Patent ID: 8119329

Claim:
A method of making a lithographic printing plate comprising the steps of: 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, a top 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) optionally, heating the precursor in a pre-heating unit; d) washing the precursor in a pre-washing station by applying water or an aqueous solution to the coating, thereby removing at least a portion of the top layer; and e) developing the precursor in a gumming station by applying a gum solution to the coating of the precursor, thereby removing non-exposed areas of the photopolymerizable layer from the support and gumming the plate in a single step.