RAL Reference or Custom Color Match: What to Send and How to Approve.
A color name in an email is not a specification. Whether you order a RAL reference or a custom match, the order is clear only when it names the reference, the measurement basis and the sample you approved.
Key takeaways
- Orbit offers RAL or custom color matching. Name the RAL reference exactly, or send a physical sample for a custom match.
- Agree a color difference tolerance and the measurement basis in writing, not only the color name.
- Gloss, finish and coating system can change how a color looks, so approve the sample in the finish you are ordering.
- Keep the approved sample. It is the reference for every later lot.
What is the difference between a RAL reference and a custom match?
A RAL reference points to a color in a published color collection. Both sides can look up the same designation, which makes it a shared starting point. A custom match starts from something you supply, such as a physical sample, and the coater reproduces it. Orbit offers both: RAL or custom color matching.
A RAL number settles the target. It does not settle gloss, finish or how close a production lot must be to the target. Those still go on the order.
What should you send for each route?
| Route | What you send | What to agree | What to keep |
|---|---|---|---|
| RAL reference | The exact designation, and the finish and gloss level wanted | Color difference tolerance and measurement basis | The approved production sample |
| Custom match | A physical sample of the target, plus the finish and gloss level wanted | Which sample is the master, tolerance, measurement basis | The master sample and the approved match sample |
Ask about sample size, turnaround for a match and any conditions for a special color in the same message as the color request.
How do you write the tolerance?
Color difference can be expressed as delta E, a calculated distance between two measured colors. The result depends on the formula and the instrument conditions, so a tolerance without them is incomplete. State the formula, the measurement basis and the number, and ask the supplier to report measurements on the same basis.
The guide to coated coil test results lists what to report with a delta E result.
Why does the finish change the approval?
Gloss level changes how a color reads. A matte and a gloss version of the same color are two different samples to the eye, even if the color coordinates are close. Metallic and textured finishes can look different from a flat solid color as the light changes, so they should be approved as physical samples, viewed in the light the installation will see.
The coating system can affect appearance too. If you approve a sample made on one system and order another, treat it as a new approval. Orbit's finishes include solid, metallic, woodgrain, brushed, matte, gloss and textured, and availability by coating system, color and volume is confirmed through an RFQ.
Where do color orders go wrong?
- Name only: the order says a color name and nothing else, so each side relies on memory or a screen image.
- Finish mismatch: the sample was approved in one gloss level and the order was placed in another.
- System change: the coating system on the order differs from the one the sample was made on.
- Lighting: the sample was judged under office light and the product is installed outdoors, or the reverse.
- No record: the tolerance and measurement basis were discussed on a call and never written down.
Each of these is easier to prevent in writing than to resolve after coil has been coated.
How do you handle several lots over time?
If one elevation, one batch of trucks or one set of panels is ordered months after another, the approved sample and the written tolerance are what protect the match. Decide before ordering which panels come from which production quantity, and keep the master sample somewhere it is not exposed to light and handling. The PVDF facade specification notes set out the same logic for panel-to-panel consistency.
What should the color part of an RFQ contain?
Put the color request in the same message as the commercial details: the RAL reference or the sample you are posting, the finish and gloss level, the coating system if you have chosen one, the gauge and width, the quantity, and the end use. The end use matters because an exterior panel and an interior trim part can call for different coating systems, and the system can affect what can be matched. If you have not chosen a system, say so and ask for options.
Also say how many lots you expect. A single lot and a program of repeat lots call for different levels of record keeping, and the supplier can plan sampling around the answer.
What is a sensible approval sequence?
- Send the RAL number, or a physical reference for a custom color, with the gloss level and the coating system.
- Receive a sample coil or panel and view it under the lighting the finished part will have.
- Agree with the supplier, in writing, which color-difference method will be used and what limit applies. Take the figures from your own specification and the supplier's reply.
- Approve the sample in writing, and keep a signed master sample with its lot reference for incoming checks.
This is a suggested buyer process, not a description of Orbit's own workflow.
Common questions
Does a RAL number guarantee an exact match?
No. It identifies the target color. The finish, gloss level and tolerance still need to be stated, and a physical sample is a stronger reference than a name alone.
Can Orbit match a color from a sample?
Orbit offers custom color matching. Ask about sample requirements and any conditions for a special color with the color request.
Do I need a physical sample for a metallic finish?
A physical sample is the better approval for metallic and textured finishes, because they can look different as the light changes.
What should I keep after approval?
Keep the approved sample, the written tolerance and the measurement basis, so later lots can be checked against the same reference.
References
- What coated aluminum coil test results actually measure: what to report with a delta E result.
- PVDF aluminum coil for facade and rainscreen cladding: consistency between panels ordered at different times.
Need a color matched?
Send the RAL reference or a sample, the finish and gloss level, the coating system and the quantity. Replies come within one business day.