Fogra-research in offset printing

Topics

Every single person at Fogra stands for research, testing and certification.

The research projects are directly related to printing practice. In most cases, a connection is established between the print quality, the process parameters and the materials used. The results also contribute to the further development of national and international standardisation.

Print quality

The term print quality does not only refer to optical properties such as colour, gloss, detail reproduction, print evenness or image register. It also includes ink adhesion or other strength properties of the printed product.

Print production and process parameters

In order to ensure economical and high-quality print production, sophisticated adjustment and control of the printing machine is required. Furthermore, the parameters stipulated in the standardization concept, solid tone colour and tone value increases, as well as ink acceptance in multicolour overprinting, must be adhered to.

Material influences

The interaction of the materials substrate, ink, dampening solution, blanket and printing plate is crucial for achieving a satisfactory print quality. They also have a major influence on solid tone colour and tone value increases as well as the stability of the printing process.

Visual and metrological characterization of metallic effects to increase process reliability in packaging printing

Prepress technology 05/31/2024

The aim is to clarify which properties in human perception are responsible for the expression of the metallic effect.

Printing standard for seven-colour offset packaging printing

Offset printing 11/30/2023

The aim is to characterise OGV printing inks, folding boxboard and label papers on the market using laboratory techniques.

Increased economic efficiency and sustainability of print production with heatset offset presses through independence from natural gas

Offset printing 01/01/2023

The research project is intended to help make print production with heatset offset presses more economical and sustainable.

Mackle and CO2 savings through paper-dependent pre-adjustment of sheet-fed offset presses

Offset printing 08/31/2022

The aim is to establish a new paper characteristic value that allows to predict the expected solid tone densities and tone value increases.

ISO-Score

Prepress technology 08/24/2022

The aim of this project is to develop a cross-process print quality assessment procedure (ISO score)

Material compatibility and deinking of mineral oil free Coldset inks

Offset printing 03/01/2021

The aim is to improve the deinkability of mineral oil-free newspaper inks and to establish a new reference set for the swelling behavior.

Communication of characteristic values describing the metallic appearance of prints

Offset printing 10/31/2020

Objective parameters are to be established that correlate with the visual impression of printed metal surfaces.

Laboratory method for the practical and reproducible determination of the residual strength of papers for heatset web offset printing

Offset printing 03/31/2020

Within the scope of the research project, an already existing laboratory method for testing the residual strength is to be further developed.

Laboratory method residual strength of paper

Integration of the highspeed inkjet into conventional offset production environments

Offset printing 10/31/2019

Typical offset print products are to be identified and provided with quality requirements that are customary in practice.

Technical Committee Offset Printing

Offset printing 05/07/2025

The next meeting of the TC Offset Printing will take place on 7 May 2025.

Jürgen Gemeinhardt

Head of Printing Techniques

+49 89 431 82 - 256

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Your contact

Our research projects are characterized by a high level of practical relevance. That's why I always have an open ear for problems that go beyond a simple expert opinion. Perhaps this will develop into a future Fogra research project!

Participate actively our research work in the Technical Committee (TC)!

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Research reports

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A man with safety goggles and a lab coat sits in a laboratory

Our research is publicy funded

research support

Testing

Our core competence is the print result and error analysis. This includes technical and colourimetric evaluations of printed copies. We also offer material-related examinations and testing accessories.

Certification

The ProcessStandard Offset (PSO) and the ISO 12647 series of standards are considered to be indispensable tools for colour reliable print production. Fogra also certifies printing inks as well as consumables and auxiliaries required for the printing process, e.g. fountain concentrates and washing agents.

Events

Fogra is your excellent source of knowledge and expertise. We make it available to the industry through training, symposia and other specialist events through which we promote and support the discussions of themes that are key for the future.

Researching Offset printing

Focus areas