The technical evolution of car wrapping

Car wrapping has come a long, long way in the last few decades. Once seen as a niche industry that was mostly used for advertising, car wrapping is now one of the most popular ways of customizing a vehicle. In this article, we’ll take a look at how car wrapping technical advances have enabled automotive enthusiasts to create unique looks for any vehicle.

The evolution of car wrap films

You can trace the history of car wrapping back to the invention of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) in 1926. A primitive form of car wrapping was used in the 1950s with water slide vinyl decals.

Printable films

Car wrapping as we know it only really started to take off in the 1990s with the invention of printable vinyl films. These vinyl films allowed designers to produce digitally printed graphics that could be fitted to any type of vehicle. First used for advertising and then for protective reasons, car lovers soon caught on to the idea that printable vinyl films could be used to completely customize their rides.

Cast films

Although they looked great, printable films were difficult to apply to rounded contours. At first, they were mostly used for bus advertising. Then came cast films. Cast films are produced using an industrial casting process that produces a thin, durable, and highly conformable film. The ability of cast films to conform perfectly to complex curves and shapes made them the industry standard for car wraps.

Concave and convex film wrapping

Getting wraps to sit properly on the curves of an automobile isn’t a simple task. A specialised technique for concave and convex film wrapping had to be developed. Using this technique, the wrap film is stretched across inward or outward curving surfaces of a vehicle, gradually heated, and then smoothed out using a squeegee to ensure it has a stable fit. Care must be taken to not deform the images on the wrap during this process.

Repositionable films

Wrapping a car, however, was still a pretty complicated undertaking. The invention of repositionable films went a long way in making life easier for car wrapping professionals. Repositionable films have a weak initial tack that does not adhere to the vehicle until pressure is applied. So, as the name suggests, they can be repositioned until they are in the perfect position. Some repositionable films can also be removed without marks even after years of use. This simplifies the rewrapping process and reduces the cost.

Matching helmet wraps

Helmet wraps are like an added accessory to a vehicle wrap. Typically, ‘helmeting’ refers to extending the design of the vehicle's wrap onto a matching helmet using concave and convex film wrapping techniques. Helmet wraps are mainly used for professional car or motorcycle racing teams, but they are also becoming increasingly popular with amateur car racers  and motorcyclists. A good helmet wrap can help to unify the aesthetics of a vehicle.

Paint protection films (PPS)

So, drivers had a way to customize the look of their cars and detailers had an easier way of applying the looks. But there was still a major problem that car enthusiasts needed to solve: how to protect their paintwork. No matter how nice and smooth the road you’re driving on is, stones, debris, and dirt are still going to slam into the bottom, front, and sides of your vehicle. The resulting chips, scrapes, and scratches are super bad for your car’s paintwork!

The answer to improving the durability of a car’s paint job was the development of paint protection films (PPS). These films are completely transparent and allow for the original color of a vehicle’s paintwork to come through. They provide heavy-duty protection for a car’s paintwork without changing or diluting the color. If your car did suffer a bad scratch, OEM color-matching vinyl film could be applied to mask it, saving you the time and expense of a repaint. Industry professionals saw the huge potential in PPS technology and quickly developed it for use as window and headlight protection.

Color change wraps

At this point, car wraps had advanced to the stage where you could use them to protect your original paint, keep your headlights and windows safe from road debris, or create a unique, striking design for any type of vehicle. But there was still another use for car wrapping technology.

What if you wanted to change the entire color of a car without going through the expensive and long process of having it repainted? What if you wanted a color that just wasn’t achievable with normal automotive paint?

Color change wraps provided the solution. Using a color change wrap you could switch from a factory color to any color you want quickly and cost-effectively. Best of all, you could always simply remove the car wrap to change the car back to its original state.

Challenges faced by car wrapping professionals

From the first printable wraps to repositionable wraps and PPF films (paint protection films), the evolution of car wraps has been astounding. Car wrapping has transformed from a niche industry into a vibrant and dynamic sector within the automotive customisation industry.

Wrapping a car is a complicated process. Exact measurements need to be taken along with precisely shot photos to illustrate the dimensions of the vehicle. The wrap itself needs to be designed, a material chosen, and the wrap printed and laminated before installation can take place.

A wrap needs to perfectly fit the contours of a car. All measurements and dimensions have to be exact if the wrap is to look any good. The body of the car needs to be free of dust, grime, and debris. If your measurements are off or the car has grit on it, your wrap will fit poorly and look bumpy.

Avoiding tears, bubbles, and wrinkles is also a major challenge for professional car wrap technicians. If a film isn’t laminated properly, then it can produce bubbles or wrinkles. If the technician applies too much heat to the wrap, it can warp or tear easily.

Car wrapping experts require a steady hand and good nerves. With innovative products from industry leaders like Antalis, a professional car wrapper can transform any vehicle.