There is a belief that tinting systems are more expensive than batch tinting. While the significant saving they bring through lower capital demand and lower production costs are over looked. Use of a Tinting System from imagico saves money as well as giving improved customer service.
The tinting system consists of following components:
Base Formulation
These are paint whose color and strength are controlled to the system standard and to which colorants are added to get desired color. Tinting Bases are White, Clear and Colored for water-based Decorative Paints (Emulsion) and solvent-based Decorative Paints (Enamel – Alkyd paint).
*White Bases can be three in number depending on the percentage of Titanium Dioxide(Pigment) in it.
*Clear Base will have zero percentage of Titanium Dioxide in it. However, it will have a
standardised amount of Extenders (Clay, Talc, Barytes etc) in it.
*Colored Bases are either Organic (has standardised amount of phthalocyanine Blue or Green
pigment etc) or Inorganic (has standardised amount of Yellow Oxide or Red Oxide pigment etc)
For a Start-Up Paint Company, they can start with below three White Bases & a Clear Base:
White Base1: % Average of Titanium Dioxide in the Base Formulation = 20 (Super Pastel shades)
White Base2: % Average of Titanium Dioxide in the Base Formulation = 15 (Pastel Shades)
White Base3: % Average of Titanium Dioxide in the Base Formulation = 10 (Mid Tone Shades)
Clear Base: zero percentage of Titanium Dioxide (Dark Shades)
It is very important for any paint company to standardise their Bases meant for Tinting System.
Standardisation of Bases has to be done first in R&D & then in production.
Standardisation means Properties such as Weight Per Litre, Viscosity, % Solids, Reducing Strength, Color Difference (DE), Dispersion Test (Rub Out Test), Opacity, Gloss, Fill Volumes etc has to be defined with their Acceptance Range in the Specification of each Base and then approve each batch of base as per the Specification first in R&D & then in production.
Universal Machine Colorants, Pigment Pastes
It is very important for any paint company to use standardised Universal Machine Colorants / Pigment Pastes meant for their Tinting System.
Universal Machine Colorants are compatible with water-based Decorative Paints (Emulsion)
and solvent-based Decorative Paints (Enamel – Alkyd paint).
They are used for POS/Retail
tinting of bases.
* Pigment Pastes are compatible only with water-based Decorative Paints (Emulsion) and are
used for In-Plant or shop-floor Tinting of bases.
Fan deck, Shade card
It helps you and your customer to determine the right color.
Fan deck on an average has a choice of 1500 colors (super pastel + pastel + mid tone + dark) to select from.
Shade card on an average has a choice of 150 colors (super pastel + pastel + mid tone +dark) to select from.
Spectrophotometer and Various Software’s
* Quality Control software:
For standardisation of Base Paints are Universal Machine Colorants & Pigment Pastes - spectrophotometer and Quality Control software (properties such as Strength, Color Difference, Opacity etc) is required.
*Formulation Software:
- Database Preparation involves accurate preparation & then application of various paint drawdown’s obtained by mixing of standardised Base Paints and individual standardised colorant & in combination at various percentages on Black & White Paper (Leneta 3B). It is also called as Primaries preparation and the color values of each drawdown are measured with spectrophotometer. These color values of each drawdown are stored in the Formulation software as a formulation file.
- The color values of chosen Fan deck, Shade card (all colors) are measured by spectrophotometer & are stored as Standards in the created formulation file.
- After creation of formulation file, shade predictions are taken (Color Difference – DE has to be zero) for each color (super pastel + pastel + mid tone +dark) category. It is advisable to validate these shade predictions before sending to GData file. It is always advisable to do shade matching in a Spectral Light Booth. Validation is a time consuming process, but accurate one for shade approval process
.
*GData Software (also called as Backend software):
Data of validated shade formulae, products & base paints and colorants are inserted in the GData file. This GData file is installed (with a Version No. & Date) in the computer of Tinting Machine.
*Frontend software:
The installed GData file is linked with the Frontend software of Tinting Machine, thereby starting the Tinting process (Dispensing) of shades in various paint products.
Tinting Machine/Dispenser
It allows you to add the same amount of colorant to your Base paint every time. Dispensers are either automatic or manual. Servicing of Tinting Machine is advisable.
Mixer/Shaker
It ensures that your base paint and colorants are mixed well to form a uniform colour. Servicing of Mixer is advisable.
Advantages of tinting system
- Color management
- Hassle-free simple production process
- Reduction in waste
- Reduction in stock keeping units
- Selection of a Variety of shades
- Availability of shade from a 200 ml or 500 ml paint can to a 20 litre paint can
- Quick Delivery of selected Shades (tinted paint cans) to customer
- Excellent customer service resulting to more sales and profit
