Processing apparatus for processing a flexographic plate, a method and a computer program product

A processing apparatus for processing a flexographic plate, comprising:

• a supporting unit configured to support a flexographic plate including a relief layer composed of a top part, a middle part and a bottom part forming subsequent layers in the plate, the relief layer containing a photosensitive material, the plate further including, on the relief layer, a carbon layer that is impenetrable for UV light, and
• an optical system configured to locally ablating the carbon layer for forming a pattern in the carbon layer that is penetrable for UV light, and to polymerize at least the top part of the relief layer under the carbon pattern layer,
• wherein the optical system includes at least one radiation source configured to generate a single radiation beam to both locally ablate the carbon layer and polymerize at least the top part of the relief layer.