Profile system helps in quest for putting perfection

Zen is all about putting – from coaching golfers to supplying equipment. Its latest product development – to improve the performance of the ‘Zen Green Stage’ artificial putting platform – involved replacing its prototype frame with MiniTec profile system profiles and corner connectors to provide increased stiffness and reduced weight for the 4.8m long x 1.8m wide structure.  The user-adjustable platform allows golf enthusiasts and professionals to perfect their green reading and putting technique by setting the vertical height of each corner using electric jacks operated using wireless controls. In this way the compound angles created on the artificial green can be adjusted to consistently simulate different slopes and replicate where the green will ‘break’. 

The structure uses 45 x 135mm MiniTec profile rails with twin beams running the length of the structure and cross members connected via flexible angle brackets that allow vertical flexure but assure high rigidity and stiffness in the horizontal plane. The platform, which has two regulation hole cups, can be fitted with different grades of artificial turf to simulate the varying conditions and ‘stimp speed’ of greens encountered on world championship golf courses.

Whilst the relatively light weight and durability of the MiniTec structural components allows easy disassembly and reassembly local to the installation, Zen recognised that global sales of the large platform might be hindered by shipping costs from its UK production facility to international distributors and customers. The solution centred on finding a machine framing supplier that could fulfil a ‘globally-local’ service. The solution was solved during consultation with MiniTec which has subsidiaries and sales partners across five continents. 

Zen’s Andy McCague says "We looked into aluminium profiles to replace the prototype materials for our market-ready range of putting greens. The MiniTec system had the size and strength that fitted our requirements and allowed us the ability to offer our product all over the world by shipping heavy parts from local divisions without increasing our costs. The support services and rapid attendance we received from MiniTec during the proving stage was also essential which enabled us to meet delivery ahead of our program”

MiniTec’s modular aluminium profile-based machine building system includes thousands of components such as links, hinges, handles, locks, feet, wheels, panels and more - as well as control system and motion components for electrical, pneumatic and hydraulic automation. Customers can design their own systems and structures using MiniTec’s free of charge iCAD design software which is available for standalone design development as an on-line tool or as downloadable versions that may be integrated with the customer’s preferred software system through interfaces with CAD packages such as Mechanical Desktop, ProEngineer, Solid Works, Solid-Edge, MegaCAD and more. MiniTec can provide separate components for customer assembly, build to customer requirements in-house or on-site.