Composite Bats
Composite softball bats are made from a combination of carbon, Kevlar fibers, and resin. Making carbon fiber is a very expensive process because of the complex machinery and molds it takes to make it. Just looking how many steps that it takes to make one bat, you will understand why these bats can’t just be given away. The average composite bat typically sells for between $200-$400 and up.
Here is why:
It all begins with carbon fiber (the exact process of making carbon fiber is beyond the scope of this article). Just know it is detailed and time consuming.
Composite softball bats all begin from several thin sheets of pre-made carbon fiber. In order to make longer strips needed to roll the bat out, these sheets are ironed together at the seams and then pressed together with a high temperature stamp.
Next, several pieces of freshly formed carbon fiber sheets get rolled onto a bat form. To customize the bat to specifications, or to meet specific performance standards, the direction/weave of fiber sheets are changed up during rolling.
The carbon form is now shrink wrapped to remove air pockets then baked at high temperatures to fuse the multiple layers together.
After done baking, 2 layers of loose carbon fiber weaving are slid over the form followed by a synthetic weave called aramid (strong heat resistant fibers used in aerospace and military applications).
The carbon form, with all of its weaving coverings, gets placed in a steel mold where epoxy is injected around it. Under high pressure and extreme heat, all layers get fused together.
A robotic puller removes the steel form from the carbon form and what is left is a hollowed out carbon copy bat.
Next, the knob and barrel of the bat is fined tuned to meet bat specifications using a lathe and sand paper. It is then primed, painted, and slapped with the manufacturer’s decals.
The barrel end is then capped with a poly carbon topper and sealed with resin.
Lastly, a tiny hole left in the knob end is injected with more resin to fill the hollow core and a small weighted plug is fitted into the hole sealing it up and helping the bat achieve its balance point.
Here is why:
It all begins with carbon fiber (the exact process of making carbon fiber is beyond the scope of this article). Just know it is detailed and time consuming.
Composite softball bats all begin from several thin sheets of pre-made carbon fiber. In order to make longer strips needed to roll the bat out, these sheets are ironed together at the seams and then pressed together with a high temperature stamp.
Next, several pieces of freshly formed carbon fiber sheets get rolled onto a bat form. To customize the bat to specifications, or to meet specific performance standards, the direction/weave of fiber sheets are changed up during rolling.
The carbon form is now shrink wrapped to remove air pockets then baked at high temperatures to fuse the multiple layers together.
After done baking, 2 layers of loose carbon fiber weaving are slid over the form followed by a synthetic weave called aramid (strong heat resistant fibers used in aerospace and military applications).
The carbon form, with all of its weaving coverings, gets placed in a steel mold where epoxy is injected around it. Under high pressure and extreme heat, all layers get fused together.
A robotic puller removes the steel form from the carbon form and what is left is a hollowed out carbon copy bat.
Next, the knob and barrel of the bat is fined tuned to meet bat specifications using a lathe and sand paper. It is then primed, painted, and slapped with the manufacturer’s decals.
The barrel end is then capped with a poly carbon topper and sealed with resin.
Lastly, a tiny hole left in the knob end is injected with more resin to fill the hollow core and a small weighted plug is fitted into the hole sealing it up and helping the bat achieve its balance point.