, leading to reduced resolution and printing quality, especially when high line densities like 175 lpi are required, as conventional methods fail to prevent residue adhesion effectively.
Innovation Solution
A flexographic printing original plate is developed using a photosensitive resin composition with a specific ratio of photopolymerizable oligomer and ethylenic unsaturated monomer, including monofunctional and trifunctional monomers, and a latex with a weight-average degree of gelation of 40% or more, which reduces residue adhesion and enhances printing quality and resolution.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If laser engraving is used for manufacturing flexographic printing plates, then efficiency and environmental friendliness are improved, but residues adhere to the plate causing printing deficiencies
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical composition parameters of the photosensitive resin layer by specifying precise ratios of photopolymerizable oligomer (10-25% by weight) and ethylenic unsaturated monomer (5-40% by weight), with the monomer comprising 75-5% monofunctional and 25-95% trifunctional types. This parameter optimization controls the cross-linking density and surface properties to reduce residue adhesion during laser engraving.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses a composite photosensitive resin composition combining latex as the main component with photopolymerizable oligomers and ethylenic unsaturated monomers. This composite structure leverages the complementary properties of each component: latex provides the base matrix, while the photopolymerizable components enable controlled cross-linking and residue reduction through their specific functional groups.
2Object-generated harmful factors
If filler such as fine powder of silica is added to lower tackiness, then residue adhesion is reduced, but molding property and physical property are significantly deteriorated
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of adding filler to change surface properties, the patent changes the chemical composition parameters of the resin system itself. By optimizing the ratio of photopolymerizable components and using specific types of monomers, the patent achieves controlled cross-linking that inherently reduces tackiness without introducing foreign particles that would harm molding properties.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the filler component from the system entirely and replaces it with a chemically modified resin composition. By removing the silica filler and instead using a optimized combination of photopolymerizable oligomers and monomers, the patent eliminates the negative impact on molding properties while still achieving the desired reduction in tackiness and residue adhesion.
3Ease of manufacture
If conventional photosensitive resin composition is used, then manufacturing is simple, but resolution and printing quality are insufficient for high line densities like 175 lpi
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes the compositional parameters of the photosensitive resin to achieve finer detail reproduction. By specifying precise weight percentages of photopolymerizable components and using a combination of monofunctional and trifunctional monomers, the patent controls the cross-linking density to maintain resolution for 175 lpi line densities while keeping the manufacturing process straightforward.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution effectively suppresses residue adhesion and fusion, preventing printing deficiencies and achieving excellent resolution and printing durability, even at high line densities like 175 lpi, with good ink transfer and printing performance.
Implementation Method 1
a photopolymerization initiator (C) and subjecting the photosensitive resin composition to irradiation to light followed by cross-linking
Implementation Method 2
laser beam is irradiated on a printing original plate based on the image data so that the irradiated area is decomposed and removed whereby unevenness is resulted on the surface of the plate
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure describes a printing original plate capable of being laser-engraved such that printing deficiency caused by residues is avoided, and such that resolution and printing quality are good.A flexographic printing original plate capable of being laser-engraved which is obtained by subjecting a photosensitive resin composition containing (A) at least one latex having a weight-average degree of gelation of 40% or more, (B) photopolymerizable compound and (C) photopolymerization initiator to irradiation to light followed by cross-linking and curing. The photopolymerizable component (B) contains the photopolymerizable oligomer and the ethylenic unsaturated monomer in 10 to 25% by weight and 5 to 40% by weight, respectively, to the weight of the photosensitive resin composition and the ethylenic unsaturated monomer comprises 75 to 5% by weight of monofunctional monomer and 25 to 95% by weight of trifunctional monomer.