Method for manufacturing a flexographic printing master

• US 20060055761A1
• Filed: 08/25/2005
• Published: 03/16/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/16/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Agfa Nv (Agfa-Gevaert N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Agfa-Gevaert N.V.
• Inventors: Leenders, Luc, Daems, Eddie
• Granted Patent: US 7,401,552 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 347/105
• CPC Class Codes: B41C 1/003 the relief or intaglio pattern being obtained by imagewise deposition of a liquid, e.g. by an ink jet

Abstract

A method for manufacturing a flexographic printing master comprising the steps of: (a) providing an ink-receiver surface; (b) jetting a curable jettable fluid on the ink-receiver surface characterized in that the curable jettable fluid comprises at least one photo-initiator, at least one monofunctional monomer, at least 5 wt % of a polyfunctional monomer or oligomer and at least 5 wt % of a plasticizer both based on the total weight of the curable jettable liquid capable of realizing a layer after curing having an elongation at break of at least 5%, a storage modulus E′ smaller than 200 MPa at 30 Hz and a volumetric shrinkage smaller than 10%.

Claims

1. A method for manufacturing a flexographic printing master comprising the steps of:

(a) providing an ink-receiver surface;

(b) jetting a curable jettable fluid on said ink-receiver surface characterized in that said curable jettable fluid comprises at least one photo-initiator, at least one monofunctional monomer, at least 5 wt % of a polyfunctional monomer or oligomer and at least 5 wt % of a plasticizer both based on the total weight of the curable jettable liquid capable of realizing a layer after curing having an elongation at break of at least 5%, a storage modulus E′

smaller than 200 MPa at 30 Hz and a volumetric shrinkage smaller than 10%.

2. A method for manufacturing a flexographic printing master according to claim 1, wherein said monofunctional monomer is an acrylate monomer.

3. A method for manufacturing a flexographic printing master according to claim 1, wherein said monofunctional monomer has a viscosity smaller than 30 mPa·

s at a shear rate of 100s<sup>−

1</sup> and at a temperature between 15 and 70°

C.

4. A method for manufacturing a flexographic printing master according to claim 1, wherein said polyfunctional monomer is a polyfunctional acrylate monomer or oligomer.

5. A method for manufacturing a flexographic printing master according to claim 1, wherein said plasticizer is a benzyl phtalate.

6. A method for manufacturing a flexographic printing master according to claim 1, wherein said polyfunctional monomer or oligomer has a viscosity larger than 50 mPa·

s at a shear rate of 100s<sup>−

1</sup> and at a temperature between 15 and 70°

C.

7. A method for manufacturing a flexographic printing master according to claim 1, wherein the support of said ink-receiver surface is a sleeve.

8. A method for manufacturing a flexographic printing master according to claim 1, wherein said ink-receiver surface is the surface of an elastomeric floor.

9. A method for manufacturing a flexographic printing master according to claim 1, wherein said flexographic printing master comprises an elastomeric floor.

10. A method for manufacturing a flexographic printing master according to claim 9, wherein said elastomeric floor is jetted on a support.

11. A method for manufacturing a flexograpic printing master according to claim 9, wherein said elastomeric floor is a support previously provided with a photopolymerizable layer.

12. A method for manufacturing a flexographic printing master according to claim 9, wherein said elastomeric floor comprises rubber.