Ford FLTM BI 109 Automotive Interior and Exterior Material Color and Visual Appearance Consistency

The “Ford FLTM BI 109 Automotive Color and Appearance Consistency of Interior and Exterior Materials” standard series, developed by Ford Motor Company (Ford), is a group of test methods (FLTM) that define how to evaluate the color and appearance consistency of automotive interior and exterior materials. It is part of Ford’s broader quality system to ensure that materials such as plastics, textiles, paints, and upholstery components meet stringent aesthetic and appearance requirements.

The Ford FLTM BI 109 standard family focuses not only on instrumental color measurement but also on human visual perception under controlled lighting conditions, which remains the ultimate authority in acceptance decisions.

The primary goal of the Ford FLTM BI 109 standards is to ensure the following:

• Checking for color differences between production parts and reference standards.
• Materials retain their consistent appearance after aging, processing, or exposure to environmental effects.
• Standardization of both instrumental (spectrophotometric) and visual inspection methods.
• The automotive interior and exterior design must meet Ford's design expectations.

A fundamental principle in all the methods described is that visual assessment invalidates numerical measurement when inconsistencies occur.

The Ford FLTM BI 109 standard consists of the following sub-sections:

• Ford FLTM BI 109-01 Visual Appearance Assessment: This standard outlines a test method used to assess the visual color appearance of automotive materials under controlled lighting conditions. It is considered one of the fundamental standards for appearance approval in automotive interior and exterior components. This standard describes a subjective visual inspection method used to compare a test sample to a reference under different artificial light sources. It applies to the following materials:
  • Painted components
  • Plastics
  • Textile
  • Flooring materials and interior surfaces

This method is commonly used for both solid colors and effect (metallic/pearlescent) coatings.

The fundamental principle of this standard is that visual assessment always takes precedence over instrumental (measurement) results. Even if colorimeters show acceptable values, final acceptance is based on human visual assessment under standardized conditions.

This standard categorizes visual differences into specific components:

• Lightness: Lighter or darker
• Chromaticity: Differences in saturation.
• Tone: Direction of color shift (red / green / blue / yellow)
• Shimmer: Metallic flake appearance
• Granularity: Visual homogeneity related to texture.

These parameters help engineers explain why two parts look different, not just whether they are different or not.

The evaluator compares the test sample to the main reference standard. Under controlled lighting, they assign a score based on detectability:

• 0 = No difference
• 1 = Barely perceptible difference
• 2-3 = Clearly noticeable
• 4-5 = Large deviation

If there is a discrepancy between visual and instrument results, visual assessment is decisive.

• Ford FLTM BI 109-02 Color Measurement (Instrumental Method): This standard includes a test method that describes the instrumental (device-based) evaluation of color differences between a test sample and a reference standard. This standard works in conjunction with the Ford FLTM BI 109-01 standard (visual evaluation).

The primary goal of the Ford FLTM BI 109-02 standard is to provide an objective, repeatable, and quantifiable method for evaluating color variation in automotive materials. This standard is used to measure color differences in the following materials:

• Solid colors (uniform paint, plastic, textiles)
• Effect colors (metallic, pearlescent, multi-angled surfaces)
• Automotive interior and exterior trim components.

This standard ensures that color evaluation is not based solely on human perception, but is also supported by quantitative data obtained from colorimeters.

The main objectives are as follows:

• Quantifying color differences between production parts and master standards.
• To ensure repeatability between suppliers and facilities.
• To evaluate changes resulting from the following reasons:
• Material variety
• Processing conditions
• Environmental aging (UV, heat, humidity)
• Supporting quality decisions with objective numerical data.

The described method is designed to closely mirror human perception, yet remains entirely instrument-controlled and repeatable. This standard defines the following controlled conditions:

• Illuminator type (e.g., D65 daylight simulation)
• Observer angle (typically 2 or 10 degrees standard observer angle)
• Measurement geometry
• Inclusion/exclusion of reflective component
• Multi-angle measurement for impact coatings.

These parameters ensure consistency in results across different laboratories and suppliers.

The Ford FLTM BI 109 standard is critical to automotive development and manufacturing for the following reasons:

• Brand consistency: Even minor color discrepancies in interior upholstery or exterior paint can affect perceived quality and brand identity.
• Supplier control: Provides a common global reference to ensure a consistent material appearance for suppliers and Ford factories.
• Aging and durability verification: Materials must retain their acceptable color after the following conditions:
  • Exposure to UV rays
  • heat aging
  • Chemical exposure
  • Wear and cleaning cycles
• Reduces subjective disagreements: By combining these, it reduces disagreements between supplier and original equipment manufacturer quality teams.
  • Instrumental measurement
  • Controlled visual assessment

The Ford FLTM BI 109 standard is often used in conjunction with other appearance-related standards, such as:

• Ford FLTM BI 110: Gloss measurement of paint surfaces.
• Ford FLTM BI 009 series: Various appearance and durability tests.
• Ford FLTM BU standards: Adhesive and bonding tests.

These standards collectively ensure visual consistency for automotive materials.

In conclusion, the Ford FLTM BI 109 standard is a fundamental automotive quality method used to check and evaluate color appearance consistency. It uniquely combines the following:

• Rigorous laboratory color measurement methods (Ford FLTM BI 109-02)
• Inspection by the human eye under controlled lighting (Ford FLTM BI 109-01)

It also ensures that visual perception remains the ultimate acceptance criterion in Ford's appearance quality system.

For many years, our organization, with its competent and experienced team, has been understanding the needs of its customers, providing the advanced testing services they require, and assisting them in the establishment, implementation, and improvement of management systems. Within this framework, we also provide testing services compliant with the Ford FL™ BI 109 standard.