Patent ID: 7237482

Claim:
A plate processor system for manufacturing a flexographic printing element, the plate processor system comprising: a drive system; a rotatable support couplable to the drive system; means for securing the flexographic printing element on the rotatable support; means for exposing imaged surfaces of the flexographic printing element to actinic radiation; means for thermally developing the imaged and exposed surfaces of the flexographic printing element; and optionally, means for post-exposing and detacking the flexographic printing element wherein the means for thermally developing the imaged and exposed surfaces of the flexographic printing element comprises: a) means for softening or melting non-crosslinked photopolymer on the imaged and exposed surface of the flexographic printing element; b) at least one roll that is contactable with the imaged surface of the flexographic printing element and capable of moving over at least a portion of the imaged surface of the flexographic printing element to remove the softened or melted non-crosslinked photopolymer on the imaged and exposed surface of the flexographic printing element; and c) means for maintaining contact between the at least one roll and the imaged and exposed surface of the flexographic printing element; wherein further, the system comprises a means for allowing the at least one roll to traverse along the length of the printing element.