Deconstruction of a Soccer Ball
By: Summer Vaughn
The first use of “soccer balls” was by a Chinese Village, in which case they used objects such as animal skulls or pig’s bladders instead of the commonly known soccer balls we use today. As imagined, this was a very painful and inconsistent game of kicking bones and deformed objects with their bare feet, but thanks to Charles Goodyear in 1862, the first-ever vulcanized soccer ball was created. Although this innovation was a step in the right direction, the vulcanization, or hardening of rubber with chemicals, still made it uncomfortable to play with. About ten years later in 1862, H. J. Lindon formed the inflatable rubber bladder which was far lighter and held a better spherical shape as well. Because of such an invention, soccer began to grow in popularity around the world beginning in the 1900s. The look of the soccer ball changed as well during this growth of fondness for the game. The first inspiration for the design came from the initial use of the pig’s bladder which was transformed into an insert that was bound with leather covering. These softer materials were good but did not seem to last very long nor keep from getting ruined if the weather was not ideal. After many years of trial and error, the first black and white, hexagon and pentagon combination was formed. There were two main reasons for such color and shape choice. The first reason was that soccer had begun to make an appearance on television and with the help of the white and black colors, this made it easier for the audience to follow the trajectory of the soccer ball. The second reason is that the hexagons and pentagons were used in order to create an even better spherical shape when being kicked and headed. The polygons (12 pentagons and 20 hexagons) go nicely together in order to ensure the roundness of the ball without gaps as well as contribute to the control of aerodynamics. Today, this type of soccer ball is very common. After many years of professional attraction, the size of the ball has been regulated and even downsized for kids to enjoy the sport as well. Overall, the soccer ball has gone through several changes throughout the years but thanks to the continual growth in popularity, it has stayed relevant year after year.
Construction
External:
The Diameter of the soccer ball is 9 inches. The circumference is about the same as a size 5 ball which is 28.26 inches.
Each polygon is about 1 and 1/2 inches by 1 and 1/2 inches. The hexagon, however, will be larger in order for the panel to fit together.
Placing these shapes in a close pattern saves material and optimizes time as well.
The length of the 5 ply nylon material for the 690 stitches, I calculated to be about 36 inches or 3 ft.
This is a polygon template for the shapes in order to trace and cut through the synthetic leather fabric. HINT: Sew the pieces together inside out!
Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qERtfxGXfB8
Internal:
The bladder of the soccer ball is 7.7 inches by 7.7 inches in size. Made of many layers of rubber, polyester, and cotton. The layers are shown below. Blue indicating polyester and yellow as cotton.
The size of these layers are about 1 in thickness and expand when air is pumped into it.
Shopping List
- 4ft of white synthetic leather (Hexagons: 20)
- 3ft of black synthetic leather (Pentagons: 12)
- 3ft of Nylon (white or invisible) 5-ply thread (690 stitches total)
- 7.7 inch Rubber Bladder
- 1.5 inch diameter rubber tube to insert air into the soccer ball
- Polygon cutout template (1 and 1/2 inch by 1 and 1/2 inch with access for sewing)
Costs about $2.50 for one strand that is 2ft.
You can see the access flaps on the edges for sewing purposes.
Conclusion/ Possible problems:
If I were responsible for building a soccer ball out of Hexagons and Pentagons, I feel the main problem I would face is the idea of finding the right size. Even when I was simply researching and measuring the dimensions of my shapes, I quickly realized that I had to make sure the Hexagons were larger than the size of the Pentagons. Due to the difference in angles, if the shapes were measured as the same length, it would result in space within the soccer ball or a lopsided less aerodynamic sphere. A way I might could avoid such problem is by constructing a smaller version out of cheaper materials in order to see if this plan actually works. Another problem that might occur during the construction of the soccer ball would be making sure the stitching is correct and straight. One big idea that I commented on in one of the photos is the idea of cutting the shapes a little larger than they are supposed to be, giving a little extra material to work with when sewing the ball together. Although these seem to be problems now, I feel with enough checking, such as constructing a smaller prototype, and practice the process would become far more efficient than if you were just starting out.
Sources:
"History Of The Soccer Ball - Materials Talks". Materials Talks, 2014, https://www.materials-talks.com/the-evolution-of-the-soccer-ball/#:~:text=The%20pig's%20bladder%20just%20wasn,were%20near%20IMPOSSIBLE%20to%20control!. Accessed 22 Sept 2022.
Waihenya, Samuel. "Why Do Soccer Balls Have Pentagons? (Solved & Explained)". Soccer Whizz, 2021, https://soccerwhizz.com/why-soccer-balls-have-pentagons/#:~:text=Soccer%20balls%20have%20pentagons%20and,as%20close%20control%20for%20players. Accessed 22 Sept 2022.
"Soccer Ball Types (In-Depth Guide) | Team Sports Mania". Team Sports Mania, 2022, https://teamsportsmania.com/soccer-ball-types/. Accessed 22 Sept 2022.
"The Topology And Combinatorics Of Soccer Balls". American Scientist, 2017, https://www.americanscientist.org/article/the-topology-and-combinatorics-of-soccer-balls#:~:text=Although%20a%20soccer%20ball%20can,pentagon%20is%20surrounded%20by%20hexagons. Accessed 22 Sept 2022.
"Rubber Tubing, 6-1/2": Fits Desa Brand". Grainger, 2022, https://www.grainger.com/product/24HP71?gucid=N:N:FPL:Free:GGL:CSM-1946:tew63h3:20501231. Accessed 23 Sept 2022.
"Zhensheng Wholesale Manufacturer Soccer Ball Butyl Rubber Bladder - Buy Butyl Rubber Football Bladder,Inflatable Rubber Bladder,Rubber Air Bladder Product On Alibaba.Com". Alibaba.Com, 2022, https://www.alibaba.com/product-detail/Soccer-Ball-Bladder-Zhensheng-Wholesale-Manufacturer_1600608380349.html?spm=a2700.7724857.0.0.3fb9568bwz8Ymo&s=p. Accessed 23 Sept 2022.
Youtube.Com, 2022, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WHjziETWtIA. Accessed 23 Sept 2022.
Youtube.Com, 2022, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qERtfxGXfB8. Accessed 23 Sept 2022.
