Stringing Machine Family

Discussion in 'Badminton Stringing Techniques & Tools' started by KWSKJP, Apr 8, 2019.

  1. KWSKJP

    KWSKJP Regular Member

    Joined:
    Mar 18, 2019
    Messages:
    69
    Likes Received:
    123
    Location:
    Asia Pacific
    Hors d'oeuvre
    For those who are into brand image and have cash to burn, the article here is pretty pointless because pls just get a Yonex ES5ProTech or Protech8 for goodness sake J. This is without doubt the most badass monster unrivalled machine with no shortcoming except the wrath of your finance minister at home which will pretty much negate itself if it meets your objective and business justifications in convincing fashion. However due to its complex mechanics, maintenance and repair could be especially if you need on-site services.


    Entrée
    Now here is the Entrée; The different families of stringing machines on the market now. Most of the machines covered here involves the following:


    1) Tier 1 – High

    a. Japan
    Top of the cream premium and overpriced Yonex ES5Protech and Protech 8 by ToyoZouki Co. Ltd (東洋造機株式会社) which wef 1st Nov 2018, have become one of the group of YONEX Co. Ltd L.


    2) Tier 2 – Mid High

    a. Republic of China (ROC) aka Taiwan
    Machines produced and patented in Taiwan which itself is mainly divided into two big camps covering majority of the machines we see on the market today and another diminishing small player.


    b. Europe
    Spenle Pizzeria, the Connoisseur who makes Babolat, Tecnifiber monster jams but are more tennis centric than badminton.


    3) Tier 3 – Mid Tier

    a. Tennishead
    USA patent notably by WISE 2086.


    4) Tier 4 - Low

    a. People’s Republic of China (PRC) aka China
    Mainly low budget machines flooding the market today.
     
  2. KWSKJP

    KWSKJP Regular Member

    Joined:
    Mar 18, 2019
    Messages:
    69
    Likes Received:
    123
    Location:
    Asia Pacific
    Tier 1 – High - Japan

    Need no introduction, ToyoZouki Co. Ltd (東洋造機株式会社) originally launched the first generation of computer stringing machines as early as 1983 with the first generation of top-of-the-line ES5 launched in 2005 and proudly served the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games.

    The unique patent of ToyoZouki machines is that they use a Belt drive motor which requires a translation of rotational movement to linear motion which can suffer from backlash, wear and tear and mechanical complexity especially during replacement. It is actually lower in efficiency and not as strong as chain/screw though it is least concerned in reasonably low tensions for badminton and tennis. For stringing machines, it is more than good enough. The key advantage is smooth, quiet and easy to maintain.

    Of course the magic of this beast does not solely lie on its motor which is actually no rocket science old mechanics. Everything else from the turntable, clamps, swivel clamp base, support posts, arms, even to the nuts, bolts, screws, gears, belt are the highest quality and every bit of the most precise level of detail and obsession only achieved by the Japanese and German engineering (Italians are great with mechanics and machinery too…Axis powers? J). One will only discover the intricacy of it when performing an autopsy on this beast (takes a real man with leopard guts to do it). The popping sound of the screws, nuts and bolts during disassembly makes you feel that every screw is probably done when it was cooled and allowed to expand in room temperature. The smooth swivel clamp base, the feel when clicking and securing fix clamps, the tension pulling and withdrawal, it is the OCD and perfectionism in these details that makes it a beast and the price tag. The feel when schmoozing with this machine is consummate and kind of orgasmic :p
     
    #2 KWSKJP, Apr 8, 2019
    Last edited: Apr 16, 2019
  3. KWSKJP

    KWSKJP Regular Member

    Joined:
    Mar 18, 2019
    Messages:
    69
    Likes Received:
    123
    Location:
    Asia Pacific
    Tier 2 – Mid High - Taiwan

    Part 1

    This is by far the most common high end machines in the market today is from Taiwan and this OEM is called POREEX Industrial Co Ltd (帅力). They do have a retail brand called EXTHREE (超力) but their biggest Mainland client whom has a huge Chinese market share is LEUNG (力远 or 厦门力远体育用品有限公司) based in Fujian Province, Xiamen and as such, the OEM is commonly called LEUNG (力远) in China. LI-NING, VICTOR, GOSEN, HEAD, DUNLOP, FLEET, Alpha (Ghost) and many other brands even the latest YONEX Precision 5 and a one-off by ADIDAS. They are extremely identifiable by their turntable, support arms, swivel clamp base which they are one of the first to have the auto locking system (probably borrowed from ToyoZouki), the fixed clamps and the new patent iconic auto levelling linear mechanical diablo which automatically raise its level to ensure the string remains as horizontal as possible between the racket and tension head.
    upload_2019-4-8_23-25-23.png
    upload_2019-4-8_23-25-28.png
    upload_2019-4-8_23-25-34.png upload_2019-4-8_23-25-38.png upload_2019-4-8_23-25-42.png
    Their motor is driven by a Chain drive motor which is rather energy efficient. Though may look sophisticated, is actually very cheap to make and replace. However, they tend to need more lubrication, maintenance and a little more noise which has pretty much eradicated over the years. It is believed due to the progressive energy loss in a chain mechanism, the actual tension between the motor and chain has to be slightly higher than the actual tension to compensate for this loss which may contribute to faster wear and tear due to friction. It is also believed that due to its mechanics, the precision level of such a mechanism is lower than belt and screw mechanisms, which could explain the reason why machines from this OEM have smaller units of tension increments with older models +1/-1LB and newer ones +0.5/-0.5LB. This could make slight differences in badminton for some stringers.

    While the new linear diablo patent looks impressive, one may have reservations on the durability of the mechanics and its proneness to wear and tear and could be more suited for badminton strings which have much lower gauge than tennis. Unless you are located in China, it would be a risk and challenge in seeking repair and maintenance services. One would be paying a higher premium for this nice to have feature which in my opinion, doesn’t make any significant difference in feel nor tension as compared to the conventional diablo or even without the diablo, if there is indeed any difference at all in the first place. In my opinion for badminton, the need for diablo is not very significant due to the relative low tension as compared to tennis so less impact on the tension head and gripper. In general, the lesser mechanics the better and lesser downtime in adverse events.

    One previously revolutionary feature from this manufacturer is the 12 o’clock and 6 o’clock press-down which completely suppresses the racket, so that the deformation of the racket is down to the minimum but it is inconvenient to weave along these locked down positions. One famous machine is the Victor 7030 and Leung X6, S101+ badminton-only machines. Newer models also come with turntable auto-lock feature which does provide some stability and prevent tension loss due to moving turntable.
    upload_2019-4-8_23-26-1.png
    Chinese insiders have leaked that the Leung product team does not like Haribito 2-string methods on their machines and is rumoured to be prone to frame breakage along the 8 and 4 o’clock positions near the transition from main to cross in >30LB. From my personal experience, some support arms especially those tennis centric ones that cannot be adjusted to support between the 12th and 14th grommet positions from bottom or those that come in the way of the shared grommets could be prone to such issues on 2-string methods in relatively high tensions >27LB. There is no way to verify the actual settings and environment to such incidents that had claimed to have occurred. Another unspoken rule internal to this OEM is they do not recommend adding tension for crosses though the disclaimer is that it is up to individual preference.

    The turntables are notably thinner metallically for the higher end models and plastic for the other models. Some stringers would prefer to have a more solid and smooth turntable, supports, clamps and tensioner than the ones offered by this OEM which will be covered on another high-end Taiwan OEM in Part 2 of this article.

    Overall, the design of the machines is user-friendly and generally easier to use, so it has sort of become the mainstream of stringing machines. The interface is simple without sophistication, mechanics are direct and simple, minimal adjustments needed on support posts and arms, adapters and being aesthetically pleasing (At least in beauty mode selfies). As a machine flooded everywhere with similar parts, price is reasonable with decent after-sales akin to having a ‘throw a stone randomly and you will strike’ Japanese car vs a Conti car in Asia. As many of the big brands partners this OEM, with the brand’s prestige and support, maintenance is easier and convenient. This OEM constantly innovates itself with new features and is definitely a fore-runner for the past decade and to come.
     
  4. KWSKJP

    KWSKJP Regular Member

    Joined:
    Mar 18, 2019
    Messages:
    69
    Likes Received:
    123
    Location:
    Asia Pacific
    Part 2

    The 2nd largest family, is one distinctive and mysteriously low profile no Internet presence Taiwanese OEM called AI DING (爱町) which is also coincidentally the machine I use J. It is believed that this company belongs to the heavy metals industry in Taichung with one of its sidelines building quality stringing machines. It is so mysterious rumour has it that visitors are not welcomed. Since this factory does not have its own brand, it only does OEM and the biggest customer is GAMMA so much so that many people call the OEM as GAMMA. Since the strength of this company is metals manufacturing, the most striking feature of the machine is its square squarish metallic body and the entire turntable and its accessories. Other brands on this OEM includes KAWASAKI, Alpha (China), TOALSON, LI-NING (older models) and a pleasantly surprise heavy-weight bigfoot brand cum famous monster machine which will be covered in a while J

    Similar to LEUNG, it uses a Chain drive motor but the key value proposition is the ability to set tension at low increments of +0.1/-0.1LB. While almost always looking old fashioned and dull, the strength lies in is durability. Since many parts of the machine are made of metal, not plastic parts, the durability is extremely high, stable and solid feeling which is a key factor in a good machine. Except for routine daily cleaning (i.e. wiping dust), no maintenance is required, doesn’t get rusty despite having so many metal parts on its turntable. It is known to be a rugged workhorse and typically used for at least 5-6 years without any trouble. It is not uncommon to hear GAMMA antiques that has been used for almost 20 years without major issues. The swivel clamp base on the entire metal turntable is extremely smooth like criminal! The tensioner is surprisingly more smooth and quiet than LEUNG machines which supposing uses the same mechanics. It is no less orgasmic than Toyo machines. Perhaps being in the metal industry gains ready and low cost access to higher grade metals that makes the difference.

    Another highly valued feature is the proprietary clamps. They are so smooth, sleek, slim, ergonomic, doesn’t block anywhere, anytime and most importantly effective yet gentle on the strings. It is not easy to actually spoil any string using the diamond coated clamps. In my opinion and as echoed by many stringers in Asia, the clamps are as good as Toyo clamps if not better and at fraction of the price. The solid tension head is also revered by many as this provides a great deal of solidness and stability which is always preferred by serious stringers.

    The shortcoming is that the workmanship is not exquisite, a little rough, not as eye candy and user interface is not too intuitive though hardliners prefer the delicate controls like a pilot flying on manual mode. This OEM is like the AK47 of stringing machines over a stylish Uzi or M16. Substance and practicality over style. The older GAMMA clamp base have no auto locking mechanism to prevent accidental touches from being unlocked albeit still a very effective and smooth clamp base. There have been many cases where the stringer accidentally unlocks the clamp base. However, the newer versions have duly adopted the auto-unlocking mechanism as commonly seen in Toyo and Leung machines. It also does not have screw fixed side supports like LEUNG machines. The side supports are slightly moveable and must ensure it aligns to the racket each time.
    upload_2019-4-8_23-27-10.png
    upload_2019-4-8_23-27-14.png
    And now back to the surprise heavy weight representative of this OEM. When a reliable source revealed this to me, I couldn’t believe it and looked around for evidence before I was convinced. It is The Wilson Baiardo. This monster needs no introduction. This is a heavily customised special make by this OEM but the main giveaway is its trademark support post knobs, user interface and swivel clamp base.
    upload_2019-4-8_23-27-31.png upload_2019-4-8_23-27-34.png

    There is another factory in Taiwan that is doing stringing machines and is virtually unheard of. It's called Xpider Co., Ltd (https://xpider.en.taiwantrade.com/p...oductType=&sidx=&sord=&listDisplayMode=detail) and seems to be gaining entry into the mid-low range Euro markets. Some old models are FORTEN T700, FORTEN P900, FLEX ST306, FORTEN F2000.

    upload_2019-4-8_23-28-6.png
     
    #4 KWSKJP, Apr 8, 2019
    Last edited: Apr 8, 2019
    DarthHowie, baileeg, Tennyson and 3 others like this.
  5. KWSKJP

    KWSKJP Regular Member

    Joined:
    Mar 18, 2019
    Messages:
    69
    Likes Received:
    123
    Location:
    Asia Pacific
    Tier 2 – Mid High – Spenle Pizzera

    Spenle Pizzera Mama Mia! Pizza anyone? :p . With more than 60 years of experienced handcrafting machines since post war 1940s, French company Spenle Pizzara specialises in industrial mechanics with a closely knitted workforce of just a few handful of employees. They pride itself as being a specialist manufacturer of high quality precision stringing machines with most parts handmade and assembled by hand. Only the highest standards of materials are used, including Swiss made aluminium to facilitate gliding parts and high grade steel for great durability and maximum precision. It claims to have the largest number of patents submitted on stringing machines in the world. Their biggest clients are Babolat and Tecnifiber machines pretty high in aesthetics and even customisable in the choice of clamps i.e. single/double action, color, choice of turntable brakes and adjustment mechanism (mechanical/electrical) and user interface. The product differentiation is rather distinctive for each of their clients unlike the Taiwanese OEMs which suggest very obvious common platform applied across. These machines are only slightly cheaper than the ToyoZouki beasts. Some of the more recent popular models include Tecnifibre Ergo Pro, Tecnifiber Ergo One, Babolat Sensor, Babolat Star 5, Babolat Racket Station. They do make some of the most exquisite machines and clamps just that they are more tennis centric and will likely get in the way of the shared grommets in badminton.

    As we know they are tennis centric machines and based in Europe, we have very limited access to them in Asia apart from the very old Babolat Sensor and Star 5. Would appreciate if friends from Europe can shed more light on these machines.
    upload_2019-4-8_23-28-42.png
    upload_2019-4-8_23-28-48.png upload_2019-4-8_23-28-50.png upload_2019-4-8_23-28-53.png
     
    baileeg, Tennyson, Curvy and 2 others like this.
  6. KWSKJP

    KWSKJP Regular Member

    Joined:
    Mar 18, 2019
    Messages:
    69
    Likes Received:
    123
    Location:
    Asia Pacific
    Tier 3 – Mid - Tennishead

    upload_2019-4-8_23-29-12.png
    This is represented by Herb Wise’s Tennishead 2086 which is a very popular and reliable machine used all over the world.

    The most cost-effective setup, as most eminent members of this forum would have known, is to buy a quality crank machine, remove the manual crank tension head, buy a WISE2086 and mount it on the rail. This combination is suitable for use as an alternate/secondary/auxiliary machine especially for freelance individuals. However, it does seem a little shabby as the main fronting machine of the store. Make no mistakes, this piece of marvel has given rise to many avid stringers in its affordability and adaptability.
    upload_2019-4-8_23-29-45.png
    Rotational motor is a bit similar to a linear motor that uses a brushless/less contact design, eliminating wear and increasing speed. The design is highly compact, easily maintained and very accurate. This is as close as the direct drive (inverter) motor commonly used in washing machines where there are no belts, chains or gearboxes instead using the motor to directly rotate.

    This is a very portable, lightweight reliable machine that is very low in maintenance due to its clean mechanics. The tensioning is extremely reliable and accurate with fuss free simple user interface. Due to its mechanics, the end product may feel different from the Belt and Chain counterparts. The only vibe with this is slow return speed, not solid enough to be a top end machine especially the tension head and noise from its gears pushing the rotational screw.
     
  7. KWSKJP

    KWSKJP Regular Member

    Joined:
    Mar 18, 2019
    Messages:
    69
    Likes Received:
    123
    Location:
    Asia Pacific
    Tier 4 – Low – Chinese

    3 big, ‘budget’ OEMs (note the comma, i.e. not ‘big budget’ J). Very bare bones skeleton machines that can instantaneously turn into a reliable cavalry when buddied with WISE 2086.

    - Eagnas

    Sure everyone knows Eagnas. Bare bones machine with rough even shoddy workmanship but does what it is meant to do and dirt cheap. I am sure is the first machine of many aspiring DIY stringers when they kickoff their trade.


    - Siboasi

    A manufacturer of its own brand based in Shenzhen China who is aggressive in marketing and pushing heavily its recent wave of vastly improved and economically priced electronic machines. Pro’s Pro is the most notable brand OEM by Siboasi. They even have their very own version of WISE 2086 under the label Dksportbot and Tinga.


    - AEF

    A worthy mention, AEF (厦门奥亿) is also based in Xiamen in Fujian Province, China. They make very similar crank machines as Eagnas and more reliable. They use to have an extensive range of products in the past but have somewhat cool off in recent years. They make very sturdy and reliable turntables and support posts though workmanship is still somewhat low, they are still better than Eagnas. This would be a decent choice for a skeleton if one intends to buddy off with a WISE 2086. Believe have come across Spinfire machines OEM by AEF. AEF is known to have produced a very reliable, reasonably priced clamps.


    Note that none of the Chinese manufacturers are famed for their electronics. Instead they have been massively flamed for their lack of electronics reliability. Even the Mainland Chinese themselves avoid them like plague.
    upload_2019-4-8_23-30-23.png upload_2019-4-8_23-30-25.png upload_2019-4-8_23-30-30.png upload_2019-4-8_23-30-32.png upload_2019-4-8_23-30-36.png upload_2019-4-8_23-30-39.png upload_2019-4-8_23-30-43.png


    In a nutshell, every type of machine has its pros and cons and it is just one of the many factors that produces a different end product. There is no best machine out there. Different clamps, clamp base, strength and mechanics of your side support arms, side support sleeves/attachments, top and bottom support as well, racket material and strength, tension head mechanics/quality, tension, pre-stretch, string nature etc. Key is to experiment with your machine, get very intimate with it, know it's strength and weaknesses and managing your customers’ preferences and their expectations.
     
    baileeg, Tennyson, Curvy and 4 others like this.
  8. emjay

    emjay Regular Member

    Joined:
    Aug 2, 2002
    Messages:
    284
    Likes Received:
    62
    Occupation:
    IT minion
    Location:
    Peterborough, UK
    Wow, that's a boatload of information, and very interesting! Thanks for putting all that together! Having used a few different machines at very different prices, I can say that having a top machine doesn't make much difference to the final result, but it does make the process a lot more enjoyable as a stringer.

    When I was looking for my last upgrade, I did consider the Baiardo, but eventually went with the Gamma 8900 ELS. The first thing I noticed was the similarity in the UI (layout, icons, etc.) so suspected that they were made by the same OEM.
     
    KWSKJP likes this.
  9. s_mair

    s_mair Regular Member

    Joined:
    Oct 10, 2013
    Messages:
    5,365
    Likes Received:
    4,151
    Location:
    Germany
    That was an amazingly interesting read, thanks a lot for investing your time to put that together. IMO that's clearly worth becoming a sticky.

    I've just recently tested a machine that I just cannot really place at one if the mentioned OEMs by looking at the design and mechanical construction. So what do you think, who is responsible for this one?

    https://www.badmintoncentral.com/fo...view-tennisman-stringmaster-deluxe-se.180440/

    I came across the name "Xpider" at some point, but it's very hard to tell if that's an actual OEM name or just another trading company.
     
    LenaicM and KWSKJP like this.
  10. KWSKJP

    KWSKJP Regular Member

    Joined:
    Mar 18, 2019
    Messages:
    69
    Likes Received:
    123
    Location:
    Asia Pacific
    upload_2019-4-9_4-13-50.png upload_2019-4-9_4-19-30.png
    No mistakes, this should be the OEM that previously made Forten machines. Looks like they are back and into the Euro market. https://xpider.en.taiwantrade.com/p...oductType=&sidx=&sord=&listDisplayMode=detail
     
    #10 KWSKJP, Apr 8, 2019
    Last edited: Apr 8, 2019
  11. kwun

    kwun Administrator

    Joined:
    Apr 24, 2002
    Messages:
    41,043
    Likes Received:
    2,066
    Occupation:
    BC Janitor
    Location:
    Santa Clara, CA, USA
    this is an incredible amount of information! Thanks @KWSKJP !! I have made this thread sticky. I learned a lot from reading it.
     
    offbad and KWSKJP like this.
  12. konstancij

    konstancij Regular Member

    Joined:
    Mar 23, 2017
    Messages:
    93
    Likes Received:
    35
    Location:
    Riga
    what about smaller european brands Swisspoint and Stringway, do you have an opinion on their machines?
     
  13. konstancij

    konstancij Regular Member

    Joined:
    Mar 23, 2017
    Messages:
    93
    Likes Received:
    35
    Location:
    Riga
    btw, the starting topic article is awsome, thank you.
     
  14. KWSKJP

    KWSKJP Regular Member

    Joined:
    Mar 18, 2019
    Messages:
    69
    Likes Received:
    123
    Location:
    Asia Pacific
    Thks for introducing these machines, they do look like a marvel piece of mechanical engineering probably made exquisitely in-house. Lovely piece of work. Not too sure about their claim on constant pull though. Have u used the Swiss Points before? Interesting. As long as your customers are used to the results from these machines and the consistency of the stringer, they can be considered as good as any electronic constant pulls.
     
  15. kakinami

    kakinami Regular Member

    Joined:
    Jan 26, 2005
    Messages:
    1,039
    Likes Received:
    703
    Location:
    somewhere
    I think they were sold in 2005, we used them at the 2005 World Championships.

    Sent from my Lenovo PB2-690Y using Tapatalk
     
    Tennyson and KWSKJP like this.
  16. KWSKJP

    KWSKJP Regular Member

    Joined:
    Mar 18, 2019
    Messages:
    69
    Likes Received:
    123
    Location:
    Asia Pacific
    Updated.. Thks for the info :)
     
    kwun likes this.
  17. radu_popeanu

    radu_popeanu Regular Member

    Joined:
    Dec 22, 2015
    Messages:
    25
    Likes Received:
    4
    Occupation:
    Sales Manager
    Location:
    Romania
    Big like for this post!


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
     
  18. dsmbooster

    dsmbooster Regular Member

    Joined:
    Aug 24, 2009
    Messages:
    213
    Likes Received:
    6
    Occupation:
    financial analyst
    Location:
    canada
    thanks for bigger picture of stringing machine market&(ing)
     
  19. Badtech

    Badtech New Member

    Joined:
    May 18, 2019
    Messages:
    7
    Likes Received:
    5
    Location:
    France
    There are some things from KWSKjP that i can confirm. Some which i don´t know and there a some where i can see that he has only a Little knowlege of this Company. So as i know there is only small knowledge of this Company i´m not shure if the knowlege of the other factories is right bequause i have only insider knowlege of 3 of the companies.

    1. I would not place the AEF and Siboasi (DK Sportbot, Tinga) in the same category, bequause there is a big difference between the qualities.

    2. The xpider Company is on the market since many years. Also in the european market where for example the premium Stringer Maschines from xpider are well known. = they are a long time in the european market.There are many brands which buy theire machines there. One well know ist for example yonex with their ST 7000[​IMG]

    .
     
  20. Badtech

    Badtech New Member

    Joined:
    May 18, 2019
    Messages:
    7
    Likes Received:
    5
    Location:
    France
    and we should not forget in the category 4. China machines:
    eagas - Lily Lee machines which have low prices and the quality is somewhere between siboasi and aef machines (= better then siboasi but not as good as aef)

    http://eagnas.com/lilylee/index.html
     
    KWSKJP likes this.

Share This Page