The Challenge: Inconsistency and Rejection due to Visual Inspection
The visual assessment of color and hue in production is subjective, time-consuming, and susceptible to human factors. Simple RGB sensors are often incapable of detecting subtle hue differences, saturation (chroma), or the influence of metamerism (color change under different lighting conditions). Furthermore, they ignore fluorescence effects which are visible to the human eye. Consequently, color deviations that are detected late lead to increased reject rates, costly rework, and customer complaints.
The Solution: Spectral Color Analysis for 100% Color Fidelity
Objective Color Quantification Considering Full Spectral Information
Our Inline Color Measurement Systems use spectrophotometers which, unlike RGB sensors, capture not just three, but hundreds of measurement points across the entire spectrum. This enables the precise capture of the material’s spectral remittance – the color’s fingerprint.
Key Features and Differentiation from RGB Systems:
- Full-Spectral Acquisition (Spectrophotometry): Acquisition of the entire visible spectrum (VIS) as well as relevant UV components for the complete characterization of spectral remittance and absorption.
- Assessment of Fluorescence: Through controlled UV excitation, the entire emitted (fluorescent) component of the color can be quantified. This is essential for the correct color evaluation of materials containing optical brighteners or fluorescent pigments – a capability that pure RGB sensors lack.
- Insensitivity to Ambient Light: In contrast to simple camera systems and RGB sensors, our systems utilize standardized and shielded illumination to maintain consistent and metamerism-insensitive results.
- Inline Calibration: The system is precisely calibrated to the matrix (material) and the specific process parameters, delivering auditable Delta E (ΔE) values in real-time.
- Process-Reliable Integration: Robust sensor units allow for non-contact or direct-contact measurement – compliant with Industry 4.0.
Your Advantage: Color as a Controlled Quality Parameter
With our spectroscopic solution, you transform color measurement from a control function into an active control parameter.
Your Advantages at a Glance:
- Minimization of ΔE: Ensuring an extremely narrow color tolerance through objective, full-spectral measurement.
- Reduction of Rejects: Early detection of color errors enables real-time corrections (Closed-Loop Control).
- Auditable Quality: Seamless, objective documentation of all color measurement values, meeting the requirements of Quality Assurance and international Supplier Agreements.
Conclusion: Harness the spectral measurement power of spectrophotometry to guarantee the color of your products as an unbeatable quality and brand characteristic – objectively, rapidly, and 100%, across all complexities.