In the automotive repair industry, several tools are used to assist the repair technician in identifying the correct color for a vehicle repair. Currently, paint manufacturers assist the paint technician with color books that show paint chips representing the array of original equipment (OE) colors per model year and those colors that carry over from previous years. These color books show both body and non-body colors and include information organized by the original equipment manufacturer and are printed once a year and organized by domestic and import brand vehicle manufacturers. The color selection is done by flipping pages in a book to find the chip that best represents the vehicle color. Key color information can then be used with a color software program to begin searching for a color formula in the correct paint system to use for the repair.
Additional information is used to narrow the color search in the color book—typically the original equipment manufacturer (OEM), vehicle model, model year and color code. Once the correct paint chip for the vehicle body color and corresponding information is determined, there is additional compatible information about that vehicle color that may need to be found—accent, interior, underhood and wheel color data, for example. When the correct color identification is made, the correct paint formulas can be found using the key color information and a software program can be used to retrieve a paint formula for the vehicle repair.
Since color books are printed only once per year, key vehicle data may be missing, which will delay the search by the end user. In addition, not all users have access to this information due to limited circulation of the color books and therefore, information cannot be referenced immediately.
Improved methods and apparatus for selecting color are desired. Moving the color selection and identification process to a web-based application will allow for more current and updated information available to the repair technician. The web application can reach a broader end user population. Digital color images can be viewed to confirm that the correct vehicle color has been selected. Current digital color image displays have been presented with either a white or black background color. This approach will not provide an adequate perception of the color, therefore, an improved background viewing color scheme is needed.