A professional golfer's swing can cause the club head to reach speeds of over 190kmh, which puts very high loads on the club face, club head and the bond between the head and shaft - plus there is a significant shock load on the bond each time the ball is struck. Reliability of that joint is, of course, vital.
Ping, one of the world's leading designers and manufacturers of golf equipment, relies on Loctite adhesives for the crucial head-to-shaft bonded joint. For over 30 years, the company has been using Loctite products to make sure Ping clubs do not fail on the course. The company deploys a two-component Loctite epoxy adhesive that is easily stored, cures at room temperature and can withstand severe environments.
Ask any average golfer about some of his or her most challenging shots and they will tell stories of great recoveries from long grass, weeds, thickets, woodland and other difficult golf course surfaces. With this in mind, golf clubs must be durable and robust.
John Solheim, Ping's executive vice president, states: "The amount of force that is created on the face of golf clubs is exponentially large, so durability is a very key attribute of our products. For this reason, adhesives are extremely important in our production process."
Should a golfer want to replace a shaft but maintain the components, there is the flexibility to do this using Loctite adhesives. Clearly, Ping values the combination of strength and flexibility that Loctite adhesives provide.
Solheim concludes: "Loctite allows us to deliver a quality product to our consumers that is not going to fail in the field...and gives them flexibility to make changes in the future."
Follow the link for more information about the Loctite Success Secured campaign; the microsite has customer case studies, videos, an adhesive selection 'wizard', webinars and a wealth of other useful information.