Based on the evaluation of the technical sheets of the most commercialized products in the market, we compare the offer of portable spectrophotometers in Latin America. There are options for all tastes and needs. By Vanesa Restrepo
Without a doubt, appearance is an important part of the paint and coating industry, and a good appearance or finish depends, to a large extent, on the success that a product (call it home, car, appliance or any surface you can think of) has in the market.
The current offer varied, from modern laboratory equipment that allows to evaluate large samples, compare them, process them and save them; to portable equipment that facilitates measurements in inaccessible areas and fixed facilities and immediately process the data.
This last type of equipment, portable spectrophotometers are gaining more and more ground in the industry and that is why INPRA LATINA decided to review the technical specifications of each of them. These are the latest versions of the main manufacturers: Spectro Guide (BYK Gardner), CM-2600d (Minolta), Color Check II (Datacolor) and SP62 (X-Rite).
The main difference between one model and another is the light source. In the case of the SP62 equipment, a source of halogen tungsten is included, whose useful life is between 12 and 18 months, on average. Distributors of this product in Latin America advise to make a change of the bulb (light source) once this time has passed in order to ensure that the measurements remain the same and accurate. "Normally you can find differences in the measurements of this type of equipment when they start their operation and when more than a year has passed," said one of the distributors of the product in the region.
Meanwhile, the CM 2600d and Color Check II have pulsed Xenon lighting sources, whose life span is extended up to three years, although their energy consumption can be higher.
The Spectro Guide, on the other hand, has an LED light source, whose life span is about 10 years and its energy consumption is moderate. This is the latest technology when it comes to lighting sources and its use in spectrophotometry has begun to grow.
The sensitivity to temperature changes is another aspect that puts a step forward to LED technology, because in the measurements with this type of illuminations they become less sensitive to thermal variations, resulting in a more accurate diagnosis.
Software, included or not?
As pointed out by the distributors of this type of products in Latin America, all portable spectrophotometers have a built-in screen, with a small software, called firmware, which allows you to read the results directly. It should be clarified that although the systems are different, the color equations, indexes and other calculations presented by the device are made based on the same mathematical formulas.
However, if you want to download that information to a PC to prepare reports for the client, the laboratory or for internal use, you will require specialized software that does not come included with some of the products.
These types of programs, developed for measurements made in quality control (no system includes formulation software ), have a cost that in the United States ranges between US $ 2,500 and US $ 4,000. In Latin America, depending on the distributor and the country in question, the cost may vary slightly. In the case of the portable spectrophotometers that we analyzed on this occasion, only two of them, Spectro Guide and CM 2600d, have it included. In the comparative table found on page XXX, you can read more details about it.
Capacity, an advantage
Another key element when selecting a portable spectrophotometer for the paint industry is the gloss sensor, as it is well known that the finishes and effects of certain types of pigments can vary substantially according to the amount of light received and the amount of varnishes and bright or reflective elements that the formulation has.
Memory capacity also plays a special role when it comes to projects away from the laboratory, fieldwork or the like. On average, the equipment we deal with in this edition stores from 1,024 standards to 1,500; and between 999 and 30,000 samples, depending on the brand.
Beyond price
Taking as a reference the prices handled by distributors in the United States, we can say that the average price of one of these equipment would be between US $ 8,000 and US $ 10,000. And although this is an important factor when selecting the product, it should not be the only issue to take into account, because as the well-known saying goes: not everything that shines is gold.
Issues such as technical assistance, access to spare parts, after-sales advice, the cost of calibrations, maintenance and repairs, among others, should be part of the calculation prior to purchase, if you want to make the most of the money.
Most of this equipment comes with warranties of between one and two years for the parties, but some distributors have special programs that allow this benefit to be extended for another year. As for the light source, the warranty time depends on the technology used; in these cases the most widespread is the LED that allows up to 10 years.
The evaluation of the light source should not be neglected, as this is the heart of the machine and will make the difference between an accurate measurement, an approximate one and an erroneous or defective one.
Finally, we must bear in mind that Minolta and Datacolor have their operations centers in the United States, so the technical service is much more specialized there. X-Rite and BYK Gardner have service centers in Brazil and Mexico, from where they serve customers in the region. So it will always be more convenient to have a specialized center closer to you.
