Raw materials

Manufacturing uses spectroscopy to verify materials, control processes and grade finished products. A spectrometer measures a sample without contact and in milliseconds, so the measurement fits inside a production cycle. Most industrial installations combine a compact spectrometer, a stable light source and a fiber probe mounted at the line.

Material identification and composition

NIR spectra carry overtone and combination bands of C-H, O-H and N-H bonds. These bands identify polymers, verify incoming raw materials and quantify blends with a calibration model. Moisture is a common target, since water absorbs strongly near 1450 and 1940 nm. Grain, feed, paper, textiles and polymer pellets are all routinely checked this way at the dryer or the silo.

Metal alloys can be sorted by laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy. A pulsed laser forms a small plasma on the surface, and a spectrometer records the atomic emission lines between about 200 and 900 nm. Alloying elements such as chromium, nickel, molybdenum and copper each have characteristic lines, and optical resolution determines how well neighboring lines separate.

Coatings and thin layers

Spectral reflectometry measures the thickness of transparent coatings from interference fringes in the reflected spectrum. Fringe spacing depends on thickness and refractive index, so a model fit returns thickness from tens of nanometers to tens of micrometers. Thin layers need shorter wavelengths, while thick layers need finer optical resolution to resolve closely spaced fringes. Applications include hard coats, anti-reflective films, adhesives and web coatings on film and foil.

Color and appearance

Color measurement follows CIE methods between 380 and 780 nm. A spectrometer records reflectance or transmittance, and software calculates tristimulus values and color differences such as ΔE for the standard illuminant and observer. Paint, plastics, packaging, glass and display production all use spectral color control, because the full spectrum reveals metameric pairs that a filter colorimeter cannot detect.

Light source and laser characterization

LED, laser and lamp manufacturers test peak wavelength, bandwidth, spectral power and color point at the end of the line. Laser testing favors high resolution and low stray light. LED binning favors fast acquisition and wavelength accuracy. With an irradiance calibration, the same spectrometer reports absolute radiometric values.

Integration on the production line

Line installations depend on repeatable timing and stable calibration. Hardware triggering synchronizes acquisition with a conveyor, a laser pulse or a rotating part. Thermal stability keeps wavelength calibration in place across the temperature swings of a factory floor. An SDK and standard interfaces connect the spectrometer to a PLC or a supervisory system.

Evolve Sensing for manufacturing

• DS Series: two spectrometers on a common trigger for UV-Vis and NIR in one measurement.
• SideWinder: InGaAs NIR for moisture, polymer identification and blend analysis.
• SmartEngine: UV-Vis-NIR platform for coatings, color and emission measurements.
• GoldenBullet: NIR for moisture and raw material checks at the line.
• HummingBird: compact UV-Vis for OEM color and emission modules.
• External trigger, SDK support and OEM configuration for machine builders.

We are happy to help select a configuration for a specific line or sample.