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Technology

The heart of an ice resurfacer is the 'conditioner', a large device dragged behind the vehicle. A large, very sharp blade, similar to those used in industrial paper cutters, shaves the surface off the ice, and an auger in front of the blade sweeps the accumulating shavings to the center of the conditioner, where a second auger (or, in early models, a paddle-and-chain conveyor) picks them up.

Directly in front of the blade, wash water is often sprayed on the ice by nozzles at either end of the conditioner. This wash water is confined inside the conditioner by the runners on either end and a rubber squeegee at the rear of the conditioner. The wash water is picked up by a vacuum nozzle, filtered through a screen, and recirculated. This washing process removes any foreign material that might otherwise become embedded in the ice surface. At the rear of the conditioner, a sprinkler pipe wets a cloth towel that lays down clean water to fill the residual grooves, and forms a new ice surface.

Hot water (140F to 160F, 60C) is frequently used where available because it melts and smooths the rough top layer of ice to create a flat, smooth surface. This water in many rinks is filtered and treated before being heated to remove any residual minerals and chemicals in the water. These chemicals and minerals could otherwise make the ice brittle or soft, give it pungent odors, or make it cloudy.

The rest of the machine exists to support the conditioner. An engine or electric motor provides propulsion (four-wheel drive occasionally equipped with carbide-tipped tire studs) and hydraulic power. The main tank holds clean water for making new ice. The wash tank holds a supply of water for the optional wash function. The 'dump tank' holds the shaved ice picked up by the augers. The conditioner and dump tank are raised and lowered by hydraulic lifts, while the augers are powered by hydraulic motors.

Most ice resurfacers run on natural gas, propane/LPG/autogas or electric power, or less commonly on gasoline.

Many ice resurfacers are fitted with a 'board brush', a rotary brush powered by a hydraulic motor. The board brush is extended and retracted on the left side of the machine by a hydraulic arm. The brush sweeps into the conditioner the bits of loose ice that accumulate along the kick plates below the dasher boards of the rink. The use of a board brush can dramatically reduce the need for edging of the rink.

Smaller scale devices and vehicles classified as ice resurfacers have also been designed to provide a smooth ice surface in a manner similar to a traditional resurfacer, but are smaller and less expensive. These smaller vehicles can be classified as devices that are self-propelled or devices that are pushed by the operator. Self-propelled vehicles typically incorporate the elements of a Zamboni machine, including an ice-cutting blade and water tank, but on a smaller scale, and are usually mounted to an ATV or golf cart vehicle. Examples are the Ice Wizard by Ragged Point Industries, or the Jimbini Ice Rink Resurfacer. The other group of ice resurfacers are pushed along the ice to create an even layer of smooth ice, but at a cost suitable for home use. One example is the Texahoma Ice resurfacer.

Ice edgers

The ice around the edges of a rink has a tendency to build up because the conditioner blade does not extend all the way to the outer edges of the conditioner and it is unwise to "ride" (drive with the conditioner touching) the dasherboards. An ice edger, a small device similar to a rotary lawn mower, is used to cut down the edges of the ice surface that the ice resurfacer cannot cut. An ice edger can not shave ice that has an overall bowl or mushroom shape.

Certified drivers using latest model ice resurfacing equipment can effectively cut ice edges within millimeters of the dasherboard.

Usage and marketing

Frank J. Zamboni & Co., Inc. has taken a strong stance against its trademark dilution, the Zamboni name being used as a genericized trademark for ice resurfacers. On August 15, 2000, Frank J. Zamboni & Co, Inc. was awarded a registered trademark on the design and configuration of the Zamboni Ice Resurfacer by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.[citation needed]

There is a band by the name of The Zambonis, which they use under the terms of a licensing agreement from the Zamboni corporation.

NHL

Five National Hockey League arenas out of thirty use Zamboni's primary competitor, the Olympia by Resurfice Corp.

Winter Olympics

During the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics, serious problems developed with the three battery-powered "green" resurfacers used to maintain the speed skating oval, products of Canadian-owned Resurfice. Malfunctions included ineffective waste-ice storage and significant tire gouging; in order to improve the ice a propane-powered Zamboni brand machine was brought in from Calgary's two-decades old speed skating facility, site of Canada's last Winter Olympics. Speed skating figures from outside Canada speculated such widespread mechanical issues might be due to the restrictive international access policy since the Richmond Olympic Oval was constructed 18 months ago, with the resurfacers unable to complete their break-in process due to relatively infrequent usage.

References

^ John Branch (2009-05-22). "As Economy Stumbles, the Zamboni Glides On". New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/23/sports/hockey/23zamboni.html. Retrieved 2009-05-24. 

^ http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/sports/olympics/canadian-ice-resurfacer-snafu-highlights-rivalry-with-us-giant-zamboni-84525677.html

^ http://www.usatoday.com/sports/olympics/vancouver/speedskating/2010-02-16-oly-bad-ice_N.htm

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Ice resurfacers

Zamboni Facts and Photos

Not just a tool of the trade, the Zamboni is a hockey icon

Zamboni a hot item despite icy economy

As Economy Stumbles, the Zamboni Glides On, New York Times, 23 May 2009

How does an ice-resurfacing machine works ?

http://www.zamboni.com/story/story_p5.html

http://www.resurfice.com/

Categories: Figure skating | Ice hockey equipment | Vehicles | American inventionsHidden categories: All articles with unsourced statements | Articles with unsourced statements from February 2007

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