Bowl Expo has always been a place where manufacturers introduce new ideas, demonstrate equipment, and talk about where bowling is headed.
At Bowl Expo 2026, Funk Bowling took a different approach.
Instead of displaying pinsetter machines on their own, the company paired each machine with a short documentary that told the story behind it. Visitors could see four different pinsetter machine systems in person while watching videos that explored the engineering, history of bowling, and milestones that shaped each one.
The exhibit featured duckpin, ninepin, commercial tenpin, and USBC-certified tenpin string pinsetter machines, giving attendees a chance to see how each system fits into Funk’s broader history of bowling innovation.
Four Pinsetter Machines, Four Different Stories
Every machine on display represented a different chapter in Funk’s development as a bowling manufacturer.
Rather than focusing only on specifications, the accompanying videos explained how each system evolved, why it was developed, and where it fits within today’s bowling industry.
The result felt less like a product display and more like walking through a small museum dedicated to the history of modern string bowling.
The Origins of Funk’s Ninepin Pinsetter Machine
Ninepin bowling is where the Funk story began.
The first documentary follows company founder Karl Funk, who started working with automated pinsetting technology as a young electrician before founding Funk Bowling in 1964. It traces the company’s growth through decades of engineering development, including the acquisitions of Kröll and Spellmann, and shows how those innovations helped establish Funk as Europe’s largest manufacturer of ninepin bowling equipment.
The exhibit connected that history directly to the modern ninepin pinsetter machine displayed on the show floor.
From Skepticism to Commercial Tenpin Success
Another documentary looked back at one of the most significant moments in modern string bowling.
When Funk introduced its commercial tenpin string pinsetter machine at Bowl Expo in 2001, many people questioned whether string pinsetters could ever succeed in American bowling centers.
The video follows that story from early skepticism through the adoption of Funk equipment by the Nebraska Cornhuskers bowling program, the founding of Funk North America, and the broader acceptance of commercial string pinsetter technology across the United States.
Visitors standing in front of the machine could see how an idea that once faced resistance eventually became part of the industry’s future.
The Road to USBC Certification
One section of the exhibit focused on a more recent milestone.
The USBC-certified tenpin documentary explains the extensive testing required before modern string pinsetter machines became approved for sanctioned competition in the United States. From robot testing with E.A.R.L. to live bowling trials and performance analysis, the video highlights the collaboration between manufacturers and the United States Bowling Congress that helped establish today’s certification standards.
For Bowl Expo attendees, it offered valuable context behind a pinsetter machine that represents one of the most significant developments in competitive bowling over the past several years.
Duckpin Bowling’s Next Chapter
The fourth documentary looked at the rapid growth of duckpin bowling.
It follows the evolution of Funk’s duckpin pinsetter machine from compact bowling installations into today’s interactive entertainment venues. Alongside the equipment itself, the video highlights Nexus scoring, on-lane projection, and the rise of duckpin in restaurants, breweries, hotels, family entertainment centers, and other social venues.
The combination of compact equipment and interactive technology has helped duckpin reach locations that would have been difficult to imagine only a few decades ago.
More Than a Product DisplayÂ
The documentary series became one of the most talked-about parts of the Funk booth because it gave visitors more than a technical demonstration.
Each pinsetter machine came with the story behind its development, the people who helped shape it, and the milestones that influenced modern bowling technology. Instead of reading specification sheets, attendees could see how engineering decisions made decades ago continue to influence bowling installations around the world.
Looking Ahead
For more than 130 years, Funk Bowling has continued to build on the engineering foundation established by Karl Funk while expanding into new bowling formats, new markets, and new technologies.
The Bowl Expo 2026 exhibit reflected that history through four very different pinsetter machine systems, each representing a different chapter in the company’s journey.
Together, the machines and documentary videos offered visitors a look at where Funk has been, how its technology has evolved, and where modern bowling continues to go next.
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