X-Rite Pantone is excited to exhibit at Fakuma. Like many of you, digitization and sustainability are top of mind. We invite you to stop by our booth to see how an end-to-end lifecycle that focuses on color can help you: Fulfill your customers’ color demands Ensure color consistency with varying batches of recycled raw material Accelerate material color and appearance approval Minimize color surprises at delivery Actively decrease your global footprint The Key t...

Sei alla ricerca di una sede centrale per gestire i prodotti e servizi X-Rite? Dai un’occhiata a My X-Rite. Il nostro portale online gratuito è raggiungibile con pochi clic per darti tutto quello che cerchi: assistenza e informazioni sul prodotto, dettagli sui servizi e accesso alle risorse di apprendimento. Accesso 24/7: per accedere facilmente alla tua dashboard personale direttamente dal computer o dispositivo mobile, 24 ore su 24. Dashboard personalizzata: guarda que...

Un recente emendamento della direttiva UE sulla restrizione all’uso di determinate sostanze pericolose nelle apparecchiature elettriche ed elettroniche eliminerà, a decorrere dal 24 febbraio 2025, l’attuale deroga all’utilizzo del mercurio in diverse tipologie di lampade fluorescenti per finalità speciali. Queste lampade sono definite alla clausola 2(b)(4)-I della direttiva UE REACH. Dopo tale data, in Europa non sarà più consentita la vendita di nuo...

Does your quality control program include visual evaluation? If not, it should. Using the SpectraLight QC as part of a color evaluation workflow. No matter your industry, judging color is more than just measuring samples with a color measurement device. Just because a spectrophotometer says your color is within tolerance, doesn’t necessarily mean it will look right to the human eye. To minimize customer rejects, your color control process needs to include visual evaluation in a light boo...

In questo periodo dell’anno, Internet riporta in abbondanza elenchi di top 10. Una tradizione accolta sin dal 1940, quando Billboard pubblicò la prima classifica dei dischi più venduti. Da allora, in molti hanno iniziato a pubblicare classifiche analoghe, per evidenziare le tendenze più popolari dell’anno precedente.   Dal 2016 pubblichiamo la classifica dei post più letti nel nostro blog, e siamo lieti di vedere che ogni anno, nelle prime posizioni...

Perché è necessario calibrare lo spettrofotometro? Gli odierni strumenti per la misurazione del colore sono quasi tutti digitali al 100%. In effetti, al loro interno, fatta eccezione per le lampade vi sono pochissimi componenti analogici. Anche se vantano una stabilità maggiore rispetto ai precedenti modelli analogici, hanno tolleranze molto più ridotte e, di conseguenza, per restare entro questi limiti rigorosi necessitano di una regolare calibrazione. Stabilit&agra...

Sostieni che il colore è importante, ma ne conosci a fondo importanza? In realtà, il colore è un elemento fondamentale nel processo di produzione. Oggi, molti produttori si rendono conto che ottenere il colore esatto è molto più complicato di quanto fosse in passato, e ricevono richieste di tolleranze più rigorose dai brand owner che supportano. Ecco perché. Se i progressi nella tecnologia del colore – p.e., packaging metallici, finiture pe...

I clienti alle prime armi in materia di gestione del colore spesso ci domandano: "Qual è la differenza tra uno spettrometro e uno spettrofotometro?". Dal punto di vista ortografico, la differenza è minima ed è, quindi, facile confondersi e ottenere la risposta sbagliata a questa domanda. E allora, qual è la differenza? Spettrometri e spettrofotometri a confronto     Cos'è uno spettrofotometro? Uno spettrofotometro è un dispositivo di misurazion...

In this series we’ve been discussing the many factors that impact how we see color, and what we can do to ensure the color we see is accurate. Light, retinal fatigue and background effects can influence our perception of color. Today we’ll look at the limitations of the human eye and brain, and talk about how to detect these characteristics, especially for individuals responsible for evaluating and judging color. Are YOU color deficient? Read on to find out. (Spoiler alert: There’s a test at the...

There are many things that affect our ability to see color. In some cases, it doesn’t matter if the red you see is the same shade I see. A barn is a barn, right? But for those who work in an industry where color evaluation is part of the job, it IS important… VERY important. In our color perception series, we’re discussing the many factors that affect how we see color and what colorists can do to ensure that the color they see is the color they are supposed to see. Today we’ll take a closer look...

As the temperature of light changes, so does our perception of color. As I mentioned in our last post, light plays a huge role in the way we perceive color. Today we’ll look at the science of color in manufacturing and photography; specifically how an object’s reflective and absorptive properties and viewing technology can impact the colors we perceive. To reflect or not to reflect… that is the question. The colors an object absorbs and reflects is determined by its material – is it metal, plas...

Quante prove ed errori vi occorrono per formulare un colore? Se la risposta è più di tre, potrebbe essere il momento di ricorrere all'aiuto di una soluzione computerizzata. La formulazione del colore assistita dal computer può portare enormi vantaggi alla vostra attività. Anche i principianti possono raggiungere più rapidamente gli obiettivi cromatici, risparmiando tempo, denaro e coloranti costosi. Una volta stabilito un metodo accurato, potete aspettarvi di s...

Siamo lieti di annunciare il lancio del nostro spettrofotometro eXact 2! Grazie a funzionalità innovative come, ad esempio, la videocamera interna ad alta risoluzione, le rotelle integrate per la scansione e la connettività software, questo dispositivo segnerà una svolta per stampatori, converter e fornitori di inchiostri. Ti starai domandando quale dei tre modelli di eXact 2 disponibili sia il migliore per te. Questo blog illustra le differenze tra eXact 2, eXact 2 Xp ed e...

There are many things that affect what we see. Optical illusions aren’t just fascinating; they teach us about how we visually perceive our surroundings. In our Color Perception Series, we shared some of the factors that affect how we see color and the impact it has on manufacturing. In honor of April Fools' Day, we’re taking a closer look at some of the ways our brain, eyes, and the environment can influence what we see. April Fool #1: Your Brain Let’s start with the power of t...

Quality control is an important aspect of any color workflow. While many of our customers use a handheld spectrophotometer for QC, there are times a benchtop spectrophotometer is a more appropriate choice. Today we’ll explore some of the reasons you might want to choose a benchtop for quality control and offer tips to ensure your QC workflow is the best it can be. Top 5 Reasons to Choose a Benchtop Spectrophotometer for Quality Control 1 - Your Color Tolerances are Tight While our handhel...

Are your customers rejecting shipments due to incorrect color? Are you identifying color issues during quality control? If your bottom line depends on color accuracy, you need to ensure your spectrophotometer is not the cause. Color drift is a big issue for a lot of companies. Even worse, many don’t even know it’s happening. Here are some ways to make sure your spectrophotometer is operating within specification to always capture accurate and consistent measurement data. Causes of Sp...

Last week Pantone announced the Pantone Color of the Year 2020 - Very Peri (PANTONE 17-3938). The Pantone Color of the Year announcement isn’t just important for designers. Since this color will set the stage for upcoming trends, brand owners should also take notice to capitalize on this trending color. Bring Very Peri to Market, Fast. Is Virtual Design the Answer? The fashion and apparel industry began embracing virtual design years ago. Luxury brands like Louis Vuitton, Burberry, ...

Light booths provide a controlled environment for judging color under different lighting conditions. They can help visually evaluate how different types of light will affect the perception of color, evaluate the color of raw materials before and after production, and ensure different components will remain uniform once they’re assembled.   But not all light booths are the same. With NIST traceability and ISO 17025 accreditation, X-Rite offers worldwide competence in calibration, cert...

Il modo migliore per visualizzare come reagirà il colore nelle condizioni di illuminazione del mondo reale è l’uso di una cabina di illuminazione di qualità. Le cabine di illuminazione tradizionali comprendono illuminanti comuni come luce diurna, incandescente e fluorescente per riprodurre l’aspetto del colore nel punto vendita e, successivamente alla vendita, nell’abitazione e all’aperto. Oggi, il maggiore utilizzo di lampade LED negli ambienti resid...

Per misurare il colore, lo strumento invia luce su un campione, cattura la quantità di luce che viene trasmessa o riflessa nell’intervallo di lunghezza d'onda da 380 a 780 nm e la quantifica come misurazione spettrale. La misurazione del colore è necessaria per specificare, quantificare, comunicare, formulare e verificare la qualità del colore nei lavori in cui il colore è importantissimo. Dato che ogni persona percepisce il colore in un modo diverso, la misuraz...

Learn about light, reflection curves, optical brighteners, and more.     Illuminants Electro magnetic radiation in the wavelength range from 380 nm to 730 nm is seen as light by our eyes. Low wavelengths show as blue light, then the spectrum continues from green to yellow, orange, and red. UV radiation is located in the range below 380 nm; the range above 730 nm is called infrared radiation. The visual impression of a colored body changes by the composition of the incoming light. ...

Il 2020 ha obbligato i produttori a ripensare il proprio modus operandi. In tutto il mondo, il COVID ha interrotto drasticamente i viaggi necessari per le approvazioni dei prototipi e ha ritardato la consegna dei campioni fisici. Molti brand owner hanno quindi iniziato a cercare il modo di utilizzare campioni di colori digitali per garantire la produzione ma incontravano difficoltà per l’incapacità di riprodurre l’aspetto che avrebbe avuto il campione di colore sul prot...

COVID-19 ha obbligato molte aziende a ripensare le modalità di comunicazione, approvazione e produzione del colore. Per alcune ha significato provare a continuare il “business come sempre”, ma da postazioni remote. Per altre, trovare il modo di gestire il colore senza effettuare spostamenti. Sappiamo però che i nostri clienti fanno sempre tutto quello che è in loro potere per sostenere l’attività e, allo stesso tempo, garantire la salute e la sicure...

The Pantone Color of the Year announcement is always exciting. Not only does it set the stage for upcoming trends, it also provides brand owners and designers critical guidance for marketing and product development. However, those who are charged with manufacturing products and packaging with trending colors (like 2021's Ultimate Gray and Illuminating) know it doesn’t “just happen.” It takes time and effort to incorporate new colors. Whether you work in paints, plasti...

Black Friday. Not only is it the much anticipated start to holiday shopping, it’s also a day manufacturers have been preparing for all year long. Whether mass-producing holiday cards, candy canes, plastic toys, or festive clothing, accurate color is a must. Manufacturers can’t ship two of the same toy if they won’t match on the showroom floor, and holiday sweaters that are a shade off will end up at a discount store instead of a fashion boutique. Perfection is especially import...

Per definire un valido programma di controllo qualità sono necessari buoni strumenti, software validi e utenti esperti. Anche in presenza di tutti questi elementi, però, bisogna prestare attenzione ad alcune insidie piuttosto comuni quando si utilizza uno spettrofotometro per analizzare la qualità del colore. Measuring plastic parts with the X-Rite Ci7800 benchtop spectrophotometer. Le cinque principali insidie della misurazione del colore 1. Campioni e standard sbagl...

Che si tratti di produzione di tessuti, parti di automobili o pezzi di plastica, il colore deve rimanere coerente, altrimenti il prodotto finale verrà scartato. Sfortunatamente, durante la produzione, si possono verificare diversi errori relativi al colore in tante fasi. Creare e utilizzare standard cromatici digitali accurati è un modo per evitare questi errori. Gli standard cromatici digitali possono essere utilizzati nei software per specificare e comunicare il colore, formulare colorant...

Whether you work with plastics, coatings or textiles, you must consistently achieve in-tolerance color or your product could be rejected before it even makes it to the shelf or showroom.     This is especially true for brands that rely on off-site suppliers and manufacturers for raw materials and parts that come together at assembly, such as the plastic dashboard, fabric seats, and coated interior panels of a car. Even if each site produces in-tolerance color, it must be monitored an...

No matter the industry, our customers are all working toward the same goal: Achieve accurate color and keep production moving. Even in the best conditions, color data can be a challenge to capture and share. COVID-19-related travel bans and social distancing guidelines are making it harder than ever.    Today we’ll share three easy ways to remotely share color data so you can achieve your color goals without shipping physical samples or making onsite visits. The Benefits of Digit...

I nostri clienti che ora sono in smart working devo essere consapevoli del fatto che cambiando anche una minima variabile – per esempio approvare i colori da casa con una diversa sorgente luminosa oppure inviare per e-mail le specifiche invece di spedire un campione fisico – possono introdurre problematiche che rischiano di determinare un problema di colore più importante. La prima, fondamentale fase del controllo del colore è una comunicazione accurata del colore. Queste risorse ti aiuteranno ...

Gli spettrofotometri sono dispositivi di misurazione del colore utilizzati per acquisire e valutare il colore. Nell'ambito di un programma di controllo del colore, i designer e i brand owner li utilizzano per specificare e comunicare il colore, mentre i produttori se ne servono per controllare la precisione del colore in tutte le fasi della produzione. Gli spettrofotometri sono in grado di misurare praticamente tutto – liquidi, materie plastiche, carta, metalli e tessuti – e contribuiscono a man...

Gli schermi di telefoni e computer rappresentano l'accesso al mondo digitale del colore, ma se approvi i colori via e-mail o sms devi essere consapevole dei loro limiti.  Per cominciare, ogni dispositivo visualizza il colore basandosi su un diverso modello cromatico. I dispositivi di input – videocamera e monitor – ricorrono al modello additivo per visualizzare il colore. Iniziano con l’oscurità e aggiungono luce rossa, verde e blu per creare uno spettro di colori. Le stampanti, p...

Il tuo programma di controllo qualità comprende la valutazione visiva? L’illuminazione ha una funzione fondamentale nel modo in cui percepiamo i colori. Può aiutarti a verificare l’accettabilità del colore dei tuoi prodotti e a fare in modo che rimanga accurato in ogni possibile condizione d'illuminazione a cui sarà sottoposto dopo l’acquisto.     Per molti dei nostri clienti ora la valutazione visiva è ancor più importante, considerato che le analisi e le approvazioni dei colori v...

Nella percezione del colore entrano in gioco tantissimi elementi, come la luce, la genetica, l’ambiente, le caratteristiche psicologiche e persino la stanchezza. Potresti rientrare nel numero di persone (1 donna su 255 e 1 uomo su 12) che hanno un difetto di visione del colore. Il nostro online color challenge è un modo divertente per capire meglio il tuo livello di attitudine visiva ai colori.     A prescindere dal tuo livello specifico, se comunichi, valuti o approvi il co...

Il colore è sempre stato un elemento fondamentale per i nostri clienti. A causa della pandemia da COVID-19, molte persone stanno ora cercando di progettare, specificare, comunicare e infine realizzare colori accurati da postazioni remote o utilizzando meno personale e minori risorse. Ti è difficile proseguire il programma di qualità del colore in questo momento senza precedenti?  Abbiamo raccolto le nostre risorse più apprezzate – blog, video, white paper, webinar e case study – per a...

Managing color throughout production is always a challenge, but advances in color technology, like the metallic, shimmer, and pearlescence effects designed to capture consumer attention, are taking the frustration to a whole new level for quality control managers. This is especially true when producing parts that must match at assembly, such as the metal panels for a home appliance or the painted side mirrors for a vehicle.  Special effects are tricky to control because our perception can c...

Quando vediamo il colore, i nostri occhi possono essere ingannati. In parte, ciò dipende dalla limitatezza del nostro cervello, che è chiamato a gestire una vasta quantità di informazioni elaborandole meglio che può. Può dipendere anche da questioni genetiche e dall’ambiente; ognuno di noi vede il colore in modo leggermente diverso. Ma soprattutto, è la LUCE ad avere il maggiore impatto sui colori che vediamo.  Senza entrare troppo nel tecnico...

Durable goods and consumer electronics are no longer destined to be white, gray, and black. In fact, consumers are moving towards more classic colors and special effect finishes like metallics. To capitalize on this trend, brands need to bring innovative designs in new colors faster to market than ever before.   One trending color, the PANTONE Color of the Year 2020, is sure to capture the attention of durable good and consumer electronic brands. It is a simple, timeless, elegant, and endur...

Misurazione del colore in linea per i settori carta, prodotti tessili, plastica, verniciatura in continuo e vetro Le soluzioni di misurazione del colore in linea di X-Rite permettono ai produttori di una vasta gamma di settori di valutare la precisione e l’uniformità del colore in tutte le fasi di produzione e di monitorare la conformità ISO. I sistemi in linea monitorano il colore man mano che vengono realizzati i prodotti e avvertono gli operatori non appena inizia a disc...

Provi sensazioni diverse in una stanza piena di colori caldi e naturali... ...rispetto a un ufficio completamente bianco e sterile? Un edificio ti ha mai "comunicato" qualcosa? Il colore è parte integrante del nostro mondo È un linguaggio visivo che tutti capiscono, una percezione sensoriale che influisce sulle nostre emozioni in molti modi. L’impatto del colore, anche se spesso è a livello del subconscio, svolge un ruolo fondamentale negli elementi di rivestimenti...

I dispositivi di misurazione del colore servono per acquisire, comunicare e valutare il colore. Imballaggi in cartone, alimenti, detersivo, tappeti, piccoli componenti in plastica... questi dispositivi aiutano a garantire che il colore realizzato concordi con quello originariamente specificato. Sono utilizzati, dietro le quinte, praticamente in ogni settore in cui è importante il colore, per esempio materie plastiche, prodotti tessili, vernici, rivestimenti, stampa e imballaggi Gli strum...

L'accordo interstrumentale è una considerazione molto importante nella scelta dei dispositivi di misurazione del colore per il flusso di lavoro. Sfortunatamente, si tratta di un argomento così tecnico che genera molta confusione sul suo significato e sulla sua importanza. : Lo spettrofotometro da banco a sfera Ci7860 ha una specifica di accordo interstrumentale di 0,06 Delta E* medio, che consente ai marchi di creare gli standard cromatici master più precisi. Oggi lo rendi...

Gli spettrofotometri sono strumenti eccellenti per misurare i campioni rispetto ai loro standard di colore per confrontare le differenze, ma può essere difficile ottenere un colore preciso per prodotti di forma irregolare come liquidi, plastica, lattine e polveri. Progettiamo una varietà di accessori e componenti - chiamati anche "rigs & jigs" - per molti dei nostri strumenti per aiutare a misurare forme e dimensioni non comuni. Accessori e componenti per spettrofotometri da ba...

With so many requests for innovative bases, transparency, and special effects, formulating color for paint, coating, and plastic applications can be a challenge. To keep up, formulation software needs to be innovative, too. We recently launched version 10 of our Color iMatch formulation software, and it is our smartest version yet. It allows you to select cost-reducing parameters, such as lowest cost or fewest colorants, and will determine the best formula for your application. It work...

Are you wasting too much time and money on incorrect color? Even if you use the best color measurement tools available, your color will still fail without quality control. Quality control (QC) means verifying the color you specify is the same color you manufacture, throughout production. Setting up a QC program can help you accurately communicate color with clients and suppliers, inspect raw materials before you begin working, and verify your color is correct before you ship.   Five Impor...

As we move through spring and into summer, we’re revisiting Pantone Color Institute’s Spring/Summer 2019 Fashion Color Trend Report. This season’s report features the top 12 stand out colors as well as current takes on four classic neutrals.    Images extracted with permission from PANTONEVIEW Colour Planner Spring/Summer 2019.    According to Leatrice Eiseman, Executive Director of the Pantone Color Institute, “This new mindset underscores a...

Consegnare il colore sbagliato può essere molto costoso. Per correggerlo, devi riportarlo in laboratorio per effettuare una nuova formulazione, inviare personale presso la sede del cliente per riapplicare la vernice, oppure eliminarlo e cominciare da capo. In aggiunta al costo del tempo e dei materiali sprecati, come quantificheresti la perdita di un cliente insoddisfatto? Cinque passaggi per una formulazione efficiente   Con gli strumenti e i processi giusti, i lavori vengono svolt...

Il cliente ha scartato l'ultima spedizione a causa del colore. Hai controllato il colore prima di effettuare la spedizione e il test di tolleranza era stato superato... Anche la volta precedente avevi effettuato la stessa identica procedura, e il test di tolleranza era stato superato... Allora perché questa volta è stato scartato? I nostri clienti ci rivolgono sempre questa domanda. Il temuto “accumulo di errori” Gli scarti dovuti al colore creano sprechi e aumentano i...

Benchtop spectrophotometers measure in either transmission or reflectance mode to capture and quantify color on various opaque, transparent, and translucent samples, including glass, liquid, fabric, and plastic. Today we’ll explain the difference between transmission and reflectance measurements so you can determine which benchtop will meet your color measurement needs.  Transmission vs. Reflectance Measurements Both transmission and reflectance spectrophotometers emit all of the wav...

For the last few Decembers, we’ve provided you with a list of “top color measurement blogs” for that respective year. As we reviewed this year’s list, we noticed that your favorite/ the most-read blogs could be categorized into a few buckets. So, without further ado, here’s 2018’s top blog topics!  2018’s Most Popular Color Measurement Topic: Tolerancing Not to our team’s surprise, Tolerancing – what it is/what it means for your busines...

The Gabriel-Chemie Group, a leading masterbatch manufacturer in Europe, has partnered with X-Rite Pantone to provide their customers with an innovative solution to improve daily color requests, expanding their existing product portfolio to include solutions that keep pace with the move towards digitization and industry 4.0. The Challenge As a leader in masterbatch manufacturing, Gabriel-Chemie is always looking for ways to sharpen their customers’ experiences and solve production challenge...

Each year, Pantone announces its highly anticipated “Color of the Year”. The selection is intended to serve as a strategic direction for design and color-conscious industries as well as a conversation piece around our culture, where it is going and what we collectively need…and it certainly gets everyone talking about color!  Color is no longer just something we see and appreciate - it enhances and influences the way we experience life. Color, as a strategic element of d...

Like geographic coordinates – longitude, latitude, and altitude – L*a*b* color values give us a way to locate and communicate colors. What’s the history of L*a*b*? In the 1940’s, Richard Hunter introduced a tri-stimulus model, Lab, which is scaled to achieve near uniform spacing of perceived color differences. While Hunter’s Lab was adopted as the de facto model for plotting absolute color coordinates and differences between colors, it was never formally accepted as...

If you’re measuring wet and dry paints, plastics, cosmetics, or small and odd-shaped samples, you’ll want to take a look at our new MetaVue VS3200 non-contact imaging spectrophotometer. It’s the perfect choice for industrial applications in coatings, plastics, food, cosmetics and more. Today we’ll demonstrate the power of its smart spot and on-screen targeting features and explain how it can integrate seamlessly with your formulation, quality control, and performance opt...

Warm weather is just around the corner and spring is in the air!   Fluffy yellow chicks…   Delicate pink tulips…   Soft green sprouts poking through the ground…   And, of course, spring M&M'S®! Advertisers target our springtime emotions through pastel colors. Pastels have a calming effect, and everywhere you look companies are using them to feed our desire to feel a bit of spring. Today we’ll take a look at the psychology of color, how marke...

The two most common spectrophotometers are the 0:45 and the sphere (aka diffuse/8°). We get a lot of questions about which is the best choice. Here’s the difference in how these two devices measure color, and guidelines for when to use each. 0:45 In a “fixed geometry” or “single angle” device, the first number is the starting point of the light, and the second number is where the light ends up after the reflection off the surface of the sample. In a 0:45 ...

Using a light booth to visually judge color is a great start to a successful color evaluation program. It allows you predict how color will look under multiple light sources so there won’t be any color surprises when the light changes over the life of the product. Introducing a color measurement device to capture spectral data is the next logical step. For a really great color program, you need to use both a light booth AND a spectrophotometer. This dynamic duo offers benefits you can&rsqu...

If you work behind a paint counter, you know customers can surprise you with interesting and unique objects to color match. Many samples are relatively easy to measure, but when a customer shows up with a curved baseboard panel, a square of shag carpet, or a plush toy, things can get a little tricky. A few years ago, we learned just how challenging it was for our retail paint customers to color match unique samples. We took in a bag with textured and multi-colored items and asked the person behi...

Di recente abbiamo discusso sul blog il modo in cui l’aspetto influisce sul colore. In questo articolo esaminiamo alcune delle caratteristiche che influiscono sull’aspetto di un oggetto, come texture, lucentezza, trasparenza ed effetti speciali, e spieghiamo quanto sia importante descrivere l’aspetto sin dalle prime fasi del workflow di design. E se i programmi 3D hanno cercato per anni di affrontare le caratteristiche di aspetto, qualcosa è però sempre mancato n...

Whether purchasing a new car, consumer electronics, or household appliances, color consistency influences the perception of quality. If the color doesn’t match from front-to-back and side-to-side, customers will likely question the quality and move on. That’s where color measurement can help. In today’s competitive marketplace, manufacturers are going beyond color to utilize extreme effect finishes to differentiate their products. But, as manufacturers are quickly learning, me...

Color is our perception of reflected light across the visible spectrum. When light hits an object, it absorbs some rays and reflect others. The color of light that reflects back into our eyes is the color we perceive. The more light an object absorbs, the darker it appears. With black, very little light is reflected. Pure black in the presence of light wasn’t achieved until 2014 when Surrey NanoSystems announced the invention of Vantablack. This high-tech artificial substance absorbs 99....

We frequently get calls from customers who can’t figure out why their measurements vary, even when they’re using maintained devices. Why would a sample read one way one day, then slightly different another? Many times the culprit is thermochromaticity, and it becomes an even bigger problem as the seasons change. Every kind of material changes color with temperature. These changes cause the material to exhibit a shift in reflected wavelengths of light, which can alter our perception....

Have you ever sent out a job that passed your inspection, only to have the customer reject it for out-of-tolerance color? You recheck the data and the instrument says the color passed the agreed tolerance… why is the customer saying it doesn’t? We get a LOT of these conflicting measurement calls in technical support. The solution is simple – document a color control program that clearly defines how to assess color, then make sure everyone (including your customer) follow...

If you’re reluctant to buy clothing and home decorating products online or in the store because you’re not sure how the color will look when you get home, you’ll love X-Rite’s newest color-matching solution. Color-Eye® uses a calibration card and smartphone app to help consumers shop for items that match or complement things they already have at home, like a paint color that looks great with the curtains, a handbag and shoes that coordinate with a special occasion dress, or a jacket that will ma...

If you recently invested in a spectrophotometer or colorimeter, you know there’s a lot more to learn about color measurement than just how to use your new device. To help you begin exploring the exciting world of color, we’ve compiled seven blogs that explain how to set up your color measurement device, care for it, and use it to its maximum potential. 5 Tips for Setting Up Your Spectrophotometer Using a spectrophotometer (“spectro” for short) to measure color doesn...

Did you read our blog: Are You Using The Right Tolerancing Method? If not, check it out. Today we’re taking the topic one step further to investigate how tolerances are chosen in different industries. A pass-fail tolerance is the amount of color variation that is considered commercially acceptable. In part, tolerances are driven by customer expectations. While color tolerances are very tight in the automotive, plastics, and paint & coatings worlds, they can be much less strict in other...

Consistent color is a journey. A few weeks ago I blogged about the most common pitfalls people run into when starting a color program… Wrong lighting Less-than-perfect color vision Inaccurate physical standards Inconsistent device color measurement …And introduced some inexpensive color tools to help overcome them.   But the journey doesn’t stop there. Even if you’ve been successfully managing color for years, advances in inks, dyes, and substrates are introducing new challen...

At X-Rite Pantone, we pride ourselves on our ability to help customers specify, communicate, formulate, and produce consistent color. You’re probably familiar with our major markets, like plastics, industrial coatings, and print & packaging. You may also be aware of the more “common” things we measure, like paint, printed surfaces, and textiles. But, as you look for the emergency exit on a plane, watch a butterfly float by, or choose the freshest package of cheese from the ...

At X-Rite Pantone, we love color, and we’re passionate about helping you get yours right. That’s why we offer a full-service training program, staffed with Color Experts from many of the industries we serve. From beginner to advanced, lowest investment to highest return, we offer a variety of options to teach you everything you need to know to be successful. Are you new to color, wondering where it fits in your business objectives? Do you already have a color workflow, but ...

As we close out 2016, it’s time to look ahead to 2017 and the upcoming manufacturing trends that will influence how we do business in the New Year. With rapidly changing technology, it’s difficult to know exactly what’s coming next, but we can definitely make some predictions. Over the past year, I have interviewed many customers across a variety of manufacturing industries to learn more about their industry concerns, the design and manufacturing challenges they face, and the t...

Our color measurement devices are used by designers, brand owners, formulators, printers, and manufacturers around the world. Ranging from portable handheld devices, to large benchtop instruments, to spectrophotometers mounted inline, they can measure just about anything to help formulate and maintain a perfect color match. Many of our customers, especially those in the paint industry, are asked to color match some pretty interesting things, and we love to hear about them. We recently asked 40 p...

It’s the most wonderful time of the year! A time to reminisce… to celebrate our successes, and to explore areas that may need a little more attention in 2017. If color accuracy is on your list of things to improve, this article is for you. We’ve compiled a list of the blogs our readers found most helpful and interesting in 2016, so you can start working toward your goal of more accurate color in the New Year. Did your favorite blog make the list? Top 10 X-Rite Blogs of 2016 ...

When you walk into a salon for a manicure or visit your favorite beauty products store, are you overwhelmed by the number of nail polish colors to choose from, but can’t actually find the color you want? This is a problem Ashley Morgan set out to solve. Morgan, who has a fine arts degree, has spent the last 15 years designing video games. She’s both creative and tech savvy. “I’m a nail polish advocate, and I don’t mind spending the time choosing a nail polish color,” she says. “But the availabl...

When judging color, background can be a major distraction for the human eye. In fact, surrounding colors and patterns can actually change the perception of the color you’re trying to focus on. One of the wonderful things about color measurement instruments like colorimeters and spectrophotometers is that they can’t be distracted. They aren’t susceptible to variables such as fatigue, age or color vision deficiency. They aren’t even aware that a surround exists – they...

Le tue letture della misurazione del colore sono diverse da quelle dei fornitori? Se è così, sei in buona compagnia. È un aspetto importante che devi risolvere. Se le tue misurazioni non corrispondono con quelle dei fornitori, ti potresti trovare nella condizione di rifiutare materiali che invece dovresti accettare, di NON rifiutare materiali che invece DOVRESTI scartare, e naturalmente sprecare molto tempo, energie e denaro per produrre un colore che, in definitiva, &egrav...

In color production, mistakes can happen anytime, anywhere… during specification, formulation, manufacturing, assembly, quality control, or (unfortunately) all of the above. Every mistake adds up to wasted time and materials, and stacking errors across a production workflow can get expensive very quickly. How can you stop this error stack from happening? If your job requires you to get color right, spectral data should be your best friend. One of our favorite eLearning courses to help customers...

Passionate about color? We are too. As a company that prides itself on its color knowledge and enthusiasm, X-Rite Pantone is excited about the various ways ArtPrize showcases the power of color. Each fall, ArtPrize installs over 1000 works of art in downtown Grand Rapids, attracting thousands of visitors. By using consistent colors in its guides, signs, banners, flags, and merchandise, ArtPrize creates a colorful map that helps both visitors and locals see the city through a different perspectiv...

Spectrophotometers are instruments that measure color. Manufacturers use them in every industry where accurate color is important, from paint and plastics to textiles, packaging, and even food. The data captured by spectros allow designers, brand owners, manufacturers, and quality control professionals to precisely communicate color and ensure it stays accurate throughout production. Sometimes I’m asked which color is the hardest to measure and control. Can you guess what it is? Overly s...

Walking through the streets of Los Angeles, it’s no secret that graffiti is a huge problem. According to LA Weekly, graffiti-removal requests have increased by 64 percent in the last five years. City Administrative Officer Miguel Santana says that by June the Board of Public Works had already recorded 141,000 requests for the 2015-16 fiscal year, compared to 86,000 in 2010-11. Image courtesy of http://typo-graphical.com/ Graffiti a big problem that is continuing to grow, but color measurement so...

Tim Mouw is our Manager of Applications Engineering & Technical Support for the Americas. Tim is so knowledgeable about the impact of color in many industries, and his stories always intrigue us. Tim has authored many X-Rite Pantone blogs, including: What is metamerism, and why should you care? Effective ways to measure reflective surfaces What’s sabotaging your sustainability efforts? 5 color evaluation pitfalls to avoid Why is controlling color so hard? We recently sat down with him to...

Whether it’s using Munsell Color Standards or one of our many color measurement devices, X-Rite helps manufacturers around the world achieve accurate color. We talked to our support team to learn about some of the most interesting ways people have used our equipment to measure and control color. From archeologists to fur traders and gastroenterologists, here are a few of our favorites. In 2014, the city of Los Angeles used one of our handheld spectrophotometers to help remove more than 37 millio...

For many of us, fun in the sun can lead to a summertime tan. The science behind this sun + skin interaction is melanin, a skin pigment our body releases to block the UV rays found in sunlight. The more time we spend in the sun, the more melanin is released, and the darker (or more freckled) our skin becomes. This shift in skin tone doesn’t matter for most people, but for prosthetic wearers even a slight change can be a big deal. Here’s how Royal Preston hospital in the United Kingdom is using co...

When visually evaluating color, everyone accepts or rejects color matches based on their color perception skills. In manufacturing, this subjectivity can lead to confusion and frustration between customers, suppliers, vendors, production, and management. Are these acceptable color differences? This is why color measurement devices are important in so many industries. By measuring colors using a spectrophotometer, you can communicate and compare spectral data for exact results. To aid in color...

A partire dagli anni '30, le regole della moda imponevano di non usare il bianco prima del Memorial Day, ovvero il giorno di commemorazione dei soldati americani caduti in guerra, che in genere cade nell’ultimo lunedì di maggio. Era uno status symbol quando i ricchi si lasciavano alle spalle gli indumenti invernali e si recavano in spiaggia per l'estate con abiti leggeri e informali. Sebbene la regola sia ancora vagamente valida, la moda moderna è più attenta alla lumi...

Real or fake? When it comes to medicating children, consumers need to know the products they choose are genuine. When you hear the word counterfeiting, do you automatically think of counterfeit money? Unfortunately counterfeiting goes much farther than that. It’s impacting just about every industry worldwide. It is a huge problem for product integrity and results in financial loss. Estimates put counterfeited and pirated goods at some 2 to 2.5% of world trade, with a value of $600 billion or mor...

You’re at the grocery store, trying to choose a new snack. With so many brands on the shelf, how will you decide? If you’re like most consumers, you’ll probably reach for the most attractive package. Color and packaging play a leading role in brand success, and metallized substrates are more popular than ever. Consumers love them because they convey quality and offer additional strength and protection, but for printers, metallized substrates are expensive and make print color ...

Ti è mai capitato di uscire di casa pensando di indossare due calzettoni neri per poi arrivare al lavoro e accorgerti che uno dei due era blu scuro? Sì? Allora sei stato vittima del metamerismo. Il metamerismo è un fenomeno che si verifica quando due colori sembrano corrispondere con una condizione di illuminazione, ma non quando la luce cambia. Le concordanze metameriche sono abbastanza comuni, soprattutto con colori quasi neutri, come i grigi, con i bianchi e con i colori ...

No matter what you’re manufacturing, taking spectral measurements will help ensure your color remains accurate and consistent throughout your production run. When choosing the best spectro for your needs, your first consideration should be the type of surface you’ll be measuring. Measuring reflective surfaces poses a challenge because the effect of gloss can actually change the color appearance of a sample. The surface reflection of light is what causes the gloss effec...

Today is Earth Day. You know the buzz phrase – Reduce, Reuse, Recycle – but do you know what it means for your manufacturing process? Designed by Freepik Here are the top three places in a color workflow that can sabotage a company’s sustainability efforts. Not monitoring color throughout production, which leads to expensive rework and wasted raw materials. Incorrect colorant formulation. Are you using too much? Are you wasting the leftovers? Sending color samples back and forth and long approv...

Physical standards are one of the most precise ways to communicate color in many industries, including textiles, print, automotive, paints, food, chemicals, packaging, and plastics. Many brand owners and designers communicate color expectations using physical standards, and suppliers and manufacturers rely on them to capture spectral data for formulation. While physical standards can be a great help, they can also hurt business if they’re not cared for properly. Today we’ll look at five tips to...

Sharing a strong passion for how color can transform a face, mood or even an attitude, Pantone® has once again partnered with Sephora, the leading beauty specialty retailer, to create another extraordinary PANTONE Color of the Year cosmetic collection. Launched on December 26th, the SEPHORA + PANTONE UNIVERSE collection includes a 24-color eyes palette, a matte lipstick in each color, and a 5-piece lip gloss set. The first SEPHORA + PANTONE UNIVERSE collection was released in 2011 with Tangerine...

Which of these swatches would you call bright red? PANTONE FASHION, HOME + INTERIORS Color Specifier pages Speaking the language of color isn’t like giving someone your phone number and expecting they’ll remember it. Our minds just don’t process color like that. While vague color descriptions are sufficient for many people – “Turn left at the blue house” or “choose the reddest strawberries” – if you work in an industry where color is important, you need to know how to speak a much more spe...

In the world of retail paint, getting to the best color match quickly is key to keeping your customers happy and coming back for more. Today we’ll review ways to get the most from your color measurement tools and how to match paint so your associates can be color experts, and you can enjoy fewer corrections and improved profitability. Do any of these swatches match the customer’s quilt? Not really. Gain customer’s trust by creating a perfectly matched paint color. Color...

Green is green, right? Maybe if you’re celebrating St. Patrick’s Day, but not when your bottom line is impacted by color accuracy. In the color industry, a tolerance is the acceptable amount of difference between a standard (the color you’re trying to match) and a sample (the color you are producing). To determine whether a color is within tolerance, many manufacturers use a color measurement device called a spectrophotometer to measure both colors and compare the difference be...

If you work in an industry where color accuracy is important, you know that lighting plays a huge role in how you perceive color. A light booth is a crucial part of any visual evaluation program. It can help you verify whether the color of your product is acceptable, plus ensure it will remain accurate in every lighting condition after purchase. When parts are manufactured at different factories, a light booth should also be used to make sure they continue to match under any lighting condition o...

No matter the industry, consistency and exacting data are essential to every color quality control program. Whether you’re communicating color, making color decisions, or conducting diagnostics testing based on color, you can rely on Munsell Color standards. These honey, syrup, and molasses standards help the USDA determine which products pass inspection. Along with its huge library of color standards, Munsell Color can also produce custom physical standards to help you validate you...

The Fundamentals of Color and Appearance – FOCA for short – is a very popular one-day seminar for anyone who deals with color. From the best way to communicate color so everyone is speaking the same language, to tips for judging the smallest color differences, you’ll learn everything you need to know to measure, view, and understand color data in any industry. Whether you’re dealing with plastics, textiles or paints, or using dyes, inks or other colorants, the basics of color are very similar. B...

January is a popular time for “Top” lists. The Top 100 Songs. The Top 20 News Stories. The Top 50 Travel Destinations. We’re looking back too, and blog readership is one area we find very interesting. Today we’ll share the Top 5 Posts of 2015, what we think they say about you – our blog readers – and how we plan to continue these popular conversations in 2016. New in 2015: The X-Rite Pantone Customer Center at our corporate headquarters in Grand Rapids, Michigan is a great place to see our produ...

Pantone®, an X-Rite company, recently announced a pair of complementary shades as its 2016 Color of the Year:  PANTONE 15-3919 Serenity and PANTONE 13-1520 Rose Quartz. The PANTONE Color of the Year announcement is always exciting because it sets the stage for upcoming trends. The Color of the Year selection process is very thoughtful and a lot of consideration is given to the color choices. To arrive at the selection each year, Leatrice Eiseman, Executive Director of the Pantone Color Institut...

Using a spectrophotometer to measure color doesn’t necessarily mean you’re going to capture accurate data. The most common reason for incorrect measurements and inconsistent readings among instruments is using the wrong device settings. Today we’ll look at five things you must consider when setting up your device and taking measurements. Illuminant and Observer angle The illuminant describes the color of the light under which you’re judging colors. To accurately determine how the color will...