For centuries, are made of iron heads for Golf clubs according to an ancient method: they are forged. Steel is heated and then by Hammering and pressing into the desired shape. Forged iron (on English Forged Irons) are preferred, especially of professionals and better players, because they are designed to give a softer feel at impact and better feedback. At the end of the 1950’s Karsten Solheim, founder of Ping, first of all, Putter and iron left after the casting process finished: Molten metal is filled into a mold, and after Cooling to obtain the desired racket head. Thus, it was possible for the first time, to shift iron heads weight to the edges, which prevents Twisting on off-center hit balls.
As Solheim was able to bring iron on the market, which were provided with a cavity behind the striking surface, the so-called Cavitiy Backs. In the meantime, this cast iron is dominated (in English, Cast Irons) the market, although today forged irons with these forgiving properties in the English Game Improvement Irons called, are available. But since forging is significantly more expensive than casting, and at the end of careful sanding and polishing requires, are “Forged Irons” is more expensive.
The path leads through the high temperature oven
at the beginning of November the American company of Cobra Golf, which belongs since 2010 to the Puma group, a set of irons on the market, which was manufactured according to a for the Golf industry on the new procedures. On the King Tour-iron each head subtly MIM Technology is on the back. MIM stands for Metal Injection Molding, casting German, powder injection molding or metal injection molding, the plastic industry accepted procedures.
thanks to the tungsten insert of the bat is not just for tour professionals. The extra weight at the top forgives mistakes. : Image: Cobra Golf
It is since about 1980, especially in the production of complex, small metal components in the automotive and aerospace industries, in medicine, in the manufacture of hand-guns, locks, or glasses hinges used. This technology, Cobra Golf says, concern in the manufacture of Golf clubs for a more precise final product with fewer steps and minimal re-Polishing.
In the case of the production of the King Tour-iron is first mixed 304 stainless steel powder with a Polymer binding agent. This raw material is heated and then in a rough iron mold injected. This is again heated to the Polymer to sweat. After that, the head is still about 20 percent larger than the final product. The heads then go into a high-temperature furnace to remove the remaining Binder and the metal parts to weld together, a process referred to as sintering. Temperatures of 1340 degrees Celsius can be achieved, significantly higher than that in the conventional forging (1200 degrees). This allows the head to its final size shrink and provides for a material density of 98 percent.
The Cobra-King-Tour-iron is made with a lot of heat in the powder spray method. : Image: Cobra Golf
This density, so the Lack of tiny pores, according to the manufacturer, for the extremely soft feel at impact responsible: “These iron are softer than forged iron,” says Tom Olsavsky, Vice President of research and development at Cobra. In the beginning of last year, Cobra MIM Wedges had put on the market. “We have the MIM used to get smoother and more precise-molded Designs with our Wedges. The popularity of the MIM-Wedges under the better players and Tour Pros have led to a transfer of the advantages of the MIM-technology is a complete iron set,“ says Olsavsky.
