LimsPulse
Materials & polymer testing

Colorimeter / colour spectrophotometer

Measures the colour of a surface or liquid as numbers in a standard colour space such as CIE L*a*b*, and the colour difference (ΔE*) from a standard. Used for batch-to-batch colour matching of paints, plastics, chemicals and cosmetics.

  • Paints & coatings
  • Polymers & plastics
  • Chemicals
  • Oils & fats
  • Textiles
  • Cosmetics
  • Food
Photo of a Colorimeter / colour spectrophotometer
Photo: Sonal Shinde, CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped), via Wikimedia Commons
LEARN & PRACTICE

Test your Colorimeter knowledge

Multiple-choice questions

Pick an answer to see whether you are right and why.

  1. Q1. In CIE L*a*b*, what does L* describe?

    basic

  2. Q2. A positive Δb* between a batch and its standard means the batch is…

    basic

  3. Q3. ΔL* = 0.6, Δa* = 0, Δb* = 0.8. What is ΔE*ab?

    intermediate

  4. Q4. Why is the instrument calibrated with a black trap and a white tile?

    intermediate

  5. Q5. Two samples match in daylight but not under shop lighting. What is this called?

    intermediate

  6. Q6. What is the difference between SCI and SCE modes on a sphere instrument?

    advanced

  7. Q7. Which illuminant/observer combination is most commonly specified for industrial colour QC?

    advanced

Viva questions

Think of your answer first, then open it to compare.

  1. 1. A batch passes the ΔE* limit but a customer rejects it visually. What could explain this?

    Metamerism, a gloss or texture difference, a tolerance that is too wide in one direction (for example hue), or viewing conditions. Compare under several illuminants in a light booth and review tolerances, perhaps using ΔE00.

  2. 2. What is the difference between a tristimulus colorimeter and a colour spectrophotometer?

    A tristimulus colorimeter has three filtered detectors that mimic the eye under one illuminant. A spectrophotometer measures the full reflectance spectrum and can calculate colour under any illuminant and detect metamerism.

  3. 3. How do you present a liquid for transmission colour measurement?

    Use a clean, matched cell of the specified path length, free from bubbles and fingerprints; blank with the reference liquid (often water); make sure the sample is clear and at the right temperature.

In LimsPulse · Calibration Management

Keep every Colorimeter in control: usage logs, calibration and maintenance schedules, and automatic blocking of overdue instruments.

See how