Objective Background Surface colour measurement is of importance in the production of a very wide range of manufactured goods. Industry needs to be able to measure colour within the limits of the human eye, about 0.5 CIELAB units. An earlier European intercomparison of surface colour measurements showed that 50% of colour measurements made by national standards laboratories did not agree within this limit. A reduction in uncertainties of colour measurement is needed to improve competitiveness in the trading of coloured goods. Objectives The overall objective is to reduce the errors in colour measurement so that 95% of colour measurement by the 9 participants agree to within 0.5 CIELAB units. This will be achieved through the use of a system for determining and correcting errors in colour measurement followed by an intercomparison of non fluorescent surface colour measurements. An intercomparison of fluorescent colours will also be carried out by 3 of the participants. Work Programme The coordinator has developed techniques for determining and correcting errors in colour measurements as well as a range of transfer standards for colour as part of a national programme on colour measurement. The methodology of determining and reducing colorimetric errors will be used by all participants who will then meet to refine jointly the methods to achieve harmonisation of measurements to the required level. An improvement of a factor of 4 over current levels of agreement is being sought. Ten difference steps in the technical process have been agreed. Following the determination and correction of errors each participant will measure 9 matt colour standards and 9 glossy colour standards and then calculate their colour specifications. Three participants will also measure 4 fluorescent standards by the two monochromator methods. One of these participants will develop a two monochromator system prior to the intercomparison. State of Progress The programme commenced on 1 February 1997 and will last 3 years. Participants met and agreed a common methodology. The coordinator purchased and calibrated the artefacts necessary for the determination of errors. These have been dispatched to the other participants in part 1 of the project together with instructions on determining and correcting errors, model software for the calculation of colorimetric data and instructions on the handling and cleaning of materials. Participants are now determining their measurement errors using the calibrated artefacts. A detailed report from one of the participants giving results on the determination of all the errors has already been received. A report on progress in the development of a two monochromator instrument has also been received. Fields of science natural sciencescomputer and information sciencessoftwareengineering and technologymaterials engineeringcolors Programme(s) FP4-SMT - Specific research and technological development programme in the field of standards, measurements and testing, 1994-1998 Topic(s) 0201 - Research in support of European trade Call for proposal Data not available Funding Scheme CSC - Cost-sharing contracts Coordinator National Physical Laboratory (NPL) EU contribution No data Address Queen's Road TW11 0LW Teddington United Kingdom See on map Total cost No data Participants (8) Sort alphabetically Sort by EU Contribution Expand all Collapse all BRITISH CERAMIC RESEARCH LTD. United Kingdom EU contribution No data Address Penkhull, Queens Road ST4 7LQ STOKE-ON-TRENT See on map Total cost No data Bundesanstalt für Materialforschung und Materialprüfung Germany EU contribution No data Address 87,Unter den Eichen 12205 Berlin See on map Total cost No data Centro de Ciencias e Tecnologias Opticas Portugal EU contribution No data Address 687,Rua do Capmo Alegre 4150 Porto See on map Total cost No data Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas Spain EU contribution No data Address 121,Calle Serrano 28006 Madrid See on map Total cost No data Delta Danish Electronics, Light & Acoustics Denmark EU contribution No data Address 99,Bjortekaersvej 99 2800 Lungby See on map Total cost No data Laboratoire National d'Essais France EU contribution No data Address 1,Rue Gaston Boissier 75724 Paris See on map Total cost No data Swedish National Testing and ResearchInstitute SP Sweden EU contribution No data Address 4,Brinellgatan 501 15 Boräs See on map Total cost No data University of Joensuu Finland EU contribution No data Address 80101 Joensuu See on map Total cost No data