Method and system to determine an exposure time and/or intensity to be used for obtaining a desired feature of a relief structure

A method to determine an exposure time and/or exposure intensity to be used for obtaining a desired feature of a relief structure, in particular a desired floor thickness, said method comprising the steps:

• a. exposing a first side of a relief precursor with electromagnetic radiation wherein the exposure is done in an area having a first position A and a second position B and is performed such that for a plurality of points between said first and second positions A, B the values for the exposure time and the exposure intensity are known and wherein the exposure time and/or the exposure intensity are automatically controlled to be varied at said plurality of points;
• wherein the step of exposing is performed such that a developed relief precursor having substantially the shape of a wedge is obtained,
• b. optionally exposing a second side of the relief precursor in a portion between the first position A and the second position B;
• c. optionally developing the relief precursor by removing non-exposed material thereof,
• d. optionally drying of the developed relief precursor,
• e. optionally curing of the developed relief precursor,
• f. determining one or more points of said plurality of points representative for the desired feature;
• and
• g. determining the required exposure time and/or exposure intensity for the desired feature based on the determined one or more points and the known values.

A system configured to determine an exposure time and/or exposure intensity to be used for obtaining a desired feature of a relief structure, in particular a desired floor thickness, said system comprising:

• a holding means configured to support a relief precursor P;
• an exposure unit configured to expose a first side of the relief precursor with electromagnetic radiation, between a first position A and a second position B of the precursor;
• and optionally configured to expose a second side of the relief precursor in a portion between the first position A and the second position B;
• a control module configured to control the values for the exposure time and/or the exposure intensity in at least a plurality of points between the first and second position A and B such that the exposure time and/or the exposure intensity are varied along said plurality of points;
• wherein the control module is configured to control the exposure unit such that the exposing is done continuously in a direction between the first and second positions, thereby forming a continuously exposed area between the first and second positions;
• optionally a development unit configured for developing the exposed relief precursor in order to remove unexposed material;
• a measuring unit configured to measure the optionally developed relief precursor in order to determine one or more points of said plurality of points representative for the desired feature;
• and
• a determining module configured for determining the required exposure time and/or exposure intensity for the desired feature based on the determined one or more points and the values set by the control module.