Flexographic Printing Plate Exposure Using Film-Like Optical Element
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing manufacturing methods for flexographic printing plates face issues with insufficient depth of concave portions and deteriorated reproducibility of independent dots due to the use of scattered or collimated light during exposure, leading to inadequate curing and development of the photosensitive layer.
Innovation Solution
A manufacturing method that involves irradiating a flexographic printing plate precursor with an energy ray, using a film-like optical element to enhance the directivity of the energy ray, which is preferably ultraviolet light, to improve the curing and development process, thereby achieving both sufficient depth of concave portions and reproducibility of independent dots.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If scattered light is used for exposure, then the photosensitive layer is cured by halation, but the depth of the concave portion becomes insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
A light diffusing plate is introduced as an intermediary component between the light source and the mask portion. This plate diffuses the light before it reaches the mask, reducing halation effects while maintaining adequate curing. The diffusing plate has specific optical properties that scatter light in a controlled manner, preventing excessive light spread that causes halation while still providing sufficient illumination for proper curing of the photosensitive layer.
2Manufacturing precision
If collimated light is used for exposure, then the cured region around independent dots becomes smaller, but the independent dots disappear during development
Solution Approach 1:
The light diffusing plate creates local quality variations in the light distribution. It allows collimated light to maintain its directional properties in regions requiring precise curing control, while simultaneously providing localized diffusion in areas where independent dots need to be preserved. This spatially varying light quality ensures that independent dots receive adequate light for curing without excessive spread that would cause them to merge or disappear during development.
3Reliability
If scattered light is used for exposure, then the photosensitive layer is cured by halation, but the reproducibility of independent dots deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The light diffusing plate serves as a mediator that controls the balance between curing completeness and dot reproducibility. It diffuses light to a程度 that ensures adequate curing of the photosensitive layer without causing excessive halation that would blur independent dots. The plate's optical characteristics are specifically designed to provide the right amount of diffusion to maintain sharp dot boundaries while ensuring complete curing throughout the exposed areas.
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 method effectively enhances the depth of concave portions and improves the reproducibility of independent dots by adjusting the directivity of the energy ray, ensuring better curing and development of the photosensitive layer.
Implementation Method 1
the film-like optical element is an element which converges the incident energy ray to enhance directivity and emits the energy ray
Implementation Method 2
The irradiated portion of the photosensitive layer is cured by irradiation with ultraviolet rays
Data Source
AI summary
Provided is a manufacturing method of a flexographic printing plate, which achieves both a depth of a concave portion and reproducibility of independent dots by eliminating an insufficient depth of the concave portion and increasing a cured region around the independent dots. The manufacturing method of a flexographic printing plate includes an exposure step of irradiating, with an energy ray, a flexographic printing plate precursor which includes, in the following order, at least a support, a photosensitive layer, and a mask portion on which an image is formed, through the mask portion to expose the photosensitive layer, and a development step of removing a non-exposed portion of the photosensitive layer. The exposure step includes a step of radiating the energy ray in a state in which, from the photosensitive layer side, the mask portion and a film-like optical element are present in this order between an energy source and the photosensitive layer. The film-like optical element is an element which converges the incident energy ray to enhance directivity and emits the energy ray to the mask portion.