Cleveland Golf, maker of replica golf clubs since 1979, has invested in additive manufacturing and its machine of choice happens to be an ULTRA 3DP from EnvisionTEC. Cleveland Golf needed a dependable and high quality method of manufacturing to maintain its service as an international company based out of Huntington Beach, California. The company began using 3D printing to cut costs. They operate with Siemens PLM NX, a CAD/CAM software solution, to design prototypes before running the files through Magics to print. EnvisionTEC spoke with one of Cleveland Golf’s research and development engineers, Dan Nivanh.
Dan effused over the 3D printer: “With the ULTRA, the user is able to debug some of the problems [with a prototype] on-site, and able to talk to the tech and walk through it and have the problem fixed in a couple of hours, versus having a tech guy come out here and spend all day on the actual printer trying to get it up and running again. I guess once the user understands the function of the printer they’re able to diagnose the problem itself on-site, so by not having multiple moving parts it tends not to break as often as most printers.”
One of the benefits to working with 3D printing for golf club replicas can be seen in the cross sections of the clubs. In this view, the intention behind the design becomes apparent to customers and designers therefore fostering productive exchanges and innovations.
After working with the machine without tech problems, Nivanh reached some conclusions. The machine is a blessing to the company and Nivanh attributes much of the productivity to the minimal moving parts on the printer. R&D at Cleveland Golf renders and prototypes club heads and drivers through the EnvisionTEC system, and both parties could not be happier with the results.
