Because product color plays a significant role in identifying a specific type of motor oil, manufacturing companies must employ strict quality control measures during processing and refinement. These measures can identify harmful contaminants and other process defects that can cause a faulty product, saving significant money on returns, time and labor. Motor oil color is also critical for consumers because it's the primary indicator of age and how well the oil can typically perform.
What Are Color Standards and Why Are They Important?
Many types of color standards exist throughout the motor oil industry. For consumers and automotive repair shops, color charts work well for identifying a product's color as it ages. Besides providing a gauge for potency, color is critical for differentiating similar products, like identifying motor oil compared to transmission fluid.
While visual tools like an ASTM D1500 color chart and lubrication color coding might work well for consumers, motor oil manufacturers need to employ more advanced methods for color measurement. Companies worldwide adhere to several color standards during processing and refinement, including the APHA, Gardener, Saybolt and ASTM D1500 color scales. Meeting these standards helps promote manufacturing and consumer safety while ensuring the product meets specific performance criteria.
Meeting Motor Oil Industry Color Standards
A spectrophotometer is one of the most accurate and reliable methods of ensuring compliance with these color standards. These devices are perfect for most manufacturers because they're portable, allowing quick and easy measurements on the production floor or in a nearby lab. With their various abilities, these instruments can determine product purity, identify harmful contaminants and alert you when a product doesn't meet exact specifications.
At HunterLab, we feature several devices for evaluating motor oil, lubricants and other petroleum-based products, including our Vista® spectrophotometer. The Vista® represents one of the market's most comprehensive measurement solutions, delivering precise data without needing a PC, additional accessories or other software. This device also comes preloaded with various color standard scales, providing quick implementation into your quality control process.
Unlike some systems that require specific container types, the Vista® lets you measure motor oil in the container of your choice. It also offers easy connectivity through various capacities, including Wi-Fi, USB or Ethernet. Vista's easy-to-use controls provide fast results for companies that need quick measurements without spending hours waiting for results.
