{"id":1248,"date":"2018-12-19T04:03:31","date_gmt":"2018-12-19T09:03:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/robodk.com\/blog\/?p=1248"},"modified":"2024-11-07T09:25:01","modified_gmt":"2024-11-07T14:25:01","slug":"robot-milling-hockey-sticks","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/robodk.com\/blog\/robot-milling-hockey-sticks\/","title":{"rendered":"How Sunrob Robotics Makes Hockey Sticks With Robot Milling"},"content":{"rendered":"

This case study shows an ingenious use of robot milling to produce ice hockey sticks. We never knew that they were so challenging to make!<\/strong><\/p>\n

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Do you know how ice hockey sticks are made? Like many manufacturing processes, there’s a fascinating journey to convert raw materials into a fully functional stick.<\/p>\n

It’s a process which can be improved by robotic milling and offline programming.<\/p>\n

Recently, Sunrob Robotics in Finland got in touch with us to demonstrate their ingenious robot milling application using RoboDK.<\/p>\n

In this case study, we introduce Sunrob Robotics and their impressive robot milling application.<\/p>\n

Meet Sunrob Robotics<\/h2>\n

Sunrob Robotics is a Finnish provider of turnkey robotic solutions using KUKA robots. They have 20 years experience integrating KUKA robots in many industry sectors with various materials, including food, metal, plastics, and wood.<\/p>\n

In their latest application, the team used RoboDK to create a bespoke ice hockey stick milling station for a client.<\/p>\n

The Manufacturing Challenge of Ice Hockey Sticks<\/h2>\n

Ice hockey is the most popular sport in Finland \u2014 it is also the most popular in RoboDK’s home country of Canada \u2014 <\/a>the only two countries in the world who love the sport so much!<\/a><\/p>\n

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Ice hockey sticks need to be both strong and flexible, as they <\/a>have to withstand forces<\/a> of over 110 lb (490N) often during the game. They are manufactured using <\/a>a variety of materials,<\/a> including wood, graphite, and fiberglass. But, the most common type in professional games is composite sticks, which are often made with a solid plastic core wrapped in fiberglass or graphite (carbon fiber) sheets.<\/p>\n

The basic steps (highly simplified) for creating a composite stick are:<\/p>\n

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  1. Cut out the solid core of the stick (e.g. in ABS plastic) to the desired shape and size.<\/li>\n
  2. Wrap the core with fiberglass or graphite sheets, with fibers crossing to improve strength.<\/li>\n
  3. Bake the stick in a mold to fuse the sheets together.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Hockey sticks vary hugely in size and shape \u2014 the ones in this specific application were for goalies. At the top level of the game, players have their sticks custom made to their specifications. Players also frequently break their sticks performing “slap shots” (where they push the stick into the ice to bend it then release the elastic energy to catapult the puck at up to 100 miles per hour). The <\/a>average player goes through 70-120 sticks per season.<\/p>\n

    All these factors lead to significant challenges for the manufacturers of ice hockey sticks. They need to produce many, high performance, customized sticks every season whilst also making their mass production models for the general public.<\/p>\n

    What a perfect application for robot milling!<\/p>\n

    How Sunrob Robotics Makes Ice Hockey Sticks with RoboDK<\/h2>\n

    Robot milling is an ideal solution when you need to cut custom shapes from large workpieces. It has no limitations on size, which means that milling robots <\/a>can outperform traditional CNC machines<\/a>.<\/p>\n

    However, robot milling can be tricky if you don’t pick the right software. Offline programming solutions can be costly and often require that you pay for extra add-ons for milling applications.<\/p>\n

    The team at Sunrob Robotics recognized that they needed a cost-effective solution which was highly flexible, allowing them to easily load new hockey stick designs into the robot program with minimum effort. They chose RoboDK, which comes with a milling wizard as standard.<\/p>\n

    Here is a video of their application:<\/p>\n