AUGUST 16, 2023

Dear Mr. Bala and Mr. Gopi,

When I stated Delta E and Lab would be varying I meant the following. 1st and 2nd
page are summary, the further pages gives detailed explanation.

CMC is not a color space, but a color system that describes tolerances within
CIELCH color space. The CMC system offers improve matching of visually perceived
and measured color differences. The CMC color distance is described by the area of
an ellipse, the axes of which correspond to the axes of the LCh color space. Since
the relative weighting of brightness variations can be changed in the formula with
respect to chromaticity variations (parameters L and C), the color system is called
CMC (L:C). Two commonly used formulas are:

 CMC(1:1) to determine perceivable color differences

 CMC(2:1) to determine acceptable color differences

Calculating the color distance using the CIE94 formula can still lead to discrepancies
between the calculated and perceived color distances. Visual Assessment vs.
Instrumental
Though no color tolerance system is perfect, the CMC and CIE94 equations best
represent color differences as our eyes see them.

Tolerance % Agreement Method with Visual

CIELAB 75%
CIELCH 85%
CMC or CIE94 95%

Hence Lab and Delta E differ, if Customer suggests to perceivable or acceptable

color it’s important to choose CMC method and Luminence and Chroma are better to
be used for as reference when it comes to Pantone and Spot colors where the color
perception can be varied only by the thickness of the ink film, where the Ink
formulation determines the shade more.

Usually for Pantone the CMC method is best suited, 1:1 is a rigid delta E
where Luminence need to be very close to reference, to give some lenience for
certain colors CMC 2:1 is suggested by Ad Agencies and Premedia Teams.

Note: The Shade cards usually suggest the details about measurement angle and
Illuminant. The Observer Angle 2° was made the standard for color measurement,
so also D50 and D65 suggestions are made.

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Additionally Delta E standards are to be included. Ensure these settings are set in
the Quality Control Devices Spectrometers being used and also in the Closed loop
Color control systems such as Intelitrax system.

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Delta E
The numerical value specifying the distance between two colors in a color space
system is generally expressed as Delta E. This value is an indication of a specific
difference, with the color space and the distance formula used to calculate the color
difference playing a fundamental role. As a general rule, it can be said that the
smaller the Delta E value, the smaller the color distance. If, for example, you
calculate the Euclidean distance between two XYZ values using a simple distance
formula (Delta E = Delta a2 + Delta b2+ Delta c2), where a, b, and c represent the
generalized parameters of a three-dimensional color ordering system), you will find
that this numerical value does not match the perceived spatial distances of other
color pairs. Since the development of color measurement instruments there has
been an evolution of mathematical formulae attempting to create tolerancing
methods that best correlate to the eye’s sensitivity.

CIELAB :
The first internationally accepted method, developed by the Commission
International de l’Eclairage (CIE), was L*a*b* color tolerancing. (Also known as
CIELAB).

symbolizes ―delta,‖ which indicates difference).

E*ab = [( L2) + ( a2) + ( b2)]1/2

L* = 116 (Y/Yn)1/3 – 16
a* = 500 [(X/Xn)1/3 – (Y/Yn)1/3]
b* = 200 [(Y/Yn)1/3 – (Z/Zn)1/3]
CIE LCH :
Some years later the CIE adopted revisions to the L*a*b* calculations which led to
L*C*H* color tolerancing. (Also know as CIELCH).

D symbolizes ―delta,‖ which indicates difference).

The L*C*h° expression offers an advantage over CIELAB in that it’s very easy to
relate to the earlier systems based on physical samples, like the Munsell Color Scale.
L* =116 (Y/Yn)1/3 – 16
C* = (a2 + b2)1/2
h° = arctan (b*/a*)
Xn, Yn, Zn, are values for a reference white for the illumination/observer used.
Reference white for D50 or D65 Illuminant and Observer angle 2° or 10°.
Note: The Shade cards usually suggest these details about measurement angle and Illuminant. The
Observer Angle 2° was made the standard for color measurement.

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CMC
The newest of the accepted tolerancing methods, developed by the Colour
Measurement Committee of the Society of Dyes & Colorists in Great Britain, is
known as CMC tolerancing.
The following pages describe these three color tolerancing procedures.

CIE94 System

A further optimization of visual equidistance was provided by the introduction of a

color distance formula (CIE94) based on the parameters of the LCH representation
approach of the CIELAB color space. Like CMC, CIE94 is a system for describing
color tolerances.

The CIELAB Color Wheel it is possible to deduce, by means of a simple variation, the
popular representation form LCh. Chromaticity C and hue angle h are calculated
from values a* and b*.

The CIE94 System is a mathematical calculation of an ellipse around the color

standard, whose axis are Hue, Chromaticity, and Lightness. In many color
targets, the human eye tolerates a wider deviation in brightness than in
chromaticity, so the CIE94 System includes weighting parameters to allow
good agreement with a visual evaluation. But calculating the color
distance using the CIE94 formula can still lead to discrepancies between
the calculated and perceived color distances. This was taken as a motivation
to improve the CIE94 color distance formula and the outcome was the CIE2000
formula. The CIE94 System is particularly suitable for flat and uniform surfaces and
is used mainly in the paint and dyestuffs industry. For the CIE2000 System the
general structure of the CIE94 System was taken and improved. Among the
improvements was the inclusion of additional correction parameters in the CIE94
color distance formula.

The correction parameters relate in particular to the saturation value C* and the
weight factor S for the hue and brightness difference:

 As the a* axis in the CIELAB System compared with the b* axis is perceived
as too compressed at high saturation, the a* value used for calculating the
saturation was stretched in line with the saturation. Thus at high saturation,
a* is 50% greater than in the CIE94 System.
 This new value is called a' and the resulting saturation C'. Correspondingly,
the hue difference is called Delta H'.

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 As the saturation differences are too large for some hue angles and too small
for others, the weight factor S of the hue difference has also been
recalculated on the basis of the hue angle.
 So as to achieve matching of visually perceived and measured brightness
differences for low and high brightness levels, the weight factor S for the
brightness difference varies between 1.0 and 1.75.
 Finally, the fact that at high saturation color distances in Purple and Blue lead
to too high values in the CIE94 System was allowed for by adding a correction
parameter for the color distance Delta E 2000.

CMC System

CMC is not a color space, but a color system that describes tolerances within CIELCH
color space. The CMC system offers improve matching of visually perceived and
measured color differences. The CMC color distance is described by the area of an
ellipse, the axes of which correspond to the axes of the LCh color space.

L* =116 (Y/Yn)1/3 – 16
C* = (a2 + b2)1/2
h° = arc tan (b*/a*)

This formula was developed from color tolerancing practices applied in the textiles
industry. Since the relative weighting of brightness variations can be changed in the
formula with respect to chromaticity variations (parameters l and c), the color
system is called CMC (l:c). Two commonly used formulas are:

 CMC(1:1) to determine perceivable color differences

 CMC(2:1) to determine acceptable color differences

The CMC system is particularly suitable for structured and uneven measurement
surfaces and is therefore used principally in the textiles industry. There, the formula
is typically used with parameters CMC(2:1) to evaluate the acceptability of color
samples when compared with a reference. If the Delta E CMC (2:1) value specified
for each sample or according to accuracy specification is exceeded, the sample is
rejected.

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Visual Assessment vs. Instrumental

Though no color tolerance system is perfect, the CMC and CIE94 equations best
represent color differences as our eyes see them.

Tolerance % Agreement Method with Visual

CIELAB 75%

CIELCH 85%

CMC or CIE94 95%

Choosing the Right Tolerance

When deciding which color difference calculation to use, consider the following five
rules:
1. Select a single method of calculation and use it consistently. If the customer
does not provide standards to follow.
2. Always specify exactly how the calculations are made in the Shade cards
preserved for future reprints.
3. Never attempt to convert between color differences calculated by different
equations through the use of average factors.
4. Use calculated color differences only as a first approximation in setting
tolerances, until they can be confirmed by visual judgments.
5. Always remember that nobody accepts or rejects color because of numbers —
it is the way it looks that counts.

The Available Choices in DELTA E

Difference tolerance methods Methods

DELTA E Delta E dL, da*, db*

DELTA E94 Delta E dL, dC, dh

DELTA E2000 Weight factor S ( 1.0 or 1.75)

CMC 1:1 (L:C)

CMC 2:1 (2L:C)

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Usually for Pantone the CMC method is best suited, 1:1 is a rigid delta E reference,
to give some lenience for certain colors CMC 2:1 is suggested by Ad Agencies and
Premedia Teams.

I would love to provide consultation visits and Train your team on the
standards and how to follow procedures and settings. Not only Finger printing, but
also CIP 3 and InteliTrax usage and Standard settings for Press Console for closed
loop color systems. Looking forward to meeting you and help train your team as a
service by being a consultant.