Novo Shade DUO Hiding Power Opacity Meter

Novo-Shade DUO, Instantly Measure your CoatingÂ’s Hiding Power using your Paint or Draw Down Chart

The Novo-Shade-DUO easily measures Opacity. Opacity is defined as the ratio of light reflected when a sample is placed over white compared to black in percentage. Basically, it is the hiding power ability of a coating to eliminate the transmission of light.

Hiding Power is generally determined by the more expensive pigments in a coating to provide hiding power. Thus these pigments are used sparingly. Hiding Power and paint Opacity characteristics are also affected by both film thickness and application method. What many experts forget is that once all of these procedures are kept consistent, that the final measurement is usually performed by a trained colorist using their vision. Vision and viewing conditions do change as documented in many ways from day to day. The best method is to use a calibrated device to obtain accurate quantitative values not affected by lighting, viewing or human vision. For this reason, the Novo Shade was developed as an accurate low cost shade meter to quickly determine hiding power. One does NOT need an expensive spectrophotometer to only measure opacity, the Novo Shade is widely used to measure film and paints and other coatings around the world. ASTM D2805 discusses Hiding Power using Relectometry

We are Master distributors and the ONLY FACTORY AUTHORIZED U.S. and Canadian CALIBRATION and CERTIFICATION Facility for Rhopoint Glossmeters, Haze, DOI, RIQ and other Optical physical testing equipment. We only supply our customers with quality reputable equipment ensuring it will not be returned to us.

Have your drawdown card completed with a uniform thickness of coating over white and black. In Opacity Mode, place the Novo Shade over the finished and dried drawdown card over the white and black patches. The Novo Shade DUO display indicates the hiding power or opacity within a fraction of a second; the result is displayed in "% Opacity".

• Hiding Power of Paints over a Leneta, Paint Card or Drawdown Card with Black and White backgrounds
• Transparency of Plastic Film
• Opacity of Paper
• Opacity of any translucent material

• Digital Large LCD Readout
• Automatic Calibration  
• Supplied White and Black Tiles in a Metal Case for Calibration
• Calibration ISO Certificate
• Built-in Statistical Analysis of stored readings, provides Batch Quality Assessment
• Large, clear, easy to read display giving meaningful readings
• 15,000+ measurements on one set of batteries (Longest in Industry)
• Automatic power cutoff switches "Off" when not in use to save battery
• Standard with EN, FR, D, NL, ESP, IT, TK, CZ languages
• Download readings for further Analysis
• Spare white pressed powder tile available and in stock when needed

ASTM D2805-11 Standard Test Method for Hiding Power of Paints by Reflectometry

ASTM D4214-07 Standard Test Methods for Evaluating the Degree of Chalking of Exterior Paint Films

ASTM E1347 Standard Test Method for Color and Color-Difference Measurement by Tristimulus Colorimetry

ISO 2814 Paints and varnishes -- Comparison of contrast ratio (hiding power) of paints of the same type and colour.
This standard specifies the standard method to be used in comparing the contrast ratios given by paint films of white or light colors, of reflectance factor greater than 40 %, dried at normal air temperature and applied at approximately equal wet film thickness to black and white substrates. The wet film thickness selected, approximately 50µm, corresponds to a spreading rate of approximately 20 m2/l. Because different operators using the same film coating device obtain films differing in thickness, this method is not satisfactory as an absolute method for the determination of hiding power.

ISO 6504/1 Paints and varnishes -- Determination of hiding power -- Part 3: Determination of contrast ratio of light-colored paints at a fixed spreading rate
ISO 6504-3:2006 describes methods for determining the opacity (by contrast ratio measurement) given by paint films of white or light colours of tristimulus value Y greater than 25, applied at a spreading rate of 20 m²/L to a black and white chart or to colorless transparent polyester foil. In the latter case, the tristimulus value Y is measured subsequently over black and white glass panels.

BS3900-D4 Methods of test for paints. Optical tests on paint films. Comparison of contrast ratio (hiding power) of paints of the same type and colour.
Méthodes d'essai pour peintures. Comparaison du taux de contraste (pouvoir couvrant) des peintures du même type et de la même couleur.

BS3900-D7 Paints and varnishes. Determination of hiding power. Kubelka-Munk method for white and light-coloured paints