Patent ID: 8119330

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 preheating unit within a time period of less than 10 minutes after step (b); and d) treating the precursor in a gumming station, including at least one gumming unit, whereby a gum solution is applied to the precursor, thereby removing non-exposed areas of the photopolymerizable layer from the support and gumming the plate in a single step; wherein the gum solution has a pH-value ranging between 3 and 9.