The focus area of this project application is the printing industry and in particular the sheetfed offset printing process. The offset printing process is a rotative reproduction process using unilevel printing forms and creating images via the differences of wetting properties during a competition of aqueous (fountain solution for non-image areas) and oily liquids (inks for image areas) simultaneously fed to the printing form.
The purpose is to develop reproducible methods to test the relevant paper properties for printability and image reproduction in the printing process. The properties covered in this research are mottling, striking-in/setting and pick.
A particular aim of the project is to establish the fundamentals for an improved information exchange between the printing industry and its paper and ink suppliers.