Computer-to-cylinder type lithographic printing method and apparatus

Abstract

A method of computer-to-cylinder type lithographic printing comprising: loading a plate material on a plate cylinder of a printing apparatus; forming an image, based on image data signal, directly onto the plate material by an inkjet image-recording process comprising ejecting an oil-based ink from a recording head; heat-fixing the thus formed inkjet image to prepare a printing plate; and performing lithographic printing with the thus prepared printing plate, wherein said heat fixing step comprises heating with a heat roller. In a preferred embodiment, said heat-fixing step further comprises preliminary heating prior to said heating with the heat roller. Also disclosed are computer-to-cylinder type lithographic printing apparatuses for carrying out the printing methods.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.