Method and multibeam scanning device for the ablation of flexo printing plates by laser engraving

US6822669B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG · DE

Inventors

• Jorg-Achim Fischer · Kiel, DE
• Axel Gebhardt · Kiel, DE
• Thomas Jacobsen · Kiel, DE
• Peter Ressel · Berlin, DE
• Dirk Steinke · Mielkendorf, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Feb 6, 2002
• Grant date: Nov 23, 2004
• Expiry date: Jun 17, 2022

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G03F7/2055
• WIPO field: Machine tools
• WIPO sector: Mechanical engineering

Abstract

A method and a multibeam scanning device for ablation of a surface on a rotating drum by laser engraving with a multi-spot array includes simultaneously emitting laser beams from fiber exits disposed beside one another, dividing up each of the beams, after emerging from the exit in an AOM array having a number of AOMs corresponding to the number of exits, into two or more partial beams modulated independently of one another, imaging the exits with an optical system on the surface, and moving the exits, the AOM array, and the optical system together in a drum axial direction while the surface is scanned by the multi-spot array in a drum circumferential direction to make possible, without increasing the number of fiber lasers, an increase in the number of scanning points of the multi-spot array and a reduction of the space required by the scanning device.