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

摘要

Provided is an immersion automatic development apparatus and automatic development method, by which a high-quality planographic printing plate can be manufactured. The immersion automatic development apparatus (2) for manufacturing a planographic printing plate is such that a planographic printing original plate (4) with an image of an image recording layer on a support being exposed is dipped in a development bath (20) filled with an aqueous solution containing carbonate ions, hydrogen carbonate ions, and a water-soluble high-molecular compound and, under this state, a non-image portion is removed. In the immersion automatic development apparatus (2), the developer consisting of the said aqueous solution is circulated between the immersion development bath (20) which forms a treatment path line and an external tank (55) provided outside the treatment path line, in such a manner as to maintain the liquid level of the immersion development bath (20) constant.