The invention discloses a method for operating an
offset printing machine, a control device thereof, an
offset printing machine and
offset printing materials. The method of operating an offset
printing press comprises the steps of: (a) directing a beam of light onto an offset printing plate of an offset
printing press comprising image areas bearing
printing ink and non-image areas bearing fountain solution, the beam incident on the offset printing plate on, to scatter and specularly reflect from the flexographic printing plate, (b) detect the
scattered light and provide a corresponding first
signal representing the brightness of the detected
scattered light and representing the amount of
printing ink in the
image area, whereby the first
signal can be used In order to control the application of
printing ink, (c) detect the specularly reflected light, and provide a corresponding second
signal representing the intensity of the detected reflected light, (d) process the first signal to identify when the light falls on the
image area, ( e) filtering the second signal using data obtained from
processing the first signal to provide an output signal indicative of the amount of dampening solution present on the flexographic printing plate when light impinges on the non-
image area.