BYK-Gardner Offers Benchtop Spectrophotometer

BYK-Gardner USA (Columbia, Maryland) – worldwide partner of the automotive, paint and plastics industries for quality control of color, appearance and physical properties – is introducing a new benchtop spectrophotometer, the Color2view. The Color2view combines several measurement methods, which the company says makes it an objective eye for evaluating visual color impression.

The Color2view uses a circumferential illumination at 45° with 0° viewing to measure color as seen. The circumferential illumination from 10 directions reportedly ensures repeatable measurement results on textured surfaces.  Simultaneously with color, 20° and 60° gloss are measured to clearly differentiate medium gloss and high gloss samples. In addition, the Color2view has a fluorometer integrated to predict lightfastness by quantifying fluorescence; the calculated color change after fluorescence degradation is displayed with CIELAB and DE data.  The combination of a spectrophotometer and a fluorometer is said to open new perspectives for controlling color quality and guaranteeing long-term color stability. The Color2view Pro offers a Jetness Mode that is specially designed to measure deep and deepest black with highest accuracy. It features excellent technical performance which is reportedly assured for the low reflectance range R < 0.1%.

The compact and lightweight instrument can be easily rotated to adapt the orientation (top or front port) to one's personal needs or sample size and shape. Operation via the color touchscreen is said to be as intuitive as using a smart-phone, and an integrated camera permits a live preview of the measurement spot, which reportedly prevents false readings on imperfections or scratches and ensures precise positioning of the sample. Additionally, the Color2view X models can be used with interchangeable apertures to measure small to large samples.

BYK says its LED technology guarantees an outstanding performance, as well as unsurpassed short-term, long-term and temperature stability. The extra-large measurement spot with homogenous illumination reportedly guarantees highly repeatable and representative readings. According to the company, for the first time ever in the industry, digital standards can be exchanged between benchtop and portable color instruments without any extra-profiling.