💡 How We Make Composite Hockey Sticks | TRUE TEMPER HOCKEY

Summary

The video script discusses the process of co-molding a one-piece hockey stick, where the shaft and blade are compression molded together. This method ensures no defects are hidden inside, unlike bladder molding. The challenge lies in the high-pressure process that requires precise control to avoid visible defects on the shaft. The transparency of defects in co-molding is a double-edged sword, ensuring quality but demanding perfection.

Takeaways

• 🛠️ The process described is a co-molding technique used to create a one-piece sports equipment, specifically a hockey stick.
• 🎯 The shaft laminates extend through the entire blade, ensuring a strong and unified connection.
• 🔄 The blade is laid up directly on the shaft and then co-molded together with it.
• 🔩 The shape of the mandrel and the laminate design are crucial in defining the final shape and dimensions of the shaft.
• 🚫 The process requires high pressure and precision as any defects will be visible on the outside of the shaft.
• 🔍 The manufacturing process is tightly controlled to avoid defects that could lead to scrap products.
• 🆚 Compared to bladder molding, the co-molding process is less forgiving as defects are not hidden inside the shaft.
• 🚫 In bladder molding, defects can be internal and not visible, potentially leading to failures in use.
• 🏭 The bladder molding process is described as more manufacturing-friendly due to its ability to hide defects.
• ⚙️ The challenge of the co-molding process is also its strength, as it forces the manufacturer to maintain high quality standards.

Q & A

What is the process of co-molding a shaft with the blade?

The process involves compression molding the shaft with the blade, where the shaft laminates extend all the way through the heel of the blade. The blade is laid up directly on the shaft and co-molded together to create a one-piece stick.

How does the mandrel shape and laminate design affect the final product?

The shape of the mandrel and the laminate design are crucial as they define the final shape and dimensions of the shaft. The material is wrapped around the mandrel and undergoes a high-pressure process.

What challenges does the co-molding process present?

One of the challenges is the high-pressure process where no materials are moved during cure. Any defects will be visible on the outside of the shaft, necessitating tight process control.

How does the visibility of defects in the co-molding process benefit the manufacturer?

The visibility of defects ensures that the process must be perfect, as any defect will result in a scrap stick. This contrasts with bladder molding where defects can be hidden inside the shaft.

What is the difference between co-molding and bladder molding in terms of defect visibility?

In co-molding, defects are visible on the outside of the shaft, whereas in bladder molding, defects are internal and not visible, potentially leading to unseen failures in the field.

Why is the co-molding process described as more manufacturing-friendly in comparison to bladder molding?

The co-molding process is more manufacturing-friendly because it allows for immediate identification of defects, preventing the production and shipment of faulty products.

What is the potential consequence of an internal defect in a bladder-molded shaft?

An internal defect in a bladder-molded shaft may not be visible but could lead to failure in the field, affecting the product's durability and reliability.

How does the high-pressure process ensure the quality of the co-molded shaft?

The high-pressure process ensures quality by preventing any movement of materials during the curing phase, which would otherwise result in visible defects on the shaft's exterior.

What role does the laminate design play in the overall strength and performance of the one-piece stick?

The laminate design is integral to the strength and performance of the one-piece stick, as it determines the structural integrity and the way forces are distributed throughout the shaft and blade.

How does the co-molding process affect the final product's durability?

The co-molding process, due to its high-pressure nature and the need for tight process control, results in a more durable product with fewer defects that could lead to failure.

What is the significance of the music mentioned in the transcript?

The mention of music in the transcript likely indicates that the video includes background music or sound effects to enhance the viewer's experience or to emphasize certain points in the process being described.

Outlines

00:00

🏒 Co-Molding Hockey Stick Shafts

The paragraph describes the process of creating a one-piece hockey stick through compression molding. The shaft and blade are made from the same material, with the blade laminates extending through the shaft. This co-molding process results in a unified structure. The challenge lies in the high-pressure molding process around a mandrel, which dictates the final shape and dimensions of the shaft. Any defects in the material are visible on the outside of the shaft due to the pressure, necessitating tight process control. This contrasts with bladder molding, where defects can be hidden inside the shaft, potentially leading to failures in use.

Keywords

💡Co-mold

Co-molding is a manufacturing process where two or more materials are molded together to form a single part. In the video, co-molding is used to create a hockey stick where the shaft and blade are made together, ensuring they are perfectly integrated. The process is highlighted as a key innovation in the manufacturing of the hockey stick, resulting in a 'true one-piece stick'.

💡Compression Molding

Compression molding is a manufacturing process where material is placed in a mold and then subjected to high pressure to form it into the desired shape. In the context of the video, this process is used to create the hockey stick shaft with the blade, ensuring a strong bond between the two components.

💡Shaft Laminates

Shaft laminates refer to the layers of material that make up the hockey stick shaft. In the video, it is mentioned that these laminates extend through the entire blade, contributing to the strength and integrity of the stick. This detail is crucial to understanding how the co-molding process achieves a one-piece construction.

💡Mandrel

A mandrel is a tool or device used to shape or form materials. In the video, the material for the hockey stick is wrapped around a mandrel, which has the shape of the final shaft. The mandrel's shape and the laminate design are critical in defining the final dimensions and shape of the shaft.

💡Laminate Design

Laminate design refers to the arrangement and orientation of layers of material in a composite structure. In the video, the design is critical for defining the final shape and dimensions of the shaft. It is part of the process that ensures the material is correctly positioned and shaped during the molding process.

💡High Pressure Process

The high pressure process mentioned in the video refers to the compression molding process where the material is subjected to high pressure to cure and form the hockey stick. This process is crucial as it ensures that no materials are moved during cure, leading to a defect-free exterior.

💡Defects

Defects in the context of the video refer to any imperfections in the material or manufacturing process that could compromise the quality of the hockey stick. The video emphasizes the importance of a tight control process to avoid visible defects on the outside of the shaft, which would result in a scrap stick.

💡Bladder Molding

Bladder molding is a different manufacturing process mentioned in the video for comparison. In this process, defects are more likely to be internal and not visible, unlike in the co-molding process where defects are visible on the exterior. This highlights a contrast in quality control between the two methods.

💡Manufacturing Friendly

The term 'manufacturing friendly' is used in the video to describe a process that is easier to produce and manage. Bladder molding is described as more manufacturing friendly because defects are not visible and can be shipped without immediate detection, unlike the co-molding process which requires a higher standard of quality control.

💡Field Failure

Field failure refers to a product failing to perform as expected once it is in use by the consumer. In the video, it is mentioned as a potential risk with bladder molding, where internal defects might not be visible during manufacturing but could lead to failure later on.

💡Quality Control

Quality control is the process of ensuring that products meet a certain standard of quality before they are released for sale. The video emphasizes the importance of tight quality control in the co-molding process to avoid visible defects and ensure the integrity of the hockey stick.

Highlights

Co-molding process creates a one-piece hockey stick

Shaft laminates extend through the entire blade

Blade is laid up directly on the shaft

High-pressure process ensures no material movement during cure

Defects are visible on the outside of the shaft

Process must be tightly controlled to avoid defects

Competitor's bladder molding process hides defects inside the shaft

Externally molded shafts can still be shipped despite internal defects

Internal defects may lead to failures in the field

Co-molding process is more demanding but ensures quality

Mandrel shape and laminate design define the shaft's final form

Material is wrapped around a mandrel during the process

The process is visually inspected for defects

Competitor's process is more manufacturing-friendly but sacrifices quality control

Co-molding results in a stronger and more durable stick

The co-molding process is a significant innovation in hockey stick manufacturing

Quality control is a key advantage of the co-molding process

The process ensures a perfect stick shape and dimensions

Music is used to emphasize the manufacturing process

Transcripts

foreign

[Music]

technology and that's how we co-mold a

compression molded shaft with the blade

so the shaft laminates are going all the

way through the heel of the blade the

blade is laid up directly on the shaft

and co-molded together to get a true

one-piece stick

[Music]

one of the challenges with our process

is that we actually wrap the material

around a mandrel the shape of that

mandrel and the laminate design is what

defines the final shape and dimensions

of the shaft

so because it's a very high pressure

process no no materials being moved

during cure any defects will be seen on

the outside of the shaft so we have to

control the process very tightly if you

contrast that to a competitor to the

bladder molding shaft everything

externally molded so most of the defects

are inside of the shaft that can't be

seen

so one of those challenges actually

becomes a positive for us because we're

forced to make sure our process is

perfect otherwise you'll see a defect on

the outside of the stick and we'll end

up with a scrap stick with the other

process it's a little bit more

manufacturing friendly in that you have

a defect that can't be seen and the

stick is can still be produced and

shipped but now you have a defect inside

the shaft that may eventually become a

failure in the field

thank you

[Music]