Older HunterLab Instruments (No longer Manufactured)

Updated: March 2024

LabScan XE Product Discontinuation

With the release of this notification, HunterLab is announcing the completion of the final production run of the LabScan XE color measurement systems.

Following the announcement in the last quarter of 2018 of the introduction of the new Agera color measurement, the announcement and subsequent discontinuation plans for the LabScan XE were initiated, culminating in the completion of the final production build and completion of LabScan XE shipments in June of 2019.

The LabScan XE was introduced in January of 1998 to replace the prior version, LabScan II.  During its successful 21-year production run, three thousand units were delivered to the Coatings, Plastics, Chemicals, Industrial Minerals, Food/Ingredients, Textiles, Paper markets as the industry standard for 0/45 color measurement systems.

The planned discontinuance of LabScan XE system is as follows:

Effectivity and Instrument Availability – The final production and shipments were completed in June 2019.  Instrument availability ends with consumption of the final units produced. 

On-Going Technical Product Support:   HunterLab will provide Service and Technical Support for the LabScan XE product family for five (5) years from discontinuation.  End-users who purchased qualified annual service programs from HunterLab are guaranteed product service support for up to six (6) years when maintaining an annual service contract during the period of extended support.

Service Support:

Last Performance Verification Services- December 31, 2024

Last Service and Repair- March 31, 2025

Alternate Measurement System Solutions:   The Agera color measurement system will be the direct replacement for the LabScan XE and LabScan XE applications, with enhanced performance, built-in user interface, extended external connectivity and data management, addition of 60-degree gloss measurement and image capture capabilities, and long-life LED illumination system.

With the release of this notification, HunterLab is updating the announcement of the completion of the final production run of the D25-NC family of non-contact color measurements systems and the dates for discontinuation of service support.

In May and June of 2018, HunterLab announced the introduction of the Aeros advanced non-contact automated color measurement system, and subsequently the discontinuation of the production of the D25-NC family of products.  During the following 12 months, HunterLab manufactured and shipped the final build of D25-NC production systems.

The D25-NC was introduced in June of 2014 to replace the D25-LT.  During its successful 5-year production run, hundreds of units were delivered to the food, ingredients, and industrial minerals markets to provide a unique, non-contact color measurement solution.

The planned discontinuance of D25-NC family is as follows:

Effectivity and Instrument Availability –

The final production build commenced June 2018. Instrument availability ends with consumption of the final units produced. HunterLab will work with individual sales representatives and distributors to address specific customer needs during the period leading up to sales of final remaining units. Any open sales quotations at the time of discontinuation will be handled on a case-by-case basis and subject to remaining instrument availability.

On-Going Product Support: HunterLab will provide Field Service and Technical Support for the D25-NC product family for five (5) years from discontinuation. End-users who purchase qualified annual service programs from HunterLab (and its approved distributors) will be guaranteed product service support for up to seven (7) years when maintaining an annual service contract during the period of extended support.

Service Support:

Last Calibration Certification Support: June 30, 2024

Last Service Repair and Support: June 30, 2025

Alternate Measurement System Solutions:   With advanced measurement technologies and patented measurement algorithms, HunterLab offers the Aeros as a direct replacement for the D25-NC product family.  The Aeros employs the same optical system design as the D25-NC with advancements in the user-interface, illumination, detection, and sample presentation systems to make sample presentation easier, measurement more repeatable, and data viewing and analysis more intuitive.

Please contact HunterLab Sales Department with any questions that you may have.

Thank you for your support and contribution to the success of the D25-NC family of instruments.

Click on link below:

ColorQuest XE/XT Product Discontinuation

The D25 NC instrument does have the ability to copy/clone setups from one instrument to another. To do this you will need the following cable and a thumb drive that has been configured from HunterLab.

Begin the export and it should show progress as all 250 setups are downloaded onto the drive.

 

 

The exported file should be a CSV file with the instruments serial number, i.e. 250125.csv. For the import process the file must match the serial number of the instrument that it is connected to. So in this example you exported setups from 250125.csv but you want to import them into instrument 250127. You must rename the CSV file to match the instrument that you will be importing into. You can do this by right clicking on the file and selecting rename. In this example that would be 250127.csv.

 

Once the file name matches the serial number that you will be importing into you repeat the above process but select Import Setups to load them into the sensor.

Here are the things to check when you have 2 instruments that read differently.

1) Standardize and read the green check tile on both instruments. If they pass, then the sensors are operating correctly.

2) Check that you have selected the same color scale and illuminant/observer for both instruments. This is typically CIE Lab or Hunter Lab and D65/10 or C/2. They must match on both instruments

3) Make sure you are presenting the samples at the same height and in the same manner of placement. The distance is given with the reading or you can go to Diagnostics/Distance sensor to read the distance from the sensor to the sample being measured. Both samples need to be arranged the same way, whether poured, stacked, or crushed. 

4) Check that the measurements are at the same location on the samples, This is determined by the location of the sensor over the sample. Use the horizontal arm to adjust the white spot from the center to the outside of the sample pan and set it is the same position for both. The white spot is the measurement area, and the red spot is the height measurement. 

The requirement of an operator to perform a green tile check as part of sensor standardization can be selected from the SYSTEM SETTINGS/DIAGNOSTIC/ STDZ CHECK menu. The default value is NO (Green tile check is not performed), and can be changed to YES if required (Green Tile Check is included in Standardization).

STDZ CHECK = NO - Only the Black and White Tile are used during Standardization

STDZ CHECK = YES - Black, White, and Green Tile are used during Standardization.

Question:

I have a D25 NC serial number 251513. The distance measurement seems to be stuck at 90mm when reading a sample. I have run the diagnostics >distance Sensor check, and the distance does change if different height samples are presented, however when a normal reading is performed, it always states the distance at 90mm.

Answer:

In the Global Options for the sensor scroll to the Measure Settings. The choices are Fixed or Auto. Based on your description the setting must be Fixed, with a setting of 90mm. If you change the selection to Auto, distance correction will be applied based on the actual measured distance.

Here are 5 common items to check when experiencing issues connecting a D25NC to EasyMatch QC. Please see the attachments for more details.

1) Are you using the latest version of EasyMatch QC V 4.83 or above?
2) Did you select Sensor/D25 Product Setup and fill in the required fields?
3) Is there a switch on the back of the base that has a computer and printer icon (picture) ? Make sure it is switched to computer.
4) Is the system showing up in the computer control panel when you connect USB?
5) Is USB starting and stopping (beeping sound or disappearing in Control Panel)? Turn off USB Power savings in Root Hub of Device Manager USB Controllers Properties

There are 2 modes that the sensor can be measure; Distance and Product Height. They are quite different, and set in the Global Options. Along with these modes, there are variables that must be set for the Min and Max to measure when in each mode:

1) Distance: When Distance mode is selected, then the output on the screen displays "Distance" and the value is the measurement from the sensor window to the top of the product (where the laser is hitting). This has a physical operational range of 65 mm to 155 mm. You can restrict the range by using the Min and Max setting in the product setup. For example, if you would like to restrict the measurements between 80 and 100 mm, then you would enter a Min value of 80 and a max value of 100. Anything outside that range will be ignored in the color measurement.

2) Height: When Height mode is selected, the output on the screen will display "Height" and the value is the measurement from the user entered Belt or Background distance and the top of the product (where the laser is hitting). This has a physical operating range of 0- 90 mm. You MUST enter a Belt or Background distance that represents the distance to the bottom of the product or the bottom of the sample tray. For example, if the product you wish to measure has a 10 mm thickness, then the sensor head should be adjusted until the product surface is 90 mm from the sensor window, and the background/Belt should be set to 100 mm. You may then select a minimum height, and a maximum height to restrict the measurement range. Please see the user manual for more information.

There is also a diagnostic feature called "Distance Sensor". This always gives the distance measurement (as above) and is used when initially setting up the sensor head to 90 mm above the product. Please note that not all surfaces can be accurately measured and there is the limit of a minimum of 65 mm and a maximum of 155 mm. If the product is closer or further from the sensor window than those values, the Distance Sensor will be incorrect.

Please also see the instructions for initially setting up a product in the support site: https://support.hunterlab.com/hc/en-us/articles/212149166-Initial-Setup-of-D25NC

The visual USDA Frozen French Fried Potatoes Grades and Standards come in the form of a printed leaflet that depict a series of seven potato color grades in short, long and crinkle cut forms. It is intended for use in classifying the visual color of frozen French fried potatoes, or other similarly fried products.

Source: Visual USDA French Fry Color Standards

Munsell Color Services, Grand Rapids, MI 49512 USA, +877-888-1720

www.xrite.com/top_munsell.aspx

Munsell USDA Frozen French Fry Standard - 5

Printed color ranges meet specifications set by USDA for frozen French fry potatoes and run from low 000 to high 4. It comes as a set of 5 identical reproductions come in a folder with instructions for visual evaluation of fry color.

How HunterLab Meets this Application

The HunterLab D25 NC is the best choice for this non-uniform potato application. For the quality evaluation of the color  of fried products you can use the L* lightness (lower with increased bake level) or YI Yellowness Index metrics (higher with increased bake level) and set your own target values for optimal frying in those metrics.

If you wish to also report the correlated USDA Fry Color grade, here is how best to do it.

• After draining and cooling close to ambient, layer fires in a 12 inch diameter pan. Try to make them as a single layer with minimal spaces between the fries.
• Using the Munsell USDA Frozen French Fry Standard - 5, make a visual judgment as to which USDA Fry Color grade most closely matches the color of the fries.
• Read the sample color using D25 NC set for 2 rotations of 5 seconds. Each rotation will average multiple readings of the fries using a 25 mm area of view.
• Report L*, a*, b* and Yellowness Index values.
• Based on a range of French Fry Color samples, including light and dark limits, determine an L* lightness or YI yellowness correlation to the USDA Fry Color Grade and report the grade.

Do you still need more information? Submit a ticket and our support team member will reach out to you soon!

Most benchtop color instruments require the sample to be placed flush against the view port when taking a measurement. If the sample is not flush to the port, then the color measurements may change dramatically. The D25NC is unique in that it is a non-contact color measurements with a corrections applied based on the distance from the sensor. A laser is used to monitor the sample's height and adjust the measurement output. 

During manufacturing, the instrument's white calibration tile is measured at various distances from the sensor window. From this, a correction table can be determine to compensate from the changes in distance. 

The white tile is precisely positioned in a range from 3 inches to 4 inches from the sensor window during our manufacturing and QC testing. The measurements are then compared to the values at 3.5 inches and the DE* must be less than 0.2 units. The full range of the sensor is 2.5 to 4.5 inches and the DE* must be less than 1 unit as compared to the 3.5 inch value.

Because the tolerances are small, they must be done with a precision, as any angular change on the glossy tile surface will have an effect on the measured values. 

In real world applications, the improvement of correction will vary depending on several factors including gloss, texture, angle, and translucency of the sample. In general, a flat level matte surface will show less change in measurement with distance than a glossy or irregular shaped sample due to the way that light reflects off the surface of the sample. 

D25 NC Brochure

D25 NC Brochure (Spanish)

D25 NC Brochure (Portuguese)

Technical Specifications

This video is about measuring spices and other similar applications, using the D25 NC and its optional petri dish accessory.

https://youtu.be/If-ZAPpFaxY

This video demonstrates how to use the compression ring and pan for measuring Snack foods on the D25 NC.

Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EnpLZz2WlgU

A written form of this procedure can be found here:

https://support.hunterlab.com/hc/en-us/articles/213197506-Measuring-Snack-Food-Using-the-Compression-Ring-and-Pan-Set-D25-NC

YouTube - https://youtu.be/EgZsrnn08tE

Sprout -  http://sproutvideo.com/videos/a49bdeb71913ecc52c

Youtube - https://youtu.be/Lw9DZuNaIL0

Sprout -  http://sproutvideo.com/videos/d49bdeb71913efc25c

Youtube - https://youtu.be/IgBA1wyHKzg

Sprout - http://sproutvideo.com/videos/7c9bdeb71913e3ccf4

Youtube- https://youtu.be/LiBqHhoX5Ks

Sprout - https://hunterlab.vids.io/videos/e89bdeb71616e1cd60/d25-nc-setting-distances-mov

Touchscreens are calibrated from the installed screen, no additional software or computer needed. Note that the instructions are different depending on whether you are using a Wind98 or WinXP Operating system. Instructions for both are shown below

Win98 OS

Exit to OS

Start| Settings| Control Panel| Touch Panel at this point double click on the Touch Panel icon, then select the Calibration Tab.

Check that Use onboard EEProm to store calibration is checked, choose 9 or 20 point calibration and select Com2 to communicate, then touch the Calibration Now button and follow instructions on the screen.

Win XP OS

Exit to OS

Select the PM icon on menu bar. this opens the Pen Mount Control Panel. Select Tab1 Calibrate>Standard Calibration. Follow prompts on screen to complete calibration.

Source for D25Lt Disposable Polystyrene Petri Dish used to measure Ground Spices, Spice Blend Powders or Seasoning Mixes 

This tissue culture dish fits in the top of the grooved D25Lt Spice Blend Holder. Its use reduces the amount of spice blend or seasoning mix required for a color measurement.

HunterLab has these dishes available as CMR-2974 but they can also be purchased from the following outside source:

Fisherbrand sterilized, disposable, clear polystyrene Petri dish (100-mm diameter x 15-mm high) available from Fisher Scientific www.fishersci.com (Fisher Sci Catalogue number 08-757-12)

Only the top half of the dish is used to hold ground spices and spice blends measured on the D25Lt. A fixed quantity of spice blend is piled into the center of the plastic dish so that it mounds in the center.

A metal spatula is then used to rake the spice blend level with the top of the dish. The flat surface of the spice blend is presented at the D25Lt in the port down orientation.

The dish is automatically centered in the D25LT Holder Bracket with the sensor in the Port Down configuration. The dish is centered at the port such that a 95-mm (3.75 in) diameter area of the spice sample is measured within this 100 mm (4 in) diameter spice holder. These dishes can be re-used multiple times and washed as needed.

Connecting to a computer

This is the first of a number of topics related to the D25LT "Generation 1"  versus D25LT "Generation 2" design and performance.

D25LT Generation 1 vs D25LT Generation 2 systems. 

There are some distinct difference between the Gen1 and Gen2 systems that differentiate the two products.

The D25LT Gen1 system is based on the Win98 operating system and employs a main computer board that support the Win98 OS.  Additionally due to the lack of video touch screen support with the Win98 OS, there is additional hardware at the Video display to support the touch interface. 

The D25LT Gen2 systems upgraded the operating system to WinXP and also upgraded the main computer board to support WinXP and XP features.  XP functionality also includes native USB support and video touch screen interface.  Changes were made to the original Gen1 hardware to take advantage of the XP capabilities.

Additional electronic component and board changes were also made as appropriate but contributed to a lesser extend to the overall upgrade differences between the units.  The core optical systems and overall mechanical of the D25LT remained unchanged. 

Please refer to Service Manuals http://www.hunterlab...service-manual/ for more technical detail on the two models.

1.From the START menu, select Run.

2.Type in CMD and press OK. This will open a DOS box.

3.Connect the USB memory stick to an available USB slot in the computer.

4.Select START > My Computer and locate the USB memory stick in the Devices with Removable Storage section. Note the drive that is assigned to the USB memory stick. In the example below , note that drive is (E).

5.Close this window and return to the DOS box.

 For more instruction, please refer to the following link:

https://www.dropbox....emory stick.doc

The lamp at the bottom of the screen will indicate what if any action should be taken concerning the lamp.  Lamp adjustment is needed when the Y value for the blue and yellow tiles when the values have shifted +/- 0.3 units in opposite directions.  Lamp adjustment must also be done when the lamp is changed or when you begin to use an alternate white standard.

For more information on how to adjust the lamp DAC see the link below:

Question: My customer has an old ColorQuest XE with the optional 420nm and 460nm UV filters. They were using Universal 4.10 and recently upgraded to EasyMatch QC. They now get different b* values and noticed that when they insert the UV filter they cut-off point is different. How can they get the cut off point in EasyMatch QC to match the cut-off point in Universal?

Answer:

They can't. Universal and EasyMatch QC report differently when the UVF mode to insert the 420nm and 460nm UV filter is used. There is no reason to make changes at this time since Universal has been obsolete since 2008 and the ColorQuest XE is also obsolete (since 2017) and will soon be out of Service Support. You can request a software CMR but I would imagine it would be expensive since the customer would have to pay for the full cost of the modification since the instrument involved is no longer manufactured.

Below is information on how the different software reports when the 420nm UV filter is inserted.

Universal 4.10 with ColorQuest XE ; Report 400nm = 0 ; report measured values from 410nm to 700nm

EasyMatch QC v4.86 and lower with ColorQuest XE Report 400nm + 410nm = 0 report measured values from 420nm to 700nm with USVIS Report 400nm + 410nm + 420nm = 0 report measured values from 430nm to 780nm

EasyMatch QC v4.87 and higher with ColorQuest XE Report 400nm + 410nm = 0 report measured values from 420nm to 700nm with UltraScan VIS Report the same as ColorQuest XE, 400nm + 410nm= 0, report measured values from 420 to 780nm

Do you still need more information? Submit a ticket and our support team member will reach out to you soon!

ColorQuest XE Brochure

ColorQuest XE Brochure (Spanish)

ColorQuest XE Brochure (Portuguese)

ColorQuest XE Specification

Please note that support for the ColorQuest XE model ended May 1, 2021.

You can download the manual here.

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/ukuv1icvl9uj1nw/AACHXhQOK-JJdoOgttNZvkfma?dl=0

Question: Is the PM that was recently done on my Color Quest XE traceable to NIST?

During a Preventive Maintenance / Calibration Verification service done at your facility, no actual instrument calibration occurs. The only action that occurs is a tile set with values established as the population average for the CQXE family of instruments are measured. If your instrument measures this tile set within the stated tolerances than we state that it still in the same state as when it was actually calibrated at the factory. This is a verification of the calibration state of the sensor. The only NIST calibrated item associated with your instrument is the Instrument Standard Tile. The values assigned to this tile were derived by direct comparison to a tile that was traceable to NIST. Since your instrument when standardized with the NIST traceable tile was able to read Tile Set HCL407 with tolerance then we can state that the tile must still be in the same state as when it was last calibrated at HunterLab. If you require a new certificate of traceablity for your Instrument Standard Tile then you will need to return both your Color Quest XE and Instrument Standard Tile to HunterLab for calibration.

Regards,

The ColorQuest XE Touch Screen model is calibrated for coordinate sensitivity at the factory. However, if you press a point and a different area is activated, a calibration procedure is provided to correct this.

To activate the touch screen calibration, touch the Exit, Close, or Return key (depending on the current screen) until the Applets Loaded screen is obtained.

There are two ways to access the Calibrate Touch Screen display:

1. Press and hold the Macro/Read button on the instrument on the front of the sensor for about two seconds to obtain the Calibrate Touch Screen display.
2. Turn the instrument OFF using the rocker switch at the back of the unit above the power cable. After 3 seconds, turn ON the sensor and when the ColorQuest XE splash screen appears, touch and release anywhere on the startup screen to obtain the Calibrate Touch Screen display.

Follow the prompts to touch each of the four corners of the screen in turn. You should use a pencil or other stylus to touch the screen for this calibration.

After all four corners are touched, “Calibration succeeded” is displayed and you may touch any part of the screen to exit. Press the Macro/Read key on the instrument to cancel the calibration procedure.

FAQ: "We instructed a customer to run Instrument DIAG, he gets the error message 'Error loading form, #13: Type mismatch'. What causes this message?"

These are generic Visual Basic or C++ error messages. These messages only relate to the last action the operator did prior to the message being displayed. So until I know what the last action was I cannot comment on what causes it to display.

For example, as a last action, did this error message occur before or after connecting?

If this message occurred with the ColorQuest XE when running CQXEDiag software, his means current version CQXEDiag130B.msi will work with all sensors, If using a prior version such as CQXEDiag120 then it would only connect to sensor serial number CQX3678 or lower. Firmware or board changes that occurred from CQX3679 and newer or even an older sensor that recieved a newer board, such as an SPSP would require the newer Diagnostics to communicate.

For all other instruments: Click Here

ColorQuest XE (CQXE) with Touch Display is a dedicated transmittance color instrument for transparent solids and liquids, and is able to measure in transmittance and reflectance with two areas of sample view, UV calibration and transmittance haze. The CQXE with Touch Display is an all-around instrument with a dedicated processor.

ColorQuest XE Touch has the same set of applets as ColorQuest XT with extras added to take advantage of the additional instrument capabilities and the Spectral Data Applet takes the place of the CQXT Transmittance Data Applet.

All applets allow users to read and clear readings, enter IDs, standardize the instrument, run diagnostics and ASCII print to a serial printer or data collector.  The following applets are pre-loaded in the CQXE Touch Screen, with a backup CD copy provided to the customer.

3-Points Applet allows the user to select and display up to 3  individual transmittance or absorbance values. A spectral plot is also displayed.

Absorbance Applet displays a spectral plot and absorbance data (absolute and differences) at 10-nm intervals for the spectral range of the instrument. Users can also select to display any individual  absorbance data point. Any cell path length can be used.

APHA Applet displays absolute and difference APHA/PtCo/Hazen Color values per ASTM D1209 and D5386. A C02-1005-481 Transmittance Cell Holder and one of the following cells are required - 13-8573-40 10-mm Transmittance Cell (high chroma) or 04-4592-00 Transmittance Cell, 20-mm (medium to low chroma) or 13-8573-20 Transmittance Cell, 50-mm (low chroma). CIE X, Y, Z; Hunter L, a, b; and CIE L*, a*, b* values for D65/10 and C/2 conditions  can be configured for display, as well as Y Transmission and ASTM E313 Yellowness Indices.

ADMI Applet displays absolute and difference ADMI Color values. A C02-1005-481 Transmittance Cell Holder and one of the following cells are required - 13-8573-40 10-mm Transmittance Cell (high chroma) or 13-8573-20 Transmittance Cell, 50-mm (low chroma). Also provided are CIE X, Y, Z; Hunter L, a, b; and CIE L*, a*, b* values for D65/10 and C/2 conditions, as well as Y Transmittance and ASTM E313 Yellowness Indices.

ASBC/EBC Applet displays absolute and difference ASBC and EBC beer color values, as well as a "Turbidity" assignment. A 13-8573-40,10-mm Transmittance Cell and C02-1005-481 Transmittance Cell Holder are required. Also provided are CIE X, Y, Z; Hunter L, a, b; and CIE L*, a*, b* values for D65/10 and C/2 conditions, as well as Y Transmittance and ASTM E313 Yellowness Indices.

Color Data Applet displays CIE X, Y, Z; Y, x, y; Hunter L, a, b; CIE L*, a*, b*; L*, C*, h absolute and difference values for D65/10 and C/2 conditions, as well as delta E, E* and Ecmc difference. Y Transmittance and ASTM E313 Yellowness Indices are also included. Any cell path length can be used.

Transmittance Applet displays a spectral plot and transmittance data (absolute and differences) at 10-nm intervals for the spectral range of the instrument. Users can also select to display an individual  transmittance data point. Any cell path length can be used.

Gardner Applet displays absolute and difference Gardner Color values per ASTM D1544 and D6166. A 13-8573-40,10-mm Transmittance Cell and C02-1005-481 Transmittance Cell Holder are required. Also provided are CIE X, Y, Z; Hunter L, a, b; and CIE L*, a*, b* values for D65/10 and C/2 conditions, as well as Y Transmittance and ASTM E313 Yellowness Indices.

ASTM Color Applet displays absolute and difference ASTM D1500 Color values per ASTM D1500 and D6045. A B04-1003-801 Transmittance Cell, 33-mm and C02-1005-481 Transmittance Cell Holder are required. Also provided are CIE X, Y, Z; Hunter L, a, b; and CIE L*, a*, b* values for D65/10 and C/2 conditions, as well as Y Transmittance and ASTM E313 Yellowness Indices.

Saybolt Applet displays absolute and difference Saybolt Color values per ASTM D156 and D6045. A 13-8573-20 Transmittance Cell, 50-mm and C02-1005-481 Transmittance Cell Holder are required. Also provided are CIE X, Y, Z; Hunter L, a, b; and CIE L*, a*, b* values for D65/10 and C/2 conditions, as well as Y Transmittance and ASTM E313 Yellowness Indices.

Spectral Data Applet displays a spectral plot and transmittance/reflectance data (absolute and differences) at 10-nm intervals for the spectral range of the instrument. Users can also select to display an individual data point.

Haze Applet displays relative haze values per ASTM D1500 and D6945. A B04-1003-801 Transmittance Cell, 33-mm and C02-1005-481 Transmittance Cell Holder are required. Also provided are CIE X, Y, Z; Hunter L, a, b; and CIE L*, a*, b* values for D65/10 and C/2 conditions, as well as the Y Transmittance value.

UV Cal Applet allows the ColorQuest Touch to be UV calibrated.

Do you still need more information? Submit a ticket and our support team member will reach out to you soon!

ColorQuest XT Brochure

ColorQuest XT Brochure (Spanish)

ColorQuest XT Brochure (Portuguese)

ColorQuest XT Specifications

ColorQuest XT User Manual

EasyMatch QC Reference Manual ver2.1 for ColorQuest XT-1

FAQ: “…The CQXT Touch Screen is working but, bout 80 percent of the time, your first press will work.”

Over time, there can be a buildup of skin oils from pressing and this can de-sensitive the CQXT touch screen.

Dampen a Kim Wipe with isopropyl alcohol or similar lens cleaner and gently wipe the screen. Repeat this several times until all skin oils are removed from the screen.

Re-calibrate the touch screen using this procedure - https://support.hunterlab.com/hc/en-us/articles/206620506-How-to-calibrate-the-Touch-Screen-on-a-ColorQuest-XT

If you run this touchscreen calibration procedure and the screen still does not have good sensitivity, the Touchscreen Overlay (HL Part # D02-1014-800) may need to be replaced. This is a film that covers the LCD screen and is connected to the processor board via a ribbon cable.

With care, it is possible for you to replace this part onsite. Or, contact HunterLab Service for screen replacement options.

Question : Is CQXT calibration NIST traceable?

Answer: Depending on the exact phrasing of the question the answer changes. Calibration of a CQXT is twofold. There is a Photometric Calibration where the instrument is flashed with no specimen or a blank specimen in the light path and the resultant measurement is scaled to represent 100% T at all reported wavelengths. NIST traceability does not apply since technically there is nothing in light path. The CQXT is subjected to a Wavelength Calibration at the factory using the emission lines from a Hg and a HeNe laser. Since these gases are constants of nature NIST considers their emissions to be unchanging. So NIST has no involvement with the photometric calibration of the sensor. The NIST Atomic Spectra Database Lines website contains a list of the known emission lines of these gases.

HunterLab uses colored glass filters to perform system validation. These filters represent the population average for a group of CQXT instruments in a known good Wavelength Calibration status. This population average has no direct comparison to NIST measurements. If a customer CQXT cannot measure the colored glass filters to within the HunterLab specified tolerances then the instrument will need to have its Wavelength Calibration reassigned.

How do I know if my CQXT is getting power?

The ColorQuest XT (CQXT) has two power light indicators. The first is on the instrument itself and is located in the upper left hand corner of the front of the instrument. The second indicator light can be found on the touch screen in the upper left as well. Both of these power indicator lights must be green, if either of them are not it indicates that power is not reaching the component. Can you tell me if either of these have the power indicator light on or neither? The main power switch is located at the back of the instrument above the power cord.

HunterLab

Reston, VA 20190 USA

https://support.hunterlab.com

The ColorQuest XT’s touch screen is calibrated for coordinate sensitivity at the factory. However, if you press a point and a different area is activated, a calibration procedure is provided to correct this.

To activate the touch screen calibration, touch the Exit, Close, or Return key (depending on the current screen) until the Applets Loaded screen is obtained.

There are two ways to access the Calibrate Touch Screen display:

1. Press and hold the Macro/Read button on the instrument on the front of the sensor for about two seconds to obtain the Calibrate Touch Screen display.
2. Turn the instrument OFF using the rocker switch at the back of the unit above the power cable. After 3 seconds, turn ON the sensor and when the ColorQuest XT splash screen appears, touch and release anywhere on the startup screen to obtain the Calibrate Touch Screen display.

Follow the prompts to touch each of the four corners of the screen in turn. You should use a pencil or other stylus to touch the screen for this calibration.

After all four corners are touched, “calibration succeeded” is displayed and you may touch any part of the screen to exit. Press the Macro/Read key on the instrument to cancel the calibration procedure.

FAQ: "Is there any way for the ColorQuest XT to export color readings to another computer?"

The ColorQuest XT Applet Display does not store data records. The sensor makes and displays measurements on the dedicated display. By pressing the "PRINT" key the contents of the display screen can be sent to a serial hardcopy printer connected using a serial cable plugged into the serial "PRINT" connector on the back of the display.

What is sent to the serial printer is an ASCII dump of the screen contents.

Here are two options for CQXT data export:

1. The same functionality as printing can be used to get data out of the unit. Just run a serial cable from the "PRINT" female serial connector on the back of the display to a PC. When "Print" is selected on the screen, ASCII measurement data on the screen is sent out the Serial COM port on the back of the display to a PC where customer data collection software can collect the string and parse it into a file.
2. Another alternative is to run the CQXT using HunterLab EasyMatch QC software. The software effectively runs the sensor bypassing the display  and all measurement data is collected in EasyMatch QC for Options/ASCII Export.  

First check the CQXT Touchscreen calibration as described in more detail at https://support.hunterlab.com/hc/en-us/articles/206620506-How-to-calibrate-the-Touch-Screen-on-a-ColorQuest-XT

Power off the sensor, then power back on, as soon as the logo appears in the center of the screen, touch the logo.

This should bring you to the calibration screen where you will be asked to touch specific points around the perimeter and middle of the screen.

If you run this touchscreen calibration procedure and the screen still has dead spots then you may need to replace the Touchscreen Overlay. This is a film that covers the LCD screen and is connected to the processor board via a ribbon cable.

 The part number for this is D02-1014-800. Contact HunterLab for pricing and installation instructions.

Alternatively you can request an SRO to have the sensor returned to the HunterLab Service for repair.

Edited by Charles and Gordon

Question: What is the effect on results when I standardize using a smaller view than my port plate?

Answer:

We do allow under sampling the view, so you can standardize in the 0.5" view and measure with either the 0.7", 1.20" or 2.0" port plates.

Please understand that there is a distinct difference between area of illumination and area of measurement; they are never equal. Then consider that the software screens were designed by Marketing and not by Engineering. When you select the 1.75" View in the software you are specifying the area being illuminated. The port plate on which you position your sample has an opening that is slightly larger than the illuminated area. The LabScan XE uses the following Illumination Area / Measured Area (Port Plate opening):

• 1.75" / 2.00"
• 1.00" / 1.20"
• 0.50' / 0.70"
• 0.25" / 0.40"

The software allows you to use a larger measured area, but for opaque products this will likely cause lower L* values to be reported. Using a larger measured area is typically down when measuring translucent products to capture the lateral light diffusion inside of the sample.

Do you still need more information? Submit a ticket and our support team member will reach out to you soon!

EasyMatch QC Reference Manual ver2.1 for LabScan XE-1

LabScan XE Specifications

CE 2013 Certification For LabScan XE is attached here.

Question:

My old LabScanXE flashed 5 times per reading and my new ColorFlexEZ only flashes once. Was my LabScanXE doing the average of five readings or averaging the signal from the 5 flashes into a single reading?

In simple terms the LabScan XE is averaging the signal from the 5 lamp Bursts into a single reading and the ColorFlex is using the signal from a single Burst of light. These bursts are of different time durations and the durations are sampled multiple times during the Analog to Digital conversion stage of the measurement. The goal is to minimize the difference that would occur when measuring the same specimen multiple times. The ColorFlex uses Annular 45a/0 optical geometry and the LabScanXE uses Circumferential 0/45c optical geometry. These optical geometries have different efficiencies requiring levels of light, hence the different Bursts needed to achieve acceptable repeatability.

Question: during inspection of my new LabScanXE it appears that the bottom corner of one side of the cover has been broken off and is missing.

Answer: You are correct that the one corner of the enclosure on the bottom of the instrument is missing. The mold used to make this instrument was damaged about 17 years ago. The decision at that time was that since this is not in a visible location. All LabScanXE's have this flaw.

The tile with the label is the Instrument Standard and is used to standardize the instrument. This tile is provided with a Certificate of Traceability and has calibrated values assigned to it.

The tile with no label is the backing tile, that can used to keep dust or debris out of the view port when the sensor is not in use, or can be used as an opaque backing for translucent samples.

HunterLab recommends that you only use the Instrument Standard white tile for standardizing the instrument then return it to the calibration accessories box. We recommend that you then use the backing white tile for all other purposes associated with your products measurements.

Question: A customer received a new LSXE and using Diagnostics found that it has 1,100,000 flashes, they think that is too much for a brand new sensor.

Answer:

We test all instruments after we build them. The customer should only be concerned if the flashes are too low, as that would indicate incomplete testing. If the flash count is high then the customer can be assured that it was fully tested.

Please explain to the customer that for a LSXE each reading consists of 5 Bursts of the lamp. A Burst is the act of ionizing and igniting the Xenon gas in the lamp. Once the Burst ignites the Xenon the gas is pulsed (flashed) from 30 to 150 times. For a new LSXE the typical Flash (pulse) setting is between 30 and 40. As the instrument ages or for a VSI as the spot size decreases the numbers of flashes will increase. The SPSP board records Flashes not Bursts. So for one single reading the sensor would produce between 150 and 200 Flashes ( 5 Bursts x 30 Flashes/Burst = 150 Flashes)

To prove this have the customer go to the Diagnostics | Hardware Checks and record the number of Flashes on paper. Then have them exit and take 6 measurements. The have them go back to the Diagnostics | Hardware Checks and record the number of flashes. Subtract the first valve from this value and divide by 6. This will be the number of flashes that the instrument records each reading. Divide this number by the total shown and that will show how many readings were taken with this sensor. When we build a sensor we test for short term repeatability, Long term repeatability, Long term drift, color tile readings during and after calibration, then we send the sensor to the QA lab where the majority of these tests are repeated. This can amount to more than 1500 readings. So 4000 readings x 5 Bursts/reading x 40 flashes/Burst can equal 800,000 flashes. If for example repeatabililty testing were re-run because we made an optical adjustment, or lamp power adjustment it is possible that a new sensor would have much more than 1 million flashes. The lamp is rated for more than 1 billion flashes so the customer should not be concerned if it has more than 1 million flashes.

FAQ: “The slot in the sample clamp on our LabScan XE has worn through. How can we fix this?

We would recommend an upgrade kit that comes with a new spring and sleeve:

A37-1010-689 LSXE Sample Clamp Spring

Used on: LSXE

Spring used in LabScan XE sample clamp.

D04-1010-440 LSXE Sample Clamp Sleeve for Spring

Used on: LabScan XE

Black anodized sleeve used to house LSXE sample clamp spring

You can easily retro-fit this upgrade in the field but unscrewing the little Phillips screw on the underside of the clamp support and re-assembling with the new parts.