에어리스 농구공의 기술적 특성에 대한 연구 = A Study on the Technical Characteristics of Airless Basketball

다국어 초록 (Multilingual Abstract)

PURPOSE This study aimed to identify the technical characteristics of a 3D-printed airless basketball and to compare its performance with that of a traditional inflatable basketball. In particular, the study examined how the lattice-structured design of the airless basketball influences key mechanical properties related to gameplay—namely rebound height, grip, elasticity, spin performance, and durability. METHOD The experiment was conducted from January to June 2025 at Y Gymnasium in Seoul with 20 adult participants (10 males, 10 females) who each had more than ten years of basketball experience. Two types of balls were tested: a 3D-printed airless basketball (TPU material, SLS method) and a standard inflatable basketball (Wilson Evolution, Size 7, 8.0 psi). Five performance parameters—rebound height, grip rating, elasticity, spin stability, and wear depth—were measured. Rebound height was assessed using a laser distance meter, spin performance using a high-speed camera (1,000 fps), and subjective evaluations using a 5-point Likert scale. All data were analyzed using IBM SPSS 27.0, calculating means and standard deviations and conducting paired-sample t-tests with a significance level of α=.05. RESULT The airless basketball demonstrated comparable performance to the inflatable basketball in rebound height (1.30m vs. 1.35m) and elasticity (4.1 vs. 4.3 points), while showing superior durability (wear depth: 0.05mm vs. 0.10mm, p<.01). However, the airless basketball scored slightly lower in grip (4.2 vs. 4.5 points) and spin performance (3.8 vs. 4.3 points), likely due to the discontinuous surface and micro-gaps inherent in the lattice design. CONCLUSION The findings indicate that the airless basketball provides consistent rebound performance without relying on internal air pressure, offering practical advantages such as reduced maintenance needs and enhanced durability. These characteristics suggest strong potential for use in both indoor and outdoor environments. Nevertheless, improvements in grip and spin stability remain necessary for high-level gameplay. Future research should focus on optimizing surface materials, refining lattice geometry, and validating performance across diverse environmental conditions.