TIPS TO REMOTELY SHARE COLOUR DATA by Tim Mouw
No matter the industry, our customers are all working toward the same goal: Achieve accurate colour and keep production moving. Even in the best conditions, colour 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 colour data so you can achieve your colour goals without shipping physical samples or making onsite visits.
THE BENEFITS OF DIGITAL COLOUR DATA
To produce accurate colour, everyone needs to shoot for the same target. X-Rite uses an archery target icon in our software to illustrate this analogy. The closer your measurement falls to the yellow center, the closer you are to tolerance.
When working in a silo, this is easier to achieve. But most of us work with customers, suppliers, and other employees to bring products to market. It’s very important that everyone involved shoots for the same target, in the same way.
For example, if your customer is tolerancing against a new standard but you’re using one that is three years old, you’re not shooting for the same target. If you’re looking at colour using daylight but your supplier is using fluorescent, you are not shooting for the target in the same way. Even though you may both hit the center of the target, your colour samples won’t necessarily match.
Shooting at different targets, or in different ways, leads to unnecessary rework. You might spend time trying to correct a colour issue when in fact you’re on target – just the wrong one. If everyone aims for the same target, you can all focus on correcting the real colour issues.
To establish the target, you need to use digital colour data. To ensure everyone is shooting for the same target in the same way, you need to share this digital colour data.
WHAT TYPE OF COLOUR DATA TO INCLUDE
To ensure everyone is measuring colour the same way – shooting for the same target – each measurement must include some important information as enumerated below:
1. Basic info - such as measurement name, date created, and a unique ID
This ensures everyone is looking at the correct standard. For example, X-Rite’s quality control and assurance software assigns a unique ID to each measurement. If you and your supplier are using a digital colour standard with the same ID, you can work with confidence.
2. Spectral Data
L*a*b* data is calculated using spectral data that includes a specific illuminant and a specific observer. If your target is just the L*a*b* data for a colour, it only identifies that colour in one condition. You need to include spectral data that includes the illuminant and observer used for the colour measurement.
3. Associated Tolerance
Your colour data should also include the tolerance to identify how much variation is acceptable between the standard and a sample.
4. Data Conditions
When measuring colour, there are a variety of conditions that can be set on the device, including:
· Measurement Properties: Was the measurement taken in reflectance or transmissive mode?
· Instrument Details: Was the measurement taken with a 0:45, a, sphere, or a multi-angle device? What model?
· Measurement Details: What size area of view was measured? Was specular gloss included or excluded? Etc.
Each condition associated with the measurement should be included with the colour data.
Colour Data is all about eliminating potential errors. If you outline everything involved in taking the measurement, you can ensure everyone uses the same data conditions and confidently compare the data.
HOW TO SHARE COLOUR DATA
Once you capture the colour data, there are three common ways to share it.
1. CxF File
Originally created by X-Rite, Colour Exchange Format (CxF) is now an ISO standard. This universal file format ensures an accurate and efficient exchange of digital standards, measurements, and metadata. Whenever colour communication is mission-critical, CxF should be used to communicate colour data.
A CxF stores all of the information we outlined above for each measurement, including basic info, spectral data, associated tolerances, and data conditions. A CxF can include one single measurement, a few, or even hundreds of measurements.
To create one, simply export the measurement data into a CxF file. The file is small so you can easily send it via e-mail, load it on a USB stick, or save it to a shared drive location. The recipient can then import the CxF file into their software to gain access to and work with the exact same colour data.
Many third party software programs and all X-Rite software, including Colour iQC, Colour iMatch, and EFX QC for multi-angle and metallic measurements, have the ability to export, import, and use CxF data.
2. eJob
Sometimes people are shooting at the same target, but have things configured differently in the quality control or quality assurance. eJobs contains the colour data and all supporting information like a CxF, but also include a screen layout, trials, and more. Think of an eJob like an Excel spreadsheet or Word document.
Since everything is included, eJobs make it very easy to share data, shoot at the same target, and see the same results in exactly the same way. Most importantly, they allow you to have informed conversations about samples and colour differences.
All of X-Rite’s quality control and assurance software can create eJobs. Like CxF files, eJobs can also be sent via email, but can only be used in software that supports eJobs.
3. PantoneLIVE
PantoneLIVE is a cloud-based database for a large array of brand and custom color standards in a wide array of forms. It includes digital versions of:
· Traditional printed standards from Pantone Books i.e. Pantone Formula Guides or Pantone Colour Bridge
· Textile standards in a variety of formats, such as nylon, cotton, polyester, etc.
· Paint Standards
· Plastic Standards
Accessing PantoneLIVE ensures everyone in the supply chain is aiming at the same target in the same way by simply specifying which PantoneLIVE colour to use. And, since everyone who has a license can access colour data, you don’t have to send files or worry about using outdated spectral data.
CONCLUSION
When producing colour, it’s critical to share complete digital data to ensure consistent results. If you do identify a colour difference, you know it’s real and can focus on how to fix it.
Get in touch if you have questions or would like specific information about any of the products mentioned in this blog or ask for the latest Pantone Colour Guides from Pantone Reseller in your home country like in Nigeria (FLOURISH COLOUR VENTURES – www.flourishcolour.com WhatsApp or Call +234 803 862 9114 or Ghana (FLEXOHUB LIMITED – www.flexohub.com WhatsApp or Call +233 302 721 030!
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