When you watch ice hockey, smooth ice is key. If you skate for fun or compete, ice quality matters a lot. When it comes to ice hockey, the action on the rink gets all the glory. But behind every slick pass, graceful skate, and thrilling goal lies a critical component of the game-perfect ice. And the ice resurfacer is the unsung hero that makes it all possible. This iconic machine has not only become a vital tool for ice maintenance but also a beloved symbol of the sport itself.
An ice resurfacer is a vehicle or hand-pushed device for cleaning and smoothing the surface of a sheet of ice, usually in an ice rink. The technical name for the funny-looking machine that refurbishes the ice at hockey and figure skating rinks is an ice resurfacer, but you probably know it better as a Zamboni.
How Zamboni Ice Resurfacers Work | San Diego Union-Tribune
The Invention and Evolution of the Ice Resurfacer
The Zamboni ice resurfacing machine was invented by Frank J. Zamboni in 1949. The first ice resurfacer was invented by Frank Zamboni, who was originally in the refrigeration business. He created a plant for making ice blocks that could be used in refrigeration applications. In 1939 Zamboni built the Iceland skating rink in Paramount, California. To fully appreciate Zamboni's genius, it's worth delving a little bit into his past. After working together at an auto repair shop in Southern California, Frank and his younger brother opened an electric service business that specialized in building and installing large refrigeration units for the dairy industry. The Zambonis expanded their business to meet the demands of the produce industry by building a plant that produced block ice, which was used to keep perishable goods from spoiling while in transport.
Before its creation, rink staff resorted to a cumbersome process that involved scraping the ice manually, spreading a thin layer of water to create a new surface, and waiting hours for it to freeze. Iceland Skating Rink workers walking behind a scraper being pulled by a tractor scooped up the shavings, sprayed the ice with water, and squeegeed the surface. This took over an hour each time. There had to be a better solution, Frank Zamboni thought.
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In 1947 he built a machine that could shave, wash and squeegee the ice. This machine was mounted on an army surplus Willys jeep chassis. A blade was mounted on the machine, which shaved the ice; the ice then received a thin layer of water, creating a smooth sheet of ice. The prototype had a tank that held the ice shavings, which were carried to the tank via a conveyor belt. A new machine was developed using another army surplus vehicle chassis. This machine had four-wheel drive and all-wheel steering.
The prototype, known as the Model A, was built using repurposed parts, including the chassis of a Jeep. Zamboni applied for a patent for his Model A resurfacer, which was built and tested in Paramount and included a hydraulic chamber from a Douglas bomber, in 1949. By 1949 the Model A Zamboni Ice Resurfacer was developed. Further modification to the Model A included the addition of a wash water tank and a cover for the snow-holding tank (for ice shavings).
The Model B was the next ice resurfacer made by Zamboni. The Zamboni Model C was also built on the same frame, but more design changes were applied. The driver's position was raised for better visibility, and the capacity of the snow-holding tank was increased. From the late 1950s to 1964, there were minimal changes in how the ice-resurfacers were designed. The introduction of the HD series in 1964 saw a shift in the design of the Zamboni ice resurfacers. Instead of relying on a conveyor belt system to move the ice shavings into the snow-holding tank, a vertical screw conveyor system was installed, and a new hydraulic snow-dumping system was adopted.
While it was bulky and rudimentary when compared to today’s sleek designs, it cut downtime significantly. You could now resurface ice in about 15 minutes instead of an hour. By giving teams and fans more time to enjoy the sport, Frank Zamboni changed hockey forever. The look of the machine hasn't changed all that much in 61 years.
How a Zamboni Works: The Mechanics of Ice Resurfacing
While the Zamboni may look like a simple ride-on machine, the technology behind it is surprisingly sophisticated. Ice resurfacers are generally composed of a snow container, hot water tanks, a wash water tank, the conditioner, and a board brush. Most of the actual resurfacing components are contained in a heavy device at the rear of the machine, known as the "conditioner". The conditioner is hydraulically lowered to the ice surface, its weight providing the friction necessary for a large, sharp blade (similar to those used in industrial paper cutters) to shave off the top layer of ice. Here is a step-by-step breakdown of how a Zamboni works:
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- Scraping the Ice: The Zamboni’s sharp blade shaves a thin layer of the ice’s surface to remove scratches, grooves, and imperfections left behind by skates. The height of the blade can be adjusted by the driver, allowing deeper or shallower cuts.
- Collecting Ice Shavings: As the blade scrapes the ice, the machine picks up the resulting shavings and stores them in a large snow tank. A horizontal auger conveyor collects these ice shavings, or snow, and funnels them to a vertical auger at the center of the conditioner.
- Water Application: What truly sets the Zamboni apart is its ability to lay down a fresh layer of ice. Using a system of nozzles, the machine spreads warm water over the scraped surface. Wash water can be used to further improve the quality of the ice by removing debris and snow from deep skate-blade cuts. Located directly in front of the blade, nozzles forcefully spray water into the ice surface, loosening deep debris. Runners on either side of the conditioner contain the spray, while a rubber squeegee at the rear of the conditioner allows a vacuum nozzle to pick up excess water.
- Squeegeeing and Towel Dragging: To ensure the water is evenly distributed, a squeegee and towel mounted on the back of the machine smooth the surface. Finally, a layer of water is laid down to fill in the remaining grooves in the ice. The ice-making water is released through a sprinkler pipe at the rear of the conditioner, which wets the cloth towel that is dragged behind the resurfacer.
Traditionally, hot water has been used because it slightly melts the layer of ice below it, leading some operators to believe it forms a stronger bond during the freezing process because heating the water releases dissolved gases thus allowing the ice to freeze in a clearer state. It is also sometimes believed that warm water reduces the freezing time of the water due to the unproven Mpemba effect. The water used in some rinks is also filtered and treated before being used in the ice resurfacer to remove any minerals or chemicals in the water.
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. This allows the operator to collect ice shavings and debris that accumulate along the edge of the rink (along the kick plates below the dasher boards of the rink) where the conditioner cannot easily reach. The brush sweeps the accumulations into the path of the conditioner, which removes them from the ice. The use of a board brush can dramatically reduce the need for edging of the rink.
After resurfacing the entire sheet, also known as an "ice cut" or "flood", the snow container must be emptied. Smaller, cheaper machines have also been designed to provide a smooth ice surface in a manner similar to a traditional resurfacer. These can be either self-propelled or pushed/pulled by the operator. Self-propelled vehicles typically incorporate the main components of full-size ice resurfacer, including a blade and water tank, but on a smaller scale.
The Zamboni's Impact on Hockey and Skating
For hockey players, the quality of the ice can make or break their performance. Smooth ice allows for faster skating, better puck control, and cleaner passes. The Zamboni’s role in maintaining the ice is often underappreciated by fans, but for players, it’s the foundation of every game.
Beyond its practical purpose, the Zamboni has become a cherished part of hockey culture. Fans cheer when it rolls out onto the ice, and kids (and adults) marvel at its methodical movements. The Zamboni’s iconic status has even made its way into pop culture. It has been featured in movies, TV shows, and video games. Hockey fans wear it on T-shirts, and some even give it a nickname, as if it were a member of the team.
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For the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, as with any hockey team, the Zamboni is a vital partner in game preparation. The team’s home ice at Mohegan Arena is maintained to the highest standards, ensuring players can deliver their best performances for the fans. The Zamboni may not score goals or make game-saving stops, but its contribution to hockey is undeniable. It ensures that the ice is flawless, ready for players to skate, shoot, and dazzle. More than that, it has captured the hearts of hockey enthusiasts everywhere, becoming a symbol of the sport’s precision and charm.
The Zamboni Name: Trademark and Popularity
The word "Zamboni" is simply Frank’s last name and doesn’t have a meaning beyond that. The Zamboni name is not just a last name; it's a registered trademark owned by the Zamboni Company, founded by Frank J. “Zamboni” is an internationally registered trademark. The company’s official stance is to dissuade the use of “Zamboni” as a generic term for ice resurfacers in order to avoid trademark dilution.
A big breakthrough for Zamboni occurred in 1950, when figure skater Sonja Henie ordered two machines for her traveling tour. Arthur Wirtz, the owner of Chicago Stadium and the man responsible for presenting Henie's tour, reportedly told Frank Zamboni that he was concerned with the novelty of the machine. "People will stay in the stands and watch it and not go down to the concession stands," Wirtz said. Charlie Brown would agree. The Peanutscharacter said a Zamboni clearing the ice is one of the three things in life that people like to stare at, along with a crackling fire and a flowing stream. (Peanuts creator Charles Schulz was born in Minneapolis and included many references to Zambonis in his cartoons.)
The Boston Bruins became the first NHL team to use a Zamboni in 1954 and other teams eventually followed suit. In 1960, Zamboni supplied six ice-resurfacing machines to the Winter Olympics in Squaw Valley, California.
According to a 2009 article in the New York Times, the Schlupps are used to hearing their machines referred to as Zambonis, while the Zamboni family is wary that the familiarity of the name will lead to the company losing its trademark protection.
Other Machines Invented by Zamboni
In the early 1970s, stadiums throughout the country began installing AstroTurf in place of natural grass. While the synthetic surface required minimal upkeep, rain would collect on the surface, rendering it unplayable. The manufacturers of AstroTurf approached Zamboni in hopes that he could design a machine that would alleviate this problem. The result was the Astro Zamboni machine, which removed rain water from AstroTurf and prevented unnecessary rain delays. Zamboni developed two more machines for use on AstroTurf, one that helped roll and unroll the surface and another that removed paint from it.
Zamboni Manufacturing and Competitors
Zamboni has manufactured about 10,000 machines. Today, the company's two factories produce about 200 Zambonis a year. While most of Zamboni's competitors have been flushed away over the years, the Resurfice Corporation in Ontario, which has been operated by the Schlupp family for more than 40 years, continues to produce its Olympia model. The company boasts a handful of NHL clients and provided electric ice resurfacers for the 2010 Winter Olympics, providing national attention that the company would probably like to forget. The electric machines failed to properly clean the ice during the men's 500-meter speedskating event, causing a lengthy delay.
Famous Zamboni Drivers
Al Sobotka, who has driven the Zamboni and cleaned up octopuses at Detroit Red Wings games for more than 30 years, is one of the more famous Zamboni drivers. In 1999, the Zamboni company sponsored a Zamboni Driver of the Year contest to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the machine. Jimmy Macneil, who drove the Zamboni at the arena in Wayne Gretzky's hometown of Brantford, Ontario, won the contest and the right to drive the Zamboni at the All-Star Game in Toronto. "It's a thrill right up there with getting married and having children," said Macneil, who drove Zambonis through the streets of Canada in the four months leading up to the 2002 Winter Olympics to raise money for the Canadian Hockey Association's grass-roots programs.
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Zamboni Accidents and Incidents
Yes, including the one that killed Carla's husband, Eddie LeBec, on the sitcom Cheers. In the sitcom Cheers, the character Eddie LeBec (Jay Thomas) is killed by a Zamboni in the episode "Death Takes a Holiday on Ice" (1989). In 2008, a Calgary man almost lost his leg after it got trapped in a Zamboni as he was stepping down from the machine. It took firefighters half an hour to free the man's leg before he was transported to the hospital in serious but stable condition.
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 dasher boards. Jurisdictions differ over whether operating an ice resurfacer while drunk counts as illegal driving under the influence. Starting in 1980,[12] Charles M. Muir, Allan (June 4, 2015). "Zamboni driver sentenced to jail time for DWI at hockey game".
Zamboni in Pop Culture
On January 16, 2013, in honor of Frank Zamboni's 112th birthday, Google published a Google Doodle dedicated to him. The 2009 video game Plants vs. Zombies features a hidden mini-game called "Zomboni", which features a zombie driving a Zamboni.
On February 22, 2020, David Ayres, the operations manager at the Mattamy Athletic Centre, entered the game as the emergency backup goalie for the NHL's Carolina Hurricanes, leading them to a 6-3 victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs and consequently becoming the first and only emergency backup goaltender (EBUG) to record a win in National Hockey League history.