Patent ID: 6895860

Claim:
A method of fixing a planographic printing plate precursor on a plate cylinder of a printing press capable of forming an image on the plate cylinder, the surface of the plate cylinder having orifices or grooves to obtain reduced pressure by suction, existing only at a portion corresponding to the peripheral portion of an image formation region in the planographic printing plate precursor, the method comprising the steps of: mounting the planographic printing plate precursor on the plate cylinder; and applying suction to the planographic printing plate precursor through the orifices or grooves to fix the planographic printing plate precursor on the surface of the plate cylinder; and wherein the planographic printing plate precursor is a planographic printing plate precursor comprising a flexible substrate and provided thereon, an ink repellent layer or a hydrophilic layer, at least one layer on the ink repellent layer or the hydrophilic layer side containing a light heat conversion material, wherein a back coat layer containing a light heat conversion material is provided on the surface of the flexible substrate opposite the ink repellent layer or the hydrophilic layer, and is an outermost layer and wherein the planographic printing plate precursor has an 830 nm light transmittance of not less than 10%.