Color plays a vital role for manufacturers and consumers of lubricants because it is the primary method of identifying a specific product type. Some industrial lubricants have an entire color range, indicating the level of refinement, the type of base stock and the additive package. Monitoring a product's color throughout production can also alert manufacturers to potential contamination or faulty processing.
What Are Color Standards and Why Are They Important?
Multiple test methods exist for measuring the color of lubricant products and maintaining quality control during production. Manufacturers must keep a close eye on color during refinement to catch any defects immediately, minimizing the amount of lost time, materials and labor if an error occurs. One of the most accurate and reliable methods of measuring lubricant color is spectrophotometry.
Since lubricant manufacturing and refining are complex, companies use industry standards to ensure their products meet the necessary color specifications. Some of the primary color scales for analyzing lubricants and other petroleum products include the Saybolt and ASTM D1500 standard test methods. These scales work on a color range from light to dark.
While visual comparison methods and color charts may work for consumers in identifying a specific lubricant type, manufacturers must employ more advanced techniques to ensure better accuracy. Spectrophotometers can measure the exact color of your lubricant and deliver a precise color comparison to any of these scales.
