3. Component Supplier

The outer shell part of the helmet consists of the tough plastic polycarbonate alloy. This polycarbonate alloy arrives at the manufacturing plant in a pellet form and in boxes of thermoplastic pellets the size of bee-bees. The pellets are then placed into an injection-molding machine and are melted and forced into a cavity the size of a football helmet. In just one minute the cavity is molded into a shell. The shells come in the sizes: small, medium, large, and extra large. The Polycarbonate alloy shell then drops out of the shell and a multi-fixture drills between 14-15 holes into the mold just 12 seconds

Another component of the helmet is the airliners. These are a vital element to the football helmet because they aid in dispersing the energy imparted to a football player’s head when hit by another player. Some liners contain special foams and elastic materials. As kids get older and advance to the college and NFL the materials are designed to absorb the kinetic energy of movement and decrease the impact of a blow to the head. The foam-based liners are made in multiple pieces and are placed in the sides, neck, and back of the helmet. To make the foam it requires large sheets of foam that are cut specifically for all the different sized helmets. Face masks are then attached. They can be made in several different styles. They are made of steel wire coated with plastic. The production of football helmets have progressed significantly since it was first created. it has ranged from leather to horder leather, to polycarbonate shells.