Patent ID: 7241124

Claim:
A system for thermally developing a photosensitive printing element to remove non-crosslinked photopolymer from an imaged surface of the photosensitive printing element, wherein the non-crosslinked photopolymer on the imaged surface of the photosensitive printing element is capable of being partially softened upon exposure to heat, the system comprising: a) a plurality of consecutively arranged blotting stations, each of said plurality of consecutively arranged blotting stations comprising a gap between which the photosensitive printing element is transported; b) means for heating the photosensitive printing element as it passes through the consecutively arranged blotting stations; c) means for passing the photosensitive printing element through the plurality of consecutively arranged blotting stations; and d) means for providing blotting material to each of the plurality of consecutively arranged blotting stations such that the blotting material is contactable with the photosensitive printing element; wherein when the photosensitive printing element passes through the gap of each of the plurality of consecutively arranged blotting stations and contacts the blotting material, the non-crosslinked photopolymer on the imaged surface of the photosensitive printing element is softened and removed by the blotting material.