Color QC and Matching Blog

Tip #8 Sample Presentation for Color Measurement

Posted by Elaine Becker on Fri, Apr 20, 2012

Much of this blog series has been focused on the instrument and getting the best possible inter-instrument agreement.  However, we can’t forget the basics of good practice in color measurement when it comes to sample presentation.   Some types of samples can be very repeatable to present to the instrument, while others pose more challenges. 

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Tags: color tolerances, electronic color standards, color matching, color standard, inter-instrument agreement, translucency, color spectrophotometer, spectrophotometer

Tip #4 - Inter-Instrument Agreement

Posted by Elaine Becker on Mon, Oct 31, 2011

What is Inter-Instrument Agreement? Should I care?  How do you determine it?   How do I know what my numbers are?  Can I measure it myself?

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Tags: electronic color standards, color standard, instrument profiling, inter-instrument agreement, color spectrophotometer, spectrophotometer

Tip #2: Measurement Conditions and Color Parameters

Posted by Elaine Becker on Tue, Jul 12, 2011

The next fundamental rule in sharing electronic color standards  is that the color parameters using in the calculation of the coloriemtric data must be the same.

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Tags: color tolerances, standard observer, illuminant, color space, global color communication, instrument geometry, color spectrophotometer

Using OnColor color matching software with a USB adapter - 64 bit PC

Posted by Myron Langer on Thu, Jun 30, 2011

While many of the new spectrophotometers on the market today are equipped with a USB cable to connect to the PC, most of the older models still use a serial communications cable to communicate with the PC.  USB to serial adapter cables can bridge the gap for those PC's that do not have a serial port installed on their PC. There are many such devices available, but not all work well with the high demands of data transfer of a color spectrophotometer--especially not on a 64-bit PC.

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Tags: OnColor, USB adapter, Windows 7, color matching, color spectrophotometer

Tip #1: Instrumentation for Sharing Electronic Color Standards

Posted by Elaine Becker on Wed, Jun 15, 2011

 

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Tags: color standard, instrument profiling, inter-instrument agreement, instrument geometry, color spectrophotometer, spectrophotometer

10 Tips for Using Electronic Color Standards

Posted by Elaine Becker on Thu, Apr 28, 2011

Using electronic color standards and sharing L*a*b* color values is the goal of many companies and their supply chains these days. It’s easy, fast, and convenient.  If we’re all using the same numbers for our color target, isn’t that the best way to assure that we’re all matching to the same color?  It is certainly more convenient than shipping samples around overnight.  But before you do so, you need to understand the best practices of color measurement and for setting and maintaining numerical color standards.  Many color disputes arise these days because color instruments don’t necessarily read the same.  Electronic or numerical color standards are widely used and shared within a supply chain and have many benefits, but if all of your instruments are not regularly monitored and calibrated, then problems can arise. 

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Tags: color tolerances, color standard, global color communication, instrument profiling, inter-instrument agreement, instrument geometry, color spectrophotometer

Using a USB Adapter to Connect your Spectrophotometer to OnColor

Posted by Tom Merck on Fri, Apr 08, 2011

When you buy a new PC these days, it typically doesn't come configured with a serial port.  This once standard type of port has been replaced by USB ports.  However, many spectrophotometers still use serial communication and are supplied with a serial cable to connect to the PC. Then how are you supposed to connect your spectrophotometer to the PC if ti doesn't have a serial port? The solution is to use a Serial to USB adapter cable which allows you to connect your color computer via a USB port.

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Tags: OnColor, USB adapter, color computer, color spectrophotometer

Color Measurement Accuracy: Translucent Materials

Posted by Elaine Becker on Thu, Apr 08, 2010

This blog article was written by Dr. John W. Root of Mt. Baker Research: 

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Tags: color standard, instrument profiling, inter-instrument agreement, instrument geometry, translucency, color spectrophotometer

Color Geometry: A Matter of Degrees

Posted by Elaine Becker on Tue, Jan 05, 2010

Long before computers were invented a radio, film, and television comedy team known as Abbott and Costello perfected a classic skit that became known as the "Who's on First?" routine; essentially a dizzying five-minute display detailing by example the pitfalls of miscommunication via homophones, homonyms, home-run hitters, and high comedic art.

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Tags: standard observer, instrument geometry, color spectrophotometer

Color Me Stressed Out

Posted by Elaine Becker on Mon, Dec 07, 2009
If we put you under the spectrophotometer now, would you show up in deep shades of recession blue? Perhaps.

Tough economic times often mean having to make do with fewer resources to handle the workload. The same workload for developing new colors, adjusting production batches, and approving colors is spread over fewer people. Staff become stressed and can easily overlook color shifts they might otherwise have caught.

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Tags: Color correction, Color difference, color development, color matching, color spectrophotometer