IMMERSION AUTOMATIC DEVELOPMENT APPARATUS AND AUTOMATIC DEVELOPMENT METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING PLANOGRAPHIC PRINTING PLATE

摘要

An object of the invention is to provide an immersion type automatic developing apparatus and automatic developing method for preparing a lithographic printing plate capable of preparing a lithographic printing plate of high quality.;An immersion type automatic developing apparatus (2) for a lithographic printing plate in which removal of a non-image area is conducted in a state where a lithographic printing plate precursor (4) having on a support an image-recording layer exposed imagewise is immersed in a developing bath (20) filled with an aqueous solution containing a carbonate ion, a hydrogen carbonate ion and a water-soluble polymer compound, wherein a developer composed of the aqueous solution is circulated between the immersion type developing bath (20) forming a processing pass line and an external tank (55) provided outside the processing path line so as to keep constant a liquid level of the immersion type developing bath (20).