The greatest test of the strength and stability of a basketball backstop is the slam dunk. Not only does the structure need to hold in place in the face of some fierce loads, everything needs to be stable enough that vibration is kept to a minimum.
So what happens when a Draper basketball backstop meets a group of professional and learning dunkers? We found out at the 2019 Dunk Camp, which took place at American Fork High School in American Fork, Utah. Professional dunkers from around the world gathered to teach the art of the slam in a gymnasium designed by Sandstrom Associates and furnished with Draper equipment by Norcon Industries. You can check out some of the gravity-defying efforts here.
As you can see, the Draper TF-20B Front-Braced, Forward-Fold Backstops perform admirably, taking everything that is thrown at them with ease.
Here are a few reasons why our backstops are up to this and any other challenge:
Tested Quality.
Our backstops are strong, but we don’t want you to take our word for it. Strength
testing was carried out by an independent, A2LA-accredited laboratory to ensure
that our clamps and fittings provide large safety margins.
Steel tubing.
Our backstop frames are manufactured of high-quality steel mechanical tubing. Steel mechanical tubing has a higher strength-to-weight ratio than steel pipe. The whole system is lighter, at no cost in strength. Lower static and dynamic loads are placed on the backstop mechanisms and ceiling structure.
Quality control specifications are much stricter for steel mechanical tubing than for steel pipe. Steel mechanical tubing also has a much higher-grade surface finish than steel pipe. Accordingly, the final painted finish is smoother and more attractive.
Stronger overhead.
Draper strength and stability start at the top. We supply all 4” OD 11-gauge overhead superstructure. In addition, we supply bridged trusses on spans greater than 12’ and double bridge trusses on spans greater than 18’.
Strength in the Pivot.
The main frame pivots on a 1-1/4” solid steel shaft welded to the top of the T-frame and secured in a 1/2” thick hanger plate. The hanger plate assembly is secured with four 1/2” bolts. The hanger is fully adjustable and independent testing verifies it will support in excess of 25,000 pounds.
Better beam clamps.
Draper beam clamps provide at least 7 square inches of flange contact on each side that are secured to the beam with two threaded rod assemblies. As with the above-mentioned hanger plate, our beam clamp has been independently tested and found to hold in excess of 25,000 pounds.
Expert welding.
Draper employs state of the art methods and equipment and has multiple quality control standards. All Draper welders are certified to meet the requirements of American Welding Society (AWS) D1.1 Structural Welding Code. Many Draper parts are welded on our robotic equipment from components made on our CNC controlled plasma cutter, presses, and benders. Robotic welders are also operated by certified welders.
Direct attachment height adjusters.
If you know much about gym equipment, it might surprise you that this basketball backstop being used for dunking has a height adjuster. A height adjuster allows the backboard and rim to be lowered or raised, depending on the competition age level. Our height adjusters utilize a direct attachment that allows the goal to be as stable as backstops without a height adjuster.
All of these add up to a slam dunk for safety!
To discover more about our complete line of basketball equipment, click here.
To learn more about Dunk Camp, click here.
