Direct-to-press imaging system for use in lithographic printing

A direct-to-press imaging system for use in lithographic printing wherein a master-image printing cylinder is used with separate application of ink and water onto its surface to enable repetitive conveyance of image-formatted ink films onto substrates for printing purposes, said imaging system comprising:

• a master-image printing cylinder having a magnetizable surface layer;
• means for applying a magnetically active hydrophilic powder onto the surface of said master-image printing cylinder to form a layer of hydrophilic powder on said surface;
• means for transferring fusible oleophilic image material onto said hydrophilic powder layer in an image-formatted pattern;
• means for fusing said fusible oleophilic material on said coating layer to thereby form a durable lithographic master printing image structure on said master-image printing cylinder having separate water and ink receptive areas corresponding to non-image and image areas of the format to be printed;
• and
• means for erasing said master printing image structure by removing said hydrophilic powder layer together with said fusible image material from said master-image printing cylinder.