Printing method

A method for forming a latent image on a gravure cylinder in an automatic manner, comprising:

• (a) providing a clean cylinder having a contoured surface containing gravure cells, which surface is intrinsically substantially hydrophilic;
• (b) automatically moving said cylinder through a plurality of stations, said stations collectively performing the following process steps on said cylinder;
• (c) applying a layer of material to said cylinder which conforms to said contoured surface without filling said gravure cells and which provides a hydrophobic and oleophilic surface;
• and
• (d) forming said latent image on said cylinder by removing selected areas of said hydrophobic surface in an image-related configuration by selective application of energy to said hyrophobic surface.

A method for automatically forming and changing a latent image on a gravure cylinder which relies on the immiscibility of hydrophobic and hydrophilic materials to print images therefrom, said method comprising:

• (a) providing a gravure cylinder having an uncontaminated contoured surface which is intrinsically substantially hydrophilic;
• (b) applying a material to said surface which conforms thereto and provides a hydrophobic and oleophilic surface where applied;
• (c) forming said latent image on said gravure cylinder by removing selected portions of said hydrophobic surface in an image-related configuration by the selective application of energy to said hydrophobic cylinder surface;
• (d) removing all materials from said cylinder surface, including all remaining portions of said hydrophobic surface, thereby exposing said hydrophilic cylinder surface;
• and
• (e) automatically moving said cylinder surface through a plurality of stations which collectively perform steps b-d while controlling the operation of steps b-d, using steps b and c in sequence to place a latent image on said cylinder and by using steps d, b and c, in that sequence, to change said latent image on said cylinder.