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26/07/06 – SCIENTISTS CALLED IN ON WOBBLY BOWLS MYSTERY

Uni scientists investigate the wobble

Britain’s oldest lawn bowls manufacturer Thomas Taylor (Bowls) Ltd has enlisted the support of university scientists in a quest to find out why some of their bowls wobble more than others.

Thomas Taylor has been making lawn and indoor bowls for an incredible 200 years, and the popularity of the sport shows no sign of waning, both here in the UK, and in Australia, who buy 30% of Taylors’ bowls.

The firms’ Australian clients have high expectations for the bowls, and Taylors use patented techniques to make sure that each one is as near to perfect as possible. Using moulds to form the spheroidal shapes out of molten plastic, they then machine in the bias with computer controlled lathes, tipped with diamonds. Each bowl is made with a specific bias or “wobble” according to World Bowling Board standards.

More efficient bowls

As the same process is used each time, staff were puzzled as to why some bowls were forming with a different bias, and at first assumed it must be to do with the lathes. However, they soon came to realise that it was differences in the structure of the moulds themselves that affected the outcome of the bowls.

They turned to the West of Scotland KTP Centre for help in finding scientists who could investigate the problem, as well as improving efficiency within the factory and developing new finishes to enhance the cosmetic appeal of bowls.

Finding a more predictable plastic

Production director of Taylors, Grant Heron said:

“We are a small family run firm so we don’t always have the resources in-house for our research and development needs. Setting up a Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) allowed us to part-fund the employment of Dr Perrine Redon, a postgraduate in chemistry. His job is to investigate this unique and intriguing project, while under the wing of both an academic and a business mentor.”

Richard Pethrick, a Professor in Pure & Applied Chemistry at the University of Strathclyde is the academic overseeing the research to find a more predictable plastic. He said:

“We are working with Taylors in their role as a key Scottish manufacturer and exporter to reduce waste by stabilising the plastic’s structure, keep costs down and help the environment.”

Try it out in Glasgow!

The brightly coloured bowls favoured by the Australian market also present unique manufacturing challenges, with Taylors currently working with the chemistry experts to create radical new finishes to join the luminous pink and yellow balls already offered.

Those in Glasgow keen to try out their lawn bowling skills can head to Kelvingrove Park, where bowling is free every day between 10am and 8pm. Visits to Taylor Bowls to see the manufacturing process also run on a daily basis.

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