Spectrophotometer V-780

A new exciting addition to Musou Black's equipment lineup this year is the V-780 spectrophotometer from JASCO Corporation. The device has proven highly valuable for the company’s materials research and product development efforts.

Musou Black develops and sells light-absorbing materials that cover wavelengths from visible to near-infrared. To evaluate these materials, the team measures and analyzes light reflectance. Previously, initial evaluations were performed using Konica Minolta’s portable colorimeter CM-25d, while final, highly accurate reflectance values were obtained through specialized testing institutions.

As a company specializing in light absorption, it became increasingly important to measure accurate reflectance values not only during early-stage development but also throughout production management. For this reason, a high-precision spectrophotometer was introduced in February.

Introducing the JASCO V-780

The V-780 measures reflectance from 190 nm to 1600 nm, covering both visible and near-infrared light. It supports both transmittance and reflectance measurements. Since Musou Black frequently measures extremely low reflectance values, such as materials close to true black, the device’s ability to reliably zero out during dark measurements played an important role in its selection.

Additionally, Labsphere’s calibrated white reference plate was purchased to convert relative reflectance into absolute reflectance for internal data consistency. Because external testing institutions also provide data in absolute reflectance, all published values from Musou Black remain aligned with industry standards.

Three Key Advantages of Adopting the V-780

1. Faster development through full-range measurement

Previously, visible-light measurements were handled by the CM-25d and near-infrared measurements by a separate simplified device. While cost-effective, this workflow required separate measurements on the same sample and still necessitated professional testing for final verification.

With the V-780, a single measurement now captures the full wavelength range, significantly accelerating development. This improvement was especially helpful for the black carpet product currently preparing for release, where development progressed more smoothly thanks to unified measurement capabilities.

2. Expanded development possibilities with both reflectance and transmittance

Musou Black's light-absorbing materials are primarily used as anti-reflection products, making reflectance the key specification. However, customers occasionally inquire about light transmittance. Since the V-780 measures both reflectance and transmittance, it is now possible to provide precise answers to transmittance-related questions.

Looking ahead, the device may also support the development of products that control transmittance by wavelength, such as band-pass-filter-type materials.

3. Improved quality control for stable production

Musou Black produces materials in various forms, including paints, fabrics, and polyurethane sheets. Managing the quality of such diverse product types can be challenging, particularly infrared-absorbing materials, whose performance is not easily judged by appearance alone.

By measuring and storing reflectance data for each production lot, variance has been reduced even in difficult categories like IR-absorbing materials, resulting in more consistent, higher-quality products.

Potential New Service: Reflectance Data Included with Products

The V-780 also opens the door to new customer services. One idea under consideration is to offer materials accompanied by their exact reflectance data, similar to products from Labsphere, which sells calibrated reflectance standards with data sheets.

There may also be demand for accurate low-reflectance data specific to Musou Black materials. If there is interest, this service could be implemented quickly.

Additionally, a future service is being considered in which customers can request reflectance measurements for their own materials. Feedback in the comments would be welcomed to help shape this offering.

That's all for this blog, stay tuned for more!