Color measurement solutions for every industry—automotive, plastics, textiles, and more

In the automotive industry, precise color consistency is essential for both exterior finishes and interior materials. 3Color® provides advanced instruments for measuring color, texture, transparency, haze, and other critical parameters, delivering accurate and repeatable results across a wide range of materials—from high-gloss coatings to plastics. Our solutions help manufacturers maintain exceptional quality and brand consistency by reducing the need for rework and ensuring that every vehicle meets the most demanding color standards.

In the construction industry, precise color measurement is essential for ensuring consistent production of decorative and finishing materials. Both quality control and long-term color consistency play a crucial role. Materials such as plasters, paints, and coatings are subject to close customer scrutiny, making color consistency a key indicator of quality. The most commonly evaluated parameters are color and gloss, while properties such as opacity are also important. The wide variety of materials—from coatings and pastes to powders—can make selecting the right measurement accessories a challenge.

The plastics industry is extremely diverse in terms of the colors, textures, and shapes of its materials. When taking measurements, fundamental questions arise, such as whether to measure in reflection or transmission mode and which parameters—such as color, light scattering, or light transmittance—are critical. Therefore, it is important to carefully select the right instrument, one that meets current requirements and also takes future applications into account. Among the most commonly used methods are color measurement in reflection mode, haze measurement, and transparency measurement.

In the electronics industry, color consistency of the housing trim elements is of paramount importance. The build quality of screens and display covers is also important. Electronic devices often consist of many separately manufactured components, which is why color consistency ensures an aesthetically pleasing appearance and a positive assessment of build quality. For measuring small components, it is important to use appropriately selected aperture sizes that correspond to the dimensions of the area being examined.

Science and research are important fields for color measurement without clear limitations, although the measurement methodology poses the greatest challenge. The focus is usually not on the color itself, but rather on its changes or its impact on processes, such as in aging tests and fluctuations. Therefore, device quality, repeatability, and reproducibility are of particular importance.

Color measurement instruments have a wide range of valuable applications in the medical and pharmaceutical industries. One example is the assessment of the effects of medications on the skin using the ITA (Individual Typology Angle) index. Another important application is color evaluation during pharmaceutical manufacturing, where precise and consistent color measurement helps ensure product quality and process control.

The food and beverage industry represents one of the broadest application areas for color measurement. Applications range from measuring the color of fresh fruit to evaluating semi-finished products such as pulps, powders, and concentrates, as well as finished products including meat and wine. Choosing the right instrument and appropriate accessories is essential for obtaining accurate and reliable results. It is also important to consider the specific optical properties of different products—for example, milk can appear black if measured using an unsuitable measurement method.

Cosmetics are inextricably linked to color. As a result, measurements in the cosmetics industry pose a major challenge for manufacturers of measuring devices. The wide variety of applications requires solutions that are both comprehensive and universally applicable. The cosmetics industry encompasses pastes, powders, liquids, oils, as well as lacquers and gels. Due to the wide variety of materials, a benchtop spectrophotometer with a complete set of measurement accessories is the most commonly used solution.

Ceramics are one of the most important materials for interior design and decoration. Therefore, stable and reproducible production is of great importance. Ceramic products are characterized by a high degree of variability in both the raw materials and the manufacturing process. Consequently, color control serves to verify both the materials and the manufacturing process. When measuring ceramics, assessing gloss variability and selecting the SCI/SCE modes can be important.

In the fields of design and DIY, precise color measurement is crucial for...

Interior designers often face the challenge of color coordination when selecting materials for their projects. Simple color measurement devices with access to a color database make it possible to quickly select the right material. Purchasing such a device doesn’t have to be an expensive investment—simple, affordable devices are ideal for this purpose.

The furniture industry is characterized by high-quality craftsmanship and high expectations for the final product. A wide variety of elements are used side by side in this industry, and the quality of the equipment must exceed the highest expectations of customers in the premium segment. High-quality spectrophotometers in flat or vertical designs are typically used for color evaluation; for this purpose, it is important to have a gloss meter that is suitable for the entire gloss range.

The textile industry is a broad sector in which color is of fundamental importance. Spectrophotometers are used in a variety of applications, from dyeing yarns to selecting materials before cutting. Strict standards require precise devices with features such as UV control for fluorescence evaluation. Cameras for assessing the measurement field or fabric structure are also helpful.

Packaging poses a significant challenge when it comes to color inspection. This involves evaluating both the color of the material and the printing process. The packaging material can be either opaque or transparent. We evaluate not only the color but also other parameters such as haze or opacity. Measuring gloss can also be important.

The paint and coatings industry is a key sector in which color control is an important component of quality control. Manufacturers monitor both production and the development of new products. The most important instruments are spectrophotometers, supplemented by glossmeters. High accuracy, repeatability, and—when multiple locations are involved—consistency of measurement results across instruments are crucial.

The printing industry is inextricably linked to color control. Many different tools are used in the production and product inspection processes. The most commonly used device is a densitometer or spectral densitometer. Color identification is a process for determining and describing colors using systems (such as RAL, Pantone, NCS) and codes (e.g., HEX, RGB, CMYK), which is used in marketing communications, printing, and web design projects.