Introduction
This online manual provides a single, authoritative reference for all Rhopoint Instruments hardware and software, supporting users from initial setup through to advanced application and data reporting. It is designed for operators, quality and laboratory personnel, R&D teams, and system integrators using Rhopoint solutions in both production and laboratory environments.
About Rhopoint Instruments
Rhopoint Instruments is a UK-based manufacturer of quality control test equipment, specialising in the measurement of surface and material appearance. The portfolio has evolved from glossmeters to include instruments for gloss, haze, DOI, texture, defect analysis, shade, opacity, transparency, coefficient of friction, and packaging performance.
Responsibilities and prerequisites
This manual assumes that users are familiar with basic laboratory and production safety procedures, and that instruments are operated within the environmental and electrical conditions specified in each product section. It does not replace site-specific risk assessments or quality system documentation; rather, it is intended to be integrated into existing ISO-based quality frameworks and local operating procedures.
Software
Appearance Elements
Appearance Elements is the main PC application for operating Rhopoint instruments and working with their data. It guides users through connecting a device, running measurements, and viewing results in a clear measurement screen with tables, images and graphs. Dedicated modules focus on different tasks such as gloss, texture and effect pigments, so the interface only shows tools relevant to the active instrument and workflow. Results can be saved to files or a database, and the software can also be started in review‑only mode to explore existing jobs, generate statistics and create reports without a connected instrument.
Appearance Elements (AE)
Elements Hub
Elements Hub is a lightweight connectivity service that makes Rhopoint measurement data available to other software and automation systems. It exposes live values, status and basic control from instruments to external SPC packages, PLCs, robots and cobots using standard connections, so these systems can react to real‑time appearance measurements. By acting as a single hub between Rhopoint devices and third‑party platforms, it simplifies integration projects and avoids custom drivers in every client system.
Elements Hub (EH)
Rhopoint COM Agent
Rhopoint COM Agent is a Windows application that captures measurement data sent over a serial (COM) connection by Rhopoint instruments, such as the FT3 film thickness gauge. It recognises the incoming format and writes each result to a raw TXT file, a structured CSV file, or types the values straight into another program by emulating keystrokes — placing readings directly into a spreadsheet cell, QA database or ERP form. Demo mode lets you try it without an instrument connected.
Rhopoint COM Agent
Rhopoint Symmetron
Rhopoint Symmetron is a free diagnostic tool that checks whether a PC is ready to run Rhopoint software and instruments. Before installation it verifies that the host meets the technical requirements — operating system, memory, USB 3 ports, camera drivers and network connectivity — and afterwards it helps collect read‑only diagnostic information to resolve issues together with Rhopoint Support. It needs no licence and never changes anything on the system without consent.
Rhopoint Symmetron
Instruments
Rhopoint Aesthetix
Rhopoint Aesthetix is a modular dual camera‑based sensor that captures detailed images of a surface under controlled lighting to assess gloss, haze, texture, sparkle, waviness and defects. It connects to a Windows PC over USB and utilises perception based metrics to reports how surfaces will look to the human eye. Rhopoint Aesthetix
Rhopoint TAMS
Rhopoint TAMS is a hand‑held instrument for high end, high gloss surfaces, evaluating how good a finish looks overall and how well parts match each other. A low gloss module also checks E‑coat, plastic and similar raw materials, describing surface roughness and waviness making it possible to link early process steps to final appearance. - Rhopoint TAMS -