Patent ID: 8632954

Claim:
A method for making a lithographic printing plate precursor 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 photopolymerizable coating comprising a photopolymerizable composition including a polymerizable monomer or oligomer including an ethylenically unsaturated compound having at least one terminal ethylenic group and a polymerization initiator and an overcoat layer comprising a water soluble low molecular weight acid, wherein said overcoat layer has a surface pH-value ranging between 1 to 6; (b) image-wise exposing the precursor; (c) optionally heating the exposed precursor; and (d) processing and gumming the obtained precursor by applying a gum solution including at least one surface protective compound and optionally brushing the precursor, thereby removing at least part of the coating at non-exposed areas and gumming the plate in a single step; wherein the processing and gumming step is carried out in a gumming station which comprises a first and at least a second gumming unit.