How to Measure Metallic and Special Effect Automotive Finishes
Challenges
When working to a precise specification, the paint shop must verify color accuracy and prove compliance. This process can introduce many challenges.
- Special effect automotive paints and coatings change in appearance based on the type of light and angle of reflection.
- Paint defects, like incorrect color on the base coat application, can cost on average up to $500 per vehicle to fix.
- Quality controllers need the quantifiable data from a color measurement device to verify and prove compliance, but existing instruments are heavy and quickly cause operator fatigue.
- With optics in the center, these devices are difficult to align in tight intersections and can distort the shape of curved and flexible parts during the measurement.
- Wasted time equates to wasted money, so quality control must happen fast.
Solution
This lightweight and compact instrument enables one handed operation and minimizes the fatigue associated with other multi-angle devices on the market. With optics on the tip, it is easy to align on shaped and flexible surfaces and tight intersections, while LED indicator lights ensure the instrument is correctly positioned on the sample. The MA-5 QC includes a touch screen display with an intuitive interface for simple data input and analysis. It can be programmed for automated jobs to collect multiple data points and provides green and red pass/fail tolerance lights for fail-proof analysis. It is the first device on the market to help users identify whether the temperature of a sample is affecting color data with an on-screen temperature preview.
Results
The MA-5 QC and EFX QC software help paint shops quickly evaluate metallic and special effect automotive finishes.
- 60% faster data collection at approximately 2.5 seconds per measurement.*
- 0.02 dE repeatability on white for consistent color data.
- Within 0.16 dE inter- instrument agreement when tested on 196 solid, metallic and pearlescent effect paints.
- 50% lighter at <22 ounces (615 grams).*
- 45% more compact.*
*Compared against X-Rite legacy and competitor devices with 5 or more measurement angles. Size based on external volume dimensions.
How it Works
The paint shop receives digital color specifications that describe both color and special effect appearance. - Quality Controllers use the MA-5 QC to measure various sections of the painted car body and compare it with the specified digital data.
- Using a pre-programmed process, the MA-5 QC guides the location for each measurement to collect multiple data points, and uses indicator lights to verify proper device alignment.
- The MA-5 QC compares the measured data with the digital color specification and displays a green checkmark if the color is within tolerance or a red checkmark if not.
- The connected EFX QC software tracks color measurement data to gauge quality and look for areas of improvement to increase profitability.
Learn more about automotive color measurement
Featured Products
A compact and lightweight spectrophotometer designed for consistent quality control and color measurement of effect finishes on the production floor, in the lab, and in the field.
Capture, define, and control effect finishes with digital data to enable real-time performance monitoring across an integrated supply chain with EFX QC software.
Achieve Color Success
The MA-5 QC multi-angle spectrophotometer with EFX QC software offers a fast, user-friendly, cost-effective solution to validate whether automotive special effect paint is within specification before assembly.
