On the other hand, gloss on embossed, film-laminated metal is much more difficult to measure, the reason being the roughness of the surface. Even if a similar type of gloss-metre is being used, the values are not considered to be reliable enough. Even very small variations, hardly seen by the machine, will be very noticeable by the human eye. With each film having its own gloss and since it can’t be altered, gloss is not mentioned when ordering this kind of material and hence, a tolerance cannot be specified by the customer.
Sweden-based Metalcolour is said to have solved this problem by using a different measuring standard. Metalcolour claims that the results are very reliable and the company is therefore able to promise a specific tolerance even for gloss on embossed, film-laminated metal.
Metalcolour explains that the gloss of film laminated metal on wall-, door- and ceiling-panels is a sensitive and complicated matter. Due to the fact that interior material for marine applications is frequently looked at from an angle, e.g. when looking along a corridor or into a cabin, the difference in gloss is often a much bigger problem than, for instance, colour differences. If one of the panels for a wall or the ceiling or an inspection-hatch differs in gloss it will become very noticeable by the passengers. Unfortunately, the gloss problems are not noticed until the ship is ready for delivery when the protective films are removed from the panels. At that time, however, it is often too late or too expensive to replace panels with different gloss.
“Most of the surface seen inside a passenger vessel consists of film-laminated steel, while the cost for the same is but less than a percent of the total cost for the ship. Investing in high quality film laminated metal is certainly an inexpensive way of ensuring a good looking interior”, comments Ingemar Forsberg, CEO of Metalcolour.
According to the company, Metalcolour has been working in close cooperation with film suppliers, measuring materials over a long period of time and has adjusted several parameters in its production. Metalcolour claims that a sufficient level of confidence has now been reached in order to guarantee a specific gloss tolerance for their Dobel products.
For more information, please contact Ingemar Forsberg at: if@metalcolour.com or +46 457 781 03
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All around the world, Metalcolour’
The production is carried out in our highly versatile production plants in Ronneby, Sweden, and Nykøbing, Denmark, where we have accumulated more than 30 years of experience regarding film lamination and painting of sheet steel and aluminium.
Today, we are setting the standard. Metalcolour is probably the most flexible producer of pre-painted sheet steel and the largest Scandinavian manufacturer of film-laminated sheet steel and the world’s leading supplier for the marine sector. We have achieved this position by meeting customer demands for quality, flexibility and reliability of supply.
