Ready for the Ice Hockey Final?
Altair EmployeeGaining a competitive edge in the sports industry – much like in the sports themselves – begins with utilizing the right tool at the right time.
On the ice, that’s the ice hockey stick which in the right hands and with today’s innovative simulation-driven design, can deliver the puck at speeds up to 108.8 mph (around 50 m/s).
In hockey, the slapshot is the fastest, most powerful shot a player can perform. During the 2012 NHL All-Star Skills Competition, Boston Bruins captain Zdeno Chara unleashed a blistering 108.8 mph slapshot, which gave him the record for the world’s fastest slapshot that still stands today. We think it’s safe to say that Chara’s 6’9”, nearly 260-pound frame helps him generate some staggering power.
While speed, location of contact, and timing all contribute to this mighty shot, so does the composition of the hockey stick itself. When hockey was just a fledgling game around the mid-1800’s, hockey sticks were composed of a single piece of wood. But as players realized these sticks were brittle and prone to break, designers started manufacturing them with multiple layers of wood, which made the sticks hardier and more flexible.
Why is it so important to have a flexible stick? What software can be used to model the hockey stick? How do you simulate that oh so important slapshot?
To understand more, check out “Mastering the Slapshot with Speed, Power, and Simulation” here (https://www.altair.com/sports/), then enjoy the game!
