Golf Club Head Manufacturing via Sewn Laminate Vacuum Impregnation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional methods for manufacturing golf club heads using carbon fiber composite materials are inefficient due to complex stacking and cropping processes, high labor costs, and susceptibility to defects from unsatisfactory resin fluidity during thermoforming.
Innovation Solution
A method involving sewing roving materials onto a base material to form a laminate blank, which is then placed in a mold cavity for vacuum impregnation with resin and thermoforming to produce the golf club head part, eliminating the need for complex stacking and cropping and improving resin fluidity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If conventional stacking and cropping methods are used for prepreg layers, then the golf club head part can be manufactured with carbon fiber composite materials, but the process becomes complicated and labor costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The invention divides the manufacturing process into distinct stages: preparing individual prepreg layers with embedded reinforcing members, stacking them in sequence, and then performing thermoforming. This segmentation allows each layer to be prepared independently with optimized fiber orientation, simplifying the overall process while maintaining structural integrity and strength.
Solution Approach 2:
Reinforcing members are pre-disposed on the prepreg layers before stacking and thermoforming. This preliminary placement ensures proper fiber orientation and structural reinforcement are built into the laminate structure during manufacturing, eliminating the need for post-thermoforming machining or additional reinforcement steps.
2Strength
If conventional stacking and cropping steps are performed, then the golf club head part can be manufactured, but production efficiency decreases due to high labor and time costs
Solution Approach 1:
Reinforcing members are pre-disposed on the prepreg layers before stacking and thermoforming. This preliminary placement ensures proper fiber orientation and structural reinforcement are built into the laminate structure during manufacturing, eliminating the need for post-thermoforming machining or additional reinforcement steps.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention extracts and eliminates the cropping step from the conventional manufacturing process. By designing the reinforcing members and prepreg layers to fit the final part geometry directly, the need for post-thermoforming cropping and machining is removed, significantly reducing labor time and increasing production efficiency.
3Shape
If resin material is impregnated during thermoforming with conventional methods, then the golf club head part can be formed, but defects may occur due to unsatisfactory resin fluidity
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the physical parameters of the thermoforming process, specifically controlling temperature and pressure conditions to optimize resin fluidity. By maintaining appropriate temperature ranges during resin impregnation, the resin flows uniformly through the prepreg layers without trapping air or creating voids, ensuring high-quality defect-free parts.
Solution Approach 2:
The resin impregnation process is made continuous and uniform throughout the thermoforming operation. The vacuum bagging system applies continuous negative pressure while the resin is introduced, ensuring steady and complete saturation of all prepreg layers without interruption or uneven flow that could cause defects.
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
This method reduces labor and time costs, enhances production efficiency, and minimizes defects, resulting in a higher-quality golf club head part with improved strength and reduced manufacturing complexity.
Implementation Method 1
vacuuming the cavity, and then impregnating a resin material into the laminate blank that is placed in the cavity under vacuum
Implementation Method 2
impregnating a resin material into the laminate blank that is placed in the cavity under vacuum
Implementation Method 3
thermoforming the laminate blank and the resin material in the cavity into the golf club head part
Data Source
AI summary
A method for manufacturing a golf club head part includes the steps of: sewing at least one roving material onto a base material, so as to form a laminate blank; placing the laminate blank into a cavity of a mold assembly; vacuuming the cavity, and then impregnating a resin material into the laminate blank that is placed in the cavity under vacuum; and thermoforming the laminate blank and the resin material in the cavity into the golf club head part.