Interesting Facts about Gaming Console Skins

Gaming console skins are getting more and more popular because it’s a new way to personalize your game console. If you want to customize your console with a skin but are doubtful about what it is, is it good and is it right for you, here’s full information of console skins.

What is Gaming Console Skin?

This is the time of customization. These days people like to go beyond the default look and get things personalized. Gaming consoles are not an exception and it’s the game console skins that customize the consoles. They are vinyl with an adhesive back and cut to fit the outer case of gaming consoles. These skins are much similar to stickers but are of higher quality and are more durable.

What is Vinyl?

Vinyl was discovered in around early 1920s by Waldo Semon, a rubber scientist when he came across a new substance with wonderful properties when he was trying to find a synthetic adhesive. Shortly after this discovery, products based on PVC like shower curtains and raincoats hit the market. In the due course of time, more uses of vinyl were discovered and products ranging from tubing and gaskets to plastic wraps and automotive parts started emerging. Vinyl is so popular that today it’s the second highest selling plastic on the planet and would be the number one material of the 21st century.

Vinyl Used for Skins

Two major categories of adhesive skinning vinyl are commonly used today: conform

Cast Films

These are also called premium, 2 mil or high performance and are supposed to be the best product having incredible durability and suitability properties. It is termed cast because its manufacturing involves a process of casting. The process resembles much to baking a cake. The ingredients are added to a mixing churn in a particular order and the mixing takes place at a particular speed and for a set time to make sure that the mixing is consistent and complete. This mixture is called organosol and it is poured or “cast” on a moving web called casting sheet and then is passed through a chain of ovens which bring about the evaporation of solvents. Upon the evaporation of solvents, a solid “film” is prepared which is then wound up in rolls with large diameters for the forthcoming adhesive coating. As this type of vinyl is cast in a relaxed state, it offers excellent dimensional stability. This process also makes the film very thin (around 2 mil) making the product more conformable. This type of vinyl is best when you desire a paint-like finish which will last long, normally 5 to 8 years.

Benefits of Cast Films

• With cast films, there is least shrinkage  because the casting sheet is passed through the machine. As the film is not applied any stretch during its production, it doesn’t tend to resume its original form by shrinking.
• Compared to other vinyl films, cast films are more durable because of its particular production technique and raw materials used.
• Cast films are very thin and so match well with substrates having corrugations, rivets and complex curves.
• Cast films also retain their colors and other qualities better than other types of vinyl films, resulting in better performance of UV absorbers and pigments.

Calendered Films

Just like cast film, calendered film also is named after its manufacturing process. It is also known as intermediate, short-term, 4 mil or economy. It is formulated with materials similar to that of cast, with an exception of no solvents used. The materials are mixed and given heat to melt them, thus resembling pizza dough. Once the film achieves the molten state, it is thrust out through a die and then passed through a range of calendering rolls. These rolls are polished steel rolls and progressively stretch and squeeze the vinyl to form a flat sheet (just like flattening the dough using a rolling pin). Because it is applied a stretch, it tends to be dimensionally less stable than cast films. Thus when it is exposed to heat, it will shrink to its original form. These films are also typically thicker (often 3.2 to 3.4 mils) than cast due to the limitations of the manufacturing process. The process uses a special finish cylinder at its end when the film is still warm, unlike casting in which the finish is given with a smooth casting sheet. The cylinder works very fast and is perfect for bulk production. Therefore, color matching is quite unsightly on these machines. However, because of the bulk production, calendered films are quite inexpensive. Their quality ranges between economy and intermediate, and they usually last for one to five years.

Benefits of Calndered Films

• Higher production brings the costs down
• Thicker and stiffer films offer easier handling
• Due to the thickness the films are resistant to abrasion

Why to Put Skins on Gaming Consoles?

Actually, why not to put skins on consoles? They don’t wrap any vent holes or negate the warranty of your consoles. They are simply meant for a customized look and they offer that. They also protect your console from scratches. They also offer you the ability to match all your other audio/video items.

How Easy are the Skins to Apply?

There is an adhesive on the back of the skin which makes it easy to stick to the console once it touches it surface. But if not positioned correctly, your new skin can be damaged. Though it’s not required, it’s advisable to use the skin kit. It will enable you to apply, move the pieces into place and slide them without damaging your console or skin.

SkinMyConsole.com is a leading online supplier of console skins. With their unending range of designs, you can protect your consoles and at the same time look extremely stylish. Their skins are easy to apply and remove. They are designed and cut digitally to ensure a perfect fit. They skin consoles (Xbox One and PlayStation 3 and 4) as well as controllers. They also have amazing looking metal buttons for your controllers and controller shells. They provide exact instructions on how to apply the skins and the skins can be easily removed too without any messy sticky slime. Take a look at some of their fantastic console skins in this article and many more on their website.