Topic planning of FOGRA
In the Federal Republic of Germany there are more than one hundred mid-sized business branches, in which companies have joined together to do so-called industrial community research (Industrieller emeinschaftsforschung). The study group of industrial research - also known as the Arbeitsgemeinschaft industrieller Forschungsvereinigungen (AiF) - to which the FOGRA as founding member belongs, is the umbrella organisation of the individual research centres.
The first duty of the AiF members is to investigate those factors that could eventually lead to an increase in production safety and quality in the plants. These factors are equally important for many companies, yet the individual investigation thereof is too complicated for a single mid-sized firm to do alone, so it makes sense to do the research together.
Once the research is complete the transfer of results has highest priority. It takes place in different ways, whereby telephone consultation is only one method. In this manner AiF members have additionally taken on the role of service centres.
This success has been made possible through the careful choice of research topics by project accompanying committees. The committee members include experts from the industry whose direct contact insure the successful transfer of the research results.
The consultations in FOGRA take place in the technical committees, among the board of directors, and the trustees. According to the recommendations of the different groups, the board of directors of FOGRA sets the research agenda and approves the projects for the next period.
