DRIER

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a drier for preventing a difference in performance of a lithographic printing plate in band shaped bodies of different widths or thicknesses. SOLUTION: A temperature measuring device 66 is arranged on an outlet of the drier 22, and a temperature of a coated layer of a web 12 is measured and is transmitted to a control device 68. An appropriate temperature range is previously determined depending on a width and a thickness of the web 12, and when measurement data are not within the temperature range, a control device 68 changes a rotation speed or the like of an inverter motor to change an air supply volume by a blowing fan 58 to a drying zone 52, or changes an amount of vapor supplied to a steam heater 62 to change an air supply temperature to the drying zone 52. Thereby, irrespective of the width and thickness of the web 12, an amount of heat received by the coated layer is approximately equal, the difference in the performance of the lithographic printing plate is prevented, and sensitivity and developability are not affected. COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO