Having a football visor for your football helmet is a must to protect your eye and face.
Getting a wonderful football visor with many awesome functions is really a cool thing.
If you want to design a football visor for your helmet or you need to develop a new football visor for your business, these 11 technologies will definitely help you a lot.
And even skyrocket your business.
Football visors have undergone a remarkable metamorphosis since they were introduced decades ago.
Notably, a number of football visor manufacturers have adopted superior technologies to improve optical performance of these curved pieces of plastics that cover the players’ eyes.
You can see this clearly from the top 5 football visor brands such as SHOC, Oakley, Xenith, Schutt and Barnett football visors.
From the above infographic, you can see 11 great technologies that most football visor manufacturers use to improve performance and reliability of this sporting accessory.
In this section, you will get more insights on these football visor technologies and how they can help skyrocket your business.
So, let’s have an in-depth analysis of each technology:
1. Anti-fog Coating for Football Visors
An anti-fog solution guarantees an optical class 1 on all football visors.
Like other face wear, fogging phenomenon is due to the temperature difference between the outer and the inner surface of the football visor.
This causes blurriness, hence the possibility of not focusing on the game, but straining to see the ball and opponents.
So, how does anti-fog coating for football visors eliminate fogging phenomenon?
An anti-fog coating is an environmentally friendly solution based on hydrophilic ingredients.
It is applied to the inner surface of the football visors, while other technologies (I’ll discuss shortly) are on the outer surface.
Hydrophilic ingredient is a new generation of anti-fog solution that prevents fogging through molecular interaction.
That is, as football players breathe in the helmet; moisture or water droplets form in the visor.
The molecular interaction between hydrophilic ingredients and water, reduce the surface tension of water.
This forces the water droplets to spread into a thin and uniform film.
It is a thin film that allows maximum transmission of light with zero distortion. It is cost effective and does not require chemical or mechanical action to eliminate fog.
Quite a number of hydrophilic anti-fog coatings offer a permanent anti-fog solution. Therefore, the football visor will remain fog free for a long period of time.
Always ensure that the anti-fog coating conforms to the ECE22.05/ECE324 test standards, alongside the ASTM D1003.
For sure, this is a fundamental technology that can skyrocket your football visor business.
Related resource:
- Ultimate Guide of Anti Fog Solution
- Anti-fog Wiki
- How Hydrophilic Anti-fog Coating Prevent Fog On Plastics
- Anti-fog Helmet Visor Tip
- Permanent Anti-Fog Coatings from Molecularly Blended Hydrophilic Polymers
2. Anti-scratch Coating for Football Visors
Football visors are subjected to rough handling, possibility of collision and falling.
It is therefore appropriate to have an effective anti-scratch coating on the outer surface.
You can compare these two surfaces. The difference is quite clear.
These are two surfaces with and without scratches
Generally, most football visors are made from injected polycarbonate.
This material is inherently susceptible to scratches, hence the need for treating it.
Anti-scratch coating for football visors are formulated to keep visor surfaces free from scratches.
Therefore, you can achieve optical class 1 optical properties.
Depending on the type of football visor, you can choose from:
- General use anti-scratch coating ( >1H)
- Thermoformable anti-scratch coating
- Optical ant-scratch coating
You can apply them on the surface either by flow or dip coating.
Moreover, the anti-scratch coating football visors can be consolidated with other technologies such as anti-graffiti, etc.
Again, this alone is not enough; it should meet the required quality standards and laboratory tests.
Some of the most crucial tests include:
- Bayer tests that conforms to ASTM F735-81 test standard
- Taber abrasion tests as per the ASTM D1044-82 test standard.
Other tests include the steel wool, eraser abrasion and tumble abrasion resistance tests.
In short, a high quality anti-scratch coating will ensure the surface remains clear.
It is one of the most sought for by many football players.
Therefore, you can easily skyrocket your business by considering this technology.
Related resource
- Anti-scratch coating wiki
- How I repaired a scratched helmet visor-Video
- Visor Scratch Repair and Prevention
3. Photochromic Coating for Football Visors
Do you know this is one of the most fascinating technologies in the football visor industry?
Maybe you need to watch this video:
Clearly, you can see the lens begins to tint on exposure to ultraviolet radiation.
Therefore, as a player, you don’t have to worry about replacing helmet visors whenever there is a change in the weather condition.
Photochromic visor technology is a critical subject that has completely revolutionized this industry.
For instance, companies have adopted their unique technologies.
A good example is the WeeTect Photochromic Technology where the company has adopted:
- Photochromic co-molding
- Use of special photochromic material to coat the surface
Remember, this change is due to intermolecular changes (chemical bonds rearrange) therefore, you need to source for this accessory from a company with the know-how of photochromic coating technology.
Related Resource
- Photochromic lens wiki
- Photochromic: Complete Guidebook to Learn Everything About Photochromic Technology
- How Do Photochromic (Photochromatic) Glasses Work?
- Photochromic Film and Sheet -Video
4. Polarized Technology for Football Visor
Polarization is yet another technology that has been adopted for football visors.
Ideally, football visors are used in the outdoors, thus, players are susceptible to glare.
Glare phenomenon occurs when light from the sun is reflected off a solid surface or water.
A football helmet fitted with both visor and wire frame
Therefore, the polarized technology for football visors features a special chemical that coats the outer surface.
It eliminates instances of radiation while filtering the harmful radiations from the sun.
The working principle of co-mold polarized film on football visor is quite simple:
Normally, as you play football, the light from the sun will reach the visor’s surface from all directions.
As a result, the reflected light will be magnified and transmitted to your eye.
This will thus distort your view, blind you and reduce depth of perception.
In such cases, polarized film will allow only the horizontal light to pass through while filtering vertical rays.
Ideally, this will ensure that light only travels in one direction, thus, eliminating the possibility of glare.
In short, this is an essential technology that can skyrocket your football visor business too.
Related Resource
- Myths and truths about polarized sunglasses and glare
- Polarization – The Physics Classroom
- Polarization (politics) wiki
- 4 Health Benefits when Wearing Polarized Lenses
5. Mirror Coating Technology for Football Visors
Mirror and reflective football visors are vital accessories for people who play football in areas of high altitude, sand, snow or water.
The mirror coating on football visor is such that is reduces light by 10% to 60%, depending on the thickness of the layer or technology.
This is mirrored and reflective football visor
At times, they are referred to as a reflective optical coating or flash coating.
They are applied on the outer surface of the visor, thus, giving the player a vision of brown or grey.
In case you can’t afford the polarized football visors, you may opt for those with mirrored technology.
They reflect excess light that may blur vision.
They are available in different colour tints (I’ll discuss shortly), which do not affect the effectiveness of the tint.
Even thou they are a perfect choice for most outdoor activities, they may make your companion uncomfortable due to the light being reflected off the football helmet visor surface.
In most cases, a polarized helmet football visor is a perfect choice.
Heads up: You should stock both the polarized and mirrored football visors. With this, you’ll have an edge over your competitors.
Related Resource
- Metallic Mirror Coatings
- Mirrors: Coating Choice Makes a Difference
- NASA’s Webb Telescope Completes Mirror-Coating Milestone
6. Chrome Coating Football Visors
The chrome football visor technology is yet another technology that offer beautiful vivid colors, while increasing contrast.
With these, your football visor helmets will maintain optical class 1 properties, while maintaining the required safety standards.
They come in a wide range of options and designs, suitable for many environmental conditions.
Take for example:
| Type of chrome football visor lens | VLT in % | Practical application |
| Locust chrome | 7 | Medium to bright light applications |
Smoke grey chrome | 17 | Medium to bright light applications |
Fire chrome | 18 | Medium to bright applications |
Smoke grey chrome | 22 | Low to medium light applications |
NOTE: You can add chrome coating to any football visor tint (to be discussed later).
This is quite evident from the above examples where you can see the VLT of the visors varying from 7% to 22%.
In short, this is a fascinating technology that can skyrocket your football visor business.
Related Resource
7. Iridium Coating for Football Visors
Iridium coating for football visors come in wide configurations with the light transmission varying from 9% to over 60%.
At times, you may consolidate it with other technologies such as polarization.
Iridium football helmet visors
For instance, Oakley is popular for their iridium polarized lenses.
Depending on the variation of iridium football visor, you should have an OEM agreement after considering the following:
- Tint
- Degree of light transmission
- Environmental conditions
- Protection index
As a matter of fact, you have many options such as black violet, blue and black iridium, among others.
Here is an example:
A black iridium coating is suitable for extremely bright light with a protection index of 3 and light transmission of 10%.
It reduces a significant amount of glare.
Ideally an iridium football visor is made of a metal oxide coating with unique properties.
It allows for customization of the visor.
The good thing is that, an iridium football visor technology regulates reflection, light absorption, glare and light transmission.
You can fine tune these features from 9% to 92%.
To profit from this football helmet visor technology, it is important that you do a quick survey to know the most sort after variation.
Related Resource
- Iridium Coating – Johnson Matthey Technology Review
- Iridium Coating: Processes, Properties and Application
- Iridium wiki
8. Tinted Football Visors
Football players may opt for different tinted visors depending on their desires or the weather conditions.
Normally, tinted football visors allow for a specific amount of light to pass through, making it an important aspect when evaluating the visible light transmission (VLT).
Here are examples of tinted football visors:
Examples of tinted football visors image: Shoc visor
Each of these tints is suitable for different environments. Let’s review some of the most common examples:
- Increasing contrast
Here, you need a tinted football visor that will block the sun’s light, thus increasing contrast. They are a perfect choice for a blue bird day.
To achieve this, you may opt for grey, dark brown, green or green tinted football lenses.
- Suitable for foggy day
Even though your helmet visor may have a superior and permanent hydrophilic anti-fog coating, the choice of color still plays a pivotal role.
The most suitable football visor tints for this include yellow or orange.
Other visor tints include:
- Clear for night conditions
- Orange tints protect eyes from strong sunlight, bring in-depth perception and bumps.
- Rose tint increases depth perception
In short, every football visor tint technology plays a critical role in improving optical properties depending on the environmental conditions.
Related Resource
9. Hydrophobic Coating Technology for Football Visor
When discussing the anti-fog solution for football helmet visors, I did focus on the hydrophilic ingredients.
Well, the modern football visors feature hydrophobic ingredients.
These ingredients tend to repel mass of water.
Here is a typical example of a hydrophobic surface:
The hydrophobic football visors have this substrate on the outer surface.
Hydrophobic coating is applied on the outer surface of the football visors.
Due to its unique properties, it improves the football visor helmet performance by eliminating water, oil, moisture build up, glare due to water droplets, contaminates, etc.
In some situations, football visor manufacturers may opt for superhydrophobic coating.
The truth is: hydrophobic football visors are easy to clean hence, convenient and the perfect choice for most players.
Related Resource
- What is Super Hydrophobic Coating technology and how does it work?
- Applications of Hydrophobic Nanotechnology Coatings for Electronics
10. Optical Injection Technology for Football Visors
Injection molding is a versatile manufacturing technology that has been adopted to produce both standard and custom shape football helmet visors.
Generally, an optical injected football visor is durable with outstanding impact resistance.
It is this flexibility in design that every company strives to achieve.
For instance, these accessories are injection molded from high-impact polycarbonate sheet.
Furthermore, with this manufacturing process, they are structurally reinforced to withstand high impact without cracking.
In short, adopting a superior manufacturing technique will also contribute to the success of your football visor business.
11. UV Protection for Football Visors
UV resistant football visors are essential for NFL professionals and youth football players.
The above 10 technologies aim to eliminate harmful UV radiations at many levels.
Take for instance iridium coating, photochromic coating, polarized coating, etc.
Visible light spectrum
Take for instance, the optical injected, or co-molded football visors, or a thermoformed polycarbonate sheet with anti-UV layer to protect the eye from harmful radiations.
In short, this technology will ensure 100% protection from ultraviolet radiations.
Therefore, football players will not be affected by the stadium lights or the sun’s radiation, hence, they will focus on winning their games.
Conclusion
Clearly, you can see that we have many football visor technologies that can improve optical clarity hence, guarantees the safety of all players.
You don’t have to apply all the 11 technologies on the same football visor.
Choose those that are essential depending on the playing field and environmental conditions.
But even so, your visors must have anti-fog coating, anti-scratch, UV protection.
For more information or inquiries, feel free to count us. We have the know-how in football helmet visors.
References
- Best 5 Football Visor Brand In the World 2016 – Source: WeeTect Blog
- Football Helmet – Source: Wikipedia
- NFL Health & Safety – Source: NFL
- Rules for a Football Helmet Visor – Source: Live Strong
- Anti-fog Solutions (Ultimate Guide) – Source: WeeTect eBook
- Best and Cheap Football Eyeshields For Helmets –Shocpro
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