Digitally building up of flexographic plates comprises providing plate substrate and imaging surface, depositing elastomeric matrix floor onto substrate, curing deposited matric floor, and inkjet imaging layer on imaging surface

摘要

Flexographic plates are digitally build up by providing plate substrate and imaging surface, depositing elastomeric matrix floor (23) onto substrate, curing deposited matric floor, inkjet imaging layer on imaging surface according to pre-stored digital image data, ultraviolet exposing the imaged layer to create gelled layer, and transferring the gelled layer. The digitally building up of flexographic plates involves providing plate substrate and imaging surface, depositing elastomeric matrix floor onto substrate, curing deposited matric floor, inkjet imaging layer on imaging surface according to pre-stored digital image data, ultraviolet exposing the imaged layer to create gelled layer, transferring the gelled layer from the imaging surface to the surface of the matrix floor on the plate substrate, bonding the gelled layer with the matrix floor, and repeating the imaging to bonding steps until an image is created on the plate surface. Independent claims are also included for: (1) an apparatus for digitally building up flexographic plates comprising plate substrate for receiving matrix floor, curing mechanism for curing the matrix floor, imaging surface adjacent the plate substrate, inkjet imaging mechanism, ultraviolet exposing mechanism, and bonding mechanism; and (2) a method of printing using flexographic printing press comprising the inventive building up of the flexographic plates and then using the imaged plate for printing on the printing press.