Method and system for sales of golf equipment
Methods and systems for selecting and fabricating individualized golf clubs or golf club components. Using a website, for example, a golfer can input relevant information about his or her golf game, receive recommendations for golf club components, select from the recommendations, and have the desired golf club components manufactured and delivered. In some embodiments, the golf club components include custom golf club heads fabricated using layer by layer processing, such as direct metal laser sintering.
1. A method of making a golf club head comprising the steps of:
providing a first powdered metal material comprising a metal; and
forming a metal portion of the golf club head, layer by layer, from the first powdered metal material by:
depositing a first layer of the first powdered metal material on a substrate; and
selectively sintering a region of low density by sintering the first powdered metal to form sintered metal in regions in between a plurality of voids where no material is sintered with the result that the metal portion defines the plurality of voids,
wherein the plurality of voids are entirely enclosed on all sides by the sintered metal and are interconnected throughout the region of low density.
2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of voids are filled with a second material that is different than the first powdered metal material.
3. The method according to claim 2 , wherein the second material is a light weight polymer or material having a lower density than the first powdered metal material.
4. The method according to claim 3 , wherein the first powdered metal material is selected from the group consisting of steel, stainless steel, iron, copper, bronze, aluminum, tungsten, titanium, titanium alloy, chromium-cobalt alloy, and combinations thereof.
5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of voids contain no material.
6. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of voids are spaces that are at least partly separated by lines of material.
7. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of voids are not visible from an outside of the club head once the club head has been formed.
8. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of voids define a frame.
9. The method according to claim 8 , wherein a second material is injected into the club head to fill in areas surrounding the frame.
10. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the metal portion forms an internal structure defining an array of hollow cells that are interconnected with one another.
11. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the golf club head is formed to include a ball striking face that has a plurality of parallel, horizontally disposed grooves formed therein.
12. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the metal portion of the golf club head is formed via a powdered metal sintering apparatus that is selected from the group consisting of a direct metal laser sintering (DMLS) system, a selective laser melting system, and an electron beam melting apparatus.
13. A method of making a golf club head, the method comprising:
providing a first powdered metal;
depositing the first powdered metal into a powdered metal sintering apparatus, layer by layer, to form a first portion of the golf club head;
forming lines of material within an interior of the club head by spacing lines of the first powdered metal on a first layer and sintering the lines to form sintered metal; and
selectively defining spaces between the lines of the first powdered metal in the first layer where the first powdered metal is not sintered such that the interior of the golf club head includes the spaces between the lines of sintered metal,
wherein the spaces are entirely enclosed on all sides by the sintered metal and interconnected with each other throughout the interior of the club head, and
wherein the lines of material form an internal structure such that the spaces are an array of interconnected hollow cells.
14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the first powdered metal comprises steel or stainless steel.
15. A method of making a golf club head, the method comprising:
selecting a club design having a desired density;
selecting at least one design parameter;
providing a first powdered metal with a first density;
forming a first portion of the golf club head, layer by layer, from the first powdered metal by depositing a first layer of the first powdered metal along a platform, wherein the first layer includes regions devoid of the first powdered metal; and
selectively sintering the first metal powdered metal in the first layer to form sintered metal that entirely encloses the regions on all sides, wherein the regions are devoid of the first powdered metal to create a plurality of void spaces where no material is sintered within the golf club head by applying, via a powdered metal sintering apparatus, a controlled source of energy to the first powdered metal in the first layer to form a golf club head having the at least one design parameter,
wherein the plurality of void spaces are interconnected throughout the golf club head.
16. The method according to claim 15 , wherein the club head is a putter type golf club head.
17. The method according to claim 15 , further including the step of applying a controlled source of energy to the first powdered metal with an energy source selected from the group consisting of a laser or an electron beam.
18. The method according to claim 15 , wherein the first powdered metal is stainless steel.
19. The method according to claim 15 , wherein the plurality of voids are filled with a light weight polymer.
20. The method according to claim 15 , wherein the plurality of voids define round profiles.
21. The method according to claim 15 , wherein the controlled source of energy is applied using a powdered metal sintering apparatus selected from the group consisting of a direct metal laser sintering (DMLS) system, a selective laser melting system, and an electron beam melting apparatus.
22. A method of making a golf club head, the method comprising:
selecting a club head design having a desired density;
sintering a first powdered metal, layer by layer, to form a golf club head by depositing a first layer of the first powdered metal on a substrate, and selectively sintering regions of the first powdered metal to form lines of sintered metal in an interior of the club head; and
selectively defining a plurality of spaces between the lines of sintered metal in the first layer where no material is sintered in the interior of the club head;
wherein the plurality of lines of material and the plurality of spaces are alternating and each of the plurality of spaces is entirely enclosed on all sides by at least one of the plurality of lines of material and by sintered metal, and
wherein the plurality of lines of material extend parallel to each other from a sole toward a topline of the golf club head.
23. The method according to claim 22 , wherein the sintering comprises using a powdered metal sintering apparatus selected from the group consisting of a direct metal laser sintering (DMLS) system, a selective laser melting system, and an electron beam melting apparatus.
24. The method according to claim 22 , wherein the first powdered metal is stainless steel.
25. The method according to claim 24 , wherein the club head is an iron type club head comprising a heel and a toe, with the sole in the lower portion and extending between the heel and the toe, a hosel extending upwards from the heel, and a face, wherein the plurality of spaces are disposed between the heel and the toe.