Device and method for producing flexographic printing sleeves

A device for producing flexographic printing sleeves comprising:

• a clean-out unit for removing unexposed portions of image-exposed sleeves using a cleaning agent,
• a drying unit for removing residual cleaning agent from the sleeves that had unexposed portions removed by the clean-out unit, and
• a post-exposure unit for re-exposing with UV radiation the sleeves that had residual cleaning agent removed by the drying unit,
• wherein the clean-out unit, the drying unit and the post exposure unit are arranged directly one after another in the sequence given, the sleeves have a length LS and for the purposes of processing in the device are mounted concentrically on axles of a length LA by way of suitable support devices so that the sleeves can rotate during processing in the device, wherein each of the clean-out unit and the post-exposure unit comprises a transport device for transporting the sleeves into each respective unit and from there to the drying unit or out of the device, characterized in that
• the transport device comprises two supports for holding the axles of the sleeves mounted thereon, said axles extending out from both sides of the sleeves and said supports being disposed parallel to one another at a distance A, wherein LS<A<LA, and the supports are mounted dually translationally in the longitudinal direction of the device.