Maintaining raw flexible plate integrity using pre-hardened flexible plate regions
Embodiments of the invention are directed to a component of a flexographic printing system. The component includes an electromagnetic energy source operable to electronically couple to a controller. The electromagnetic energy source is further operable to apply a pre-hardening process to a non-print region of a raw flexible plate. The pre-hardening process results in a pre-hardened region of the non-print region of the raw flexible plate. The pre-hardened region of the non-print region of the raw flexible plate counters a clamping force applied to the non-print region of the raw flexible plate.
1 . A component of a flexographic printing system, the component comprising:
an electromagnetic energy source configured to electronically couple to a controller;
wherein the electromagnetic energy source is further configured to apply a pre-hardening process to at least one selected regions of a raw flexible plate, the raw flexible plate comprising one or more print regions and one or more non-print regions;
wherein the one or more print regions comprise one or more non-sacrificial regions of the raw flexible plate reserved for forming, through downstream plate processing, a hardened flexible plate;
wherein the one or more non-print regions further comprise one or more sacrificial regions of the raw flexible plate not reserved for forming, through the downstream plate processing, the hardened flexible plate;
wherein the one or more sacrificial regions comprise a first non-print region;
wherein the electromagnetic energy source is further configured to apply the pre-hardening process to the first non-print region;
wherein applying the pre-hardening process to the first non-print region results in a pre-hardened region of the first non-print region of the raw flexible plate; and
wherein the pre-hardened region of the first non-print region of the raw flexible plate counters a clamping force applied to the first non-print region of the raw flexible plate during the pre-hardening process.
2 . The component of claim 1 , wherein the pre-hardening process converts at least a portion of the first non-print region to a pre-hardened first non-print region.
3 . The component of claim 2 , wherein the pre-hardening process converts the at least a portion of the first non-print region to the pre-hardened first non-print region without substantially changing the one or more print regions of the raw flexible plate.
4 . The component of claim 2 , wherein the pre-hardened first non-print region comprises an exposed edge sidewall.
5 . The component of claim 4 , wherein the clamping force is insufficient to cause the exposed edge sidewall of the pre-hardened first non-print region to substantially bulge.
6 . The component of claim 2 , wherein the one or more print regions comprises a photopolymer material.
7 . The component of claim 6 , wherein the one or more non-print regions comprise the photopolymer material.
8 . The component of claim 7 , wherein the pre-hardening process comprises a curing process.
9 . The component of claim 8 , wherein the curing process comprises an ultraviolet (UV) electromagnetic radiation curing process.
10 . A flexible plate comprising:
one or more print regions;
one or more non-print regions comprising a first non-print region having an exposed edge sidewall;
wherein the one or more print regions comprise one or more non-sacrificial regions of the flexible plate reserved for forming, through downstream plate processing, a hardened flexible plate;
wherein the one or more non-print regions further comprise one or more sacrificial regions of the flexible plate not reserved for forming, through the downstream plate processing, the hardened flexible plate; and
an electromagnetic energy source configured to, responsive to instructions from a controller, convert at least a portion of the first non-print region to a pre-hardened first non-print region by applying a pre-hardening process to the exposed edge sidewall.
11 . The flexible plate of claim 10 , wherein:
the one or more print regions comprise a photopolymer material; and
the one or more non-print regions comprise the photopolymer material.
12 . The flexible plate of claim 11 , wherein:
the electromagnetic energy comprises ultraviolet (UV) light; and
the pre-hardening process comprises activating the UV light energy source.
13 . A method of forming a component of a flexographic printing system, the method comprising:
providing an electromagnetic energy source configured to electronically couple to a controller;
wherein the electromagnetic energy source is further configured to apply a pre-hardening process to at least one selected regions of a raw flexible plate, the raw flexible plate comprising one or more print regions and one or more non-print regions;
wherein the one or more print regions comprise one or more non-sacrificial regions of the raw flexible plate reserved for forming, through downstream plate processing, a hardened flexible plate;
wherein the one or more non-print regions further comprise one or more sacrificial regions of the raw flexible plate not reserved for forming, through the downstream plate processing, the hardened flexible plate;
wherein the one or more sacrificial regions comprise a first non-print region;
wherein the electromagnetic energy source is further configured to apply the pre-hardening process to the first non-print region;
wherein applying the pre-hardening process to the first non-print region results in a pre-hardened region of the first non-print region of the raw flexible plate; and
wherein the pre-hardened region of the first non-print region of the raw flexible plate counters a clamping force applied to the first non-print region of the raw flexible plate during the pre-hardening process.
14 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the pre-hardening process converts at least a portion of the first non-print region to a pre-hardened first non-print region.
15 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the pre-hardening process converts the at least a portion of the first non-print region to the pre-hardened first non-print region without substantially changing the one or more print regions of the raw flexible plate.
16 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the pre-hardened first non-print region comprises an exposed edge sidewall.
17 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the clamping force is insufficient to cause the exposed edge sidewall of the pre-hardened first non-print region to substantially bulge.
18 . The method of claim 17 , wherein:
the one or more print regions comprise a photopolymer material; and
the one or more non-print regions comprise the photopolymer material.
19 . The method of claim 18 , wherein the pre-hardening process comprises a curing process.
20 . The method of claim 19 , wherein the curing process comprises an ultraviolet (UV) electromagnetic radiation curing process.