Device and method for the in-line production of flexographic printing plates

A device for producing flexographic printing plates starting from digitally imaged flexographic printing elements, comprising at least one UV-transparent, dimensionally stable support sheet, a photopolymerizable, relief-forming layer, and a digitally imaged layer, comprising at least

• a transport device for transporting the flexographic printing elements at a constant transport speed through the device,
• an exposure unit disposed beneath the transport device, for the preliminary exposure of flexographic printing elements from the reverse by means of UV radiation, comprising at least one UV source regulatable in its power,
• an exposure unit disposed above the transport device, for the main exposure of flexographic printing elements by means of UV radiation, comprising at least one UV source regulatable in its power, with the proviso that the exposure unit is disposed after the exposure unit in the transport direction, or that the exposure units and are disposed opposite one another,
• a developing unit disposed after the exposure units in the transport direction, for thermally removing the residues of the digitally imaged layer and also the unpolymerized fractions of the relief-forming layer, and
• a control unit for regulating the power of the exposure unit for preliminary reverse exposure, the power of the exposure unit for main exposure, and the transport speed of the transport device.