Color Matching in Cable Manufacture

What is color matching?

Color matching is the process by which the color of the cable is made to match with the color of the equipment or appliance. The start of the color development is done by two ways:
1. The telephone manufacturer gives the appliance shell which shows the color shade, or,
2. The telephone manufacturer informs a standard color shade, provided by internationally accepted color shade cards, viz, RAL or PANTONE shades.

Thereafter the color shade for the cable is developed to meet the requirement.

The Importance of the Cable Color and how it is measured?

The effect of color on the overall appearance of a cable / coil is critical to its acceptability and success in the marketplace. Lack of color consistency, robustness, or an undesirable shade can displease consumers and merchandisers
To ensure color matching and color quality control ­ there are variety of analyses. Test that measure ­ color change ­ over time, or as a result of environmental exposure ­ include accelerated weatherometer tests such as xenon arc tests, and outdoor tests to assess a Thermoplastic’s color stability and color consistency.

Measurement Procedure

The base color of a material used for cables is measured by using the Hunterlab L*a*b color measurement scale, which gives numerical values for changes that an individual can detect visually.
The “L” value gives the measurement for lightness, with 100 being perfectly white and 0 being completely black. The “a” gives a measurement of redness [plus (+) values] and greenness [negative (-) values], with gray being zero. The “b” value gives a measurement of yellowness [plus (+) values] and blueness [negative (-) values] with gray being zero
The total color difference dE, is a combination of the difference between the three values obtained on a control versus the values obtained on a sample.,
A trained color inspector under optimum conditions can detect color differences at a dE of 1.5, while untrained individuals generally begin to notice a difference at dE of 3 or more.

At Datafield, a dE of 1.5 is followed for lighter shades and a dE of 3 is followed for darker shade matching.
A lower dE translates into lower variation in the amount of colorant required for a given production run. It also is an important factor to ensure precise matching of thermoplastic colors.

Degeneration aspects of color

The PVC compound used in cable manufacture should conform and meet the following requirements:

• COLOR MIGRATION ­ Color migration is the phenomenon by which the color pigments used to generate and give a particular color moves out, thus resulting in an entirely different color. Due to this the attractiveness and splendor the cord generates to the telephone is lost. When the color migrates it transfers itself to materials  as  ABS (Which is what the Telephone made of)
• PLASTICIZER MIGRATION -  Plasticizer provides flexibility to the cable. When poor plasticizers are used, the cable will become sticky, be oily on surface. This will attract a lot of dust and in sometime the cable would be hard and rigid.
  
• LIGHT STABILITY ­ When the cable is kept under normal atmospheric and light conditions, the colors should not fade.
  
• ODOUR ­ A good cable should not small bad.

Color Matching

Shade Cards	Shell	Shell
Compound Manufactured to develop Color