Custom Titanium Part Manufacturing for the Sporting Goods Industry
Since 1994, titanium has become the material of choice for golf club drivers and fairway woods. Because of the USGA rules for club head weight tolerances, expanding the club face sweet spot could only be achieved with titanium.
Over the years, titanium has allowed golf club volumes to increase from 250 cc to over 400 cc while maintaining weight ranges of 220 +/-5 grams. This has greatly improved distance and accuracy for both professional and amateur golfers.
The popularity of titanium for golf has awakened the imagination of a whole host of sporting good designers that need solutions for weight reduction without sacrificing strength. Titanium components can now be found in tennis and lacrosse rackets, camping gear, knives, bicycle frames, arrow heads, carabiners, helmet face guards, fishing tools, baseball bats, boat hardware, motocross foot pegs and auto racing to name a few.
Titanium metal injection molding and titanium investment casting provide cost-effective means for making these small parts. Traditional methods of manufacturing via machining are simply too costly, leaving valuable titanium on the cutting room floor. With either investment casting or metal injection molding, parts can be made net, reducing the need for machining and scrap waste.
Three Processes to Match Your Unique Needs
Most titanium sporting goods part manufacturers will offer one, maybe two, processes for manufacturing your parts. The issue is that not all processes are going to be the best fit for your needs. That is why we provide options, with three different processes to choose from. More manufacturing processes means it’s more likely that we are able to provide the most efficient and effective service possible.
Our manufacturing processes include:
- 3D Printing (Binder Jetting): Optimal for Tooling, Low Volume Capability, Part Complexity, Ease of Prototype, Speed to Market, and Customisation
- Investment Casting: Best for Larger Part Capability
- Metal Injection Molding: Ideal for Part Cost and the Optimal Surface Roughness
In order to ensure that you get the best process for what your sporting goods company needs, we have experts on staff to work with you on determining what is the best fit. Our three processes are the perfect fit for golf clubs, tennis rackets, camping equipment, bicycle frames, and other sporting goods.
Sporting Goods Titanium Part Manufacturing FAQs
Q: How can a titanium MIM manufacturing company handle complex net shape parts?
A: For complex parts, TriTech uses detailed computer-modeled flow analysis to make sure the material injects correctly to fill the die cavity with no porosity or variation in density throughout the part. This ensures uniformity of the injected titanium alloy.
Q: What are some of the key things to look for in a titanium net shape parts manufacturer?
A: Look for a manufacturer that is interested in collaborating with customers to assist in the important “Design for Manufacture” discipline of optimizing part design pre-production. This will improve the economics and quality capabilities of part production. In cases where the part design is already locked-in, make sure that the manufacturer is committed to a high level of customer service and to fulfilling production schedules on time.
Q: How do I know which manufacturing process is the right fit for my titanium net shape part production needs?
A: There are too many variables to consider for a customer to make this decision on their own. Experts at TriTech guide customers to the right production process. The easiest way will be to look for a titanium parts manufacturer that offers a number of processes. One that only offers investment casting will always think that investment casting is the best option. But, a titanium parts manufacturer like TriTech that offers investment casting, 3D printing and metal injection molding will have multiple manufacturing processes and can match the best production method to the part.