Golf Club Face Insert Molding With 3D-Printed Lattice CG Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional golf club head manufacturing processes are limited in customizability and geometric complexity, restricting the ability to leverage performance advantages from various club head types in a single club head, as they are constrained by mold designs and cannot easily produce complex geometries or adjust the center of gravity (CG) location.
Innovation Solution
The use of 3D printing or additive manufacturing techniques to create golf club heads with a lattice structure integrated into the body, allowing for customizable CG location and complex geometries by printing layer by layer, enabling the combination of performance characteristics from different club head types.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If conventional manufacturing processes (forging, casting, machining) are used, then the manufacturing process is well-established and reliable, but the ability to customize CG location and create complex geometries is significantly limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the manufacturing process parameter from conventional subtractive/mold-based methods to additive manufacturing (3D printing). This enables continuous customization of CG location and complex geometries by varying print parameters such as layer thickness, infill density, and material deposition patterns, while maintaining a standardized additive manufacturing process framework
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a new dimensional capability by using additive manufacturing to create three-dimensional complex geometries and variable density structures that cannot be achieved with conventional two-dimensional mold-based processes. This includes creating internal lattices, hollow constructions, and non-uniform material distribution to precisely control CG location in three-dimensional space
2Shape
If mold-based processes are used, then the manufacturing process is simple and well-defined, but the geometric complexity and customization of club head design are restricted
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transforms the manufacturing approach by changing from mold-constrained geometry to parameter-driven additive construction. Key parameters include layer height, print speed, material flow rate, and support structure geometry, which can be adjusted to achieve complex shapes without requiring complex manufacturing processes
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the club head into multiple printable layers with varying material properties and densities. Each layer can be independently designed with specific geometric features, allowing complex overall geometry to be built from simpler sequential layers that are easier to manufacture
3Adaptability or versatility
If conventional club head types are manufactured, then each club head type provides specific performance advantages, but the ability to leverage advantages from multiple club head types in a single club head is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges performance characteristics from different club head types by integrating multiple material regions with different properties within a single additive-manufactured structure. For example, it combines high-density regions for weight management with low-density lattice structures for flexibility, effectively merging features from both muscle-back and cavity-back designs in one club head
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by varying material properties at different locations within the club head. Different regions have different densities, material compositions, and structural characteristics optimized for their specific functional requirements, allowing multiple performance advantages to coexist in different zones of the same club head
Data Source
AI summary
A process of manufacturing a face insert of a golf club head that includes the steps of forming, via an additive manufacturing process, a mold insert that includes a lattice structure or a ribbed structure protruding therefrom, creating a mold from the mold insert formed via the additive manufacturing process, and molding an insert from the mold insert.