Tour Rickie Fowler's 3D printed 60* wedge - 2024 The American Express

[GolfWRX_Spotted]

Hoping Rickie wasn't pulling my leg when he said this wedge was 3D printed????🤔😂   

 

 

 

 

[golfinbrad]

Cobra had the 3D putters so not surprised.  Can't see a difference between these and the traditional SB wedges.  Wonder if there is one or more custom grinds.  Interesting to see if these are coming out soon.

[Trippels]

Why the heck would you want to 3D print a metal wedge

[pga43]

10 minutes ago, golfinbrad said:

Cobra had the 3D putters so not surprised.  Can't see a difference between these and the traditional SB wedges.  Wonder if there is one or more custom grinds.  Interesting to see if these are coming out soon.

He wanted this wedge to be exactly like his old one (no matter how good the grind is done it would never be 100% the same) and the metal that was used with not rust.

 

Greg

[CactusGolf]

It makes ZERO sense to me why I have never looked at Cobra wedges.  The headshapes always look good and I like the leading edge.

 

I remember there being some discussion about the 3D-printed putter not feeling great, so would the feel be the same with a wedge in this method?

[MattM97]

3 hours ago, Trippels said:

Why the heck would you want to 3D print a metal wedge

 

Replicate specific wedge shapes, cheaper than fully milled wedges, more precise than cast wedges. Embracing new technology as well.

[Hammer_Hands]

16 hours ago, pga43 said:

the metal that was used will not rust.

 

This part sounds like a bug, not a feature.

[wam78]

Brings back some pur wedge vibes!  Loved those wedges!

[Cirta69]

I highly doubt the one in the pictures is 3D printed as the steel will need to be hardened, and unfortunately 3D printed steel parts, may not be able to be heat treated. 

Don't see the need to 3D print a wedge. He can have his favorite wedge 3D scanned and milled to be the exact copy.

[QuigleyDU]

20 hours ago, pga43 said:

He wanted this wedge to be exactly like his old one (no matter how good the grind is done it would never be 100% the same) and the metal that was used with not rust.

 

Greg

Still not sure I understand the 3D printing vs milled. But still. Pretty cool.

[kcsf]

7 minutes ago, QuigleyDU said:

Still not sure I understand the 3D printing vs milled. But still. Pretty cool.

 

3D printing is printing a sheet of paper off your at-home printer; milling is carving the sheet from a piece of wood. 

Edited January 16 by kcsf

[QuigleyDU]

2 minutes ago, kcsf said:

 

3D printing is printing a sheet of paper off your at-home printer; milling is carving the sheet from a piece of wood. 

I understand the process difference. I am just not sure it is better. Is there really that much cost savings? Or is it just a really expensive sheet of paper? 

[tatertot]

20 hours ago, Trippels said:

Why the heck would you want to 3D print a metal wedge

It sounds cool.

[jholz]

Price will always be a determining factor for me. If 3D printing enables Cobra to offer these wedges at at $99 price point, I'm all for it. 

 

If it results in a $229 price point, I'd have to rail against. 🙂 

[tatertot]

9 minutes ago, jholz said:

Price will always be a determining factor for me. If 3D printing enables Cobra to offer these wedges at at $99 price point, I'm all for it. 

 

If it results in a $229 price point, I'd have to rail against. 🙂 

Their 3D putters started at $350 ... before dropping dramatically of late.

 

And printing 3D putters makes more sense than a solid block of steel wedge.

[QuigleyDU]

1 hour ago, kcsf said:

 

3D printing is printing a sheet of paper off your at-home printer; milling is carving the sheet from a piece of wood. 

 

i guess my next thought is. They still had to mill the head after the printing.

 

so why start with 3D printing vs how most milled heads are a mold or forged blank that is some high percentage 80-90% of the way to a finished product. 
 

I still think it is really cool. And it is a cool product to showcase. I am just not sure I understand..

[kcsf]

I get you now and I agree. Seems like incorporating extra steps to solve the duplicity desire. Scan the wedge you like and mill others until your heart is content. 

 

*I sense some leg pulling by Mr Fowler. 

Edited January 16 by kcsf

[autronicdsm]

1 hour ago, QuigleyDU said:

I understand the process difference. I am just not sure it is better. Is there really that much cost savings? Or is it just a really expensive sheet of paper? 

3D printing allows you to design things differently since you are making the part layer by layer, so you're not limited by the mill needing to reach certain spots to be able to remove material. I don't know about costs, but it should be cheaper since you're not starting with a big block of steel and and milling it down to the size?

[J3H]

As a 3D print enthusiast, I love this!!

[QuigleyDU]

4 minutes ago, autronicdsm said:

3D printing allows you to design things differently since you are making the part layer by layer, so you're not limited by the mill needing to reach certain spots to be able to remove material. I don't know about costs, but it should be cheaper since you're not starting with a big block of steel and and milling it down to the size?

That’s just it though. Milled heads (outside of putters) do not start from blocks. You do bring up that with 3D printing they could change things on then inside. That you can’t do with milled.

[PedronNiall]

Seems iffy. There's some insane steel printing available, but it's nowhere near cost efficient for golf clubs from what I've seen. The savings come for crafting parts that would take lots of custom tooling and reconfiguration to make work otherwise. That said, the way it works for metals is very different than for plastic & such, and tech does drop in cost over time so maybe? 

 

Here's an implementation that might be similar to what could be done for printing multiple wedges at once to the exact same spec. Still some waste as with milling, but likely the ability to craft far more heads at a time with a smaller machine footprint doing it this way. I'm not sure I'd want to be in a factory where there's so much risk of fine metal powder going in my lungs, though. 

 

 

[autronicdsm]

1 minute ago, QuigleyDU said:

That’s just it though. Milled heads (outside of putters) do not start from blocks. You do bring up that with 3D printing they could change things on then inside. That you can’t do with milled.

 

How do you know? I only ask because I'm not familiar with how they make milled wedges or irons. I assume they take the forged blank and mill it. Even so, they still start with solid piece of steel, forge it, throw away excess material, then mill it. 3D printing seems like it would be quicker, since you don't need to forge. The only drawback is what material you can use in printing. Last I checked (few years ago) they only had 17-4 and 316 stainless stee, and "steel" (60% steel/40% bronze).

No idea how stainless feels vs 303/304, or steel vs 1020 or 1025 carbon.

 

It's just seems like 3d printing is easier and more convienient.

 

[Glock917]

I am in manufacturing and know how metals are milled and lathed. We have a 3D printer just to mess around with, but it uses plastic and fills in whatever design you make using filaments.

 

How does that work with steel? Does it melt it internally then start building it drop by drop?

 

If it just uses a tool and just shaves a steel block into shape that is not 3D printing. That is just a 5 axis cnc mill.

[KansasHacker]

5 minutes ago, Glock917 said:

I am in manufacturing and know how metals are milled and lathed. We have a 3D printer just to mess around with, but it uses plastic and fills in whatever design you make using filaments.

 

How does that work with steel? Does it melt it internally then start building it drop by drop?

 

If it just uses a tool and just shaves a steel block into shape that is not 3D printing. That is just a 5 axis cnc mill.

https://markforged.com/resources/learn/design-for-additive-manufacturing-metals/metal-additive-manufacturing-introduction/types-of-3d-printing-metal

[Glock917]

10 minutes ago, KansasHacker said:

https://markforged.com/resources/learn/design-for-additive-manufacturing-metals/metal-additive-manufacturing-introduction/types-of-3d-printing-metal

This is another variant of metal injection molding or MIM which i believe they used for these since they previously made irons from MIM

[ChadL]

I would be very surprised if this was actually 3D printed.  The materials used in metal 3D printers aren't the most desirable for a golf head.  Stainless, titanium, and Inconel are the most common last I checked.

[autronicdsm]

52 minutes ago, Glock917 said:

I am in manufacturing and know how metals are milled and lathed. We have a 3D printer just to mess around with, but it uses plastic and fills in whatever design you make using filaments.

 

How does that work with steel? Does it melt it internally then start building it drop by drop?

 

If it just uses a tool and just shaves a steel block into shape that is not 3D printing. That is just a 5 axis cnc mill.

 

No, it uses powder and laser to melt it, or "weld" it together... It still needs support material (depending on what you're making) that later has to be removed.

[autronicdsm]

37 minutes ago, ChadL said:

I would be very surprised if this was actually 3D printed.  The materials used in metal 3D printers aren't the most desirable for a golf head.  Stainless, titanium, and Inconel are the most common last I checked.

 

Greg mentioned it won't rust so it has to be one of stainless steel materials I'm guessing.

[QuigleyDU]

2 hours ago, autronicdsm said:

 

How do you know? I only ask because I'm not familiar with how they make milled wedges or irons. I assume they take the forged blank and mill it. Even so, they still start with solid piece of steel, forge it, throw away excess material, then mill it. 3D printing seems like it would be quicker, since you don't need to forge. The only drawback is what material you can use in printing. Last I checked (few years ago) they only had 17-4 and 316 stainless stee, and "steel" (60% steel/40% bronze).

No idea how stainless feels vs 303/304, or steel vs 1020 or 1025 carbon.

 

It's just seems like 3d printing is easier and more convienient.

 

In this case I don’t know. I am speaking more generally. And maybe out of my Word not allowed lol. But there is a term called near net forging. I could see in most cases that is what miles heads are. The forge them most of the way the Mill the last part. I could be way off here though. 

[Glock917]

39 minutes ago, autronicdsm said:

 

No, it uses powder and laser to melt it, or "weld" it together... It still needs support material (depending on what you're making) that later has to be removed.

 

Highly doubt it uses lasers and power to make a solid piece of steel.

 

The only thing that is 3D printed is the mold which in turn uses metal injected molding. I mentioned earlier since they already made irons using MIM this is most likely the way they made this one. 

 

Stainless steel is the primary metal used in MIM so makes sense it dont rust. Curious on how they feel.