Wilson teams with additive manufacturer to make a quieter pickleball paddle

3D-printed pickleball paddles are quieter, thanks to their lattice design. Images: Azul 3D

Wilson Sporting Goods and 3D printing company Azul 3D have partnered to develop and introduce two pickleball paddles. The Quiet Paddle significantly reduces the annoying “thwock” of a paddle and ball striking, and the Custom Core Paddle is completely customizable to help raise a player’s game.

Both models feature 3D-printed lattices, which are quieter than the 2D honeycomb cores found on most paddles. The lattice core of the Custom paddle is completely tunable. Cores can be printed in different shapes and densities, depending on the player’s needs. This design freedom helps eliminate dead spots and enhance the paddle’s striking force.

The paddles are printed from Azul’s proprietary materials using the company’s HARP (high-area rapid printing) technology. HARP is a proprietary version of stereolithographic printing–a 3D printing technology that converts liquid plastic into solid objects using ultraviolet light. It can print vertically at high speeds and over vastly larger print areas than current commercial 3D printers, according to Azul.

The paddles are produced on the printer manufacturer’s flagship product, the recently introduced LAKE 3D printer. The company currently is taking a limited number of pre-orders for the printer.

The Azul LAKE 3D printer.