Relief Printing Plate Production via Monomer Diffusion
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional flexographic printing plates require lengthy drying times due to heat-sensitive carriers and complex processes, limiting the production speed and material efficiency, while existing additive methods struggle to achieve the necessary softness and resilience for polar ink resistance.
Innovation Solution
A process involving the diffusion of reactive monomers into a polymeric substrate layer followed by layer-by-layer hardening, allowing for the formation of a relief printing plate with improved softness, resilience, and ink resistance, using a combination of reactive monomers and a polymeric substrate layer with photoinitiators for controlled hardening.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If conventional solvent leaching is used to produce relief printing plates, then the plates achieve good resolution and ink resistance, but the production time becomes excessively long due to lengthy drying steps
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the physical-chemical parameters of the system by replacing organic solvents with water as the leaching medium, and by modifying the polymer composition to enable water-based processing. This allows the relief to be produced without lengthy drying steps while maintaining good resolution and ink resistance
Solution Approach 2:
The invention utilizes phase transition by selecting a leaching temperature above the melting point of the relief material, causing the unirradiated regions to transition from solid to liquid/tacky state for easy removal, thereby eliminating the need for prolonged drying while preserving resolution
2Loss of time
If thermal development is used to produce relief printing plates, then the production time is reduced, but the apparatus complexity increases and resolution deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The invention segments the development process into distinct stages: irradiation through a mask, followed by simple water leaching at elevated temperature. This segmentation allows each step to be optimized independently, reducing apparatus complexity while maintaining fast production speed and good resolution
Solution Approach 2:
The invention introduces water as an intermediary leaching medium that simplifies the development process. Instead of requiring complex thermal development apparatus, water serves as a simple, effective medium that removes unirradiated regions quickly while preserving resolution, thereby reducing apparatus complexity
3Reliability
If conventional flexographic printing plates are used, then ink resistance is achieved, but material consumption is high due to the need for thick photopolymerizable layers
Solution Approach 1:
The invention applies local quality by creating a relief structure where material is selectively present only in the raised printing areas. The carrier layer provides dimensional stability while the relief material is applied only where needed, reducing overall material consumption while maintaining ink resistance in the functional printing regions
Solution Approach 2:
The invention uses composite materials consisting of a dimensionally stable carrier layer combined with a relief material layer containing polymer and plasticizer. This composite structure allows thin relief layers to achieve the necessary ink resistance and mechanical properties without requiring thick photopolymerizable layers, thereby reducing material consumption
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
This method enables faster and simpler production of flexographic printing plates with enhanced softness, resilience, and resistance to polar inks, reducing material usage and improving the life-cycle assessment, while maintaining high printing quality.
Implementation Method 1
diffusion of the reactive monomer into the polymeric substrate layer for a prescribed exposure time
Implementation Method 2
irradiating UV light through a film negative. During irradiation the irradiated regions crosslink
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a process for the production of relief printing plates, where a carrier with a polymeric substrate layer is provided and a relief is formed layer-by-layer on a surface of the substrate layer, where the relief is formed by means ofa) single or multiple application of a liquid comprising at least one reactive monomer to the surface of the substrate layer,b) diffusion of the reactive monomer into the polymeric substrate layer for a prescribed exposure time andc) hardening of the relief,where in step a) the liquid is applied in accordance with an image to the surface and where, after the prescribed exposure time of step b), any liquid that remains on the surface, having not diffused into the material, is removed from the surface, and in step c) the relief that is hardened comprises the polymer of the substrate layer and reactive monomer that has diffused into the material.