Gloss is a key attribute of a surface’s appearance, influencing perceived quality in products from automotive finishes to consumer electronics. The Rhopoint Novo-Gloss glossmeter is a high-precision instrument designed to measure surface gloss accurately and consistently, helping R&D and quality control professionals ensure products meet appearance standards across industries like automotive, plastics, coatings, and electronics.
The Rhopoint Novo-Gloss glossmeter (shown in its 60° configuration) features a clear display and intuitive controls for fast gloss measurements. The Novo-Gloss works by shining a controlled beam of light at a surface and quantifying the reflected light intensity. Measurements are given in gloss units (GU) traceable to reference standards for reliable accuracy.
The device supports standard geometries of 20°, 60°, and 85° – 60° being the universal angle for mid-gloss surfaces, with 20° for high-gloss and 85° for low-gloss finishes as defined in ISO 2813 and ASTM D523. Single-angle models (e.g. 60° or a 45° unit for plastics) and a Tri-Gloss 20/60/85° version are available, including a model with haze measurement that meets ASTM E430 and D4039 standards for reflectance haze. Each Novo-Gloss is supplied with a certified calibration standard (ISO 17025 accredited) to ensure maximum measurement accuracy and repeatability.
Designed with usability in mind, the Novo-Gloss features a full-colour screen and simple menus for quick readings. It automatically records statistics for each batch of measurements and can display pass/fail alerts based on user-defined tolerances. This makes it easy for quality control personnel to identify any out-of-spec gloss levels at a glance. The instrument is portable and robust for both laboratory and factory floor use.
Critically, the Novo-Gloss series conforms to international gloss measurement standards (ISO 2813, ASTM D523, DIN 67530, etc.), ensuring that measurements are globally recognized and comparable. Its versatility and accuracy have made it a valuable tool in many sectors, from car paint shops and plastics moulding to coatings manufacturing and electronics assembly – wherever a consistent surface finish is essential.
By maintaining uniform gloss, manufacturers can guarantee that components from different batches or suppliers match each other, preserving overall product quality.
Not all surface appearance issues can be diagnosed by a gloss value alone. For high-gloss finishes that suffer from texture effects like “orange peel” (surface waviness) or fine haze, two surfaces can show the same gloss reading yet look very different.
The Rhopoint IQ glossmeter addresses this by measuring additional appearance parameters beyond gloss, providing deeper insight into surface quality. The IQ is a handheld goniophotometer that profiles how light is reflected from a surface, capturing Distinctness of Image (DOI), Reflected Image Quality (RIQ), haze, and even the specular reflectance peak (RSPEC) in one instrument.
DOI describes how clearly an image is reflected – a high DOI means a sharp, mirror-like reflection, whereas low DOI indicates a blurry reflection often caused by texture or poor finish.
RIQ is a refined metric introduced by Rhopoint that quantifies effects like orange peel and subtle waviness; it is essentially a high-resolution DOI measurement that correlates better with human visual perception of surface smoothness. A surface with poor RIQ will distort reflected images due to micro-scale texture (e.g. paint application marks or slight rippling), even if its gloss is high. The IQ also measures reflection haze, an optical scattering effect from microscopic surface structures or residue that produces a shallow “milky” sheen and halos around reflections.
By quantifying haze (in accordance with standards like ASTM E430) and providing DOI/RIQ values, the Rhopoint IQ can differentiate two finishes that a standard glossmeter would judge as identical. This makes it indispensable for quality assessments of high-gloss automotive paints, plastics, or polished coatings where clarity and image sharpness are as critical as gloss itself.
Moving a step further, Rhopoint’s Aesthetix instrument offers a comprehensive surface finish analysis solution. It is a modular system that measures almost all aspects of surface appearance, not just gloss and haze, but also texture, distinctness of image, waviness and even attributes like visual uniformity and colour tone.
The Aesthetix uses advanced imaging and sensing (including a camera that mimics human visual perception) to evaluate how surface quality will appear to the end user. It can detect fine orange peel or subtle haze that traditional glossmeters might miss, and converts complex surface data into easy-to-understand appearance parameters. For example, it can objectively quantify sharpness of reflections and surface waviness, helping manufacturers set pass/fail criteria for premium finishes.
The device is also designed for versatility – it can measure flat or curved surfaces (even very small areas) using either contact or non-contact modes. By delivering a holistic view of surface appearance, instruments like the Rhopoint IQ and Aesthetix enable professionals to ensure that high-gloss products not only meet gloss specifications but also exhibit the desired image clarity and texture-free finish.
These advanced metrics (DOI, RIQ, haze, etc.) directly translate to perceived quality: a car panel or smartphone case with high gloss and high DOI/RIQ will have that deep, crisp reflection that signals superior quality to consumers.
Professionals investing in gloss measurement equipment also benefit from Rhopoint’s decades of expertise and industry reputation. Rhopoint Instruments has been designing appearance measurement tools since the late 1980s, starting with glossmeters and continually innovating to include DOI, haze, and other appearance metrics as industry needs evolved.
This long history translates into technical know-how and reliable, well-engineered products. The company is a leading authority in the field , its instruments are used worldwide in automotive, coatings, electronics, aerospace, and more. Rhopoint emphasizes ease of use and robust design, ensuring their glossmeters and appearance testers perform equally well in the laboratory and on the production line.
All Rhopoint products adhere to international standards (ISO, ASTM, DIN, JIS etc.), and the company actively engages with standards organizations and industry bodies to stay at the forefront of measurement science. (For instance, Rhopoint is a member of the British Coatings Federation, underscoring its involvement in the coatings industry’s professional community.) With an ISO 9001-certified quality system and UKAS-accredited calibration facilities, Rhopoint delivers instruments that professionals can trust for accuracy and consistency.
In summary, Rhopoint’s longevity, technical expertise, and participation in international standards development ensure that when you purchase a Novo-Gloss, IQ, or Aesthetix gloss measurement instrument, you are investing in proven performance backed by a company committed to excellence in surface appearance measurement.
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