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Understanding LAB and Color

February 1, 2023 by Larry Hovish Leave a Comment

Every day we see “color” all around us, but the perception of that color changes based on changing parameters. An object will appear to have a different visual perception to each person depending on the object’s material composition, surface texture, and the type of light directed at it. Color is what we see when light is reflected from an object at a different wavelength and then our brain interprets these signals as what we describe as color. If an object appears white it is due to that object having the absence of all color as it reflects all light. If an object appears black it is due to that object having the presence of all color as it absorbs all light.

White light has all colors within it, which includes red, green, and blue. What wavelength an object reflects is dependent on the light source. When looking at plastic parts, the type of light above your work station can have a large effect on what you see. Whether a light is D55, D65, F2/10, halogen, or LED can change visually what is being seen.

Kelvin:
The “temperature” of a light is referred to as Kelvin. This scale is used to let you know the look and feel of the lighting. The scale goes from 1,000K to 10,000K. The lower this number, the more yellow it appears. The higher the number, the more blue. Natural white light is around 5,000-6,000K. D55 lighting is at 5500 kelvin and D65 would be at 6500 kelvin.

Picture source: https://www.ledlightingwholesaleinc.com/Understanding-Lumens-vs-Kelvin-s/399.htm

Additive and Subtractive Color:
Knowing the light source you are using is extremely important as objects may absorb a specific color. For example, a shirt appears yellow (red and green light) because it is the only color that is being reflected. The rest are absorbed by the shirt. This means that blue light is being absorbed causing red and green light to mix and appear yellow. However, if that same shirt was to have cyan light directed at it, it would appear green. Cyan Is the mixture of green and blue light. As the shirt absorbs all blue light, only the green remains.

As color absorption goes, yellow absorbs blue light, while cyan absorbs red light and magenta absorbs green light. This helps show why the type of light, and the temperature color of that light, can influence the final appearance of a plastic part or any object.

Using Spectrophotometers and LAB values:
The X-rite is a common tool used here at Mack to help measure the color of the plastic part. It is important to know what these values mean. The model used here at Mack is like the photo shown to the right. It can be set to measure single points on a surface or compare two parts against each other. The light source standard used at Mack is F2/10 lighting – a cool white fluorescent that is common office room lighting.

  • L – refers to the lightness of the part ranging on a scale of 0 to 100. 0 is pure black (dark) and 100 is pure white (light).
  • a – refers to the red-green range. A negative “a” value is green while a positive “a” value is red. 0 is neutral and unlike the L value, “a” has no defined range limit.
  • b – refers to blue-yellow range. A negative “b” value is blue while a positive “b” value is yellow. The higher the “b,” the more yellow it is. Like “a,” “b” also has no defined range limit.
  • ∆E – is a way to combine all three values together to compare to another standard. If comparing two samples, ∆E can give you an overall difference to help determine if the sample is close in color to the standard. Limits can be set depending on the application. The closer to 0, the closer in color. Generally anything over a ∆E of 2.0-3.0 can be differentiated by the average human. Less than a 2.0 is considered to be a very close color match but again is dependent on the chosen standard by a company and their application. However, just because the ∆E is under 2, this does not mean that a person still cannot see the differences between the two samples. It is a complex formula taking into account all three numbers in LAB. A 1-point difference in one value may not be as easy to tell apart in another value.

Discerning Color:
Every human sees color differently. Not every person should be allowed to make decisions on color matching as some humans can differentiate color better than others. There is a standard test referred to as the Farnsworth Munsell 100 Hue test. This will test your ability to perceive colors in the correct order based on hue. The example below shows 4 lines of colors which must be placed in order from one end to the color based on the gradual change in hue. They gradually change color to match the stationary block at the most left or right of the row.

The score is based on how many are in the correct order and how long it takes that person to complete the test. A score of 0 is a perfect score. The higher the number, the more difficulty a person has with differentiating color. If you would like to take a basic test (not the full test), you can find it using this link: https://www.colorblindnesstest.org/farnsworth-munsell-100-hue-test/.

Color Matching Resins:
A number of factors are considered when trying to determine the color required for a specific resin. A color pellet can be manufactured to match a color chip or a color number, such as a PMS number. However, the same color pellet may not be usable for each type of resin or result in the same color. Things such as viscosity, melt processing temperatures, gloss, filler content, and chemical conditions must be considered when developing a colored resin.

When a color is matched, the resin can come in two forms. Resin can be pre-colored, or it can be a cube blend. A pre-colored resin comes ready to run as the pellets are already the desired color. A cube blend uses raw, natural colored resin and is mixed proportionally with colored pellets called a Masterbatch. These two methods will not necessarily be the same when processed but is useful to get color match samples from the supplier for the method you intend to use.

In general, plastics should be able to maintain a delta E of 3 and below. For example, the image below shows a standard color to a color matched plastic swatch. Each square has a different texture but all squares fall with 1.5-2.0 of delta E values.

For more information this or any of your plastic injection molding needs, please feel free to reach out to us!

Picture of Matthew Woodard.

This tech topic was written by Matt Woodard, a Tool Design Engineer in the Application Development Center at Mack HQ. Woodard is experienced in process engineering, quality engineering and production. Prior to Mack, Woodward was a process engineer for CY Plastics in Honeoye, N.Y., where he priced new molds and served as a liaison between mold makers and customers during the mold design process. He has a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from The Rochester Institute of Technology in Rochester, N.Y.

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: ADC, Mack Molding, plastics injection molding, Tech Topic

Mack Adds to Press Fleet

April 12, 2022 by Larry Hovish Leave a Comment

Five New Machines Expand Molding Capabilities in Northern & Southern Divisions

Picture of new Wittmann Battenfeld injection molding press at Mack HQ.

The first of two new 1,433 ton Wittmann Battenfeld injection molding presses being placed at Mack Headquarters to add capacity for the Company’s medical business.

ARLINGTON, Vt. (April 12, 2022) – Mack Molding, a leading custom plastics molder and supplier of contract manufacturing services, is growing and so are the molding departments at its Arlington, Vermont, Headquarters and the Company’s Inman, S.C., facility with the addition of five new injection molding presses.

With the addition of robots and infrastructure Mack has invested more than $5.5 million for the fleet expansion. The new presses will enhance the Company’s ability to serve customers – including new work – in the medical, heavy truck, sport utility/recreational vehicle and industrial sectors.

“Throughout the pandemic we have experienced increased interest from customers, whether it was because they were on the front-lines in the fight against COVID or they were trying to get ahead of lockdowns and supply chain issues,” said Mack President Jeff Somple. “That demand did not go down as the pandemic has receded, and this infusion of technology will ensure we have the capacity to deliver for our customers.”

The investments include two 1,433-ton Wittmann Battenfelds with 60 oz. shot sizes for Headquarters. One unit is already in place with the other expected to arrive in early summer. Inman, meanwhile, will see the addition of 1,500, 2,000 and 2,500 ton Cincinnati Milacrons, which are expected to arrive this fall. The 1,500 ton unit has a barrel size of 362 oz., while the other two are both 540 oz. Mack’s press fleet ranges in size from 28 to 4,000 tons, with barrel sizes ranging from .6 oz. to 800 oz. That includes 21 presses that are 1,400 tons or larger, making Mack one of the biggest U.S. non-automotive large-part molders.

About Mack Molding
Mack Molding is a leading custom plastics molder and supplier of contract manufacturing services. Mack specializes in plastics design, prototyping, molding, sheet metal fabrication, full-service machining and medical device manufacturing. Founded in 1920, Mack is a privately owned business that operates 11 facilities throughout the world. Will Kendall is President and CEO. For more information, go to www.mack.com.

Filed Under: Press Releases Tagged With: Injection Molding Press, plastics injection molding, Press Release, South Carolina, Vermont

Mack Interns Make Annual Pilgrimage to Prototyping Facility

September 6, 2019 by Larry Hovish Leave a Comment

On July 23, 2019, Mack Molding’s summer interns boarded a bus to visit Mack Prototype in Gardner, Mass. It’s a yearly tradition and a highlight of the program, during which the students get to see firsthand how Mack Proto’s manufacturing processes including rapid prototyping, rapid tooling and low volume plastics molding complement Mack’s full suite of vertically-integrated contract manufacturing services.

Filed Under: Blog, Videos Tagged With: FDM, machining, Mack Molding, Mack Prototype, Massachusetts, plastics injection molding, Rapid Tooling, summer internships, Vermont

Mack Heads to Boston for BIOMEDevice

May 7, 2019 by Larry Hovish Leave a Comment

Mack is excited to announce the addition of BIOMEDevice Boston to the Company’s event schedule this year and invites you to come see us at Booth # 233.

Taking place May 15-16, 2019, at the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center, BIOMEDevice bills itself as New England’s largest medical technology event, featuring the most extensive showcase of medtech, design engineering, and embedded systems products from top companies, all on one floor. Back for its 10th year, the event includes three expos – BIOMEDevice Boston, Design & Manufacturing New England and Embedded Systems Conference (ESC) Boston – as well as the ESC Boston and BIOMEDevice Boston conferences tracks covering topics such as product development, R&D, embedded hardware design & verification, embedded software design & verification, IoT and connected devices, focus on fundamentals and advanced technologies. By the end you can expect to have swapped insights with more than 3,000 industry peers and found new business partners among the over 375 suppliers present.

Typically the Mack hits the coasts each year – MD&M West in Anaheim California in February and MD&M East in New York City in June – but we know that can be a long wait to take in our smiling faces and leverage our expertise. That is why we are ready to show you our capabilities in medical product development, program management, quality, regulatory, document control, purchasing, sales and production at BIOMEDevice Boston.

While its roots are in custom injection molding, today Mack Molding is a vertically integrated product development and manufacturing partner that can help take ideas from inception through prototyping to manufacturing as a full-service contract manufacturer with specialties in plastics design, prototyping, molding, sheet metal fabrication, machining and turnkey system assembly. Whether you are interested in Mack Medical, Mack Molding, Mack Technologies, Mack Prototype or Synectic Product Development, the design function is part of a total product development solution geared toward reducing cost and time-to-market and our vertically integrated services have been organized to benefit your business throughout the product life cycle.

In fact, we are also excited to say our engineering arm, Synectic, which specializes design engineering, creating intellectual property, pre-clinical testing and manufacturing, will be on hand as well, exhibiting at Booth # 535.

And if that wasn’t enough, Mack is offering a code to get a free expo pass or 20% off a conference pass. Just use SPECIALMAC2 when registering at http://biomedboston.com/SPECIAL. We hope to see you there!

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: BIOMEDevice, Boston, contract manufacturing, machining, Mack Molding, Mack Prototype, Mack Technologies, MackMedical, MD&M East, MD&M West, medical manufacturing, New England, Plastics Design, plastics injection molding, Prototyping, sheet metal fabrication, Synectic, turnkey system assembly, vertical integration of services

Mack Announces Additions to Team

February 5, 2019 by Larry Hovish Leave a Comment

Continued New Business Growth Drives Hiring at Molder & Contract Manufacturer

ARLINGTON, Vt. (Feb. 5, 2019) – Mack Molding has announced staffing additions across the Company, including new manufacturing, quality and engineering talent, human resources leadership in the company’s Southern Division and the return of three former interns to full-time positions.

“Our most recent batch of recruits represents a broad spectrum of new and experienced talent,” said Mack Molding President Jeff Somple. “We have now seen 19 former interns return to the fold in the last three years, and with the resurgence of manufacturing in the U.S. a greater interest from seasoned manufacturers and engineers necessary to provide leadership to our team and ensure our customers’ programs are successful.”

Trudy Hood has been appointed Mack Molding’s new Director of Human Resources for the Southern Division. Prior to Mack, Trudy most recently managed all human resources, safety, workers compensation, training and environmental functions for Ply Gen Siding Group’s Gaffney, S.C., facility. Prior to that she was corporate human resources manager for Core Molding Technologies, with responsibility for its U.S.-based plants and one facility in Mexico. In addition to having a bachelor of science in business administration from Limestone College in Gaffney, S.C., Trudy is a certified professional in human resources with more than 20 years of experience.

Jeanne LaFountain has joined the sales and engineering team as a program manager at the Company’s headquarters, providing leadership in regards to the customer relationship, planning, product realization and production, budget and cost management, and sales growth. Jeanne most recently worked as a process engineer at Spectrum Plastics Group in Glens Falls, N.Y., and gained additional experience as an associate process engineer at Latham, N.Y., based medical device manufacturer AngioDynamics. Jeanne has a bachelor of science degree in plastics engineering tech from Penn State Behrend in Erie, Penn.

Jonathan Scheiner has joined Mack’s Cavendish facility as manufacturing manager. A seasoned manufacturing leader, Jonathan brings 20 years of engineering, manufacturing and operational experience to the role. Prior to Mack he most recently he served as production manager for Canary Systems in New London, N.H., where he managed day-to-day production and office personnel. He garnered previous experience in management and leadership roles with Whitney Blake in Bellows Falls, Vt., and Precision Contract Manufacturing in Springfield, Vt. He has a bachelor’s degree in industrial technologies from Keene State College in Keene, N.H., and is a Lean Six Sigma Green Belt.

Dwayne Hannam has been appointed to the role of manufacturing engineer on the manufacturing engineering team at the Company’s headquarters. Dwayne has a significant background in electrical engineering and prior to Mack most recently worked at NSK Americas in Bennington, Vt., starting as an electrical controls technician and assistant lead tech before being promoted to a manufacturing engineer. He previously built engineering expertise with Parker Hannifin in Long Island, N.Y., and as an electrician with LWD Construction in Jamaica, N.Y. He has a bachelor of science degree in electrical engineering from the Vaughn College of Aeronautics & Technology in East Elmhurst, N.Y.

Former intern Ethan Marsh has returned to Mack as a metals manufacturing engineer at the Company’s headquarters. Ethan will be responsible for all metals manufacturing engineering requirements. Having spent more than 100 weeks in the Company’s halls as an intern and co-op, he brings a deep familiarity with Mack and its processes to the role. Most recently Ethan was a sheet metal design engineering intern. He previously served as a plastic design engineering intern, a medical manufacturing engineering intern and as a quality engineering and manufacturing intern. Ethan has a bachelor of science degree in mechanical engineering from the Rochester Institute of Technology in Rochester, N.Y.

The quality team at Mack headquarters has welcomed Alistair Adams as a quality engineer with responsibility for compliance with our customers’ quality requirements. Before joining Mack, Alistair previously served as an aircraft mechanic with M1 Services. He also gained previous quality and engineering experience as an aircraft engine craftsman and later an aircraft engine maintenance instructor supervisor with the United States Air Force. Alistair has associate of applied science degrees in aerospace maintenance technology and instructor of military technology from the Community College of the Air Force, as well as a bachelor of science degree in physics from McMurry University in Abilene, Texas.

Mack has welcomed Willie Wells to its to its Headquarters as a quality engineer, with responsibility for compliance with our customers’ quality requirements. Before joining Mack, Willie served as a quality front line manager at Unilever Ben & Jerry’s in Waterbury, Vt. He also gained previous quality and engineering experience as a quality analysis/quality control engineer with C3NANO in Hayward, Calif. Willie has a bachelor of science degree in chemical engineering from San Jose State University in California, as well as a master of science degree in chemical engineering from the University of North Dakota, Grand Forks. Additionally, he is a Lean Six Sigma Green Belt and ASQ certified.

Dan Atkins has accepted the role of associate manufacturing engineer on manufacturing team at the Company’s headquarters, supporting manufacturing activities, including trouble-shooting day-to-day production issues, repairing production equipment, validating new processes and implementing continuous improvement initiatives, on medical programs. Dan has a bachelor of science in manufacturing engineering technology from Vermont Technical College in Randolph Center, Vt., where he also earned an associate of science degree in mechanical engineering technology.

Mack’s East Arlington, Vt., facility has welcomed Sarah Gilligan to the Mack North human resources team as an HR generalist. Sarah, who most recently served as a merchandise systems administrator at Orvis in Sunderland, Vt., before joining Mack previously served as a staff accountant and human resources coordinator at the Equinox Golf Resort & Spa in Manchester Center, Vt. She also previously gained HR experience as a recruiting and administrative assistant/intern at Creative Financial Staffing/BlumShapiro in West Hartford, Conn. A graduate of Central Connecticut State University in New Britain, Conn., she has a bachelor of science degree in business marketing.

Alex Bacon has joined the Company as a cost estimator in the purchasing department at headquarters; however, he first entered Mack’s doors as an intern in 2016. He will be responsible for providing cost and lead-time estimates for outside parts, tooling, materials, goods, and services in support of new product opportunities and product realization. During his tenure as a Mack intern, Alex developed a keen understanding of Mack’s programs and processes as he served on the metals, medical manufacturing, sales and engineering and materials management teams. He has a bachelor of science in business administration from Castleton University in Castleton, Vt.

Former intern Samantha Pearce has accepted a position as a human resources administrator, with responsibilities for orienting new employees, maintaining the integrity of physical and electronic files and generally supporting HR functions. She had previously served as a health services and human resources intern for the Company since 2016. She has a bachelor of science degree in public health from Rivier University in Nashua, N.H., and is currently working on her master of public health degree with the University of New England in Biddeford, Maine.

About Mack Molding
Mack Molding is a leading custom plastics molder and supplier of contract manufacturing services. Mack specializes in plastics design, prototyping, molding, sheet metal fabrication, full-service machining and medical device manufacturing. Founded in 1920, Mack is a privately owned business that operates 11 facilities throughout the world. Don Kendall is CEO and chairman. For more information, go to www.mack.com.

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Filed Under: Press Releases Tagged With: contract manufacturing, design & development, machining, Mack, Mack Molding, MackMedical, Manufacturing, MD&M West, medical manufacturing, New England, New Hires, North Carolina, plastics injection molding, Press Release, product design & development, sheet metal fabrication, South Carolina, summer internships, supply chain management, Vermont, vertical integration of services, workforce development

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