Diamond Billiard Products, a manufacturer of high-performance pool tables used in professional tournaments, has replaced the traditional wooden legs of its tables with a high-performance molded composite solution. The conversion, developed in partnership with custom injection molder Manar, reduces manufacturing time, improves durability, and accelerates tournament installation, addressing long-standing operational challenges.
The original wood legs required cutting, shaping, sanding, finishing, and pre-assembly across multiple departments, involving eight employees and 10 to 12 individual components per leg. Production could take up to three months. Brent Lykins, mechanical engineer at Diamond, explained: 'I'm here to find better ways of doing things, approaches to reduce manufacturing time and enhance performance. The wood legs were very labor intensive. We wanted to streamline it.'
Installation at tournaments was also inefficient. Installers had to access leveling nuts near the floor, often lying on their backs to make adjustments. With tables set up across uneven venues, the process was slow and physically demanding. The new design uses a side-access panel and a battery-powered tool, allowing installers to adjust legs up to 1.5 inches while seated. Installation is now three to four times faster, with improved ergonomics.
Diamond spent several years developing concepts and 3D-printed prototypes before partnering with Manar to refine the design for injection molding. The final material, 40% long-glass polypropylene, provides the strength needed for structural performance. FEA validation confirmed the legs could support a 1,200- to 1,300-pound table with minimal deflection, and real-world stress testing included lifting and dropping tables.
The operational impact was dramatic. Part consolidation reduced 10 to 12 wood components to a primary molded body with a foot block and shaft. Anthony Neeley, new business development and director of operations at Manar, stated: 'This wasn't just about molding a part. It was about applying a design for manufacturability approach to meet the structural demands of tournament-level use and deliver measurable operational improvements.'
Following the success of the legs, Diamond partnered with Manar to manufacture its table pockets. Previously, pocket components were molded domestically, shipped to Taiwan for leather wrapping, and returned, resulting in lead times of up to three months, freight delays, and quality fallout of up to 50%. The new pocket design consolidates parts, eliminates overseas finishing, uses automated molding with robotic insert placement, and offers improved durability with a modern matte black textured finish.
By converting a core structural component from wood to composite, Diamond reduced labor and manufacturing time, improved installation ergonomics, increased durability, strengthened supply chain reliability, and maintained tournament-level performance. For more information about Diamond Billiard Products, visit www.diamondbilliards.com. For more information about Manar, visit www.manarinc.com.
