Patent ID: 8092983

Claim:
A method of making a lithographic printing plate comprising the steps of: a) providing a lithographic printing plate precursor including a support having a hydrophilic surface or which is provided with a hydrophilic layer, a coating on the support including a photopolymerizable layer and, optionally, an intermediate layer between the photopolymerizable layer and the support, wherein the photopolymerizable layer includes a polymerizable compound, a polymerization initiator, and a binder; b) image-wise exposing the coating by a laser in a plate setter; c) heating the precursor in a pre-heating unit; and d) treating the precursor in a gumming station, including at least a first gumming unit, by applying a gum solution to the coating of the precursor, thereby removing the non-exposed areas of the photopolymerizable layer from the support; wherein the steps (c) and (d) are carried out off-press in the pre-heating unit and the first gumming unit; and the pre-heating unit and the first gumming unit are coupled to each other by a mechanical plate conveying device or are integrated in a single apparatus.