Adam Cloe has been published in various scientific journals, including the "Journal of Biochemistry." He is currently a medical student at the University of Chicago. Cloe holds a Bachelor of Arts in biochemistry from Boston University and a Ph.D. in pathology from the University of Chicago.
The Taper Drawing Process
Aluminum bats are essentially metal tubes. The first step in making them involves a process called taper drawing, in which the aluminum tube is put onto a tapered mandrel (a tool for shaping metal) and then forced through a die. This allows for shaping the bat so that the diameter is bigger for the barrel and gradually tapers down to help form the handle. Usually the metal is hard by the end of this process and needs to be softened a little before further work.
Swaging
In rotary swaging, two dies rotate very quickly around the tube, making up to 850 revolutions every minute. These dies also hit the tube roughly 5,000 times per minute and can further reduce the diameter of the tube. As the tube continues through, the dies move closer and closer to help mold the handle. This process not only makes the diameter of the tube smaller but also thickens the walls of the tube itself.
Hardening and Capping
At this point, the bat is essentially in its shape but still needs to be hardened. First the bat is heated to 900 degrees, which causes some of the alloy materials in the aluminum to dissolve. Then the bat is moved to another oven and heated for 12 hours at 200 degrees. When this process is over, the aluminum is hard, but the bat is still a tube and open on both ends. The big end of the tube can either be reshaped so that it is closed or fitted with a cap. The bats are then polished and packaged and ready to be shipped.
