Arcade cabinet glass: an arcade machine manufacturer's guide
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Toughened glass, tinted glass, smart glass – what's it all about? Discover the right type for arcade machines.
Whether you make arcade cabinets for fun, profit or both, you're going to need to think hard about your materials. One key material in their production is glass – but which kind is right for the job?
You might think the question is silly. After all, glass is just… glass, right?
Well, not really.
Glass can be of different levels of robustness – from a wine glass that shatters when it hits the floor to the Alcatraz-style glass doors and cabinets in jewellery stores.
It can be annealed, toughened or laminated. It can be see-through, opaque or translucent. Tinted, frosted, printed, coloured. Bandit-proof or bomb-proof… If it's smart glass, you can even turn it on and off with a button on your smart home system.
The choice can be overwhelming. That's why we've put together this guide to the types of glass you might need for your arcade cabinet.
First up: how strong should it be?
1. Strength
The glass on your cabinet needs to be strong for a couple of reasons. First, you don't want it to be damaged by an over-zealous gamer or passing vandal. The stronger the glass, the less likely you are to have to shell out for a repair or a replacement sheet of glass.
Secondly, there's the safety angle. When normal, non-toughened glass breaks, it shatters into large jagged shards. These can pose a real safety risk to users.
Toughened glass, by contrast, is manufactured in such a way that it breaks into small, blunt pieces that are far less likely to cause an injury.
This is a key reason why you should seriously consider choosing toughened glass for your arcade cabinet. It's in the interests both of your customers and your budget.
2. Clarity
You don't need us to tell you that many arcade games are works of art. The visual aspect is all part of the fun. So the last thing you want is glass that's a bit on the cloudy side.
This is different from tinting, which is a deliberate effect rather than a manufacturing error. But a tint is only as good as the glass underneath. You need glass that's made with quality in mind.
At ToughGlaze, our
toughened glass panels are made to be clear as well as robust. When tinted, they have an even finish which less clear glass won't provide. This high quality makes them as suited to arcade machines as to windows, doors and other kinds of glazing.
3. Custom sizes
When choosing a glass processor or supplier for your arcade cabinets, customisability is crucial. After all, not all cabinets are the same size. You need to be sure that your glass sheets are right on spec and fit for purpose.
This applies whether the glass is being installed for the first time or acting as a replacement. You could need custom glass for a MAME machine or replacement sheets that will match the glass in a traditional arcade setup.
Then there are cocktail table arcade machines. Need notches, holes or other indentations cut into the table? How about curved glass? A reputable glass processor like ToughGlaze can get you sorted with a minimum of fuss.
The bottom line is that you need a processor that can be flexible and meet your requirements with speed and ease.
Thinking outside the glass box
So far, we've looked at the requirements for a plain sheet of glass on an arcade machine. But glass is nothing if not versatile – and there are plenty of opportunities for thinking outside the box.
Take
digital glass printing. This is where a design is printed directly onto glass using ceramic inks.
If you're imagining scrawling a design onto glass with a Sharpie, think again. These are vibrant, industry-standard inks that will last as long as the glass itself.
You could print decals, logos or other designs directly onto the screen – or even onto the control panel.
Again, you might be thinking that this will end up looking like one of those knock-off band T-shirts you get outside gig venues.
Quite the opposite is true – a glass processor like us offers a resolution of up to 720 dots per inch. That's higher than the industry standard for good-quality photos.
Then there are options for extra visual effects, not to mention solid and translucent layers.
So if you want your arcade machine screen surfaces to shine, why not explore the versatile world of
digitally printed glass?
Smart glass for arcade machines
Did you know that glass can switch on and off like an arcade machine? Well, with
smart switchable glass, it can.
What makes smart glass smart? It's the fact that you can switch it from transparent to opaque at the touch of a button. While it's most popular for privacy screens in areas like bathrooms and boardrooms, it also has the potential to add aesthetic interest to an arcade machine.
You could have, say, a cocktail table with a smart glass surface. You press a button on your phone or other device and the glass reveals an arcade machine underneath.
It's not just a great conversation piece. It's also a way of having two-for-one and economising on space.
You could achieve a similar effect with a table that becomes table foosball at the touch of a button – or a cabinet with a glass side that becomes a mini arcade machine.
Whatever bright idea you're trying to realise, you need high-quality
smart glass. It should be certified, water-resistant and able to be cut, shaped and printed to meet your requirements. And you should be able to integrate it with your smart home system of choice.
Conclusion
Your arcade cabinet deserves the right materials. When it comes to glass, you've got options – and here at ToughGlaze, we can provide them all.
So if you're
looking for high-quality glass for arcade machine cabinets,
get in touch today for a free consultation and a quick quote.
