FAQ: There is a crack on the white tile which does not look good to me. Does the white tile standard need to be replaced?

Answer:

Unfortunately, this instrument white tile will need to be replaced.

Instrument tiles used to standardize colorimetric instruments are typically made porcelain-on-steel, porcelain-on-clay or Japanese opal. To be an effective working standard where the instrument is forced to match the assigned values of a calibrated white tile, standard tiles must be uniform across the surface, stable, cleanable and durable. For additional protection, standards are typically encased in a black holder with alignment pins to center the tile at the port.

• Chipping around the edges of a tile standard will not compromise the performance as the center of the tile is always used to standardize the instrument.
• A small scratch on the face of the tile standard is seldom significant as the instrument typically reads a larger area of view.
• Abrasion across the center of the tile may require tile replacement but as these tiles have a very hard glass or ceramic finish, a material such as diamond with a Mohs hardness greater than 5 or 6, would be required to significantly abrade the tile surface.
• If the standard is broken in pieces as above or bent, it will need replacement.