System and methods for designing and manufacturing a bespoke protective sports helmet

A method for manufacturing a bespoke protective sports helmet to be worn by a player while playing a sports activity, comprising:

• placing a scanning hood on the player's head;
• selecting a scanning helmet size;
• placing a scanning helmet of the selected scanning helmet size on the player's head over the scanning hood;
• adjusting the scanning helmet according to the player's preferences to arrive at a preferred wearing position;
• capturing a helmet scan of the player wearing the scanning hood and scanning helmet with a scanning apparatus while the scanning helmet remains in the preferred wearing position;
• removing the scanning helmet from the player's head and capturing a hood scan with the scanning apparatus while the player is wearing the scanning hood;
• opening the helmet scan in three-dimensional software and properly aligning the helmet scan relative to a shell reference layer of a selected helmet size within the three-dimensional software;
• opening the hood scan in the three-dimensional software and properly aligning the hood scan relative to the properly-aligned helmet scan within the three-dimensional software;
• comparing the properly-aligned hood scan against a reference surface of the selected helmet size within the three-dimensional software to confirm that the hood scan does not penetrate the reference surface;
• creating an insert file from the properly-aligned hood scan;
• fabricating an insert from the insert file;
• providing a mold assembly with a lower mold section and an upper mold section;
• placing the insert into the lower mold section;
• attaching a backing material to the upper mold section;
• attaching a cover material to the lower mold section over the insert;
• vacuum-forming the cover material to conform to the insert and the lower mold section and to define a cover material cavity;
• pouring padding material into the cover material cavity;
• bringing the upper and lower mold cavities into close proximity to close the mold assembly;
• allowing the poured padding material to cool and solidify into a bespoke pad;
• opening the mold assembly and then removing the bespoke pad from the mold assembly;
• and
• installing the bespoke pad into a protective sports helmet.