COLOUR MEASUREMENT | INSTRUMENTATION
includes a high-performing and repeatable bench- top spectrophotometer that can measure colour objectively and set an accurate master standard, combined with formulation software that can deliver fast and accurate matches. Quality is assured using software to monitor, verify, and optimise the performance of all devices in the workflow. The system works as follows. The customer
Above: X-Rite’s latest Color iMatch software includes improved search and match features along with opacity and colour tolerancing
Maintaining performance In addition to its new software and hardware developments, X-Rite says it is also making it easier for customers to ensure that their colour measure- ment devices are operating at peak performance. “Maintaining and servicing instrumentation is an essential part of achieving consistent and accurate colour in production. The new X-Rite Link cloud- based platform provides customers with real-time insights into colour measurement device health, such as device calibration, location, certification and maintenance, for example, in one central dashboard,” says Adby. “With data-driven insights into fleet performance,
even across multiple locations, managers can have confidence in every measurement,“ he says. “Our development team is working to develop a next- generation ecosystem of cloud-based software and measurement devices that creates a seamless digital colour workflow from design through production. The team is also actively working on solutions to better handle emerging needs around recycled materials and automation.” For masterbatch producers, X-Rite says its systems
Right: The Spectra 1000 is one of the latest spectro- photometers from Datacolor
can accelerate formulation and cut waste. With time-to-market expectations increasing and requests for complex colour palettes and additive concen- trates such as flame-retardancy and UV absorbers on the rise, it says masterbatchers must remain nimble and precise during formulation to stay ahead of the competition. Each incorrect formulation leads to wasted materials and time, it says. Vague specifications and ambiguous colour descriptions can lead to multiple rounds of re-work to achieve a customer’s target colour, according to X-Rite. Back and forth review to gain approval on an acceptable colour standard also adds time to the process, opening the door for a competitor to win the bid, while multiple formulation attempts leads to costly colorant and resin waste. X-Rite’s offering for masterbatch producers
36 COMPOUNDING WORLD | July 2022
provides a sample or requests a bid for a colour match. The masterbatcher measures the target colour and sends the exact colour data to the Color iMatch software, which identifies the best candidate formulas using the pigments and resins on hand (and gives the option to include leftover materials to work off waste). The masterbatch maker then creates a sample plaque and measures it to ensure it is within colour tolerance before sending to the customer for approval. Once approved the formula- tion is ready to send to the extruder. The company estimates that a typical laboratory
formulates five colours per day, mixing an initial formula and at least two corrections to obtain the right colour. Assuming each correction takes about two hours and material waste costs around $100 per batch, it says the X-Rite solution can save about 2,200 hours and $110,000 worth of material annually (depending on the specific process and materials).
Beyond the eye According to Datacolor, recent developments in colour management tools and technology comple- ment a fully digital workflow, using full-spectrum instruments that generate colour data beyond observation by the human eye. “The ability to calculate and quantify colour matching recipes is particularly important in the plastics industry,” says Earl Balthazar, Senior Applications Engineer. “Using advanced colour management solutions and formulation software, industry professionals can measure, analyse and manage colour digitally
www.compoundingworld.com
IMAGE: X-RITE
IMAGE: DATACOLOR
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