Revolution in Special Effect Pigment Sparkle, Effect Irregularity and Color Measurement: X-Rite Ma-T Family

The MA-T multi-angle spectrophotometer family, combined with EFX QC software, provides accurate assessment and verification of color, gloss and effect distribution characteristics for effect surfaces. It enables users across the entire supply chain to measure new color dimensions with greater precision than ever before. EFX QC cloud-based software simplifies the process of communicating tolerances and measurement methods throughout supply chains. New visual tools enable real-time performance monitoring and provide actionable information for troubleshooting to reduce downtime, waste and rework.

MA-T Family

The MA-T family combines color imaging with multi-angle measurement to provide the most reliable characterization of color, gloss and effect distribution. It enables measurement of colored gloss and effect non-uniformity in special effect pigments that multi-angle spectrophotometers on the market have been unable to measure until now. Users can determine effect surfaces for a wide range of applications, from automotive paint to plastics and metals, and measure with greater repeatability than ever before. MA-T instruments deliver 98% measurement repeatability—up from 80% in previous instruments—to provide the most reliable analysis of colored gloss and effect non-uniformity. With precise readings, they offer 2.5 times better repeatability and 2 times better reproducibility than many multi-angle instruments on the market. These comprehensive readings are processed by EFX QC software using X-Rite's groundbreaking uniform texture scale to digitize materials and create tolerances independent of gloss or effect non-uniformity. Improved characterization of color, gloss and effect enables material versatility and allows operators to properly match adjacent parts made from different materials during final assembly.

What Does Measuring Texture Mean? Why Texture Measurement?

Some special effect parameters—particularly gloss and effect non-uniformity—exhibit different characteristics depending on the observer's distance. When viewing from farther away, observers are more likely to notice average color and light reflections from the colored surface. When observed more closely, the granular reflections of gloss and coarseness become more pronounced and change the appearance of color. The best way to achieve proper color rendering in close viewing is to account for the gloss and effect size that give a color its character. Having the ability to measure texture allows color experts to achieve their target colors when viewed from any distance, and especially when viewed closely.

What Enables Texture Measurement?

X-Rite's MA-T instruments are equipped with an RGB camera. This full-color input, matched with image processing technology, isolates and allows calculation of gloss and effect non-uniformity parameters. This texture measurement technique uses the same illumination used in color measurement. Diffuser plates have been added to the instrument to measure effect non-uniformity. From these illumination sources, there are different geometries that account for viewing angle shift, in addition to three main angle geometries for measuring gloss.

Why Did X-Rite Develop MA-T12 and MA-T6, and What Do T6 and T12 Mean?

T stands for texture, more specifically color, gloss and effect size. The numbers (6 and 12) indicate the actual number of angles in the instrument. X-Rite has been developing its technology for over 60 years to be the world leader in color science and technology. In today's competitive market, manufacturers increasingly use high-effect paints to differentiate themselves. As a result, color measurement alone is no longer sufficient to fully characterize these materials or ensure consistency between adjacent parts across different supply chains. There was a need for an instrument that could accurately capture not only color, but also the complex gloss and effect non-uniformity characteristics in effect paints and coatings. Combined with EFX QC software, MA-T instruments provide the ideal solution for accurately evaluating and verifying color, gloss and effect non-uniformity properties of effect surfaces.

What Is the Difference Between MA-T6 and MA-T12?

MA-T6 has 6 measurement angles and a single illumination source. MA-T12 has 12 measurement angles and an additional illumination source. This improves measurement performance of tone-shifting pigments as they appear under multiple viewing angles or lighting conditions. Both can capture gloss and effect non-uniformity. Typically, MA-T12 will be used by paint manufacturers and laboratory operators who want to develop formulations for automotive, plastic and metal colors and establish robust standards for use throughout the entire supply chain. The extra angles provide them with more information about pigments. MA-T6 is designed for quality control operators who depend on consistent matches according to manufacturer specifications.

EFX QC Software

EFX QC, software supplied with the MA-T family, is a cloud-based solution that defines, communicates and ensures compliance of color, gloss and effect non-uniformity usage standards and measurement procedures across distributed supply chains. This technology enables measurement and comparison in DC (Diffuse Coarseness), SG (Sparkle Grade) and CV (Color Variation) units. New visual tools in EFX QC, including performance trend charts and stored images of specific measurements, enable real-time performance monitoring and provide actionable information that accelerates the troubleshooting process for out-of-tolerance products. The ability to set and digitally communicate global tolerances and measurement procedures for color, gloss and effect non-uniformity across the supply chain increases ongoing compliance. Real-time monitoring of color match across the supply chain enables quick adjustments to increase operating efficiency; it contains reusable digital assets such as standards, tolerances, jobs and more.   Anıl Gündem Güven Industrial & InLine Sales Director Odak Kimya End. Ürünleri San. ve Tic. Ltd. Şti.