Standox has issued some practical tips on the importance of the correct lighting in the bodyshop, something that can be crucial went it comes to repair quality and colour matching. 

Standox Brand Specialist Jodie Henly, explains that specific areas in a bodyshop such as customer reception, vehicle acceptance, preparation, the spray booth and vehicle finishing, have their own special lighting requirements. Generally lighting must meet the needs of the visual task taking place and use low low-flicker, low-flare, non-glare light sources which avoid reflections. She says, “As most of the information we perceive is accessed via the eyes, and as light serves as an information carrier, it is important to match natural and artificial light in the bodyshop. The colour of the light also has a direct impact on employees and their work, as colour perception changes depending on the white, red or blue content of the light available.”

The Standox team stress that lighting is extremely important in the estimating area. Here the vehicle should be evenly lit, avoiding hard shadows. Meanwhile for accurate colour matching, ideally the light needs to be as close to natural daylight as possible, exposing the true colour of the vehicle.

The Standox advice goes on to point out that lighting systems age and should be serviced regularly. Although it is usually not noticed immediately, the light gradually decreases due to wear and tear, contamination, or simply because individual lamps fail. To prevent a loss of output, fluorescent lamps should be replaced after about 10,000 operating hours.

For more information on Standox and its products and services contact your local distributor or visit www.standox.co.uk.