TECHNOLOGY | COLOUR MEASUREMENT


lighting was stable. But as LEDs became standard – driven largely by sustainability goals – colour inconsistencies emerged. Five years ago, brands began noticing discrepancies,” explained Thorpe. He noted that there is still a lack of awareness of the LED changeover. He suggested that it should be a goal for colour design, colour selection and technical colour matching to be performed under LED lighting, to match the direction that the retail supply chain is moving. VeriVide’s UltraView LED booth has a fully


tuneable array of light sources. “Brand designers, masterbatch producers and moulders now need to buy only one type of light booth, instead of multiple light booths to satisfy the requirements of their customers,” said Thorpe. X-Rite recently introduced its Judge LED light booth to help manufacturers modernise visual colour evaluation as fluorescent lamps are phased out. The Judge LED simulates seven light sources, offers instant-on performance, and meets global standards, such as ISO 3664 and ASTM D1729. “For compounders and masterbatchers, upgrading is essential. LED lighting can affect colour perception due to spectral differences, metamerism, and surface flare. The Judge LED ensures consistent evaluations, helping teams maintain quality across new lighting requirements,” said Adby.


In-line technology In-line and at-line systems measure colour during production, rather than in the lab after production. “In-line colour measurement is gaining traction as compounders and masterbatchers look to catch colour shifts earlier and reduce scrap or rework,” said Adby. “Systems like the X-Rite ERX130 provide continuous, real-time feedback, minimising the need for off-line checks and improving overall process control.” He noted that monitoring colour with in-line measurement can be used in conjunc- tion with AI tools to trigger adjustments to keep colour within tolerance. Ampacet’s SpectroMetric patented system com- bines in-line colour measurement with automated dosing optimisation in a single system. The system detects minor colour deviations from approved standards using a differential spectrophotometer and automatically adjusts masterbatch dosing to prevent under- or over-dosing, ensuring consistent end-product colour. The integrated probe has a 9 mm measurement area and performs self-calibra- tion using ambient background and white refer- ence, which filters interferences for precise detec- tion of small colour deviations. The latest from Ampacet is the Spectro PMD,


36 COMPOUNDING WORLD | July 2025


Ampacet says its Spectro PMD is an


at-line system that “brings lab-grade colour testing to the production line”


which is an at-line system that the company said “brings lab-grade colour testing to the production line.” A vibratory feeder extracts a representative sample of granules, which are passed under a spectrophotometric probe for real-time analysis and then returned to the production stream. The analyser can be paired with SpectroMetric for process control. The systems are useful in maintain- ing consistent colour in recycled plastics, address- ing raw material variability, Ampacet noted. Ampacet recently introduced an air-cooled cabinet for the Spectro and SpectroMetric to protect the system from temperature swings within the production facility. It provides a consistent temperature throughout the day, which is critical for consistent and accurate colour measurements. ColVisTec’s in-line InSpectro instruments are used for real-time process monitoring, including colour measurement. The company has been developing systems to solve issues in the recycling industry, such as colour variation due to inconsistent feedstock. RecyColor is an automated colour control system that ensures a consistent colour output in recycled materials, regardless of variations in the colour composition of the input stream. “The system uses our InSpectro X, a UV/Vis inline spectrometer, installed directly in the extruder to provide continu- ous colour monitoring in the polymer melt,” said Fuat Eker, Director of Sales, Marketing, and Customi- sation at ColVisTec. Eker said the technologies are being used on commercial production lines for post-consumer and post-industrial recycling.


CLICK ON THE LINKS FOR MORE INFORMATION: � www.xrite.com � https://sensing.konicaminolta.us � www.datacolor.com � www.byk-instruments.com � www.verivide.com � www.ampacet.com � www.colvistec.de


www.compoundingworld.com


IMAGE: AMPACET


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