Mt. Baker Research L.L.C.
2921 Sylvan Street/P.O. Box 28370
Bellingham, Washington 98228-0370

Defining Color Standards

Phone: (360) 650-0771 E-mail: <jackroot@mtbakerresearch.com>

Mt. Baker Research L.L.C. Information

Profiling Tile Sets

During 2008 Mt. Baker Research introduced the Profiling Tile Sets pursuant to our continuing strategic alliance with CyberChrome. The complete set achieves a color gamut that is optimized for instrument profiling by combining one ultra-white color standard with 31 other reduced translucency color standards. Each complete set includes 11 achromatic color standards and 21 chromatic color standards. (Note: The complete Profiling Tile Set and CyberChrome's OnColor Profiler® Tile Set contain the same color standards.)

CyberChrome's OnColor Profiler® software is used by large organizations or consortia of participating laboratories that need to share color data. First, a master instrument is designated and used to measure the Profiling Tile Set.

Next, the master instrument is profiled by analyzing the master calibration data using OnColor Profiler® software. Finally, after the calibrated profiling tiles are measured with other instruments, these instruments are profiled relative to the master instrument. At this point the profiled instruments are effectively color managed to share the color space of the master instrument.

The profiled instruments may have different brands, but they must support the same optical geometry. Each instrument must be operated under controlled conditions using OnColor QC® or OnColor Match® software.

CyberChrome adopted our color standards because they are stable, cleanable and sufficiently durable to withstand rigorous laboratory conditions. Our color standards offer reduced translucency and the expanded color gamut that is required for accurate profiling. Because the optical surface of each color standard is planar and uniform, our standards may be used with instruments that feature different aperture sizes and different sample stage construction.

During a recent beta test of OnColor Profiler® we showed that a dual-beam scanning instrument may be designated as the master instrument and used to profile abridged spectrophotometers. For this test a Perkin-Elmer Lambda 9/19 was designated as the master instrument. This procedure adds traceability and absolute accuracy to the other benefits of OnColor Profiler®. (Note: Typical abridged instruments employ diode-array detection and output spectral reflectance factors over a limited wavelength range with a measurement interval of 10 nm.)

CyberChrome includes one Profiling Tile Set with each installation of OnColor Profiler® software. Additional tile sets — including optional certified traceable calibrations — may be purchased from CyberChrome or Mt. Baker Research.

Profiling Tile Set P/N MBTC-32-02-U (uncalibrated) or MBTC-32-02-C (calibrated). S/N MBTC-32-SER03A-00NN. Contact us for more information.

Linked Resources

• Read CyberChrome's white paper The Importance of Instrument Profiling to learn about spectrophotometer profiling and color-management.
• The instruction manual for the Profiling Tile Set contains referenced background information about translucency. It also presents typical spectral reflectance factors in 2 optical geometries together with procedures for color managing, testing and validating spectrophotometers.