A&P Technology - Bat Layup

Bat Layup

Hillerich & Bradsby Co., Inc. (H&B) of Louisville, Kentucky reinforces its TPX Pro Composite bats with A&P Technology's braided fiberglass sleevings. In production, H&B machines down a traditional bat to accommodate two layers of braided fiberglass sleeving. A two inch diameter sleeving is pulled over the bat, then pulled back to make a second layer over the first layer. The bat is then placed in a heat shrink tube and injected with an epoxy resin. The result is a bat that is good for several thousand hits, a dramatic improvement over the life expectancy of the regular ash bat.

The natural conformability of our braided reinforcements allows for a simple, one-step lay-up process in which a two-inch sleeving conforms to the exact shape of the bat providing a seamless construction. Furthermore, the ability of the braid to pull down to the smaller diameter of the handle section provides the bat with extra bending strength in this section. As the braid is pulled down to a smaller diameter the braid angle changes from the original 45° to approximately 20°. The 20° angle increases the longitudinal strength of the composite bat where it is most needed, in the handle, and the 45° in the top portion of the bat grants optimal torsion.

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