New Color Lab at Teknor Benefits from X-Rite Pantone Technology
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich., October 24, 2016 – X-Rite Incorporated, a global leader in color science and technology, and its subsidiary Pantone LLC, today reported that Teknor has standardized on X-Rite color management solutions in its new Corporate Color Lab. As one of the largest privately owned U.S. plastic companies, Teknor offers a full line of custom and standard colors, as well as additives and special effects. Teknor uses a blend of X-Rite color measurement instruments, formulation software and lighting solutions to ensure accurate, consistent, and predictable color across all of its polymer products.
“X-Rite’s focus on providing complete, end-to-end color measurement, management and visual evaluation solutions makes it the best choice as a partner for Teknor and sets it apart from other companies in the color measurement and management space,” said Joe Andrade, Lab Manager at Teknor.
The Teknor Corporate Color Lab is used by several compounding divisions of Teknor Apex Company for the creation of color-accurate masterbatches and other products. A key requirement for Teknor in selecting the X-Rite Ci7800 benchtop spectrophotometer was its strong inter-instrument agreement with Teknor’s existing global installed base of X-Rite Color i7 benchtop spectrophotometers. When sharing and verifying color measurement data across a global company, it is important that similar instruments read and report color data the same way with a similar level of accuracy. Otherwise, color errors can build up over the entire workflow leading to rejections and rework. With the Ci7800, Teknor achieved the desired inter-instrument agreement and alignment with historical measurements from the company’s Color i7 installed base for a streamlined color control process across the entire organization.
Fast Color Formulation
“In the masterbatching process, every compound reacts differently and each batch requires formulation adjustments,” Andrade explained. “The Ci7800 with Color iMatch formulation software provides Teknor’s lab with the necessary data for process control.”
Color iMatch is a job-oriented color formulation solution that helps Teknor select the best colorant formulation for a variety of plastics applications. In order to customize its color formulation and management processes, Teknor added its pigment color palette to Color iMatch software. Now customer samples are measured using the Ci7800, and color curves are analyzed to determine the best possible formulation. As a result, color formulation is faster and more accurate, saving time and reducing laboratory waste.
Improving Visual Evaluation
While Teknor uses market-leading hardware and software to formulate and measure color, the company still sees an important role for visual color evaluation, both in the lab and in quality control. To help evaluate both small and large objects under different controlled lighting conditions, the company built an X-Rite SpectraLight-powered light room, painted in Munsell gray. The company also uses a SpectraLight QC light booth for its quality control professionals.
“The SpectraLight-powered light room impresses customers, especially those in the automotive industry, with its ability to simplify evaluation of color under various controlled lighting conditions,” Andrade reported.
Read the full Teknor story at http://www.xrite.com/learning/case-studies/teknor-visual-evaluation
X-Rite Solutions for the Plastics Industry at K 2016
X-Rite will showcase its latest color management solutions for the plastics industry at K 2016, October 19-26 in Düsseldorf, Germany. The X-Rite booth is located in Hall 8b, Stand H65.
For more information about end-to-end integrated color management solutions for plastics, visit http://www.xrite.com/industry-solutions/plastics.
About X-Rite
Founded in 1958, X-Rite Incorporated is a global leader in color science and technology. With its wholly owned subsidiary Pantone, X-Rite employs more than 800 people in 11 countries. The company’s corporate headquarters are located in Grand Rapids, Mich., with regional headquarters in Europe and Asia and service centers across Europe, the Middle East, Asia, and the Americas. X-Rite Pantone offers a full range of color management solutions used by manufacturers, retailers, printers, photographers and graphic design houses to achieve precise management and communication of color throughout their processes. X-Rite Pantone products and services are recognized standards in the printing, packaging, photography, graphic design, video, automotive, paints, plastics, textiles and medical industries. For further information, please visit www.xrite.com. For the latest news, information and conversations, connect with X-Rite on LinkedIn, Vimeo, Twitter, and Facebook.
About Pantone
Pantone LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of X-Rite, Incorporated, has been the world’s color authority for nearly 50 years, providing design professionals with products and services for the colorful exploration and expression of creativity. Always a source for color inspiration, Pantone also offers paint and designer-inspired products and services for consumers. More information is available at www.pantone.com. For the latest news, trends, information and conversations, connect with Pantone on Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest.
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©2016 X-Rite, Inc. All rights reserved. X-Rite is a registered trademark of X-Rite, Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. PANTONE® and other Pantone trademarks are the property of Pantone LLC. © 2016. All rights reserved.
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