What is a RAL? For accurate and correct color reproduction, there are several standards to which the modern design of many industries is "guided". In 1927, in Germany, the Institute for Quality Assurance and Related Labeling developed a color coding system, it became the German RAL color standard, and later gained the value of an international standard. At the time of the creation of the system, the table had 40 codified colors. Today, the palette includes 2328 shades of RAL, which are the defining standard of industry and design around the world.
The emergence of the name and company
On April 23, 1925, the German Reich created a committee to ensure the quality and conditions of supply, the abbreviation of which RAL has been preserved to this day. In addition to numerous associations, the government created a state fund, and the RAL was administered by the Ministry of Economy. Two years later, the committee acquired the status of a registered association and received its own legal personality. The organization retained the abbreviation RAL as a characteristic quality mark, which is protected nationally and internationally in accordance with the law on trademarks.
What is RAL today?
The company is one of the oldest marking professionals in the world. For more than 90 years, consumers have relied on high quality, ongoing testing, and regular updates of RAL products and services. Today, the German Institute for Quality Assurance and Labeling RAL remains the world's leading color standard for all professional users in industry, small-scale production, architecture and design.
RAL is not involved in the manufacture or sale of paints, its role is the definition and standardization of color tones, it produces samples of binder colors that are produced in diagrams and templates. This is a series of color systems and catalogs used around the world, each of which contains a palette of standardized shades of digital and print. A unique number is assigned to each of the RAL colors. Due to this, for example, the shade of paints and varnishes can be accurately conveyed without the presence of a color model. The purpose of standardization is that the client and the supplier exchange only the RAL number, and not a color swatch on a specific material.
More than 2500 RAL COLORS positions provide the highest accuracy and a diverse selection. The universal color matching method developed by the company is divided into three systems: Classic (classic), Design (design), Effect (effect).
Classic catalog
The most popular and used in the world color palette with samples and code designations contains 213 items, including metallic. The RAL Classic scale is divided into nine primary colors, indicated by the first digit of the code, and each shade is indicated by a number from 000 to 099. The Classic RAL palette does not determine the brightness of the color and is divided into two systems: HR for satin, GL for glossy colors. When ordering products under the Classic catalogs, in addition to the digital code, it is very important to indicate the designations for glossy and matte colors. The digital RAL values are distributed in the Classic scale as follows:
- numbers from 1000 to 1099 - shades of yellow;
- from 2000 to 2099 - orange;
- from 3000 to 3099 - red;
- from 4000 to 4099 - pink, purple;
- from 5,000 to 5,099 - blue;
- from 6000 to 6099 - green;
- from 7000 to 7099 - gray;
- from 8000 to 8099 - brown
- from 9000 to 9099 - white, black.
The colors of the classic RAL palette are used in many areas: the production of paints and varnishes, tinting of various surfaces, architecture, interior design, graphic, transport, industrial, printing activities.
Design Catalog
The design of the RAL Design color palette complies with the LAB international colorimetry system. Unlike the classic RAL collection, here the colors are systematically arranged according to hue, brightness and saturation. The seven-digit code allows you to more accurately indicate the visible differences between two adjacent shades. This provides ease of use by combining harmonious combinations of the visual RAL model. What is seven-digit numbering in Design?
- the first 3 digits indicate the hue;
- the next 2 digits indicate the percentage of brightness;
- the last pair of digits indicates saturation.
The development of the RAL color scale for professional design dates back to 1993 and today the collection consists of 1,625 items.
Effect palette
The RAL Effect color catalog has been distributed since April 2007 and is designed for industrial and product design. With 420 universal and 70 metallic shades, it includes significantly more colors than the catalog of traditional RAL colors. This palette also takes into account environmental aspects. The sampling consists of water-based paints, which did not use pigments containing heavy metals such as lead, lead chromate or cadmium sulfide. All manufacturers and users of paints and varnishes can use the RAL Effect to create an environmentally friendly production of paints or use it thanks to a simple and modern recipe.
New collection
In October 2010, RAL introduced the Plastics color palette for plastics. This is the last of the catalogs for today, which will gradually expand in the future. Now the color selection includes the 100 most used colors from the RAL Classic scale. Color swatches consist of A6 format polypropylene plates with three different surface structures and three levels of thickness.
Digital Catalogs
What is RAL Digital? This is a software that combines all the colors of the Classic, Design, Effect palettes in digital format for graphic and CAD applications. RAL Digital contains information from the values of RGB, CMYK, HLC, Lab and HEX, and also offers many design features. The software contains all 2328 RAL colors and allows navigation throughout the color spectrum. RAL shades can be exported and integrated into many popular graphics and CAD programs.
Nanotechnology
Since 2015, the company introduced the new Colorcatch Nano device. This is a 60 gram RAL Colorc colorimeter that performs color measurements on surfaces with the click of a button; it is compatible with many Apple and Android products. Nano quickly and accurately measures up to five colors simultaneously, regardless of surface and material, assigns the appropriate RAL color. The device is connected via cable to all Apple or Android devices and works with the RAL iColours mobile phone application. The application provides information about colors, selecting shades from the three main RAL palettes, finds the value of the next color from a previously selected collection of colors. A small hole in the middle of the device allows you to read colors on rounded surfaces.
RAL Products
The company constantly produces and distributes catalogs of each collection, such as colored fans, maps, atlases, albums, boxes and sets with color cards, sheets or plates. In addition to catalogs, RAL regularly publishes the RAL Color Feeling booklet and publishes books such as The Color Dictionary, Health Colors, and Hotel Colors.