Golf Club Head Lattice Structures Without Overhang Constraints
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional manufacturing methods and existing additive manufacturing techniques impose design constraints on golf club components, such as overhang angle limitations, warping, porosity, and material incompatibilities, limiting the customization and optimization of complex structures like lattice patterns and surface-based designs.
Innovation Solution
The use of a binder jet process for additive manufacturing allows for the creation of golf club components with lattice structures that overcome overhang angle constraints, enabling the production of high-quality, customizable golf club heads with improved mass distribution and acoustics, using materials like plastic and metal alloys, and facilitating easy removal of excess powder.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If traditional additive manufacturing techniques (DMLS, DMLM, EBAM) are used to manufacture golf club components, then manufacturing precision and material strength are improved, but the parts experience warping, porosity, distortion, surface defects, and cracking due to intense localized heat
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the thermal energy-based additive manufacturing process (DMLS, DMLM, EBAM) with a binder jetting process that uses a liquid binder to join metal powder particles. This substitution eliminates the intense localized heat that causes warping, porosity, distortion, surface defects, and cracking, while still achieving the required manufacturing precision for golf club components.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the fundamental parameter of energy application from thermal energy (laser or electron beam) to chemical bonding (liquid binder). This parameter change fundamentally alters the manufacturing mechanism, allowing for the creation of complex lattice structures without the harmful thermal effects that plague traditional additive manufacturing techniques.
2Manufacturing precision
If DMLS and DMLM techniques are used, then manufacturing precision is improved, but the overhang angle is constrained to 30-60°, limiting design freedom
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the thermal melting/sintering mechanism with a binder jetting process that deposits liquid binder to join particles. This substitution eliminates the overhang angle constraint because the binder-jetted parts are built layer by layer with the binder holding the structure together, allowing any orientation including vertical overhangs without the need for support structures.
Solution Approach 2:
The liquid binder acts as an intermediary that temporarily holds the metal powder particles together during the printing process. This intermediary enables the creation of complex geometries with vertical overhangs by providing temporary structural support that eliminates the need for support structures and removes the overhang angle limitation.
3Strength
If metal supports are added to structures with overhangs to prevent sagging, then structural integrity is improved, but the supports are difficult to remove without negatively affecting surface finish or creating large openings
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the metal support structure with a binder-jetted structure that uses a liquid binder to join particles. This substitution eliminates the need for separate support structures because the binder holds the overhanging sections together during printing, and the supports are integrated into the final part geometry, eliminating the support removal problem.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the support function with the final part structure by using the binder jetting process to create all features including overhangs and complex geometries as integral parts of the final component. This eliminates the need for separate support structures that would need to be removed, as the binder-jetted structure creates the desired geometry directly.
4Manufacturing precision
If DMLS and DMLM techniques are used, then manufacturing precision is improved, but very small moving points are required to build parts, providing limited solutions for removing excess powder
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the thermal melting/sintering process with a binder jetting process that deposits liquid binder to join particles. This substitution creates a green part with open porosity that allows easy access and removal of excess powder from all surfaces, including complex geometries, without requiring very small moving points for the removal process.
5Manufacturing precision
If DMLS and DMLM techniques are used, then manufacturing precision is improved, but significant post-processing is required to remove supports and support footprints
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the thermal melting/sintering process with a binder jetting process that creates a green part with open porosity and no support structures. This substitution eliminates the need for time-consuming post-processing to remove supports and support footprints, as the binder-jetted structure creates the desired geometry directly without requiring subsequent removal operations.
6Manufacturing precision
If DMLS and DMLM techniques are used, then manufacturing precision is improved, but a very specific grade of metal powder (smaller than 40 microns, spherical particles) is required, increasing material cost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the thermal melting/sintering process with a binder jetting process that uses a liquid binder to join metal powder particles. This substitution allows the use of standard metal powders (greater than 40 microns, non-spherical particles) that are more economical and easier to source, while still achieving the required manufacturing precision through the binder-jetting process.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the material requirement parameter from very specific powder specifications (smaller than 40 microns, spherical particles) to standard metal powder specifications. This parameter change reduces material cost and simplifies the supply chain while maintaining manufacturing precision through the binder jetting process that uses a liquid binder to join the particles.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The binder jet process enables the production of golf club heads with enhanced center of gravity, moment of inertia, stress distribution, and acoustic properties, while allowing for the easy removal of excess powder, thus improving performance and reducing manufacturing costs.
Implementation Method 1
binder jet process for additive manufacturing allows for the creation of golf club components with lattice structures
Implementation Method 2
direct metal laser sintering (DMLS), direct metal laser melting (DMLM), and electron beam additive manufacturing (EBAM) use controlled energy sources, including lasers and electron beams in which intense, extremely localized heat is applied to metal powder to melt and/or sinter adjacent particles together
Data Source
AI summary
Golf club components with complex structures such as lattice structures, beam structures, and complex surface-based structures, are described herein. A binder jet machine is used create complex structures within these golf club components to optimize weighting, sound, and performance of golf club heads. These components may be manufactured using a method that includes the steps of designing a golf club head component in CAD using optimization software, printing the component from a powdered material, and then removing excess powder from the component via port holes that extend into an external surface of the component and communicate with interior voids within the component.