How Powders Play a Role in the Production of Bowling Balls

In this “How It’s Made” segment produced by Discovery UK, viewers can observe the entire process for manufacturing bowling balls. The narrator explains that production of the sporting product has grown from simple carved wood designs to molded plastics.

To produce the core of a bowling ball – which made off-center to allow the ball to spin – the factory in the video mixes powdered minerals, including silica powder, barites, and limestone, are mixed into a polyester resin. A chemical reaction heats and solidifies the materials inside of a mold to form the core.

After the core is produced, it goes into a larger mold that is filled with a blended liquid polymer. The resulting molded sphere is then coated with a veneer.

This fascinating Discovery UK video is just another example of how powders and bulk solid materials are found in many everyday products.