Colours: perception and demand, role and function, nature and form

Colours

Perception and Requirements | Effect and Function | Type and Form


Colour is a vector for emotion, which is an important factor when making a purchase: a way to recognise something or a decisive factor in a person’s choice. Colour is an obvious attribute that no-one can be indifferent to. It creates feelings, emotions and reactions in those who see it, and these are one of our main focuses.


Perception and Requirements

Perception and Requirements



From Perception to Interpretation : colour is a subjective perception that comes from the combination of 3 parameters (the light source, the object, the observer). This personal observation creates a rich, limitless universe. The interpretation of colour is defined by 3 criteria (hue, chroma, lightness). Individual to everybody, it is influenced by culture, the place, or even society.
The acceptability of colour : to guarantee the colour of a product can be reproduced, and avoid subjective judgements, colorimetry can check the represented colour’s acceptability (delta E CIE 2000<1) to a standard observer.
The colour is adjusted to your demands : to factor in the technical, toxicological and economic elements in the choice of a product’s colour, it is important to clearly define specifications. The cost of the colouring will depend on the requirements.
Effect and Function

Effect and Function



• Colour for aesthetics, signalisation, differentiation, and customisation
• Colours effects: metallic, pearly, glittery, iridescent
• Functional colour: gives colour an extra function, such as thermosensitivity, photosensitivity, luminescence effect, fluorescent, tracer, laser marking.
• Weather fastness colour
• Colour for the whole family of polymers: Polyethylen, Polypropylen, Styrenics (PS, SAN, ABS, ASA, MABS…), PVC, Elastomers (TPU, EVA, TPE…) Polyamid (PA6, PA6.6, PA6.12, PA12,…) PMMA, Polycarbonate, Polyester, (PET, PBT, PETG, PCTG, PCTA…) Polyacetal (POM homo, POM Copo).
• Colouring of biopolymers according to EN 13432 norms
Type and Form

Type and Form



Masterbatch : concentrate of finely dispersed pigments in a polymer. The use rate is generally between 1 and 5%. Several forms of pellets can be done: cylindrical (standard, microgranulate), spherical.
Powdery Colour Preparations : mix of pigments in powder form. The use rate is less than 1%.
Mass Colour : colour directly in the plastic being worked. The use rate is 100%.
Liquid Colour: concentrate of finely ground pigments in a liquid binder. The use rate is generally between 0.2 and 1%.