BYK Gloss Meter Application Industry and Introduction

Glossmeters can be used in:

aerospace testing

car test

Color, Paint and Coatings Testing

packaging test

plastic test

A gloss meter measures specular reflection. Light intensity is recorded over a small range of reflection angles.

Glossmeter measurements are related to the amount of reflected light from a black glass standard with a defined refractive index, not the amount of incident light. The measurement of this definition standard is equal to 100 gloss units (calibration).

Intensity depends on material and angle of irradiation. In the case of non-metals (coatings, plastics), the amount of reflected light increases with the angle of illumination. The remaining illuminated light penetrates the material and is absorbed or diffused depending on the color. Materials with a higher index of refraction may have measurements above 100 Gloss Units (GU), such as thin films. In the case of transparent materials, the measured value can increase due to multiple reflections in most materials. Due to the high reflectivity of the metal, values ​​up to 2000 GU can be achieved. For these applications, measurements are usually recorded in % reflectance of illuminating light.

Gloss meters and their processing procedures need to be specified internationally in order to compare measurements. Lighting angle has a big impact. In order to obtain a clear distinction across the entire measurement range from high gloss to matte, 3 different geometries are defined, i.e. 3 different ranges:

In this case study, 13 samples were visually arranged from mat to high gloss and measured with 3 specified geometries. In the steep slopes of the curve, differences between samples can be clearly measured, while in flat parts the measurement geometry is no longer visually relevant.

Additionally, there are industry specific applications for 45º and 75º measurement geometries.