Color is the most immediately noticeable element of overall appearance, and the methods used to maintain color consistency between suppliers, products, and individual parts are known as color management. Originally the province of art departments and human visual appraisals, the importance of color management has now been recognized in almost every industry, and has driven the development of sophisticated instruments and techniques for removing subjectivity from the color discussion.
"Using reliable, precise instrumentation is the only way to objectify the perception of color and ensure that expensive mistakes are avoided in the production process," says Mike Gogoel, vice president and general manager at BYK-Gardner, Columbia, MD. Gogoel offered the following tips for selecting the right instruments for color management.