Konica Minolta to Release New Portable Spectrophotometers to Help Improve Productivity, Including the CM-26dG Capable of Simultaneously Measuring Color and Gloss
For Digital Color Data Management for ICT and Automobile Production Sites

1. Improving the inspection process by quickly measuring color and gloss at the same time (CM-26dG only)

The CM-26dG is a “two-in-one” type of spectrophotometer that can simultaneously measure color and gloss, with a compact body weighing just 660 g. This helps increase efficiency and reduce manpower when measuring large quantities of samples, significantly improving the existing inspection process of customers.

2. Achieving outstanding quality control with the industry's top level of measurement accuracy

The CM-26dG series provides extremely high inter-instrument agreement, with very little variation among units. This enables these instruments to be used for quality control across the supply chain, from component part manufacturers to those of finished products. The inter-instrument agreement of the chromaticity value (average for 12 BCRA color tiles) is within ΔE 0.12 for the CM-26dG and CM-26d, an improvement of about 40% from previous models. (Within ΔE 0.2 for the CM-25d.)

This superb measurement accuracy enables digital color data management, which is color management based solely on colorimetric data without having to use color reference plates (which are troublesome to prepare and require strict control) for each site. These new instruments thus help customers attain exceptional quality control across their supply chains worldwide.

3. Helping improve operator productivity with high usability

The Job function^*2 enables measurement instructions (including photographs) for routine tasks to be registered in the instrument, helping to improve productivity by promoting work uniformity regardless of differences in operator skills.

The CM-26dG and CM-26d can switch between Ø8mm and Ø3mm measurement areas (the CM-25d has a fixed Ø8mm measurement area) for measuring parts of different sizes. All models are also equipped with a viewfinder for accurate positioning on patterned subjects or small parts, and instrument surfaces which come in contact with the measurement subject are designed to minimize subject damage.

4. Faster measurements for increased task efficiency and improved durability for reduced downtime

For products produced in bulk such as smartphones, thousands of quality inspections may be conducted per day, requiring short measurement times and measurement intervals together with high instrument durability. The CM-26dG series fulfills both of these requirements. Even when measuring both color and gloss with the CM-26dG, measurement time is only about 1 second and measurements can be taken approximately every two seconds. In addition, durability in terms of measurement cycles has been significantly improved compared to previous models. The improved inspection speed and durability increase work efficiency and reduce downtime.

*1:A color management technique based solely on numerical data without using color reference plates

*2:Setting enabled by separately available software

Main Specifications

The information, specifications, and product appearance provided in this news release are subject to change without notice.

About Konica Minolta's Sensing Business

Konica Minolta's sensing business offers various products and solutions in the fields of light source color measurement and object color measurement based on the optical technologies developed in its former camera business and continually refined thereafter. The products and solutions offered by Konica Minolta contribute to ensuring quality and improving productivity at customers' manufacturing sites, and many products are used as de facto standard color measurement instruments. Notably, Konica Minolta has more than a 50% share in the global market for display image quality measurement and inspection (estimated by Konica Minolta), and has a solid presence as the market leader.

Konica Minolta has actively promoted investments to strengthen its competitiveness. In 2012, the company acquired Instrument Systems GmbH (Germany) which develops high-end optical measuring instruments and has an outstanding track record in the high-performance measurement of displays and LED lighting devices. In 2015, the company acquired Radiant Vision Systems, LLC (U.S.) which excels at high-resolution 2D measurement instruments for displays, image processing software, and automatic appearance inspection systems.

Konica Minolta remains committed to developing its measuring instrument business as a market leader by offering various high value-added products and solutions that enable high-precision measurement of light and color for the ever-growing ICT and automobile industries.