Processing spot defined by a plurality of laser beams

1 - 263 . (canceled)

264 . A method for engraving rotogravure cups to accept printing ink on a processing surface of a rotogravure printing cylinder, comprising the steps of:

providing at least first and second laser beams directed onto the processing surface of the rotogravure printing cylinder wherein processing points of the first and second laser beams combine to form a processing spot used in the creation of the rotogravure cups; and

defining a size and shape of the processing spot with the first and second laser beams.

265 . A method of claim 264 wherein an energy of the first and second laser beams is controlled to generate said shape and size of said processing spot.

266 . A method of claim 264 wherein at least one of the first and second laser beams is created by at least one fiber laser.

267 . A method of claim 264 wherein the first and second laser beams have a spot size diameter at the processing surface of 10 μm or less.

268 . A method of claim 264 wherein the first and second laser beams have a point size diameter at the processing surface of approximately 20 μm or less.

269 . A method of claim 264 wherein the processing points are focused below the processing surface.

270 . A method of claim 264 wherein the processing surface comprises metal.

271 . A method for engraving rotogravure cups to accept printing ink on a processing surface of a rotogravure printing cylinder, comprising the steps of:

providing at least first and second laser beams directed onto the processing surface of the rotogravure print cylinder wherein processing points of the first and second laser beams combine to form a processing spot used in the creation of the rotogravure cups; and

defining a size and shape of the processing spot with the first and second laser beams and wherein respective energies of the first and second laser beams are controlled for defining said size and shape.

272 . A method for engraving rotogravure cups to accept printing ink on a processing surface of a rotogravure printing cylinder, comprising the steps of:

providing at least first and second laser beams directed onto the processing surface of the rotogravure printing cylinder wherein processing points of the first and second laser beams are used to build-up a processing spot used in the creation of the rotogravure cups; and

defining a shape of the processing spot with the first and second laser beams.

273 . A method for forming printing indicia to accept printing ink on a processing surface of a printing form associated with a printing cylinder, comprising the steps of:

providing at least first and second laser beams directed onto the processing surface wherein processing points of the first and second laser beams combine to form a processing spot used in the creation of the printing indicia; and

defining a size and shape of the processing spot with the first and second laser beams.