People are talking much about the effects of 3D printing in advancing global industries. But you don’t care about that, do you? What you really care about are the advancements 3D printers can bring to the sports industry.
The good news is that sports manufacturers aren’t lagging in making maximum use of this new technology. What are the prospects of 3D printing in the sports industry? Follow us as we navigate the practical applications of 3D printers in sport.
Customization
The biggest value of 3D printers to sports is the sheer scale of customization. When you buy sports equipment, you may get an approximate fit, but never an exact one. It’s an annoying issue for athletes that prefer their gear to be a perfect fit.
3D printers have the potential to render that little facet of sports gears irrelevant. You can print your equipment to your exact dimensions and make it fit perfectly. It’s not only more attractive, but it can also significantly enhance your performance in certain sports.
The best part is that you can even print these customized sports tools yourself. 3D printing brings an amazing degree of simplification to sports manufacturing and fittings. You can make your tennis racket, golf ball, racing gloves, and more.
Accessibility
It takes about three different companies and a journey of kilometers to make a single tennis ball. Imagine how cheap a tennis ball can be if it didn’t have to travel far or need any manufacturer. With 3D printers, you can print your sport tool right from the comfort of your room.
3D printing lowers the cost of manufacturing equipment for sports and improves their accessibility. It’s especially valuable in sports that require a lot of regularly expensive tools.
Prototyping
Even now, the potential of 3D technology in rapid technological development has not yet been understood. Much like most other industries discovered, prototyping your product with 3D printing is significantly cheaper than normal.
Manufacturers can test run their products without spending millions on building a prototype by hand. It’s especially evident in the snowboarding industry, where most manufacturers now prototype with 3D technology.
Affordability
The above applications of 3D technology all have the same end goal; low cost. For the manufacturer, 3D printing means that they can make and sell more products and make more profit. Meanwhile, you get the sport tools at a cheaper rate and save money for other things.
Ping now makes a golf ball that’s stronger than traditional ones cheaper and quicker using 3D printers. However, they aren’t the only ones in this business of supplementing the manufacturing process with 3D technology; Rip-It is also doing the same with its Smart BAT.
Final Thought
The potential applications for 3D printing in the sports industry are significant enough to be worth investments from top brands. Indeed, Nike and all other sport tool manufacturers are swiftly taking advantage of this invention to make cheaper products. You can also get productive by creating your sporting wares using the 3D printer in your home.
