The Evolution of Sports Equipment

Paper Summary:

The paper looks at how polyethylene, polypropylene and other plastics have revolutionized the sporting equipment industry. It discusses several sports where plastics and composites have contributed to more light-weight, durable equipment, citing examples such as golf balls, boats and skis.

From the Paper:

"The advance of technology led to the creation of ultra-lightweight tennis rackets in 1999 (Dusek, 1999). Tennis rackets now weigh less than a can of tennis balls. Exceptionally stiff, high-modulus graphites, innovative designs, and titanium, are allowing racket makers to create ever-lighter frames. Titanium has also been used in strings and in tennis balls. Twenty years ago, a racket weighed about 13 ounces. In 1999 it was 10.2 ounces. One titanium racket weighs only 7.6 ounces. Design changes such as wide bodies and long bodies, shifting the weight from the handle to the head to move the sweet spot towards the top of the head of the racket have all changed the way the game is played. Space-age materials are being used in different areas of the head to reduce torque and shock for advanced players."

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