Disclosed herein are a method and apparatus for efficiently processing
workpieces which are developed using a liquid developer. According to the invention
a first set of workpieces is obtained from an imaging station, a second set of
workpieces is obtained from a workpiece collection device, and the workpieces from
the first and second sets are aligned in a contiguous arrangement, with the workpieces
from the first set preferably being interspersed with those from the second set.
Developer is then applied to the group of contiguous workpleces, thereby reducing
the amount of overrun or overspray of developer that would otherwise result from
individual processing of workpieces. The invention is particularly well-suited
for use in preparing lithographic printing plates.
