The Art of Color Matching in Vehicle Painting
Flawless paint matching is essential, whether an extensive repainting job or simply repairing a small scratch. Achieving a perfect match requires precision and expertise found in vehicle body shop.
A perfect match helps maintain your car's value and accentuates its sleek design. Read on to learn about the many steps involved in this crucial process:
Color Blending
Color blending is the process of transitioning the new paint that's being sprayed over the damaged area to the existing paint on the car. A good blend will make it impossible to see where the new and old paint meets, giving the repair a smooth, professional look.
This technique is especially important for vehicles that different shops have repainted, as different manufacturing processes may cause slight variations in the final appearance of the paint job. Different types of metallic and pearl paints also present unique challenges when matching colors because they reflect light differently than standard paints.
Color-matching is a complex process, and even with the best tools, it can be challenging to achieve a perfect match. However, a spectrophotometer can help eliminate some guesswork by allowing technicians to identify the closest variant formulation. This can help avoid unnecessary rework and save time. It can also ensure the final result is as close to perfection as possible.
Spectro Reading
The spectrophotometer, that expensive and fragile device a body shop uses to find a paint match quickly, is truly a marvel of technology. When used correctly, it can give a highly accurate surface color reading, essential for correctly mixing base coats.
This technology is also valuable for forensic applications since the spectrophotometer can determine whether or not a questioned trace matches an actual vehicle color code. This is important since a paint code may be changed at different times and in different manufacturing plants.
Using the spectrophotometer for this purpose requires cleaning the surface where it will take the reading and then allowing it to calibrate. Once the calibration is complete, the spectrophotometer should rest on the surface and take five manual readings. The readings should be taken at various angles and in different lighting conditions. Then, the readings can be compared to the reference chart.
Mixing the Paint
A perfect match ensures the newly painted area blends seamlessly with the original color, creating a visually cohesive and professional finish. This also helps maintain the integrity of the original design, honoring the vision of the car's designers.
The ideal way to perform a color match is with the help of a spectrophotometer, which measures light reflecting from a surface and provides precise color information. However, other methods exist for ensuring a proper match if you don't have a spectrophotometer.
For example, you can send a piece of your vehicle to professionals who use advanced camera technology to scan the paint sample and isolate the closest variant formulation. Then, they'll apply the same formula to your vehicle to create a flawless, pristine finish. In addition to ensuring a seamless match, careful preparation is essential when painting your car. This includes covering your workspace with plastic sheeting to limit overspray and wearing a respirator and safety goggles to protect yourself from sanding dust and chemical fumes.
Final Inspection
A flawlessly matched paint job is about more than just aesthetics. It signals to customers that their car is treated with the care and attention it deserves, preserving its value and original design.
To ensure the paint matches, technicians must perform thorough surface preparation. This includes sanding, priming, and cleaning the vehicle's surface to ensure proper paint adhesion. This step ensures a good finish and prevents problems like streaking or runs.
When standard color codes don't yield the ideal result, professional body shops can use highly advanced scanning technology to find the best match. This involves sending a removable piece of the vehicle's body, such as a mirror cap or tow hook cover, to be scanned. The scanner provides the shop with a precise formula that can account for unique factory paint jobs and years of sun exposure.
