X-Rite 제품과 서비스를 관리하는 중앙 위치를 찾고 계세요? My X-Rite에서 확인하세요. 제품 정보나 지원, 서비스 세부 정보 또는 학습 리소스에 대한 액세스가 필요한 경우 몇 번의 클릭만으로 무료 온라인 포털을 이용할 수 있습니다. 연중무휴 24시간 액세스 가능: 컴퓨터나 모바일 장치에서 24시간 내내 개인 대시보드에 쉽게 액세스할 수 있습니다. 맞춤형 대시보드: 편리한 단일 위치에서 가장 중요한 정보들을 확인할 수 있습니다. 간편한 서비스 및 지원: 서비스 및 지원 티켓을 제출하고 추적할 수 있습니다. My X-Rite란 무엇인가? My X-Rite는 한 곳에서 장치를 관리하고, 주문 추적, 송장 확인, 서비스 및 지원 티켓을 모니터링할 수 있는 온라인 포털입니다. 맞춤형 대시보드를 사용하면 이메일이나 전화를 보내지 않고도 하루 24시간, 일주일 내내 컴퓨터나 모바일 장치에서 가장 중요한 정보를 확인할 수 있습니다. My X-Rit...

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...

제품 또는 포장 인쇄를 담당하는 사람이라면 누구나 오렌지와 같은 일부 색상은 CMY 잉크만을 사용하여 재현하기가 너무 어렵다는 것을 알고 있습니다. 네 번째 색상인 검은색(K는 키 컬러(Key color)를 의미)은 종종 감산 색상 인쇄 응용 프로그램에 추가됩니다. C+M+Y는 실제로 C, M, Y의 잉크 불순물로 인해 탁한 갈색을 만들기 때문에, 검은색 잉크를 별도로 첨가하면 CMY만으로는 달성할 수 없는 깊은 색과 톤이 생성되고, 게다가 그림자에 밀도가 더해집니다. 이러한 4색 인쇄를 CMYK라고 합니다. 이번 포스팅에서는 프린터가 CMY의 영역을 확장하여 잉크를 절약할 수 있는 다른 방법에 대해 알아보겠습니다. 인쇄기에 Gray component replacement (GCR) (GCR)와 스팟 컬러를 사용하면 더 선명하고 생생한 색상을 만들 수 있습니다. GCR & UCR 1980년대에 GCR (Gray Component Replacement)라고 ...

This time of year, the internet is full of Top 10 Countdowns. It’s a tradition we’ve embraced since 1940 when the Billboard published its first chart ranking the top selling recorded songs. Since then, others have jumped on the bandwagon to highlight the most popular trends of the previous year.   We’ve been publishing our top-read blogs since 2016, and we’re happy to see some educational topics like color perception, tolerancing, and spectrophotometers continue to r...

브랜드 컬러 선택, 새로운 제품 라인을 위한 팔레트 제작, 계절 패키지 디자인 작업을 수행할 때 영감은 색상 선택의 핵심 단계입니다. 영감은 일상적 장소에서 얻을 수 있으며, 예를 들면 다음과 같습니다. 파티. 식료품점. 스포츠 이벤트. 대자연. 대자연은 가장 아름다운 컬러 팔레트를 만드는 재주가 있습니다. "2022/2023 가을/겨울 컬러는 풍부한 톤과 함께 편안하고 회복력 있는 다양한 컬러를 통해 고요함과 편안함에 대한 우리의 욕구를 활력 넘치는 에너지와 대비시킵니다."라고 Pantone Color Institute의 전무 이사인 Leatrice Eiseman이 말했습니다. “우리가 모순으로 가득 찬 환경으로 나아갈 때, 2022/2023 가을/겨울 색상을 통해 소비자는 다양한 대비 색조 사이를 유연하게 이동할 수 있으며, 따라서 그들이 자신의 정체성과 그날의 느낌을 자발적으로 표현할 수 있게 해줍니다” 디자이너는 소비자를 유혹하는 다양한 색조와 조화로운 ...

분광측색계를 교정하는 이유는 무엇일까요? 대부분의 경우 오늘날의 측색 장비는 100% 디지털 방식입니다. 실제로 내부에는 전구를 제외하고는 아날로그 부품이 거의 없습니다. 이전의 아날로그 제품보다 더 안정적이지만 허용 오차가 훨씬 작으므로, 이러한 엄격한 사양 내에서 유지하려면 정기적인 분광측색계 교정이 필요합니다. 전구 안정성 장비를 사용하면서 전구를 계속 켜고 끄게 되므로 그 특성이 바뀌기 시작합니다. 분광측색계 보정은 전구의 이러한 빛 생산 능력의 변화를 보정합니다. 신중하게 보정하면 전구의 수명이 다할 때까지 몇 달 또는 몇 년 동안 장비를 안정적으로 유지할 수 있습니다. 타일과 렌즈 청결 장비 내부에는 정의된 흰색과 정의된 검정색이라는 두 개의 색 공간 포인트에 대한 설정이 있습니다. 애초에 공장에서 백색 교정 타일을 정의하기 위해 전체 반사율 곡선이 작성되었고, 검은색 트랩 내부의 검은색 포인트를 정의하기 위해 전체 반사율 곡선이 작성되었습니다. 흰색과 검은색의 정확한...

When customers are just getting started with color management, they often ask, "What is the difference between a spectrometer and a spectrophotometer?". With such a minute spelling difference, it's easy to make a quick typo and get the wrong answer for this color question. So...what's the difference? Spectrometers vs. Spectrophotometers    What is a Spectrophotometer? A spectrophotometer is a color measurement device that is used to capture and evaluate color on just about anything, in...

How many trial and error steps does it take you to formulate a color? If you answered more than three, it might be time to enlist the help of a computerized solution. Computer-aided color formulation can bring huge benefits to your business. Out of the gate, even beginners can hit color targets faster, saving time, money and expensive colorants. Once you have established an accurate method, you can expect to match 95% of your color formula requirements within a reasonable color distance on the f...

Are you wondering if the new eXact™ 2 is right for your shop? Today we’ll break down the top device, software, and support features for printers and converters to help you decide.   eXact 2 Device Enhancements for Printers and Converters First, let’s lay out the main hardware differences between eXact 1 and eXact 2. 30% Larger, Tiltable Screen with Double the Resolution. While this may not sound like a huge deal, if you’re measuring press sheets all day, y...

As the range of substrates, inks, and printing technologies has expanded, so has the challenge of maintaining color quality for brands and printers. A workflow based on digital standards is the easiest way to achieve accuracy and consistency across shifts and sites, regardless of production requirements. Adding a quality control solution like ColorCert® to your workflow can boost your bottom line even more. What is ColorCert? ColorCert is a modular, job-based solution that streamlines color ...

With more consumer package goods (CPG) brands implementing packaging quality control programs to monitor color tolerances, converters and package printers need color measurement solutions that integrate directly with reporting systems. Our IntelliTrax2 Pro and eXact Auto-Scan Pro Scanning Solutions combine the power of our industry-leading automated scanning devices with the power of our end-to-end software solutions to meet the needs of brands, packaging converters, and commercial printers alik...

대형마트 매장 선반에서 음료 제품을 고를 때 소비자들은 뛰어난 맛 뿐만 아니라 제품이 보이는 형태에도 일관성을 요구합니다. 색상과 투명도는 품질에 필수 지표입니다 – 어떠한 형태의 결함이나 오염은 원료 내 불순물 또는 가열 및 산화에 의한 공정 변화를 의미할 수 있습니다. . 하지만, 과일/야채 주스, 맥주, 혼합 칵테일 등과 같은 음료는 생산 가동 중에 통제하기 어렵습니다. 과일과 같은 천연 재료는 색이 제각각 일 수 있습니다. 혼합음료의 원재료에는 액체, 고체, 가루 등의 어떤 조합도 포함될 수 있으며, 색상이 조금만 바뀌어도 최종 혼합물의 색상에 큰 차이가 생길 수 있습니다.  일관성 있는 색상을 위해 액체의 색상을 제어하기 위해서는 색상 데이터를 수집하는 올바른 도구와 색상 변형을 식별하고 수정할 수 있는 적절한 프로세스가 필요합니다.   액체의 색상 측정을 위한 도구  1 - 분광측색계 액체 색상 측정 시, 육안 검사만으로는 ...

.upcoming-webinar-block { width: 100%; display: table; margin-bottom: 20px; } .upcoming-webinar-left { width: 120px; padding-right: 20px; display: table-cell; } .upcoming-webinar-left img { margin-top: 10px; } .upcoming-webinar-right { vertical-align: top; display: table-cell; } Color measurement devices have been around since the 1940s, but they’ve come a long way since then. Built by Jules Duboscq in France in 1870, t...

In a perfect world, you should be able to put ink in the press and simply run a job. Unfortunately, every year flexo and gravure printing operations waste ink, substrate and press time trying to get color right. Although advancements in technology have made it easier to achieve color accuracy, the variables that affect color still exist. In this three-part series, we're sharing over two dozen reasons your color might be wrong on press. If you missed the first article - Instrumentation - check i...

In a perfect world, you should be able to put ink in the press, run a job, and achieve color consistency. Unfortunately, every year flexographic and gravure printing operations waste ink, substrate, and press time trying to get color right. Although advancements in technology have made it easier to achieve color accuracy, the variables that affect color still exist. In this three part series we’ll share over two dozen reasons your color might be wrong at press side. Today’s topic lo...

In a perfect world, you should be able to put ink in the press and simply run a job. Unfortunately, every year flexo and gravure printing operations waste ink, substrate and press time trying to get color right. Although advancements in technology have made it easier to achieve color accuracy, the variables that affect color still exist. In this three-part series, we’re sharing over two dozen reasons your color might be wrong on press. We’ve already covered two important factors &nda...

Color measurement is used to specify, quantify, communicate, formulate, and verify color quality for color critical work. Because everyone perceives color differently, color measurement is more precise than visual evaluation.  How to Measure Color Wavelength To measure color, a color measurement device called a spectrophotometer shines light onto a sample and captures the amount of light that is transmitted or reflected in the 380 nm to 780 nm wavelength range, which is the wavelength rang...

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. ...

ICC color management means having a workflow that is predictable, consistent, and repeatable from capture through proofing to final output. To achieve a color managed workflow, you need to calibrate your devices and create an ICC profile for every component, including the camera, monitor, projector, scanner, and printer.   Why Calibrate and Profile? For the best color results, you need to calibrate each device that is contributing to your workflow to ensure it is accurately reproducing colo...

COVID-19 has forced many companies to rethink the way they communicate, approve, and produce color.  For some, that means trying to conduct “business as usual” from a remote location. For others, it means finding ways to manage color without travel. Either way, we know our customers are doing everything they can to sustain business while keeping their employees healthy and safe. We want to help. Over the past few months we’ve been adding new resources to our virtual resou...

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...

As we always say, with so many places for color to go wrong it can be hard to know how to get it right. This is especially true if you’re measuring or viewing color with a device that is out of calibration or needs service. You can spend a lot of time trying to locate a color problem that may not exist – or even worse, create a new one. One simple way to minimize color errors and inconsistencies is to calibrate, maintain, and certify your devices. At X-Rite, our goal is to make this ...

액체 색상은 생산 과정 중에 조절하기 어려운 요소 중 하나이지만, 그만큼 중요한 요소 이기도 합니다. 가령, 매장에 진열되어 있는 주스 병들 중 한 개만 옅은 색을 띄고 있다면, 그 제품을 고르시겠습니까?     액체의 투명도는 그 측정 범위가 반투명에서 불투명까지 자리하고 있기 때문에 측정이 쉽지 않고, 또한 액체 특성상 고정이 어려우며 장비와 측정 소재 양측 모두 오염의 소지가 있어 측정 장비와의 접촉이 불가 합니다.  오늘 포스팅에서는 액체의 색상 측정 시 적절한 분광측색계를 선택하는 방법, 액체 측정 샘플 추출 방법, 그리고 측정 완료 후 결과 데이터를 가지고 무엇을 하는지에 대해 다루어 볼 예정입니다.     액체 색상측정을 위한 장비 고르기  분광측색계를 선택할 시, 액체의 화학적 구성은 투명도 만큼 중요하지는 않습니다. 사과 제품을 예시로 들어보겠습니다.   애플 주스는 색이 연하지만 대부분 반투명...

How much time, paper, and ink do you waste re-printing images because the color isn’t right? Before you blame your printer, consider your monitor. When you work on an un-calibrated and un-profiled monitor, you can’t trust the colors you see on-screen, making it hard to make good editing decisions. Luckily, monitor calibration and profiling is a breeze with i1Profiler software. i1Profiler comes with i1Basic Pro 3 and i1Basic Pro 3 Plus. Wizard-based, it walks you through every st...

Softproofing – the ability to simulate how an image will appear in print right from your monitor – can save a lot of time and effort in your printing workflow. Although many photographers already rely on it, anyone who designs, approves, prepares or prints brand and color-critical images can also benefit. With softproofing, designers can create with actual specified colors (no more trial and error!), project owners can approve layouts without physical proofs (predictable color!), and...

As brand owners compete to make packaging stand out, commercial and flexible packaging converters and label printers are charged with achieving accurate color – on unique substrates – with shorter print runs. Many spend a lot of time mixing ink, then end up throwing it away when the color isn’t right. Others mix ink, store it, and spend way too much time trying to reuse it for future print runs.  If you’re stuck in this cycle, you’re essentially paying for ink...

Whether you’re producing textiles, automotive parts, or plastic pieces, color needs to remain consistent or the final product will be rejected. Unfortunately, there are many ways for color errors to creep in during manufacturing. Creating and using accurate digital color standards is one way to combat these errors. Digital color standards can be used in software to specify and communicate color, formulate colorants and raw materials, and control color quality. They give brand owners peac...

COVID-19 has stopped many industries in their tracks, textiles included. Travel bans and shelter-in-place orders are forcing vast, inter-connected supply chains to rethink the way they work.  For brands that were already looking for new ways to achieve accurate color and speed time to market, this could be an opportunity. This global pandemic may help the apparel industry make important decisions to change the way it works – for the better – not only to get through this crisis, ...

Our customers who are now working remotely need to be aware that changing a small variable – such as approving color from home under a different light source, or emailing specifications instead of sending a physical sample – can introduce color issues that risk creating a larger color problem. The first and most critical stage to color control is accurate color communication. These resources will help you get started. The Importance of Color Communication Blog | Many color...

Spectrophotometers (“spectros” for short) are color measurement devices used to capture and evaluate color. As part of a color control program, brand owners and designers use them to specify and communicate color, and manufacturers use them to monitor color accuracy throughout production. Spectrophotometers can measure just about anything, including liquids, plastics, paper, metal and fabrics, and help ensure that color remains consistent from conception to delivery.   &nb...

Phone and computer screens are the window into the digital world of color, but if you are approving colors via email or text you need to be aware of the limitations.  For starters, each of your devices relies on a different color model to display color. Input devices – your camera and monitor – use the additive color model to display color. They start with darkness and add red, green, and blue light to create a spectrum of colors. Printers, on the other hand, use the s...

Does your quality control program include visual evaluation? Lighting plays a huge role in how we perceive color. It can help you verify whether the color of your product is acceptable and ensure it remains accurate in every possible lighting condition after purchase.     Many of our customers are finding visual evaluation to be even more important as they transition color reviews and approvals to a different location, such as in the home office or to another remote environmen...

So much goes into the way you perceive color, including light, genetics, the environment, human traits, and even fatigue. You may also be among the 1 in 255 women and 1 in 12 men who have some form of color vision deficiency. Our online color challenge is a fun way to better understand your color vision acuity.     Regardless of your color vision acuity, if you are communicating, evaluating, or approving color from a new location your eyes may trick you into making diff...

Color has always been a critical factor for our customers. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many are now trying to design, specify, communicate and ultimately achieve accurate color from remote locations or with less staff and fewer resources. Are you having trouble maintaining your color program in this unprecedented time?  We've compiled our most popular resources – blogs, videos, whitepapers, webinars, and case studies – to help you connect with your supply chain and ...

As with everything we touch, our color measurement instruments are prone to contamination from germs and viruses. Our Hardware Team consulted CDC advice and put together steps to disinfect your benchtop and handheld devices. Disinfection Warnings Do not immerse your device in liquid or apply any type of liquid directly on the instrument. Refrain from spraying disinfecting product directly onto the instrument surface, including foam disinfectants. Do not use product...

지난번 포스팅을 통해 디지털 텍스타일 프린팅의 수요가 증가하는 이유와 이러한 시장의 변화가 디지털 프린팅 산업에 미치는 영향력 및 관련업체 종사자들의 당면과제들에 대하여 설명하였습니다. 이번에는 Onsight의 Digital Imaging Expert인 Scott Martin의 도움을 받아, 일관된 디지털 작업 흐름을 위한 디지털 텍스타일 프로파일링에 도움이 되는 팁과 도구를 공유하도록 하겠습니다.  비교적 부드러운 텍스처를 가진 직물의 경우에는, 기존의 디지털 프린팅 영역에서 사용되던 장비를 그대로 적용하는 것이 가능한 경우가 많습니다. 하지만, 표면 질감의 굴곡이 크거나 높은 표면 반사가 있는 직물(코팅된 캔버스)들은 기존 장비를 그대로 적용하는 경우 문제를 일으킬 수 있는 높은 가능성을 가지고 있습니다.    일반적으로 매끄러운 직물보다는 표면이 거친 텍스타일 상에서 색상의 일관성을 유지하는 것이 훨씬 어렵습니다. 또한 형광색상 계열의 표현은 좀 더...

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...

The eXact is a handheld spectrophotometer with an intuitive touchscreen interface. Printers and packaging converters use it to control, manage, and communicate color from anywhere on the pressroom floor. It comes in a variety of models to fit every customer need, and can be upgraded as those needs change. With so many to choose from, it can be hard to know which eXact model is right for you. Today’s blog can help you decide. Explore by eXact Model eXact Basic Densitometer: If...

Inter-instrument agreement is a very important consideration when selecting color measurement devices for your workflow. Unfortunately, it’s such a technical topic that it leads to a lot of confusion about what it means and why it’s important. The Ci7860 sphere benchtop spectrophotomter is has an inter-instrument agreement specification of 0.06 average Delta E*, enabling brands to create the most precise master color standards. Today we’re making it as simple as possibl...

Spectrophotometers are color measurement devices that measure color to ensure it remains consistent from the time it’s specified until final quality check. They can be used to measure everything from liquids and plastics to paper, metal, and fabrics for just about every industry.   Here Are Our Top Spectrophotometer Picks for 2019.   Best Spectrophotometer to Create Digital Standards Using a digital standard is the most accurate way to specify and communicate color, des...

Each color has its own appearance based on three key attributes – hue, chroma (saturation), and value (lightness). When you’re describing a color, it’s important to use all three of these attributes to accurately identify the color and distinguish it from others.  What is hue? Hue is defined as how most of us perceive and name a color – using the colors of the rainbow (red, orange, green, blue, etc.). Reference the color wheel, below, to see how colors shift from one...

Controlling color on cylindrical-shaped items like cups, cans, and tubes is a challenge because it’s hard to properly align the measurement device with the sample. Many printers and manufacturers cut a piece from the finished product and lay it flat to take a measurement. While this method works, each sample takes time to cut, wastes product, and risks the safety of the employees who are cutting the samples.  A Faster, Safer Solution X-Rite’s Cup and Cylinder Fixture works ...

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...

Hitting offset lithographic color targets isn’t always fast or easy. The manual process of measuring color bars and making ink key adjustments takes time and opens the door to operator error. Meanwhile, the press is running (and wasting) paper and ink. To achieve accurate and repeatable color, printers need to convert their printing operation to an efficient manufacturing process and drive efficiencies in all phases of their operation. For many, a closed-loop automated solution is the...

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...

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...

위도, 경도, 고도 등의 지리적 좌표와 같이 컬러 또한  L*a*b* 값을 사용하여, 정확한 색상 값을 지정하고 그것을 기반으로 커뮤니케이션을 할 수 있습니다. What’s the history of L*a*b*? 1940년대에, Richard Hunter박사는 3차원 공간 모델인 Lab을 개발하였습니다. 이 LAB 모델은 인식된 색상 차이를 동일한 공간영역으로 나타내기 위해 구성되었습니다. 31년후, CIE는 Hunter’s Lab의 업데이트 버전인 CIELab을 발표했습니다. CIELab을 올바르게 읽는 방법은 “see-lab” 또는 “L-star, a-star, b-star,” 이지만, 일부의 색상측정 장비나 어플리케이션은 간략화 하여 L,A,B 또는 Lab이라고 표기하기도 합니다. What does L*a*b* stand for?  어떠한 식으로 CIElab을 부르던, 더 중요한 것은 L*a...

Closed-loop color can mean something different to different audiences. When I first think about closed-loop color control, I may think about the pressroom, where it is really just a question of integrating measurements directly from the press, adjusting them, measuring and reporting, offering a nice closed-loop system that adjusts, controls, and allows me to report the results. But that’s really only one small aspect. You can incorporate a loop from the ink room, for instance, and bring t...

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...

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...

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 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 ...

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...

If you’re a commercial printer who wants to improve color quality and consistency, this blog is for you. X-Rite color management solutions for print and packaging deliver excellence in quality control, formulation and automation. Ray Cheydleur is a printing industry veteran of more than 20 years, a standards guru, and our Portfolio Manager for Printing and Imaging Products. Passionate and very knowledgeable about color, he has a talent for helping printers improve their color quality and c...

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...

Each year Printing News asks their readers which new products made the most difference in their productivity. We’re excited to announce that our very own i1iSis 2 and i1iSis 2 XL are among the winners! These two automated chart readers are the latest members of the popular i1iSis solutions family for pre-press, pre-media, photo, and pressroom color management and profiling. In high production environments such as photo processing, large format, fine art and high-speed digital printing, frequen...

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...

If so, we’d like you to know there’s an easier way. An upgrade from the original IntelliTrax, IntelliTrax2 is an automated, non-contact scanning system that makes it easy for busy pressrooms to measure color bars and press sheets without the risk of human error. Adding press-side quality control into your color workflow can shorten your makeready, reduce waste, and help you get to optimum color quality fast. IntelliTrax2 is an ideal color management solution for high-end, high-speed commercial ...

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...

In an effort to reduce costs and keep up with demand, many U.S. textile and apparel companies are turning to global markets for their raw materials. According to a recent study by The University of North Carolina at Greensboro, this trend has been spurred by trade agreements, and it’s putting a lot of pressure on manufacturers to find suppliers with high quality raw materials at low prices. Since final products are only as consistent as their raw materials, working with a v...

We’ve all done it. Snapped a picture on a digital camera or smart phone, sent it to the computer, made a few adjustments, then sent it off to print…. only to be disappointed. The sky looks green. Grandma’s hair is purple. The contrast is so far off you can’t even see that cute little puppy. Stupid camera. The struggle is real for so many people, from hobbyist to professional photographers, graphic designers, and professional printers. Let’s look into this all-too-common mystery of the off-color ...

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 ...

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...

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...

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...

Extended gamut printing is becoming more and more popular in the printing industry. With Pantone’s new EXTENDED GAMUT Guide, printers and designers have a visual guide to help predict how close of a match is possible when they use 7-color process in place of spot inks.   Ron Voigt, President of X-Rite Pantone, was recently interviewed on the topic by Cary Sherburne, senior editor at WhatTheyThink.  According to Voigt, the EXTENDED GAMUT Guide helps printers visualize how well Pantone...

In a perfect world, you should be able to put ink in the press and run a job.  Unfortunately, there are so many variables that affect color that printing operations often waste thousands of pounds of substrate, and thousands of dollars in press time, making adjustments. Advancements in technology have made it easier to measure color, but the variables still exist. To help you over come them, we’ll be featuring a series that points out many of the reasons your color could go wrong at press side....

X-Rite’s inline color measurement solutions monitor color accuracy during production. If color begins to move out-of-spec, the system alerts operators to make corrections before any product is wasted. Coil coating is one area where inline color measurement is very effective for achieving the most cost benefit. The coil coating process has been around for more than 30 years, allowing companies to produce durable and attractive products. However, to achieve cost benefit, the focus must be o...

Color is a critical factor when selecting cosmetics and skin tone products. Women everywhere venture into stores, compare sample after sample trying to find the closest match, and hope for the best. With hundreds of different options, product lines and color palettes, buying makeup can be an expensive and frustrating process. Color technology to the rescue. Today we’ll look at how the CAPSURE Cosmetic spectrocolorimeter and the CAPSUREme mobile app are revolutionizing the way women buy makeup. ...

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...

If you use eXact with BestMatch™, the answer might be yes. BestMatch helps you determine if you can achieve a closer match to a specified color by adjusting ink on press. Formulating ink for a press run can be tricky because there are many things that go into it. The vehicle, colorants, and solvents are just a few of the things that impact ink quality, and whether it comes from your ink supplier or you mix it yourself, ink can vary in thickness or concentration. With BestMatch, you can confirm t...

FLEXO Magazine just published a study conducted by Clemson University, Sun Chemical, and X-Rite that verifies that PantoneLIVE Dependent Standard Targets can be achieved with 98% accuracy. This is big news for the many brand owners, designers, prepress professionals, printers and converters around the world who rely on PantoneLIVE to communicate and accurately produce their color. The focus of PantoneLIVE is to protect brand colors and ensure production consistency across everything from flexibl...

The X-Rite eXactTM is a portable spectrophotometer designed for pressroom use. Two big reasons for its success are it’s cordless operation and innovative color touch screen, which it make it very easy for printers and packaging converters to understand, control, manage, and communicate color from anywhere on the pressroom floor. Today we’ll take a look at the top five features that make the eXact an invaluable tool for offset litho, flexo, and digital printers. Wireless operation, plus unteth...

Would you choose a beverage off the store shelf if the same brand sitting next to it was a different color? The Bacardi Bottling Corporation knows the answer is probably no, which is why the company incorporates strict color standards into its Bacardi Mojito production process. Bacardi Mojito is a mix of premium rum, flavorings and special natural ingredients. Since the color of these ingredients can vary, Bacardi bottlers need to continually adjust their recipe to maintain consistent flavor an...

Each year the Printing Industries of America selects the most innovative graphics arts solutions to receive the 2015 InterTech™ Technology Awards. This year, the X-Rite eXactTM spectrophotometer with Scan Option was among the recipients of this prestigious award. Today we’ll take a look at the top features that make the eXact with Scan Option a star with offset litho, flexo, and digital printers. X-Rite eXact is the only device that measures for optical brighteners for both inks and substrate...

To achieve predictable, repeatable color on a flexographic press, you need good color management and solid process control. Otherwise, hitting your colors is really just luck. Although it may take a little effort to set up, it’s worth it. Your customers will be more satisfied, and you’ll save time and money through faster make-ready time and fewer reprints. Today we’ll take a look at what’s involved in setting up flexo process control. The X-Rite eXact takes the guesswor...

As we’ve talked about in previous posts, proper lighting conditions are crucial for evaluating color. The best way to know you’re seeing color accurately is to evaluate your samples in a quality light booth. But what if you don’t have a light booth available? Pantone has solved this problem with its LIGHTING INDICATOR Stickers. They’re economical, easy to use, and the second best way to find out if your viewing conditions are right for color evaluation. Here’...

Whether you’re printing on press or replicating a brand’s colors on the web, PANTONE’s Color Systems are the gold standard for communicating color specification and quality control. They provide a common language for color so specifiers and manufacturers can be sure they understand the customer’s expectations and reproduce those colors, even if they’re a world away. The PANTONE PLUS SERIES COLOR BRIDGE Set provides process color simulations of all solid PANTONE Colors as a side-by-side compariso...

Density only tells us one thing about a color – how light or dark it is. To compare and communicate accurate color in print and packaging, you also need to measure hue and saturation. Today we’ll take a look at the two most commonly used color models:  CIELAB and L*C*h°, and the tolerancing methods that help us describe color difference. The concept behind CIELAB and L*C*h° is similar to longitude, latitude and altitude … with three coordinates, you can describe the exact location of any place o...

X-Rite manufactures and supports color measurement solutions for global markets where color and appearance matter. We build and service each product in an environment that adheres to the highest standards and strictest tolerances. Our lean manufacturing process, Six Sigma mentality, and ISO 9001 and 17025 certifications provide confidence that every device you receive from X-Rite will work exactly as designed. Today we’ll take a look at what you need to do to protect your investment, from regula...

An X-Rite eXact spectrophotometer reading color patches on a press sheet. Your brand is your image, and accurately reproducing each color is crucial to brand integrity. But as color moves through the supply chain, among machines, printers and sites, a color can quickly shift away from its original intent. Nobody wants rework. It’s expensive! So how do manufacturers know they’re on track? Spectrophotometers allow brand owners to measure and specify color using a universal language—spectral values...