The Importance of Gloss Measurement
Gloss is an important aspect to consider for your products due to the possible psychological effect of different gloss levels. Ask around and you may find that most people have a certain visual perception of an object based on its gloss. In this article, learn more about the different types of gloss range, gloss value and gloss measurement angle you should be using in your gloss meter test.
Gloss is the shiny or smooth appearance on surfaces. It can be categorized into 3 different variations:
- High gloss
- Semi-gloss
- Matte
High gloss refers to surfaces with a high reflectance, while medium reflective surfaces are described as semi-gloss and less reflective surfaces are considered as matte.
As studies have shown, gloss is extremely important in appearance for your products. As your business or production expands, it is best practice to choose the right gloss for your products and maintain consistency with every batch produced.
How should you then ensure a consistent gloss over surfaces for your products? First, you would need to measure the gloss level of your surface.
How to Measure Gloss
Gloss can be measured using a Gloss Meter in just 2 simple steps:
- A light beam of consistent intensity is directed at a fixed angle towards a test surface
- Simultaneously, the reflected light is measured at an equal opposite angle
The amount of light reflected relative to a polished glass reference standard is measured in Gloss Units (GU). The angle of incidence and properties of the surface also affect the measured GU.
Therefore, the type of surface to be measured determines the gloss measurement angle to be used and thus the gloss meter model.
Determining Gloss Meter Angle
Gloss measurement angle refers to the angle between the incident light and the perpendicular. In general, 3 measurement angles (20°, 60°, and 85°) are sufficient to cover most industrial coating applications.
The angle to be used is based on the anticipated gloss range, as shown in the following table.
Gloss Range | Gloss Unit (GU) | Measurement Angle |
High Gloss | >70 GU | 20° |
Semi-gloss | 10 - 70 GU | 60° |
Low Gloss/ Matte | <10 GU | 85° |
Gloss Meter Application
Gloss meter is widely used in paints and coatings, ink, plastics, marble, paper, tile, enamel and others. As we’ve learnt, the type of surface affects the gloss meter angle. Different gloss meter models cater to differing gloss angles.
For instance, a single angle gloss meter has varying usage and test standard requirements from a multi-angle such as a triple angle gloss meter.
Choosing the right gloss meter for your application can be tricky.Maha offers a comprehensive range of gloss meters for every application.
Consult our experts at sales@maha.asia to find out more today!
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