Innovative new software supports customers in the coatings industry in specific pigment selection.Formulating new shades in the coatings industry is complex and time-consuming, and lots of different factors have to be taken into account. The unique, innovative PigmentViewer software developed by BASF, which has now been launched on the market, offers our customers the opportunity for early-stage decision findings in pigment selection.
“Digital techniques are playing an increasingly important role in color design. The PigmentViewer gives our customers a unique platform for their specific pigment selection process”, said Christine Burgert, Marketing Effects at BASF. The computer-animated visualization gives a realistic color impression and allows coated surfaces to be viewed in three dimensions.
With just a few mouse clicks, the customer can either use the general pigment overview or the filter function to select specific pigments from the BASF range and visualize them on different substrates. Also, two different pigments can be directly compared to each other on the very same object.
“Differences in the perceived color appearance can be displayed very realistically even on uncalibrated monitors, because we have entered all the relevant data for each individual pigment into the system. These data were obtained by multi-angle reflectance measurements on coated metal plates”, explains Dr. Thomas Frey, who is responsible for colorimetry in the BASF pigment team. The virtual scenery can be simulated as full shade, white reduction or as a metallic reduction under either daylight (D65) or fluorescent light illuminations (F11).
A useful feature of the PigmentViewer is that it combines a graphic presentation of CIELAB color coordinates with extensive technical information on the pigments. Additionally this new software also provides access to product data sheets and other technical details such as reflectance curves.
