Navigating the colour jungle with Standox
Colour management is one of the most important disciplines in a bodyshop. Daylight can reveal even the smallest colour deviation. The incredible range of colour tones and nuances, and the continuing trend towards complex effect colours, do not make a refinisher’s life any easier.
With growing competition and time pressure, it is increasingly important not only to get the colour match right first time, but also to do so as quickly as possible, which can be quite a challenge. “The trend is to use digital colour tools that make colour management particularly efficient,” says Anthony Cashel, Marketing Manager for Axalta Coating Systems in UK and Ireland. “Standox offers a comprehensive range of electronic tools that are constantly undergoing further development.”
The latest update in colour retrieval software from Standox includes a tool called the Effect Navigator, which improves the selection and search efficiency of the Genius spectrophotometer. It is a set of 25 colour chips with five lightness levels, each of which has five effect levels. When searching via Genius, the measurement of the flake size is used to identify the best matching formulas in the same colour and lightness group. The Effect Navigator combines the visual impression with the latest technology to ensure the best possible match.
Standowin is the colour formula search software by Standox. It is the interface for the Genius spectrophotometer. The data resulting from the colour measurement is transferred to Standowin. This programme offers users immediate access to current Standox mixing formulas including tips for correcting colours. It also suggests the matching colour variant. After entering the car manufacturer, model and year, the Standox Digital Color Display instantly produces all possible colours on screen in the form of realistic digital colour chips. The colour information menu contains everything relating to different car manufacturers, such as the list of codes, as well as current mixing tint lists.
“And Standowin can do even more. On request, it can store customer-specific data, automatically compile reports on costs and consumption of materials, and produce inventory updates. It can also be used for administrative tasks relating to pricing, jobs and storage. In short, it’s the perfect colour management support tool,” Cashel continues. “We are currently working on an online version of Standowin for the mixing room which will bring colour matching even more up-to-date for professionals.
Standox is also making internet colour searches quicker and easier thanks to a new online colour search programme. More formulas, more models, more search criteria and the illustration of colours via the Digital Color Display turn this programme into a very helpful tool. The online colour search can be found at www.standox.co.uk/colourtools, as well as further information about the full range of Standox colour tools.
System Tools Plus is a marketing programme that delivers the very latest colour and technical information to bodyshops as soon as it’s available. Formulations are available online at any time, and programme members have access to colour and technical support to guide them through every stage of the colour-matching process. “Standox has five different packages within the System Tools Plus offering, so that bodyshops can choose what suits their individual requirements best, like the CV package or the Colour Box and Genius packages,” explains Cashel.
While some are impressed by the colour matching abilities of digital tools, others prefer to rely on their experience and a trained eye. At Standox, that is taken into account. “Standox believes that the route to colour identification is a question of preference,” Cashel says. “Not everybody loves technology and there are refinishers who achieve excellent results with a trained eye and a comprehensive colour fan deck. That is why we not only develop digital tools, but also continue to advance Standox Colour Boxes with fan decks.”