Patent name: Method of manufacturing a lithographic printing plate precursor Patent applicant Applicant Agfa-Gruff Corporation Principal applicant address Inventor of Belgium Mötzel Application No. 08323712.1 Date of application 2003.09.12 Certification date Auditing Announcement No. 1688451 Auditing Notice Day 2005.10.26 Instruction CD-ROM D0543 Main Classification No. B41N3/00 Classification No. B41N3/00 Division Original Application No. 200120.4 EP 02102415.3; 2002.10.22 US 60/420,296 Abstract of the Invention A method of making a heat-sensitive lithographic printing plate precursor comprising the steps of (i) providing a web of a lithographic support having a hydrophilic surface; (ii) coating the hydrophilic surface of the web with a coating a phenolic resin coating; (iii) a dry coating; (iv) a heating step in which the temperature of the web is maintained above the glass transition temperature Tg of the phenolic resin in 0.1-60 seconds; (v) a cooling step in which the temperature of the web is The average cooling rate of the web above that kept under ambient conditions is reduced, but not higher than 30°C/s; (v) The precursor is wound on the shaft or the precursor is cut into flakes. The heating and cooling steps significantly improve the aging properties of the precursor. Stable sensitivity is obtained shortly after coating. Sovereignty 1. A method of making a heat sensitive lithographic printing plate precursor comprising the steps of (i) providing a web of a lithographic support having a hydrophilic surface; (ii) on the hydrophilic surface of the web Coating a phenolic resin-containing coating; (iii) Drying the coating; (iv) A heating step in which the temperature of the web is maintained above the glass transition temperature Tg of the phenolic resin in 0.1-60 seconds; (v) Active cooling step, The temperature of the web therein is lowered at an average cooling rate higher than that of the web kept under ambient conditions, but not higher than 30°C/s; (vi) The precursor is wound on the shaft or the precursor is cut into thin pieces. International Application 2003-09-12 PCT/EP2003/050623 International Publication 2004-04-15 WO2004/030925 Date of Entry into the Country Patent Agency China Patent Agency (Hong Kong) Co., Ltd. Agency Address Agent Wei Xinhua Duan Xiaoling