Patent ID: 7767383

Claim:
A method of producing a relief image printing plate comprising the steps of: providing a photosensitive printing element, said photosensitive printing element comprising a photosensitive layer disposed on a base substrate, wherein a desired image is creatable in the photosensitive layer by selectively curing the photosensitive layer to create cured and uncured areas in the photosensitive layer and wherein said image to be created is contained in a digital image file; providing a screen tint bump data file comprising a screen tint that matches the image file in line screen, screen angle and registration; delivering a selective pre-exposure dose of actinic radiation, comprising wavelengths from 320 nm to 450 nm, by executing the screen tint bump data file and screen tinting said photosensitive layer to selectively pre-expose portions of the photosensitive layer to actinic radiation, comprising wavelengths from 320 nm to 450 nm, in accordance with the screen tint bump data file such that portions of the photosensitive layer receive the full dose of pre-exposure actinic radiation and other portions of the photosensitive layer receive less than the full dose of pre-exposure actinic radiation or none at all; digitally providing an image onto the printing element and selectively imagewise exposing the photosensitive layer to actinic radiation, comprising wavelengths from 320 nm to 450 nm, in accordance with the digital image file to create cured and uncured areas of the photosensitive layer; selectively removing the uncured portions of the photosensitive resin layer to reveal the relief image; and wherein the photosensitive layer comprises (i) an elastomer compound, (ii) an ethylenically unsaturated compound having at least one terminal ethylenic group and (iii) a photoinitiator, and wherein there is a delay in time between delivery of the pre-exposure dose of actinic radiation and the imagewise exposure.