Relief Printing Plate Generative Production via Monomer Diffusion

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional flexographic printing plates require lengthy development times and complex equipment for relief production, and struggle to achieve high resolution and low relief depths necessary for fine printing applications, such as touch screen displays, due to limitations in viscosity and material properties of reactive monomers used in inkjet printing processes.

Innovation Solution

A generative method using a polymeric substrate layer with a laser-ablatable mask layer, where a reactive monomer diffuses through mask openings to form a relief, which is then fixed by crosslinking, allowing for the production of flexographic printing plates with adjustable relief depths and high resolution.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If conventional solvent washing method is used to produce relief, then the relief can be produced, but the production time is excessively long (30 minutes to several hours)

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveproduction timeVSAvoiddrying time

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The invention uses thermal energy to induce phase transition of the polymeric substrate layer from solid to molten state, enabling the relief to be generated by material flow rather than solvent washing. This eliminates the need for lengthy drying processes and reduces production time from hours to minutes.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #36Phase transitions

Solution Approach 2:

The invention replaces the chemical-mechanical solvent washing system with a thermal field system. Instead of using organic solvents to dissolve and wash away unexposed areas, the patent uses controlled heating to melt and flow the polymeric material, generating the relief through thermal-mechanical processes.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Ease of manufacture

If film exposure method is used, then the relief can be produced, but the equipment complexity increases due to multiple layers and peeling steps

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprocess simplicityVSAvoidequipment complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The invention extracts and eliminates the complex multi-layer film structure and peeling equipment from the process. Instead of using stacked photopolymerizable layers that require sequential peeling, the patent uses a single polymeric substrate layer processed directly by thermal fields, simplifying both the manufacturing process and equipment requirements.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The invention inverts the conventional approach by instead of washing away material to create relief, it builds up relief through controlled material flow and consolidation. The relief is generated by the material that remains and flows during heating, rather than by removing material.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

3Manufacturing precision

If conventional photopolymerizable layer is used, then the relief can be produced, but the resolution is limited and cannot achieve fine printing details

Engineering Contradiction:

ImproveresolutionVSAvoidrelief depth control

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The invention changes the fundamental parameters of the system by using a thermally processable polymeric substrate instead of photopolymerizable materials. This allows continuous control of relief depth through temperature and time parameters, achieving precise control from 5 to 50 μm and enabling resolution suitable for fine printing applications like touch screen displays.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

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 significantly reduces production time, simplifies the process, and enables the creation of flexographic printing plates with finer relief details, achieving relief depths in the range of 5 to 50 μm with improved material properties and resolution, suitable for various printing applications.

Implementation Method 1

the liquid or the reactive monomer diffuses through the openings of the mask into the polymeric substrate layer for a defined exposure time so as to form a relief

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectDiffusion: Diffusion

Implementation Method 2

the resulting relief is fixed by crosslinking

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectPhotopolymerisation: Photopolymerisation

Implementation Method 3

a mask with openings corresponding to pixels is produced by imagewise laser ablation of the mask layer

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectLaser ablation: Laser Ablation

Data Source

PatentUS10824072B2Method for generative production of relief printing plates by monomer diffusion through an integral mask layer

Publication Date: 2020.11.03 XSYS GERMANY GMBH

AI summary

The invention relates to a method for generative production of relief printing plates, wherein a support with a polymeric substrate layer and a laser-ablatable mask layer is provided, the polymeric substrate layer containing a first binder. A mask with openings corresponding to pixels is produced by imagewise laser ablation of the mask layer. A liquid containing a reactive monomer is then applied over the surface of the mask-covered polymeric substrate layer, and the liquid or the reactive monomer diffuses through the openings of the mask into the polymeric substrate layer for a defined exposure time so as to form a relief. The excess liquid or the excess monomer and optionally the mask are removed from the surface, and the resulting relief is fixed by crosslinking.