All photoluminescent markings are required to include the code for the specified pigment or product.
The code contains values referring to the brightness of the signal 10 and 60 minutes after completion of the stimulation, the decay time, the color of the signal during stimulation and during the decay, and the standard number. That is, the code on the photoluminescent sign may have the following designation: 60/7, 8-900 – K – W/UNE 23 035
K, W value of luminescent signal
The K, W values appearing in the examples above refer to the color of the signal during stimulation and decay. In both cases, the color gamut is the one corresponding to the image below:
Specifically, the K value in this example indicates that the photoluminescence has a greenish-yellow color (K), while the W value indicates that the pigment or photoluminescent product has a white color (W). Color is measured under stimulus and decay conditions.
The manufacturer needs to assure that the color value indicated in the code appearing on the signal is actually the color value that the photoluminescent agent will have under stimulus and rest conditions.
Laboratory tests allow determination of color under both conditions, but manufacturing conditions can affect these values, so manufacturers need to take appropriate steps so that labels always match reality.
remaining value
As for the rest of the values that appear in the example code, they specify either a pigment or a photoluminescent product according to the following criteria:
La brightness (in mcd/m2) at 10 and 60 min after the end of stimulation. In the example above, the paint or product has a brightness of 60mcd/m2 at 10 minutes after the end of the stimulus and a brightness of 7.8mcd/m2 at 60 minutes.
The decay time, for our example, will be 900 minutes.
other signal colors
It should be remembered that the color of non-photoluminescent signs also needs to be measured to ensure that they meet the values required by the PNE 23033-1 standard.
Therefore, it needs to be taken into account that, with regard to safety-relevant colors, there are normatively accepted chromatic regions and lightness factors, i.e. chromatic limits for safety colors have been determined.
Laboratory testing allows manufacturers to check that their photoluminescent signage products comply with current standards.
