Gloss is an aspect of the visual perception of objects. It is the attribute of surfaces that causes them to have shiny or lustrous, metallic or matte appearances. For the quality purpose, it is important to calculate the gloss amount of surfaces by using a high standard gloss meter. In this blog section, we explain all you need to know about gloss testing.
The lustrous effects are created when light interacts with the physical properties of the testing surface. Although it is said that, the human eye is the best tool to check the gloss differences. But the visual surface control is not sufficient here, as testing conditions cannot be defined, and different people see and judge differently.
Moreover, the subjective understanding of appearance is dependent on the personal experience of the viewer: Something many be glossy for a paper manufacturer but might be dull for an automotive maker. Hence, gloss must be tested by focusing on the reflected image and not by focusing on the surface. Human eyesight and mood can play a decisive role in the visual judgment of surface gloss. In order to guarantee a more reliable and practical quality assurance, it is important to test appearance with objective, defined criteria. Accurate categorization of appearance does not only aid quality control, but also optimizes manufacturing processes.
The surface gloss can be greatly affected by various factors, such as the smoothness obtained while polishing, the amount and type of coating applied or the quality of the substrate etc. Manufacturers design their products to make maximum impact on the customers’ eyes. Such examples are; shiny car body panels, glossy magazine covers or satin black designer furniture. Now, what happens if the product gets differ from its display? Customers mark this as a defect or consider it as a poor quality product. Using a highly efficient gloss meter and conducting strict quality control practices remove these problems.
Hence, it is important that the gloss levels must be maintained on every product or across different batches of products. It is too considered as a scale of quality for a surface. As a drop in the gloss of a coated surface may indicate problems with its quality for customers.
It is for these reasons that manufacturing industries must monitor the gloss of their products, from cars, printing, and furniture to food, pharmaceuticals, and consumer electronics.