Imaging of printing forms using a laser diode bar which also includes non-activatable laser diodes

Abstract

Described is a method for imaging a printing form ( ) using one or more laser diode bars having a number n of individually controllable laser diodes ( ) whose imaging spots ( ) lie essentially in a row on the printing form ( ), for the case that at least one laser diode ( ) on the laser diode bar ( ) cannot be activated, but a maximum number m of laser diodes ( ) whose neighboring imaging spots ( ) have a distance a on the printing form ( ) are able to be activated. The relative speed between the imaging device ( ) and the printing form ( ) is increased by the factor (n/m). The exposure time per printing dot ( ) is shortened by the factor (m/n). In order to input in each case an amount of energy per printing dot ( ) on the printing form ( ), imaging is carried out using the m activatable laser diodes ( ) with an imaging intensity which is a function of the exposure time and of the specific amount of energy per printing dot ( ).