Apparatus and method for treating a relief printing plate precursor with liquid

An apparatus for treating a relief precursor having a back side and a relief side, said apparatus comprising:

• a housing,
• at least one compartment to hold at least one liquid,
• a treating means for treating the relief precursor with the at least one liquid, said treating means being arranged in the housing,
• a removal means for removing debris and/or liquid from the relief precursor, said removal means being arranged downstream of the treating means, and
• a conveying mechanism configured for transporting the relief precursor in a transport direction through the housing,
• wherein the removal means comprises a liquid removal and guidance body mounted for removing liquid from the back side of the relief precursor, said conveying mechanism being configured for pulling said relief precursor over and against said liquid removal and guidance body whilst the relief precursor is moved in the transport direction, such that in operation liquid is removed from the back side,
• wherein a top surface of the liquid removal and guidance body slopes upwardly in the transport direction between a first line and the top edge and/or slopes downwardly in the transport direction between the top edge and a second line such that in operation liquid is guided away via the top surface of the removal and guidance body.

An apparatus for treating a relief precursor having a back side and a relief side, said apparatus comprising:

• a housing,
• at least one compartment to hold at least one liquid,
• a treating means for treating the relief precursor with the at least one liquid, said treating means being arranged in the housing,
• a removal means for removing debris and/or liquid from the relief precursor, said removal means being arranged downstream of the treating means, and
• a conveying mechanism configured for transporting the relief precursor in a transport direction through the housing,
• wherein the removal means comprises a liquid removal and guidance body mounted for removing liquid from the back side of the relief precursor, said conveying mechanism being configured for pulling said relief precursor over and against said liquid removal and guidance body whilst the relief precursor is moved in the transport direction, such that in operation liquid is removed from the back side,
• wherein the cross section of the liquid removal and guidance body is a line, a curve, a rectangle, a triangle, a circle, a partial circle, an ellipse, a partial ellipse, or a polygonal shape with at least one rounded or one sharp edge;
• and/or wherein a top surface of the liquid removal and guidance body is a curved or a flat surface.