COLOUR MEASUREMENT | TECHNOLOGY
More accurate instrumentation and improved software means the latest colour management systems can define and control a full range of appearance and ingredient factors. Mark Holmes finds out more
Colour technology measures up
Compound and masterbatch producers not only have to meet end user demands for more accurate colour matches and faster development of new colours but also have to deal with an increasingly wide variety of special effects and surface textures. Fortunately, the latest developments in colour measurement technology and management can help meet these demands. These technologies are increasingly being tightly integrated into the com- pounding process, but an understanding of what is required from them is an essential starting point. When specifying colour measuring equipment
there are a number of issues that compounders and masterbatchers need to consider, according to Felix Schmollgruber, EMEA Technical Applications Manager at X-Rite. “When selecting colour meas- urement instruments, customers usually talk about ease of use and speed,” he says. “While this is important, careful examination of current and future application requirements is also required to match with the right instrumentation. A device needs to support current colour management needs, as well as those that might arise in the future.”
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Schmollgruber says that every compounder or masterbatcher has a unique set of requirements, so understanding the detailed features of different measurement devices is critical. There can be many points to consider when selecting a colour measur- ing instrument. He suggests the following ques- tions as a starting point: n What is the range of materials being measured (are they opaque, translucent, use special effect pigments) and what are the size and shape of the material samples?
n Will it be necessary to determine colour and translucence in one measurement?
n Will you need to measure powders and liquids? n Will UV calibrated filters for materials with optical brighteners required?
n Will you need tight inter-instrument agreement to meet strict colour tolerances?
n Will the instrumentation need to work in a connected workflow with colour management software? Compounders and masterbatchers may also want to consider using an instrument that can not
July 2018 | COMPOUNDING WORLD 17
Main image: Colour is a key challenge for compounders and master- batchers and one made more difficult as special colour and surface effects and use of recycled content gain ground
PHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK
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