ColorWorkDesk: the flexible software that simplifies colorimetry

A clear goal: revolutionizing traditional colorimetry

More than 40 years of experience in the field of color have allowed URAI to understand the real needs of those who work at large giants in the industry, as well as those who work in small retailers and color factories in the area.

To offer a unique response to very different needs, the company has developed ColorWorkDesk, a versatile and intuitive interface colorimetry software, that meets the most diverse operational needs and that is potentially able to propose a colorimetry within the reach of all, thanks to modern digital technologies.

The objectives that the developers set themselves in the programming phase of the software were:

• Redesign the colorimetric software, innovating with respect to the past
• Simplify and minimize the work of the technician colorist
• Condense all work needs and make them usable through flexible operating modules
• Create an intuitive user interface that makes information easily available
• Develop new and modern calculation algorithms, efficient and accurate in all operating conditions
• Offer multilingual software with translation tools to meet an international target

From the objectives, it is clear, therefore, that the main features of a complete and powerful software were very clear in the heads of its creators: ease of use, modern and intuitive graphics and speed of calculation. All elements designed to simplify and streamline the work of the operator.

Use ColorWorkDesk in 5 easy steps

ColorWorkDesk, in its full version, contains all the features of the classic color quality control, as well as the formulation and correction of the same. Laboratory technicians and point-of-sale operators will find its operation extremely intuitive, which can be easily explained in 5 steps:

Insertion

The use of old and new generation colorimeters and spectrophotometers will allow the operator to read the color and send it directly to the software.

Learning

Each company uses its own ingredients, dyes and pigments. The software is able to learn how to recognize and store them for future use.

Processing

ColorWorkDesk’s computing capabilities are optimal, thanks to algorithms developed, tested and fully tested by URAI analysts in different color labs.

Restitution

The data processing is fast and efficient, so much so as to return in a few seconds the result, in terms of specific color formulation required by the operator.

Management

The software contains a Data Navigator, which allows the operator to manage the measurements made and the results obtained, in an organized and intuitive way, using convenient folders and sub-folders.

The unique features of the software

The five steps shown in the previous paragraph are made possible by as many specific features of the ColorWorkDesk software, able to ensure ease of use and maintenance:

Graphical interface

The graphical interface, modern and intuitive, has been organized in libraries that allow to obtain ease of use, Well-defined standardized features that offer the possibility to separate some windows from the main module for the use of the program on two different monitors.

Database

The choice, in this case, fell back on the more than proven Microsoft SQL, structured in order to always maintain a correct integrity of the data during the operations of insertion, modification and cancellation.

Computer Library

It is the technological heart of the software able to carry out all the calculations and transformations necessary to process the data and return the result desired by the user.

The algorithms allow the calculation and the use of optical constants to realize Total, Partial and Transparent Coverage products.

For color-matching operations, on the other hand, the library uses mathematical solutions that can use the values of Reflectance, Tristimol, Lab and Lch.

You can also get formulations with a Batch Total that respects the level of Contrast set, the amount of the percentage of Paste and Vehicle and the amount of White Base or Scattering Vehicle desired in the formula.

The module dedicated to the formulation for the points of sale uses, instead, a mathematical calculation that involves the use of commercial size management with the pre-dosed bases of the tintometric system.

The calculation designed for corrections is optimized so as to obtain a complete reformulation of the composition, with the indication of the amount of ingredients to be added to a batch already made.

Driver library

Necessary for the connection of colorimeters and spectrophotometers, allows the selection and use of different models of such instruments, as well as the implementation of any new models on the market, always maintaining the same intuitive interface and the same operational ease.

Safety

The software protection (USB Sentinel Key) allows the activation of the features provided by the purchased software license and an easy upgrade or downgrade of the same, without changes to the installation.

Efficient and versatile software: the organization in modules

One of the main advantages of ColorWorkDesk is its flexibility, as it allows the company or the operator to buy only the modules that are actually useful for its specific activity.

Depending on the needs, then, you can choose one or more of the 6 modules that make up the software and that allow you to access its different features.

If, therefore, a generic colorimetry software proposes only the quality control function and, only in some cases, also the color formulation function, ColorWorkDesk will be able to cover, in an efficient and innovative way, much more than such activities.

Data browser

An intelligent system to have full control of your archive.

With this tool the colorist technician will be able to generate his own data structure by creating folders and sub-folders where to store colorimetric measurements (Reflection, Tristimol, Color Coordinates, Pass-Fail tolerances), obtained by spectrophotometers, colorimeters or manual entries, and color formulas calculated by the software.

At the same time, you can create “Templates“, in which you can store a specific configuration of the coloring file and a series of setup options to be used during formulation and correction.

To these possibilities, are added the functions of cut, copy, paste and modify data, the possibility of deleting each of the objects in the data structure regardless of its relationship with others and some special functions, such as the quick storage of measured colors directly in the chosen folder and a filter function that displays only objects that contain the search string entered by the user.

Quality Control of the Color

This module is able to calculate and visualize the most common colorimetric differences and colorimetric indices in comparison between a standard color and a sample.

Thanks to this program you can recall the measurements already stored in the Data Navigator and measure the color references with the configured spectrophotometer, obtaining both absolute values and the differences calculated by the color spaces.

The standard color acquisition activates real-time search for similar colors among all those stored to determine whether, in the archive, the color measured or similar.

The module also allows you to print the obtained results in pdf format, as well as analyze the values and reflection graphs, the mapping in the CIE-Lab color plane and the calculated colorimetric yield.

Finally, the instrument can store the color measurements related to the production (batches) in a historical archive, so as to keep under control the progress of production through the use of statistical functions.

Formulation and Correction for Industry

This module, developed in a single screen, is the most advanced technological heart of the color matching software.

With such a program, using the function “Template” and, that is, the ability to store all the information of the coloring file and the setup of parameters to implement the color formulation, you can create custom configurations for each dye file available.

The module offers the possibility to formulate in different operating modes to obtain opaque, traslucent and transparent applications.

In terms of correction, the formulas can be re-proportioned or modified by Automatic Correction or Manual Correction. If necessary, the correction program is also able to add one or more extraneous dyes to the original formula.

The result will be a new formula recalculated and ready to make, with also indicated the amount of dye to be added to the existing batch.

Formulation and Correction with Product Line

This option is intended for the traditional resale sector and large retailers.

In order to calculate the color formulas desired by the end customer, it will be necessary to select the brand, the system, the product, the pre-dosed base and the size. Alternatively, you can directly read a chosen color through the use of a spectrophotometer or, again, recover one, previously stored in the archive of the Data Navigator.

The management of the correction is very simple, as it is completely automatic. To activate the possible correction, it will be sufficient to read the result of the first formulation and the program will respond by indicating the quantities of dyes to be added and the correct formula to be used in subsequent weighing.

Maintenance Ingredients and Dyes

The Ingredient Maintenance module allows you to create and modify the dye files that contain the physical colorimetric and commercial properties of pigments, dyes, solvents, resins and binders, used by the manufacturer.

The technician will have the task of initially preparing a number of applications indicating the color mixtures necessary for the characterization of the dye file to be included in the program.

Maintenance Product Line

A module specifically designed for the creation of the technical-commercial know-how of the painting products, which the company intends to sell in the traditional resale and mass distribution sector.

The formulas obtained will be made directly at the point of sale for the end customer, using the mathematical calculation based on commercial sizes with white or neutral bases pre-dosed.

In the development of this module, particular attention has been paid to the container creation program, in order to define the formulation levels of each size of the system, which may be gravimetric or volumetric. The containers can then indicate the amount of pre-dosed basic product needed and the amount of coloring paste that can be used for each product.

ColorWorkDesk: different versions for specific industry needs

ColorWorkDesk software is the ideal partner in production processes for companies in many fields, including the fields of paints, pigments, plastics, leather, inks, packaging, cosmetics…

The presence or not of one or more modules will represent the discriminating in the choice of the ideal solution for the specific needs of the sector and business, so that the individual company can configure its ColorWorkDesk system by purchasing a specific license among the following:

• ColorWorkDesk QC: dedicated exclusively to color quality control, contains only the relative module.
• ColorWorkDesk Lab M Top: the top of the range is the complete formulation system that contains 100% of current technology.
• ColorWorkDesk Lab F Top: compared to the previous one, it lacks modules dedicated to Dye Maintenance. It does not, therefore, offer the opportunity to include the characterization of all the pigments to be used to create the colors.
• ColorWorkDesk Lab M: contains all the modules dedicated to the industry. It is therefore missing those relating to the Product Lines and retail outlets.
• ColorWorkDesk Lab F: always dedicated to the industry, but simpler than the previous one, as it maintains the only formulation and color quality control modules.
• ColorWorkDesk SHOP Top: specific package with only the formulation modules for industry and for points of sale and without the color quality control module. It is a reserved product and sold to smaller users, professionals or retailers of paints, using standard sizes indicated in kilograms or liters.
• ColorWorkDesk SITE: software including only the Industry Formulation module, dedicated to stores, whose customers are professionals with requests for large quantities of color.
• ColorWorkDesk SHOP LP: This software contains only the Product Line Formulation module, intended for small retailers.

ColorWorkDesk: a step forward in the future of colorimetry

The ColorWorkDesk software is the most evident technological progress put in place by URAI in an industry that is increasingly approaching digital, with a view to simplifying and optimizing the work of its operators.

The other components that place this product as a real revolution in world colorimetry concern the presence of a central server where they are collected, managed and shared all the results of the formulations required by CWD users and the equally fundamental creation of an app, unique in the world, designed specifically to make even more streamlined and flexible the work of color industry operators.

In short, colorimetry looks to the future is the color that is expected is decidedly rosy.