Software and Controls
How LED Lighting is Changing Packaging Colour Evaluation Jon-Michael McCartney, director of print and packaging, X-Rite
• Upgrading Light Booths: Older light booths typically offer daylight (D50, D65), incandescent tungsten and fluorescent light. Upgrading light booths to include LED lighting enables more precise visual assessments, ensures compliance with the EU ban on fluorescent lighting, improves energy efficiency, eliminates warm-up time and better replicates daylight. Newer light booths such as the X-Rite Judge LED also make it easy to enable or disable UV content from D50 making it compliant with ISO3664 that defines the presence or absence of UV content in D50 lighting for print and packaging applications.
he transition to LED lighting reshapes how we perceive colour, impacting product appearance and consumer purchasing decisions. Unlike traditional fl uorescent or incandescent lighting, LEDs emit light diff erently, which can alter how products appear to consumers. As retailers and consumers increasingly adopt LEDs for their energy effi ciency and long lifespan, brands and print suppliers must reassess their colour evaluation processes to ensure consistency on store shelves.
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X-Rite Judge LED light booth off ers 7 LED light sources for precise color evaluation.
Under LED lighting, packaging that once appeared uniform under traditional lighting may now vary, leading to potential issues with brand perception and colour consistency. This shift is particularly challenging due to metamerism, where colours that match under one light source may look diff erent under another due to variations in how light interacts with colourants, inks or substrates. Additionally, optical brightening additives (OBAs) in materials like papers and inks can also aff ect color perception by absorbing UV light and emitting blue light, further complicating the process. Whether producing luxury goods or everyday items, maintaining accurate colour under LED lighting is essential for preserving brand consistency and consumer trust. To prevent inconsistencies that could undermine brand perception and competitiveness, brand owners and converters must update colour workfl ows for new lighting conditions.
5 TIPS FOR UPDATING COLOUR WORKFLOWS FOR LED LIGHTING To maintain colour accuracy, brands and packaging converters should update their workfl ows to align with LED lighting conditions. Key strategies include:
• Standardising Lighting Conditions: Ensuring brand owners, designers, converters and quality control teams evaluate colour under the same LED lighting standards minimises discrepancies across the supply chain. This involves selecting a standard CIE-standard LED illuminant that best matches the LED used in the environment where the products will be sold or an LED type defi ned by the brand. Standardised lighting should be used for all evaluations including proofi ng, printing and post-production processes to reduce the risk of color discrepancies.
• Aligning Measurement Devices: All devices, including spectrophotometers, light booths and quality control software, must be set to the same illumination standard to ensure accurate results and avoid colour mismatches. Using one solution partner provides a connected workfl ow with compatible devices, software and light booths simplifi es colour assessment. • Reassessing Colour Standards: Packaging designers should evaluate their colour standards under LED lighting to determine the impact of metamerism compared to the previous light sources. It may be necessary to adjust colour palettes or repeat the colour matching process and reformulate to maintain consistency. • Training Teams: Educating employees on LED-related challenges equips them with the knowledge to navigate colour evaluation effectively. Training should cover the basics of colour science, colour communication and assessment, lighting and the proper use of colour measurement tools and software.
Brands and their suppliers that proactively adapt to LED lighting will avoid costly colour inconsistencies and rework. Packaging converters who embrace LED-ready colour management practices can position themselves as trusted partners in an evolving industry. By integrating LED lighting into quality control processes, printers can ensure consistent, high-quality packaging for today’s retail environments.
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April 2025
www.convertermag.com
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