Ultralight AMbelievable Dampener Reduces Vibration For Better Tennis Playing

Djokovic, Nadal, Sharapova and Williams – all four of these legends use a dampener on their tennis rackets. Dampeners, also known as shock absorbers, are small pads made of rubber or silicone that are clamped between the strings on the racket to reduce vibrations. And now they can also be created using additive manufacturing. Italian startup Additive Appliances has created a patented dampener using 3D printing. Named AMbelievable, it is particularly impressive for its innovative functionality, material, sustainability and customizability.

The Turin-based startup has set itself the goal of actively shaping the next era of consumer goods. According to them, consumer goods of the future should be customizable, sustainable and high-performance in order to make everyday life better. And for the young company, one thing is certain: there is no way to accomplish this without additive manufacturing! With the AMbelievable™ tennis dampener, the startup is launching a product aimed at all tennis players at every level to improve their game and prevent injuries.

Italian company Additive Appliances specializes in the manufacture of consumer products and is launching the AMbelievable™, an innovative tennis dampener (photo Credits: Additive Appliances)

When a tennis ball hits the strings during a stroke, this creates vibrations that are transmitted through the strings to the frame of the racket. The vibrations are transmitted to the player’s limbs and can contribute to their fatigue and promote injuries such as the dreaded tennis elbow. Dampeners can reduce vibrations at certain frequencies, but not all dampers are created equal and often a player has to extensively test to find the right material for them. Some dampeners, however, lead to a loss of feel and therefore control on the ball. Some players therefore do without the damper and accept the risk of injuries. With the AMbelievable™ Tennis Racket Dampener, Additive Appliances offers a product that dissipates only certain vibrations and improves feel.

The AMbelievable Dampener Dissipates Vibrations Through Special 3D-Printed Geometry

The typical vibration profile of a tennis racket has three main vibrations: low frequencies (100-120 Hz) belong to the frame of the racket, medium frequencies (250-350 Hz) and high frequencies (about 650-750 Hz) occur depending on the string type and tension. Not all frequencies of them are bad. Furthermore, now thanks to the topology of the AMbelievable™, the vibrations can be selectively absorbed, which makes a completely new playing experience possible. Frequency dispersion is only one factor in this, however. The dampener allows for a more even center of mass and reduces drag, resulting in better aerodynamics.

The AMbelievable™ damper absorbs vibrations selectively (photo credits: Additive Appliances Srl)

In addition, the AMbelievable damper is 70% lighter than conventional dampers, weighing only around 1g. This results from the complex geometry, which can only be achieved by 3D printing. The internal structure takes up only 10-40% of the total volume. For the material, the manufacturer relies on the elastomer TPU in powder form instead of rubber or silicone and SLS 3D printing. The choice of recyclable material goes hand in hand with the company’s efforts to reduce its carbon footprint.

As we already know from other sports products, another unbeatable advantage of 3D printing is its customizability. This is also one of the advantages of the AMbelievable dampener. After all, the racket, stringing and playing style all have an effect on the vibrations when hitting. The AMbelievable dampener can therefore be custom-made for each player, taking these parameters into account. Additive manufacturing means that it can be printed on demand at any time by filling in the relevant details when ordering. The damper is currently available for around €20. You can find more information HERE.

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*Cover Photo Credits: Pixabay