EP1613484B1 - Lasergravierbares flexodruckelement enthaltend einen leitfähigkeitsruss sowie verfahren zur herstellung von flexodruckformen - Google Patents

Lasergravierbares flexodruckelement enthaltend einen leitfähigkeitsruss sowie verfahren zur herstellung von flexodruckformen Download PDF

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Publication number
EP1613484B1
EP1613484B1 EP04727267A EP04727267A EP1613484B1 EP 1613484 B1 EP1613484 B1 EP 1613484B1 EP 04727267 A EP04727267 A EP 04727267A EP 04727267 A EP04727267 A EP 04727267A EP 1613484 B1 EP1613484 B1 EP 1613484B1
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EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
layer
flexographic printing
laser
relief
printing element
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Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Lifetime
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EP04727267A
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German (de)
English (en)
French (fr)
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EP1613484A1 (de
Inventor
Margit Hiller
Thomas Telser
Uwe Stebani
Fritz Nimitz
Heinz Faulhaber
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Flint Group Germany GmbH
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Flint Group Germany GmbH
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    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B41—PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
    • B41C—PROCESSES FOR THE MANUFACTURE OR REPRODUCTION OF PRINTING SURFACES
    • B41C1/00—Forme preparation
    • B41C1/02—Engraving; Heads therefor
    • B41C1/04—Engraving; Heads therefor using heads controlled by an electric information signal
    • B41C1/05—Heat-generating engraving heads, e.g. laser beam, electron beam
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B41—PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
    • B41N—PRINTING PLATES OR FOILS; MATERIALS FOR SURFACES USED IN PRINTING MACHINES FOR PRINTING, INKING, DAMPING, OR THE LIKE; PREPARING SUCH SURFACES FOR USE AND CONSERVING THEM
    • B41N1/00—Printing plates or foils; Materials therefor
    • B41N1/12—Printing plates or foils; Materials therefor non-metallic other than stone, e.g. printing plates or foils comprising inorganic materials in an organic matrix
    • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y10—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
    • Y10S—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y10S430/00—Radiation imagery chemistry: process, composition, or product thereof
    • Y10S430/145—Infrared
    • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y10—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
    • Y10S—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y10S430/00—Radiation imagery chemistry: process, composition, or product thereof
    • Y10S430/146—Laser beam

Definitions

  • the invention relates to a laser-engravable flexographic printing element in which at least one relief-forming layer contains a conductivity black having a specific surface area of at least 150 m 2 / g and a DBP number of at least 150 ml / 100 g.
  • the invention further relates to a process for the production of flexographic printing plates, in which engraved by means of a laser system, a printing relief in said flexographic printing element.
  • a printing relief is engraved directly into a suitable relief-forming layer using a laser or a laser system.
  • the layer is decomposed at the points where it is hit by the laser beam and removed substantially in the form of dusts, gases, vapors or aerosols.
  • a development step as in the conventional method -thermic or by means of washing-out is not required.
  • the relief-forming layer which is engraved with the laser, also forms the later printing surface. All errors that occur during the engraving are therefore visible during printing.
  • the edges of the relief elements must be made particularly precise in order to obtain a clean print image. Frayed edges or beads of molten material around relief elements, so-called Enamel margins worsen the printed image considerably. Naturally, these factors are the more important the finer the desired relief elements are.
  • EP-B 640 043 such as EP-B 640 044 It has been proposed to "reinforce" laser-engravable flexographic printing elements and optionally to add laser radiation absorbing materials to improve the sensitivity. The use of carbon black is also suggested without specifying it in more detail.
  • Carbon black is not a defined chemical compound, but there are a very large number of different carbon blacks, which differ in terms of manufacturing process, particle size, specific surface area or surface properties, and which accordingly also have a wide variety of chemical and physical properties.
  • Carbon blacks are often characterized by the specific surface area, for example by the BET method, and the so-called “structure”.
  • structure the carbon black expert understands the linking of the primary particles to aggregates. The structure is often determined by dibutyl phthalate (DBP) adsorption. The higher the DBP absorption, the higher the structure.
  • DBP dibutyl phthalate
  • conductivity blacks A special class of carbon blacks are called conductivity blacks.
  • carbon blacks having a DBP absorption greater than 110 ml / 100 g and a relatively high specific surface area are referred to as conductivity blacks (Ferch et al., P. 82).
  • Conductivity blacks are usually used for the purpose of making nonconductive materials electrically conductive with the lowest possible addition amount.
  • EP-A 1 262 315 and EP-A 1 262 316 disclose a method and a laser system for the production of flexographic printing plates.
  • the laser system described operates with a plurality of laser beams, which may have different power and / or wavelength, and with which the superficially located areas of the printing form and lower areas can each be processed separately. Attention is drawn to the possibility of designing the surface of the flexographic printing element used differently than the underlying areas. However, the documents contain no suggestions of a particular chemical composition for the surface or the underlying areas.
  • the object of the invention was to provide a single-layer or multi-layer laser-engravable flexographic printing element, which also allows the engraving of fine relief elements with high precision without the appearance of melt edges. It should be particularly suitable for engraving with modern multi-beam laser systems.
  • the flexographic printing element further comprises at least one further relief-forming crosslinked elastomeric layer (B) between the support and layer (A), obtainable by crosslinking a layer comprising at least one elastomeric binder (b1) and components for crosslinking.
  • a process for the production of flexographic printing plates was found, in which one uses a flexographic printing element of the type mentioned above and engraved a relief with the aid of a laser system in the layer (A) and optionally layer (B), wherein the depth of the laser engraved with the relief elements at least 0.03 mm.
  • suitable dimensionally stable carriers for the flexographic printing elements according to the invention are plates, films and conical and cylindrical tubes (sleeves) Metals such as steel, aluminum, copper or nickel or of plastics such as polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyethylene naphthalate (PEN), polybutylene terephthalate, polyamide, polycarbonate, if appropriate also fabrics and nonwovens, such as glass fiber fabric and composite materials, for example of glass fibers and plastics.
  • PET polyethylene terephthalate
  • PEN polyethylene naphthalate
  • polybutylene terephthalate polyamide
  • polycarbonate if appropriate also fabrics and nonwovens, such as glass fiber fabric and composite materials, for example of glass fibers and plastics.
  • the flexographic printing element further comprises at least one relief-forming, crosslinked, elastomeric layer (A).
  • the relief-forming layer can be applied directly on the support. However, other layers may optionally also be present between the support and the relief layer, for example adhesion layers and / or elastic underlayers and / or at least one further relief-forming, crosslinked, elastomeric layer (B).
  • the crosslinked elastomeric layer (A) is obtainable by crosslinking a layer comprising at least a binder (a1), a laser radiation absorbing substance (a2), and crosslinking components (a3).
  • the layer (A) itself thus comprises the binder (a1), the laser radiation absorbing substance (a2) and the network generated by the reaction of the components (a3), which may or may not include the binder.
  • Suitable binders (a1) for layer (A) are in particular elastomeric binders. However, it is also possible in principle to use non-elastomeric binders. The decisive factor is that the crosslinked layer (A) has elastomeric properties.
  • the recording layer may, for example, adopt elastomeric properties by the addition of plasticizers to a per se non-elastomeric binder, or it may be used crosslinkable oligomers which form an elastomeric network only by the reaction with each other.
  • Suitable elastomeric binders (a1) for layer (A) are, in particular, those polymers which contain polymerized 1,3-diene monomers, such as isoprene or butadiene. Depending on the nature of the incorporation of the monomers such binders have crosslinkable olefin groups as part of the main chain and / or as a side group. Examples include natural rubber, polybutadiene, polyisoprene, styrene-butadiene rubber, nitrile-butadiene rubber, butyl rubber, styrene-isoprene rubber, polynorbornene rubber or ethylene-propylene-diene rubber (EPDM).
  • EPDM ethylene-propylene-diene rubber
  • the binders (a1) may also be thermoplastic elastomeric block copolymers of alkenylaromatics and 1,3-dienes.
  • the block copolymers may be either linear block copolymers or radial block copolymers. Usually they are triblock copolymers of the ABA type, but they may also be AB-type diblock polymers, or those having a plurality of alternating elastomeric and thermoplastic blocks, eg AB-AB-A. It is also possible to use mixtures of two or more different block copolymers. Commercially available triblock copolymers often contain certain proportions of diblock copolymers. The diene units can be linked differently. They can also be completely or partially hydrogenated.
  • Both block copolymers of styrene-butadiene and of styrene-isoprene type can be used. They are available, for example under the name Kraton ® commercially. Furthermore possible to employ thermoplastic-elastomeric block copolymers having end blocks of styrene and a random styrene-butadiene middle block, which are available under the name Styroflex ®.
  • ethylene-propylene ethylene-acrylic ester, ethylene-vinyl acetate or acrylate rubbers can be used.
  • ethylene-acrylic ester ethylene-vinyl acetate or acrylate rubbers
  • hydrogenated rubbers or elastomeric polyurethanes as well as modified binders in which crosslinkable groups are introduced into the polymeric molecule by grafting reactions.
  • binder (a1) The type and amount of binder (a1) are selected by the skilled person depending on the desired properties of the printing relief of the flexographic printing element. As a rule, an amount of 40 to 95% by weight of the binder with respect to the amount of all constituents of layer (A) has proven successful. Of course, mixtures of different binders can be used.
  • the laser-absorbing substance (a2) according to the invention is a conductive carbon black having a specific surface area of at least 150 m 2 / g and a DBP number of at least 150 ml / 100 g.
  • the specific surface area is preferably at least 250 m 2 / g and particularly preferably at least 500 m 2 / g.
  • the DBP number is preferably at least 200 ml / 100 g and more preferably at least 250 ml / 100 g.
  • They may be acidic or basic carbon blacks.
  • the carbon blacks (a2) are basic carbon blacks.
  • mixtures of different binders can be used.
  • Suitable conductive carbon blacks having specific surface areas of up to about 1500 m 2 / g and DBP numbers of up to about 550 ml / 100 g are commercially available (for example under the name Ketjenblack ® EC300 J, Ketjenblack ® EC600 J Fa. Akzo ), Printex ® XE (Messrs. Degussa) or Black Pearls® 2000 (Messrs. Cabot).
  • the type and amount of carbon black (a2) are chosen by the person skilled in the art according to the desired properties of the printing relief of the flexographic printing element. The amount also depends on whether the layer (A) is present as the sole relief-forming layer, or whether at least one further relief-forming layer (A) and / or (B) is present. If the flexographic printing element according to the invention comprises only a single layer (A) as a relief-forming layer, an amount of from 0.5 to 20% by weight of the carbon black with respect to the amount of all components of layer (A) has generally proven successful. Preferred is an amount of 3% to 18%, and most preferably 5 to 15%.
  • the carbon black content in the top layer (A) may be greater, for example up to 35 % By weight, and in special cases even higher.
  • the thickness of such an uppermost layer (A) with a carbon black content greater than 20% by weight should as a rule not exceed 0.3 mm.
  • the type and amount of the components for crosslinking (a3) depend on the desired crosslinking technique and are selected accordingly by the person skilled in the art.
  • the crosslinking is preferably carried out thermochemically by heating the layer or by irradiation by means of electron radiation. Since the layer is colored more or less black due to the carbon black contained, photochemical crosslinking is possible only in exceptional cases, namely when the carbon black content is only very low and / or the layer is only very thin.
  • Thermal crosslinking can be carried out by adding polymerizable compounds or monomers to the layer.
  • the monomers have at least one polymerizable, olefinically unsaturated group.
  • Suitable monomers in a manner known in principle are esters or amides of acrylic acid or methacrylic acid with monofunctional or polyfunctional alcohols, amines, aminoalcohols or hydroxyethers and esters, styrene or substituted styrenes, esters of fumaric or maleic acid or allyl compounds.
  • the total amount of monomers possibly used is determined by the skilled person depending on the desired properties of the relief layer. As a rule, however, 30% by weight should not be exceeded with regard to the amount of all constituents of the layer.
  • thermal polymerization initiator can be used.
  • Commercially available thermal initiators for free-radical polymerization such as, for example, suitable peroxides, hydroperoxides or azo compounds, can be used as polymerization initiators.
  • suitable peroxides, hydroperoxides or azo compounds can be used as polymerization initiators.
  • crosslinking and typical vulcanizers can be used.
  • the thermal crosslinking may also be carried out by adding a thermosetting resin such as an epoxy resin as the crosslinking component to the layer.
  • the binder (a1) used has sufficiently crosslinkable groups, the addition of additional crosslinkable monomers or oligomers is not necessary, but the binder can be crosslinked directly by means of suitable crosslinkers. This is particularly possible with natural rubber or synthetic rubber, which can be crosslinked directly with conventional vulcanizers or peroxide crosslinkers.
  • Crosslinking by means of electron radiation can, on the one hand, be carried out in analogy to thermal crosslinking by crosslinking the layers comprising ethylenically unsaturated groups comprising monomers by means of electron radiation.
  • the addition of initiators is not required.
  • binders which have crosslinking groups by means of electron radiation can also be crosslinked directly, without the addition of further monomers.
  • Such groups include in particular olefinic groups, protic groups such as -OH, -NH 2 , -NHR, -COOH or -SO 3 H and groups which can form stabilized radicals and cations, eg -CR'R "-, -CH ( O-CO-CH 3 ) -, -CH (O-CH 3 ) -, -CH (NR'R ”) - or -CH (CO-O-CH 3 ). It is also possible to use compounds having protic groups.
  • Examples include di- or polyfunctional monomers in which terminal functional groups are connected to one another via a spacer, such as dialcohols such as, for example, 1,4-butanediol, 1,6-hexanediol, 1,8-octanediol, 1,9-nonanediol, diamines, for example 1, 6-hexanediamine, 1,8-hexanediamine, dicarboxylic acids such as 1,6-hexanedicarboxylic acid, terephthalic acid, maleic acid or fumaric acid.
  • dialcohols such as, for example, 1,4-butanediol, 1,6-hexanediol, 1,8-octanediol, 1,9-nonanediol
  • diamines for example 1, 6-hexanediamine, 1,8-hexanediamine
  • dicarboxylic acids such as 1,6-hexanedicarboxylic acid, ter
  • Photochemical crosslinking may be accomplished by employing the olefinic monomers described above in combination with at least one suitable photoinitiator or photoinitiator system.
  • suitable photoinitiator or photoinitiator system include but not limited to, benzoin or benzoin derivatives, such as ⁇ -methylbenzoin or benzoin ethers, benzil derivatives, such as benzil ketals, Acylarylphosphinoxide, Acylarylphosphinklander, Mehrkernchinone suitable without the listing should be limited thereto.
  • layer (A) may optionally also comprise further components such as, for example, plasticizers, dyes, dispersing aids, adhesion additives, antistatic agents, abrasive particles or processing aids.
  • further components such as, for example, plasticizers, dyes, dispersing aids, adhesion additives, antistatic agents, abrasive particles or processing aids.
  • the amount of such additives serves to fine tune the properties and should generally not exceed 30% by weight relative to the amount of all the components of layer (A) of the recording element.
  • the flexographic printing element according to the invention may comprise only a single layer (A) as a relief-forming layer. It may also have two or more layers (A) on top of each other, which layers may have the same or different composition.
  • the flexographic printing element according to the invention may also have at least one further, relief-forming, crosslinked elastomeric layer (B) between the support and the layer (A). It may also be two or more layers (B) of the same or different composition.
  • Layer (B) is obtainable by crosslinking a layer comprising at least one binder (b1) and components for crosslinking (b3).
  • Suitable binders (b1) and components for crosslinking (b3) can be selected by the person skilled in the art from the same lists as listed for (a1) and (a3).
  • layer (B) may optionally also comprise further components such as, for example, plasticizers, dyes, dispersing aids, adhesion additives, antistatic agents, processing aids or abrasive particles.
  • the binder (b1) is a thermoplastic elastomeric binder. Since an absorber for laser radiation is not absolutely necessary for the layer (B), transparent layers can also be produced in the UV / VIS range. In this case, the layer can also be particularly photochemically crosslinked.
  • the layer (b) may optionally contain a laser radiation absorbing substance (b2). It is also possible to use mixtures of different absorbers for laser radiation. Suitable absorbers for laser radiation have a high absorption in the range of the laser wavelength. In particular, absorbers are suitable which have a high absorption in the near infrared and in the longer wavelength VIS range of the electromagnetic spectrum. Such absorbers are particularly suitable for absorbing the radiation of high-performance Nd-YAG lasers (1064 nm) and of IR diode lasers typically having wavelengths between 700 and 900 nm and between 1200 and 1600 nm.
  • Suitable absorbers for the laser radiation (b2) are dyes which absorb strongly in the infrared spectral range, for example phthalocyanines, naphthalocyanines, cyanines, quinones, metal complex dyes, for example dithiolenes or photochromic dyes.
  • suitable absorbers are inorganic pigments, in particular intensively colored inorganic pigments such as, for example, chromium oxides, iron oxides or iron oxide hydrates.
  • Particularly suitable as laser radiation absorbing substances are finely divided carbon blacks, the selection in (b2) is not limited to the above-mentioned conductivity soot. It is also possible to use carbon blacks with a lower specific surface area and lower DBP absorption. Examples of other suitable carbon blacks include Printex ® U, Printex ® A or Special Black 4 ® (Messrs. Degussa).
  • the laser-engravable flexographic printing element may optionally include further layers.
  • Such layers include elastomeric sub-layers of another formulation located between the support and the laser-engravable layer (s), which need not necessarily be laser engravable. With such sub-layers, the mechanical properties of the relief printing plates can be changed without affecting the properties of the actual printing relief layer.
  • adhesive layers that bond the backing to overlying layers or to different layers.
  • the laser-engravable flexographic printing element can be protected against mechanical damage by a, for example consisting of PET protective film, which is located on the topmost layer, and must be removed before engraving with lasers.
  • the protective film may be surface-treated in a suitable manner to facilitate peeling, for example by Siliconization, provided that the surface treatment does not adversely affect the relief top layer in its printing properties.
  • layer thickness of layer (A) and optionally layer (B) is suitably selected by the person skilled in the art, depending on the type and the intended use of the flexographic printing plate.
  • the thickness of layer (A) is usually 0.05 mm to 7 mm. If layer (A) is used as the only relief-forming layer, the thickness should not be less than 0.2 mm. In particular, a thickness of 0.3 to 7 mm, preferably 0.5 to 5 mm and particularly preferably 0.7 to 4 mm, has proven useful with a single-layer flexographic printing element.
  • a relatively thin layer (A) can also be used.
  • the total thickness of layer (A), layer (B) and optionally further layers together should as a rule be 0.3 to 7 mm, preferably 0.5 to 5 mm.
  • the flexographic printing element according to the invention has two layers (A) and (B), it has proven particularly useful that the top layer (A) has the same or a greater Shore A hardness than the bottom layer (B), without the invention being thereon should be limited. This can be achieved for example by the choice of the degree of crosslinking and / or by a suitable choice of the binder. It has proven particularly useful to use a natural or synthetic rubber as the binder (a1) for the layer (A) in such a two-layer flexographic printing element.
  • layer (B) it has proven useful to use as binder (b1) a thermolastic elastomeric binder, preferably a styrene-isoprene or styrene-butadiene-type block copolymer, more preferably styrene-butadiene-type block copolymer.
  • layer (B) has no additional absorber for laser radiation.
  • the flexographic printing element according to the invention can be produced for example by dissolving or dispersing all components in a suitable solvent and pouring onto a support.
  • a suitable solvent for example, a suitable solvent for a support.
  • several layers can be cast on one another in a manner known in principle.
  • the cover sheet can be applied to protect it from damage to the starting material. It is also possible, conversely, to pour on the cover film and finally laminate the carrier.
  • Thermoplastic elastomeric binder-containing layers can also be prepared in a manner known in principle by extrusion and calendering between a cover and a carrier film. This technique is particularly recommended when photochemical or electron beam radiation is to be crosslinked. In principle, it can also be used in thermal crosslinking. However, care must be taken to use a thermal initiator, which does not decompose at the temperature of extrusion and calendering and the layer does not polymerize prematurely.
  • the layer (A) may be cast on a peelable PET film.
  • Layer (B) can be prepared by extrusion and calendering between a Wennfolie- and a cover element, wherein as a cover element in analogy to that of EP-B 084 851 described procedure used with the layer (A) coated PET film. In this way, an intensive bond between the two layers is achieved. Subsequently, one can crosslink the whole composite by means of electron radiation. It is also possible to crosslink layer (A) already after casting, for example thermally. Layer (B) can be crosslinked after joining the composite, for example photochemically by irradiation through the carrier film.
  • the flexographic printing element according to the invention is preferably used for the production of flexographic printing plates by means of direct laser engraving.
  • a printing relief but also in other ways, for example, be engraved mechanically.
  • the relief layer absorbs laser radiation to such an extent that it is removed or at least detached at those locations where it is exposed to a laser beam of sufficient intensity.
  • the layer is thereby vaporized without premelting or thermally or oxidatively decomposed, so that its decomposition products in the form of hot gases, vapors, smoke or small particles are removed from the layer.
  • conductivity soot layer (A) Due to the content of conductivity soot layer (A) has a good absorption especially in the entire infrared spectral range between 750 nm and 12000 nm. Therefore, it can equally well be engraved by means of CO 2 lasers having a wavelength of 10.6 microns or using Nd-YAG lasers (1064 nm), IR diode lasers or solid state lasers.
  • the selection of the optimum laser depends on the structure of the layer, and in particular on whether an absorber for laser radiation (b2) is present or not.
  • the flexotypic binders used for layer (B) usually absorb sufficiently in the range between 9000 nm and 12000 nm, so that the engraving of the layer is possible with the aid of CO 2 lasers without having to add additional IR absorbers.
  • UV lasers such as excimer lasers.
  • Nd-YAG lasers and IR diode lasers the addition of a laser absorber is usually required.
  • the lasers can be operated either continuously or pulsed.
  • the depth of the elements to be engraved depends on the total thickness of the relief and the type of elements to be engraved and is determined by the person skilled in the art according to the desired properties of the printing form.
  • the depth of the engraved relief elements is at least 0.03 mm, preferably 0.05 mm - is called here the minimum depth between individual grid points.
  • Printing plates with too low relief depths are generally unsuitable for printing by means of flexographic printing technology because the negative elements are filled with printing ink.
  • Individual negative points should usually have greater depths; for those of 0.2 mm diameter, a depth of at least 0.07 to 0.08 mm is usually recommended.
  • For weggrav convinced surfaces is recommended a depth of more than 0.15 mm, preferably more than 0.3 mm. The latter is of course only possible with a correspondingly thick relief.
  • a laser system for engraving, a laser system can be used, which has only a single laser beam.
  • laser systems are used which have two or more laser beams.
  • the laser beams can all have the same wavelength or laser beams of different wavelengths can be used.
  • at least one of the beams is specially adapted for generating coarse structures, and at least one of the beams is specially adapted for writing fine structures. With such systems can be particularly elegant produce high-quality printing forms.
  • the beam for generating the fine structures having a lower power than the beams for producing coarse structures.
  • the combination of a beam with a power of 50 to 100 W in combination with two beams of 200 W each has proved to be particularly advantageous.
  • It can also be an Nd / YAG laser for writing fine structures, in combination with one or more powerful CO 2 lasers.
  • suitable multi-beam laser systems and suitable engraving methods are known in principle and, for example, in EP-A 1 262 315 and EP-A 1 262 316 disclosed.
  • the described apparatus has a rotatable drum on which the flexographic printing element is mounted and the drum is rotated.
  • the laser beams move slowly parallel to the drum axis from one end to the other end of the drum and are thereby modulated in a suitable manner. In this way, the entire surface of the flexographic printing element can be engraved gradually.
  • the relative movement between the drum and laser beams can be done by movement of the laser and / or the drum.
  • the edges of the relief elements and the uppermost layer section of the relief-forming layer are preferably engraved.
  • the more powerful beams are preferably used to deepen the structures produced and to dig larger non-printing depressions.
  • the details also depend on the motif to be engraved.
  • Such multi-beam systems can be used for engraving the flexographic printing elements according to the invention with only one layer (A).
  • they are used in combination with a multilayer flexographic printing element with a layer (A) and one or more layers (B).
  • the thickness of the upper layer (A) and the power of the lower-power laser beam and the other laser parameters are matched to one another in such a way that the lower-power beam substantially engraves layer (A), while the more powerful rays essentially layer (B) or also engrave (A) and (B) together.
  • a layer thickness of 0.05 mm to 0.3 mm, preferably 0.07 mm to 0.2 mm is sufficient for the top layer (A).
  • liquid cleaning agent for subsequent cleaning in order to be able to remove polymer fragments completely. This is particularly recommended, for example, when using the flexographic printing form food packaging which are subject to particularly stringent requirements with respect to volatile constituents.
  • the post-purification can be carried out very advantageously by means of water or an aqueous cleaning agent.
  • Aqueous cleaning agents consist essentially of water and optionally small amounts of alcohols and can aid in supporting the cleaning process, such as surfactants, emulsifiers, dispersants or bases. Mixtures commonly used to develop conventional water-developable flexographic printing plates can also be used.
  • mixtures of organic solvents may in principle also be used, in particular those mixtures which usually serve as washout agents for conventionally produced flexographic printing plates.
  • washout agents based on high boiling, dearomatized petroleum fractions such as EP-A 332,070 or also "water-in-oil" emulsions, such as from EP-A 463 016 disclosed.
  • the post-cleaning can be done for example by simply dipping or spraying the relief printing form or in addition by mechanical means, such as brushes or plushes are supported. It is also possible to use conventional flexo washers.
  • any deposits as well as the residues of the additional polymer layer are removed.
  • this layer prevents, or at least hampers, the fact that polymer droplets formed in the course of the laser engraving again firmly connect to the surface of the relief layer. Deposits can therefore be removed particularly easily. It is regularly recommended to carry out the post-wash step immediately after the laser engraving step.
  • flexographic printing elements of the composition according to the invention described above are produced.
  • the carbon black is metered by means of a flanged side extruder, so that a homogeneous metering and mixing of the carbon black is ensured in the polymer melt.
  • the thickness of layer (A) is 1.02 mm.
  • the carbon black-filled flexographic printing elements are stored for 4 days at room temperature and then with the aid of electron beams in accordance with the in WO 03/11596 crosslinked processes described.
  • 5 flexographic printing elements each with intermediate layers are packed in a cardboard box and crosslinked by irradiation with electron beams (electron energy 3.5 MeV) into 4 partial doses of 25 kGy each.
  • flexographic printing elements were produced by means of extrusion and calendering of the melt between an adhesion-lacquer-coated PET carrier film and a silicone-coated protective film.
  • the composition of the elastomeric layer was similar to that of Example 1, but various non-conductive types of carbon black were used.
  • Example 1 Analogously to Example 1, the soot-containing flexographic printing elements are crosslinked by irradiation with electron beams (electron energy 3.5 MeV) in 4 sub-doses of 25 kGy each. After peeling off the protective film, the test motif of Example 1 is engraved into the crosslinked flexographic printing element by means of a laser.
  • Table 1 The experimental conditions and results are summarized in Table 1.
  • Figures 1 and 2 show light micrographs of a 50 micron positive point of a flexographic printing plate according to Example 1 and according to Comparative Examples A, B and C.
  • Two-layer flexographic printing element consisting of one layer (A) and one layer (B)
  • a 100 ⁇ m thick, elastomeric layer (A) according to Example 1 was prepared by extrusion between 2 siliconized protective films. After crosslinking the layer by means of electron beams in analogy to Example 1, one of the siliconized films was peeled off in order to obtain a cover element.
  • the two-layer flexographic printing element was prepared in the usual manner by melt extrusion of the components of layer (B) and calendering between a transparent support film and a cover element, said composite of layer (A) and siliconized film was used as a cover element.
  • a layer composite of a photochemically crosslinkable, elastomeric layer (B) and a conductivity soot-containing upper layer (A) is produced.
  • the thickness of layer (B) was 0.92 mm.
  • Layer (B) was irradiated for 20 minutes with UV / A light for photochemical crosslinking through the transparent carrier film (nyloflex F III platesetter, 80-watt tubes). Subsequently, the siliconized cover sheet was peeled off.
  • the described flexographic printing element can alternatively be obtained by laminating the above-described composite of layer (A) and foil on a finished FAH plate.
  • the two-layer flexographic printing element from layers (A) and (B) is engraved with a two-beam laser device (100 W Nd-YAG, 250 W CO 2 ) with different resolutions (1270 dpi, 1778 dpi, 2540 dpi).
  • the fine elements in engraved layer (A) were engraved, the CO 2 laser was used for engraving the lower areas and, where appropriate, for excavating coarse areas.
  • the achievable resolution was 2540 dpi with sharp edge imaging of fine printing elements.
  • Two-layer flexographic printing element consisting of one layer (A) and one layer (B)
  • the photochemically crosslinkable layer (B) was the components of a nyloflex ® FAH printing plate (BASF Drucksysteme GmbH). According to the in EP-A 084 851 The two-layer flexographic printing element was prepared in the usual manner by melt extrusion of the components of layer (B) and calendering between a transparent support film and a cover element, said composite of layer (A) and siliconized film was used as a cover element. As a result, a layer composite of a photochemically crosslinkable, elastomeric layer (B) and a conductivity soot-containing upper layer (A) is produced. The thickness of layer (B) was 0.92 mm.
  • Layer (B) was irradiated with UV / A light (nyloflex F III platesetter, 80 watt tubes) for photochemical crosslinking through the transparent support film for 20 minutes. Subsequently, the siliconized cover sheet was peeled off.
  • the described flexographic printing element can alternatively be obtained by laminating the above-described composite of layer (A) and foil on a finished FAH plate.
  • the two-layer flexographic printing element from layers (A) and (B) is engraved with a two-beam laser device (100 W Nd-YAG, 250 W CO 2 ) with different resolutions (1270 dpi, 1778 dpi, 2540 dpi).
  • the fine elements in engraved layer (A) were engraved, the CO 2 laser was used for engraving the lower areas and, where appropriate, for excavating coarse areas.
  • the achievable resolution was 2540 dpi with sharp edge imaging of fine printing elements.
  • Example 2 For comparison, the two-layer flexographic printing element from Example 2 was engraved with only a 250 W CO 2 Einstrahllaser réelle.
  • the fine elements can be engraved with the combination of ND / YAG laser and CO 2 laser with a finer resolution than just with the CO 2 laser. Fine halftone dots are much sharper.
  • Example 3 For comparison, the two-layer flexographic printing element of Example 3 was engraved with only a 250 W CO 2 Einstrahllaser réelle.
  • the fine elements can be engraved with the combination of ND / YAG laser and CO 2 laser with a finer resolution than just with the CO 2 laser. Fine halftone dots are much sharper and the flanks of the elements show no eruptions

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Optics & Photonics (AREA)
  • Plasma & Fusion (AREA)
  • Manufacturing & Machinery (AREA)
  • Printing Plates And Materials Therefor (AREA)
  • Manufacture Or Reproduction Of Printing Formes (AREA)
  • Wire Bonding (AREA)
  • Resistance Heating (AREA)
  • Dental Tools And Instruments Or Auxiliary Dental Instruments (AREA)
EP04727267A 2003-04-17 2004-04-14 Lasergravierbares flexodruckelement enthaltend einen leitfähigkeitsruss sowie verfahren zur herstellung von flexodruckformen Expired - Lifetime EP1613484B1 (de)

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DE10318039A DE10318039A1 (de) 2003-04-17 2003-04-17 Lasergravierbares Flexodruckelement enthaltend einen Leitfähigkeitsruß sowie Verfahren zur Herstellung von Flexodruckformen
PCT/EP2004/003954 WO2004091927A1 (de) 2003-04-17 2004-04-14 Lasergravierbares flexodruckelement enthaltend einen leitfähigkeitsruss sowie verfahren zur herstellung von flexodruckformen

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DE10318039A1 (de) 2004-11-04
JP2006523552A (ja) 2006-10-19
WO2004091927A1 (de) 2004-10-28
US20050115920A1 (en) 2005-06-02
DE502004007228D1 (de) 2008-07-03
EP1613484A1 (de) 2006-01-11
US7223524B2 (en) 2007-05-29
ATE396057T1 (de) 2008-06-15

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