DigiPix > CASE STUDY: Painted Ceramics
THE APPLICATION: - Recolouration of Samples & Enhanced QC of Painted details
The DigiEye system is used for the imaging and colour measurement of ceramic samples, which are impossible to assess using a standard spectrophotometer.
One of the major benefits of the DigiEye system is the ability to capture the images in controlled and consistent lighting. VeriVide, who produce the system, are world leaders in the development and manufacture of light technology, providing specialised lighting environments for colour assessment to diversity of industry sectors supplying the correct environment for the accurate visual assessment of colour.
Additionally the DigiEye software is able to extract colour information from the image, which cannot be done with a simple photograph.
The image can then be recoloured on screen and assessed for suitability.
ISSUE 1: - Sampling of new Ceramic colourways - Time-consuming & Costly
Traditionally Ceramic manufacturers and suppliers have made samples of new colours, which they cannot subsequently assess for aesthetic appearance until the sample has gone through the entire process.
The need to fire the coloured samples in the kiln each time, only for them not to be quite right is very time consuming and can be costly. The final approved sample has to remain as the physical colour standard since it is impossible to measure curved surfaces using a standard spectrophotometer.
ISSUE 2: - Difficult to measure consistency of hand painted details
China which is hand painted is traditionally very difficult to check for consistency; requiring a manual visual quality check which is obviously very time consuming, reducing throughput to sales and being costly in terms of man hours.
THE TECHNICAL BIT
The calibrated camera captures data in RAW format for very high-resolution images; since the image is captured in controlled and consistent lighting the software can transform the RGB data from the camera into CIE colour space thereby enabling Colour Measurement of the components.
Consistency is the key, as the environment is controlled, measurements are repeatable.
The software also contains a choice of Colour difference equations so that components can be imaged with and compared to an agreed standard component.
The DigiPix Colour Replacement software also enables an object to be fully or partially recoloured using colour information from a variety of sources including Pantone colours, or company colour library information.
The DigiPix Colour Clustering software automatically groups pixels of the same colour together and calculates the percentage of the total pixels within the image making it ideal to assess the amount of a coloured paint design on white China.
THE BENEFITS
- With DigiEye, manufacturers and suppliers can image complete ceramic items and assess any colour appearance differences due to the gloss of the glaze and the angle of curvature.
- Any subsequent Colour Replacement actions will accommodate these features of the image thereby providing enhanced visualisation during the product development stage for designers and artists.
- This is very useful to design and product development teams who can use the software to decide on an aesthetically pleasing colour before requesting the manufacture of the object in a new prototype colour and resulting decreasing the demands upon the kiln.
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With DigiEye and the DigiPix Software manufacturers and suppliers can measure very small and curved surfaces and communicate colour differences between a known standard and the batch item. This provides enhanced quality control by enabling tighter colour tolerances to be applied to ceramic products.
Either the background colour or a painted design can be measured as is illustrated in the pictures of test plates below.
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- The two areas of blue marble pattern labelled A and B on the top image have been measured, taking A as the standard area B is reported to be a colour difference of 1.33 units in the direction lighter, stronger and redder.
- On the lower image the painted grey flowers were measured giving a colour difference between C and D of 3.71stronger and lighter.
These painted areas would have been impossible to measure using a spectrophotometer.
WISH TO KNOW MORE?
Further details of the DigiEye System - including the Large Area Imaging (LAI), are available via the Datasheet below (click on the relevant links to download or open).
Alternatively please contact Pete Laban - Sales Manager to arrange a demonstration.
| DIGIEYE DATASHEET | LAI - DATASHEET | CONTACT PETE LABAN |
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| DOWNLOAD PDF | DOWNLOAD PDF | p.laban@verivide.com |