Abstract: Methods and systems for matching color and/or appearance of a surface of an object are provided. In one example, method includes determining a gloss of the surface of the object at one or more angles. The gloss is compared to a minimum gloss threshold to determine a condition of the surface of the object. If the gloss is at or exceeds the minimum gloss threshold, the surface is properly conditioned. If the gloss is less than the minimum gloss threshold, the surface is improperly conditioned. The color and/or appearance of the surface of the object is characterized if the surface is properly conditioned.

Abstract: Methods and systems for matching color and/or appearance of a surface of an object are provided. In one example, method includes determining a gloss of the surface of the object at one or more angles. The gloss is compared to a minimum gloss threshold to determine a condition of the surface of the object. If the gloss is at or exceeds the minimum gloss threshold, the surface is properly conditioned. If the gloss is less than the minimum gloss threshold, the surface is improperly conditioned. The color and/or appearance of the surface of the object is characterized if the surface is properly conditioned.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a process for repairing one or more defects of a target coating of a vehicle. The process can repair target coatings at a repair facility using matching coating compositions provided from a supply center, where the matching coating compositions can be produced according to target repair data transmitted from one or more repair facilities to the supply center. The present invention is also directed to a system for repairing one or more defects of a target coating of a vehicle. The system can comprise one or more supply centers and one or more repair facilities.

Abstract: A method and a system is provided for producing one or more matching formulas to match color and coarseness appearance of a target coating on a substrate. The method includes, but is not limited to providing a set of coating chips comprising at least two coating chips having different lightness values, and at least two coating chips having matching lightness values and different coarseness values. A system is also provided for matching color and coarseness appearance of the surface coating.

Abstract: Methods and systems for coating measurements are provided. A system for obtaining characteristics of a target coating layer include a clearcoat layer having a first surface and a second surface. A removable front support layer has an upper surface and a lower surface, where the lower surface is affixed over at least a portion of the second surface of the clearcoat layer. A back support layer has an inner surface and an outer surface, and at least a portion of the inner surface includes an adhesive layer. A separation layer is affixed over at least a portion of the adhesive layer, and the separation layer is removable from the adhesive layer.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a system for repairing one or more defects of a target coating of a vehicle. The system can repair target coatings at a repair facility using matching coating compositions provided from a supply center, where the matching coating compositions can be produced according to target repair data transmitted from one or more repair facilities to the supply center. The system can comprise one or more supply centers and one or more repair facilities.

Abstract: This disclosure is directed to a process for producing one or more predicted target sparkle values of a target coating composition. An artificial neural network can be used in the process. The process disclosed herein can be used for color and appearance matching in the coating industry including vehicle original equipment manufacturing (OEM) coatings and refinish coatings. A system for producing one or more predicted target sparkle values of a target coating composition is also disclosed.

Abstract: A method and a system is provided for producing one or more matching formulas to match color and coarseness appearance of a target coating on a substrate. The method includes, but is not limited to providing a set of coating chips comprising at least two coating chips having different lightness values, and at least two coating chips having matching lightness values and different coarseness values. A system is also provided for matching color and coarseness appearance of the surface coating.

Abstract: A method for matching color and appearance of a target coating of an article is provided. The method includes the steps utilizing sparkle values of the target coating; color data of the target coating; and flop values based on the color data; to identify and select matching formulas based on sparkle differences, flop value differences, and color difference indexes. The method can be used for matching color and appearance of target coatings having effect pigments. This disclosure is also directed to a system for implementing the method. The method can be particularly useful for vehicle refinish repairs.

Abstract: This disclosure is directed to a process for producing one or more predicted target sparkle values of a target coating composition. An artificial neural network can be used in the process. The process disclosed herein can be used for color and appearance matching in the coating industry including vehicle original equipment manufacturing (OEM) coatings and refinish coatings. A system for producing one or more predicted target sparkle values of a target coating composition is also disclosed.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a method for obtaining characteristics of a target coating layer. Specifically, a clearcoat layer is provided over a target coating layer for measuring color and appearance characteristics of the target coating. The clearcoat layer can comprise materials from renewable resources. The present invention is also directed to a system for obtaining characteristics of the target coating layer.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a method and a system for producing one or more matching formulas to match color and coarseness appearance of a target coating on a substrate. The method provides providing a set of coating chips comprising at least two coating chips having different lightness values, and at least two coating chips having matching lightness values and different coarseness values. This invention provides a simple method and the system for matching color and coarseness appearance of the surface coating.

Abstract: Methods and systems for coating measurements are provided. A system for obtaining characteristics of a target coating layer include a clearcoat layer having a first surface and a second surface. A removable front support layer has an upper surface and a lower surface, where the lower surface is affixed over at least a portion of the second surface of the clearcoat layer. A back support layer has an inner surface and an outer surface, and at least a portion of the inner surface includes an adhesive layer. A separation layer is affixed over at least a portion of the adhesive layer, and the separation layer is removable from the adhesive layer.

Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a method for producing color spectral data of an article illuminated with lights emitted from one or more light emitting units, such as light emitting diodes (LEDs). The method is useful for obtaining accurate color spectral data of the article and for matching the color data produced from another color measuring instrument. The method is particularly useful for obtaining color spectral data using light emitting diodes as light source for color measurement. This disclosure is also directed to a color measuring system using the method disclosed therein.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a process for repairing one or more defects of a target coating of a vehicle. The process can repair target coatings at a repair facility using matching coating compositions provided from a supply center, where the matching coating compositions can be produced according to target repair data transmitted from one or more repair facilities to the supply center. The present invention is also directed to a system for repairing one or more defects of a target coating of a vehicle. The system can comprise one or more supply centers and one or more repair facilities.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a system for repairing one or more defects of a target coating of a vehicle. The system can repair target coatings at a repair facility using matching coating compositions provided from a supply center, where the matching coating compositions can be produced according to target repair data transmitted from one or more repair facilities to the supply center. The system can comprise one or more supply centers and one or more repair facilities.

Abstract: A computer-implemented process for generating a bidirectional reflectance distribution function (BRDF) of a gonioapparent material containing effect flake pigments in a solid medium using limited measurement data, comprising the following steps: (A) acquiring and inputting into a computing device (1) photometric data and (2) the refractive index of the solid medium of the gonioapparent material; (B) converting any non-linear photometric data from step A) above to linear photometric data; (C) using the illumination angle and the reflective scattering angle associated with the linear photometric data and the refractive index of the medium to calculate corresponding effect flake angles; (D) fitting the linear photometric data and the effect angle data with an equation; (E) calculating the corresponding effect flake angle needed to calculate the BRDF being generated in step (F); and (F) generating the BRDF from the corresponding effect flake angle from step (E) and the equation developed in step (D).

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a method and a system for producing one or more matching formulas to match color and coarseness appearance of a target coating on a substrate. The method provides providing a set of coating chips comprising at least two coating chips having different lightness values, and at least two coating chips having matching lightness values and different coarseness values. This invention provides a simple method and the system for matching color and coarseness appearance of the surface coating.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a method for obtaining characteristics of a target coating layer. Specifically, a clearcoat layer is provided over a target coating layer for measuring color and appearance characteristics of the target coating. The clearcoat layer can comprise materials from renewable resources, The present invention is also directed to a system for obtaining characteristics of the target coating layer.

Abstract: This disclosure is directed to a method for matching color and appearance of an object. The method comprise the step of generating a bidirectional reflectance distribution function (BRDF) of a gonioapparent material containing effect flake pigments in a solid medium using limited measurement data.