Datacolor: Going beyond colour measurement

Colour measurement and control has become an integral part of the production process in industries where aesthetic appeal matched with superior product quality serves as the basis of a consumer’s purchasing decision. Today’s breed of spectrophotometers brought colour management a step higher with their ability to comply with industry standards.

Datacolor, global leader in colour management solutions, unveiled two new models of close-tolerance benchtop spectrophotometers designed for high efficiency and confidence in colour formulation and quality control. International Plastics News for Asia recently talked to Kenry So (Marketing Manager, ASP), who provided an overview of these recent colour measurement solutions and how these can enhance the operations of their customers.

The launch of the Datacolor Spectro 1000 and 700 family of spectrophotometers has enhanced the Datacolor’s portfolio of colour measurement systems. What is the driving force behind the launch of these products?

Mr. Kenry So: To meet the colour formulation and quality control of the wide range of industries we serve, Datacolor® introduced the Spectro 1000 and 700 series, a family of close-tolerance benchtop spectrophotometers designed for high efficiency and confidence in colour management.

The new series features the high inter-instrument agreement Datacolor customers have come to rely on, to ensure uniform colour assessments across various instruments and multiple locations throughout the supply chain. The systems are designed to increase productivity and improve workflow efficiency through high measurement speeds and seamless backward capability with other Datacolor benchtop instruments.

Mr. Kenry So, Marketing Manager, Datacolor Asia Pacific 

The Spectro 1000 and 700 family is optimised for the future of colour management, featuring internet connectivity for upcoming remote services. With the current pandemic situation and the prevailing preference for remote working trends, the need for digital exchange of colour data has also intensified.  

How would the customers benefit from these new spectrophotometers given the ever changing demands in the industries today?

Mr. Kenry So: Datacolor offers complete solutions for end-to-end workflow, and these involve performance monitoring, application support, hardware services, education and training. The Datacolor Spectro 700 and 1000 family goes beyond colour measurement by giving our customers confidence in their daily operations.

With the Spectro 1000 and 700 series, our customers will enjoy greater confidence in their colour measurements, thanks to these spectrophotometers’ ability to capture the temperature of samples measured. This is an essential new quality control feature for those who work with materials that need to be within certain temperature ranges to assure accurate colour measurement. Hence, there’s no more guessing if a user measured a specimen that had properly cooled to ambient temperature. These economic models enable customers to measure greater variety of samples.

The Spectro 1000 series is available in four models: the standard Spectro 1000; two vertical versions Spectro 1000V and Spectro 1000X for measuring unusual sample size or type as well as for operations requiring high throughput; and the Spectro 1050 for flexible measurement in either reflectance or transmittance mode. When close tolerance is required, the Datacolor Spectro 1000 spectrophotometers can specify, formulate and control colours.  For instance, Spectro 1000X with its upward-facing aperture is ideal for liquid, paste, powder and granular samples.

The Spectro 700 series is available in different models: the original Spectro 700; the Spectro 700 UV with UV filtering for special applications like optically brightened whites or fluorescent materials; the Spectro 700V vertical versions with or without UV filtering for measuring unusual sample size or type; and the Spectro 750 for flexible measurement in either reflectance or transmittance mode.

Datacolor serves industries that require advanced spectrophotometers for the highest level of consistency across the supply chain including: retail brands, textile mills, and manufacturers of plastics, paint and coatings, flooring, furniture, cosmetics and more.

How do Datacolor support customers in these various industries?

Mr. Kenry So: Beyond colour measurement, Datacolor supports customers by helping them achieve confidence in their daily operations, get more tasks done with efficiency and reliability, while preparing them for the future.

The confidence in performing their daily operation is due to the fact that a Datacolor spectrophotometer is a true close-tolerance instrument with excellent performance and inter-instrument agreement right out of the box. This allows our customers to confidently share colorimetric data throughout their organisation and supply chain, as well as merge or replace fleets of instruments without concerns of significant changes in historical results. As colour can often change with temperature, Datacolor spectrophotometers enables the users to obtain quick and easy measurement of the sample temperature, bringing that added confidence in their operations. Essentially, the Spectro 700 and 100 family can minimise disruptions to our customers’ operations, reduce total cost of ownership and provide that peace of mind in knowing the Datacolor got them covered. 

The Spectro 700 and 100 series also can get more tasks done as they guarantee increased productivity with fast measurement speed and response times. Improved efficiency is achieved with seamless backward compatibility to Datacolor benchtop instruments.

Our highly advanced spectrophotometers under these series enable our customers to be prepared for the future where an Internet-connected platform poses endless possibilities.  As we ask our customers, what if Datacolor can report on calibration data of all their equipment anywhere in the world, or proactively advise them if an instrument is starting to drift? What if in the future, it becomes possible to remotely update the firmware when needed or optimise their equipment based on colour and fabric that they are measuring? Will these improve their operations and product quality? These are all future possibilities that Datacolor can do for our customers. This will be the future of colour management and in this future, Datacolor will surely play a leading role. 

Datacolor Asia Pacific (HK) Limited

Address: Unit E, 15/Floor, Billion Plaza 2, No. 10 Cheung Yue Street,

Cheung Sha Wan, Kowloon, Hong Kong

Tel: +852 2420 8283; +852 2420 8202

E-mail: kso@datacolor.com

Website: www.datacolor.com