Apparatus and method for treating a relief plate precursor having a transport system

A method for treating a relief plate precursor comprising the steps:

• a) coupling a relief plate precursor to a transport bar in a plate coupling station of a treatment apparatus,
• b) transporting the transport bar with the coupled relief plate precursor through a treatment zone of the treatment apparatus,
• c) decoupling the transport bar from the treated relief plate precursor in a plate decoupling station of the treatment apparatus,
• d) transporting the decoupled transport bar back to the plate coupling station;
• wherein steps a)-d) are performed automatically and such that the transport bar is moved in a closed loop from the plate coupling station through the treatment zone to the plate decoupling station and back to the plate coupling station;
• wherein the transport speed of step b) is smaller than the transport speed of step d).

An apparatus for treating a relief plate precursor, comprising:

• a treatment compartment configured for treating a relief plate precursor, whilst the relief plate precursor is being transported coupled to a transport bar;
• a plate decoupling station configured for decoupling the treated relief plate precursor from the transport bar;
• a plate discharge compartment between an outlet side of the treatment compartment and the plate decoupling station;
• said plate discharge compartment being configured to allow a relief plate precursor which is moved out of the treatment compartment to fall downward when the relief plate precursor is being decoupled from the transport bar in the decoupling station.