In the production process of custom-patterned PVC baseballs, the basic production of the baseball must be completed first, and then the pattern customization can be carried out.
When making the base of a baseball, first prepare the core, which is composed of rubber and cork. After adding white adhesive and stirring, attach glue to the surface of the core to facilitate the subsequent rope winding process. The worker wound one end of the wool thread around the ball and started the machine to wind it automatically. First, a layer of four-strand wool thread was wound, then a layer of three-strand wool thread, and finally a layer of polyethylene wool blend yarn was wound to make the baseball more elastic and the surface smoother. After completion, the circumference of the ball was exactly the specified size. Next, apply adhesive to the roller, pour all the balls in, let the balls absorb the glue, and then air dry for two days. After that, make the outer skin of the baseball. Use a press to press out 8-shaped leather strips with seam holes on the edges. Wrap the leather strips in a wet towel to make them soft. Then apply adhesive to the inner side of the leather, stick two pieces of leather to the surface of the ball, and hold the ball tightly with tools. Workers sew with two needles simultaneously. Each ball is sewn with 108 stitches. The last stitch passes through the center of the baseball to tighten it, and then the position of the stitches is adjusted with a thimper.
In terms of pattern customization, if UV printing is adopted, since the surface of the baseball may have seams and natural inconsistencies, a custom fixture needs to be used to firmly fix the baseball to ensure that the printing position is consistent each time. At the same time, if there is oil or residue on the surface of the baseball, it will affect the adhesion of the ink. The baseball needs to be thoroughly cleaned. Use a lint-free cloth to remove heavy contaminants and then use a bristle roller to remove the remaining small particles. If the surface of the baseball is made of highly absorbent materials such as leather, to prevent ink seepage, two layers of transparent ink can be applied as the base color to create a stable surface for the adhesion of colored ink. After that, only CMYK ink should be used to print logos or graphics. If the surface of the baseball is coated or glossy, a primer should be applied first to ensure proper ink adhesion.