Because color is our passion...

01/15/2017

Humans primarily associate color with aesthetics. But what is color, really? How can it be described? Physics, math and chemistry can help. By describing phenomena and attempting to explain them analytically, it is possible to express color in the form of parameters and numbers.

But does everyone evaluate color in the same way? Can anyone be a colorist? The answers to these questions are much more complicated than you might think. Ignoring diseases and defects of vision, everyone evaluates color differently and everyone is right in their own way. Keep in mind that human perceptual abilities are very limited. The light that is visible to humans is only a fraction of electromagnetic radiation, detected by the light-sensitive cells of the eye and processed into color by the brain. So the creation and evaluation of color, contrary to appearances, is a complex and time-consuming process.

Difficult implementation of tinting systems
No wonder, then, that the change of a tinting system keeps many producers awake at night. Implementing or changing a company’s tinting system is not only a huge challenge for the R&D team, but also for the sales and marketing departments. It involves the creation of new fan decks, the appropriate choice of pigments, the laborious, manual and computerized formulation of the color formulations, sometimes over many months, the calibration of databases, the cleaning of machines and, hopefully least problematic, the implementation of the new system at the point of sale.

The need to change a tinting system can be dictated by various factors. Sometimes it’s a change in company strategy, the need for resistant pigments (e.g. PY184, PR168, PR254, PY110), to reduce complaints or enable a color guarantee, at other times it’s the introduction of new products to the market, problems with the reproducibility of colors, or changes in legislation. Often it’s the search for more economical solutions, to maintain the share in the market or enable expansion into new markets. Throughout the process, it is important to benefit from the experience of professionals with substantive and practical knowledge. Comprehensive support enables a company to avoid numerous problems when implementing a new color system.

Professional support
KRAHN Chemie offers unique know-how in implementing and changing tinting systems. The company has cooperated with the market leader, Chromaflo Technologies, for many years. They have their own professionally equipped colorimetric laboratory and a team of colorists and technicians, who have successfully supported the implementation of new tinting systems or system changes for dozens of clients.

The company provides professional support in the selection of pigments and the necessary technical assistance, ranging from compatibility test through the optimization to the final set up of the color formulations.

Years of experience have shown that one of the key stages in tinting system changes involves the careful analysis of the client’s needs. The needs analysis takes into account all the most important parameters, such as: the product portfolio of the paint manufacturer, the dispensers available, the number of cans, the selection of pigments, the color palette and striking a balance between quality and cost.

One of the basic stages of introducing changes to a system are compatibility tests. Testing the mutual tolerance between pigment pastes and the client’s product enables the elimination of potential problems, including the flocculation of pigments, chalking, surface defects and problems with the dispersion of the base.

The laboratory is furnished with equipment from renowned manufacturers, allowing the company to carry out tests and create formulas effectively. They operate according to the highest European standards. Measurements are made with a certified spectrophotometer, which undergoes rigorous periodical technical inspections every year. Colors are evaluated in a professional light chamber, which is equipped with certified lamps of various types. Drying machines and air drying racks are used to ensure ideal conditions for drying samples. This guarantees the quality and consistency of services.

Customers are offered ongoing support from the laboratory during the development of new color formulations, including manual and computerized formulation, product characterization and any problems with the laboratory software.

Unique know-how expert team knowledge
In cooperation with Chromaflo Technologies, KRAHN is also the official distributor of innovative laboratory software (Innovatint Lab Manage & Match 3.0) and point of sale software (Innovatint POS 3.0) for creating and managing color formulations. As a result, they have at their disposal the latest technology in the field of color database preparation.

The lab version allows the creation of comprehensive databases, including full characterization of colorants and products. Working with color databases is streamlined by the management of prepared formulas with correction and editing options. The software is fully compatible with the spectrophotometers of the leading manufacturers, and the laboratory software can also be directly connected to a dispensing machine, allowing samples to be prepared in a more efficient and less time-consuming manner. The formulas are automatically optimized depending on the type of dispensing machine. The software for points of sale, Innovatint POS, can be installed on manual, semi-automatic and automatic dispensers. The software is tailored to the individual needs of points of sale, ranging from the basic version, which allows dispensing and formulation management, through to the more advanced version, which pairs with a spectrophotometer. Both versions of the software are characterized by an intuitive, uncluttered appearance and ease of use, and are increasingly being implemented by the market leaders.

As the official representative of the Chromaflo Technologies brand, the company provides full technical support for the software and organizes individual training in the use and operation of the Innovatint Lab Manage & Match program and the point of sale version. Remote support is also offered through the Team Viewer application. To access this support, the client just needs a computer connected to the Internet. The situation is similar for technical assistance; personal visits from technicians are rarely necessary. Using a remote connection to the computer on which the Innovatint software is installed, it is possible to check the functioning of the program at the client’s end and correct any errors.

The company appreciates the time and commitment of its clients, hence their extensive network of technicians from Poland, the Netherlands and Finland, who supervise the security of the software used by clients.

Specialized training program
To meet the expectations of customers, a specialized training program was launched in 2016 in the field of tinting systems, during which company specialists share their knowledge and experience gained over the years. The training takes place in spring and fall, and lasts three days. The program includes a theoretical section and a practical-laboratory section. The following topics are covered during the training: theory of colors, choice of color system, theory of pigments, an introduction to formulation techniques, an introduction to coloring machines, and an introduction to the laboratory software Innovatint Lab Manage & Match 3.0. The course also includes eight hours of practical classes in the laboratory, where participants learn how to prepare dilutions for databases, measure and create calibration curves, create formulation rules, conduct compatibility tests and many other useful things.

Individual training programs are also carried out, adjusted to the needs of the client. The company always strives to provide the most efficient transfer of knowledge, and to help solve their clients’ problems. Color is their passion.