Colour measuring equipment

Spectrophotometer

A spectrophotometer measures an object at many points across the visible spectrum by recording the ratio of reflected light from the sample against the light reflected from the white sphere walls. These ratios are the reflectances of the sample at each wavelength and are usually expressed as percentages.

Spectrophotometers also follow our simple model of colour vision theory. A light source is used to illuminate the sample under specifically defined viewing conditions. The reflected light is then passed through a spectral analyser where it is split into its individual spectral components so that light detectors and some sophisticated electronics can produce measurements at many (up to 40) points across the visible spectrum.

The ability of the spectral analyser to split the reflected light into individual spectral components gives spectrophotometers their advantage over colorimeters and inevitably the eye.

Spectrophotometers are enormously helpful to industry because they give us the ability to measure colour accurately and communicate the results digitally. This means that global supply chains are possible because communication is much quicker than previously, with resultant cost savings in production.