The SKZ Plastics Center, in collaboration with the Institute of Psychology at the University of Würzburg, has completed the “OFHarmonie” research project. The aim of the project was to understand how the surface structure of plastic components influences the visual perception of color—an issue of great relevance to industries such as the automotive industry, where plastic surfaces with different structures must be harmoniously coordinated.
Together with the Institute of Psychology at the University of Würzburg, SKZ has completed the “OFHarmonie” research project, which investigates the influence of the surface structure of plastic components on color perception. The central challenge: structural differences can impair the subjective color matching of two components installed next to each other. The project therefore investigated the threshold up to which these differences are acceptable to humans and developed approaches for compensation. The long-term goal is to develop a method that can be used to predict how colors need to be adjusted in order to achieve the highest possible continuity of color perception with different surface structures and thus acceptance by observers.
Methodology
The study was based on a comprehensive analysis of test specimens. The surface structure and coloring were varied. In addition to conventional measurement technology for recording color, brightness, gloss, and surface parameters, advanced industrial image processing methods were used. Psychometric studies were also conducted to systematically record subjective perception and compare it with the measurement data.
Results and outlook
The results show that color measurements alone are not sufficient to explain the differences caused by different surface structures. Rather, a combined consideration of brightness, gloss, and surface parameters is necessary. The industrial image processing methods used provided promising approaches. “The findings from OFHarmonie are an important step for the industry. They show that we cannot control visual harmony solely on the basis of pure color values, but must actively take surface structure into account. This opens up new possibilities for design and quality assurance,” emphasizes Timo Grunemann, group leader for spectroscopy at SKZ. According to Grunemann, the project has laid important foundations that can now be used for further research.
Significance for industry
“OFHarmonie” provides key impetus for industrial color and surface design and supports companies in optimizing the visual harmony of plastic components—especially in design-critical applications such as automotive interiors.
Project 01IF22811N of the research association Fördergemeinschaft für das Süddeutsche Kunststoff-Zentrum e.V. (FSKZ) was funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy through the project management agency Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt e. V. (DLR) as part of the program for promoting industrial joint research (IGF) based on a resolution of the German Bundestag.
Together with the Institute of Psychology at the University of Würzburg, SKZ has completed the “OFHarmonie” research project, which investigates the influence of the surface structure of plastic components on color perception. The central challenge: structural differences can impair the subjective color matching of two components installed next to each other. The project therefore investigated the threshold up to which these differences are acceptable to humans and developed approaches for compensation. The long-term goal is to develop a method that can be used to predict how colors need to be adjusted in order to achieve the highest possible continuity of color perception with different surface structures and thus acceptance by observers.
Methodology
The study was based on a comprehensive analysis of test specimens. The surface structure and coloring were varied. In addition to conventional measurement technology for recording color, brightness, gloss, and surface parameters, advanced industrial image processing methods were used. Psychometric studies were also conducted to systematically record subjective perception and compare it with the measurement data.
Results and outlook
The results show that color measurements alone are not sufficient to explain the differences caused by different surface structures. Rather, a combined consideration of brightness, gloss, and surface parameters is necessary. The industrial image processing methods used provided promising approaches. “The findings from OFHarmonie are an important step for the industry. They show that we cannot control visual harmony solely on the basis of pure color values, but must actively take surface structure into account. This opens up new possibilities for design and quality assurance,” emphasizes Timo Grunemann, group leader for spectroscopy at SKZ. According to Grunemann, the project has laid important foundations that can now be used for further research.
Significance for industry
“OFHarmonie” provides key impetus for industrial color and surface design and supports companies in optimizing the visual harmony of plastic components—especially in design-critical applications such as automotive interiors.
Project 01IF22811N of the research association Fördergemeinschaft für das Süddeutsche Kunststoff-Zentrum e.V. (FSKZ) was funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy through the project management agency Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt e. V. (DLR) as part of the program for promoting industrial joint research (IGF) based on a resolution of the German Bundestag.
