JPH04179959A - Processing method and processing device for photosensitive planographic printing plate - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To allow the stable and common processing of positive type photosensitive planographic printing plates and negative type photosensitive planographic printing plates by using one developer to be cyclically used by changing the insertion position of the photosensitive planographic printing plates to be processed in a vertical direction, discriminating plate kinds and automatically changing development conditions. CONSTITUTION:This device has a developing section A, a washing section B, a rinse gum section C, a transporting path PS for the printing plates, developing tank 14, a replenishing device 21 such as development replenishing liquid tank 20. Further, this device is provided with a means 28 for inserting the printing plates, optical sensors 30a, 30b, a negative/positive plate discriminating circuit 31, an area measuring reflection sensor 32, a plate width detecting circuit 33, a plate surface area integrating circuit 34, an working and down time integrating circuit 35, a power source switch 36, a flow rate control circuit 37, and a pump driving circuit 38. The insertion position of the photosensitive planographic printing plates to be processed is changed vertically, by which the kinds of the positive type and negative type photosensitive planographic printing plates are discriminated prior to a developing stage. The developing conditions are automatically changed according to the discriminated kinds of the plates. The positive and negative type develop planographic printing plates are commonly and stably developed by using the developer to be cyclically used with one unit of an automatic developing machine.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a processing method and a processing apparatus for photosensitive lithographic printing plates, and more specifically, to a positive-working photosensitive lithographic printing plate and a negative-working photosensitive lithographic printing plate. The present invention relates to a processing method and a processing apparatus suitable for commonly processing.

[Conventional technology]

Conventionally, a positive-working photosensitive lithographic printing plate and a negative-working photosensitive lithographic printing plate are developed using a developer that can commonly develop a positive-working photosensitive lithographic printing plate and a negative-working photosensitive lithographic printing plate with one automatic developing machine. When processing printing plates, the mainstream is a processing method in which a new developer is supplied to the surface to be processed and discarded (new solution processing method), and a processing method in which the developer is reused repeatedly by replenishing the replenisher. In the (circulation method), the degree of fatigue of the developer differs between positive-working photosensitive lithographic printing plates and negative-working photosensitive lithographic printing plates, making it difficult to manage replenishment and making it difficult to process stably in practice. there were. Furthermore, the new solution processing method has the disadvantage that it consumes a larger amount of developer than the circulation method.

[Problem to be solved by the invention]

It is an object of the present invention to provide a photosensitive property that can stably and commonly process positive-working photosensitive lithographic printing plates and negative-working photosensitive lithographic printing plates using at least one recirculating developer in one automatic developing machine. An object of the present invention is to provide a method and apparatus for processing a lithographic printing plate.

Another object of the present invention is a method and apparatus for commonly processing positive-working photosensitive lithographic printing plates and negative-working photosensitive lithographic printing plates using at least a circulating developer in one automatic developing machine. An object of the present invention is to provide a technology that can reduce processing costs.

[Means for Solving the Problems] The object of the present invention is to provide the following processing method (1) and the following (
2) is achieved by the processing device.

(1) In a method in which an exposed positive-working photosensitive lithographic printing plate and a negative-working photosensitive lithographic printing plate are commonly processed using at least one recirculating developer using an automatic developing machine, the developing step First, by changing the insertion position of the photosensitive lithographic printing plate to be processed in the vertical direction, the plate area of the positive photosensitive lithographic printing plate and the negative photosensitive lithographic printing plate is determined, and according to the determined plate area. A method for processing a photosensitive lithographic printing plate, characterized by automatically changing development conditions.

(2) In a processing device for a photosensitive lithographic printing plate, which has a means for transporting the photosensitive lithographic printing plate and a means for developing it using at least one circulating developer in the transport path, two different locations are located in the vertical direction. means for inserting the photosensitive lithographic printing plate into the processing device; detection means for detecting the photosensitive lithographic printing plate inserted into each of the two insertion means; 1. A processing device for a photosensitive lithographic printing plate, comprising means for discriminating a negative-working photosensitive lithographic printing plate, and means for automatically changing development conditions based on the result of this discrimination.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be explained with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram showing an embodiment of a processing device according to the present invention. In the figure, A is a development process in which a developing solution (hereinafter referred to as [negative/positive developer]) that can commonly develop a positive photosensitive lithographic printing plate and a negative photosensitive lithographic printing plate that are used in circulation is used. B is a water washing section for washing with water, C is a rinse/gum section for processing with a rinsing liquid or a desensitizing liquid, and PS is a conveyance path for the photosensitive planographic printing plate.

In each of these processing sections, 1 is a pair of transport rollers that transport the photosensitive planographic printing plate, 5 is a squeeze roller pair, 8 is a skewer roller pair, 9 is a guide roller, and 1O is a pair of rollers for rubbing the plate surface to accelerate development. Brush roller, 11 is a shower pipe,
14 is a developer tank for storing a developer, 15 is a washing water tank for storing washing water, and 16 is a rinsing liquid or a desensitizing liquid (
17.18. Rinse/gum liquid tank for storing gum liquid).
19 is a developer tank 14, a washing water tank 15, and a rinse tank.
Shower each treatment liquid from the gum liquid tank with vibrator 11
20 is a replenisher tank for storing developer replenisher, and 21 is a replenisher. The replenishing device 21 has a metering pump for feeding liquid, and a mechanism that operates a buzzer based on the detection result of a sensor (not shown) for detecting empty development replenisher in the replenisher tank 20. , it can be operated manually as well as by a control system using a flow rate control circuit 37, which will be described later. Reference numeral 22 indicates overflows from the developer tank 14, the washing water tank 15, and the rinse/gum solution tank 16.
0 - This is the piping leading to the tank.

Reference numeral 28 denotes an insertion means for inserting the photosensitive planographic printing plate into the developing section A from two places in the upper and lower directions, and has a lower insertion guide 28a and an upper insertion guide 28b, and the photosensitive planographic printing plate is inserted along the upper surface of each guide. A printing plate can be inserted into the developing section A.

Reference numerals 30a and 130b are optical sensors, each of which is composed of a light emitting element and a light receiving element, and detects reflected light to detect the presence of a photosensitive lithographic printing plate, and 30a is a photosensitive sensor inserted along the upper surface of the lower insertion guide 28a. Detects the lithographic printing plate, 3
0b is designed to detect a photosensitive planographic printing plate inserted along the upper surface of the upper insertion guide 28b. Reference numeral 31 denotes a negative/positive plate discrimination circuit, which determines that a positive plate is a photosensitive lithographic printing plate when detected by the optical sensor 30a, and determines that it is a negative type photosensitive lithographic printing plate when detected by the optical sensor 30b.

Of course, the reverse is also possible.

Reference numeral 32 is an area measurement reflection sensor, which has a plurality of optical sensors arranged at equal intervals in the horizontal direction perpendicular to the conveyance path, irradiates light from a light emitting element onto the surface of the photosensitive planographic printing plate being conveyed, and measures the reflected light. is received by a light-receiving element to detect the presence of a photosensitive planographic printing plate. 33 is a plate width detection circuit, and area measurement reflection sensor 3
The plate width is detected based on the plate detection signal from 2, and the plate area can be detected by a plate area integration circuit 34.

35 is an operation/rest time integration circuit that performs replenishment in response to fatigue of the developer due to processing of photosensitive planographic printing plates (processing fatigue) and decrease in activity due to absorption of carbon dioxide gas in the air (aging fatigue). It detects the operation and rest of the processing equipment by opening and closing the power switch 36 of the processing equipment, integrates the operating time and the rest time, and calculates the replenishment amount corresponding to fatigue over time in each of these states.

The signals corresponding to the plate area, the discrimination between positive and negative types, and the amount of fatigue over time are input to the flow rate control circuit 37, so that the replenishment amount is refilled based on a predetermined functional relationship.
It is configured to control the replenishment device 21 via the pump drive circuit 38 . Known techniques can be applied to the above functional relationship.

Next, the operation will be explained using FIG.

When inserting a photosensitive planographic printing plate into the processing device, a positive photosensitive planographic printing plate is inserted along the upper surface of the lower insertion guide 28a, and a negative photosensitive planographic printing plate is inserted along the upper surface of the upper insertion guide 28b.
Insert along the top surface of the Then, based on the signal detected by either optical sensor 30a or 30b, negative/
A positive plate discrimination circuit 31 determines whether the plate is a positive type or a negative type, and then a plate width detection circuit 33 and a plate area integration circuit 34 based on a signal detected by an area measurement reflection sensor 32.
The plate area is calculated by the following, and these signals are input to the flow rate control circuit 37. In parallel with these, a signal from the operation/pause integration circuit 35 is input to the flow rate control circuit 37.

The flow rate control circuit 37 controls plate area, negative type/positive type EI.
The replenishing device 21 is controlled so that the developer replenishment amount is based on a predetermined functional relationship using as variables the signal from the operation/pause integration circuit 35, and the developer replenisher in the replenisher tank 20 is supplied to the developer tank 14. will be replenished to.

The timing of this replenishment may be selected as appropriate. For example, when a photosensitive lithographic printing plate is carried in, replenishment is carried out by changing the amount of replenishment depending on the plate area and whether it is a negative or positive type, and replenishment is carried out in response to fatigue over time before the photosensitive lithographic printing plate is carried in.

In the developing section A, the developer for both negative and positive uses in the developer tank 14, which is replenished as described above, is sent by the pump 17 and supplied to the printing plate from the shower pipe 11. The developer and the eluate of the photosensitive layer of the photosensitive planographic printing plate adhering to the front and back surfaces of the plate are removed by the pair of rollers 5, and the development is completed.

Next, the photosensitive lithographic printing plate is transported to washing section B. In the washing MB, the washing water put in the washing water tank 15 is supplied by the pump 18 from the shower pipe 12 to the plate surface of the photosensitive planographic printing plate, and is washed with water. The water-washed photosensitive lithographic printing plate is subjected to a squeeze roller to remove deposits from its front and back surfaces.

Next, the photosensitive planographic printing plate is conveyed to the rinse gum section C. Here, the rinsing liquid or desensitizing liquid contained in the rinsing gum tank 16 is supplied from the shower pipe 13 to the plate surface by the pump 24, and is removed by the squeezing roller, leaving only the required amount, and the processing is completed.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a processing device showing another embodiment according to the present invention. In the figure, A is a developing section that performs development with a negative/positive developing solution that is used in circulation, B is a water washing section, C is a rinse/gum section that is processed with a rinsing solution or a desensitizing solution, and PS
is the conveyance path of the photosensitive planographic printing plate.

In each of these processing sections, 1 is a pair of transport rollers that transport the photosensitive planographic printing plate, 5 is a pair of squeezing rollers, 8a is a skewer roller, 8b is a skewer roller pair, 9 is a guide roller, 10a is a brush roller, and 12 is a pair of skewer rollers. Shower pipe, 14a is a developing tank, 15 is a washing water tank, 16 is a rinsing/gum tank containing a rinsing liquid or nonfatting liquid (gum liquid), 17a is a pump for flowing the developing liquid in the developing tank 14a, 18 . 19 is a pump that pumps each processing liquid to the shower vibe 11; 20 is a replenisher tank for storing developer replenisher; 21 is a replenisher; 25 is a pipe that leads the overflow liquid to an overflow tank 70 (not shown); 27; is a heater with a thermostat that heats the developer in the developer tank 14a and maintains it at a predetermined temperature.

Reference numeral 29 denotes an insertion means for inserting the photosensitive planographic printing plate into the developing section A from two places in the vertical direction, and has a lower insertion guide 29a and an upper insertion guide 29b, and the photosensitive planographic printing plate is inserted along the upper surface of each guide. A printing plate can be inserted into the developing section A. 30a and 30b are optical sensors, 31 is a negative/positive plate discrimination circuit, 32 is an area measurement reflection sensor, 33 is a plate width detection circuit, 34 is a plate area integration circuit, 35 is an operation/rest time integration circuit, and 36 is a power switch. , 37 is a flow rate control circuit, and 38 is a pump drive circuit, the structure and function of which are the same as in FIG. 40 is a conveyance speed control circuit, which receives input I from negative/positive plate B11 @Route 3I.
Accordingly, the conveyance speed of the photosensitive planographic printing plate is changed. 41 is a drive circuit that rotationally drives each roller along the conveyance path PS, 42 is a motor that rotationally drives each roller, and each roller facing the conveyance path PS is driven by the motor.

Next, the operation will be explained using FIG. 2.

First, when inserting a photosensitive planographic printing plate into the illustrated processing device, the positive photosensitive planographic printing plate is inserted into the lower insertion guide 29a.
The negative photosensitive planographic printing plate is inserted from above the upper insertion guide 29b. Then, as in FIG. 1, the negative/positive plate discriminating circuit 31 determines whether it is a positive type or a negative type based on the signal detected by either the optical sensor 30a or 30b, and then the area measuring reflection sensor 32 Plate width detection circuit 3 based on the signal detected by
3 and the plate area integration circuit 34 calculates the plate area,
These signals are input to the flow rate control circuit 37. In parallel with this, a signal from the operation/pause integration circuit 35 is input to the flow rate control circuit 37. The flow rate control circuit 37 controls plate area, negative type/positive type, and operation/pause integration circuit 35.
The replenishing device 21 is controlled so that the developer replenishment amount is based on a predetermined functional relationship using a signal from the replenisher tank 2o as a variable, and the developer replenisher in the replenisher tank 2o is replenished into the developer tank 14. In parallel, the signal from the negative/positive plate discrimination circuit 34 is processed by the transport speed control circuit 40 to produce a signal representing the transport speed of the positive photosensitive lithographic printing plate and the negative photosensitive lithographic printing plate. is generated, and the roller drive circuit is controlled by this signal to switch the conveyance speed for each plate stack of negative plate and positive plate.

In the developing section A, the photosensitive planographic printing plate is immersed in the negative/positive developer in the developer tank 14a, which is replenished as described above. The developer adhering to the back surface and the eluate of the photosensitive layer of the photosensitive lithographic printing plate are removed, and development is completed.

Next, the photosensitive planographic printing plate is washed with water sB and then conveyed to the rinse gum section C, where it is washed with water and subjected to post-processing in the same manner as in FIG.

Preferred embodiments of the present invention are listed below.

■The angle of the two upper and lower insertion paths for inserting the photosensitive lithographic printing plate into the processing device should be 45" or less, more preferably 5" or less.
~30°.

■Of the two insertion guides, upper and lower, the end of the upper insertion guide (farthest from the processing device) is closer to the developing section than the end of the lower guide (farther from the processing device). I will use it like that.

■The lower insertion guide is ±lθ in the transport direction with respect to the horizontal surface.
The top surface should be within the range of ``.

The development conditions that are automatically changed according to the results of automatically distinguishing between positive-working photosensitive planographic printing plates and negative-working photosensitive planographic printing plates according to the present invention are optional, and known techniques can be applied; It can be determined by means such as experiments.

For example, when using one type of developer replenisher and changing the replenishment amount between a positive photosensitive lithographic printing plate and a negative photosensitive lithographic printing plate, a new developer solution is used for positive photosensitive lithographic printing. When a large number of plates are processed and fatigue reaches the allowable limit for sensitivity variation, the processed plate area (A, ) and the replenishment amount required to return the sensitivity to that of the new solution (appropriate replenishment amount) )
(R2) is determined experimentally. Separately, using a negative photosensitive lithographic printing plate, the processed plate area (A, ) when fatigued to the permissible limit of sensitivity fluctuation and the appropriate replenishment amount (R1) for it are determined in the same manner. Using this result, the replenishment amount per plate area to be processed is set as R, /A for a positive-working photosensitive lithographic printing plate, and R, /A for a negative-working photosensitive lithographic printing plate.

When selecting the conveyance speed, that is, the development time, in addition to the replenishment amount as the control amount, experiments similar to the above are conducted for a plurality of levels of conveyance speed, and the conditions that yield the best results are adopted.

In addition, known techniques for adjusting the development conditions for positive-working photosensitive lithographic printing plates and negative-working photosensitive lithographic printing plates can be applied.

Photosensitive lithographic printing plates to which the present invention is applied include those in which a layer of a photosensitive composition as described below is provided on the surface of a support having a hydrophilic surface.

l) Photosensitive composition containing a diazo compound The diazo compound in this photosensitive composition is, for example, a diazo resin typified by a condensate of an aromatic diazonium salt and formaldehyde or acetaldehyde. For example, p
- diazo resin inorganic salts of condensates of diazodiphenylamine and formaldehyde or acetaldehyde, such as reaction products of said condensates with hexafluoroborophosphates, tetrafluoroborates, perchlorates or periodates; Salts and diazo resin organic salts which are reaction products of the above condensates and sulfonic acids, as described in US Pat. No. 3,300,309, can be mentioned. Also included are compositions in which a diazo resin is used together with a binder. Various polymer compounds can be used as such a binder, but monomers having an aromatic hydroxyl group such as those described in JP-A No. 54-98613, such as N-(4 -hydroxyphenyl)acrylamide, N-(4-hydroxyphenyl)methacrylamide, o-, m-, or p-hydroxystyrene,
'-9m-+ or copolymer of p-hydroxyphenyl methacrylate, etc. and other monomers, US Pat. No. 4,123
．． Polymers containing hydroxyethyl acrylate units or hydroxyethyl methacrylate units as a main repeating unit as described in No. 276, natural resins such as shellac and rosin, polyvinyl alcohol, U.S. Pat. No. 3,751.257 Polyamide resins as described in US Pat. No. 3,660.09
Linear polyurethane resins as described in No. 7, phthalated resins of polyvinyl alcohol, epoxy resins condensed from bisphenol A and epichlorohydrin, cellulose derivatives such as cellulose acetate and cellulose acetate phthalate are included.

2) Photosensitive composition 0- containing an o-quinonediazide compound
In a photosensitive composition containing a quinonediazide compound,
Examples include compositions in which an O-quinonediazide compound and an alkali-soluble resin are used together.

Examples of the 0-quinonediazide compound include ester compounds of 0-naphthoquinonediazide sulfonic acid and polycondensation resins of phenols and aldehydes or ketones.

Examples of the phenols include phenol, 0-
Cresol, m-cresol, p-cresol, 3.5
Examples include m-phenols such as xylenol, carvacrol, and thymol, dihydric phenols such as catechol, resorcinol, and hydroquinone, and trihydric phenols such as pyrogallol and phloroglucin. Examples of the aldehyde include formaldehyde, benzaldehyde, acetaldehyde, crotonaldehyde, and furfural. Further, examples of the ketone include acetone and methyl ethyl ketone.

Specific examples of the polycondensation resin include phenol/formaldehyde resin, m-cresol/formaldehyde resin, "-+p-mixed cresol/formaldehyde resin, resorcinol/benzaldehyde resin, pyrogallol/acetone resin, and the like.

The condensation rate of 0-naphthoquinonediazide sulfonic acid with respect to the OH group of the phenol in the 0-su7toquinonediazide compound (reaction rate with respect to one OH group) ranges from 15 to 80%.

0 to quinonediazide compounds, JP-A-58-434
The following compounds described in Publication No. 51 can also be used.

Also, Special Publication No. 37-1953, No. 37-3627, No. 37-13109, No. 40-26126, No. 40-
No. 3801, No. 45-5604, No. 45-27345
1,2-quinonediazide compounds described in JP-A No. 51-13013, JP-A No. 48-96575, JP-A No. 48-63802, and JP-A No. 48-63802 can also be mentioned.

Examples of the support include paper, plastic (for example, polyethylene, polypropylene, polystyrene, etc.), laminated paper, aluminum (including aluminum alloy),
Plates of metals such as zinc, copper, etc., films of plastics such as cellulose diacetate, cellulose triacetate, cellulose propionate, polyethylene terephthalate, polyethylene, polypropylene, polycarbonate, polyvinyl acetal, etc., laminates or vapor deposition of metals such as those mentioned above. Examples include hardened paper and chrome-plated steel plates, among which aluminum and aluminum-coated composite supports are particularly preferred.

Further, the surface of the aluminum material may be roughened for the purpose of increasing water retention and adhesion to the photosensitive layer. As the surface roughening method, generally known brush polishing method, pole polishing method, electrolytic etching, chemical etching,
Examples include methods such as liquid honing, sandblasting, and combinations thereof.

At least one circulating developing solution used in the method of the present invention is preferably an alkaline negative/positive developing solution containing water as a main solvent (specifically, 50% by weight or more consists of water). . Both the developer and its replenisher are preferably alkaline aqueous developers containing an alkali silicate and at least one of an organic solvent and a surfactant and having a pH of 10 or more, more preferably 12 or more. .

Examples of the alkali silicate include potassium silicate, sodium silicate, sodium metasilicate, potassium metasilicate, and ammonium silicate. The content of alkali silicate in the developer is preferably in the range of 0.3 to 10% by weight. In addition, alkali silicate has a concentration of 0.5 in2.
A range of 1 to 7.0% by weight is preferred.

Alkali agents other than alkali silicates can be used in combination with the developer and developer replenisher, such as potassium hydroxide,
Sodium hydroxide, lithium hydroxide, sodium triphosphate, sodium diphosphate, potassium triphosphate, potassium diphosphate, ammonium diphosphate, ammonium diphosphate, sodium metasilicate, sodium bicarbonate, carbonic acid Inorganic alkaline agents such as sodium, potassium carbonate, ammonium carbonate, etc., organic alkaline agents such as mono-, di- or triethanolamine and tetraalkyl hydroxide can be used in combination.

As an organic solvent, the solubility in water at 20°C is 10.
% by weight or less, such as carboxylic acid esters such as ethyl acetate, propyl acetate, butyl acetate, benzyl acetate, ethylene glycol monobutyl ether butyl lactate, butyl levulinate; ethyl butyl ketone, methyl isobutyl ketone, cyclohexanone Ketones such as ethylene glycol monobutyl ether, ethylene glycol benzyl ether, ethylene glycol monophenyl ether, benzyl asacol, methylphenyl carbinol, n-amyl alcohol, methyl amyl alcohol; Alkyl substituted such as xylene Aromatic hydrocarbon; methylene dichloride,
Examples include halogenated hydrocarbons such as ethylene dichloride and monochlorobenzene. These organic solvents can be used alone or in combination of two or more.

As the surfactant, at least one of nonionic, anionic, cationic and amphoteric surfactants can be used. Preferably it is a nonionic surfactant.

Nonionic surfactants can be broadly classified into polyethylene glycol type and polyhydric alcohol type, both of which can be used, but polyethylene glycol type nonionic surfactants are preferred from the viewpoint of developing performance, and among them, ethylene glycol type nonionic surfactants are preferred. 3 or more, and HLB value (HLB is I(hydrophile-Lipophile Ba1
ance) is 5 or more (more preferably 8 to 20).

Among nonionic surfactants, those having both an ethyleneoxy group and a propyleneoxy group are particularly preferred, and among these, those having an HLB value of 8 or more are more preferred.

Preferred examples of nonionic surfactants include the following general formula [l
] to [8] are mentioned.

(1) R-0-(CH,CH20)nH(3)
R-0-(CH3COO)m-(CH2CH20)n
H(5) HO(C2H,0)a (CsHsO)
b (C=H,0)cH(7) H(QC,Ha)
y (OCJs)X in/(CaHsO)x (C,
H,0)yHH(OCzHa)Y (OC3HI)X
/\(C,HsO)x (czoao)y.

(8) HO-(C)12cH,0)nH[l]~[
8] In the formula, R represents a hydrogen atom or a monovalent organic group. The organic group includes, for example, a linear or branched substituent having 1 to 30 carbon atoms (for example, an aryl group (phenyl, etc.)
), an alkylcarbonyl group in which the alkyl moiety is the above-mentioned alkyl group, a phenyl group which may have a substituent (for example, a hydroxyl group, an alkyl group as described above, etc.), etc. It will be done. Yu, b, c,
m, n, X and y each represent an integer of 1 to 40.

Specific examples of nonionic surfactants are shown below.

Polyethylene glycol, polyoxyethylene lauryl ether, polyoxyethylene nonyl ether, polyoxyethylene cetyl ether, polyoxyethylene stearyl ether, polyoxyethylene oleyl ether, polyoxyethylene behenyl ether, polyoxyethylene polyoxypropylene cetyl ether, polyoxy Ethylene polyoxypropylene cetyl ether, polyoxyethylene nonylphenyl ether, holoxyethylene octylphenyl ether, polyoxyethylene stearylamine, polyoxyethylene oleylamine, polyoxyethylene stearic acid amide, polyoxyethylene oleic acid amide, polyoxyethylene castor oil, polyoxyethylene abiethyl ether, polyoxyethylene lanolin ether, polyoxyethylene monolaurate, polyoxyethylene monostearate, polyoxyethylene glyceryl monooleate, polyoxyethylene glycer monostearate, polyoxyethylene propylene glycol mono Stearate, oxyethylene oxypropylene block polymer, distyrenated phenol polyethylene oxide adduct, tribenzylphenol polyethylene oxide adduct, octylphenol polyoxyethylene polyoxypropylene adduct, glycerol monostearate, sorbitan monolaurate, phorioxy Ethylene sorbitan monolaurate etc.

The weight average molecular weight of the nonionic surfactant is 300 to 100
A range of 00 is preferred, and a range of 500 to 5000 is particularly preferred.

As the anionic surfactant, higher alcohol (cm
~C22) Sulfuric ester salts [e.g., sodium salt of lauryl alcohol sulfate, sodium salt of octyl alcohol sulfate, ammonium salt of lauryl alcohol sulfate, rTeepol-81J
(Product name: Shell Chemical), Sodium Sodium Alkyl Sulfate], Aliphatic alcohol phosphate ester salts (e.g., sodium salt of cetyl alcohol phosphate, etc.), Alkylaryl sulfonates (
For example, the sodium salt of dodecylbenzenesulfonic acid,
Sodium salt of isopropylnaphthalene sulfonic acid, sodium salt of sinaphthalene disulfonic acid, sodium salt of metanitrobenzene sulfonic acid, etc.), sulfonate salts of alkylamides (for example, C+tHssCON
(CHs)CHzSOsNa, etc.), and sulfonic acid salts of dibasic fatty acid esters (for example, sodium sulfosuccinate dioctyl ester, sodium sulfosuccinate dihexyl ester, etc.).

Among these, sulfonate salts are particularly preferably used.

Cationic surfactants are broadly classified into amine type and quaternary ammonium salt type, and any of these can be used.

Examples of amine types include polyoxyethylenealkylamines, N-alkylpropyleneamines, N-alkylpolyethylenepolyamines, N-alkylpolyethylenepolyamine dimethyl sulfates, alkyl biguanides, long chain amine oxides, alkylimidacillins, l-hydroxy Ethyl-2-alkylimidacyline, l-acetylaminoethyl-2-alkylimidacyline, 2-alkyl-
Examples include 4-methyl-4-hydroxymethyloxazoline.

Examples of quaternary ammonium salts include long chain primary amine salts, alkyltrimethylammonium salts, dialkyldimethylethylammonium salts, alkyldimethylammonium salts, alkyldimethylbenzylammonium salts, alkylpyridinium salts, and alkylquinolinium salts. , alkylisoquinolinium salt, alkylpyridinium sulfate, stearamidemethylpyridinium salt, acylaminoethyldiethylamine salt, acylaminoethylmethyldiethylammonium salt, alkylamidopropyldimethylbenzylammonium salt, fatty acid polyethylene polyamide, acylaminoethylpyridinium salt , acylcolaminoformylmethylpyridinium salt, stearoxymethylpyridinium salt, fatty acid triethanolamine, fatty acid triethanolamine formate, trioxyethylene fatty acid triethanolamine, fatty acid dibutylaminoethanol, cetyloxymethylpyridinium salt, p
-isooctylphenoxyethoxyethyldimethylbenzylammonium salt and the like. ("Alkyl" in the above compound examples refers to a straight chain or partially substituted alkyl having 6 to 20 carbon atoms, and specifically, straight chain alkyl such as hexyl, octyl, cetyl, stearyl, etc.) (Preferably used.) Among these, water-soluble quaternary ammonium salt type cationic surfactants are particularly effective, and among these, alkyltrimethylammonium salts, alkyldimethylbenzylammonium salts, ethylene oxide addition ammonium salts, etc. are preferable. be. Further, a polymer having a cationic component as a repeating unit is also a cationic surfactant in a broad sense, and the cationic surfactant of the present invention has a golden color. In particular, a polymer containing a quaternary ammonium salt obtained by copolymerizing with a lipophilic hexamer can be suitably used.

The weight average molecular weight of the polymer is in the range of 300 to 50,000, particularly preferably in the range of 500 to 5,000.

As the amphoteric surfactant, for example, a compound such as sodium N-methyl-N-pentadecylaminoacetate can be used.

These surfactants can be contained in a range of 0.5 to 10% by weight.

In addition to the above, inorganic and organic reducing agents, organic carboxylic acids, etc. can be contained in the negative/positive developing solution and its replenisher used in the method of the present invention.

Examples of inorganic reducing agents include sulfites such as sodium sulfite, potassium sulfite, ammonium sulfite, sodium hydrogen sulfite, and potassium hydrogen sulfite, sodium phosphite, potassium phosphite, sodium hydrogen phosphite, and potassium hydrogen phosphite. , phosphates such as sodium dihydrogen phosphite and potassium hydrogen sulfite, hydrazine, sodium thiosulfate, sodium dithionite, etc. Among the reducing agents that are particularly effective are sulfites. These reducing agents are contained in an amount of 0.1-10% by weight, more preferably 0.5-5% by weight.

The developer and its replenisher may contain other known additives, such as water-soluble or alkali-soluble organic reducing agents, organic carboxylic acids and salts thereof, and the like.

Examples of the organic reducing agent include heptanols such as hydroquinone, metol, and methoxyquinone, and amine compounds such as phenylenediamine and phenylhydrazine.

Organic carboxylic acids include aliphatic carboxylic acids having 6 to 20 carbon atoms and aromatic carboxylic acids in which a benzene ring or a 7-talene ring is substituted with a carboxyl group.

The aliphatic carboxylic acid is preferably an alkanoic acid having 6 to 20 carbon atoms, and specific examples include caproic acid, enantylic acid, caprylic acid, pelargonic acid, capric acid, lauric acid, mystylic acid, valmitic acid, and stearic acid. etc., and particularly preferred are alkanoic acids having 6 to 12 carbon atoms. Also, fatty acids with double bonds in their carbon chains,
It may also have a branched carbon chain. The above aliphatic carboxylic acids may be used as sodium or potassium salts or ammonium salts.

Specific compounds of aromatic carboxylic acids include benzoic acid, O-chlorobenzoic acid, p-chlorobenzoic acid, 0-hydroxybenzoic acid, p-hydroxybenzoic acid, p-ter
t-butylbenzoic acid, 0-aminobenzoic acid, p-aminobenzoic acid, 2.4-dihydroxybenzoic acid, 2゜5-dihydroxybenzoic acid, 2.3-dihydroxybenzoic acid,
2,3-dihydroxybenzoic acid, 3,5-dihydroxybenzoic acid, Gallic Publishing Ll-hydroxy-2-naphthoic acid,
3-hydroxy-2-su7toic acid, 2-hydroxy-1
-naphthoic acid, l-naphthoic acid, 2-naphthoic acid, etc.

The above aromatic carboxylic acid may be used as a sodium or potassium salt or an ammonium salt.

The content of aliphatic carboxylic acid and aromatic carboxylic acid is preferably 0.1-10% by weight.

Furthermore, the following additives can be added to the developer and replenisher in the present invention in order to improve development performance. For example, NaC (
1, KC (neutral salt such as 1% KBr, JP-A-59-190
Chelating agents such as EDTA and NTA described in No. 952, [Co(NH
s)) Complexes such as acQs, amphoteric polymer electrolytes such as copolymers of vinylbenzyltrimethylammonium chloride and sodium acrylate described in JP-A-56-142528, lithium chloride as described in JP-A-58-59444 Inorganic lithium compounds such as, Japanese Patent Publication No. 50-3444
Organolithium compounds such as lithium benzoate described in Publication No. 2, Si and Ti described in JP-A-59-75255
Organometallic surfactant containing etc., JP-A-59-84241
Examples thereof include organic boron compounds described in the above publication.

Further, the negative/positive developing solution used in the method of the present invention includes Japanese Patent Application Laid-open Nos. 62-24263, 62-24264, 62-25761, 62-35351, and 6
No. 2-75535, No. 62-89060, No. 62-1
No. 25357, No. 62-133460, No. 62-15
No. 9148, No. 62-168160, No. 62-175
No. 758, No. 63-200154, No. 63-2056
No. 58, and developers described in each publication are included.

In the present invention, it is preferable to replenish the developing solution used in circulation with a replenisher to prevent both processing fatigue and aging fatigue. To prevent processing fatigue, detection of the plate area, detection of the area of non-image areas, detection of the length of the photosensitive lithographic printing plate in the transport direction, etc. are preferable. It is preferable to change the coefficient of the replenishment amount calculated from the above information depending on the printing plate. In addition, the replenishment amount coefficient is determined by combining the results of determining the plate electrodes of the positive photosensitive lithographic printing plate MU plate and the negative photosensitive lithographic printing plate with the results of detecting both processing fatigue and aging fatigue. It is preferable.

〔Example〕

The method of the present invention will be explained below with reference to Examples.

Example 1 The following developer solution 24Q was put into the developer tank 14 of the automatic processor shown in FIG.
I set it to 0.

Developer β-anilinoethanol 0.3 parts by weight Propylene glycol 0.3 parts by weight 2-hydroxy-3-naphthoic acid 0.6 parts by weight p-tert-butylbenzoic acid 1.2 parts by weight Emulgen 147
0.05 parts by weight (manufactured by Kao Corporation, nonionic surfactant) potassium silicate aqueous solution 2.
2 parts by weight (26% by weight containing Sing, 13% by weight containing K20) Potassium hydroxide 1.5 parts by weight Potassium sulfite 0.9 parts by weight Water
90 parts by weight Development replenisher β-anilinoethanol 0.31 parts by weight Propylene glycol 0.6 parts by weight 2-hydroxy-3-naphthoic acid 0.6 parts by weight p-tert-butylbenzoic acid 1.5 parts by weight Emulgen 147
0.55 parts by weight Potassium silicate
6.0 parts by weight potassium hydroxide
3.1 parts by weight potassium sulfite
1.8 parts by weight water 8
Preparation of photosensitive lithographic printing plate using 2 parts by weight of positive A JIS-1050 aluminum plate with a thickness of 0 to 24 mm was immersed in a 2% aqueous sodium hydroxide solution, degreased, and then electrolyzed in a dilute nitric acid solution. chemically roughened,
After thorough washing, anodization treatment was performed in a dilute sulfuric acid solution to form an oxide film of 2.5 g/+" on the surface of the aluminum plate. After washing the aluminum plate treated in this way with water and drying, , dry weight 2.5g/photosensitive liquid of the following composition:
It was coated to give Io2 and dried to obtain a positive photosensitive lithographic printing plate.

Photosensitive coating liquid composition Naphthoquinone-(1,2)-diazide=(2)-5-sulfonic acid chloride ester compound of pyrogallol acetone resin (compound described in Synthesis Example 2 of JP-A-60-143345) ) Copolycondensation resin of 2 parts by weight of phenol, ■-1 p-mixed cresol, and formaldehyde (the molar ratio of each of phenol, m-cresol, and p-cresol during synthesis was 20
:48:32, weight average molecular weight Mw = 7400, number average molecular weight Mn = 1400) 665 parts by weight Novolak resin synthesized from p-tert-octylphenol and polardehyde and naphthoquinone-(1,
2) Ester compound with -diazide-(2)-5-sulfonic acid chloride (condensation rate: 50 mol%, Mv = 17
00) 0.1 parts by weight Victoria Pure Blue BOH (manufactured by Hodokugaya Kagaku Co., Ltd., dye) 0.08 parts by weight Ethyl heptarosolve 80 parts by weight Methyl cellosolve 20 parts by weight Positive-working photosensitivity thus obtained A large number of lithographic printing plates were prepared, a transparent positive film and a step tablet for sensitivity measurement (No. 2 manufactured by Eastman Kodak, gray scale of 21 levels with a density difference of 0.15) were placed in close contact with them, and a 2 kW metal halide lamp ( Exposure was carried out for 60 seconds from a distance of 70 cv under conditions of 8.0 mW/cm'' using Iwaki Electric Co., Ltd.'s Idol Fin 2000) as a light source.

Negative photosensitive lithographic printing thickness ik O, 24 mm (7) JIS-10507 Luminilla A sheet metal immersed in 20% sodium phosphate aqueous solution to degrease, electrochemically roughened in dilute hydrochloric acid solution, and thoroughly washed. Afterwards, it was anodized in a dilute sulfuric acid solution and 1.5g
/m'' was formed on the surface of the aluminum plate.The aluminum plate treated in this way was roughly immersed in an aqueous solution of sodium metasilicate to perform a sealing treatment.
After washing with water and drying, a photosensitive solution having the following composition was added with a dry weight of 2-
It was coated to give a coating weight of 0 g/+'' and dried to obtain a negative photosensitive lithographic printing plate.

Photosensitive liquid composition 1 part by weight of hexafluorophosphate of a condensate of p-diazizodiphenylamine and paraformaldehyde > 10 parts by weight Victoria Pure Blue BOH (manufactured by Hodogaya Chemical Co., Ltd., dye) 0.2 parts by weight ethylene glycol monomethyl ether 100 parts by weight The negative photosensitive planographic printing thus obtained Prepare a large number of sheets, attach a transparent negative film and a step tablet for sensitivity measurement (No. 2 manufactured by Eastman Kodak Company, 21 gray scale levels with a density difference of 0.15).
8.0mW/cm" using a 2kW metal halide lamp (Idolfin 2000 manufactured by Iwasaki Electric Co., Ltd.) as a light source.
Exposure was performed for 30 seconds from a distance of 70 cm under these conditions.

The photosensitive planographic printing plates described above were inserted along the upper surface of the insertion guide 28a for the positive type, and along the upper surface of the insertion guide 28b for the negative type.

The replenishment conditions for the treated plate area of each plate type were as follows.

Replenishment against processing fatigue: Positive type photosensitive lithographic printing plate...60 mβ/m2 Negative type photosensitive lithographic printing plate...42 mff/++'' (Replenishment amount coefficient: positive type = 1.0, negative type = 0.7 ) Replenishment against aging fatigue: Operating time of automatic processor...200IIIC/hour Automatic processor down time...50m12/hour Under the above conditions, positive-working photosensitive lithographic printing plate and negative-working photosensitive lithographic printing plate, respectively. As a result of randomly processing 100 sheets, good printed matter was obtained even on the 200th sheet.

Example 2 The following experiment was conducted using the same developer, developer replenisher, and photosensitive lithographic printing plate as in Example 1, and using the processing apparatus shown in FIG.

Pour 240 ml of developer into the developing tank 14a, set the temperature of the developer to 30°C, and insert the photosensitive lithographic printing plate along the upper surface of the insertion guide 29a for positive type and along the upper surface of 29b for negative type. did.

The development time was 12 seconds for the positive photosensitive lithographic printing plate and 20 seconds for the negative photosensitive lithographic printing plate, and the replenishment conditions for the treated plate area of each plate type were as follows. Replenishment against processing fatigue: Positive photosensitive lithographic printing plate: 60 mff/m Negative photosensitive lithographic printing plate: 42 mQ/m (Replenishment coefficient:
Positive type = 1.0, negative type - 0.7) One refill amount is 30
0m (set to 2)

Replenishment for aging fatigue: Operating time of automatic processor...120m+2/hour Automatic processor down time...35m+2/hour Under the above conditions, print positive photosensitive planographic printing plates and negative photosensitive planographic printing plates 1 each.
As a result of randomly processing 00 sheets, good printed matter was obtained even on the 200th sheet.

Comparative Example The same experiment as in Example 1 was carried out, except that the optical sensors 30a and 30b were removed and the replenishment for processing fatigue was set at 51 mQ/l112 for both the negative photosensitive lithographic printing plate and the positive photosensitive lithographic printing plate. As a result, the 200th positive-type photosensitive lithographic printing plate was found to have poor development and was smeared during printing.

〔Effect of the invention〕

According to the present invention, it is possible to stably develop both a positive-working photosensitive lithographic printing plate and a positive-working photosensitive lithographic printing plate using a circulating developer in one automatic developing machine, and ,
Since a recirculating developer is used, the amount of developer consumed can be reduced compared to the new solution disposable method, thereby reducing processing costs.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

Section 1 and FIG. 2 are block diagrams showing an embodiment of the processing apparatus of the present invention. A...Developing section B...Water washing section C...Rinse/gum section 14...Developer tank 14a...
・Developing tank 20... Replenisher tank 21...
Replenishment devices 28a, 28b, 29a, 29b--Insertion guides 30a, 30b...Optical sensor 31...Negative/positive plate discrimination circuit 32...Area measurement reflection sensor 33...Plate width detection circuit 34. ...Plate area integration circuit 35...Operating/stop time integration circuit 36...Power switch 37...Flow rate control circuit 38...Pump drive circuit 40...Conveyance speed control circuit 41...Roller drive Circuit 42...Roller drive motor

Claims (2)

[Claims] (1) In a method in which an exposed positive-working photosensitive lithographic printing plate and a negative-working photosensitive lithographic printing plate are commonly processed using at least one recirculating developer using an automatic developing machine, the developing step First, the plate type of the positive-working photosensitive planographic printing plate and the negative-working photosensitive planographic printing plate is determined by changing the insertion position of the photosensitive planographic printing plate to be processed in the vertical direction, and development is performed according to the determined plate type. A method for processing a photosensitive lithographic printing plate, characterized by automatically changing conditions. (2) In a processing device for a photosensitive lithographic printing plate, which has a means for transporting the photosensitive lithographic printing plate and a means for developing it using at least one circulating developer in the transport path, two different locations are located in the vertical direction. means for inserting the photosensitive lithographic printing plate into the processing device; detection means for detecting the photosensitive lithographic printing plate inserted into each of the two insertion means; 1. A processing device for a photosensitive lithographic printing plate, comprising means for discriminating a negative-working photosensitive lithographic printing plate, and means for automatically changing development conditions based on the result of this discrimination.