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HowItsMade

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{ "things": [ "Goalie Pads", "Lapel Pins", "Cardboard Boxes", "Crystal Wine Glasses" ] }

[ "Today on \"how it's made\"...", "Goalie pads...", "Lapel pins...", "Cardboard boxes...", "And crystal wineglasses.", "In 1896, george merritt of the canadian hockey team winnipeg victorias was the first-ever hockey goaltender to wear pads to protect his legs.", "He and those who followed him used pads from another sport-- cricket.", "Wider pads specifically for ice hockey didn't come about until the 1920s.", "This company spends $40,000 a year on research and development of goalie pads.", "It redesigns its pads every two years to upgrade to the latest materials and construction.", "Each goalie pad has 100 components.", "The factory uses hundreds of metal dies to cut parts to make pads in 15 sizes.", "Workers position the appropriate dies on the material.", "A hydraulic machine applies roughly the weight of four elephants-- forcing the dies through up to four layers at once.", "Here, it's a synthetic, water-repellent material called p.u. leather.", "The machine also cuts various types of foam for structure, protection, and comfort.", "And it creates holes, called eyelets, for laces or buttons.", "Here, the machine cuts soft, low-density foam, which acts as a shock absorber against the force of the puck.", "Workers sew the pads using industrial-strength nylon stitching.", "To protect the p.u. leather, they sew on a layer of foam that's an eighth of an inch thick, and zippers on openings that will be packed with shredded foam for a snug fit.", "They use a half-inch-thick layer of spongy foam to line the player's knee and calf areas for flexibility and comfort.", "The stitching is purely decorative.", "The factory often embroiders the player's name on the goalie pads to identify the gear if it's lost.", "This automated embroidery machine has 12 computer-guided heads.", "They use up to 40 different thread colors.", "Every year, this factory produces up to 3,500 pairs of goalie pads.", "The players wear an array of corporate logos on their pads.", "It's all part of the commercial nature of the game and the industry.", "Now they sew on a zippered pocket, which, when filled with foam, will protect the calf area.", "They use water-resistant fabric to cover the back of the player's leg and line the area with low-density foam to absorb the puck's impact.", "Then they attach flaps, called knee raisers, to protect the knee area.", "Good thing, given that pucks will slam the goalie at a speed of up to 100 miles per hour.", "Next, they sew the front and back parts of the pads together.", "Then they hot-glue a sandwich of harder foam for structural support, soft foam for shock absorbency, and an even softer foam for comfort.", "This padding forms the guts of the pad.", "Using crimpers, workers fasten the pads together temporarily.", "Then they use a 7-inch-long needle with a diamond-shaped tip to sew the layers together.", "The worker threads the layers, uniting them into one piece.", "This process is called lasting.", "Workers now pack the outside of the goalie pad with more rigid foam for structure and softer foam for comfort.", "They use clamps to fasten the boot area together temporarily, while inserting shredded foam-- shredded because it's easier to squeeze in.", "Then, using a specialized sewing machine, they sew the outermost shell of the pad.", "This is considered the toughest part of the assembly, since it joins layers as thick as an inch.", "They use pliers to hold the pieces tightly together during the 45 minutes or so that it takes to sew just one pad.", "After trimming the excess from the ends, workers cover them with a strip of p.u. leather-- a process called capping.", "They attach the strip using 13 overlapping stitches-- a durability feature that gives the goalie pads long life.", "Next, they insert a removable knee guard, which can be adjusted or replaced later on.", "Using a rivet machine, they attach a leather strap to an adjustable nylon buckle.", "It's an important component.", "This is what fastens the pads to the leg.", "And at a price of nearly $1,600 a pair, you, too, can stop those speeding pucks with confidence.", "Lapel pins let you proudly show off where you've been or where you stand, from an event you've attended or your political beliefs to your professional affiliation or your favorite sports team.", "Lapel pins cost pennies to produce, but some are collectors items worth thousands of dollars.", "They may be tiny, but they're out there in huge numbers.", "This one company churns out about 5 million lapel pins a year.", "It all starts with the sketch of the pin design and from that, the master-- a negative made of magnesium, a type of metal.", "They'll make copies of this master to create a production mold.", "But first, using what's called a coping saw, they cut out the front and back pieces of the master.", "Using a dispenser about the size of a sewing needle, they glue the pieces together with epoxy.", "It takes five minutes to dry.", "Then they cast enough copies of the master to fill up a rubber disk.", "After tracing the outlines, a worker uses a surgical knife to meticulously carve out the cavities.", "He softens the rubber with paint thinner, to enable precision cuts.", "Then he places a copy of the master in each cavity.", "Another disk goes on top, then it's into a machine called a vulcanizer for one hour.", "This machine uses heat and pressure to cure the rubber, making it as hard as a car tire.", "It also melds the rubber around each master copy, embedding the detail.", "This will be the production mold for producing this pin design.", "Now, using a surgical knife again for precision, they carve out sprues-- channels that, during the casting process, will direct the flow of molten metal to the cavities.", "They also make smaller curved channels, called runners, to filter out any air or dirt particles.", "It's crucial to position the sprues and runners correctly because this mold produces an entire line of a particular pin.", "Mess up, and they'd have to remake the mold from scratch.", "Next, they insert a half-inch-long brass tack, called a post, into each cavity.", "It'll later fasten to a clasp, attaching the pin to clothing.", "The post goes in now, rather than later, so that it will fuse to the back of the lapel pin during casting.", "Now, to close the mold, they align the buttons on one half with the depressions in the other half.", "The mold then goes into what's called a spin casting machine.", "Using a cast-iron ladle that can withstand the fiery temperature, they pour in molten metal-- either pewter, zinc, or a tin alloy.", "As the machine spins, centrifugal force propels the metal into every nook and cranny of the cavities.", "After a minute of spinning-- 400 rotations-- the mold comes out.", "The metal takes about five minutes to cool and harden.", "The factory re-melts the excess metal for the next batch.", "Next, a brass clasp, called a clutch, goes onto the post.", "Now the lapel pins go for an hour-long wash in soap and water and abrasive stones.", "The stones smooth out any rough edges.", "The pins go into the electroplating tank for a surface coating of metal.", "How many coats and the types of metal vary with the design.", "An electric current draws the metal particles onto the pins, plating them thoroughly.", "These pins first get copper plating, then nickel plating, then gold plating.", "Now it's time to paint the lapel pins.", "Workers follow a numerical guide, like a paint-by-numbers kit.", "They paint each pin individually, using minute quantities of epoxy paint.", "They control the paint syringe with a foot pedal.", "Once the paint dries, a machine called a pad printer gathers up the ink and stamps on the tiny details, the ones too small to paint by hand.", "Pierce the post through fabric, secure it with the clutch, and this lapel pin is now ready to wear.", "Like many inventions, the cardboard box was born by sheer accident.", "In the 1870s, an american printer by the name of robert gair stumbled upon the idea.", "By mistake, he cut a paper seed bag he was creasing with a metal ruler.", "Gair concluded he could create a sturdier container with paperboard.", "Cardboard boxes come in a wide variety of sizes, shapes, and colors.", "But most share three basic structural components-- one wavysheet of paper, called a flute, sandwiched between two flat sheets, called liners.", "Together they form what's called a corrugated board.", "Production starts with a massive roll of partially recycled paper.", "The width of the paper varies, depending on the size of the boxes they're making.", "The roll feeds a machine called a corrugator.", "The machine presses the paper between two ridged rollers and blasts it with hot steam.", "This shapes the waves of the flute.", "Another roller applies glue to one side of the flute.", "The glue's main ingredients are water and starch, which won't contaminate fresh produce the boxes may later contain.", "Next, the machine adheres one liner sheet...", "And then the other.", "The waves create an air cushion between the flute and the liners, strengthening the board.", "For added strength, some boxes have a double lining-- two flutes and three liners.", "The flutes may also vary in thickness for more or less cushioning.", "The factory uses partially recycled paper for the flutes because it's more malleable than non-recycled paper.", "A razor-thin circular saw trims each side.", "The corrugator machine then cuts the board up to nine times, depending on the size of the box they're producing.", "The corrugator's final function is to separate the boards into layers, using flexible aluminum tongs called fingers.", "Workers do a quality-control check before sending the boards off for printing.", "The next machine stacks the boards into piles of between 25 and 80, depending on their thickness.", "This machine also feeds one board at a time to the upcoming equipment.", "It does this at lightning speed-- at a rate of up to 8,000 boards per hour.", "First, a trimmer perforates the boards to create flaps and handles.", "Rubber sponges cushion the blades so that they cut only the parts they're supposed to.", "During the trimming, a press condenses the boxes' overlapping panels to level out their thickness.", "Workers usually cut the sponges by hand to make sure they fit snugly around the blades.", "The trimmer runs at a speed of 5 miles an hour, processing up to 90 boxes per minute.", "Workers send the cutoffs back to the paper mill to be recycled as many as six times over.", "A folding machine now bends them along score lines the corrugator made earlier.", "It then applies cold glue to the sections that'll join together to form the box, hot glue if the cardboard is wax-coated.", "The next machine folds over the glued sections.", "They aren't visible once the box is finished.", "Another machine stacks the boxes in piles.", "A separator arm moves the bundles to trays, called skids, for shipping.", "The printing of the boxes began in the factory's ink kitchen.", "A computer-guided dispenser squirts out different shades of ink, following a precise recipe to create a particular color, one of 5,000 in the palette.", "One pail holds about 45 pounds of printing ink-- enough for 2,000 boxes, depending on the coverage needed.", "The factory uses water-based ink because it dries instantly.", "The printing press applies the ink to the boards, one color group at a time, through four consecutive stations.", "This factory uses a flexographic printing system, a process that can print drawings and illustrations.", "Some companies use a lithographic press, which can also print photographs.", "Back on the trimming line, more complicated types of box flaps and handles require what's called a flatbed trimmer.", "It holds the boards in place with suction while making intricate perforations.", "After removing the trimmed bits, workers give the boxes one last quality check.", "Then they stack them and send them off to the warehouse.", "The main ingredient in glass is silica sand.", "When you heat it along with other chemicals, it turns into a syrupy liquid that you can then mold or blow into a particular shape.", "Add lead oxide and you've got lead crystal.", "It's much softer than regular glass, making it easier to decorate with intricate cut designs, to enhance its brilliance.", "craftsmen start with silica sand, which is a very pure type of sand.", "Then they add nickel oxide to help the silica sand melt, lead oxide, potassium carbonate, potassium nitrate, and antimony, to give the finished crystal its smoothness, heft, and sparkle.", "They compress the mix into pellets.", "They heat the pellets for 18 hours, creating a mass of molten glass that they can call the melt.", "To that, they add cullet-- the term for excess, broken, or rejected crystal.", "Cullet smoothes out the melt.", "A blower now uses a hollow blowing iron made of tempered stainless steel to collect some of the melt.", "He constantly rotates the iron so the melt clings together in what's called a gather.", "The blower rolls the gather on a heat-resistant table.", "This sparks a flame because the table is coated with beeswax to prevent the molten crystal from sticking.", "The blower exhales a slow, steady breath of air to create the base of the piece, called the ball.", "After letting it cool for 90 seconds, he dips the ball back in the furnace to coat it with another layer of molten crystal.", "This fortifies the ball.", "Now he begins shaping the ball, using various wooden tools.", "This one's called a block.", "He uses another tool, a divider, to create grooves so the ball will fit into a mold.", "The blower soaks the wooden tools in water so they won't burn.", "He now inserts the ball into a steel mold, one of 150 this company uses for its collection.", "The craftsmen coat the inside of the mold beforehand with a paste of cork dust, linseed oil, and charcoal dust.", "This prevents the ball from sticking, which would cause flaws in the crystal.", "The blower releases the ball, now called the bowl, using a foot pedal.", "After cooling the bowl for one minute, another craftsman, called a stemmer, adds another gather to create the stem of the wineglass.", "He clips the gather with heat-resistant scissors.", "He uses a wooden divider to shape the stem area and a metal divider to stretch the gather into the shape of the stem.", "The stemmer must be highly skilled.", "There's no mold or pattern to follow.", "He relies entirely on eyesight, intuition, and patience.", "He cools the stem with layers of wet newspaper.", "They absorb heat well and don't leave marks or flaws.", "Next, another craftsman adds more gather to create the foot of the glass.", "He uses a wooden tool, called a pitch, to flatten the foot.", "He also shapes the foot by hand with wet newspaper.", "This metal template ensures it's generally the right dimensions.", "Everything is handmade, so each piece may differ slightly.", "This company makes 20 models of glasses, including different styles for red, white, port, and ice wines.", "The piece then goes into a kiln at 840 degrees fahrenheit.", "At the end of the day, they switch off the kiln to let the glasses gradually cool overnight to room temperature.", "The next day, a craftsman uses an acetylene torch to cut the glass and remove the cap.", "They use an old record turntable to spin the glass around and make the cut.", "For precision, they smooth and bevel the rim with a diamond-coated steel grinder.", "Another craftsman, called a cutter, marks out a grid with a waterproof pen.", "He uses another type of turntable to steady his hand as he draws.", "It's not an exact pattern, just a general guideline to create the design of the piece.", "This design's called the titanic.", "It's based on a light fixture from the ocean liner.", "Water cools, lubricates, and cleans the area during cutting.", "There are two types of cutting-- wedge and flat.", "Wedge cutting creates the deep, intricate cuts.", "Flat cutting creates smoother, less-angled cuts.", "Here, they use the wedge method, which can only be done with diamond-tipped wheels.", "Here, the cutter creates a diamond-shaped grid, called a karo cut.", "Finally, the cutter creates a star-shaped cut spanning the entire foot of the glass.", "Once the decorations are complete, an inspector does a detailed quality check, before etching the company logo." ]

{ "things": [ "Dinnerware", "Air Brake Tanks", "Frosted Cereal", "Fossils" ] }

[ "Restaurant dinnerware brings a lot to the table.", "It's known for rugged good looks, it holds up to heavy use and repeated cleaning in commercial dishwashers, and its design reflects the restaurant's theme and adds presentation value to the food.", "Most people appreciate the effort that goes into a fine meal, but they may not give much thought to what it takes to make the actual plate the food is served up on.", "Making ceramic dinnerware that's restaurant-quality is an intensive process-- one that starts with a master die made of gypsum.", "This worker then makes a production version of the master.", "To do this, he pours gypsum into a wire-mesh frame above the master.", "There's tubing attached to the mesh frame, and he pumps air through it.", "This causes the water in the gypsum to bubble out and evaporate.", "It dries and solidifies into a mirror image of the master-- in this case, a platter shape.", "The tubing inside this production die will be used again later to gently blow off the platter when formed, releasing it from the die.", "Another worker adds the ceramic ingredients to water.", "They including a plasticizer, silica sand, different clays, and minerals like alumina.", "Once the clay mix has been thoroughly blended, they drain it onto a vibrating sieve to screen out large mineral chunks and impurities.", "The clay-based liquid flows through the screen into a holding tank.", "They pump it through this filter press.", "It compresses fabric-covered plastic plates to squeeze out moisture, turning the clay liquid into putty-like slabs.", "With this consistency, it can now be shaped.", "A worker breaks up the slabs and feeds the pieces to a pug mill.", "The mill shapes the clay into a long cylinder, and, in the process, it sucks out air so dinnerware made from it will be less prone to cracking.", "He slices the clay cylinder into small wads, using a wire cutter.", "Each of these clay wads will be shaped into one plate.", "They place each wad onto molds on a revolving platform.", "The mold spins up to a metal tool, which presses the clay into the shape of the plate mold below.", "The tool also forms the back so the plate will sit evenly on a table.", "A nozzle lubricates the metal tool between pressings.", "A cutter at the side trims the rims of the plates as they're formed.", "Unlike the platter die, these molds don't have tubing inside to blow off the plates.", "Instead, the heat from the dryer separates them from the molds.", "Once out of the molds, the plates spin on pedestals past a sponge to smooth the edges.", "To make coffee mugs, the pug mill presses out a narrower cylinder, and a knife at the exit point slices it into precise wads.", "The wads fall into coffee-mug molds, and a tool spins the clay up against the walls of the molds to shape it into mugs.", "A blade at the top trims the excess from the lip of the mug.", "They pass under a long sponge to smooth the rims.", "And now for the handles.", "They make them in two-part molds and dry them under an infrared light.", "The handles must have precisely the same moisture content as the mugs-- around 16%.", "A worker dips the ends of each handle in a clay-and-glue mixture and presses it to the mug.", "The mugs go into a dryer, and the moisture content drops to 4%.", "Next, they douse the mugs with glaze inside and out and bake them in a super-hot kiln.", "This will make the mugs chip-resistant and will strengthen the bond between the handle and the mug.", "They paint the dinnerware by hand, using a ceramic stain.", "The stain will enable it to hold up to repeated rigorous cleanings in restaurant dishwashers.", "For a different look, they apply decals to some dinnerware.", "This artwork has been produced using the same hard-wearing ceramic stain.", "The plates then head into the oven, and the heat fuses the decorative touches to them.", "From a liquid clay mix to tableware you can dine out on.", "The process has taken about 24 hours.", "It should serve you well.", "Air-brake tanks are part of powerful brake systems on tractor trailers and buses.", "When the driver depresses the brake pedal, the tank releases the compressed air to activate the brakes so the big wheels slow down and stop turning.", "The energy used to stop a big rig comes from air.", "It's compressed and stored in the brake tanks so there's always a ready supply.", "They make air-brake tanks from industrial-grade steel that's about as thick as a typical magazine.", "A press forces the steel around a dome form and shears the edges to produce the tank's end caps.", "It also punches a hole in each cap for a fitting.", "The cap's dome shape is critical.", "It will allow it to withstand the air pressure inside the tank.", "The tank caps now ride a conveyor under sprayers that wash away residual oil from the pressing process.", "More steel sheeting feeds into another press.", "It's twice as thick as the steel used to make the end caps.", "This press is punching and forming brackets for attaching the air tank to the trailer undercarriage, so these connecting parts have to be extra-strong.", "It takes six punches to shape the flat sheet of steel into the curved brackets.", "Here's an example of the six formative stages.", "Machinery now flattens and cuts bigger sheets of steel for the tank body.", "Mechanized clamps grip the sheet along the edges and position it under another punch press.", "It perforates the steel where fittings are to be installed.", "It also stamps the company name and other manufacturing information onto it.", "They feed the sheet to a roller that curls it into the cylindrical tank shell.", "The rolling is precise, and the dimensions of the cylinder don't need any adjusting.", "The worker clamps it into a fixture.", "A carriage moves a welding torch overhead to join the ends and create an airtight seal.", "A worker inspects the weld.", "The next worker welds fittings onto the holes punched into the tank shell earlier.", "Two of the fittings are for attaching valves that control the flow of compressed air.", "The third fitting will be used to connect a line for draining water formed during air compression.", "He reinforces the fittings with large collars that help the connections withstand any bumps on the road.", "He places the brackets and end caps in an automatic welder and activates it.", "It fuses the bracket to the cap-- one for each of the air tank's end caps.", "With both bracketed end caps now installed on the cylindrical shell, it's time to seal this air tank.", "The tank turns on a welding lathe as automated welders bond them to the shell.", "The air-tank structure is now basically complete.", "It's time to put it to the test.", "After plugging the open fittings, they pump highly compressed air into the tank-- more than it would usually handle.", "If it can take all the pressure, it's deemed structurally sound.", "They bring the pressure down a bit and check for leaks.", "Bubbles in the water around it would indicate air is seeping out, but in this case, there are only a few ripples from the action of placing it in the water.", "After a cleaning, the airtight tank heads into a powder-coating station.", "Sprayers apply the powdered resin coating to the tanks.", "The particles are positively charged, and the tanks are negatively charged for an instant attraction.", "The black powder clings to the tanks as they now travel through a gas-fired oven.", "The heat melts and bonds the coating to the surface of the air-brake tanks, forming a tough skin that's rust-resistant.", "After the tanks cool, a worker inserts a long, thin paint gun through one of the fittings to spray a rustproof coating on the inside.", "He then inserts plugs into all the fittings to protect the threads from damage until they're ready to make all the necessary connections.", "It's taken about five hours to produce these air-brake tanks, and it's now time to put on the brakes.", "Frosted cereal originated in america in the 1950s, and today, you'll find versions of it on breakfast tables around the world.", "It's one of the first things some people reach for in the morning.", "The sugary coating complements the flavor of the grains.", "It's one way to awaken the taste buds.", "This particular blend of frosted cereal is a combination of wheat flakes, corn flakes, and granola clusters.", "Half the flakes are frosted, and half aren't.", "There's honey, rolled oats, and rice in the granola.", "The mix of the ingredients means there are still a few surprises in the frosted-cereal box.", "To make the corn flakes, they start with corn grits.", "They measure out a specific amount and release it into an industrial version of a pressure cooker.", "The operator locks the lid, and the system pipes water and flavorings directly into the cooker.", "It rotates for an even distribution of heat and an even cooking of the grains.", "After about three hours, the kernels have absorbed moisture and softened.", "As the corn flows out of the cooker, a screw-conveyor system moves it towards a dryer.", "They cook a measured amount of whole-wheat kernels in water and flavorings.", "They only need an hour in the rotating pressure cooker.", "Like the corn, the whole wheat absorbs a significant amount of water during cooking.", "The kernels are about 30% moisture when they exit the cooker.", "They now merge with the corn en route to the dryer.", "The drying time will bring the moisture content down to about 19%, making the kernels the right consistency to be transformed into flakes.", "The grains now flow into a mill.", "The mill has two big, heavy rollers, similar to the kind used to pave roads.", "The kernels fall between these rollers.", "The rollers exert tons of pressure to flatten each individual kernel into a flake.", "In the process, the wheat flakes turn whiter and the corn turn more yellow.", "At this point, the flakes are still quite soft and not really tasty.", "A trip through a long toaster oven will give it that crispy cereal consistency.", "It's a high-temperature toasting and reduces the moisture content to 3%.", "Here, you can see the flakes before toasting...", "And after.", "The toasting not only makes the corn and wheat flakes crispy-- it also enhances the color and flavor.", "A ride on a conveyor cools them down.", "Along the way, they split into two different streams.", "One stream of the mixed flakes travel towards the sugar-coating station.", "The other heads into a flavoring drum.", "The drum revolves to gently toss the cereal as a sprayer applies a granola kind of flavoring.", "The other stream of wheat and corn flakes enters the sugar-coating drum.", "A sprayer disperses a sugar-and-water mixture as the drum tosses the flakes.", "Then they travel through a dryer, and this cures the frosting to the flakes.", "The frosted and the flavored flakes flow onto the same conveyor.", "It bounces the flakes around to blend them together.", "To boost the nutrition content, they add honey-flavored granola.", "The granola clusters flow onto a conveyor.", "They'll merge with the frosted and flavored flakes.", "The feeder pipe showers granola onto the flakes.", "This frosted cereal is now ready for store shelves.", "Machinery dispenses specific amounts into a plastic sleeve, and a mechanism heat-seals and severs it at both ends.", "Mechanical arms then pick up boxes, open them, and deposit them on a conveyor.", "Push rods shove the bags of cereal into the boxes.", "The \"best before\" date and other information have been printed on the outside of the boxes.", "Nozzles apply glue to the ends, and the boxes brush by a side barrier that closes them.", "Producing and packaging this frosted-cereal blend has taken about five hours, and if the breakfast crowd is hungry, it won't last long.", "Its time on the table could be short and sweet.", "A fossil is a remnant of prehistoric life embedded in rock-- either the actual remains of an animal or plant or an impression left by decayed remains.", "Most fossils are hundreds of millions of years old and remind us that humans have been around for a small part of the earth's existence.", "Fossils are made by nature but collected and preserved by man for display in museums, as well as in private collections.", "One of the world's richest fossil deposits is located in the southwestern part of the state of wyoming.", "50 million years ago, the area was a freshwater lake.", "With climate changes, it gradually dried out, leaving wildlife and flora buried under layers of sediment.", "Over time, that sediment hardened into sheets of rock containing fossils of those former life forms.", "To find fossils in what were the shallower edges of the prehistoric lake, they drive thin blades about 4/10 of an inch deep to loosen and separate sheets of rock.", "In this part of the deposit, the fossil is often split between two layers of rock, which is why they call this particular dig area \"the split-fish quarry\".", "They repeat the process, excavating several layers.", "They typically find fossils of smaller herring-type fish, plants, and insects.", "They carefully separate the large rock sheets into smaller pieces so that it's easier to transport their haul from the quarry to the workshop.", "This sedimentary rock is oil shale-- a substitute for conventional crude oil.", "Scratch the surface, and it smells, and it'll burn.", "However, there's not enough actual oil in this deposit to make extraction viable.", "In the company's second quarry, they blow away surface debris to make it easier to spot fossils.", "Recovery is more difficult here because this part of the deposit was the deep center of the prehistoric lake.", "Wildlife was buried under far more sediment.", "It takes a highly trained eye and the low angle of morning sunlight to see the slight shadow which a fossil's ridges cast on the ground.", "After outlining their find, they use a saw with a diamond blade to cut around it.", "They've removed the surrounding rock to be able to slide their thin blades underneath...", "Then gently extract their treasure.", "This is a tricky procedure.", "One wrong move, and the fossil shatters.", "In the workshop, under five-times magnification and using a variety of sharpened tools, they carefully scrape away the surface until the dark color of the fossil shows through.", "To fully reveal a fossil this size takes 30 to 40 hours of tedious and meticulous work.", "As for the rock sheets from the split quarry, they saw the fossils apart, neatly framing each one within a rectangle.", "Layers flake off more easily from split-quarry rock than from the harder rock of the other quarry.", "Once a fossil is completely exposed, they seal and protect the surface with a light coat of spray-on acrylic.", "When exposing a fossil, it's critical to keep sharpening the tools on a diamond file, and, for visibility, to repeatedly clean the work surface with an eraser or brush.", "How many layers of rock have to be scratched off varies.", "A fossil can be sitting right on the surface or be buried a fraction of an inch or so beneath it.", "This freshwater stingray, a rare find, is about as intricate as a fossil gets.", "This fellow took more than a month to prepare.", "The detail of this large palm-leaf fossil is astounding.", "You can actually see insect bites.", "And as this leaf fossilized on the prehistoric lake bed, so did the fish swimming around it, producing an incredible stone snapshot of life 50 million years ago." ]

{ "things": [ "LED Tubes", "Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars", "Robotic Medication Dispensers" ] }

[ "L.e.d. tubes are designed so they can easily replace fluorescent tubes that are inside overhead commercial light fixtures.", "Unlike traditional incandescent and fluorescent lighting, a light-emitting diode produces light through a microchip.", "It lasts twice as long and uses half the electricity.", "These l.e.d. tubes come in a selection of lengths.", "They're designed to be a modern, energy-saving alternative to fluorescent tube light fixtures.", "The manufacturing process begins with a printed circuit board.", "\"printed\" means the board has a network of conductive copper lines and rectangular paths.", "It's designed to electrically link components.", "A technician places the circuit board on a track, which ferries it to the first computer-guided machine on the line.", "The machine covers the board with a metal stencil.", "The stencil has openings matching the locations where the electronic components will be mounted to the board.", "The machine spreads a layer of lead-free tin alloy solder over the stencil.", "This applies solder to the board only where the components go.", "The next computer-guided machine on the line mounts the first of those components, the light emitting diodes, or l.e.d.s.", "They're composed of a microchip coated with a chemical phosphor and come in different sizes, colors, and light outputs.", "The factory programs the machine's chip shooter to pick the required l.e.d.s off supply reels and place them on the solder-coated locations on the circuit board.", "The chip shooter works at an astonishing speed, placing up to 40,000 l.e.d.s per hour.", "A camera trained on the board verifies that every l.e.d.'s position is dead-on.", "The circuit board moves to a third computer-guided machine for the next electronic component, the terminals.", "They receive the electric current to power the l.e.d. light tube.", "The machine picks up one terminal at a time and places it on the circuit board.", "The circuit board moves into the final machine on this line, a tunnel oven.", "The temperature inside peaks at about 460 degrees fahrenheit.", "The heat melts the solder, fusing the components to the board.", "Solder is both adhesive and conductive.", "The bond connects the components to the board's copper electrical network.", "For the high light output tube they're making in this run, each board is comprised of eight strips.", "Each strip has dual rows of l.e.d.s.", "They snap them into 12-inch strips.", "The tube length they're making requires four strips.", "A technician slides one with a terminal and three without into an aluminum track.", "He gives them a visible inspection, then solders the strips to each other.", "Once soldered, the strips are electrically bridged so the terminal on the first one can power all of them.", "The aluminum track is called the heat sink.", "It's critical to the tube's performance.", "It has deep fins on the bottom which dissipate heat, cooling the l.e.d.s.", "This keeps the color of the light consistent and extends the tube's life.", "Once the technician connects the strips, he plugs power into the terminal to test the l.e.d.s.", "Next, he inserts wires into the terminal and locks them in with a compression tool.", "The opposite ends of the wires connect to the power supply in the light fixture.", "The technician snaps a transparent polycarbonate lens into grooves on the side of the heat sink.", "He closes the tube by placing a cap on each end.", "He aligns each cap's pins with slots on the press.", "Then the press is activated, which forces the caps onto the tube, attaching them permanently.", "The end with the terminal has slots enabling the wires to protrude.", "The light tube is finished and ready to be shipped.", "To install this energy-efficient l.e.d. tube, simply click the pins on the end caps into receiving slots in the light fixture.", "Then connect the wires to the power supply and the fixture's wiring.", "Thanks to those cooling fins on the heat sink, this l.e.d. tube will last for 100,000 hours and has a guaranteed 10-year life-span.", "As any sweet tooth can attest, there's no end to the flavors you can pair with chocolate.", "A classic combination is milk chocolate and peanut butter.", "The saltiness of the peanut butter is the perfect foil to the sweetness of milk chocolate.", "This bar features a thick layer of milk chocolate around a sweet, salty and crunchy peanut butter candy center.", "Making that peanut butter candy center is the tricky part.", "To make the candy part of it, the factory combines liquid sugar, corn syrup, coconut oil, and molasses.", "They mix and heat these ingredients for about 8 minutes.", "The cooked candy is poured into a large stainless steel bowl.", "Next, they add leftovers from the previous batch of candy.", "They call these leftovers \"rework\" because they rework them into this new batch.", "Once the rework has mixed with the hot, new candy, they empty the bowl onto a cold stainless steel table.", "They blend the candy until the two merge into a sweet, gooey mess.", "Once the candy has cooled a bit, workers fold it up and carry it over to the pulling station.", "There, they make a pocket in the center and fill it with vanilla extract.", "They start up the pulling machine, which stretches the candy nonstop for about 5 minutes.", "This infuses the candy with air so that its consistency resembles taffy rather than hard candy.", "They transfer the candy to a belt that carries to it to the weaving machine.", "The machine's rollers flatten the candy into a thin sheet.", "Then a pump draws piping hot peanut butter from this tank...", "And deposits it in a generous layer onto the candy sheet.", "Workers roll up the sheet until it reaches a specific diameter.", "At that point, they fold and place it on a sheet without peanut butter, called a blank sheet.", "The next roller presses the folded roll flat onto the blank sheet.", "Workers roll up the blank sheet, sealing the peanut butter candy inside.", "This complex assembly is what forms the flaky layers in the chocolate bar center.", "Workers round the sheet between two rollers and feed it to the rope sizer.", "It stretches the peanut butter candy into a rope that's the exact diameter of the chocolate bar center.", "The next machine makes a pinch mark every 5 inches, or the length of a chocolate bar.", "The linked centers enter a cooling tunnel.", "They exit 5 minutes later rigid.", "The links separate as they drop to the next conveyor belt.", "They pass through a second refrigerated tunnel, which finishes cooling them.", "The centers move into lanes that feed the enrober, a machine that coats the centers with chocolate.", "Workers make sure the centers are single file and properly spaced.", "The enrober is like a confectionery car wash.", "Centers pass through a hot rinse of milk chocolate first.", "Then, an overhead dryer blows off any excess, leaving behind a 3-milliliter layer of chocolate.", "The bars enter a final cooling tunnel to harden the chocolate.", "Workers transfer the finished chocolate peanut butter bars to a conveyor belt for packaging.", "As the bars approach the wrapping machine, the in-feeder arranges them in single file.", "Rolls of printed plastic film unwind into the machine's forming box.", "In the blink of an eye, the machine folds, wraps, and heat-seals the film around each passing bar.", "A revolving knife slices the wrapper between bars.", "Then, it's off to the packaging department, where workers pack them 24 to a box.", "These chocolate peanut butter bars are ready to be devoured by anyone in the mood for a crunchy, sweet, and salty chocolate snack.", "At some pharmacies, robotic systems are lending a helping hand behind the counter.", "These machines can do it all.", "They count pills, dispense them into vials, cap the vials and label them.", "When it comes to handling a heavy workload, these robotic dispensers are just what the doctor ordered.", "Input the prescription data, and this robotic medication dispenser goes to work.", "It counts bottles and labels pills in just 30 to 40 seconds.", "Making a robot starts with a retainer disk for the vial-capping system.", "Computerized tools carve slots for the capping mechanism.", "They measure the slots with an electronic probe.", "Tools sculpt the rough plastic blank, transforming it into a platform for the pill vial during capping.", "The part takes shape in minutes.", "An assembler installs two computers in the dispenser frame.", "One computer interfaces with the robotic system.", "The other operates the drug inventory.", "She installs a rack that holds a power strip above the computers.", "She lowers a battery into place beside the computers and ties it to the framework.", "This battery provides backup power in the event of an outage.", "Next come the controls for the robotic arm.", "She inserts them in the frame and plugs them in.", "Another member of the team assembles plastic brackets to an aluminum manifold.", "These brackets hold plastic cells filled with pills.", "The manifold itself sends dispensing information to the cells.", "It also delivers bursts of air to move the pills through the cells and into prescription vials.", "She secures the brackets to the manifold with screws.", "Then, she attaches a long row of circuit boards to the manifold.", "These circuit boards send data between the cells and the dispensing computer.", "She connects ribbon cable to the computer circuit board.", "This cable will be linked to 18 other manifolds in the dispensing machine.", "They're ready to mount all the manifolds to a large metal frame.", "An employee slides the ends of each manifold into slots in the rack.", "She stacks up the cell manifolds, creating a bank of 18.", "Plastic dividers are attached to the brackets.", "This creates compartments to hold the actual pill cells.", "The dividers strengthen the entire dispensing machine's structure.", "A technician now installs a vertical rail that's equipped with a robotic arm.", "He fits the bottom of the rail into the grooves of a horizontal track and attaches the top of the rail to an upper track.", "He connects one end of a long pole, called a link shaft, to the robot and the other end to the top track.", "This shaft moves the robotic arm horizontally to collect pills in a vial.", "The installer tests the shaft to confirm it moves the arm along the track with no obstructions.", "He programs the robotic arm to move up, down, need around in order to collect pills during dispensing.", "He attaches rubber flaps to the back of all the pill compartments.", "They absorb the sound of the equipment to keep the noise level down.", "He connects tanks full of compressed air to the grid.", "The compressed air will be pumped through the manifolds to move pills through the cells.", "A technician now assembles the exception carousel.", "It captures medications that haven't been perfectly dispensed.", "He inserts the motor assembly in the center cavity and snaps the top into place.", "He screws a metal framework to the assembly and confirms that it revolves freely within the framework.", "He scans the serial number for tracking purposes.", "Stay tuned for more as they prepare this medication dispenser for the workplace.", "A technological revolution is happening behind the pharmacy counter.", "Robotic systems are proving to be fast and accurate pill counters.", "These robotic dispensers bottle and label the medications.", "In a busy pharmacy, these machines are a prescription for change.", "The carousel that captures any prescriptions that are improperly dispensed is now complete.", "A technician mounts it to the center of the machine.", "He attaches touch screen controls above the carousel.", "It's time to assemble the labeling system for the pill vials.", "The first component is the device that spins the vials as the labels are applied.", "She wires it to a motor, then places it in the housing.", "She connects a sensor that will detect the presence of a vial.", "She attaches the printer to a computer circuit board, then tucks the printer into the housing.", "It's time for a test.", "She loads a vial.", "Then, the labeler takes it for a spin.", "The system unwinds paper and prints the prescribing information.", "Little arms wrap the sticky label around the spinning vial.", "She inspects the label for accuracy and clarity.", "If it meets standards, they install the labeler in the medication dispenser.", "It's attached to the bottom of the robot's frame.", "The technician mounts two vial storage units above the labeler.", "One is for smaller vials, and the other is for larger ones.", "Mechanical levers inside each unit hold vials until they're ready for labeling.", "Vials travel down these plastic chutes to the printer.", "Beside the vial storage and delivery system, he installs the capper that twists the tops onto the vials.", "Next up are drop-off bins for the completed prescriptions.", "Another technician encases the control screen and carousel below it with plastic framing.", "He fits an emergency stop button to the switch above the control screen.", "To protect the sensitive electronics, they attach plastic cabinetry to the front.", "A technician now calibrates the cells that hold the pills.", "He connects them one at a time to a computer, which communicates with the cell network.", "He programs the number of pills to be counted and the amount of air pressure needed to move them through the throat of the cell.", "After a pill cell is programmed, a technician places the cell in its slot at the back of the dispenser.", "There are up to 228 uniquely programmed cells.", "They'll hold the pharmacy's most commonly dispensed medications.", "He now scans the bar codes on each cell to log the pill inventory.", "The bar code is the serial number for the cell.", "This robotic medication dispenser is ready to be put to the test.", "He loads pill vials into the storage compartments at the front.", "Caps are deposited in the compartment beside the vials.", "Then, he stocks some of the cells with pills.", "For the purpose of this test, the pills are plastic copies.", "Sensors in the cells count the pills that are loaded.", "The technician inputs the test prescription.", "A vial drops, and the printer labels it.", "The robotic arm takes the vial to the correct cell.", "The robotic arm rotates and slides sideways, delivering the vial to the capping operation.", "A second robotic arm then presses and twists the cap onto the vial.", "The prescription is now filled.", "From labeling to dispensing to capping, the process has taken mere seconds.", "In the pharmacy, this robotic medication dispenser should prove to be indispensable." ]

{ "things": [ "Individual Transporters", "Canoes", "Electric Guitars" ] }

[ "Today on \"how it's made\"...", "Individual transporters...", "Cedar canoes...", "And electric guitars.", "It's the world's first self-balancing, electrically powered personal transportation device.", "Built-in sensors and an onboard computer keep this $6,000 vehicle upright as it zooms around, up to three times faster than walking speed.", "Perfect for large warehouses, delivery routes, or anyone who just wants a lift.", "Tough, lightweight construction materials enable the transporter to safely take you almost anywhere you'd otherwise walk or run.", "This aluminum chassis will house the vehicle's electronics.", "It can withstand an impact force equivalent to the weight of three large cars.", "Using a press, a worker attaches couplings to two motors.", "These couplings will connect the motors to gearboxes later on.", "For safety reasons, many of the transporter's components are doubled.", "Normally, they'll share tasks equally, but any of the twin parts can do all the work if the other fails.", "It's what the industry calls redundancy.", "Using three screws on each side, she installs the motors into the chassis.", "The worker then installs two controller boards in the top side of the chassis.", "Microprocessors in these boards control the motors.", "Then she adds what's called the balance-sensor assembly.", "This includes five gyroscopes and two components called fluid-tilt sensors.", "These instruments gauge the vehicle's position relative to the ground.", "The controller boards check these instruments 100 times per second and adjust the vehicle by rolling the wheels forward or backward when the rider leans either way.", "Next come wire clusters called harnesses.", "They connect the vehicle's batteries to the control shaft.", "The chassis cover doubles as a floor plate for the rider to stand on.", "When you step on, your weight pushes four rubber buttons.", "These disrupt an optical beam on the controller board, telling the transporter it has a rider.", "The harnesses fit through holes in the cover, which attaches with eight screws.", "Next, she connects the harnesses to a power converter in the base of the control shaft.", "The power converter uses household electricity to recharge the batteries.", "Inside the gearbox, four gears transfer power from the motor and turn the wheels.", "The gears' teeth are cut on an angle so they engage gradually and more smoothly.", "This keeps the vehicle's noise to a relatively low hum.", "The worker tightly secures the gearboxes to the chassis with a mallet.", "Then she opens a waterproof rubber seal and plugs in the machine's power cord.", "She tests the electrical system to ensure that it's grounded and that there's no short circuit.", "Next, she uses five screws to attach one of two plastic fenders.", "A tapered metal hub connects each wheel to its gearbox.", "The wheels are about the height of a small bicycle tire but three times wider.", "A molded rubber and metal mat covers the floor plate and snaps into place on both fenders.", "After flipping the chassis, a worker connects two batteries to the controller boards.", "When you plug the batteries into a wall socket, they recharge in about eight hours.", "The transporter runs as far as 23 miles on a single charge, depending on the terrain.", "This machine tests the rider-detect buttons by applying pressure in a random pattern.", "The rider and cargo must weigh at least 99 pounds but no more than 260 pounds.", "The machine also tests the wheels and motors.", "Next, the handlebar on the control shaft.", "To steer, you turn the handgrip left or right.", "The motor responds by spinning one wheel faster than the other.", "You could also spin the wheels on opposite directions to make the vehicle pivot.", "Ignition keys with computer chips in them restrict traveling speeds to either 5 1/2, 10, or 12 1/2 miles per hour.", "The keys also instruct the vehicle to make slow, medium, or sharp turns.", "Now the fun part-- taking each transporter for a test-drive.", "The tester listens for unusual sounds and checks for vibrations coming from the gearboxes.", "He feels how quickly and reliably the controls respond.", "He runs the transporter up small inclines.", "It's designed to conquer slopes of up to 20 degrees, depending on traction with the ground and the weight on board.", "It goes down over a sidewalk curb just as easily.", "Only after this thorough test-drive is the transporter ready for its first real trip.", "Canoes are truly vessels of history, dating back as far as 10,000 years.", "Native north americans made them with frames of wooden ribs covered with bark.", "They used these boats to fish, travel, and trade.", "Today's canoes blend traditional construction with some high-tech materials for even greater durability.", "Most of this boat's made of white cedar, which is lightweight and weatherproof.", "But for reinforcement, the rim and leading edges are made of ash, a heavier wood.", "Construction starts with an upside-down template of the canoe that's 15 1/2 feet long.", "A worker clamps two long strips of ash, called gunwales, to create the canoe's inner rim, then adds similar strips curbing along the two extremities.", "He'll attach the rest of the skeleton to this rim.", "Workers soften what will be the boat's cedar ribs in nearly boiling water for 45 minutes.", "The ribs are 2 inches wide and almost a half-inch thick.", "The hot water makes them relatively pliable.", "Using a hammer for leverage, they simply bend the ribs over the template.", "Steel guiding strips ensure the ribs are 1 3/4 of an inch apart.", "With a pneumatic staple gun, workers fire two stainless-steel staples through each end of the ribs and into the gunwales.", "Cement blocks weigh down some of the 43 ribs that workers secure over the entire canoe.", "At this point, the ribs measure between 3 and 5 feet long, depending on the area they're covering.", "The workers will later trim the ends to align them.", "Next, workers mark the center line along the bottom of the boat with a chalk line.", "This is where they'll put the first cedar plank to create the skin of the boat.", "They lay 18 rows of planks on the boat and use a box cutter to shape the ends into a curve.", "They secure the planks with brass tacks.", "Brass because it's rust-resistant and its color blends well with the blond wood.", "Since the planks are straight-angled, this process leaves some wedge-like spaces they'll cover separately.", "They cut thin wedges of wood to cover the remaining spaces.", "It takes 8 hours and 2,500 tacks to fit all the planks on the boat.", "In total, it takes one person 30 hours to make one canoe.", "Using a circular saw, a worker trims the excess from the ends of the ribs.", "Then two workers lift the boat off the template, flip it right-side up, and set it down to rest on two sawhorses.", "Here, a worker feels inside the boat for any protruding tacks.", "He uses a hammer and metal block to flatten them.", "Most were deflected earlier when they hit the metal guide strips on the template.", "A worker tightens a nylon string between the gunwales, bringing the boats extremities together in points.", "He joins the tips of the gunwales with a screw at both ends of the boat.", "Then he installs triangular pieces of mahogany.", "This hardwood stands out visually when stained and also reinforces the ends of the boat.", "Workers then trim and close off the ends.", "Next, they attach two more gunwales with 44 screws to create the outer rim of the boat.", "To protect the wood and make its surface watertight, workers cover the bottom of the canoe with fiberglass cloth.", "Then they seal it with three coats of clear epoxy resin, which will need up to two hours of drying time between coats.", "Workers reinforce the front and back of the boat with more fiberglass and more resin.", "They do this because these areas will hit rocks in the shore more often than other parts.", "A worker fills holes he drilled through the bottom of the boat with silicone.", "This helps attach the keel, the spine of the boat, as well as two long brass components on top of the keel.", "Workers complete this step by flipping the canoe and attaching 37 screws through the silicone and into the keel.", "After thawing frozen strips of rawhide leather in water, a worker cuts holes in them.", "These holes enable her to weave the strips together to cover the canoe's two ash-wood seats.", "It takes her about an hour to weave the required 65 feet of rawhide.", "The pattern is similar to what you see on traditional snowshoes.", "It takes two days for the leather strips to dry out and tighten.", "Workers then protect and strengthen them with marine varnish.", "Then they install the seats inside the boat with four brass bolts.", "Next comes the yoke, a bar running across the width of the boat.", "It's designed to fit on your shoulders when you carry the boat upside down.", "The other bar is for securing gear safely while you're out paddling on the water.", "Bon voyage.", "The electric guitar dates back to the 1920s.", "The original idea was to amplify the sound of the acoustic guitar.", "The first commercially successful model came out in 1932.", "By the 1950s, though, the instrument underwent a radical change, its body evolving from the traditional hollow shape to a thin, solid block of wood.", "Guitar bodies are usually made of mahogany, poplar, or certain maple species-- lightweight woods that are flexible enough to produce the right balance of treble, midrange, and bass vibrations.", "Workers first saw a plank of wood into specific widths.", "They plane the pieces to a specific thickness, usually in the range of 2 to 4 inches.", "Then they mark them with the same number so they'll end up in the same guitar.", "Mixing pieces from different planks would combine different wood densities and make the body vibrate unevenly.", "Damp wood tends to warp, so the pieces have to go into a heated room until their moisture content drops to less than 6%.", "This takes about two months.", "Once the wood dries out, workers glue and clamp the pieces together, setting them in a vise for three hours until the glue dries.", "The water-based glue re-wets part of the wood, so the block has to go back into the drying room for another two months.", "When it comes out, it goes onto a holding device.", "Then a computer-guided cutting machine uses eight different heads, one after another, to gradually carve the body shape.", "This is a semi-acoustic model, so the body has some hollowed-out areas.", "After a fine sanding to smooth the surface, they trim the contour at a 45-degree angle using a small stainless-steel blade.", "Then they sand again.", "By this point, they've also inserted round metal fixtures to hold the bolts that will attach the body and neck.", "To construct the neck, they slice a piece of mahogany or hard-rock maple in two using a diamond-edged saw for a perfect cut.", "Then they glue a .", "05-inch-thick sheet of maple veneer onto one piece.", "This will be the front surface of the neck.", "Now they flip the piece over and glue it to the other one.", "Flipping inverts the wood grain.", "This strengthens the neck, enabling it to withstand the tension of the guitar strings.", "The maple veneer hides and reinforces the joint.", "They clamp the components in a vise for three hours until the glue sets.", "A computer-guided cutting machine contours the neck shape and cuts a groove down the middle for a steel bar called the truss rod.", "When the neck bows from tension created by heavy-gauge strings, you straighten it by adjusting the protruding end of the truss rod.", "Next, the fingerboard-- the surface against which you press the strings to produce different notes and chords.", "It's made of maple, ebony, or rosewood.", "After gluing the fingerboard over the truss rod, they place the neck into a vacuum press.", "The press sucks out all the air, compressing the components into one solid unit.", "Once the glue dries, the neck goes onto a computer-guided carving machine.", "Its 12 different cutting heads finalize the shape.", "Next, a 22-blade saw simultaneously cuts very precise slots for 22 fret wires, the metal lines on the fingerboard.", "A worker rounds off and smoothes the back of the neck against a belt sander...", "Then installs the fret wires.", "The wires are made of nickel and lead.", "They have teeth on the bottom that grab the wood.", "That's why it's essential that the slots be a very precise width and depth.", "Finally, they run the sides of the neck against the sanding belt.", "This trims off the excess fret wire and rounds off the edges of the fingerboard.", "Back to the body now.", "A worker puts it in a silk-screen printer to apply the company name.", "The ink dries in just seconds under ultraviolet light.", "After applying a sealant to block the wood's pores, they spray on up to 22 coats of wood stain and lacquer.", "This protects the wood and gives it a semi- or high-gloss finish.", "Now onto the mechanics.", "An electric guitar works like this.", "A magnet-and-coil assembly called a pickup works like a mini-microphone.", "It picks up the sound vibrations of the strings and sends them to an amplifier which sends them to a speaker which emits that trademark electric-guitar sound.", "Before installing the electronic components, though, a few final steps.", "After a 6-week curing period, they wet-sand the painted and lacquered wood, then buff until the surface is so glossy it produces a mirror finish.", "Then they polish it with wax.", "If the frets aren't level, the guitar will buzz, so workers color the top of each fret with a marker, then run a sheet of fine sandpaper down the fingerboard.", "The ink rubs off on any frets that are higher than the rest and have to be filed down.", "The filings flatten the fret's edges, so workers round them off using a special curved file.", "Then, with very fine sandpaper, they buff away the filing marks.", "They clean the fingerboard with mineral oil.", "This also nourishes the rosewood so it won't dry out and crack.", "Now they turn an allen key in the truss rod to straighten out the neck.", "This gauge measures the curve.", "When the needle hits zero, the neck is perfectly straight.", "Now the six tuning keys-- one for each string.", "Depending on the model, these steel keys are plated with either gold or nickel or painted black.", "You turn the black acrylic peg to tighten or loosen the string for tuning.", "Workers use a digital gauge to measure the height of the nut-- a thin piece of either bone or very hard plastic with six slots to space the strings.", "If it isn't in precisely the right position, tuning will be off and the strings will buzz.", "Now the neck is ready to join the body, courtesy of four bolts driven from the back of the instrument.", "They fit into those round metal fixtures we saw in the previous segment.", "And now the electronic components.", "Workers begin by soldering control knobs for the volume and tone to the pickup selector switch-- the switch that activates any of the pickups-- sets of magnets with wire coiled around them.", "Like miniature microphones, they pick up the sound vibrations entering their magnetic field, transform them into electronic signals, which then go out to the amplifier and speaker.", "One pickup will be just above the bridge-- a brass piece that anchors the other end of the strings.", "The pickup has one magnet and wire coil for each string.", "Standard electric guitars don't have a pickup at the bridge, but this model has one to enable the instrument to also sound like an acoustic guitar.", "You can even use the electric and acoustic sounds together.", "Workers drill holes in the body for installing the bridge, using a template as a guide.", "They attach the bridge with screws...", "Then install the bridge pickup just above it and the body and neck pickups above that.", "Then they flip it over and hook up what's called the tremolo, a lever-activated set of steel springs that temporarily loosen the guitar strings.", "The musician uses the tremolo on select notes and chords to create a quivering effect-- that distinctive electric-guitar sound.", "The volume and tone knobs come next, tucked into a cavity in the back, then secured to the front with a nut.", "Now the pickup selector switch.", "It also comes through the back to the front of the instrument.", "Then they add the last electronic component-- a jack for the cable going to the amplifier.", "They plug in the cable, and flicking the selector switch, do a tap test on each pick up.", "Now it's time to string the guitar.", "They pull the steel strings from the back through the bridge in the front, then wind them onto the tuning keys using a drill with a special adaptor.", "Then it's into a soundproof booth to tune the guitar with the help of a digital tuner.", "And then it's played for the first time." ]

{ "things": [ "Tea", "Roof Finials", "Artificial Flowers", "Alloy Wheels" ] }

[ "After water, tea is the most consumed beverage in the world.", "The different types are determined by the degree to which the producer lets the harvested leaves oxidize before drying them.", "Green tea, for example, is barely fermented, whereas black tea is greatly fermented.", "Oolong falls somewhere in between.", "In chinese, oolong means \"black dragon\".", "It's a semi-oxidized tea fermented more than green tea, yet less than black tea.", "Its taste, aroma, and color, from light yellow to dark red, vary according to how the tea leaves are processed.", "This amber oolong produced in thailand has a rich, smooth roasted taste.", "Like most teas, oolong is made from the leaves of a flowering plant species called camellia sinensis.", "Harvest time is during the plant's peak growing season, which, in thailand, is from may to november.", "Workers handpick what's known as the flush, a grouping of two young leaves and a bud, which grows out the top of the plant.", "At this time of year, the plant produces a new flush every 7 to 15 days.", "An experienced tea master directs every phase of the processing, the first step of which is called solar withering.", "Workers bring the leaves into a glass-roofed building, then spread them out in the sun for 15 to 20 minutes.", "This kick-starts the oxidization fermentation process as the chlorophyll enzymes inside the wilting leaves start breaking down.", "At the same time, the moisture inside begins evaporating.", "Workers keep moving the leaves around to ensure a thorough exposure to the sun.", "Then they gather up the leaves for step two-- indoor withering.", "The leaves lie on bamboo trays for six to eight hours, where, gently stirred every two hours, they oxidize further.", "Step three-- disruption.", "The leaves go into a rotating drum.", "As they tumble, they bruise and tear.", "This breaks down the cell structures, enabling oxygen to penetrate deep inside, greatly accelerating fermentation.", "This also releases the leaf juices, which help draw out the taste of the tea.", "When the tea master determines the leaves have sufficiently oxidized, they stop the oxidation process by tumbling the leaves in a gas-heated dryer for 10 to 15 minutes.", "This fourth step of the process is called fixation because it fixes the oxidization at the desired level, which can be anywhere from 8% to 85%, depending on the variety of oolong in production.", "This is the most critical part of the process because it determines the tea's taste, aroma, and color.", "The next step forms the tea leaves into tiny pellets.", "First, workers shake the leaves on a sieve to filter out the dust-like particles.", "Then they bag the leaves in a cotton cloth and place them first in a kneading machine, then afterward in a rolling press.", "Kneading and rolling the bag twists the leaves inside into tiny pellets.", "Forming these pellet shapes intensifies the flavor of the tea, and, when the tea is steeped in hot water, releases that flavor slowly.", "They repeat the sieving, kneading, and rolling cycle up to 35 times until the tea master is satisfied with the result.", "Then and only then does the final step begin-- firing.", "They transfer the tea to an oven, in which it undergoes three drying cycles of 20 minutes each at a temperature of approximately 210 degrees fahrenheit.", "This dries the damp tea, reducing the moisture content to the target level of less than 5%.", "The firing also brings out the fragrance.", "The traditional way to brew oolong is in a clay teapot, using about 2 teaspoons of tea per cup.", "Ideally, the water should be 190 to 210 degrees fahrenheit.", "Steeping time is from 3 to 10 minutes, and you can brew the same leaves up to five times.", "Originally crafted from stone by the greeks, finials are still on top.", "Perched on peaks and gables, these roof ornaments are a crowning touch to any structure.", "They can make even an ordinary home look a little more grand, and after all, every home is someone's castle.", "On many structures, finials still rule the roof and give people a reason to look up.", "The design of these roof ornaments usually reflects the style of the building and the owner's taste.", "They're often custom made for the client and entirely hand crafted.", "To make a copper finial, the artisan first draws the design on paper.", "Like many finials, this one will have a point, a central orb, and skirting.", "Once the design has been approved by the client, he draws larger versions of it onto poster board.", "They'll serve as templates for the copper parts.", "Here, he draws the patterns for the elaborate scroll work.", "To execute the design, he gets creative.", "He uses copper refrigerator tubing to make the scrollwork.", "It's malleable and can easily be shaped.", "He positions a pipe cutter device at the cut line.", "The device grips the tubing, but can still be turned to cut the pipe cleanly at the desired location.", "He flattens one end with a sledgehammer so it can be tucked into a groove in this large pvc plumbing pipe.", "With the end secured, he physically bends the copper tubing around this pipe to give it the desired curvature.", "He compares the curvature to that of the pattern and makes adjustments.", "He continues shaping the pipe, now using only the scrollwork pattern as a guide.", "He'll make several of these copper scrollwork parts for one roof ornament.", "With an etching tool, he now traces the shape of the skirting pattern onto copper roof sheeting.", "He cuts reference points for the bends and removes the pattern.", "He then extends the bend lines with the etching tool.", "He now cuts out the skirting part with standard hand shears following the etched outline.", "One last trim along the edge, and the skirting is ready for the sheet metal bending machine.", "He clamps it into place and pulls a handle to apply hydraulic pressure and bend the part along the etched lines.", "He repositions the skirting and bends it at the next etched marking point.", "He continues until there are six evenly spaced folds in the copper.", "This transforms it into a hexagonal pyramid.", "To seal it where the ends meet, he prepares the surface.", "He applies an acid called flux to clean the copper.", "He ignites the torch and melts solder into the seam.", "The solder is half-lead and half-tin and provides a good seal.", "He sands the soldered seam against a fine, abrasive belt to blend it with the copper.", "The finial skirting is now complete.", "He now drills holes into a hollow copper orb.", "He slides the orb onto a long copper spike that's been installed in the base.", "He cleans the copper where the two parts meet and solders them together.", "He adds a second smaller orb and the extravagant scrollwork.", "He now solders the spiked cap to the finial.", "This adds height and drama to the rooftop ornament.", "This finial is now complete and ready for high places.", "Making one has truly been a pinnacle achievement.", "Artificial flowers have been used as decorations for hundreds of years.", "Initially, silk flowers made in china were displayed in homes and not commercially sold.", "As far back as the 12th century, italian flower makers using dye-colored silkworm cocoons were the first to sell their floral arrangements.", "Modern imitations of natural flowering plants are endless in variety, stunning in color, with realism so impressive, they can look and feel like the real thing.", "Since the '70s, most are made of polyester fabrics.", "A worker places an iron cutter blade on top of non-woven polyester and then applies several tons of hydraulic pressure to complete the cuts.", "The result is 20 layers of flower petals.", "The worker wraps piles of 100 petals in elastic bands and sets them aside.", "Another worker places petals into a heated mold to give the fabric texture.", "Using a glue gun, a worker completes the flower's petal structure by assembling two different shapes of non-woven polyester petals.", "This is part of the flower head.", "In the coloring department, a worker paints the pieces of non-woven polyester using watercolor.", "She paints the edges of the flower heads in bundles of 100 at a time.", "The painted flower heads go into a microwave for two to five minutes.", "The dried flower heads now undergo silk screening one at a time using acrylic paint.", "Customers can choose among more than 50 different color patterns.", "The flower heads have been pressed to simulate natural curving.", "Using a glue gun, a worker connects the flower head to the petals of this phalaenopsis orchid.", "The goal is not only to make the flowers look as real as possible.", "It's also to make them feel as real as possible, which takes us to the next stage.", "An employee puts two flowers together...", "Lines them up, then adds a stick, which will be held in the next part of the process.", "She encircles them tightly with an elastic band.", "Another worker dips the two flowers in polymer, which helps make them feel real to the touch.", "She spins the flowers to remove as much excess polymer as possible.", "Workers then brush excess polymer from the petals.", "A worker attaches flower buds to the stem using green floral tape.", "She attaches the petals and flower head and continues to wrap the stem in floral tape until the entire length is covered.", "To make the leaves feel real to the touch, a worker dips them in polymer and wipes off any excess with her fingers.", "After one hour of drying, the worker dips the same leaves in green polymer.", "Again, she removes any excess and sets the leaves aside for another hour of drying.", "Once they're dry, another worker gives the leaves a final coat of polymer paint.", "She removes the excess and sets the leaves aside for yet another hour of drying.", "All the drying is done at room temperature.", "Now coated with several layers of polymer, the leaves stick to each other.", "To fix that, a worker applies a thin coating of talcum powder with a sponge.", "The coating solves the problem of sticky leaves.", "With its many components fully assembled, this finished flower is a rather dazzling recreation of the cymbidium orchid.", "Shipping these flowers requires careful packaging.", "They wrap the glass vase in clear plastic...", "And place it securely inside a polystyrene base.", "The flower is lowered into the box upside down.", "The base is snug enough to keep the flower from moving inside the box, which the worker then seals shut for shipping.", "Authentic looking and feeling, these striking flowers are sure to make any decor blossom.", "Higher-end cars typically come with alloy wheels rather than basic steel wheels covered with a hubcap.", "Called mag wheels, because when they first came out, they were made of an alloy of magnesium.", "Today's alloy wheels are made of an aluminum alloy, which is far more durable.", "Aluminum alloy wheels are not only more attractive than standard wheels.", "They're also a fraction of the weight, and therefore require less energy to rotate.", "This contributes to greater fuel efficiency as well as better handling, acceleration, and braking.", "Manufacturing them begins with high-grade aluminum alloy containing 97% aluminum.", "A furnace heats the ingots to over 1,300 degrees fahrenheit.", "They liquify in about 25 minutes.", "The molten aluminum then flows directly to a mixer in which they inject argon gas, which enables them to remove the hydrogen.", "This increases the density, making the aluminum less porous when solidified.", "After adding powdered titanium, magnesium, and other metallic elements to further strengthen the aluminum, they blend in flux, a chemical which draws aluminum oxide to the surface.", "They skim off this impurity along with the flux, and the liquid aluminum is ready for casting.", "The wheel mold is made of high-strength steel.", "It's actually a set of three molds-- the upper mold, which forms the inside face of the wheel, the 4-part side mold, which forms the wheel's edge, and the lower mold, which forms the outer face.", "That's the side with the design, so this is the most intricate mold.", "It takes three to four weeks to produce a mold.", "Computer simulations check the flow and temperature of the liquid aluminum, factors critical for preventing casting defects.", "The casting machine is designed to fill the mold from the bottom by pressurized injection.", "Injecting upward through the bottom, rather than pouring downward into the top, reduces the risk of air bubbles, which cause defects.", "Right before casting, the molten metal flows through a filter sheet made of high-temperature-resistant ceramic.", "This traps additional aluminum oxide.", "Once cast, the aluminum takes about 7 to 10 minutes to solidify.", "Then the mold automatically opens, releasing the newly cast wheel.", "Workers submerge it in lukewarm water for a few minutes.", "This cools it down enough to be handled.", "The wheel undergoes a complex heat treatment process that takes 12 hours from start to finish.", "First, they heat the wheel to 900 degrees fahrenheit.", "This rearranges the molecular structure, strengthening the metal.", "Next, what's known as quenching.", "They submerge the wheel in 80-degree water for 30 seconds.", "This locks in that new strength.", "Then they reheat the wheel, this time to 180 degrees for nine hours to further stabilize the metal.", "The wheel doesn't come out of the mold in perfect condition.", "The edges are rough, due to some excess metal that has to be trimmed off.", "So they mount the wheel on a computer-guided lathe.", "It precision-machines the sides, refining them to within 0.05 millimeters of the measurements specified in the technical drawings.", "As for the more intricate base of the wheel, a worker manually trims the edges with a blade.", "The shape now finalized, it's time to test the wheel to make sure it's airtight.", "While pumping air into the wheel, they submerge it in water.", "Should any air bubbles appear, it would mean there's a pinhole in the metal or some shrinkage, in which case, the wheel would fail inspection.", "No air bubbles.", "The wheel proceeds to the automated painting line.", "First, a base coat, then a coat of color, which can be anything from classic silver or black to a flashier shade.", "Then a clear coat to protect the paint and prevent corrosion.", "From every 1,500 or so wheels, the factory randomly selects two or three to test for performance and wear.", "Workers install the decorative cap that covers the center hub.", "It typically bears the specific brand's logo.", "Then a final cosmetic inspection to make sure these aluminum alloy wheels look as good as they perform." ]

{ "things": [ "Fiberglass Insulation", "Wooden Ducks", "Gumball Machines", "Exhaust Systems" ] }

[ "Today on \"how it's made\"...", "Chains...", "Bagels...", "And vinyl records.", "Chains are as indispensable today as they were thousands of years ago.", "Ancient historians refer to the use of metal chains for jewelry, shackles, and construction.", "Today, chains are used for those very same purposes and many more.", "Chains are used to tie things down, hold things together, and pull things along, and their many sizes reflect the varied uses.", "To make a chain, a turning drum uncoils this wire rod and pulls it through a steel guide ring to a steel draw box.", "Grease inside the box lubricates the wire.", "On its way out of the box, the wire goes through a die, such as the one being demonstrated here.", "The die has a smaller diameter than the wire, and as the turning drum pulls it through, the wire narrows, hardens, and becomes stronger.", "Now electrically driven tools move in from all sides.", "This is a forming machine.", "A tool called a jaw propels the wire forward, while another jaw pushes on the wire, bending it around a steel pin.", "It forms a \"c\" shape.", "Another forming tool closes the \"c,\" completing one link in the chain, and then another jaw makes the next link.", "This machine is making jack chain, which is usually used to hang lights.", "Another forming machine makes a chain that can haul a heavier load.", "A grip pulls the wire onto rollers that straighten it out.", "Steel cutters now make notches on both sides of the wire.", "These notches mark the place where the wire is to be sliced into link-sized pieces.", "A mechanized knife makes the final cut at the notches.", "Next, roller arms loop a cut piece of wire around a steel finger.", "The roller arms make it look easy, but they're actually exerting tons of pressure in order to shape this wire.", "After the rollers form the link, a pliers-like tool grabs it and turns it around.", "This positions the completed link so that it can connect with the next link as it's shaped.", "As each link is added, the chain drops into a pile below the machine.", "There are dozens of forming machines in most chain factories.", "Each machine makes 50 to 60 links per minute.", "That's about 250 feet of chain per machine hour.", "To put that into perspective, one machine could make a chain as long as the empire state building is high in just under six hours.", "After the chain is formed, it will need to be strengthened.", "So it's on to the welding machine.", "Hammers to the left and right push the link in, then two copper blocks move in from the sides.", "They act as electrodes and zap both sides of the link with an electrical current.", "The current ripples through the gap in the link, while the hammers push it in.", "The link reaches a scorching 1,700 degrees fahrenheit.", "The wire melts and the link fuses together.", "Now a pulley system drops the freshly welded chain into a heat-treating coil.", "An electrical current runs through the copper coil, heating the chain inside until it's orange-hot-- 1,724 degrees fahrenheit.", "The pulleys lower the chain into a tub of water to cool.", "The extreme temperature change alters the molecular structure of the steel, making it much harder.", "But the experience leaves the chain a bit brittle.", "So it goes into a second heat coil that's not as hot as the first one and then into another cool bath.", "This takes away the brittleness and gives the steel a bit of stretch.", "Now the ultimate strength test-- this is the chain calibrator.", "Pulleys run the chain into a groove that's been cut into a block of steel.", "A clamp on the left holds it in place, while the hydraulically powered block of steel pulls the chain to the right.", "Will it break or will it hold?", "And can it handle the load?", "After all, the chain is only as strong as the weakest link.", "The first bagels were created in eastern europe during the 1600s.", "Exactly why is debatable, but one account is that they were a tribute to the king of poland.", "The king was a military hero and a great horseman, so a baker shaped the dough to resemble a stirrup.", "The austrian word for \"stirrup\" sounds like \"bagel\".", "You used to get bagels in just two varieties-- sesame seed or poppy seed.", "Today they come in a rainbow of flavors, from nine-grain to blueberry to cinnamon-raisin to whole-wheat sesame.", "Commercial bakeries make them like this.", "The first step is to blend all the ingredients in a huge mixer.", "These include molasses, salt, yeast, flour, sugar, malt flour, ascorbic acid, and enzymes.", "If needed, workers also add the special flavorings.", "Raisins or blueberries go in when the mixing's nearly done to avoid pulverizing them.", "One batch of dough weighs 750 pounds and makes about 3,200 bagels.", "They slowly add about 26 gallons of water as the ingredients blend for 10 minutes.", "They monitor the water and air temperatures so that the dough reaches 78 degrees fahrenheit.", "That's when yeast activates, enabling the dough to rise later on.", "Worker uses a thermometer to take the dough's temperature.", "Too warm, the dough will rise too quickly.", "Too cold and the dough won't rise enough.", "Here, workers cut large chunks of dough for raisin bagels into smaller blocks.", "They'll put these blocks into a machine called a divider.", "The machine squeezes the dough through small openings to create doughballs that weigh 3.7 ounces, which will each become one bagel.", "The divider also distributes the balls into four single files as they emerge from the machine and move along plastic conveyor belts.", "They're plastic so workers can clean them easily and often.", "Next, a machine called a bagel former flattens the balls into strips.", "This way, the strips can be curved into rings.", "The curved conveyor belt guides the dough through a tight circular opening with a stainless-steel rod at its center.", "The rod forces the two ends of the strip to join in a circle.", "This process happens in less than two seconds, before the dough has a chance to dry out.", "It's the moisture in the dough that enables the ends of the strips to stick together.", "The bagel rings emerge from the bagel former onto another conveyor.", "Workers then visually inspect the rings to ensure they came out right.", "After placing the bagels onto ungreased trays, workers put them in a large room called a proofer for 90 minutes to rise.", "The proofer is kept at 109 degrees fahrenheit with 80% humidity.", "Next a worker places the trays onto a metal conveyor belt.", "This conveyor moves the bagels into a huge steam oven about the size of a school bus.", "Steam makes the bagels chewy and shiny.", "To ensure the dough develops properly, they maintain air temperature in the bakery at a constant 68 degrees fahrenheit.", "And there's no air-conditioning to ensure the right humidity level.", "After baking for exactly 13 minutes at precisely 450 degrees fahrenheit, the bagels come out of the steam oven.", "They lost moisture during the baking process, so they now weigh around a half-ounce less than before.", "To cool down, the bagels move along a winding conveyor belt that snakes through 6 floors of this 1.5-square-mile bakery.", "Bagel-making ranges from large commercial operations like this one to small neighborhood bakeries that still make them the old-fashioned way-- rolling and shaping the dough by hand and baking them in a brick oven.", "During the 50-minute journey, their temperatures drop to about 98 degrees fahrenheit, cool enough to package in plastic bags later on.", "Here, a worker inspects the bagels for shape, color, height, and shine.", "To help the consumer, a machine preslices the bagels almost in half.", "It leaves a portion uncut so the bagel sections stick together and stay fresh.", "Next, workers separate the bagels into groups of six, placing them along another conveyor lined with tiny brushes.", "These brushes keep the bagels upright as they head off for packaging.", "A mechanical arm scoops the bagels along, and another blows open the bags and inserts the bagels.", "This bakery prepares up to 3,000 half-dozen packages an hour for shipping, fast enough to have a fresh bagel land on your breakfast plate as soon as 12 hours later.", "Vinyl records have an ever-increasing following among audiophiles, collectors, and deejays.", "Some say they sound better than digital cds and mp3s.", "To cater to this market, some record companies are releasing more music on vinyl, a manufacturing process that's interesting and fun to watch.", "The first step is to cut a master record.", "This flat disk is made of aluminum, and it will be the core of the master.", "The surface has a gritty texture early on, but they sand it down and polish it smooth.", "They place the aluminum disks on a conveyor belt, and they ride towards a device that will coat them with a veneer of lacquer.", "The disk enters the curtain coater.", "Nitrocellulose lacquer-- a similar substance to nail polish-- oozes out of a long, thin opening, forming a veil, or curtain.", "As the disk passes through the curtain, it's slathered with the lacquer.", "Rollers with scrapers catch the runoff.", "The excess lacquer they collect is reused.", "The lacquer starts to dry immediately.", "The solvents evaporate, and the veneer hardens into a nail-polish-like finish.", "But like any manicure job, there are often flaws.", "At this inspection station, workers scrutinize each lacquered disk for pits, bumps, or dirt.", "Even a minor imperfection won't be tolerated, so the rejection rate is high-- about 50%.", "They recycle the rejects.", "They rim the good masters with plastic edging.", "It will stop the disks from rubbing together during stacking and damaging the finish.", "Next, a worker holds the disk under a hydraulic puncher that cuts a hole in the center.", "Then, handling it carefully so he doesn't disturb the finish, he places it on a spindle.", "A robotic arm slides a plastic ring down the spindle, depositing it around the center hole of the disk.", "Like the plastic edging, the ring will also space the disks apart.", "Now the master disks are ready to take a trip to the studio.", "The lacquer disk is about to be cut.", "The engineer places it on the recording machine called a lathe.", "He peels the protective ribbing away from the rim.", "He places a vacuum line at the center, which suctions to the underside of the disk and holds it in place.", "The engineer now moves the cutter and a microscope above the disk.", "He lowers the cutter onto the outer edge of the disk and it does a test cut.", "He positions a microscope just above the test groove and then peers into it to get a good look at the cut.", "He makes adjustments to the cut, and then he's ready to record.", "The lathe cuts the lead-in groove and the music begins.", "The sapphire-tipped cutter etches the sound into the surface of the disk.", "From start to finish, the recording will be one continuous groove in the record.", "A computer monitors the cutting and adjusts the spacing between the grooves where needed.", "A little vacuum draws up scrap, as the cutter carves the groove.", "Some believe this sound is warmer and has more depth than digital recordings.", "But making music fit on an analog disk is sometimes challenging.", "To reproduce bass, the cutter has to make big, wide grooves that take up a lot of space.", "And although the grooves can touch, they can't cut across one another.", "At the end of the recording, the cutter lifts and the master disk is ready for inspection.", "If it's acceptable, the engineer places a sliding platform on it and scribes a unique serial number into the lacquer.", "Soon, this master disk will be used to make more records.", "The master disk has just been cut, but the lacquer surface is far too delicate to play.", "It's been produced solely to act as a mold.", "It will literally be pressed into service to make tougher versions of the recorded grooves.", "And this will enable the manufacturers to make many copies from just one.", "In the next step, they wash the lacquer disk with soap and water.", "They spray it with tin chloride and liquid silver.", "The tin chloride is a sensitizer that helps the silver stick to the lacquer.", "They wash away little bits of silver that don't stick.", "In seconds, one side of the lacquer has become a stunning silver disk with the grooves intact.", "But next, they'll add a duller metal to the silvered side in order to really stiffen the disk.", "They fasten it to a spindle on the underside of a tank lid.", "The disk spins, and they rinse it one more time.", "The water in the tank below is green because these nickel nuggets are dissolving into it.", "They lower the lid and the spinning disk is immersed in the solution.", "An electric charge fuses the nickel to the silver...", "And the nickel settles neatly into the grooves.", "Now they remove it from the tank and pry the metal layer away from the original lacquer disk.", "This metal layer is a stamper that will be used to press vinyl records.", "And the lacquer disk, which has served as its mold, is discarded.", "Now they look for the exact center of the stamper.", "A worker places it under the microscope, which is part of an optical centering punch.", "As the stamper disk spins, he aligns the grooves with a guide in the viewfinder.", "When he finds the center, he punches a hole there.", "Next, they clamp the stamper disk into a trimming machine.", "The disk turns and a cutting wheel trims the edge, cutting the stamper disk to a diameter of 12 1/2 inches.", "Now the stampers are ready to make their mark.", "But first the labels must be prepared.", "A punch bores into the center of a stack of them, making holes.", "Then they place the labels on a mini-press.", "It rises to another cutter, which rounds them out.", "They pour black polyvinyl chloride pellets into a hopper.", "The pellets fall into an extruder, which turns them into hot rubbery paddies called biscuits.", "Hoists above and below push labels to each side of the biscuit.", "Suction cups hold them there while a carriage moves the biscuit forward then drops the biscuit and labels in the press.", "Two stampers mounted in the press apply 100 tons of pressure.", "The stampers are a searing 380 degrees fahrenheit.", "They melt and mold the biscuit into a record.", "A quick cooling cycle hardens it and bonds the labels to the vinyl.", "A carriage then transports it to a trimming table.", "The table spins the record against a knife as it cuts away the ragged edges.", "Then, the table takes the trimmed record to the finished stack.", "And the process begins again.", "This is really a well-choreographed musical production.", "As one record is lifted out of the press, the next one goes in.", "The pressing and trimming of a vinyl record takes just 28 seconds.", "But it's sure to get hours of play by enthusiasts who refuse to buy into the digital revolution and still believe that vinyl is a cut above." ]

{ "things": [ "Retractable Cords", "Wood Frame Sports Cars", "Sushi" ] }

[ "Retractile cords were invented for telephone handsets in the late 1930s, and ever since, these coiled cords have been making a lot of great connections, from medical equipment to construction tools to industrial machinery.", "They keep in a lot of things plugged in, in a very neat way.", "Retractile cords stretch when needed and spring back into a tight coil afterwards, and that means no tangled knots and wiring snarl-ups, which saves time that would otherwise be spent straightening things out.", "Production begins with thermoplastic coloring.", "The color selected indicates the electrical function of each wire in the cord.", "It takes just a small amount to tint a batch of white plastic pellets a vivid hue as they melt in an extruder.", "Tin-plated copper wire feeds into that extruder, and the colored molten plastic coats the wire to provide an insulating wrap.", "As it exits the extruder, the plastic casing is still warm and soft, but cool water solidifies it.", "A spool then takes up the insulated wiring.", "Next, several wires unwind simultaneously over guide rollers and into a spreader plate.", "The plate precisely aligns the wires as they feed into a die.", "This die draws them down to the correct diameter, while a mechanism further down the production line twists the wires into one cord.", "The cord continues to twist as rollers wrap polyester-backed foil around it.", "This foil is a shield to protect the wires from electrical interference and is an optional feature.", "The cord then passes through the twisting mechanism and onto a take-up reel.", "Next, standard unshielded cord travels through beads of electrodes as thousands of volts of electricity are applied to them.", "The energized electrodes detect any faults in the wires.", "If they find none, the cord moves forward.", "The next machine gives the cord a paper wrap.", "That's followed by the final layer, a thermoplastic jacket.", "It also takes a trip through a cooling station to solidify.", "An ink-jet printer applies technical and other information.", "The plastic casings of some cords have been treated with fire-retardant chemicals.", "Now they put that treatment to the test.", "The cord doesn't catch fire, confirming that it's flame-resistant.", "So it's now ready to be coiled.", "This worker gets the process started by manually winding it around a rod.", "Then he presses a button, and the automated winder does the rest.", "This establishes the spiraling profile of the retractile cord.", "But at this point, the coil won't hold.", "Simply pulling out the rod would cause it to unravel.", "The plastic sheathing around the wires has no memory, so it won't retain the shape.", "They wheel the cords, still on rods, into an industrial oven and bake them at 200 degrees fahrenheit.", "This gives the cord's plastic casing the necessary memory so that when the operator pulls out the rod, the coil is intact.", "But it still doesn't have the necessary snap.", "That is now achieved by reversing the direction of the coil.", "The equipment used for that is proprietary, so this worker demonstrates the basic concept with a drill.", "The drill turns the cord counterclockwise for an impressive rewind.", "The effect ripples all the way down to the end.", "Reversing the direction of the coil transforms it.", "The process tightens the spiral so that after the cord is stretched, it retracts to its original shape.", "The difference is very apparent.", "The top coil in this shot hasn't been reversed, while the bottom one has, and it's clearly much tighter.", "So these retractile cords are now ready to be stretched to the max and snap right back again.", "Being behind the wheel of a traditional-style british sports car will surely get you noticed.", "These vehicles combine modern performance with classic styling that dates back to the turn of the last century.", "Even the inner construction is traditional, with the car's body frame handcrafted out of wood.", "The first models, in the early 1900s, were three-wheelers with motorcycle engines.", "It wasn't until the mid-1930s that these hip sports cars acquired a fourth wheel and a four-cylinder automotive engine.", "But one thing hasn't changed in more than a century-- the wood-frame construction.", "In the factory's woodshop, workers glue together 2/10\"-thick ash panels to produce a 3-ply lamination with which to make the frame's curved components.", "To make each wheel arch, they clamp a lamination into a rounded jig for a couple of hours.", "The glue dries, locking the curve in the wood.", "They make the frame's front section out of three solid pieces of ash.", "Triangular wood jigs align the frame, while workers screw in a solid ash rail on each side.", "These rails connect to back framing and form the bottom of the car's door openings.", "Two vertical rails form the side of the openings on which the door will hinge.", "Using a spoke shave, workers fine-tune each doorframe so that it fits perfectly into the openings they have just constructed.", "Then they mount the doorframe with strong steel hinges.", "They submerge the finished frame in wood preservative, giving the chemical plenty of time to thoroughly penetrate the pores of the wood.", "This will prevent the frame from rotting.", "In another part of the factory, workers assemble the engine, transmission, and drive shaft to the car's galvanized-steel chassis, then mount the front and rear axles and wheels.", "They'll switch the brass wheel nuts for fancy chrome ones later on.", "Back to the bodywork now.", "They cut an aluminum panel to the shape of the doorframe, only wider all around, clamp it on to the doorframe, hammer down this door skin, as it's called, over the frame edge all around.", "They remove the clamps, then peel off the panel's protective covering.", "After paneling the rest of the wood frame in aluminum, they re-install the door, gently tapping the hinge pin in place.", "Now they lower the paneled body onto the chassis.", "The only wooden parts not covered with metal are the rear wheel wells.", "Unlike the rest of the body frame, these are made of water-resistant plywood.", "Two bonnets form the car's hood.", "To make each one, a craftsman feeds aluminum through rollers to curve it.", "Then he massages it over an old log that this factory's been using for this purpose since the 1930s.", "They put each panel through a press that cuts louver holes.", "In the old days, the purpose of louvers was to ventilate the engine, but now they're mostly for style.", "The two finished bonnet panels go on either side of a central hinge, forming a car hood that opens like butterfly wings.", "The body gets a paint job.", "Then they trim the car's interior with genuine leather, cutting and stitching every piece by hand and affixing it to the wood frame.", "They make door seals by wrapping leather around rubber tubing.", "And finally they re-fit the wings, now painted, over the front and back wheels.", "The front wings have shells which house the car's headlights.", "Workers install the radiator at the front and top it with a cover called a cowl.", "Then the electronic-dashboard instruments, gearshift, windshield, mirrors, and, of course, the steering wheel.", "They also attach the hood-- handcrafted from either vinyl or mohair-- to a tubular frame.", "After installing the leather-trimmed seats, they take the vehicle out for a test drive, then, upon return, put it through a meticulous inspection, inside and out.", "After a wax polishing, this fancy fusion of technology and tradition finally gets the green light.", "Sushi is a meal that appeals to the discriminating palate.", "But it had very rudimentary beginnings.", "The first sushi was actually a form of food preservation.", "Salted fish was covered in cooked rice and left to ferment for months and even years.", "The rice was then thrown away and the fish consumed.", "A fresh approach came about a century ago, when the japanese began combining raw fish with pressed mounds of cooked rice.", "It was a mouth-watering combination and brought something entirely new to the table.", "Rice is now an essential part of sushi.", "Sushi chefs use short or medium grain because it sticks together better than longer grain.", "The rice undergoes a thorough washing.", "First the chef swishes it around in water to rinse off impurities.", "This also begins to remove the rice bran, which has an undesirable flavor and aroma.", "He drains the rice and adds clean water.", "Next, he scrubs it with his palm fairly vigorously to remove more of the rice bran.", "When the water becomes cloudy from the bran, he changes it again.", "By now, the water has softened the rice, which makes the grains prone to breakage.", "So he scrubs them more gently this time to keep the rice grains whole.", "Finally, he rinses the rice under a running faucet until the water drains clear.", "This rice is now thoroughly washed and ready to cook, so he adds an equal amount of water and a splash of sake and plugs in the rice cooker.", "The previous day, he seasoned rice vinegar with a strip of dried kombu seaweed and left it to soak up the flavors.", "The flavored vinegar is key to making good sushi rice.", "It's what makes the rice sticky.", "He pours the sushi vinegar into the cooked rice and evenly distributes it with a gentle folding motion to keep each grain intact.", "He fans the rice and grains dry, to a nice sheen.", "With the rice prepared, it's time for all the raw details.", "Each fish must be assessed for spoilage or damage.", "The chef lifts the gills to confirm that the flesh underneath is red and translucent-- essentially fresh-looking.", "He also examines the eyes of the fish.", "They should be bright and clear.", "He then prods the skin of this sea bream fish to establish it's firm.", "Once he's satisfied, he prepares the fish, first scraping away the unpalatable and messy scale with a rasp.", "Next, he uses the thin edge of a one-sided blade to fillet the fish.", "Razor-sharp, this knife cuts cleanly through the fragile flesh.", "He slices off and discards the head.", "He then carves the flesh from the backbone.", "Now, firmly grasping the tail of the fillet, he cuts the skin from the flesh, using a zigzag motion to pull it away.", "This technique leaves no flesh on the skin at all so that not a morsel goes to waste.", "Using fish-bone tweezers, he extracts all the little bones.", "He now slices the fish on an angle across the grain, using one long stroke that doesn't tear the fibers the way a sawing motion would.", "The result is a shiny, smooth piece of sea bream.", "Next he peels away the transparent outer skin of a marinated mackerel to expose the silvery subskin.", "The gorgeous subskin is a feature that adds presentation value to the sushi, and it's also tasty.", "Next, he carves tuna that's been frozen within hours of being caught.", "This locks in freshness so that, when thawed, it's suitable for sushi.", "And the freezing also kills any parasites in the fish.", "He chops spring onions into thin rings.", "They'll be used to offset the strong taste of mackerel sushi.", "He then mixes water and wasabi powder to create wasabi paste-- the pungent condiment that adds kick to sushi.", "And with all the ingredients prepared, it's time to start rolling, so stay tuned.", "Once a simple food sold by japanese street vendors, sushi has gone uptown.", "Today, skilled chefs produce bite-sized morsels with gastronomic artistry.", "A blend of color, texture, and taste, sushi appeals to the eye as well as the palate.", "The chef moistens his hands to keep the rice from adhering to them as he works.", "He dabs wasabi and places a ball of rice on one of the tuna slices.", "He pokes a hole in the center of the ball to introduce air.", "This keeps the rice from compacting as he shapes the fish around it to make a type of sushi called nigiri sushi.", "To form nigiri, the chef works swiftly to minimize the fish's exposure to his touch.", "Human body temperature is much higher than room temperature, and prolonged exposure to it would compromise the fresh taste of the sushi.", "A little pickled ginger to cleanse the palate, and this sushi is ready to serve.", "To make cucumber rolls-- or kappamaki-- he carves the outer part of the cucumber into a long, wide ribbon, stopping at the soft core.", "He slices the ribbon in two and layers the pieces.", "He then chops the cucumber into uniformly thin sticks.", "This exposes more of the vegetable's fiber, to maximize the taste.", "This is roasted seaweed, called nori.", "He places it, shiny side down, on a bamboo rolling mat.", "He lightly presses rice into a ball so the grains stick together as he transfers it to the nori.", "He spreads the rice evenly, leaving a margin of nori at the top.", "And now he's ready for those expertly sliced cucumber sticks.", "He groups several in the center of the bed of rice.", "Then, gripping the mat on one side, he folds the nori around the fillings.", "As he squeezes the pack, some rice spills into the margin of nori at the top.", "But there's still enough space to create an overlap and seal the ends of the nori around the fillings.", "Using a wet cloth, he tucks in the overflow at both ends.", "He slices the roll in half.", "He aligns the halves and slices three times to create six pieces, each piece approximately the same height, for an attractive lineup.", "Next, he makes uramaki, a kind of sushi with rice on the outside, which is why they're also called inside-out rolls.", "He spreads rice evenly over the nori and flips it around to the shiny side.", "He dips a finger in wasabi and spreads it on the nori at midpoint.", "He arranges tuna on the wasabi-coated section.", "The raw red fish is then paired with slices of avocado for a tantalizing contrast.", "He folds the rice-coated nori over the fillings and tucks it around them.", "He continues rolling until he reaches the edge.", "He garnishes the rice with toasted sesame seeds for visual interest and tasty crunch.", "He covers the roll with plastic to protect it from the grooves of the sushi mat as he shapes it into a tighter pack.", "He then removes the mat and carves the inside-out roll into bite-sized pieces.", "Inside-out sushi was invented in the 20th century to appeal to westerners who preferred not to see the nori.", "The final thing on the menu is the hand roll, also known as temaki sushi.", "He presses soft rice into the crispy nori and layers the next ingredients diagonally over the rice-- wasabi, a japanese herb called shiso, and two pieces of tuna.", "He folds the nori around the fillings to contain them in a seaweed cone.", "Now all that's left is the presentation, and when it comes to sushi, less is more.", "Overgarnishing can detract from the main event-- the fish.", "A simple, artful arrangement puts the focus on its raw appeal." ]

{ "things": [ "Escalators", "Kevlar Canoes", "Goat Cheese", "Disc Music Boxes" ] }

[ "Every day, millions of people around the world use escalators in places like shopping malls and airports.", "Escalators can move 100 or more people just as easily as 1.", "Driven by a motor, these moving stairways make it very convenient for people to get around.", "Riding an escalator is easy, but building the smoothest and most quiet ride possible takes expertise.", "It starts with workers welding together the structural framework of the escalator.", "Like the chassis of a car, the track system and all other components will be bolted to this frame.", "A worker puts together the main drive gear, which hooks up to a motor with a chain.", "It will pull the steps and the handrails.", "He puts on an emergency-brake device and uses bolts to secure it in place.", "He attaches side frames to the gear to make what is called the transition assembly.", "This assembly includes a drive gear for the handrail and allows the steps to loop back at both ends of the escalator.", "He then lowers the completed transition assembly into the truss-- the hollow structure of the escalator.", "With the transition assembly in place, workers then install a comb plate-- the last part of the escalator a person steps on before getting onto the moving steps.", "A worker makes the steps using aluminum ingots, which he puts into a crucible.", "They then apply a release agent to the mold used to make the steps.", "Spraying more lubricant on the mold ensures the aluminum stair will release properly from the die-cast machine, which automatically receives the exact amount of molten aluminum needed to make one step.", "A robot then takes the one-piece step from the die-cast machine and carries it to the trimming department.", "Here, a trim press removes some residual aluminum.", "The excess material goes back to the crucible to be recycled.", "Once the robot finishes a general trimming of the step, it sends it to the finishing department.", "There, finishing robots then file off the sharp edges.", "The robot also files in between the teeth that go across the step.", "Then it passes the step over a belt sander, making it smooth to the touch.", "Transformed from solid aluminum to a casting that is painted and assembled, the step is now ready to be installed.", "A worker rolls out a chain of rollers called a step chain.", "He greases all the pins.", "Then they place all the steps into position.", "Workers then connect the axles on the steps to the pins in the step chain and then lock them together using a spring clip.", "They feed the required length of chain and steps into the unit.", "A worker then attaches a turnaround track.", "The turnaround track allows the length of steps to make a continuous loop from one end of the escalator to the other.", "The escalator runs for about five hours to ensure it operates quietly and properly.", "During this testing period, it goes through up to 250 quality-control checks.", "After passing all the tests, workers wrap the unit in heat-shrink plastic.", "The escalator is now ready to load on a flatbed truck for delivery to the customer.", "Your canoe may well be made of the same material they use to make bulletproof vests.", "That's right.", "Many canoes today are made of woven aramid fibers, better known by the trade name \"kevlar\".", "For canoes, though, they use a lesser density, since, presumably, no one will be shooting at you.", "A kevlar canoe weighs about half as much as a wooden or aluminum canoe, and it's virtually maintenance-free.", "They build these canoes from several layers of kevlar fabric glued together to create a solid laminate material.", "It all begins with a fiberglass mold of the canoe's hull.", "The first step is to spread resin over its interior.", "Once that's done, they spread a sheet of kevlar over the resin and rub it against the mold to push out any air bubbles.", "Then they trim off the excess fabric.", "Using a squeegee, they force out any excess resin and stretch the fabric until it's taut.", "This step ensures the laminate will turn out strong and smooth.", "They repeat this entire process with a second layer of kevlar, then run a roller over everything to expel any excess resin and press the layers tightly together.", "Now for some structural components.", "Pieces of thin high-density foam go along the bottom of the hull.", "Glue bonds them to each other and to the bottom of the hull.", "Using a machine called a hot box, they begin heating strips of foam to curve them.", "These curved pieces are called ribs.", "They reinforce the sides, adhering with resin.", "With the structural core of the canoe complete, they now encase it in a third layer of kevlar.", "Once that's down, they prepare to bond everything together with vacuum pressure.", "They lay down a sheet of white fabric impregnated with a nonstick coating to prevent the vacuum bag from sticking to the surface.", "This mesh, called scrim, goes on next.", "It helps stimulate airflow during that vacuum process.", "Now they tape a plastic vacuum bag around the mold, sealing everything inside.", "Then they connect one end of a hose to the bag and the other end to a vacuum machine.", "The vacuum steadily draws out the air from within the bag, pulling the layers of kevlar tightly together.", "After 8 to 10 hours under vacuum, the bag comes off.", "If a canoe flips over, flotation tanks in the corners keep it afloat.", "Workers build each tank out of two pieces of low-density foam.", "After sanding them to the right shape, they lay a sheet of fiberglass mat over them and coat it with resin.", "This strengthens the foam and seals the two pieces into one unit.", "After the resin cures for an hour, they extract the canoe from the mold.", "The factory's quality-control inspector checks it over and, if everything's okay, applies a protective coat of resin.", "Once that's dry, they cap the edges with aluminum strips called gunwales, which keep the hull from folding inward...", "Then an aluminum crossbeam and a nylon end cap on each end...", "A wooden yoke for carrying the canoe upside down on land and a wooden seat with nylon webbing.", "Workers rivet all these components to the gunwales, then rivet the gunwales securely to the kevlar laminate.", "This factory puts every canoe it produces on a digital scale to ensure it meets weight specifications.", "If all is well, the finishing touch is a decal displaying the manufacturer's name.", "Kevlar canoes, like those made of other materials, vary in size, shape, and design.", "A canoe intended for fishing or hunting, for example, is quite different than one designed for long expeditions or for a two-person racing team or for a solo canoeist.", "Goat cheese tastes tarter than cheese made from cow's milk because goat's milk has a higher proportion of certain fatty acids, which sharpen the flavor.", "There are hard and soft varieties of goat cheese.", "The soft ones are usually sold in logs or disks and often have a coating of peppercorns, chopped herbs, or other flavorings.", "The texture of soft goat cheese makes it ideal for spreading on crackers or crumbling over pasta or salads.", "Goat cheese is also called \"chèvre,\" the french word for \"goat\".", "Farmers start breeding goats when the animals are a year old.", "Their gestation period lasts five months, meaning milk production begins at the age of about a year and a half.", "The goats go for a milking every 12 hours or so.", "The first step is to manually squirt some milk into a cup to check the quality.", "If it looks good, they wipe the teats with disinfectant to remove surface bacteria.", "Then they hook up the automated milk extractor.", "A milking takes just two or three minutes.", "It typically yields 2 to 3 quarts.", "At the cheese factory, the goat's milk goes into a steam-heated pasteurization tank.", "An agitator stirs the milk nonstop to keep it from cooking.", "They heat the milk to 66 degrees celsius, which kills off any bacteria.", "With the milk now pasteurized, they add bacterial cultures.", "These kick-start the fermentation.", "Then they add rennet.", "Diluted in water, rennet is an extract from calf stomachs.", "It contains enzymes which curdle milk.", "With the cultures and rennet in, workers now let the milk ferment for 18 hours.", "The result-- cheese curds and a watery liquid called whey.", "They ladle out the curds and put them in a cheesecloth bag to strain them.", "As they lift the bag, the sheer weight of the curds forces out much of the remaining whey.", "They tie up the bag and let the curds sit for another 18 hours, after which time workers strain them again.", "The goat cheese is finally ready.", "They weigh it and mix in just the right proportion of salt-- 0.6%-- to slow down the aging process.", "One of the formats this factory produces is 175-gram packages, so workers weigh out 175-gram blobs of cheese...", "Then hand-roll each blob into a ball then flatten each ball into a disk.", "The disk goes into refrigeration until packaging time.", "The fridge temperature is 3 degrees celsius-- just above freezing.", "Some goat cheeses go for a roll in special flavorings.", "These are chives.", "Then it's into cellophane wrap and a plastic container.", "On the product label, they stamp a \"best before\" date.", "Unopened, goat cheese has a two-month shelf life...", "Once opened, about a week.", "Another format is log-shaped.", "They roll this particular variety in a five-pepper seasoning.", "Workers also hand-roll goat-cheese balls.", "They go into a container with spices, sun-dried tomatoes, and olive oil.", "Goat cheese is a healthy food.", "It has twice the protein of cow's-milk cream cheese yet half the fat and cholesterol and 1/3 fewer calories.", "Ipods may rule in this digital age, but there's nothing quite like a melody that's mechanically generated by a music box.", "It's why, more than a century after its heyday, the music box still holds a special appeal.", "Its musical chimes take us back to another time.", "a revolving disk, swirling dolls, and luxurious cabinetry-- the music box is the original home-entertainment system.", "Today, they make these authentic replicas with computerized tools.", "They contour a gear for this spring-wound motor and then carve teeth into it.", "This gear is similar to the type used in clockworks.", "It's a windup device.", "Next, they coil a 20-foot-long strip of steel into a little cast-iron barrel.", "This is called a spring barrel, and it's the device that stores the wound-up mechanical energy.", "Once the clutch is installed, it will be ready to spring into action.", "This circular blade now sculpts the weights that extend from the base teeth of the musical comb.", "The weights are called leads, and they help produce the low notes.", "To tune the base, a technician snips the ends of the leads.", "She plucks a tooth to produce a note, then measures its pitch with an electronic-tuning machine.", "She adjusts it by clipping off a bit more.", "This process is critical.", "It ensures each of the 76 teeth on the musical comb will hit all the right notes.", "There's a damper for each tooth to quell its vibration.", "They install these dampers on a rail next to the star wheels-- the part that plucks the teeth of the comb to produce notes.", "The technician aligns the dampers to the star wheels and bolts everything to a cast-iron plate called the bedplate.", "Using a pincers-like tool, he checks the tension of the dampers and makes adjustments.", "Now he secures the upper comb to the bedplate and turns it around to install the lower comb.", "Music boxes with two combs instead of one have a richer sound.", "The technician makes more adjustments to the dampers to ensure a proper gap between them and the teeth of the musical comb.", "He installs the bar that holds down the music disk while it plays, then he bolts the motor frame to the side of the cabinet, followed by the winding and disk-drive gears.", "He attaches the spring barrel to the gears.", "Here, he installs a speed-control mechanism for the winding gears.", "It's called the \"governor\" because it governs the speed.", "He winds the motor to power it up for a test run...", "And then checks all its parts to confirm the motor operates smoothly.", "When he's satisfied that it does, it's time to install the musical components, beginning with the soundboard, which amplifies the notes.", "Next, the bedplate, with its double-comb assembly, is mounted onto the soundboard.", "He screws support brackets to the box.", "They'll prop up the musical disk.", "He checks the setup with a dummy disk.", "On a real disk, music is printed in the form of perforations.", "This master disk serves as a template to punch holes in a copper-plated disk below.", "The punctures form curls in the underside of the disk, and it's these metal curls that will set the music in motion.", "as the windup motor turns the disk, those curls snag the star wheels.", "the star wheels, in turn, pluck the teeth of the musical comb.", "The music isn't digital, but it's truly magical.", "The music box is one technology that stands the test of time." ]

{ "things": [ "Classic Car Gauges", "Chocolate Marble Cake", "Ghillie Kettles", "Rubber Gloves" ] }

[ "They may have stopped making the car.", "But they still manufacture replacement gauges that look just like the originals.", "After all, modern digital instruments just wouldn't look right in the dashboard of a classic vehicle.", "Technicians give the mechanism a bit of an update, but the look is all retro.", "These car gauges are new.", "But they have the same old faces.", "The old-style dials are built to the original designs as replacement parts for classic and vintage vehicles.", "Making a classic car gauge starts with a zinc-coated steel blank.", "A worker places the blank on a tool.", "A press stretches it around the form to shape it into the gauge case.", "After a flange has been formed on the rim and holes punched for assembly purposes, it's on to the next operation.", "A worker welds a stud to the back of the case.", "The stud will be used to mount the gauge to the dashboard.", "Another worker paints the inside of the case white.", "Next up is a brass tube for the light bulb.", "A worker secures it in a fixture and places the case over it.", "A press crimps the top of the light tube around one of the holes in the case, securing the tube to the back.", "A mechanized printer pad picks up ink from engravings on a metal plate and transfers them to a dial.", "For this gauge, they'll need a hollow, curved spring, known as a bourdon tube.", "To shape this flat brass tube into a spring, a worker tucks one end into a forming tool.", "He inserts a shim into the other end to keep the tube hollow as he curls it around the form.", "This turns the flat tube into a c-shape spring.", "He then crimps one end in this press.", "He dips the crimped end into a chemical cleaning agent and then into hot solder.", "The solder hardens and seals this end of the bourdon spring.", "He solders a brass adapter to the opened end of the bourdon tube.", "This hollow socket is the part that will receive the fluid pressure.", "That pressure will cause the tube to unwind and move gears that turn the pointer on the gauge dial.", "A worker places the tube in water and pumps pressurized air into it through the socket.", "He checks for bubbles that would indicate there's a leak.", "They make the gears that move the pointer using a hobbing machine.", "It's a spinning cutter that carves teeth into brass parts, known as racks.", "A worker inserts a brass pivot in a holding device.", "Using a press, she crimps the pivot to the center of the rack.", "She then assembles a hair spring and a pinion between two brass plates.", "She positions the rack in the gear sandwich.", "She secures the assembly using a hand press.", "Now, with tweezers, she pulls the end of the spring through a hole in one of the posts and locks it in place with a pin.", "She turns the shaft to confirm that the rack-and-pinion gears engage and work smoothly.", "Returning to the bourdon tubes, she transfers one to a fixture and locks it in place.", "She places the gears on top of the bourdon tube and screws it to the side of the socket.", "She then installs the bourdon tube assembly in the gas gauge casing.", "A worker now connects the gauge to a pressurized air source.", "She pops the retro-look dial into the device and attaches the pointer to the protruding gear shaft.", "She then introduces air at a known pressure to calibrate the gauge.", "She tucks a gasket into the top rim and then fits a glass pane on top.", "A chrome-plated bezel retains the assembly and frames it.", "A press snaps the components together.", "Made to measure, this car gauge is now complete, and it looks like a classic.", "A chocolate truffle cake has nothing to do with those rare and pricey fungi that are a culinary delicacy, nor is it directly related to the chocolate truffle, a decadent confection consisting of a chocolate ganache center coated in either chocolate, cocoa powder, or toasted, chopped nuts.", "A chocolate truffle cake has many variations.", "This version features a flourless chocolate truffle cake base under a layer of chocolate marble cheesecake, garnished with fudge ganache.", "To make the cheesecake layer, they begin with cream cheese.", "They mix for three or four minutes to soften it, then blend in sugar and salt.", "Next, they add sour cream to make the cheesecake creamier and fluffier.", "The last ingredients are whole eggs blended with vanilla extract.", "Another three to four minutes of mixing completes the batter.", "To make the chocolate truffle cake base, they combine water, sugar, corn syrup, and cream of tartar, which is a leavening agent that works in flourless cakes like this one.", "It also prevents the sugar they just added from crystallizing.", "While heating those ingredients to a boil, they soften butter in a mixer, then add melted semisweet chocolate, which contains vanilla extract.", "They mix for another five minutes or so until the chocolate is thoroughly blended in.", "Then they add the boiled ingredients, then coffee syrup...", "Then blended whole eggs.", "A final five minutes of mixing, and the chocolate truffle cake batter is ready.", "They pump it into the funnel-shaped feeder of a depositor.", "Workers meanwhile line aluminum cake pans with silicone and place them on a conveyor belt.", "The depositor is set up to squirt exactly 28 ounces of the thick chocolate truffle cake batter into each pan.", "They pump the thinner cheesecake batter to the feeder of a second depositor, which squirts an identical amount of cheesecake batter into the pan.", "This batter is much lighter than the dense chocolate truffle cake batter.", "So rather than blend, the two batters form separate layers.", "Using the squeeze bottle, they drizzle on some extra chocolate truffle cake batter and drag a knife back and forth, creating what's known in pastry making as a napoleon-style design.", "They put the pans in the oven for 90 minutes at 90 degrees fahrenheit.", "The long baking time at a relatively low temperature ensures the heat penetrates the dense truffle batter gradually.", "Otherwise, the outside of the cake would burn before the inside is fully baked.", "The cakes cool at room temperature, then go into a freezer overnight.", "The next day, workers easily pop the rock-solid cakes from the pans thanks to that silicone liner.", "They place the cake on a cardboard circle, then, with a pastry bag, garnish the edge with fudge ganache.", "The ganache is made of heavy cream, corn syrup and the same melted chocolate they put in the truffle cake batter.", "They placed the finished chocolate marble truffle cake into an automatic cake slicer.", "The turntable rotates after each strike of the blade until the machine has cut the cake into 12 slices and separated them with paper dividers.", "They wrap the cake in a cardboard band printed with the brand name.", "Then they put the dessert through a machine, which encases the cake in plastic film, then applies heat to shrink the film taut.", "To serve this decadent dessert, you let it defrost at room temperature for four to five hours or in the fridge overnight.", "Impatient chocoholics take note-- you can also defrost a slice in the microwave in just 30 seconds.", "Invented in the 1890s by irish fishermen, the ghillie kettle is still popular off the beaten path.", "Simply stuff twigs, leaves or other scraps in the bottom chamber and ignite.", "The water in the surrounding chamber boils in minutes, allowing you to have a quick cuppa in the middle of nowhere.", "Roughing it in the wilderness?", "With the ghillie kettle, you can still have a civilized cup of tea unplugged.", "Making a ghillie kettle starts with a thick aluminum disk.", "A metalworker clamps the disk against a form in a lathe.", "As the lathe spins, he presses the disk to the form using a blunt tool.", "This transforms the disk into a flared vessel, one that looks like a flower pot.", "A cutter at the side trims the rim.", "They call this flower-pot shape the draft.", "The next phase takes the draft from flared to cylindrical.", "A worker presses the spinning draft to another form.", "This stretches the aluminum shape longer and narrower.", "Finally, they taper the cylinder at the top to form a slanted chimney and slice off the bottom.", "From flat disk to a tall kettle, it's a dramatic change.", "He drills a hole in the gradient of the kettle.", "He inserts a screw that's attached to a punch.", "Then, using an allen wrench, he turns the screw, forcing the punch into the metal to cut out a hole for the kettle spout.", "He now slides the kettle body over a post with a die that fits into the spout hole.", "He places the spout over the die and hammers it into the hole.", "The die helps form the seam as the metal spreads due to the impact, tightly locking the spout to the kettle body.", "A worker transfers the kettle to a jig with a template for drilling.", "He drills holes into the kettle body, relying on the template to space them correctly.", "These holes are for the handle and chain attachments.", "Next, the inner wall of the ghillie kettle takes shape.", "Wielding a tool with force, a worker pulls and stretches the aluminum disk into a long cone.", "He inserts the cone in the kettle body.", "A gap between them will serve as the water chamber.", "And smoke will be vented out the center.", "He rolls the upper lip of the cone around the kettle's top rim, locking them together.", "He also secures them at the base the same way.", "He transfers the ghillie kettle to a stand to keep it upright as he rivets steel ears to it.", "The ears are for attaching the handle and a chain for the kettle whistle.", "He now assembles the whistle.", "He aligns a gap in a round plate with one in the whistle body.", "This small gap will allow steam to pass through.", "He inserts a screw and a ball knob in the center hole to hold the whistle together.", "The base of the ghillie is this fire chamber.", "For packing purposes, he stacks it upside down and places the kettle over it.", "He wraps the entire kettle in british newsprint for shipping.", "This protects it and also gives the purchaser something to burn the first time he or she tries it out.", "He crimps the ends of the handle to the ears that protrude through the headlines.", "He places the whistle over the wrapped spout and then tucks the kettle into a drawstring tote.", "This ghillie kettle is ready to provide the convenience of hot water in the backwoods.", "The camper removes the whistle from the spout and pours water into it.", "This particular model can hold about 51 ounces.", "He replaces the whistle and lights the fire in the bottom chamber.", "As it burns, smoke comes out of the center.", "The cone-shaped cavity creates an upward draft, ensuring rapid boiling even in windy or damp weather.", "Within minutes, there's hot water for beverages or soup noodles.", "Smoking and whistling in the wilderness, the ghillie kettle offers some of the comforts of home.", "It was an american nurse's sensitivity to an antiseptic that led to the development of medical rubber gloves.", "The year was 1890, and the hospital was johns hopkins in baltimore.", "Sympathetic to the nurse's plight, the chief of surgery asked a rubber company to develop protective gloves.", "Around the world, healing hands wear rubber gloves to stop the spread of germs and save lives.", "To make them, they need a lot of hands, the kind made from ceramic or aluminum.", "They'll serve as molds.", "First, they need to remove residue from the last rubber glove production.", "So they do a thorough washing in soapy water...", "And then in bleach.", "They must remove every speck of residue because even the smallest contaminant could lodge in the latex rubber gloves and create holes.", "Leaving the bleach, the ceramic hands twirl into round, revolving brushes.", "Their bristles scour the surface and the hard-to-reach areas between the ceramic fingers.", "After this thorough scrubbing, the hand molds dive into a tub of hot water.", "It's the last cleaning before production begins.", "As they exit the tub, the hands swivel on the rail carrier to drip-dry.", "Still slightly damp and spinning, the hand molds head into a chemical bath, which forms a film on the surface.", "It's a critical coating because liquid rubber won't adhere to bare ceramic, but it will to this substance.", "The ceramic molds now reach into warm liquid rubber, which has been enhanced for extra strength.", "The liquid rubber reacts with the chemical coating on the hands and becomes gel-like.", "Coated with the rubber gel, the hands spin to shake off any drops as they head into an oven.", "Under intense heat, the rubber dries to the hand form and also undergoes a chemical process, called vulcanization, that makes the rubber stronger and elastic.", "After a wash and dry, the gloves spin through brushes which roll up the cuffs.", "This cuff roll, called the bead, has a specific purpose-- it makes it easier to pull the rubber glove off the mold.", "Workers grab the gloves by the beads to peel them off the ceramic forms.", "These particular medical gloves were molded from synthetic rubber for people who can't wear natural latex rubber due to allergies.", "These synthetic rubber gloves are a bit stickier than the natural latex ones.", "And they must be removed by hand.", "However, the natural latex glove come off much more easily.", "Bursts of pressurized air blow these gloves off the ceramic forms.", "At a test station, a worker now stretches and inflates each medical glove to check for weak spots and holes.", "Even a pinhole leak would be cause for rejection.", "Next, they take a sample glove from every batch and pump water into it, again checking for leaks.", "If the sample glove is watertight, they approve the entire batch for shipment.", "They color-code gloves for strength.", "These orange cleaning gloves are thick and reusable.", "Others, like the medical gloves, are for limited use and disposable.", "Each rubber formulation is customized for color, strength, and other characteristics.", "It has taken a lot of fake hands and real ones to make rubber gloves.", "And it all happens very fast.", "They manufacture 200 rubber gloves a minute at this factory.", "That's about 12,000 gloves per hour.", "They pack them up in batches of 100.", "A cornstarch solution applied earlier keeps them from sticking together in the box.", "Later, that starch will also act as a lubricant to allow the gloves to slide easily onto hands.", "And with that, these rubber gloves are ready to protect the public." ]

{ "things": [ "Tissues", "Travel Trailers", "Slippers", "Motorcycle Helmets" ] }

[ "The origin of facial tissue may be japanese.", "A 17th-century historical account describes japanese blowing their noses in small, soft papers, then throwing them on the ground.", "Modern-day tissues were first marketed in the early 1920s as a disposable cloth for wiping off cold cream.", "While some sneezers still prefer traditional cloth handkerchiefs, the disposable paper tissue is the implement of choice with the sniffling and lens-cleaning masses.", "This brand is made entirely of recycled paper-- specifically, used computer-printer paper because its short, flexible fibers produce soft tissue.", "The ½-ton bales go into a giant machine called the pulper.", "It breaks up the paper into fibers and mixes them with water.", "The result is called pulp.", "Next, it injects the pulp with air.", "This causes the ink to detach from the fibers and cling to the air bubbles, which rise to the top and drain off.", "The machine then feeds the now-ink-free pulp through several rollers.", "Like an old-fashioned ringer washing machine, the rollers squeeze out the dirty water.", "A screw conveyor then breaks up the pulp and moves it to the next station, which rinses it with clean water.", "Now the pulp is ready to become tissue.", "That transformation begins in the paper machine.", "It injects the pulp evenly across the screen conveyor belt.", "Then the pulp passes through rollers that press out the water.", "The extracted water drains down through the screen.", "The pulp then passes through a hot-air dryer and exits the machine as a thin, 10-foot-wide sheet of paper.", "Each jumbo roll coming off the machine contains about 37 miles of paper.", "The converting machine is the giant contraption that now transforms this paper into tissues.", "The first station unwinds two rolls of paper, applying modest tension to remove waves and wrinkles.", "The next station mates the two papers, producing a two-ply sheet.", "The following station holds the sheets steady with suction as a knife slices across it every 8½ inches.", "You can see the cuts in slow motion.", "At the next station, these two-ply sheets meet up with two-ply sheets coming from the opposite direction.", "Here's what that looks like in slow motion....", "And at full speed.", "The sheets enter a mechanism that folds them in half in an interlocking fashion.", "In slow motion, you can see how they interlock-- each sheet folded in half, one side inserted into the fold of the next sheet.", "This happens at a speed of 16 folds per second.", "This produces a huge stack of folded tissue 5 feet wide.", "The next station separates the big stack into small ones in preparation for the final cutting.", "Each smaller stack contains the precise number of tissues the tissue box will contain, from 80 to 250 sheets, depending on the format they're packaging.", "The smaller stacks now travel to the next station, where an automated circular saw cuts every 8 inches, producing the final tissue size.", "The interlocking folds ensure that when you pull out one tissue, it draws the next out of the box, ready to use.", "To produce three-ply tissues, the converting machine processes six rolls into two sheets of three plies each, then folds them in the same interlocking fashion.", "The finished tissues travel by conveyor belt to the automated packaging line.", "A robot with multiple suction-cupped arms grabs flattened boxes one at a time, opens them, and lines them up on another conveyor belt running alongside the tissue belt.", "An automated arm compresses the tissues and slides them into the box.", "The next station glues the flaps closed.", "The top of the box has a removable tab with clear plastic film underneath.", "A tight slot in the film makes grabbing a single tissue a nonissue.", "Hitching a travel trailer to your vehicle is the ideal solution if you yearn to travel freely with all the conveniences of home or love camping but want far more comfort than a tent has to offer.", "Today's trailers come equipped with beds, mini kitchen, dinette, toilet, and shower.", "This 16-foot-long travel trailer is made of aluminum and composite materials.", "Unlike traditional fiberglass trailers, there's no steel or wood in the structure, so it's resistant to both rock and corrosion.", "It's ultra lightweight and has a pop-up roof with windows.", "The trailer's a-shaped chassis is made entirely of aluminum.", "The only steel components are the tongue that attaches the trailer to the vehicle's hitch and the axle.", "Workers insulate both with duct tape.", "They bolt the axle, with brakes installed, to the chassis, then line the chassis with styrofoam insulation.", "This prevents the copper propane line from touching the aluminum.", "Contact between the two metals can trigger corrosion.", "Next, they mount the trailer's plastic freshwater and waste-water tanks, then glue the aluminum floor to the chassis.", "Other workers construct the trailer's two side walls as a single piece.", "On a large vacuum press, they spread glue onto an aluminum sheet.", "Then they lay down the wall's core, a honeycomb-shaped sheet of polypropylene.", "They coat it with glue, then top it with another sheet of aluminum.", "The honeycomb core makes the wall rigid while adding minimal weight.", "They cover this sandwich with a protective fabric sheet, then with an airtight cover.", "After sealing the perimeter, they vacuum out the air for about four hours.", "This pulls everything tight, compressing the glued layers so that they fully adhere to each other.", "When the wall comes out of the press, they lay down templates and, with a router, cut it into two side walls.", "They also make openings for windows...", "And holes for trailer lights.", "After inserting a rubber seal in each hole, they install the lights.", "Next, a porthole-style tinted upper window.", "They glue it into the round opening just like a car windshield.", "The side walls are now ready.", "Workers affix them to the floor with an l-shaped aluminum bracket.", "Once the walls are up, workers saw out a door opening, then install the door, sliding windows, toilet cabinet, king-size bed, dining table, and kitchen unit, which has a sink and propane stove.", "They install a rubber-sealed trapdoor into an opening in one wall.", "This gives outside access to a storage area about the size of a large suitcase.", "Upholstered cushions hide under-the-seat storage compartments in the dining area.", "They construct the roof the same way as the walls, only in a teardrop-shaped vacuum press.", "This aerodynamic shape creates 75% less drag than a traditional box-shaped trailer roof.", "When the trailer is parked, you can raise the roof to reveal fixed windows on both sides.", "Workers glue this tinted, tempered glass to each aluminum window frame, glue the frames to the roof, then install taillights, roof vents, and solar panels to recharge the battery powering the lights, vent, and water pump.", "They install the roof, then mount a hinged back wall.", "With assembly finally complete, workers apply decals and test all appliances and systems.", "Cables connect the roof to the back wall, so when the roof lifts, it pulls up the otherwise-collapsed wall.", "The trailer's interior layout is versatile.", "The king-size bed converts into two twin beds, and the dining table can be moved to create two distinct dining areas, a two-seat and a five-seat dinette-- all the comforts and amenities of home on wheels.", "There's nothing like a pair of slippers to soothe your tired tootsies or warm your frigid feet.", "Designed strictly for indoor use, slippers typically have a soft sole and looser fit and are made of supple, often cushy materials so that feet feel comfortable and cozy.", "This style of slipper is known as charentaise, named after the region of charente in southwestern france where they originated in the 17th century.", "The slippers are made primarily of felt, which is made from layers of compressed wool fibers.", "This french slipper factory uses a particularly thick and durable type of felt composed of five wool-fiber layers.", "To cut the soles, workers position a cookie-cutter-type die for the specific shoe size in production.", "Then a 5-ton press forces it through the thick felt.", "After cutting one sole of the pair, they turn the die in the opposite direction to cut the second sole.", "Once the batch of soles is cut, they mark the size in ink with a rubber stamp.", "For the rest of the slipper, called the upper, they use fabric that's felt on the outside, velvet on the inside.", "The cutting process is the same as for the sole, with the die corresponding to the size in production.", "Once the uppers are cut, workers lay a stencil of the embroidery pattern on each one and lightly mark the design in pencil.", "Seamstresses embroider each slipper individually by a machine.", "The yarn is made of hemp.", "For this model, the design is applied in a chain stitch.", "Felt flowers give the design three-dimensional features.", "With the design complete, it's time to stitch the back of the upper closed.", "Next, they cushion the opening at the top with velvet binding, bending the wide velvet ribbon over the edge of the felt so that the binding runs along both the inside and outside of the slipper.", "They cover the back seam with a backstrap, a felt strip with a loop at the top through which you can put your finger to easily pull the slipper onto your foot.", "Next, they turn the back of the upper inside out in order to attach the sole.", "They position the sole 3/10 of an inch from the bottom edge, then, with hemp thread, straight-stitch along the entire perimeter of the upper.", "They cut the slipper's insole from a fabric that's felt on one side and velvet on the other.", "They position the felt side against the felt sole, then sew them together along the perimeter with a particular cross-shaped stitch traditionally used for the charentaise.", "The inside felt's underside gives the slipper additional rigidity, while the soft velvet surface cushions the bottom of your foot.", "The slipper is now fully constructed.", "However, it's inside out.", "So the next step is to turn the slipper right side out using this piece of equipment called a goat, perhaps because its shape resembles goat horns.", "All that manipulation can slightly deform and crease the upper, so they put the slipper in a steam box for three minutes to soften the fibers, then on a foot-shaped aluminum press heated to 158 degrees fahrenheit.", "The press irons out any remaining wrinkles and resets the shape.", "This factory's charentaise-style slippers range from conservative to funky.", "All are designed to be comfortable, cozy, and as the term \"slippers\" implies, easy to slip on or off.", "The development of the motorcycle helmet happened by accident.", "In 1935, the british war hero known as lawrence of arabia died from a head injury in a motorcycle crash.", "He wasn't wearing a helmet.", "That tragedy moved one of his doctors to research the safety potential of motorcycle helmets.", "The motorcycle helmet is the most important part of the motorcyclist's safety gear.", "Today, wearing one is a rule of the road in many places around the world.", "Modern helmets are entirely synthetic.", "They design them on a computer.", "The software guides milling tools to produce a prototype from polyurethane foam.", "The prototype gives them a good look at the helmet's shape and style.", "Once they're satisfied with it, they build a metal mold for mass production.", "The molding material is a pile of polycarbonate pellets.", "It's the same thing used to make astronaut bubble helmets.", "An injection molding machine melts the pellets and injects them into the two-part helmet mold.", "The polycarbonate cools and solidifies into the shape of the mold.", "The result is the outer shell of the helmet, complete with holes for vents and other parts.", "Next, a robot grips the helmet's shell and moves it against a sanding belt to smooth the seam left by the mold.", "The robot also gives the shell an overall polish.", "It then goes for a spin as sprayers coat it with black paint.", "A factory employee pulls a sheet of decals through water to lift them from the backing.", "She applies the decals to a white, unpainted helmet.", "It's a flashier look than basic black.", "It takes practice to be able to apply the decals correctly because the helmet surface is complex and curvy.", "She smoothes out air bubbles in preparation for the application of a protective clear coat.", "The next assembler installs a pivot mechanism on each side of the helmet.", "They'll enable the face shield and visor to be raised and lowered.", "The hardware fits perfectly into the molded niches.", "There's just enough room for the mechanism to operate smoothly.", "She attaches the velour-lined chin strap with its quick-release mechanism to the outer shell.", "Then these foam polystyrene pellets are transformed into the helmet's cushioning inner shell.", "The pellets flow into another injection molding system.", "A nozzle injects the melted polystyrene into the mold, and it takes the shape of shock-absorbing helmet liners.", "The foam solidifies, and the machine ejects the completed liners.", "The density of the polystyrene foam varies throughout the helmet for strategic shock resistance, enabling it to meet international safety requirements.", "Padding in the crown and around the chin area makes it more comfortable to wear.", "They now join the helmet's inner shell to the outer one.", "After a liberal application of glue, she pushes the liner into the shell.", "It's a snug fit, and it takes a bit of maneuvering to get it in there.", "She attaches a robust chin guard to the helmet.", "This molded polycarbonate part is designed to protect the lower half of the rider's face.", "The assembler screws it to the helmet on both sides.", "With this part in place, the rider should be able to take it on the chin if necessary.", "A transparent polycarbonate face shield completes this motorcycle helmet.", "And now a test.", "They drop a helmet from a height of 10 feet to confirm it can take a fall without falling apart.", "It survives, and the entire production batch is approved.", "Designed for impact and made to specification, this helmet could just save your skull." ]

{ "things": [ "Throttle Bodies", "Limestone Fireplace Mantels", "Candied Fruit & Fruit Jellies", "Linen Ukuleles" ] }

[ "today on \"how it's made\"...", "Throttle bodies.", "Limestone fireplace mantels.", "Candied fruit and fruit jellies.", "And linen ukuleles.", "the throttle body is a device that allows the engine of a fuel-injected vehicle to breathe.", "Pressing on the accelerator pedal opens the throttle body's blades to allow air into the engine.", "The greater the airflow, the higher the rpm.", "All the driver has to do is step on the gas.", "Designed for race cars, the throttle body could make the difference between winning and losing.", "That's due to the way it delivers the air the engine needs for speed.", "Making a throttle body starts with this solid aluminum disk.", "A technician mounts it to a machining fixture and closes the door.", "Computer controlled cutters move in.", "The cutters reduce the thickness of the disk and contour it.", "They also rough out the shape of four air passageways.", "Then they flip the part over, and more cutting tools work on it from the other side.", "The cutters open up the air passageways completely and create a hole in the center for a bolt.", "The technician clamps a square chunk of aluminum in the fixture, and cutters transform it into the main body part.", "This is a computer simulation of the process.", "The tools carve four holes to match up to the ones on the top piece.", "These holes will hold the throttle mechanisms.", "The transformation takes just minutes.", "With the parts now electrically charged, workers plunge them into a pool of chemicals called an etching bath.", "The chemicals gravitate to the electrically charged parts and lightly etch the surface.", "A dip in soapy water cleans the parts.", "They are now ready for anodizing, a process that will form an anti-corrosion finish on the surface.", "In the anodizing bath, an electrical charge causes a protective oxide layer to form on the metal, and black dye seeps into the pores.", "Here are the parts before and after anodizing.", "A laser then engraves the brand name onto the side of the throttle body part.", "The etched aluminum wording stands out against the black anodized coating.", "A technician then inserts two stainless steel shafts into sealed bearings in holes on the side.", "When turned, the shafts will open and close the round throttle blades.", "He installs retaining clips on the shafts.", "This keeps them in place and centers them perfectly.", "But at the same time, they allow the blades to turn freely.", "He then screws round blades to the flat part of each shaft.", "As the shafts turn, these blades will move into an open or closed position.", "They'll act as valves, allowing air into the engine or shutting it off.", "He attaches a mechanical linkage to the end of each shaft.", "These linkages will ultimately be connected to a cable that runs to the gas pedal.", "When the driver steps on the gas, the linkages will turn the shafts, and the blades will open and close.", "He connects the two linkages with a part called a tie bar.", "Now that they're connected, the linkages will move together in one action.", "The technician tests the linkages to confirm that they operate smoothly.", "He now places the top part onto the throttle body.", "He applies a thread-lock solution to a bolt, which he then inserts in the center of the assembly.", "This is a crucial connection.", "It's what holds the two parts of the throttle body together.", "He secures the center bolt with a threaded insert.", "This insert will also be used to attach an intake air cleaner.", "This throttle body is now complete.", "Workers measure air flow through the throttle body using smoke so our camera can photograph it.", "With this measurement, they give the throttle body a performance rating.", "A crew installs the throttle body between the race car's intake manifold and air filter.", "Then, they check its function.", "This performance throttle body is now ready to compete.", "For hundreds of years, stone carvers have skillfully sculpted blocks of solid stone into ornate fireplace mantels.", "A work of art with an imposing presence, a stone mantel is the decorative centerpiece of a room.", "Whether or not there's a fire burning, it creates a warm ambience.", "Modern-day stone carvers carry on a trade passed down through the centuries, crafting limestone fireplace mantels that exude old-world elegance.", "Artisans sketch out a creative design, then produce a technical drawing and 3-d model on a computer.", "This particular mantel, carved from beige limestone, will feature a medallion of red sandstone.", "The red medallion will be set into the keystone, which is the central block of what's called the lintel, the horizontal part of the mantel.", "After finalizing the measurements, the artisans lay down a sheet of thick white plastic and draw the mantel's overall shape, as seen from the front, in its actual dimensions.", "The mantel will be composed of several parts so they will also mark the joints where those parts meet.", "Using this pattern, they cut a clear plastic template for each part.", "The artisans use a combination of traditional and modern stone-carving tools.", "First, for each part, they use an automated diamond-blade saw to cut a block to size.", "They then measure and mark where they need to remove stone to shape the block to the basic profile.", "The artisan gradually removes that portion of stone with a hammer and different types of chisels.", "Limestone can be hard like marble, or soft like chalk.", "There's less margin for error when carving softer limestone, like this, because every strike of the hammer removes more stone than the same strike on a hard limestone would.", "This tool, designed for soft limestone, wears away the surface like a plane does to a piece of wood.", "Once the artisan has removed all the excess stone, he checks that the surface is level.", "Then, in the side of the block, he traces a template for the profile.", "This block will become the keystone for the horizontal part of the mantel.", "He measures out and marks the center of the keystone...", "Then centers the medallion and traces it.", "He'll draw the remainder of the keystone's design freehand.", "The design is symmetrical, so the artisan draws on one side of the center line, traces his drawing onto the clear plastic to make a template, then flips the template onto the other side of the center line to trace the same design in mirror image.", "He begins removing stone with a hammer and roughing tools.", "First, he breaks off big chunks with a chipper.", "He works his way down to just above the pencil line.", "Then, with a finer tooth chisel, he removes the last bit.", "Then he switches to finishing tools.", "He mounts chisels of varying widths on an air hammer to remove a precise, even layer of stone.", "Working on the more complex details, he uses a combination square to mark a consistent height across the keystone.", "Every detail of the keystone profile must align with the same profile detail of the lentil pieces on either side of it.", "Once he has finished the entire profile of the piece, he sands the surface smooth and brushes away the dust.", "Now the artisan turns his attention to the keystone's ornate sculpt design.", "With fine, flat, and pointed chisels, he removes the stone around his pencil lines until the design he drew emerges.", "By switching to a sculptor's rasp, he smoothes all the rough edges.", "He checks the fit of the red sandstone medallion and glues it in.", "Once the artisan finishes sculpting all the parts, he lays them on the pattern to make sure all the dimensions are perfect.", "On installation day, he mounts the mantel, piece by piece, around the fireplace.", "Candied fruit and fruit jellies are middle eastern in origin and spread to europe around the 12th century.", "This region of france has been producing them since the 15th century.", "When wars blocked access to cane sugar, fruit farmers began planting sugar beets to preserve this confectionery tradition.", "This company in france has been catering to people's sweet tooth since 1880 with its gift boxes containing traditional candied fruit and fruit jellies.", "To make candied fruit, a master confectioner boils fresh fruit for many hours to soften the fibers.", "This process will later help sugar to penetrate the fruit.", "He pokes the fruit to see if it's ready.", "Boiling time varies from 1 hour for apricots to 8 hours for chestnuts.", "Citrus fruits are sliced before boiling.", "After boiling, the more fragile types of fruit, such as apricots, pears and clementines, go into large hot-air dehydrators for up to 3 weeks.", "Every day, the master confectioner replaces the evaporated water with sugar syrup, which concentrates over time.", "For less fragile fruits, the technique is different.", "Workers heat them in vats of sugar syrup for about 10 days.", "The moisture evaporates, and the syrup concentrates.", "The factory sells whole candied fruits like this collection of clementines, apricots, pears, figs, and plums, to gourmet food shops, which sell them by the piece or in elegant, private-label gift boxes.", "Whole candied fruit are also popular for designing edible arrangements.", "Making fruit jellies is a different process.", "The recipe combines fruit pulp, making up more than 50 percent of the mixture, with powdered sugar, liquid glucose, a form of plant sugar, pectin to make the mixture gelatinous, and natural fruit flavoring.", "A worker boils down the mix for a half hour to concentrate the sugar, then adds more fruit flavoring.", "As the mix continues to cook, she draws samples to measure the sugar content.", "She does this until the mix hits its target concentration of 78 percent.", "Another worker pours the batch from the pot into a large pitcher, then into a square stainless steel mold.", "It takes the jelly a day to set.", "Once set, a worker removes it from the mold-- this one's a different flavor-- and coats it with crystallized sugar to preserve it.", "The worker then lays the jelly square on cutter the company calls a guitar because its steel wires look like guitar strings.", "The wires cut once in each direction to make cubes.", "Then, another worker applies a second coating of sugar.", "In addition to this small-batch production, the factory has one automated machine, which makes fruit jellies in a variety of geometric or fruit shapes created by templates made of plaster.", "This process is much faster than the handmade approach.", "First, the machine makes a bed of starch.", "Then it presses the plaster form into the bed to create mold cavities.", "The next station fills the cavities with hot liquid fruit jelly.", "Then, the molds are set aside for a day.", "The starch absorbs the residual moisture as the jelly sets.", "The next day, workers load the molds on top of the same machine, which flips them to dump out the jellies.", "The jellies tumble down a vibrating conveyor belt.", "The starch shakes off with each bounce.", "Then they pass under a spinning brush, which removes any remaining starch.", "The conveyor moves them into a rotating drum, which showers them with sugar.", "On the packaging line, a slow conveyor belt moves retail boxes in front of a row of workers.", "Each worker is responsible for a single flavor.", "While placing the required number of fruit jellies in the box, she also performs a quality control check, removing and replacing any that are misshapen.", "This ensures that these traditional fruit jellies look as good as they taste.", "Linen is believed to be the oldest of woven textiles.", "But for the making of ukuleles, it's definitely a new material.", "Infused with resin, linen can actually be molded into a solid ukulele that has a look and sound that's similar to wood.", "Linen may seem to be an unlikely material for making ukuleles, but these instruments are proof that the fabric can be used for more than just drapes and tablecloths.", "Following a computer-aided design, workers cut pattern pieces from linen fabric, infused with plant resin and with protective liners.", "After peeling off the liners, a technician layers the linen pieces in a ukulele mold.", "The resin has given the fabric a clay-like consistency, so it can be easily shaped to the mold's curves.", "He layers 65 linen pieces in total.", "He drapes a nylon fabric over the linen and tucks it into the crevices.", "The fabric will ultimately contain the resin when it's heated and liquefied.", "Polyester batting in the center will soak up excess resin during baking.", "He cooks the linen layers for several hours.", "The resin in the fabric subsequently liquifies and finally hardens, fusing the layers together, to create a solid ukulele body, next and head.", "After reinforcing the neck, a computerized router trims the entire ukulele body.", "Another router trims the sound board, which is the resonant part that serves as the front of the instrument.", "It, too, has been molded from linen material.", "A technician pipes epoxy glue along the rim of the body to attach the soundboard, which is being reinforced with carbon fiber and a plastic liner applied for the front to protect it during this stage of fabrication.", "He glues a front plate to the headstock of the ukulele.", "He then places the ukulele in a fixture.", "He clamps the fixture together to keep the parts in position as the glue hardens for 24 hours.", "He props up the headstock with a block of wood and uses a separate clamp to keep the assembly tight.", "A router carves an opening in the soundboard.", "This sound hole with allow the instrument to project music more efficiently.", "The router also drills tuning holes in the head plate.", "Another member of the team now applies a wood stain to the linen composite surface.", "This gives it a more uniform finish.", "The next part is the finger board, made of a wood fiber and plastic composite.", "Another technician hammers nickel silver frets into the fingerboard's slots.", "He then clips the ends to make them flush to the fingerboard.", "He files the ends to make them smooth to the touch.", "He then glues the fingerboard to the ukulele neck.", "The technician installs the bridge on the soundboard.", "Using a special fixture, he clamps the fingerboard and bridge to the instrument to apply pressure while the glue dries.", "It takes another 24 hours for the glue to set.", "The next day, a technician applies an adhesive-backed label with the serial number printed on it to the inside of the ukulele.", "He inserts tuning pegs into holes drilled into the headstock.", "He secures the pegs with bolts at the back of the headstock and tightens the bolts with a nut driver.", "Then he runs strings from the bridge to the tuning pegs and knots them to hold them in place.", "He turns the tuners to pull the strings to a specific tension, and this linen-composite ukulele is ready for a show." ]

{ "things": [ "Automatic Sliding Doors", "Gin", "Firearms Restoration" ] }

[ "And...", "Automatic sliding doors are the norm at most supermarkets and large retailers.", "Sensors detect your approach and prompt the doors to slide open.", "They open when you arrive and close when you depart, which is convenient when your hands are full.", "These automatic sliding doors are custom-made to fit the customer's door opening.", "The doors are programmed to open in 1 1/2 seconds, but that can be adjusted during installation.", "The door structure and frame are made of aluminum that's been heated to a softened state.", "It's then forced through a die to give it a specific shape.", "A computer-guided saw cuts these aluminum pieces to the length required for this order.", "This is one of the pieces that will form the vertical side of the door structure.", "Workers insert durable weather stripping into a built-in track.", "They collapse the end to lock the strip in place.", "On the opposite side, they fasten long, threaded rods.", "The rods are used to attach the rails.", "The rails fit over the rod and are securely fastened to the doorframe with an alignment clip and nut.", "Once workers have assembled the two door structures, they install a pivot at the top of each one.", "This top pivot allows the door to swing outward when you push the emergency exit bar.", "Then, they assemble the door hanger.", "It connects the door to the top of the frame.", "The hanger rolls on two wheels.", "A urethane rubber one allows the door to move sideways along the track...", "And a plastic one, which prevents the door from going off the track.", "They attach the door's top pivot to the hanger.", "An access control release is needed to open the doors in case of emergency.", "Workers install it into sections of the doorframe that meet when the two doors close together.", "When you push the emergency bar, this mechanism rotates to let the door swing open.", "The hanger detent prevents the door from swinging open during normal operation.", "It attaches the access control release to the door hanger.", "Workers complete the door structures by applying legally required safety decals.", "Meanwhile, at another station, workers install the door's electronics in the header.", "This is one of the many infrared sensors that trigger the doors to open.", "The sensors detect people approaching by reading the invisible heat energy humans give off.", "After loading the nuts, they'll need to fasten the remaining components to the header's track.", "They install a pulley, part of the drive system that moves the doors.", "Then, they slide the header's cover into a track and continue installing components...", "First, the end caps, which attach the header to the doorframe, then, the door controller, the brains of the entire system.", "It has built-in operational software.", "You can run the doors on the defaults or customize the settings.", "Now, for the rest of the drive system.", "They install an electric motor and pulley.", "The motor has a switch that detects the door's position.", "Next, a timing belt is looped around two pulleys.", "They adjust the distance between the pulleys to tighten the belt.", "The door installers will do a more precise adjustment on-site.", "Every header undergoes extensive computerized testing.", "This checks the function and safety features.", "Then, the doorframe and structure ship out to the building site, where the glass panes go in prior to installation.", "Gin is a distilled alcoholic spirit.", "It's flavored primarily with juniper berries.", "In fact, the word \"gin\" is believed to come from \"jenever,\" the dutch word for \"juniper\".", "It's the base for many popular mixed drinks, such as the martini, the singapore sling, and, of course, gin and tonic.", "This microdistillery produces gin in small batches using a slower distillation process.", "They don't add any sweeteners, artificial flavoring, or coloring.", "At this distillery, everything is done by hand, starting with the main ingredient, juniper berries.", "Then, spices are added-- dried angelica plant roots...", "Coriander seeds...", "Lemon peel and cardamom.", "All these ingredients go into a 90-gallon copper still.", "A spirit distilled from fermented grain is already in the still.", "It's completely tasteless but has an alcohol content of 95%.", "To lower the alcohol level to 40%, they've diluted it with spring water.", "Now they prepare to redistill with the spices.", "This gives the spirit its distinct gin flavor.", "To do this, they slowly heat the bottom of the still.", "In about an hour, the alcohol boils and begins to evaporate.", "They continue distilling for about six hours, constantly monitoring the temperature.", "If the temperature reaches 212 degrees, the water will also evaporate, ruining the batch.", "The alcohol steam rises up and out of the still through pipes leading to a chilled stainless steel tank.", "When the hot steam hits the cold, it condenses back to a liquid, creating gin.", "Throughout the distillation process, they take samples to measure the density and temperature.", "These readings reflect the current alcohol level.", "They adjust the distillation speed as required to produce a target alcohol level of 76%.", "Only the middle of each batch, known as the heart of the distillation, is collected.", "This particular distillery adds another step.", "They infuse the gin with raw parsnips.", "This gives it an earthy flavor and subtle floral aroma.", "They peel and slice the parsnips, place them in a tank, then pump in the gin.", "After a couple of days, they pump it through filters on the way to a storage tank.", "Then, they dilute the gin with water to lower the alcohol level to 43%.", "Before bottling, the distillery draws samples for quality control testing.", "They examine the color, the aroma, and, of course, the taste.", "There will be slight variations in flavor based on the freshness of the parsnips.", "This microdistillery has no automated bottling line.", "They fill the bottles by hand only six at a time.", "They cork each bottle individually with a hand-operated press.", "They apply a plastic sleeve, which they heat-shrink tightly over the neck.", "The consumer pulls a small gold tab to remove the seal and uncork the bottle.", "This hand-operated machine labels one bottle at a time.", "The machine removes the backing to expose the adhesive, then presses the label onto the bottle.", "This is a london dry gin, meaning it's made with the traditional ingredients and contains no added sweeteners or colorings.", "This distillation process is how gin was made before the age of large, commercial distilleries.", "Winchester rifles are known as the guns that won the american wild west.", "Many old guns have quite a past, and it shows.", "Dents, scratches, and missing parts make a gun look ready for the junkyard.", "But old guns can be restored lock, stock, and barrel.", "A vintage firearm may have been used in a historic battle or to hunt for food.", "Winchester rifles were one of the first repeating rifles, guns that held multiple rounds for a much greater rate of fire.", "To restore a century-old winchester, they disassemble it and evaluate every part.", "They decide the gun needs a major overhaul, beginning with the shoulder stock.", "The master gunsmith assesses pieces of american black walnut for a new stock and decides on one.", "He then selects a wooden template of a shoulder stock.", "He traces the template's contours onto the blank using a grease pencil.", "He leaves a generous margin for error.", "He cuts the walnut blank with a band saw, following the pencil profile.", "These band saw cuts remove excess wood.", "They also give him a basic shape to work with.", "Next, he clamps the walnut piece in a duplicator beside the shoulder stock template.", "He follows the shape of the template with a stylus.", "The stylus controls a router that cuts into the wood.", "As he follows the lines of the gunstock template, the router moves in sync to duplicate the shape.", "It also reveals the beautiful grain of the black walnut.", "The template and walnut copy can be turned simultaneously.", "This allows the gunsmith to cover every angle with a stylus.", "It takes numerous passes to duplicate the shape.", "Next, he brushes black dye onto the receiver, which houses the rifle's operating parts.", "He slides the receiver into the new stock.", "The black dye transfers to the high spots of the wood, indicating where the fit is too tight.", "He scrapes the wood in those locations, so the receiver fits more precisely into the stock.", "This process is known as inletting.", "He now refines the shape of the shoulder stock using a coarse file.", "He also evens any rough patches created by the duplicator.", "He switches to a finer file as he continues to shape the stock and smooth it.", "Finally, he sands the gunstock to a uniform texture.", "He stains both the stock and the fore-end.", "The fore-end is used to steady the rifle during firing.", "Once the stain has dried, he applies an oil finish.", "This both protects the wood and enhances the grain.", "The finish can make all the difference.", "Here, we see finished stocks in low to high-grade wood.", "Next, a craftsman engraves a checkered pattern into the fore-end of the stock.", "He etches a series of grooves, creating an outline to work with.", "Then he carves parallel grooves on crisscross angles to form the checkered pattern.", "This checkering adds visual interest and gives the rifle a better grip.", "Stay tuned for more as this vintage gun restoration continues.", "Restoring old guns was long considered taboo.", "It was believed that tampering with antique firearms would diminish their value.", "That view is changing.", "Gun restoration can save it from the junkyard, preserving a piece of the past.", "Many old guns have a checkered pattern on the stock and fore-end.", "To replicate the originals, the gunsmith has etched a checkered pattern into the wood.", "He now darkens the checkered sections with black linseed oil.", "The oil highlights and protects the design.", "The focus then turns to the rifle's metal parts, made of low-carbon steel.", "After over a century of use, the finish has worn off, compromising their strength.", "Restoration begins with the receiver.", "It holds the gun's working parts.", "He files off imperfections.", "Then, he polishes the receiver using an abrasive cloth wrapped around a block.", "He uses progressively finer abrasives.", "This greatly improves the surface.", "Here is the rifle receiver before it was filed and sanded...", "And after.", "He also cleans up the trigger, lever, and other parts.", "After a hardening treatment, the gunsmith applies varnish.", "The varnish enhances the swirl of colors created by the hardening treatment.", "This is a classic look.", "Here is the rifle receiver in the different stages of restoration.", "Next, a gunsmith bolts a roll die into a press.", "He then loads the newly polished rifle barrel into the press and activates it.", "This press rolls lettering into the metal.", "This stamped information is known as the barrel address.", "It includes the company name and original date of manufacture.", "Another team member boils the barrel in hot, soapy water to remove any dirt or grime.", "After a rinse, he slides the barrel onto a fixed rod.", "He wipes off the water residue and heats the barrel with a torch.", "This preheat prepares the barrel for a rust-proofing treatment called rust bluing.", "As he brushes the bluing solution onto the rifle barrel, he maintains a steady heat.", "The hot temperature activates the chemicals, and the metal turns a brown hue.", "Next, he boils the barrel in hot water.", "Its color goes from brown to bluish black.", "He repeats the rust bluing treatment six to eight times.", "Then, he brushes it against a wire wheel to get rid of excess residue.", "This century-old gun barrel is as good as new.", "Sometimes, they engrave a gun's receiver with scrollwork or other designs.", "The engraver cuts the steel entirely by hand.", "He views his work through a microscope to get every detail right.", "He also engraves the manufacturer's name and model number into the tang of the rifle receiver.", "It's delicate work that he has only one chance to get right.", "Elaborate engravings on the rifle receiver aren't necessary, but are a nice addition.", "The client decides whether to keep it simple or go fancy.", "Restoring a vintage rifle isn't cheap.", "It costs thousands of dollars or more if expensive engravings and gold inlay work is added.", "But when it comes to extras, some collectors won't hesitate to pull the trigger." ]

{ "things": [ "Carburetors", "Air Conditioners", "Sugar" ] }

[ "Cars that don't have fuel-injection systems have carburetors.", "They're an integral part of the engine that mixes air and fuel in specific proportions, vaporizes them, then sends the mixture to the intake manifold.", "The manifold transfers the mixture to the engine cylinders, where combustion occurs.", "Filtered air enters the carburetor and mixes with fuel.", "When you press the gas, the carburetor opens conduits for the air-and-fuel mixture to flow to the engine.", "Two metering blocks control the proportion of fuel to air.", "Computer-guided precision tools machine them out of aluminum.", "Meanwhile, workers install components called boosters in the carburetor's main body.", "These boosters spray the fuel-and-air mixture as a mist into tapered conduits called venturi.", "Those lead to the intake manifold, which transfers the mixture to the engine's cylinders.", "Another computerized machine makes each throttle shaft from a bar of steel.", "These shafts turn when you press on the gas, pivoting the butterfly discs that open those conduits to the intake manifold.", "The tooling machine bores screw holes for attaching the butterflies and carves grooves to prevent fuel from leaking out.", "Workers install the throttle shafts in the carburetor's baseplate.", "One side of this plate will bolt to the main body and the other to the intake manifold.", "The butterflies are made of aluminum, steel, or brass, depending on the carburetor model.", "He flips the baseplate and flares the bottom of the screws to prevent them from vibrating out and falling into the engine.", "After installing an adjustment screw for tuning the carburetor and using thread-locking fluid to ensure the components don't loosen, it's time to assemble the levers that turn the throttle shafts.", "A washer and cotter pin hold it all together.", "A few pulls on the levers ensure that both throttle shafts move freely and smoothly, turning the butterflies perpendicular to open the conduits and flat to close them.", "Next, the accelerator pump arm-- it shoots an initial burst of fuel when you start the car.", "The carburetor's cast-metal fuel bowls go into a vibrating tumbler where metal balls smooth their surface.", "Then they receive a protective coating.", "Now a worker installs a float to control the fuel level inside each bowl.", "This is essential because too little fuel would prevent engine start-up, and too much fuel would overflow and cause a shutdown.", "A gasket sandwiched between the main body and the baseplate will prevent fuel from leaking out and dirt from seeping in.", "As a precaution, they coat the baseplate screws with thread-locking fluid so they won't loosen over time.", "Now the baseplate that contains the throttle shafts and butterflies is connected to the main body that contains the boosters.", "Next come the metering blocks-- a gasket over each one, and then into a fuel bowl.", "Then one block-and-bowl unit goes on each side of the main body.", "Just one final adjustment to the accelerator pump lever and arm and the carburetor is finished.", "In the quality-control department, every carburetor undergoes testing with fluids similar to gasoline.", "They check if the accelerator pump squirts out enough fuel at ignition and during the transition from idling mode to acceleration.", "Then, once everything's running at regular speed, they measure the amount of fluid the boosters spray per hour.", "Once they pass quality control, these carburetors will really be able to rev you up.", "In an air conditioner, liquid refrigerant absorbs heat from inside the building, changes into a gas, then flows outdoors.", "It goes through a compressor, then a heat-exchanger coil that transfers the heat to the outside air, turning the refrigerant gas to liquid again.", "The refrigerant then circulates back inside the building.", "This air-conditioner company makes its coils entirely of aluminum, which is five times more corrosion-resistant than coils made of copper and aluminum.", "To make the coil, workers position an aluminum tube called the spine in the middle of this special winding machine.", "Then they feed in an aluminum strip.", "The machine slits the aluminum strip into thin teeth called fins.", "Then it folds and wraps thousands upon thousands of fins around the spine, making the material they call spine fin tubing.", "Each tiny fin is a heat-transfer vehicle.", "Now to form the coil.", "They hook the end of the spine fin tubing to an automated winder.", "It spirals the spine fin tubing into a large cylindrical shape.", "When they finish winding the coil, they cut the end free from the feeder, then apply hot glue to hold everything together.", "The next machine presses the coil on all sides to form it into the shape of the air conditioner.", "A worker now cuts into the coil and bears a row of tubing.", "These cuts determine the circuits, the term for the path the refrigerant takes as it flows through the coil.", "The pipes that feed these circuits are made of copper, but copper doesn't fuse directly to aluminum.", "So workers must first solder on transition tubes coated with a zinc/aluminum alloy.", "Then they attach the copper manifolds that distribute the refrigerant to the circuits.", "Once all the refrigeration components are in place, workers subject the coil unit to an underwater pressure test to make sure there are no leaks.", "In another department, workers have assembled the air conditioner's compressor.", "They mount the compressor to a weather-resistant plastic base, then cover it with a sound reducer, a vinyl jacket filled with fiberglass insulation.", "Now they add the coil.", "It sits between posts in the base.", "For an air conditioner to work well, it can't have air or moisture in its refrigeration system.", "So workers hook up the unit to automated machinery that completely evacuates the lines.", "Next, workers connect wiring and install corner supports, then begin assembling the unit's exterior housing.", "The top perimeter piece is shaped to direct the airflow out of the unit.", "A motorized fan pulls air into the unit.", "A plastic grille lets air exit and keeps debris from falling inside.", "Finally, they seal the refrigerant lines by brazing shut a pair of tubes.", "The housing parts are made of zinc-coated steel.", "The factory spray-paints them then bakes the paint for maximum durability.", "Air conditioners sit outdoors so they have to withstand all kinds of weather.", "The factory sends sample units to a performance-testing laboratory.", "It runs them in extreme heat, extreme cold, rain, and snow to see if, under such harsh conditions, they keep their cool.", "Next time you reach for the sugar bowl, try to imagine that it was once so rare and expensive it was called white gold.", "Producing sugar from the sugarcane first took place in india.", "About 300 b.c., alexander the great's army reported seeing a reed that gives honey without bees growing there.", "This table sugar has many names-- mill white, plantation white, and crystal sugar.", "But it all comes from the sugarcane.", "It looks a lot like bamboo with fully grown stalks that can measure up to 20 feet high.", "Here in the field, a worker pares away the husk from a stalk of sugarcane, then chews the cane's raw pulp to extract the stalk's sweet juice.", "This machine harvests the cane by cutting it at the base.", "Rotating scrolls feed the cane to the chopper drums inside.", "As they chop the cane, a fan blows the lighter leaves and tops back onto the field.", "The heavier lengths of cane drop into the base of a conveyor, which feeds them into the transport bin that follows alongside.", "Trucks rapidly transport the cut cane to the sugar mill for processing.", "Once cut, sugarcane begins to lose its sugar content, and damage to the cane during harvesting accelerates this decay.", "At the mill, trucks empty their load onto a receiving table.", "It feeds a belt conveyor that takes the cane through two separate washes.", "The cane must be as clean as possible before extracting the juice.", "But first, the cane's hard structure is broken down inside this crusher, where rotating hammers break the cane into small pieces.", "A conveyor loads it into a milling tandem designed to extract the sweet juice from the crushed cane.", "In this milling tandem, the cane passes through a series of five or more consecutive mills.", "Large cylinders compress the cane fiber.", "The juice pours out of the milling tandem and diverts into a channel away from the bagasse, the dry pulp that remains after extracting the juice.", "A worker supervises the operation at each of the mills.", "A vat collects the juice that flows from the top and bottom of the mills.", "Now that the juice is extracted from the sugarcane, it's time to process it.", "However, before turning the juice into sugar crystals, a sample goes through a series of tests at the sugar mill's laboratory.", "First, a technician adds a thickener that binds to impurities in the juice and then filters it to obtain a clear, clean juice.", "Then he pours it into a polarimeter, a machine that measures the concentration of sugar.", "The juice from the mills now falls through this 33-foot-high tower as sulfur-dioxide vapors rise through it.", "This process, known as sulfitation, bleaches the juice.", "Then the juice flows through a device that measures its p.h. level.", "While at a separate vat, workers add powdered lime to water, preparing a solution to which they will then add the juice.", "An agitator mixes the cane-juice-and-lime solution for about six hours to complete a process called alkalization.", "It regulates the juice's p.h. level and helps clarify it.", "In reaction to the lime, the juice's color changes from brown to yellow.", "Next, the juice goes into these clarifier tanks.", "It takes over two hours for the juice to settle and for the impurities to fall to the bottom of the tank.", "A sample taken from the tank shows how the sludge collects at the bottom, while the clarified juice collects at the top.", "Next, we'll see how this clarified juice transforms into flowing crystals of white sugar.", "Christopher columbus never made it to asia but discovered the caribbean and later brought sugarcane plantings there.", "Sugarcane provides sugar but also syrup, molasses, rum, and ethanol.", "The many types of sugar available in stores differ in crystal size or color, depending on how they are processed.", "Workers filter the residue known as mud from the clarifier tanks to extract any remaining sugar.", "There's no waste here.", "The mud will fertilize the cane fields, and the bagasse will be burned as fuel.", "The clarified juice collected from the clarifier tanks now boils in a series of evaporators.", "This brings the concentration of the sugar and the juice up from 15% to 60%.", "Then the juice collects in 15-ton tanks to clarify even more.", "Any sediment left in the juice floats to the top.", "A rotating paddle skims this residue off to the sides of the tank.", "These tanks produce a type of syrup that goes on for still more processing.", "Workers now pour microscopic sucrose crystals suspended in alcohol into the syrup.", "This milky solution binds to the sugar present in the syrup and helps draw it out.", "Next, it all boils in large vacuum pans, forming sugar crystals.", "As the water in the syrup boils away, workers regularly check to see how the sugar is crystallizing.", "The goal-- to produce a thick, crystallized paste known as mesquite.", "It then goes into a high-speed centrifugal machine to remove the sugar crystals from the uncrystallized syrup.", "Inside, the sugar spins at 1,200 revolutions per minute.", "This action draws the molasses to the outer shell of the machine, while the crystals remain in the inner basket.", "Sprays of water wash the crystals, then the water is drawn out so that only the crystals remain.", "This centrifuge works much the same way as a washing machine set on the spin cycle.", "It draws out moisture from the sugar much like you draw out the wash water from a load of laundry.", "Next, a conveyor belt carries the sugar crystals out of the centrifuge.", "This mill produces raw sugar, which has a higher molasses color and is unbleached, and plantation white sugar, which has less molasses and is bleached a brilliant white.", "The sugar on the conveyor now goes into a large dryer.", "Hot air blows into this dryer to bring the sugar's humidity level down to .", "02%.", "That's standard for table sugar.", "The dried sugar pours out from the dryer into a bag on a scale.", "It's full when it weighs in at 2,200 pounds.", "A hoist then carries the bags to a platform at the far end of the packing facility.", "At 3.3 tons, that's a heavy load.", "It lowers each bag over a chute that leads to the factory's main floor.", "Workers carefully open each bag in turn and pour out the sugar directly into the chute.", "It feeds an automated packaging machine, which fills a series of 4½-pound plastic bags, seals them, and separates them.", "This packing facility produces 200,000 bags a day.", "That means processing 400 tons of white sugar daily.", "This fine plantation-white sugar is available in a variety of convenient packaging options, and that should sweeten anyone's day." ]

{ "things": [ "Chemical Tank Pressure Vents", "Candy Wafers", "Food Trucks", "Traditional Ropes" ] }

[ "Today, on \"how it's made\"...", "It's common for pressure to build up inside chemical tanker trucks during transport.", "Special vents regulate that pressure, preventing any unwanted gas build-up, which could lead to an explosion.", "Pressure relief vents are standard equipment on chemical tanker trucks.", "They ensure tanks can hold up to the pressures inherent to this industry.", "Production starts with a bin of wax pellets.", "They use pellets to make models of the vent's parts in a process called lost-wax casting.", "Pellets are fed into an injection machine.", "The wax melts into a mold of the vent's lower housing.", "Four wax models are fused to a single wax tree stand.", "The tree stand is left to cure for a couple of hours.", "Once cured, a worker dips the wax tree into a slurry of ceramic.", "He removes the stand of wax models, then twirls it to drain any excess ceramic.", "This is the first of several ceramic coatings.", "Between coatings, he applies silica sand to the wet ceramic.", "The sand rains down onto the ceramic, creating a stucco effect.", "The first layer of stucco is finally granulated.", "The next few layers will be coarse.", "By building up progressively coarser layers of stucco, he creates a ceramic shell with the desired thickness and strength.", "The final layer of sand is very coarse.", "Air pumps through the sand as the worker dumps the models.", "This process ensures uniform coverage of the heavier sand.", "They bake the forms next, melting out the wax and hardening the ceramic into shells.", "Next, a team pours blazing liquid steel into a ladle.", "The ceramic shells have been heated to around 3,000 degrees in an oven.", "Workers pour hot, liquid steel into the hollow tree.", "They add a chemical sealer, then top the molten metal with a piece of ceramic-fiber insulation.", "After about 3 hours in an oven, the steel castings are solid.", "A worker shatters the ceramic, revealing the vent-housing parts.", "A powerful circular saw slices the parts off the tree.", "Workers clean off any ceramic residue.", "Computer-guided tools calibrate the pressure-vent housing part to precise specifications.", "After cleaning and polishing, the part is complete.", "It's time for assembly.", "The worker starts with the top of the pressure vent.", "A large spring is inserted to aid pressure relief.", "A metal plate is added to seal the top of the vent to the lower part.", "The lower vent housing is then seated on the metal plate.", "He moves the assembly under a hydraulic ram.", "The ram presses the lower housing, the sealer plate, and the spring to a specific tension.", "He then screws the lower housing to the top of the vent.", "A metal ring inscribed with the vent's model and flow rate is attached at the top.", "This chemical tank pressure vent is now ready for testing.", "The technician screws it to the test stand.", "He activates a system that forces compressed air into the vent.", "This confirms whether the vent works at the desired setting.", "Once approved, he attaches a cover to shield the vent from rain and snow.", "The trackable serial number is etched into the top using a laser.", "This vent is now ready to prevent hazardous situations.", "The candy wafer is a classic american treat.", "Invented in 1847, it's a thin, lightweight disk of sugary candy.", "It's softer and dissolves faster than hard candy.", "You can bite into it right away or let it melt in your mouth.", "These candy wafers come in eight different flavors.", "The original roll has a random assortment of 38 pieces.", "Part of the fun is seeing how many of your favorite flavors you get.", "This factory makes one flavor at a time.", "The first step is to add food coloring and flavoring to pulverized sugar.", "This pink color and mint flavoring produces a wintergreen taste.", "Corn syrup comes next, along with a binding solution of vegetable gums and gelatin dissolved in water.", "After mixing for about 8 minutes, the candy dough's consistency is checked.", "If it isn't thick, elastic, or sticky enough, more binding solution is added until the dough is just right.", "Workers divide the dough into chunks, then feed them into a dough shooter.", "This is the first station on the wafer-forming line.", "The black dough is licorice flavor.", "A conveyor returns leftover dough from the end of the line to be reused for making new wafers.", "They're pushed through a slot, forming the dough sheet that's 20 inches wide by about an inch thick.", "This yellow dough is lemon flavored.", "A steady sprinkle of cornstarch prevents the sheet from sticking to the equipment.", "Rollers compress and stretch the dough forward, flattening the sheet to an inch thick.", "The next station stamps on the company logo, then cuts out the wafers.", "The cutter moves up and down 180 times per minute.", "The wafers fall through a gap to a moving conveyor belt below.", "The conveyor belt moves the wafers to a multilevel tunnel dryer.", "They pass through the dryer 13 times over the course of an hour.", "These green wafers are lime flavored.", "The dryer temperature is about 150 degrees fahrenheit, warm enough to remove half of the moisture without melting the sugar.", "These brown wafers are chocolate flavor.", "Once out of the dryer, the wafers pile up in trays without sticking.", "Workers stack the trays in a drying room.", "It's heated and humidified with steam.", "The candy wafers stay here until their moisture level drops to between 0.75% and 1%.", "The factory tests a few samples using a device called a penetrometer.", "It measures the force required to penetrate the candy wafer to the point of breaking it.", "This ensures the candies are the correct consistency.", "When the trays come out of the drying room, workers send the candies to the packaging line.", "The colors are mixed together, ensuring every roll of candy has a random assortment of flavors.", "The wafers flow into channels, which stand them on their sides.", "Workers grab about two rolls' worth, then fill two channels of a feeder that takes them to the wrapping station.", "Another worker fills in the gaps, ensuring each roll has 38 pieces.", "The wrapping machine cuts printed, translucent paper wrapping and applies a bead of glue to one edge.", "In a matter of seconds, the machine lifts the roll into the wrapper, seals the edges, and twists the ends closed.", "As the sealed rolls move on a conveyor belt, heated blocks iron the twisted ends flat.", "Each candy wafer roll weighs 2 ounces.", "Workers pack 24 rolls per retail box, then pack the boxes in shipping cases.", "In addition to a traditional roll with assorted flavors, the factory also produces chocolate-only rolls.", "Production has modernized over the years, but the recipe itself hasn't changed much since the first candy wafer rolled off the production line in 1847.", "Food trucks used to only sell sandwiches and other prepackaged food.", "Not anymore.", "The modern food truck is a mobile restaurant with a full kitchen inside.", "Food is cooked fresh and sold to customers through a service window.", "Most food trucks are standard panel trucks.", "Their cargo area is a fully equipped commercial kitchen with a service window on one side.", "They're usually customized by boutique companies, so there's no standard method.", "However, certain modifications to the panel trucks are common, like enhancing the truck's suspension system or reinforcing the flooring and walls to support the kitchen's weight.", "The lighten the load, this company builds the kitchen's structural components out of aluminum bars rather than heavy steel.", "Once the pieces are cut, a worker assembles, then welds them together.", "This structure will support a stainless-steel countertop.", "Workers cut the countertops and cabinets from thick sheets of stainless steel.", "They bend the sheets using a machine called a press break.", "For this countertop, they bend a 90-degree angle on the front end to form a 1.5-inch square edge.", "To construct walls and ceilings, they rivet thin sheets of stainless steel or aluminum to panels of wood.", "Fire-retardant plywood is used for the kitchens.", "The boards are installed over styrofoam insulation.", "They leave the truck's aluminum floor as is.", "Once the walls, ceiling, and flooring are complete, it's time to install the kitchen's cabinets and counters.", "Workers screw each counter support to the wooden structure of the wall, then fasten the countertop with rivets.", "They peel off the film that was protecting the stainless-steel surface.", "Next, they install the major appliances, which include a commercial refrigerator, freezer, and cooking equipment.", "Then the electrical box is installed.", "They connect wiring for the outlets, lighting, water heater, water pump, and air-conditioning system.", "The generator is installed underneath the nearest counter.", "It supplies the truck with electricity.", "Next to the electrical box is the power-transfer box.", "It contains a switch that enables the truck to use an outdoor power source.", "The switches for the interior and exterior lighting are underneath the electrical box.", "Workers install the light fixtures, cabinetry, sink, and serving window.", "They also install the gas lines that power the commercial cooking equipment.", "This truck has several gas appliances-- a six-burner gas range with large oven, a deep fryer, a charcoal grill, and a flattop cooking surface.", "The kitchen is equipped with a ventilation hood over the cooking area.", "Its powerful fan gathers smoke and sends it out a vent on top of the truck.", "It's time to outfit the exterior.", "Some food trucks are painted, but most use graphics that are digitally printed on adhesive vinyl.", "After positioning each panel of the design, they apply heat with a torch.", "This removes trapped air, stretching the vinyl over rivets and other protrusions.", "This mobile eatery is ready to roll with a kitchen that meets fire-code and food-service regulations.", "It may not provide the ambiance of a sit-down restaurant, but when a food truck pulls up, you never need a reservation.", "Rope has been made out of plant fibers for centuries.", "Stronger synthetic and steel cords are available, but there's still a market for traditional twine.", "They have their own unique strengths, and that's why we are still bound by their ties.", "Woven from manila, sisal, or flax fibers, traditional ropes are a binding element in our world.", "They're easier to grip and stretch less than synthetics.", "At this deep and narrow building, they've been twisting fibers into rope for more than two centuries.", "They're still producing rope the old-fashioned way.", "The process starts with racks of natural-fiber yarns.", "The yarns are funneled through separators, which configure them to twist evenly together.", "The fibers then travel through tubes that squeeze them into bundles.", "Workers tie the ends of the bundles onto a wheeled vehicle called the forming machine.", "They roll the machine back until there's no slack in the bundles.", "The machine is then sent to the opposite end of the factory, over 1,000 feet away.", "As the machine travels backwards, its gears turn hooks, twisting the yarns into a tight configuration.", "The formation of the twists ensure an even distribution of tension.", "This is what makes rope so strong.", "This long, indoor space is called a ropewalk.", "There aren't many of them left in the world.", "Halfway down, a worker places a trestle underneath the twisting yarns.", "This keeps them off the floor and prevents tangling.", "When the machine reaches the back wall, it stops, and workers cut both ends of the strands.", "They tie them to posts to maintain tension and prevent unraveling.", "The twisted fibers stretch from one end of the building to the other.", "On one side, they tie three of the strands to a machine that will transform them into a rope.", "Halfway down, they bring in a cart that holds a piece of grooved wood known as a top.", "They tuck the twisted strands into the grooves of the top.", "They then roll the cart down to face the rope-making machine.", "A worker ties rope around the strands in the top.", "This holds them in place as the rope-making machine twists the three strands into one.", "The cart rolls along rails propelled by twisting action.", "It leaves newly formed rope in its wake.", "The rope machine with twisting hooks remains in the same place.", "When the cart arrives at the opposite side of the building, the rope is formed.", "A worker removes the ties around the top.", "They now have a piece of rope that's over 700 feet long and almost 5 inches in diameter.", "They slice the rope at both ends.", "Then they wind it onto a big spool, packing it into a tight coil.", "This traditional rope is almost ready to be shipped.", "The customer requested looped ends for securing the rope with a shackle.", "So, the rope-maker unravels the ends and pierces the rope with a hollow tool called a fid.", "He makes a loop and slides the unraveled strands through the fid.", "He finishes the job by weaving the strands into the rope.", "They're ready to test a segment of the rope.", "Two hydraulic jaws pull it until it breaks.", "The rope must be able to handle 55 tons of force.", "Traditional ropes have the strength to carry on, as they have done for a very long time." ]

{ "things": [ "Armored Vehicles", "Tension Fabric Buildings", "Rowers", "Sculpture Enlargements" ] }

[ "The first armored car was developed in the late 19th century.", "First used as scouting vehicles, they quickly became a source of protection in modern warfare.", "Today, private armored vehicles are made for celebrities, c.e.o.s, and government officials.", "This armored s.u.v. looks like an ordinary car, but it's reinforced with bulletproof steel and has transparent armor windows.", "A designer integrates armored parts into the original design of the car using a 3d cad system.", "A c.n.c. precision laser cutter shapes the armored parts out of a ballistic steel sheet.", "A mechanic tests the steel's ballistic resistance using a high-power rifle.", "He makes sure the armor meets international ballistic impact standards.", "A mechanic starts by removing the inside covers and liners of the car, stripping it down to the chassis frame.", "Now the mechanics can install the armor.", "They weld bulletproof steel sheets to the chassis frame.", "They reinforce the car floor with blast-absorbent steel sheets and install ballistic armored steel to cover the interior cabin walls.", "A mechanic now uses an electric grinder to remove the standard-steel panels from the door.", "Armored steel plates designed to fit to the chassis are welded in place.", "At the end of the process, the vehicle is armored from top to bottom.", "The armor adds around two tons of weight to the vehicle, depending on the model, so each vehicle is equipped with an adapted suspension system.", "A welder assembles a fuel-tank casing using ballistic steel.", "He arranges the metal to form a protective shell around the tank then welds the pieces together.", "Another worker applies electrostatic, anti-rust, and flame-retardant paint, designed to prevent the tank from exploding if exposed to open flames.", "A welder attaches the fuel pan to the bulletproof casing.", "He uses a mig torch to tack-weld the pan onto the armored steel.", "The c.n.c.-designed casing fits perfectly around the tank.", "Mechanics now reassemble the interior fitting, air-conditioning system, and electrical wiring running through the roof.", "Another worker reattaches the original panels to the armored door frame and puts the door-lock and window controls back in place.", "They cover the blast-absorbent steel with floor mats, then they bring in the rear bulkhead door, which is upholstered to match the original interior.", "The bulletproof door can be used as an emergency escape hatch.", "It opens horizontally because the door is too heavy for hatch lifts to support.", "Now they install the windshield.", "It's made of transparent armored glass.", "The thickness of the glass depends on the ballistic standard the car needs to meet.", "He installs runflat devices made of composite plastic inside the wheels.", "This allows the car to keep rolling on a flat tire for 40 to 50 miles at a speed of up to 50 miles per hour.", "A mechanic tightens the device around the rim before a robotic arm attaches the tire to the wheel.", "He labels the reinforced wheel with the specifications of the runflat device and mounts it back on the car.", "A keen observer may see the overlap between the edge of the doorframe and the main chassis or notice the unusual thickness of the windows, but the design of these cars makes them look perfectly normal to most people, even though they are as protected as armored tanks.", "A tension fabric building combines the benefits of a tent and a building into a single structure.", "It has a strong, load-resistant roof and a sturdy steel structure but can be quickly dismantled and reconstructed at a new location.", "You often see tension fabric buildings on farms or at public works yards.", "They're often used to store equipment and bulk materials like gravel or road salt.", "Tension fabric buildings can also house small factories.", "The fabric cover is high-density polyethylene, a material known for its exceptional strength.", "It can withstand strong winds and heavy snow accumulation.", "Following the engineer's plan, workers cut the required sheets of fabric.", "Then, the assembly process begins.", "They flatten and tape down the first sheet to immobilize it then overlap the second sheet by two inches.", "They tape down that sheet to keep it in position.", "Then, with a hot-air welder, they melt the overlapping edges and press them together with heavy wheels.", "This fuses the edges into a strong seam.", "Workers use this same process to weld on tension pockets two feet in from the bottom and sides.", "Each pocket will contain a steel or pvc tube holding nylon straps.", "The straps are spaced 2 to 10 feet apart, depending on the building size.", "They apply tension to fasten the fabric down over the steel structure.", "The assembled sheets form a single cover that goes over the sides and roof of the building.", "Separate covers are made for the front and back walls.", "The covers of larger buildings are made differently.", "Workers connect multiple covers with a keter system.", "Keter is an ultra-strong pvc or nylon rope.", "An automated hot-air welder folds the edges of each cover over the keter.", "The fabric-sealed rope edge will slide snugly into an aluminum channel in the building's roof structure.", "When the cover is finished, workers fan-fold it...", "Then roll it up for transport to the installation site.", "For the building's steel structure, the factory orders steel tubing and cuts pieces to the required lengths.", "The steel is coated with zinc to prevent corrosion.", "Works put the tubes into a press to flatten the ends into connectable surfaces.", "At the same time, the press punches holes for bolts.", "For buildings with a rounded top, works bend tubes for the trusses, a main component of the roof framing.", "The operator programs in the required radius, and the machine automatically adjusts the dies to curve the tube accordingly.", "Workers then place the parts for each truss segment in an assembly jig to prepare for welding.", "They tack-weld the parts together so they come off the jig as a single unit.", "At the next station, workers finish the welding.", "This truss segment will connect with six others, forming a 200-foot truss running the full width of the building.", "To keep up with the high demand, robots do all the welding for this factory's most-popular models.", "Welding removes the galvanization, which keeps the steel corrosion-resistant, so the last step is to spray zinc-rich paint on the welds to restore that protection.", "A tension fabric building typically takes a team of four just a few days to set up.", "It can be customized to attach to different types of foundations and be designed with windows and garage doors.", "Rowing machines were invented in the late 1800s.", "These early versions were rudimentary but helped competitive rowers train in the off-season.", "As technology improved, rowing machines gained a much wider appeal.", "Today's machines offer a realistic rowing experience without putting an oar in the water.", "When the weather is bad, a rowing machine can bring the workout indoors.", "To make a rower, a computerized tool punches assembly holes in high-carbon steel.", "Then, a laser carves out the parts around the holes.", "These parts will be used to create the housing for the rower's flywheel and brakes.", "They fold the edges using a bench press, making neat flaps.", "Next up is the main tube for the rower.", "All the other components will attach to this part.", "A punch cuts assembly holes into the steel tube.", "Then, an employee places the tube in a welding fixture.", "He positions the stand of the seat frame at one end.", "A robot welds the stand to the tube and welds mounts for the seat rail.", "They apply a powder-coat finish to the assembly, making it corrosion-resistant.", "An employee places the flywheel housing parts in a fixture and activates an automated welder, which fuses them together at the seams.", "They powder-coat this assembly, too.", "Plastic wheels with metal bearings allow the seat to slide on the rails.", "A worker screws four wheels to the carrier plate under the rower seat.", "Now an employee applies a decal with the company name to the main tube.", "He inserts a pulley in a notch at the end of the tube.", "Next, he sets the chrome seat rail on the mounts and secures it with screws.", "He attaches the ends of the chrome rail to eyelets on the stand.", "He screws plastic feet to the bottom of the stand.", "At another station, a worker places a bearing in the center of the flywheel and uses a press to secure it.", "Next, he pulls a black, plastic cord through a spool and knots it at the end.", "He also pulls a white, rubberized cord through, then mounts the spool to a shaft in the flywheel.", "He locks the spool to the shaft with a special steel ring and winds the black cord around the spool.", "He puts the flywheel in the steel housing and screws it in place.", "Using a hooked tool, he grabs a spring linked to the magnetic braking system.", "He fastens this end of the spring to a hole in the flywheel housing.", "A team now threads the white pull cord through the main tube and uses the pulley at the end to loop it back.", "A piece of metal cable attached the end of the pull cord makes it easier to snake the cord through the tube.", "Now a worker unwinds some of the black cord.", "He threads it through a guide on the flywheel housing and attaches it to the handlebar, also known as the oar.", "He pushes caps into the ends of the handlebar, then rests it on top of the flywheel housing.", "Another employee builds a protective outer structure around the flywheel steel housing using molded plastic parts.", "He installs a port for the electrical system that powers the workout computer.", "The top part of the casing contains the computer.", "The computer measures row strokes and calories burned.", "After making all the necessary connections, he screws it in place.", "A plastic cradle supports the assembly.", "It snaps into place.", "Once the seat is attached, this rowing machine is ready for a workout.", "Until recently, if a sculptor wanted to create a large statue, they had to make their model by hand, but now an artist can make a small-scale replica of their statue and have a large copy made in foam.", "The artist can then use this model to make their full-size sculpture, saving them a lot of time and money.", "A full-size sculpture starts out as a small clay model.", "The artist uses the clay model to make a mold out of wax, plaster, or resin.", "The artist then sends the copy, called a maquette to a specialist, who produces a foam enlargement to be used as a model to cast the full-size sculpture.", "The specialist places the maquette on a turntable.", "He spins it at an event pace while scanning it.", "The scanner's five cameras take continuous high-resolution photos and upload them to a computer.", "The computer then converts these photos into a 3d image.", "He scans the maquette several times to make sure he captures every detail.", "Then, he combines the pictures together and divides the sculpture into sections.", "He uses another program to calculate the scale of enlargement.", "This helps him determine how many and what size blocks of foam he needs to produce each section.", "He uses a dense foam with a fine grain called extruded polystyrene.", "He secures the foam with tape, then uses a computer-guided router to carve the enlarged sections of the sculpture.", "The larger and more detailed the part, the longer this process takes.", "For example, this half of the dog's head took 45 minutes, while carving half a leg would take just eight minutes.", "He uses a hot-wire machine to slice through the block and free the carved part.", "The specialist removes excess foam with a sanding block.", "He makes sure adjacent sections line up properly, then tapes them together.", "He scrapes off the seam with a horse-grooming comb, then sands it down.", "Next, he measures the sections so he can cut a steel pipe to the correct length.", "The steel pipe is used as a stiffener to make the sections more rigid.", "It also connects adjacent sections together.", "He uses a standard pipe bender to match the stiffeners to the sections they're going into.", "To embed the stiffener in the dog's leg, he first traces it on one side of the leg, then he carves out a trough to the depth of the stiffener's diameter.", "He cleans out the loose foam with a narrow brush.", "He checks to make sure the stiffener will fit.", "Then, he applies an adhesive designed especially for foam and inserts the stiffener.", "He places the other half of the leg on top, encasing the stiffener.", "He leaves about six inches sticking out of the leg.", "He inserts the protruding steel rod into a hole drilled in the enlargement.", "Once he has assembled all the sections, he tapes them together to check their alignment.", "The completed sculpture enlargement is about four times bigger than the original maquette.", "It's now ready to be sent back to the sculptor, where he or she will cover it with clay and add fine details that can't be reproduced in foam.", "Once this is done, the sculptor sends the clay model to a mold maker, who casts a mold and sends it to a metal foundry to create the final sculpture." ]

{ "things": [ "Cufflinks", "Blueberry Turnovers", "Dashboards", "Earthenware Pottery" ] }

[ "Cufflinks are a fashion trend with definite staying power.", "They've been holding shirt cuffs together since the 17th century.", "Early versions were buttons linked by short chains, an improvement over the ribbons and pins the gentleman of the day had been using to fasten their sleeves.", "Clothes may make the man, but a set of cufflinks can make the outfit.", "They add a bit of flash to conservative business garb and convey a sense of occasion.", "Buttons may be easier, but cufflinks are about taking the trouble to look really spiffy.", "A pair of high-end cufflinks starts with sterling silver, gold, or platinum.", "A craftsman cuts out blanks.", "These blanks will be used for the fronts of the cufflinks.", "He places one of the silver blanks on a die engraved with a recessed grid pattern.", "A hydraulic press closes and squeezes the silver blank into the die, transferring the pattern onto the silver.", "This company has more than 1,000 cufflink patterns, some of which date back to the mid-19th century.", "With these dies, they continue to handcraft cufflinks the traditional way.", "Pressing the pattern onto the silver has caused the metal to expand, so he trims the excess from the perimeter.", "There's another benefit to this.", "The trimming works the silver to harden it...", "From a plain silver blank to a cufflink face with artistic expression.", "A craftsperson now attaches a silver stem to the back of a cufflink face.", "He melts silver solder between the two, and, as it cools, it creates a solid bond.", "The stem shape is a slightly curved design to allow the cufflink to sit perfectly on a cuff.", "The soldering torch oxidizes and darkens the silver slightly, so he dips the parts in a sulfuric-acid bath.", "The acid pulls out the black, and the parts become silvery white once again.", "Next, the brass bristles of a revolving wheel make tiny scratches on the silver to brighten it substantially.", "Each cufflink now undergoes a very intensive enameling using a mix of finely ground colored glass and water.", "Here, the enamelist applies blue glass to the cufflink's stamped grid detailing and then paints yellow around the perimeter.", "It takes a steady hand and experience to do an even job.", "If one color bleeds into the next, it can't be fixed, and she'll have to scrap this cufflink and start anew.", "Then it's into a kiln fired to 1,800 degrees fahrenheit.", "The heat melts the glass, and it flows into the detailing to give it definition.", "At the same time, the glass fuses to the metal surface.", "And then it's back to the artist for another layer of glass.", "The enameler will repeat this process between three and seven times to produce a perfect luster and depth of color.", "The color deepens with each layer, and the result is a rich, translucent enamel surface.", "Leaving the kiln, the enamel is a bit wavy, so the worker files it down until the surface is completely flat and level.", "Then the cufflinks go back into the kiln for one last firing.", "He polishes the enameled surface against an abrasive wheel, using a mix of volcanic ash and water for a polishing paste.", "This takes hours, but it gives the glass enamel a glossy finish.", "Now the focus returns to the cufflink stem and the dome spring link fittings that are the closing mechanisms.", "He heats a needle-thin wire to make it slightly pliable and then pushes it into the fitting to engage a spring that attaches to the cufflink stem.", "With the fitting installed, he clips the excess wire at both ends.", "To secure the installation, he hammers the ends of the wire to flare them out, turning them into a kind of rivet.", "With the fitting now solidly attached to the cufflink stem, he lightly files the edges with an emery board to give the part a perfectly smooth finish.", "He buffs the cufflinks' exposed silver against a cloth wheel and uses a polishing agent to make it really gleam.", "After at least six hours of work, these enameled silver cufflinks are now complete.", "In the business world, where men usually dress in a suit and tie, a custom set of cufflinks is one way to express individuality but still fit in with the rest of the guys.", "A fruit turnover is probably your best bet if you're eating on the go.", "It satisfies a sweet tooth, it's portable, and it requires no utensils.", "The dough, typically flaky, is folded over, usually into a triangle or rectangle, and the edges are sealed, trapping the fruit filling neatly inside.", "These all-natural blueberry turnovers may look and taste like homemade, but, believe it or not, they come frozen in a box.", "You just bake them and eat them.", "The manufacturer is willing to reveal the ingredients, but the critical proportions, mixing, and heating times are top-secret.", "Workers begin making the filling by heating blueberries.", "Next, they combine lemon juice and starch in a container...", "Then add this mixture to the blueberries.", "The starch is white now but will become transparent as it cooks.", "They mix some more...", "Then add salt.", "When the starch is opaque, they add sugar...", "And mix some more.", "As soon as the temperature of the ingredients reaches 170 degrees fahrenheit, the filling is done.", "To make the dough, workers first pour flour into the mixer, then salt.", "After a few minutes of mixing, they add butter-- lots of butter.", "Once it's well-blended, they add some water.", "After a bit more mixing, the dough is ready.", "This type of dough is called \"pâte brisée,\" the french term for a butter-based pastry that's extremely light and flaky due to its high ratio of fat to flour.", "Now workers weigh out 12-pound portions...", "And put them, one at a time, into a dough press with a sprinkling of flour to prevent sticking.", "The press compresses the dough into a 10\"x16\" block that's one inch thick.", "Then they line up the blocks on a floured conveyor belt, joining them together to form one continuous sheet of dough.", "The dough sheet now enters a press.", "Inside, rollers compress the sheet to about a quarter of its original thickness.", "The next machine layers the thin dough sheet.", "This flour press and layer process repeats over and over again until the sheet is just 1/10\" thick yet contains 24 layers.", "These layers are what will make the pastry exceptionally light and flaky.", "Trimming wheels on the sides make a neat edge.", "Diagonally bladed wheels score the dough with small cuts.", "And cutting wheels divide the sheet into five strips, each of which will become a row of turnovers.", "The next station deposits a line of water droplets along one edge of each strip.", "This creates a line of sticky dough.", "The preparations are all done, and assembly can begin.", "First, with precision spacing, nozzles squirt one ounce of blueberry filling per turnover.", "Then a device called a folding plow, because it looks like a farm plow, lifts one edge of the dough and gradually folds it over.", "A smooth wheel then presses that edge down onto the sticky line on the other edge.", "This seals the open side of the strips.", "The culinary choreography ends with a bang, or, rather, a chop, as a guillotine descends, cutting the strips into individual turnovers and simultaneously sealing the front and back ends of each pastry.", "The assembled turnovers now go on a 6-minute ride through a nitrogen flash-freezing tunnel.", "Temperature-- -183 degrees fahrenheit.", "Under a shower of sugar crystals, they exit the tunnel frozen, hard as a rock.", "Packaged four to a box, the turnovers remain frozen until you bake them in your oven and serve them up.", "A car's dashboard is full of dials and gauges that keep the driver up to speed on everything.", "In the time of the horse and buggy, a dashboard was a wooden panel for shielding the driver from mud and water, hence the word \"dash,\" which can mean \"bespatter,\" or \"splash\".", "When motorized vehicles came along, instruments were added, making the dashboard an important source of information.", "Today's dashboards tell the driver a lot at a glance.", "Ignore the indicator dials, and you could run out of fuel or be slapped with a speeding ticket.", "A dashboard for a luxury sports car starts with this aluminum skeleton.", "It's been bonded at the joints with adhesive that's stronger than conventional welds.", "A technician clips the main electrical harness to the aluminum frame.", "He then fixes the heating and air-conditioning unit to the center of the dashboard skeleton and connects it to the wiring.", "At the next station, the dashboard's composite substructure is coming together.", "Working from the back, the technician installs a glove box and a network of ducts for the heating and cooling system.", "The substructure is now ready to join the wired aluminum frame.", "He rivets the assembly to the metal structure.", "He slots the driver's information module, which includes the speedometer, into the housing.", "He equips the dashboard with high-end speakers.", "The front-passenger airbag, encased in aluminum, comes next.", "The technician inserts it in the molded plastic niche.", "Using a computerized tool, he installs the airbag with perfect precision.", "Next up is the steering column, with its magnesium shifting paddles and wiper controls already attached.", "He slides it into place just under the information module.", "He then encases the electronics with plastic cowling.", "This both protects the wiring and tucks it out of sight.", "He tops off this job with more cowling above.", "He adds a hand-stitched leather surround to the dashboard's center console.", "He inserts the center stack, which contains the radio, other audio equipment, and temperature-control mechanisms.", "More leather adds a luxurious look, smell, and feel to the cabin.", "The next technician assembles push-button controls for shifting gears.", "He installs them in a veneered fascia through the back to avoid damaging the glossy finish on the front.", "He inserts vents for air conditioning and heating above the gear-shift controls, again sliding them into place through the back of the unit.", "He secures the vents with screws, then adds the starter assembly.", "The satellite navigation system gets the top spot, which will put it within easy eye shot once installed in the dashboard.", "With the subassembly almost complete, he flips it around.", "It needs one finishing touch-- a chrome and glass casing for the starter.", "He slides it into place, and the unit is now ready for the dashboard.", "He makes all the right connections and installs the gadget-filled fascia just over the center stack.", "He now encases the rest of the dashboard in leather paneling.", "This particular panel has a built-in split, so it will part if the airbag deploys.", "Next, a technician downloads computer software for all the equipment in the dashboard.", "He configures the electronics to the appropriate settings.", "He then tests each component, confirming that every instrument and control works perfectly.", "This dashboard now joins all the others, ready to take their place in the front of a luxury sports car.", "A modern dashboard can define a car's interior space and add serious gadget appeal.", "For example, this car uses a distinctive steel and crystal key for the engine ignition.", "When the key slot glows red, there's power.", "It's time to press a few buttons and see what pops up, like this speaker, for example.", "With a high-tech, luxury dashboard, a driver can really travel in style.", "Pottery is the catch-all term to describe decorative or functional objects formed from clay, then fired in a large oven called a kiln.", "The pottery is then usually painted.", "There are several different types of pottery, such as porcelain, stoneware, and earthenware.", "Earthenware produced on a larger scale is typically cast in molds.", "This longtime british manufacturer is famous for its bold floral and fruit designs that feature raised lines.", "At the factory, the moldmaker creates a plaster of paris model of the piece on a lathe, verifying the shape and dimensions with a profile.", "He uses the model to cast a two-part production mold also out of plaster, the model shaping the mold cavity.", "A caster takes that mold and fills it with liquefied clay called \"slip\".", "Once a layer hardens along the cavity wall, he tips the mold and pours out the excess.", "It takes tremendous skill to know how long to let the clay set before tipping.", "In about two hours, the clay inside the mold hardens sufficiently to be safely extracted.", "The caster now puts the piece into what they call the damp room.", "There, overnight, in 100% humidity, the clay fully hardens.", "It can now be safely worked on a lathe.", "Using specialized turning tools, a highly skilled craftsman applies just the right degree of light pressure to form the piece to the final shape-- in this case, a ginger jar.", "After applying the manufacturer's stamp, he mounts the jar on a potter's wheel and, pressing with a wet sea sponge, smooths the surface.", "A designer creates the decoration on paper, then sketches it onto a sample jar.", "Then she traces her design onto clear cellophane and indicates with red marker lines where the cellophane bends around the jar.", "An artisan now takes that cellophane and traces the design with a specially designed ink.", "Using the red contour marks as a guide, another artisan positions and presses the cellophane against the jar to be painted.", "This transfers the design onto the surface in ink.", "The ink will disappear once the piece is fired.", "Next, she creates the design's signature raised lines.", "The technique is called \"tube lining\".", "She traces the ink lines while squeezing slip through a tiny nozzle.", "She uses her artistic judgment to tweak the design if necessary.", "Not only does this work require a steady hand, she must also squeeze with even pressure to keep the line thickness consistent.", "The jar goes into a controlled drying room overnight and, from there, into the skilled hands of a painter.", "With a large artist's brush, she applies just a tiny drop of watery paint.", "Then, with another touch of the brush, she soaks up the excess paint.", "She uses her finger to gently blend color transitions.", "The jar is now ready to be fired in the kiln.", "The heating phase lasts eight hours, during which the temperature peaks at 2,000 degrees fahrenheit.", "This cures the clay and triggers a chemical reaction in the paint, which produces rich, vibrant colors.", "After a 16-hour cooldown, they take the jar out of the kiln and submerge it in glaze, which contains powdered glass.", "They coat the painted clay surface thoroughly inside and out.", "Once the glaze dries, it's back into the kiln for a second firing, this one overnight at just above 2,000 degrees fahrenheit.", "The powdered glass and the glaze melts, forming a solid glass layer over the painted clay surface.", "This seals the earthenware so that it's no longer absorbent and therefore capable of containing liquids.", "This, of course, is essential for a vase or dinnerware.", "Glaze also makes the surface shinier, highlighting the beauty of the artwork." ]

{ "things": [ "Tapioca Pudding", "Snow Ploughs", "Paddle Boats", "Fibre Cement Siding" ] }

[ "Tapioca pudding is a textural fusion of creaminess and chewy tapioca pearls.", "The recipe is at least a century old, and there are conflicting theories about when and where it was invented-- britain or the united states.", "With its distinctive chewiness, it brings something entirely different to the table.", "Today factories whip up tapioca pudding in big batches.", "Times have changed, but the appetite for this pearly pudding hasn't waned.", "The proof is truly in the pudding.", "The tapioca pearls, of course, define this dish.", "The opaque, little balls are processed from a vegetable grown in south america called cassava root.", "The recipe also calls for more traditional baking ingredients like whole milk, eggs...", "Sugar...", "And vanilla.", "They pipe the whole milk into a giant mixing kettle.", "This kettle has steam-heated steel walls to gently cook the ingredients while blending them.", "As the milk froths, the cook measures the tapioca pearls.", "The pearls arrive at the factory already processed, formed by grinding the root vegetable into powder and tumbling it to shape it into properly sized pearls.", "As the pearls cook in the milk, they will soften and swell to double the size, just like rice.", "But unlike rice, they'll take on an almost jellylike, chewy consistency.", "He adds sugar to sweeten the mix.", "The cook then leaves the swirling and foaming mix to cook for over an hour.", "Meanwhile, at another station, they add tapioca starch to a different blender full of milk.", "This blender is unheated and has higher speed for mixing that's fast and furious.", "He adds eggs...", "And he flavors the mix with salt.", "The tapioca starch acts as a thickening agent for this separate mix, as the blender whips it to a frothy state.", "They transfer the starch blend to the main mixing kettle.", "The cook adds a natural food coloring to make the pudding beige along with some vanilla flavoring.", "The tapioca pearls are just the right consistency.", "This pudding is now fully cooked and ready to move on to the filling line.", "They pump it while it's still steaming hot into single-serve plastic cups.", "Packaging the pudding while it's still hot is an act of food preservation, which, not surprisingly, is called hot fill.", "The hot-fill technique locks in nutrients and ensures freshness, giving the product a shelf life of about 70 days.", "Suctioning arms swiftly transfer foil lids to cover the cups, giving the pudding no time to cool down.", "With the lids in place, the filler moves the cups forward to meet up with heat-sealer heads.", "They fuse the foil lids to the plastic cup rims.", "It's taken just seconds to fill these cups with hot tapioca pudding and seal them, effectively preserving them.", "The pudding-filled cups now funnel into a lane to position them single file.", "Then they travel between rubber belts that squeeze them.", "If they can take the pressure, it confirms that the cups are tightly sealed.", "A printer sprays the expiration date and other pertinent information onto the cup.", "After weighing to confirm there's enough pudding inside, an x-ray machine scans the contents to confirm that there are no contaminants.", "Then they're on the way to the chilling line.", "Inside the tubs, the tapioca pudding is still hot and fluid.", "The cups ride a system of spiraling, refrigerated conveyors bringing the pudding's temperature down to about 100-degrees fahrenheit and thickening it substantially.", "The pudding-filled containers now pass through gates that separate them into two lanes and then arrange them in groups of three.", "Machinery places one group of three onto another, and then all that's left is the packaging.", "Mechanical arms place the paperboard sleeve on the top three cups.", "Traveling through a narrow lane, guides fold the paperboard down around the bottom three cups as a sprayer applies hot glue to the flaps.", "A worker pulls off one pack of six and sends it over to a panel of testers for an inspection and taste.", "They examine the pudding for color and consistency.", "They also taste a little from each production batch to confirm that it's sweet enough, that the tapioca beads are the desired texture, and that it meets all other quality requirements.", "If they like what they taste, the entire batch is declared ready for retail.", "Three hours in the making, this tapioca pudding is now ready to add a little sweetness to someone's day.", "A snowplow is actually the big blade on a snow-clearing vehicle-- not the vehicle itself.", "The first snowplows were wedge-shaped wooden blades drawn by horses.", "As cars replaced horses, these gave way to metal plows mounted to the front of trucks and other large machines.", "A snowplow is a blade made of either stainless steel, which is rust-proof, or carbon steel, which they coat in plastic-based powder paint to prevent rust.", "To begin making the blade, they take a sheet of metal about 1/10 of an inch thick and insert it in a press.", "The press punches out holes for the bolts, which attach the blade to the mounting structure.", "Next, they feed the sheet through a rolling press.", "The rollers apply 35 to 40 tons of pressure, curving the sheet to the required shape.", "Workers check that the front radius and top radius of the curve meet the technical specifications.", "Next, using a machine called a press break, they bend over the top of the sheet.", "This bend will sit on the top bar of the mounting structure.", "The mounting structure is made of several parts cut from giant plates of carbon steel.", "A computer guides the cutting machine, which uses electrogenerated flames.", "Their intense, focused heat slices through the steel literally by melting it.", "The steel is too hot to handle when the plasma cutting is done, so workers lift off the parts with magnets.", "Then they bend key, load-bearing parts in a press break to increase the structural strength.", "They position the parts for one section of the structure in an assembly fixture and weld them together.", "In a different assembly fixture, they position the parts for another section of the structure.", "A robot welds those together.", "Back at the first assembly, they use pins to attach a spring-loaded component called a trip edge.", "It protects the vehicle from damage by absorbing the shock through the springs, rather than through the vehicle frame, should the plow hit an obstacle on the road.", "After welding the two sections together, workers send the structure to the powder-coating area.", "There, workers spray it first with powder primer then with powder paint.", "Each coat is baked to activate the plastic base, which produces an ultra-durable shell over the metal.", "Once the structure cools, workers install the springs for the trip edge, then they attach the base of the structure called the cutting edge.", "It's made of a harder type of steel because it scrapes the ground.", "The structure is now finished and ready to receive the blade.", "This one's getting a stainless-steel blade.", "The bent top fits over the structure's top bar, the bottom into a slot below.", "Workers secure the blade with bolts then finish off the plow with a decal.", "For this model, they make two plows like this-- mirror images of each other.", "They go side-by-side, connected in the middle by a hinge to form a v-shaped snowplow.", "Straight plows have a single blade attached to a different type of structure.", "All the parts, except stainless-steel blades, are powder-painted and baked.", "The v-plow articulates.", "The driver can adjust the width of the \"v\" to direct the snow.", "Another model combines a straight blade with hinged blades for clearing snow in large areas, such as parking lots.", "When it comes to these types of machines, there's clearly no business like snow business.", "A paddle boat is a small recreational vessel, perfect for a leisurely ride on a lake.", "It gets its name from the rotating paddle wheel that propels it.", "You simply sit in the seat and turn the paddle wheel by pedaling, which is why this type of boat is also called a pedal boat or pedalo.", "Steered by rudder and gliding on two floaters, a paddle boat delivers a smooth, relaxing ride.", "Boat mechanics don't get much simpler than this.", "In a typical two-seater, two sets of pedals, each powering a paddle wheel at the rear.", "The factory molds the top and bottom halves of each floater separately.", "First, workers spray the mold with gelcoat, a type of polyester.", "This is the floater's surface finish.", "Next, they cover the entire mold with fiberglass cloth then add a second layer in the front and bottom where the floater will be a bit thicker.", "Then they lower a cover onto the mold, latching it down securely to make the mold airtight.", "They draw a vacuum to extract the air trapped inside, then inject liquid resin.", "The resin saturates the fiberglass cloth and, within an hour, hardens, producing solid fiberglass, a lightweight material that's both impact-resistant and waterproof.", "After extracting this half, workers mold the other half of this floater and the two halves that make up the other one, then they apply fiberglass glue to the edges...", "And carefully align and mate top and bottom.", "They position spacers to put pressure on the base of the groove, then clamp the perimeter for about 45 minutes until the glue sets.", "When the glue is completely dry, they trim the perimeter to make the edge neat and smooth.", "To make each propulsion wheel, workers rivet eight blades to a fiberglass hub.", "These strong plastic blades do have some flex in them.", "This ensures they won't break, should the wheel hit a rock or other obstacle.", "The part of the boat where you sit and pedal is called the bicycle.", "The two bike bodies, like the floaters, are made of molded fiberglass, then jazzed up with decals.", "Since the bicycle mechanics are routinely exposed to water, they must be rust-resistant.", "Therefore, the pedal mechanism is made of chrome-plated steel and the chains of steel that's been treated with an anti-corrosion coating.", "Each bike has two chains-- the first linking the pedals to one side of a central gear, the second linking the other side of the central gear to the propulsion wheel.", "So, once they're both hooked up, pedaling moves the first chain, which rotates the gear, which moves the second chain, which turns the wheel.", "Final assembly is relatively simple.", "First, workers connect the floaters with three painted aluminum crossbars.", "The paint is baked on to make it extra durable.", "Then, on one of the crossbars, they install a pair of aluminum rudders, the boat's steering mechanism.", "They link the rudders with an aluminum bar so that they move in unison.", "A hitch pin locks the bar securely in place, while this rubber cap prevents paint chipping when the rudders hit the crossbar.", "After mounting the first bicycle, workers install a console in the center of the boat.", "It contains a waterproof storage compartment and the handle, which directs the rudders.", "It connects to the rudders with a long bar called a tiller.", "Next they mount the second bike.", "Like the first one, it's designed to snap securely onto the crossbars.", "The adjustable fiberglass seats slide onto aluminum rails.", "The seats have fixed cushions and rugged, waterproof fabric.", "The boat's retractable canopy is made of the same fabric on an aluminum structure.", "A paddle boat is virtually maintenance-free.", "You just have to oil the mechanisms a couple of times per season, and from then on, it's smooth sailing.", "Every home needs a tough exterior.", "Fiber cement siding is a concrete option.", "Made of cement, sand, and wood pulp, it's engineered to be fireproof, insectproof, and weatherproof.", "Embossed with various wood-grain patterns, it has a natural look that's big on the street.", "Fiber cement cladding is a century-old product that was actually reinvented in the 1980s.", "Asbestos was removed due to health concerns and replaced with wood pulp.", "The pulp provides the fiber that prevents cracking.", "Production begins with silica sand.", "A loader shovels it into an underground conveyor.", "The sand particles, which are about the size of beach sand, are about to be ground down to a fine powder.", "The conveyor takes the sand up to a revolving cylinder grinder called a ball mill-- so named because, inside, steel balls tumble around to smash the sand particles into much smaller bits.", "They pipe in water to keep the dust down and eliminate the need for an exhaust system.", "This also liquefies the sand, making it easier to pipe it through the plant during the various stages of processing.", "But the sandy liquid needs to be thickened substantially, so it's into a tank to drain off much of the water.", "What's left is about 80% sand.", "The next ingredient is wood pulp, which gives the cement siding bending strength.", "Without it, the fiber cement siding would be brittle and crack easily.", "They add water and stir to soften and liquefy the pulp so it can be easily pumped around the factory for processing.", "At the end of the mixing, the pulp looks like thick oatmeal.", "Next, they lower cylindrical sieves into position.", "But first they blend together the liquefied sand, cement, and pulp, along with some additives, creating a fiber cement slurry.", "They pipe the cement slurry into a trough beneath the sieves.", "As the sieves rotate through the slurry, residual water drains through the mesh walls, leaving a fiber cement film on the surface.", "The film transfers to a felt belt moving overhead.", "Through the felt, a vacuum mechanism sucks more moisture from the film until it forms a solid fiber cement sheet.", "Rollers squeeze numerous sheets together.", "They're still moist enough to stick together, and they fuse into one thick board.", "Another roller then presses a woodlike pattern onto the surface of the cement board.", "A spray of high-pressure water then slices the cement sheet into planks.", "A robotic suctioning head gently picks up the fiber cement planks and transfers them to a pallet.", "The planks are fragile at this point and need to be handled with care.", "Loaded into a pallet, the cement planks are now ready for some toughening up.", "They bake the fiber cement siding inside steel tubes.", "They're autoclaves, high-pressure ovens.", "Inside, pressurized steam enhances the chemical reaction between the ingredients to cure the cement clapboard.", "They then load the pallets of cement siding onto a railcar, and it's on to the next station.", "Here, machinery does something they call stack breaking.", "During curing, the siding planks get stuck together, so these hydraulic cylinders lift and jostle them to separate them into individual boards.", "They put a siding sample to the test.", "With both sides of the board stabilized, a rod bends it at the center to determine the stress point.", "If it can take a lot of pressure, the whole production line moves forward.", "Spaced apart now, the fiber cement planks ride by sprayers that paint the sides and the ends a nice shade of red.", "The siding then enters a curtain of paint of the exact same color.", "The paint adheres to the front of the boards.", "These mirrors expose any missed spots.", "If there are any, they'll do touch-ups.", "The transformation from a pile of sand and other ingredients to something that looks a lot like wood siding has taken just three days, and once installed, these wood-look cement planks could fool the neighbors.", "After all, it's all about putting up a good facade." ]

{ "things": [ "Hospital Laundry", "Brass Instrument Restoration", "Horse Replicas", "Excavation Buckets" ] }

[ "Today on \"how it's made\"...", "Hospitals generate a lot of dirty laundry, from patient gowns and sheets to cleaning rags.", "Some facilities do the washing in house.", "But to free up hospital space, some send theirs out to industrial-size laundry operations that deal in high-volume with bigger and better equipment.", "The hospital sends all fabric items to the laundry, including bed linens, towels, patient gowns, bibs, and cleaning rags.", "The only exception is surgical linens, which are usually disposable.", "The laundry company picks up the order and delivers it to the plant.", "Next, workers unload the bags of soiled laundry on large rolling carts.", "They weigh each one for internal statistical purposes and scan its bar code to track the laundry for each hospital.", "Workers handling the bags wear gloves at all times.", "The bags are plastic, which is more suitable than cloth for containing liquid, odor, and bacteria.", "Workers rip each one open and, without touching the contents, dump them on the conveyor.", "They discard the bag in a suction device that sends it to a baling system.", "The bales of bags go to a recycling facility that turns them into garbage bags and other polyethylene products.", "From this point on, everything is automated.", "The conveyor drops the soiled laundry into a sturdy cloth bag.", "Once the bag reaches 120 pounds, the conveyor automatically stops loading.", "The filled bag travels to an overhead conveyor system, which leads to one of several stainless steel, tunnel-shaped washing machines.", "Inside, a large rotating screw pushes the load through two pre-soaks, then moves on to six chemical wash cycles designed to remove tough stains such as blood and iodine.", "Next are five treatment cycles to soften the fabric and normalize the ph level.", "Then, three rinses.", "The load of now clean laundry exits the tunnel washer and enters a hydraulic press.", "The press applies around 12 tons of weight to squeeze out the residual water.", "The load comes out compressed into what they call a cake.", "A conveyor transfers it to an elevator, which transports it to the drying area.", "The conveyor puts two cakes at a time into the dryer.", "An infrared sensor inside signals the dryer to stop when the load is dry, about 22 minutes later.", "A revolving paddle called a cake breaker separates the stuck-together items to prepare them for sorting.", "From this point on, automation ends and manual sorting begins.", "Workers pull different categories of items and toss them into designated linen hoppers that are hooked up to scales.", "When a bag hits the target weight, it automatically drops down onto a conveyor, which leads to the final processing area.", "Here, items are either folded or bulk packaged in plastic bags.", "Workers load the bulk items into a vacuum system, which feeds into automated bagging machines.", "The machines have either a built-in scale, which weighs the bag as it fills, or a photo cell, which counts the items dropping into the bag.", "Once the bag reaches the target weight or count, the machine heat-seals and releases it.", "Certain items have to be folded.", "Luckily, a machine automatically folds bed pads, bath towels, and patient gowns by flipping over the ends with short blasts of air.", "The neatly folded items collect underneath the machine, then travel by conveyor to the shipping preparation area.", "Here, workers stack them onto rolling carts.", "A different folding machine handles the larger items, such as bed sheets and flannel blankets.", "A worker clamps an item to the feeder.", "Then, the machine, using rollers and straps, processes the item until it's neatly folded.", "The clean laundry goes back onto carts...", "Into the truck, and back to the hospital.", "Life on the concert circuit can be punishing, not just for the musicians, but also their instruments.", "Dents, scuffs, and general wear can ruin the tone of a brass instrument.", "But with a professional restoration, a badly damaged horn can once again shine in the spotlight.", "They may look ready for the scrap heap, but incredibly, these not-so-gently-used brass instruments can be salvaged.", "Technicians will use a combination of techniques to make them look and sound like new.", "The restoration work starts with this solid steel ball.", "The technician inserts it in the bore of the saxophone, just under some deep dents.", "He places a plastic sheet on the dents from the outside.", "It protects the finish from scratches as he now moves a powerful magnet over the dents.", "The magnet pulls the ball against the inside of the instrument with such force that it pushes out the dents.", "After 30 seconds of this magnetic manipulation, the dents are completely gone.", "Using a series of engraving tools, another member of the team restores the artwork on the instrument.", "He follows the traces that remain, and recreates designs that have completely worn away.", "He only has one chance to get this right.", "This takes skill and a steady hand.", "The next technician reattaches a key cup to the hinge rod, and melts solder into the joint to make the connection permanent.", "The brass looks very tarnished, so he buffs the key cup and rod to a mirror finish.", "He now attaches the restored key and rod to the saxophone and screws it into position.", "He presses the end of the key lever to confirm that it moves as it should.", "He now inserts a fluorescent light into the body of the saxophone.", "It will help him find air leaks.", "But first, he activates an adhesive with a torch and applies it to the back of a leather pad.", "He pries an old and deteriorated pad out of one of the key cups.", "He transfers the new glue-backed pad to the key cup.", "He closes the key against the tone hole, and the escaping light indicates a leak.", "So, he heats the pad to reactivate the adhesive, and shifts it a bit in the key cup.", "Now, the key completely closes the tone hole when pressed.", "The next thing to be repaired is a key guard foot that's broken away from the horn.", "This is delicate work.", "To resolder it, the technician uses a hydrogen gas torch because its flame is more precise.", "At another station, a new part takes shape.", "They carve a brass cylinder to transform it into a new spring barrel for a trumpet valve.", "He inserts the spring barrel into the top of the piston, and the fit is good.", "He then places all the trumpet valve parts in a water-and-solvent solution.", "He switches on an ultrasonic device, which sends high frequency sound waves through the solution.", "Microscopic bubbles bombard the parts and remove oil and grease.", "The trumpet now chills in a cryogenic freezer at minus 301 degrees fahrenheit to relieve it of residual stresses.", "Back to room temperature, the technician inserts a tiny camera into the bore of the horn.", "It gives him an inside look at the alignment of the piston ports as he presses the valves.", "As with any instrument, the proof is in the playing.", "this sax is sure to meet the approval of crowds of music lovers.", "Displaying a life-size replica of a horse makes a galloping statement at a farm, a racetrack, or a western-themed venue.", "Some horse owners even commission a replica in the likeness of their favorite animal.", "A life-size fiberglass horse can be an attraction, but before this replica, there was an artist's sculpture in either wood, plaster, or styrofoam.", "The sculpture served as the model to produce this three-part mold to cast one or more replicas.", "They apply a release agent, so the casting won't stick to the mold.", "Then they partially brush on and partially spray a .", "4mm-thick layer of gel coat.", "Gel coat is an easy-to-repair resin-based material that produces a smooth, shiny finish on fiberglass.", "Three hours later, the gel coat is dry.", "Next, they apply two layers of resin-saturated fiberglass fabric in the hard-to-access area of the mold.", "Then they roll the fiberglass flat against the mold to prevent air bubbles, which would cause defects.", "With a tool called a chopper gun, they shoot shredded fiberglass mixed with resin over all the other gel-coated areas of the mold.", "They roll out the air bubbles and pack down the fiberglass to a consistent thickness of 3 millimeters.", "This ensures the hollow horse will be strong enough to withstand up to 400 pounds of people sitting on it.", "The resin-filled fiberglass cures within approximately two hours.", "Then they drive in wooden wedges to pry the casting from the mold just enough to grab hold of the edge and pull.", "Thanks to the release agent they applied earlier, extraction is effortless and causes no damage to the casting or mold.", "Nonetheless, they carefully inspect the surface to be sure it's free of defects.", "Next, they pass a grinder along the perimeter to trim off all the excess fiberglass and smooth the edge.", "Each part of the mold produces half a horse, so the next step is to join the halves into a whole.", "The attachment must be hidden on the inside so it doesn't show.", "They first temporarily attach the halves on the outside with galvanized steel brackets and straps around the legs.", "Then they cut a large opening towards the front of the horse to be able to access the inside.", "They first fill the small space between the two halves with putty that auto body repair shops use on cars.", "Then they reinforce the joint with a double layer of resin-saturated fiberglass fabric.", "They cut a second opening toward the back of the horse, to repeat the process on a different area.", "Then they close up the openings.", "They temporarily hold the cutouts in position with galvanized steel brackets and fill all around with putty.", "The putty and inside strips dry in an hour, at which point all the brackets can come off.", "Now they work on the outside, sealing the space between the parts with more putty.", "Once it dries, they flatten the seam with an electric sander.", "Then they remove marks left by the sander by manually using a very fine sandpaper.", "The seams are now flush with the rest of the surface.", "Once painted, they won't show at all.", "After cleaning the entire horse with acetone, they spray a coat of primer over the puttied seams.", "Then, with fine sandpaper, they prep the surface to receive automotive paint.", "The horse is ready to be painted.", "With delicate strokes of an airbrush, an artist gradually paints the animal to life.", "Before finishing her artwork, she'll apply two coats of transparent varnish to protect the paint from precipitation and the fading effect of the sun's rays.", "Excavation buckets are ground-breaking tools.", "Attached to the bottom arm of backhoes or other heavy equipment, they scoop up tons of soil and rock to make holes in the ground.", "For jobs like building foundations and laying water and sewer pipes, excavation buckets dig right in.", "For soil excavation, there's quite a bucket list.", "Manufacturers make excavation buckets in a range of sizes and profiles.", "They could have teeth or a smooth blade, depending on the kind of soil they'll be digging.", "They custom design each excavation bucket on a computer and map out the dimensions.", "The computer then guides a plasma torch as it cuts parts from high-strength steel.", "Here, the torch produces attachment plates for holding the bucket to the excavator arms.", "It even cuts the holes for the pins that will hinge it to a boom arm.", "Each part weighs over 200 pounds.", "A powerful magnet lifts it over to a metal palette to await refining.", "Next, the computer-guided torch carves through a thinner sheet of steel to produce a template.", "Parts of the excavation bucket will be shaped in this template so they'll match up when assembled.", "With an oxygen-fueled torch, they bevel the blade to give it the edge it needs to bite into the ground.", "This blade profile is for sandy soil.", "A jagged edge is preferred for rocky or clay terrain.", "Next, it's over to a powerful press.", "It bends another part into an arch.", "This arched part with straddle the top of the excavation bucket.", "Meanwhile, at another station, a press bears downs on the beveled blade to shape it to the template.", "The template is a cardboard copy of the steel one cut earlier.", "The operator confirms that the first bend is angled correctly.", "He then sprinkles lubricant and aims the press a few centimeters away from the first bend.", "It takes six to eight hits to achieve the desired 90-degree angle.", "Once satisfied, he'll bend the other end to the same degree.", "Using rollers, the factory transforms a flat piece of steel into the bottom and back wall of the bucket.", "The operator checks the curvature of the part with each pass until it's spot on.", "They're now ready to pull all the pieces of the excavation bucket together.", "Using chains and a hydraulic system, they pull the sides up to meet the back wall.", "The steel template is now put to use.", "It's positioned on the front lower lip, and serves as a guide as the chains bend the sides.", "With the sides now flush to the back, a welder first tacks them together and then does permanent welds.", "He guides the blade into position at the front of the bucket and welds it to it.", "When this weld is complete, he'll remove the steel template.", "The attachment plates have by now been linked by thick pins.", "They lower it onto the top of the bucket, and it fits snugly to the arch and the to the back wall.", "He welds the attachment assembly to the bucket.", "They paint the bucket inside and out.", "Yellow or black are popular choices for excavation buckets.", "Clients usually match the color of the bucket to the machine that moves it.", "It takes about 50 hours to manufacture an excavation bucket, and then it's ready to hit the ground." ]

{ "things": [ "Curling Stones", "Refrigerators", "Aluminum Baseball Bats", "Opalescent Glass" ] }

[ "Today on \"how it's made\"...", "Curling stones...", "Refrigerators...", "Aluminum baseball bats...", "And opalescent glass.", "The sport of curling is a combination of shuffleboard, billiards, and bowling on ice.", "Players aim a large stone at a target while trying to knock the opponents' stones away from the target.", "As the stone glides along the ice, team members sweep brooms in its path to control its speed and trajectory.", "Curling stones are made of granite, but only two quarries in the world-- one in wales and one in scotland-- produce the unique type of granite that's required, a fine grain and free of quartz.", "This unique stone has three times the impact resistance of regular granite.", "The quarry tries to avoid traditional blast mining because that fractures the stone.", "Instead, they locate flaws in the rock face and pry chunks off of it with an excavator.", "This chunk weighs about 20 tons and is the size of a small car.", "The next step is to divide it into more manageable slabs using a thick cable cutter with abrasive rings made of diamond particles.", "A large pulley system moves the cable against the rock at high speed, and the diamonds slowly wear through the granite.", "Avoiding flaws and weak points, workers trace circles the size of curling stones on the best-quality areas.", "The cut slab then moves inside the quarry building, where this core drill's diamond cutters bore right through the slab, excising a blank that will become a curling stone.", "The blanks weigh almost 60 pounds apiece.", "Workers lift them out with an industrial-strength suction cup then transfer them to a container bound for a curling-stone factory in canada.", "There, a drill bores a channel a little over a half-inch wide right through the center.", "This is for attaching the curling stone's handle.", "But that's still a long way off.", "First, this machine has to carve the blank into the shape of a curling stone.", "The machine's curved arm is lined with diamond cutters.", "It shapes half the stone, then workers flip the blank over so it can finish the other half.", "The next machine carves out a pocket in the bottom of the stone.", "This will hold a high-resistance insert of extra-fine-grain scottish granite that will extend the curling stone's life.", "After lining the pocket with epoxy, the insert is positioned.", "A hydraulic press expels any trapped air and holds the insert in place until it firmly bonds.", "Next, a grinding machine, following a template, makes a center cup in both the top and bottom of the stone.", "Curlers can attach the handle to either cup, depending on which granite surface they want gliding on the ice.", "Workers bolt the stone to a spinning polisher and buff the surface with five progressively finer grades of diamond abrasive pads.", "Then they blast the side with tiny glass beads.", "This pits the surface to better distribute impact force, preventing the side from chipping as it strikes other stones.", "Running the top and bottom over coarse sandpaper gives the stone more traction on ice.", "The finished curling stone weighs in at 40 pounds.", "The factory molds the stone's handle from durable impact-resistant plastic.", "This computer-guided engraving machine can embellish it with any name or logo.", "Paint is applied to the recessed areas to make the lettering or design stand out.", "Finally, the finished handle is bolted through that center hole drilled earlier.", "From the quarry to the factory to the ice, this beautifully crafted curling stone is ready for competition.", "When we return...", "The cold, hard truth about refrigerators.", "Before refrigeration, people stored foods in underground cellars or shacks filled with snow and ice.", "Then in the early 1900s, a french inventor developed the first machine to cool and preserve foods at home.", "The modern refrigerator comes in countless styles, sizes, and colors.", "Manufacturing begins with coiled sheets of steel.", "Just one of these coils produces hundreds of fridge exteriors.", "The interiors are made from rust-resistant aluminum lined with an acrylic shell.", "A shearing machine slices the steel into pieces for the exterior top, back, and sides.", "Then each one goes into a computerized punch press that makes the holes for running various wires.", "A brake press forces the steel against a forming die to create edges.", "Next, workers place the pieces of the refrigerator's outer shell in an assembly jig, which holds them firmly together.", "Now for the fridge's interior.", "A vacuum-forming machine heats a sheet of plastic and shapes it against an aluminum mold.", "Then a router carves off all the excess plastic.", "The freezer half of the refrigerator slides perfectly into the metal outer shell, and the fridge side follows.", "Copper tubes, filled with heated gas, are laid along the outer edge where the door contacts the fridge.", "The gas prevents moisture buildup.", "A precut face frame goes onto the assembly.", "Then foam is injected into the cavity between the interior and exterior shells.", "This foam not only insulates the refrigerator but gives it structural rigidity, as well.", "This evaporator plays a key role in keeping things cool.", "It draws the heat out of the freezer and its contents.", "Next, the electrical control panel goes into place.", "It connects to a maze of wires and, eventually, a microprocessor.", "With the freezer side almost complete, the fridge side gets its evaporator.", "Next comes the refrigerator doors.", "Two compressors pump fluid and gas through the various tubes inside.", "This component, called the radiator, dissipates the heat collected from the food.", "Workers attach the expansion valves.", "These allow the pressurized liquid coolant to expand into a cold gas that circulates through the refrigerator's tubes.", "Copper tubes are soldered to the compressor.", "Later, they'll be filled with refrigerant.", "Temporary quick-connect valves allow the system to be charged with inert gas to check for any leaks.", "The fill hoses are connected, and the gas blows in.", "Inspectors use this wand to check the tubes for escaping gas.", "If there's a leak, the gauge spikes out of the specified range.", "Refrigeration occurs as cold gas in the evaporator coils pulls heat energy from inside the fridge.", "The compressor then changes the gas back to a liquid while the radiator dissipates the collected heat.", "The expansion valve turns the liquid back into a cold gas, and the cycle repeats.", "With a charging gun, workers inject refrigerant gas into each tube then weld the ends of the tube shut.", "Now for the finishing touches, starting with the refrigerator handles.", "Drawers for fruits and vegetables slide right in-- so do the rest of the premade shelves and compartments.", "Finally, an adhesive logo goes onto the door.", "Built-in, stand-alone, double-door, or traditional, the refrigerator keeps our food fresh and cool, just the way we like it.", "Up next...", "A factory that tries to hit a home run every time.", "On today's baseball diamonds, the ping of the aluminum bat is rivaling the crack of its wooden predecessor.", "The pros still use traditional wood, but outside the major leagues, the metal bat is a definite hit.", "Lightweight and durable, the metal bat has some definite advantages over wood.", "Production begins with aircraft-grade aluminum rods.", "These rods are sliced into short chunks called blanks.", "The blanks are loaded into a lathe with a computerized drill.", "The drill tunnels through the center of the blank as it spins.", "Then the blank undergoes what's called impact extrusion.", "With 300 tons of force, a shaping tool bores into the hole in the blank, stretching it to more than twice its length and giving it the basic taper of a baseball bat.", "The stretched bat blanks now tumble into a big, perforated drum.", "The drum is lowered into a tank of soapy water.", "As it turns, water flows through its holes, washing away any oily residue.", "And now, for a real heavy hitter.", "This forming tool delivers 400-ton punch through the center of the bat blank.", "The aluminum stretches around the tool to the full length and shape of a baseball bat.", "A technician measures the bat to confirm that it's completely straight.", "If it's not, she applies a little hydraulic pressure to bend it into shape.", "This is a critical step because even a slightly crooked bat could throw the player off his or her game.", "Next, the bat goes into another computerized lathe.", "As it spins, a blade lops off the bat's end, cutting it to size.", "Another tool threads the inside for the endcap.", "The bat is locked into a holding device, and a circular saw trims the handle end.", "Now that the bat has been correctly sized, it's time for a vigorous sanding.", "This gets rid of any small defects and roughs up the surface so paint will stick to it.", "They use heavy-duty paint because baseball bats have to stand up to a lot of abuse.", "The sanded bats go into a silk-screen machine that applies the trademark.", "Then it's over to the decal department.", "The decals are dipped into a solution that activates the glue, then they're stuck into place.", "Now it's back under the paint gun for a clear coat of polyurethane.", "The plastic endcap is press-fit into the hollow barrel.", "An aluminum knob slides onto the handle end, and the assembly goes into an automated welding machine that fuses them together.", "Now for the grip.", "Synthetic leather is wrapped around the handle to provide a nonslip surface.", "And a little vinyl tape finishes the edge.", "From a solid little chunk of aluminum to a hollow metal baseball bat, this powerhouse is ready to hit one out of the park.", "Coming up...", "The hot secrets behind opalescent glass.", "Glassmaking dates back more than 40 centuries.", "But in the late 1800s, glassmakers created something new-- glass that was both milky and translucent.", "They called it opalescent glass.", "Like its namesake, the opal gemstone, its beauty lies in the way it magically catches the light.", "Opalescent glass is a semitransparent glass in either a solid color or a swirling mix of hues.", "Glass makers create it by melting minerals, including silica sand...", "Soda ash...", "Dolomite...", "Limestone...", "And fluorspar.", "Adding recycled glass helps speed up the melting process and stretches costly raw materials further.", "The mix is colored with pigments, in this case, cobalt oxide, which gives a distinctive blue tint.", "A hoist then lifts the raw ingredients called batch to a double-chambered mixer.", "Ingredients flow from end to end between them, thoroughly blending the batch.", "The blended batch now goes via wagon to the beehive-- a furnace that contains 12 ceramic pots.", "The furnace worker shovels the batch into a pot to melt at a searing 2,600 degrees fahrenheit.", "He pushes any spills back into the pot.", "Then to control the temperature inside, closes up the pot's mouth.", "24 hours later, workers scoop out the glowing molten glass.", "With only seconds to spare, they hurry to the mixing table, keeping the glass in motion to prevent it from cooling unevenly on the way.", "It's critical they cool off the ladles between each use or the next scoop of glass will adhere to the ladle's surface.", "The ladles they use vary in size, holding between 4 and 40 pounds of molten glass.", "Workers pour as many as five different ladles at once to make a single color.", "The mixing table is where the magic happens.", "The table worker picks up one gather of burning molten glass, then another, then skillfully blends them together using a steel fork.", "He then flips the molten glass into a rolling machine, evening it out as it squeezes through the rollers.", "Out comes a sheet about 6 feet long and 1/8th of an inch thick.", "Every 90 seconds, workers fill their ladles with 2,000 degree fahrenheit molten glass.", "Mixing it on the table helps cool it and blend the colors.", "The table worker separates the glass sheet from the table surface, forcing out any trapped air bubbles and further cooling the glass.", "The sheet now goes into a lehr-- an oven that hardens the glass, then cools it evenly to prevent cracking.", "From there, it's on to the trimming table.", "Workers wear protective clothing and thick gloves to handle the razor-sharp edges still hot to the touch.", "Cutting the glass sheets is a delicate, two-person job.", "They must work in sync to keep pace with the sheets that keep on coming.", "A single pot produces about 25 sheets over 24 hours.", "That's 300 sheets a day from just one 12-pot furnace.", "Using a carbide-tipped cutter, the workers score the glass, then snap apart the pieces-- standard 32-inch square sheets.", "They set aside the excess glass to remelt in a new batch.", "Finally, the sheets are loaded into crates for shipment all over the world.", "Just look how artists use opalescent glass to create a feast of pattern, color, and light.", "Like a painting, only far more fragile." ]

{ "things": [ "Indy Steering Wheels", "Mixed Salad", "Wind Turbines" ] }

[ "The indy steering wheel isn't just for steering.", "It's the control center for the racecar, replacing the dashboard.", "This incredible steering wheel is also detachable to allow the driver to enter and exit the cockpit quickly and easily.", "It's, quite simply, designed for speed.", "The indy steering wheel is a complex piece of equipment that puts everything at the driver's fingertips.", "It starts with a full-scale design, customized to the driver's racing style and preferences.", "The technician aligns the traditional racing steering wheel with the drawing, and marks it for a complete remodel.", "He cuts out the leather and foam wrap within the marked lines and saws off a chunk of the aluminum frame.", "He then activates a computerized cutter that carves away a big section of the steering wheel hub.", "It also cuts holes for switches.", "With these changes, the steering wheel is ready to accommodate a panel with over two dozen controls and gauges.", "Next, more computerized tooling transforms a sheet of carbon fiber into the steering wheel's switch plate.", "It cuts out holes for screws and switches, and it creates slots for the shift and clutch panels.", "The tool then zigzags around the perimeter to trim the switch plate to fit the modified steering wheel.", "With the trimmings removed, the switch plate is ready for the working parts.", "The next technician plugs the color-coded switches into the holes and locks them in place with nuts and anti-vibration washers.", "The yellow one is a pit-lane speed limiter.", "As the name suggests, it will limit the car's speed in the pit lane.", "Once all the switches have been installed, he runs wires to them and solders the connections.", "This completes the circuitry.", "He coats each connection with silicone sealant.", "This weather-proofs them and further dampens vibrations.", "And for additional protection, he applies glue to the plastic sheathing around the wires.", "He adds a rubber boot to each connection.", "The boot fits loosely around it at first, but, using a heat gun, he shrinks the specially formulated rubber to the connection.", "This makes the boot fit like it was made for it.", "The indy-steering-wheel switch plate is now ready for the shift paddles.", "So next, the technician screws a spacer plate into the slot.", "This metal spacer slightly elevates the paddle mechanism to give it the right amount of clearance.", "He screws the paddle assembly to the spacer.", "He installs the second shift paddle and two clutch paddles.", "Then he inserts the rotary switch for fuel mapping and secures it with a washer and nut.", "This fuel-mapping system will adjust the fuel-air mix to boost or decrease power output.", "He adds little decals with icons to the color-coded switches.", "A radio-transmission icon marks the communication switch.", "He returns to the steering wheel now.", "He attaches a unit that displays rpm and other information that a normal dash would have.", "He screws it to the exposed aluminum frame.", "He's now ready to mount the completed switch plate to the steering wheel.", "Three bolts to the hub secure the assembly.", "He installs a spring-loaded mechanism at the back of the steering wheel that will allow the steering wheel to be installed or removed in half a second.", "He tests the two shift paddles and the two clutch paddles and confirms they operate smoothly.", "Finally, he attached dense padding to the steering-wheel hub for a soft landing for the driver's head in the even of a crash.", "This indy steering wheel costs as much as a small compact car.", "But for the driver and crew, it's worth the investment if it helps win the prize.", "People have been dining on edible greens for thousands of years.", "Traditionally collected in the wild, today, there's no need to forage for them because field greens are cultivated commercially.", "They're mixed, washed, and packaged for the consumer's convenience.", "It's an easy dish to toss together.", "Packaged mixed greens combine mild-tasting leaves with stronger-tasting ones and crunchy greens with more tender ones.", "So when it comes to texture and flavor, it's truly a mixed bag.", "They cultivate up to 20 different kinds of greens on this california farm, and they aren't all green.", "Some are red.", "They plant the various lettuces according to the recipes for different packaged salads so they'll have just the right combination.", "With regular irrigation and fertilization, the leaves flourish.", "It makes for a stunning red-and-green display in the field.", "After 30 to 45 days, these baby greens are ready for harvest.", "A machine with a long blade moves across the field and literally mows the field greens.", "The greens flow onto one conveyor and transfer to another.", "The belt is a metal-mesh one to sift out contaminants like small rocks and twigs.", "At the end of the sifting conveyor, the salad greens fly off and onto another belt.", "This belt serves them up to bins on a flatbed trailer, creating an enormous salad in each one.", "Workers cover the bins with plastic and haul them to a nearby processing plant.", "On arrival, the salad greens transfer to a vacuum-cooling chamber to chill.", "The vacuum causes moisture on the greens to evaporate.", "As the water evaporates, it absorbs heat to lower the temperature and cool the greens.", "The salad greens then head into an optical sorter.", "Here, computerized cameras and lasers scan the greens for flaws, like discoloration and foreign material.", "The operator has programmed the system to detect flaws or contaminants.", "When the computer finds one, it sends a signal to an air jet that expels it.", "Some good leaves get lost along the way-- about 3%.", "It's considered an acceptable loss.", "The rejects will be composted.", "Out of the optical sorter, an employee tosses in the bitter greens, like radicchio and frisée.", "This moving salad now heads into a three-part wash system.", "The first wash tank has rolling perforated cylinders that keep the greens submerged for washing.", "They also pick up unwanted tiny leaves and remove them from the mix.", "The salad greens transfer to a vibrating conveyor that shakes out the water.", "Then they travel through a second wash tank and finally receive a third wash from overhead sprayers.", "The washed salad greens fall into plastic containers with perforations.", "They're essentially very large colanders.", "They transfer each colander to a centrifuge and power up.", "It spins the colander, and this causes the moisture on the greens to drain through there perforations.", "This leaves them dry and crisp.", "It is a large-scale version of the salad spinner many people have in their kitchens.", "These field greens are now ready for the packaging line.", "It's an entirely mechanized system with an endless appetite.", "The greens funnel through a hopper and land in buckets.", "This is a weighing operation.", "There's a scale under each bucket.", "When the target weight is reached, the bucket releases the greens.", "They slide down chutes into the bagging machine.", "These salad greens are still living, breathing plants.", "The packaging will slow their respiration and put the aging process on hold.", "Machinery hermetically seals them in plastic to give them a shelf life of 14 days to 19 days.", "And with that availability, there's no excuse not to eat your greens.", "Wind turbines use an unlimited natural resource, the wind, to produce electricity without polluting the environment.", "A turbine consists of a rotor and a massive propeller that spins in the wind on top of a high tower.", "It drives a built-in generator that produces electricity.", "The higher up you go, the windier it is.", "So the taller the turbine, the more wind power it harnesses.", "They may not look it from a distance, but wind turbines can be as high as a 20-story building with rotor blades half a football field long.", "To begin constructing those massive blades, workers prepare fiberglass sheets, each one numbered according to a detailed engineering plan.", "Then, following the plan, workers lay down specific sheets in designated locations in the bottom half of a blade-shaped mold.", "For a blade to be free of defects, each sheet must lie perfectly flat.", "So, using a smoothing tool, workers remove air bubbles and creases.", "The surface of the mold cavity is treated with a non-stick coating.", "This will prevent the blade from adhering to the mold when they extract it.", "After placing all the sheets in the bottom half of the mold, workers construct the upper part of the blade by laying fiberglass sheets on the top half of the blade mold.", "Again, every single sheet is numbered and positioned according to the blade-design plan.", "An area of the mold can have from for to 120 layered sheets of varying thickness, weights, and weaves, depending on how structurally strong that part of the blade has to be.", "To make specific areas more rigid, between layers of fiberglass they install balsa, an extremely lightweight wood.", "Cut channels enable the balsa panels to flex to the shape of the blade.", "The channels are also the pathways through which the bonding agent epoxy will flow to saturate the wood and surrounding fiberglass.", "Precision in the setup of fiberglass and wood is critical.", "The process takes a team of six workers 16 hours.", "They close up the mold by lowering the top half onto the bottom half.", "Then they inject the epoxy.", "Simultaneously, workers heat the mold to 158 degrees fahrenheit.", "This aids the chemical reaction between the epoxy's two components-- a resin and a hardener.", "After 9½ hours, the epoxy is fully cured.", "With overhead cranes, they lift away the top half of the mold, revealing a turbine blade measuring up to 60 yards long, weighing in at about 10 tons.", "Using lifting devices positioned at specific locations, they slowly extract the blade from the bottom half of the mold and lay it onto a stand to cool for 4½ hours.", "Workers then transfer the blade to a mill-and-drill machine, which shapes the open end to align with the rotor hub.", "The machine also drills holes for the 54 pin bolts that will fasten the blade to the hub.", "Next, workers grind away the seam of hardened epoxy that formed where the two halves of the mold met and sand the surface perfectly smooth.", "Then they spray the blade with a coat of primer, which they let cure for six hours.", "Then a coat of epoxy-based paint, letting that cure for about eight hours.", "Then workers insert those 54 pin bolts made of a particularly strong grade of steel and tighten them with a torque wrench.", "After this, they weigh each blade on a floor scale and group three blades of similar weight per turbine to ensure the rotation will be balanced.", "The install a cover over the opened end of the blade to prevent debris from falling inside during transport to the wind farm.", "Upon arrival, crews bolt three blades to a rotor hub, then hoist the rotor to the top of the turbine tower and connect it to the nacelle.", "The nacelle is the part of a wind turbine which transforms wind power into electricity.", "With the rotor mounted to it, the nacelle houses a giant drivetrain.", "It multiplies the rotational speed of the spinning blades then transfers it to a massive generator, which produces electricity.", "A wind turbine's rotor is made of three blades attached to a hub.", "The hub alone weighs more than 30 tons.", "It's cast from ductile iron, a strong grade of cast iron.", "At the factory, they use a crane to hoist and affix the hub casting to an assembly fixture.", "This fixture holds the hub securely in a suspended position while workers mount components to it, starting with three blade bearings.", "A blade bearing is a giant ball bearing to which the blade is attached.", "When it rotates, the blade pitches, meaning it changes angle.", "Blades need to be pitched to better catch the wind and to spin at optimal speed.", "Each bearing attaches to the hub with 54 huge bolts.", "The next hub components-- three accumulators-- one for each blade bearing.", "An accumulator stores hydraulic oil under pressure.", "This oil moves hydraulic cylinders, which rotate the blade bearing to pitch the blade.", "Workers assemble each accumulator, mount its cover, then install it on a blade bearing.", "Once all three accumulators and other components are installed, the hub is finished.", "They remove it from the assembly fixture and put a fiberglass cover over each bearing to protect the workings inside.", "Meanwhile, in the same factory, workers assemble the wind turbine's nacelle.", "First, they lay out the bottom section of its steel housing, then they assemble the yaw system, the key component that enables the nacelle and rotor to rotate 360 degrees.", "They mount a large stationary gear in the center of the system's mainframe.", "Then, on the reverse side of the mainframe, they install eight yaw gears.", "These smaller gears engage the large gear on the other side.", "Fully assembled, the mainframe weighs more than 22 tons.", "Workers hoist it with a crane, then install it into the bottom section of the nacelle's steel housing.", "They connect the gearbox to the rest of the nacelle's drivetrain.", "It works like a car transmission in reverse.", "While the car transmission takes combustion-produced energy and turns it into rotation-- the car wheel's turning-- the nacelle drivetrain takes rotation-- the blades spinning in the wind-- and turns it into electrical energy.", "Those spinning blades rotate the drivetrain's massive steel shaft.", "The opposite end of that shaft connects to the gearbox.", "The gear's multiply the speed of rotation, rotating the second shaft, which they now connect to a generator, installed inside the nacelle housing.", "The second shaft powers the generator, which produces electricity.", "After connecting the drivetrain to the generator, workers install the top section of the housing, as well as access doors for maintenance work.", "Technicians conduct various tests to make sure everything runs properly.", "Here, they are verifying the fan that cools the generator.", "The finished nacelle looks like a mammoth aa battery.", "It weighs 85 tons.", "Nearly half of that is the drivetrain.", "The plant ships both the nacelle and the hub separately to the wind farm by either truck or rail.", "The blades are shipped to the farm from another factory and the tower from yet another.", "Once all the parts arrive on site, assembly can begin.", "Crews first direct the tower.", "Then they hoist the nacelle all the way to the top and mount it.", "On the ground, they assemble the rotor by installing the blades in the hub.", "Then they hoist the rotor to the top of the tower and mount it to the nacelle.", "And from that point on, the wind does all the work." ]

{ "things": [ "Bamboo Bicycles", "Chainsaw Art", "Breath Mints", "Manual Motorcycle Transmissions" ] }

[ "The bamboo bicycle was invented in england in the 19th century, and the idea never really went anywhere until now.", "The modern bamboo bicycle is a highly engineered piece of work-- one that takes advantage of bamboo's steely sturdiness and its ability to absorb vibrations.", "At a time when bicycles are often made of high-tech carbon fiber and exotic alloys, the bamboo bike takes things in a whole new direction.", "Bamboo cane is a grass that's incredibly sturdy.", "And because it's fast-growing, a bicycle made from it is as green as it gets.", "The frame builder starts with the strongest species of bamboo.", "Each cane is scrutinized to confirm that it's perfectly straight and structurally sound.", "He measures and marks each one to a precise length.", "To avoid fraying the edges or splitting exterior fibers, he makes the cuts slowly.", "He smoothes the freshly cut ends against a drum sander and tapers them a bit to fit into steel joints.", "Once satisfied with the fit, he removes the bamboo canes from the steel joints.", "He sprays an acetone cleaning solution into the joints and then scrubs with a wire brush to prepare them for bonding to the bamboo canes.", "A total of five steel joints will hold the bamboo bicycle frame together.", "It's now time for the assembly.", "He probes the cavity of each bamboo cane to confirm there are no obstructions and to determine how far inside to insert a foam plug.", "This plug will prevent adhesive from running through the entire cane during bonding.", "Using a long syringe, he injects fast-setting epoxy adhesive into the cane.", "This seals the plug to the inside wall of the bamboo cane.", "Once plugs have been installed in all the canes, he snakes plastic tubing through the steel joints and caulks the gaps.", "This tubing is a delivery system for the next application of epoxy adhesive that will seal the steel joints to the bamboo framework.", "With the plastic tubing now installed in all the steel joints, he reassembles the bamboo bicycle frame and double-checks the geometry.", "This is known as the dry fit.", "It's one last chance to perfect the fit at the joints.", "He'll sand the ends of the bamboo or even cut a new cane, if needed.", "Most frames need at least a little tweaking at this stage.", "Once it's just right, he secures the bike frame in a jig.", "He inserts a bit of epoxy putty between the bamboo cane and the steel joint.", "It acts as a shim to center the cane in the fitting.", "He then wraps electrical tape around the gaps where the steel joints meet the bamboo canes.", "This tape is low-tack, so it won't pull up bamboo fibers when it's removed.", "Yet the seal is strong enough to keep epoxy adhesive from dripping out as he now injects it into one of the joints.", "He cuts a tiny slit in the tape to monitor the flow.", "And when epoxy starts to leak out, he knows there's enough for a full bond.", "He tapes up the slit to close off the overflow and clamps the end of the plastic tubing with a clothespin.", "He injects epoxy into all five joints.", "Once all the gaps have been filled, he leaves the assembly to dry.", "12 hours later, he unbinds the joints.", "They're now solidly fused to the bamboo to hold the frame together.", "The plastic tubing has also bonded to the inside of the joints.", "He just cuts the ends.", "He grinds off the excess epoxy for a smoother transition from the steel to the bamboo.", "Once the bike frame has been cleaned and engraved with the brand name, he stains the bamboo with a polyurethane finish.", "This seals the pores of the bamboo against water damage and enhances the texture of the woody fibers.", "He paints the joints with automotive-quality paint, and it's ready for a set of wheels.", "This bamboo bicycle frame has been 40 hours in the making.", "As an eco-friendly mode of transportation, it should be a trailblazer.", "When the motorized chainsaw came on the scene in the 1920s, it revolutionized the forestry industry.", "From then on, it was only a matter of time before some creative lumberjacks started logging extra time with their trusty tool, using the chainsaw like a sculptor's chisel or a painter's brush.", "These chainsaw sculptures run the gamut from cartoonlike characters to realistic reproductions of wildlife.", "This artistic endeavor does come with significant risk.", "One wrong move with the chainsaw can cause serious injury or worse.", "At the request of landowners and governments, this particular logger artist cuts down bug wood-- pine trees killed by mountain pine beetles.", "Brandishing a chainsaw with a 16-inch blade, he'll transform this log into a turkey.", "The first cut forms a higher back, which will eventually become the tail feathers.", "The second cut establishes the top of the head.", "Then, he cuts away wood in between to begin shaping the body.", "He removes wood from the front to begin forming the turkey's beard and breast.", "Then, he removes wood from the sides to shape the wings.", "As this is a turkey in a strutting pose, the wings are thrusting downward.", "After shaping the breast further and carving the feet, he puts down the chainsaw, picks up a pencil, and outlines 19 tail feathers.", "Then, he gently carves his lines with the tip of the chainsaw.", "He also carves the outlines of the feathers located under the tail feathers.", "Then, using the tip ever so lightly, he makes delicate lines inside each feather.", "The rough shape now complete, he begins working on the finer details, such as sculpting each wing feather.", "Then, he carves some even finer details with a die grinder-- a tool which takes interchangeable bits.", "He uses a cone-shaped bit to carve the turkey's toes, then a sanding disk to proportion the breast, then a small wheel to carve the lower breast feathers.", "Now he tackles the snood-- that flap of skin over the turkey's beak.", "He makes it curved, rather than hanging straight down, to make the turkey look as though it's moving.", "To craft the eyes, he uses a tool he rigged up himself by attaching a modified bolt to a die grinder.", "The eyes are the artistic turning point.", "They add the first hint of facial expression.", "Using the cone-shaped bit again, the artist shaves off wood underneath the eyes so they'll protrude somewhat.", "Then, using a variety of bits, he does some touch-ups on the snood and sculpts the sac of skin under the turkey's neck.", "Then, he takes the eye tool again, but this time to brand little circles on the skin sac, to give it a realistic texture.", "With the carving now complete, the burning begins.", "Using a small gas torch, he scorches the wood.", "The raised area becomes darker than the recessed areas, giving the feathers contrast and depth.", "The last step is some finer, detailed texturing.", "He attaches a soft wire brush to a drill and smoothes out the tips of the feathers.", "He coats the finished carving in a sealer-- a homemade concoction of equal parts mineral spirits, heavy-duty marine varnish, and boiled linseed oil.", "This sealer gives the surface a rich, semigloss luster.", "But, more importantly, it protects the wood against the elements, which is critical, given that these carvings are usually displayed outdoors.", "This specially designed sealant is the key to the longevity of these carvings.", "It forms a suit of armor against precipitation and the sun's ultraviolet rays, yet the sealant isn't an airtight shield.", "It still lets the wood breathe, which is critical for preventing mold growth.", "It's also flexible, moving with the natural expansion and contraction of the wood.", "An inflexible sealant would crack, letting water seep in.", "This durable, protective finish makes the chainsaw-carved statue not only a statement piece but also an investment piece.", "Bad breath can ruin your social life, but suck on a mint, and you'll be breathing a sigh of relief.", "Mint candies were first introduced in britain in 1790 and were initially used to soothe indigestion.", "Later, their breath-freshening qualities were discovered, and they became known as breath mints.", "Out of consideration for their costars, actors often suck on a mint or two before shooting a romantic scene.", "Bad breath can be a real scene-spoiler in the movies and in everyday life.", "They make these tablet-style mints in various colors and flavors.", "For a lime-flavored mint, ingredients include sorbitol-- a sugar-free sweetener-- magnesium stearate, which acts as a binder, and lime oil for that refreshing flavor.", "They load measured amounts of the ingredients into a v-shaped blender.", "They'll be producing a 300-pound batch that will yield 600,000 mints.", "That green stuff is a premix of color and oil.", "He screws the lid tightly onto the blender.", "It tumbles the ingredients for 45 minutes.", "The magnesium stearate begins to bind the various elements.", "They then mix blue and yellow pigment to produce a vibrant green one.", "The pigment is a booster to enhance the green color of the mint and reflect the lime flavor of the candies.", "After one more spin in the blender, the mixture is ready to be pressed.", "It flows out of the blender and into a big bin.", "Once the bin is full, they deliver it to the tablet-pressing machine.", "Here, they scoop the mix into two hoppers that have sieves on top.", "The sieves screen out any large clumps.", "The rest of the mix falls into the rotary tablet press.", "This is actually the same kind of machine that the pharmaceutical industry uses for making pills.", "It spins in a blur to punch out 1,800 tablets a minute.", "They slow the press to a crawl to give us a close-up look.", "The granulated mixture flows in metered amounts into dies in the rotating wheel.", "Upper and lower punches meet in the dies to compress the mint-candy ingredients.", "This fuses the mixture into hard tablets.", "After the compression, the lower punches rise and eject the candies.", "The mints and the excess powder fall down a chute.", "At the actual speed, the machine churns out dozens of mints faster than you can blink an eye.", "The tablets and all that excess powder now flow into a perforated cylinder.", "As the cylinder rotates, the powder flies out of the holes and into the trough below.", "This is known as dedusting.", "The mint candies, minus most of the excess powder, spill out into a container.", "Next, the mints ride a revolving table.", "This is a tablet-counting system.", "As the mints exit the table, light sensors count out a preset amount of mints for packaging-- in this case, 72 mints.", "A worker moves tins into position below the hoppers to capture the mints.", "This kind of tin has been used since the 1920s to contain mints.", "It has a sliding lid that makes it easy to open.", "But once closed, it contains them tightly, preventing spillage.", "Now it's over to the shrink-wrap department.", "Machinery drops a plastic sleeve onto each tin as it rides by and under a leveling bracket.", "The tins then travel through an oven, where a blast of heat softens the plastic sleeves, causing them to shrink to the tins.", "They emerge securely sealed and ready for retail.", "Today, mints can come in exotic shapes, like these wine-bottle mints.", "They can be custom-made for any occasion, because, after all, most occasions call for fresh breath.", "The transmission in a motorcycle multiplies the power coming from the engine to move the bike down the road at faster and faster speeds.", "The vast majority of motorcycles have a manual transmission, so it's up to the rider to operate a lever to shift into lower or higher gears as required.", "most manual motorcycle transmissions have a push-button electric starter, but traditionalists still prefer this old-style transmission with a kick starter.", "The transmission case is made from aluminum that's been extruded to a starting shape.", "A saw cuts a piece to the case length.", "Then, a series of computer-guided tools hollow out the inside and bore a pocket to hold the bearing in which the main drive gear turns.", "The main drive gear is what takes power out of the transmission, ultimately rotating the rear wheel of the motorcycle.", "Once polished, the transmission case is ready to receive its 100-plus components.", "Workers assemble the bearing in which the main shaft turns, transferring power from the engine to the transmission.", "Using a press, they push this bearing into a bearing housing, then bolt it in place, immobilizing the bolt with a few drops of permanent thread-locking fluid.", "Then, right next to the main shaft bearing, workers bolt the bearing in which the countershaft turns, magnifying and multiplying the power which the main shaft transfers from engine to transmission.", "They press in a pin which helps accurately position this housing when it comes time to bolt it to the transmission.", "They apply thread lock to secure the bushing that holds one of two rods for the bike's shift forks.", "They're what the rider manipulates to move each gear into a predetermined position.", "They suspend the second rod between the housing and the transmission case.", "They install the countershaft into the countershaft bearing and lock it in with the press.", "Next, workers assemble what's known as the gearset.", "This is a 6-speed transmission, which means there are six gears on the main shaft and six on the countershaft.", "Each gear is held to its shaft by a high-strength steel retaining ring that's plated with yellow zinc to make it easy to verify that it's in the right position.", "Workers lubricate the bearings thoroughly to ensure they rotate smoothly around the shafts.", "Putting the gearset aside for now, they use the press once again-- this time, to install the main drive-gear bearing into the pocket they bore for it in the transmission case.", "The red disk merely provides a cushion to prevent the press from damaging the component.", "Next, they press the main drive gear in the bearing.", "Again, they use the installation disk to cushion the component from the press.", "They slide the gearset into the transmission case and secure it with nine nuts.", "They apply semipermanent thread lock to each nut so that they can be unscrewed in the future, should the gearset need to be removed for repair.", "Meanwhile, a computer-guided mill machines the shift drum out of a super-durable type of steel.", "The shift drum rotates when the rider shifts gears, moving the gears.", "After coating it in black oxide to prevent against corrosion, they install it on top of the transmission case.", "They assemble the kick starter.", "When the rider kicks it, a series of gears rotates the main shaft inside the transmission.", "The main shaft is also connected to the engine, so this rotation starts the engine.", "The kick arm itself is stainless steel.", "The pedal, bronze.", "Both types of metal are durable enough to withstand years of kicking and are resistant to corrosion.", "For demonstration purposes, this transmission case has been cut away to show what happens inside when the rider shifts gears.", "The shift drum rotates 30 degrees to pull the transmission out of one gear, then another 30 degrees to put it into another-- a perfectly engineered piece of mechanical choreography." ]

{ "things": [ "Pro Hockey Sticks", "Bronzed Shoes", "Treadmills", "Computers" ] }

[ "Today on \"how it's made\"...", "Pro hockey sticks.", "Bronzed baby shoes.", "Treadmills.", "And handheld computers.", "Today's cutting-edge hockey sticks are made primarily of graphite, a strong yet lightweight material woven from carbon.", "Professional hockey players have their graphite sticks custom-made.", "Each player has the curve and angle of the blade tailored to precise specifications that he believes enhance his performance on the ice.", "To construct the stick's hollow shaft, workers layer 15 sheets of graphite, each in a different direction to make the shaft uniformly rigid.", "Heat-activated resin molds the layers together.", "This machine, called a flex tester, measures how much force it takes to bend the shaft one inch.", "If the force is within a certain range, the shaft has the correct degree of stiffness for that model.", "The blade starts with the plastic core.", "In the center, there's a piece of hard foam wrapped in graphite.", "It absorbs the impact of the puck.", "Later, they'll mold the core to the shaft, but for now, they glue and clamp them together.", "When the glue dries, they cover the core in a graphite sock.", "The sock fibers run diagonally.", "The fibers of subsequent layers run in other directions, building a combination of crisscross fibers that creates uniform stiffness throughout the blade.", "Now the core goes into a glue applicator.", "This heat-activated plastic resin permeates the graphite.", "Once it cures, it will fortify the material.", "On the next two layers of graphite are strips.", "On one, the fibers run vertically.", "On the other, they run diagonally.", "They're stiffer because they've already had a resin application.", "They run through the glue applicator and go onto the core.", "This is how the factory builds its graphite blades, whether mass producing amateur sticks or making a few special-order sticks for a pro player.", "At this point, retail sticks head into large-scale automated production.", "Workers continue making pro sticks by hand.", "Initially, they produce a customized wooden mold for each player's stick and give it an identification number to prevent mix-ups.", "They install this two-piece mold on a press.", "The press shapes the blade to the player's precise specifications, for the face, or vertical angle, and the curve.", "This molding process also compresses the graphite layers into a single unit and bonds the blade to the shaft permanently.", "The plastic bag over the blade prevents excess resin from oozing all over the press.", "Using a router, they profile the blade to a specific shape.", "Each pro player orders his own personal template.", "It can be any shape, provided it abides by nhl regulations.", "Maximum curve-- half an inch, maximum height-- 3 inches, maximum length-- 12 1/2 inches.", "Now, a good sanding.", "And a thorough buffing.", "They dip the blades in urethane, a colorless coating that fills in tiny imperfections on the surface.", "Once that dries, a machine sprays silver paint at the base of the shaft.", "Finally, another coat of urethane to seal and protect the paint.", "For the retail market, this company mass produces six models of graphite hockey sticks in a right-handed and left-handed version.", "They all have the same blade shape, but different curves.", "You can peel off the removable model-name decal and write your own name on the shaft instead.", "Not nearly as personalized as a made-to-order pro stick, but at least you won't leave the arena with someone else's hockey stick by mistake.", "The pitter-patter of little footsteps is a welcome sound in any household.", "But children grow by leaps and bounds.", "Bronzing baby shoes is one way to preserve the memory of those first steps.", "The tradition was started back in the 1930s.", "In these shoes, a child learned to stand on his or her own two feet.", "The baby shoes have joined a pile of others.", "They're all about to be preserved forever.", "They record information about the shoes' owners including personal details for engraving.", "They assign a tracking number to each pair.", "Without it, some shoes might not find their way back to their owners.", "They stamp that number onto insoles.", "There's a special coating on the insoles that will prevent the metal plating from sticking to them, so this number will be visible throughout processing.", "They staple down the insoles and then dip the shoes in a special formula.", "It chemically seals them and will also help stiffen them as they dry later.", "But first they hang them to allow excess liquid to drip off.", "They stuff each shoe with plastic to give it some shape.", "They push a rolled plastic form into each shoe to complete the shaping.", "They tie the laces, positioning the bows flat against the shoes so they won't break off during the rest of the process.", "As an extra precaution, they wrap a rubber band around each bow and then glue it down.", "With the shaping plastic removed and the shoes dried and stiffened, they drill holes into the bottoms of the soles.", "This will allow them to be hung on prongs during plating later.", "But before that happens, they stir up a mix of water, copper, and other ingredients.", "They carefully submerge a rack full of baby shoes into the coppery liquid.", "This isn't the final coating.", "It's a key preparation step.", "It makes the shoes electrically conductive so that they can be electroplated.", "They hang the shoes to dry and dribble a little more of the liquid onto them to cover any bare spots.", "They allow the finish to dry for a couple of days.", "Then a worker lowers them into the electroplating tank.", "An electrical current runs through to the shoes, attracting copper in the tank to plate them.", "Using a special polishing wheel, they lightly scratch the bright copper finish on the shoes.", "This prepares them for the next step.", "They spray a black finish onto the shoes.", "And then wipe it off, rubbing some into the crevices to give them an antique appearance.", "Next, they spray them with a protective lacquer.", "You can still see the identification number clearly on the insole, so they haven't lost track of the owner.", "They attach the engraving plate onto a wood base and screw the shoes onto it.", "Now they won't be going anywhere, except down memory lane.", "And it seems there's no end to the bronze keepsakes that can also take you there, from cowboy boots to burgers on a bun.", "Treadmills were invented back in the 1800s for the farm team.", "Farmers put animals on treadmills to power butter churns and threshing machines.", "It wasn't until the middle of the 20th century that people started working out on treadmills, and as a fitness concept, it's been a success.", "In these high-tech treadmills, computer processors access your level of fitness and plot your workout program.", "To make one, they punch holes in aluminum-frame side pieces.", "These holes will be used to attach other parts.", "But first, they weld joints to the side pieces.", "And they weld brackets onto the platform that will hold the treadmill's motor.", "They position the platform between two aluminum side pieces and screw it into place to complete the frame.", "Next, they attach the elevation mechanism.", "This piece will raise the treadmill belt.", "They fasten wheels to the frame that will allow the treadmill to be rolled away for storage.", "They turn over the treadmill frame and work on the underside.", "They attach brackets for the rollers that go inside the belt.", "Then they position the belt and deck over the frame.", "They slide in the steel rollers...", "And attach the drive belt.", "They bolt a big shock absorber to the drive motor to dampen its vibration.", "They install a strobe disk and then place an optical sensor over it.", "With the help of this sensor, the strobe will monitor the motor speed 16 times per second.", "They mount the drive motor for the treadmill belt on the special platform and bolt it into place.", "At this point, they attach one of the computer boards.", "It receives information from the optical sensor about the treadmill's speed and relays it to the computer in the control panel.", "This will ensure that everything is in sync.", "Here, they slide a protective casing over the framework.", "They cap the ends, then turn over the machine once more to install the mechanism that allows the treadmill to be folded up when the workout is over.", "They screw a plastic cover onto it to protect the bottom.", "And it's over to the control system.", "They stick the control membrane onto the plastic housing and attach a safety switch to the back.", "Then they install the treadmill's other computer board in this housing.", "They plug a lead wire into the safety switch and install a receiver to pick up the runner's heart rate.", "They secure the handlebar assembly to the control housing and plug in the upper circuit board.", "Now they close the back of the control system, and it's time for the two assemblies to come together.", "They connect the upper and lower computer boards so they can communicate.", "And then they give the treadmill a little test run to make sure it's in top form.", "They put it through a range of elevations and check the belt to determine if it's running in the middle.", "They adjust the belt to center it a little better.", "And now this treadmill has passed inspection.", "So they wipe away their footprints and press the brand label onto the hood.", "They lower the hood onto the motor.", "And now, this treadmill is ready to give you a good workout.", "Handhelds, as they're called, are rugged computers designed for workers on the move.", "You see them on delivery trucks, police cruisers, forklift trucks, and in large warehouses.", "They process data in virtually any condition, from bad weather to rough roads.", "So even though you're in the field, you're still plugged in.", "From scanning bar codes to reading parking meters, handhelds provide information on location.", "They start with the keyboard electronics panel.", "They test each contact for conductivity.", "Then they transfer the tracking number from the electronics panel to the inner casing, so it will be visible if it needs servicing.", "They glue the electronics panel to the casing with silicone for a waterproof seal.", "The rubber keypad goes on next.", "Then they glue a protective plastic plate over it.", "Next, they cut a silicone liner to the size of the computer screen.", "It will help seal the unit, preventing water and dust from getting in.", "They place the liner in a bracket behind the screen and then use this jig to align the screen to the computer casing.", "A dab of threadlocker glue to the screws helps to hold it all together.", "The top casing for this handheld computer is now assembled.", "They move on to the back casing and install a speaker.", "They apply a layer of silicone to a circuit board assembly, again, to resist water and dust from seeping into it.", "This circuit board assembly goes into a hole in the back casing.", "It will allow the unit to communicate with a central computer.", "In the next step, they wire the speakers to the circuit board, and now the handheld has a sound system.", "More silicone on these connections.", "Then they install triggers to the scanner, one on each side.", "They install a liner on the door for the memory card compartment.", "Then they run the top assemblies for three hours in extreme temperatures.", "Once the inner workings have been completely installed, they attach the top assemblies to the bottom ones.", "They tuck the battery pack into its compartment and install the end cap.", "It has an antenna for wireless communication.", "Now they install a smartcard reader, because this particular handheld computer will be used for security checks on personal i.d. cards.", "They test the laser scanner, then activate security software which reads fingerprints, allowing this handheld computer to do security or criminal checks on the spot.", "When an unregistered person presses a finger onto the print reader, this is what happens.", "Of course, mobile computers are designed to return to a home base, where they upload information to a main computer.", "But first, randomly selected units get roughed up in a series of tests.", "They toss this unit into a tumbler and it gets thrown around.", "Then they drop it from a height of 6 1/2 feet.", "They plunge it into a tank of water.", "In the real world, things can be even tougher.", "This computer ended up in a fire.", "And this one was run over.", "But even when it seems that they've been completely destroyed, information can still be salvaged.", "Here, they transfer the memory board from one of the wrecked units to an undamaged one.", "They hook it up to a central computer and retrieve the information.", "These are tough computers for those on the go." ]

{ "things": [ "Game Calls", "Mayonnaise", "Traditional Razor Blades", "Butterfly Safety Razors" ] }

[ "The invention of mechanized game calls in the middle of the 19th century allowed hunters to mimic the sounds of their prey.", "Before these devices came along, hunters whistled and made noises with their hands to lure birds or animals into shooting range, and their efforts weren't always on the mark.", "whether it's a mating call or just a sociable \"hey, there,\" a game call is about speaking the language.", "Of course, it all translates into big trouble for birds and animals who respond.", "There are dozens of different game calls, from duck to goose to elk.", "Each game call is a precisely crafted instrument.", "To make one, they don't have to look far for raw material.", "A bamboo crop flourishes in the backyard of the louisiana factory.", "Bamboo is one of the fastest-growing plants on the planet, so there's always a ready supply.", "The stem is hollow, which makes it ideal for the game call's larger barrel.", "After the bamboo cane has been dried for six to eight weeks, they cut it to length-- about 3 inches.", "But bamboo isn't the only wood they use for making call barrels.", "Others are constructed from walnut, cherry, or exotic woods.", "They're harder and a bit more rugged, but, of course, they're also solid.", "A boring machine hollows out these solid walnut blanks.", "They load them six at a time into the machine's slots, and then lower a holding bar to secure them for drilling.", "A carriage moves the drill bits forward, and they hit the walnut blanks dead center.", "A worker locks a hollow barrel in a lathe.", "As it spins, he manipulates a blade to carve a slightly concave profile.", "This will make it easier to grip.", "He also cuts designs into the wood, which identify this instrument as a certain duck call.", "Each call has its own distinguishing design.", "As the duck-call barrel continues to spin, he sands away any burrs or splinters.", "What was a simple, wooden tube now has flowing lines and a defining design.", "Next, they spin a stone on each end of the barrel, creating a burn that blackens and smoothes the rims.", "The game-call barrels then funnel into the clutch of prongs on a revolving wheel.", "As the wheel turns, the barrels brush against a series of sanding belts, each one with a finer grit than the last.", "This final sanding makes the barrels super smooth.", "With a set of pincers, he dips the barrels in a solution to seal the wood inside and out.", "The sealant will protect the wooden barrel from rain, humidity, and the user's saliva.", "After dipping, he leaves the parts in the sun for several hours to bake on the sealant.", "Meanwhile, they machine a smaller barrel which will hold the noise-making parts.", "Using a reaming tool, the worker tapers the opening of the larger barrel, and the two barrels now fit snugly together.", "A worker buffs the barrel with steel wool as it spins on a mandrel.", "The buffing gives the wood a silky texture, and prepares it for a final sealant.", "Production now turns to the noise-making insert.", "A worker pounds a die into a strip of rigid plastic to punch out the reeds.", "It's this part that vibrates against the tone board to produce sound.", "The reed's shape varies depending on the kind of call being made.", "He aligns the reed with the wooden tone board, and then inserts them part of the way into the barrel of the game call.", "He sands a little, wooden wedge that will hold everything in place.", "He pushes it into the space between the barrel and the reed and tone board.", "Then, using a metal file, he forces the wedge even further into the opening to ensure the parts won't budge.", "He slides the larger barrel over the protruding reed and tone board.", "After some tuning, the game call is ready.", "In a way, hunting calls are like musical instruments-- it takes practice and know-how to use one successfully.", "But once mastered, this instrument could attract flocks of admirers.", "after all, every game call has a target audience.", "according to one theory, mayonnaise originated in the town of mahón in spain, where it was known as \"salsa mahonesa\".", "Mayonnaise makes sandwiches zestier, turns canned tuna into tuna salad, hard-boiled eggs into egg salad, and is a creamy dip for french fries, belgian-style.", "Mayonnaise recipes vary, but all have eggs and oil as the main ingredients.", "The eggs can be all yolks, all whites, or a combination of both.", "At this mayonnaise factory, the raw eggs arrive in liquid form by tanker trunk.", "They've been pasteurized to kill off salmonella and other common bacteria.", "The egg supplier has also cleaned and sealed the tank valve, an additional food-safety precaution.", "A worker clamps a sanitary evacuation hose to the tank.", "Then, with a few blows of a mallet, releases the valve.", "A pump draws the eggs through the hose into a refrigerated receiving tank.", "The second main ingredient, soy bean oil, arrives by railway tanker car.", "Like all bulk-ingredient deliveries, for food safety, the tank is sealed at the supplier to ensure it isn't opened prior to arrival here.", "A pumping system transfers the oil to a large holding tank.", "Meanwhile, factory workers weigh out the ingredients that make up this company's secret blend of spices.", "Next, they mix this spice blend with white vinegar, cider vinegar, and salt.", "Then they add liquid natural flavors.", "They pour this mixture into a large tank of room-temperature water, producing what they call a \"slurry\".", "The raw eggs, meanwhile, have been transferred into a large, refrigerated holding tank.", "So now there are three holding tanks at the ready-- a slurry tank, an egg tank, and an oil tank.", "A computerized proportioning system extracts the required amount from each tank and sends it to a mixing vessel.", "A couple of minutes of mixing at high agitation merges the eggs, oil, and slurry into tangy, creamy mayonnaise.", "The factory draws samples periodically and sends them to its quality-control department for analysis.", "The lab technicians there evaluate several criteria, such as color, consistency, and, of course, flavor.", "In this test, for example, they mix the mayo with phenolphthalein, a ph-level indicator, and de-ionized water to check the acidity level.", "Once the mayonnaise passes quality-control inspection, this rotary filler dispenses it into recyclable polyethylene jars.", "It fills each jar in just a quarter second.", "The next machine twists on a plastic cap.", "Inside the cap is a foil seal.", "This machine uses targeted induction heat to fuse the seal to the rim of the jar without heating the mayonnaise in the process.", "The seal preserves freshness and indicates the jar wasn't tampered with after leaving the factory.", "The labeling machine glues on one end of the label, spins the jar to wrap the label around, then glues down the other end.", "The quality-control lab also performs some post-production spot-checks.", "In this test, technicians use a machine called a viscometer to measure the product's consistency.", "The factory also packages its mayo into single-serving pouches.", "They're made of polyethylene film on one side, foil printed with the product label on the other.", "This multi-tasking machine forms rows of pouches, inserts about four ounces of mayonnaise per pouch, then seals and separates the pouches.", "These pouches are shipped to ready-made sandwich vendors and fast-food restaurants whose customers need mayo on the go.", "Cavemen sharpened pieces of flint and used them to shave their facial hair.", "Modern man can simply go purchase a pack of razor blades for his shaver.", "While several styles of shavers and blades exist, many men believe the traditional type of razor blade gives the closest shave of them all.", "They're paper-thin, yet sharp enough and strong enough to cut through the coarsest beard.", "Razor blades are made from a stainless-steel strip that's a mere .", "004 of an inch thick.", "The strip first enters a punching machine that stamps out the overall blade shape.", "These dull-edged blades-to-be are called blanks.", "At this stage of the process, the stainless steel is very soft-- as pliable as paper-- so they now harden and strength it through a four-step heat-treatment process.", "Step one-- they heat the blanks in a furnace to just over 2,000 degrees fahrenheit for about 30 seconds.", "Step two-- they briefly submerge them in cold water.", "This is called quenching.", "Step three-- they chill them for about 20 seconds in a deep-cooling chamber at a temperature of -58 fahrenheit.", "All this progressively re-structures the molecules, hardening the metal.", "However, the metal becomes brittle, necessitating re-heating the blanks for 20 seconds.", "The now-hard blanks then move through a printer, which applies the razor-blade brand name.", "Gas flames instantly dry the wet ink.", "Now it's time for the blanks to become blades.", "They enter a grinding and polishing machine.", "Within it are three grinding stations which first sharpen the contour, then produce two super-sharp cutting edges.", "The blades then pass through a polishing station that removes burrs left by the grinding.", "Until now, the blades have been connected to each other.", "As they exit this machine, a knife separates them.", "The factory's quality-control lab pulls samples from the production line and checks, among other criteria, the quality of the grinding and geometrics of the cutting edges.", "Then, every single blade the factory produces is examined for cutting-edge defects.", "Technicians assemble blades in packs of up to 800, then shine fluorescent light on the two cutting-edge sides.", "This makes defects visible.", "Blades that pass this inspection are washed with solvent to remove contaminants...", "Then dried.", "The now-pristine razor blades go into a vacuum chamber.", "It draws a chromium-based coating onto the surface, rendering the cutting edges harder and more wear-resistant.", "Next, spray nozzles apply a non-stick coating, which will help the blades glide smoothly over the skin.", "To adhere the coating permanently to the blade surface, they bake it on for 20 minutes at about 660 degrees fahrenheit.", "Quality-control technicians test samples again, this time to ensure the blades meet strength specifications.", "This test machine measures the force required for the blade to cut a thick wad of wet paper to a certain depth.", "Back in production, workers submerge the razor blades in organic oil for about half an hour.", "This provides additional protection against corrosion.", "On the packaging line, the equipment wraps each blade individually in wax paper.", "The wax coating on the paper helps protect the razor blade against corrosion during storage.", "Wax paper is also stronger than regular paper, so the blade's razor-sharp edges don't cut through it.", "The edge of these razor blades are about 10 times thinner than a human hair.", "A blade typically lasts about six shaves, so the average male goes through quite a few, considering that, over the course of his lifetime, he'll have spent more than 3,300 hours shaving his face.", "In the age of disposable razors, the butterfly safety razor still has an edge.", "This precision metal tool is good for a lifetime of clean shaves.", "A few twists of the handle, and the butterfly mechanism opens to allow cleaning and replacement of the blade.", "With it, getting rid of stubble is very little trouble.", "Invented in the last century, the butterfly safety razor has done its part to prevent injuries.", "The blade can be replaced without actually touching the sharp edge.", "The butterfly doors also close around the blade for a safer shave.", "Also known as the twist-to-open razor, this grooming tool is anything but simple.", "It's comprised of about 20 parts.", "Production begins with solid zinc bars.", "They melt down the bars in a big cauldron.", "The machine then presses the melted zinc into a mold of three razor parts.", "The zinc instantly cools and solidifies into the shape of the parts.", "They're linked by more hardened zinc.", "A worker separates them, revealing a support structure for the blade, a framework for the butterfly flaps, and the outer casing for the blade-support part.", "Breaking them free from one another leaves ragged edges, so a worker grinds them smooth.", "But there are still a few blemishes to rub off the surface.", "The parts toss about in a tumbler filled with abrasive synthetic pellets.", "After about half an hour, the surface irregularities are gone.", "Next, a computerized drill bores into the center of a spinning aluminum dowel as a second tool contours the outside.", "This transforms the dowel into nuts for adjusting the blade.", "They shape the aluminum handle the same way.", "Now they apply a more durable chrome finish.", "This process involves three electro-plating baths.", "The first one gives the parts a copper coating.", "Then it's into the nickel bath.", "In this case, nickel is a go-between kind of finish.", "It will allow chrome to stick to the part.", "After a chemical treatment for a matte finish, they plunge the parts into the chrome bath.", "A quick rinse in water reveals the result.", "The parts now have a resilient matte-chrome finish.", "Once all the parts have been fabricated, it's time to assemble the butterfly razor.", "A worker drives a threaded insert into the outer casing for the blade support.", "She installs a similar insert in the adjustment nut we saw being fabricated early on.", "These inserts enable her to screw the two parts together.", "She sets aside the nut and blade-support assembly.", "She slides a spring onto the razor's center rod.", "This spring pushes up the rod to open the butterfly flaps.", "She dabs thread-lock glue on the threaded section of the butterfly-flap support part, and then screws the part to the razor's center rod.", "Next, she installs the butterfly flaps on the support part.", "The various sub-assemblies now need to come together.", "She begins with the blade-support structure and brass stem.", "She attaches a spring and slides the adjustment-nut assembly onto the stem.", "She inserts a plastic washer into the assembly, allowing her to screw the handle onto the adjustment nut.", "She now pops the center rod with the butterfly doors into the assembled framework and adjusts the assembly.", "She threads a set screw onto the center rod and into the handle.", "The screw will prevent the user from turning the handle too far and compromising the butterfly mechanism.", "An end cap attached to the base holds the center rod in place.", "Finally, she tests the handle and screw-rod mechanism that opens the butterfly flaps and confirms that they're fully functional.", "It's taken about 20 minutes to produce this butterfly safety razor.", "With regular cleaning between blade changes, it should last for many years.", "Good thing, because there will always be a growing need for this reusable shaving tool." ]

{ "things": [ "Folding Kayaks", "Piñatas", "Garbage Trucks", "Ceramic Composite Brake Discs" ] }

[ "The folding kayak is a seaworthy vessel that can be disassembled and stuffed into a duffel bag.", "This boat-in-a-bag concept was developed in germany a century ago.", "It's a good fit for the modern traveler's lifestyle because it can be stowed in a car trunk, checked on to a plane, or stashed in the condo closet.", "History has shown that when going gets rough, the folding kayak doesn't fall apart.", "Adventurers have crossed oceans in them, and today its story continues to unfold.", "The kayak frame starts with parts cut from solid ash and laminated birch.", "For waterproofing, they dip them in marine-grade varnish three times, drying them for 24 hours between dips.", "A worker then rivets metal fittings to a varnished section of the keel board.", "It's these fittings that enable the folding kayak to move with the sea instead of against it.", "That's because they're made of an aluminum-copper alloy, a metal with a certain amount of give.", "He fastens more aluminum-alloy fittings on the cross ribs.", "There will be a total of seven cross ribs in this two-seater folding kayak.", "The center three will carry most of the load, so they're made of nine layers of laminated birch.", "It's super strong because unlike solid wood, it has few knots or imperfections.", "He applies a label with the production's serial number to a boomerang-shaped piece of the frame.", "This is how the kayak owner would actually assemble the boat on-site.", "He locks two sections of the keel board together with the flexible fitting we saw installed earlier.", "He snaps the bow piece to the front and hooks rods into fittings installed on the bow.", "He fastens a couple of ribs to the keel board.", "The gunnels, which are the top sides of the boat, are next.", "He attaches one end to the bow and the other to one of the ribs.", "The bow and stern parts are color-coded with red-painted fittings for the bow and blue ones for the stern.", "All the parts fit together like a toy model.", "With both gunnels now attached, he's ready to install more ribs-- the laminated birch ones that form the cockpit.", "He completes the assembly of rods.", "All these rods will give the kayak directional stability.", "He unfolds part of the kayak deck assembly, known as the coaming, and arranges it to surround the cockpit.", "He attaches it to the gunnels using metal clamps and fittings.", "He slides the two seats into place on the keel board.", "And he attaches the back rest to the gunnels.", "The frame of this folding kayak is now complete and ready for its custom-made skin.", "Over in the sewing department, the seamstress traces the patterns for the kayak deck onto cotton-hemp material and cuts along the penciled lines.", "This natural fabric will allow the deck to breathe and yet keep it water-tight.", "It's now time to piece together all of the parts, including two long sleeves for inserting inflatable tubes.", "Deflated, the tubes will create slack, making it easier to fit the frame into the skin.", "Inflated, they make the kayak virtually unsinkable.", "Once the thick layers have been stitched together, she's ready to insert the inflatable tubes.", "They were pumped full of air to be examined for holes, so she deflates them.", "She uses a long pole to extend her reach and push the inflatable tube into the sleeve.", "With a synthetic rubber hull now stitched to the deck fabric, the skin is complete and ready for the kayak's wooden frame.", "This particular model has been painted black.", "If the fit is even slightly off, the kayak won't perform properly.", "The skin fits like a glove.", "He brushes glue onto the tips of the bow and stern and then presses molded rubber bumpers onto those areas.", "The bumpers will protect the ends of the hull casing, which takes a lot of hard knocks.", "In total, it takes about 50 person-hours to make a folding kayak.", "It should take the owner about 15 minutes to disassemble or assemble one.", "For some, it will become a traveling essential, part of the luggage on any trip.", "The piñata is a colorful paper-mache object typically filled with candy or small toys, then suspended high from a string.", "Blindfolded partiers take turns trying to hit the piñata with a stick to break it open and release a shower of goodies.", "From popular cartoon characters to colorful, glittery shapes, today's piñatas are a big hit at kid's parties where children eagerly await the decisive blow that breaks open the piñata, releasing the treats inside.", "The traditional way to build one starts with a clay pot suspended from a string.", "The piñata-maker glues cardboard shapes to it and secures them by gluing on pieces of newspaper.", "Then she covers the rest of the pot.", "When the glue dries, she decorates the surface with colorful paper.", "The modern method is to use a balloon instead of a clay pot.", "After inflating the balloon, she pastes pieces of newspaper all over it.", "This technique is known as paper-mache.", "The trick is to completely saturate the newspaper with a thick paste and make sure no part of the balloon is left uncovered.", "She continues this process until she's built up two or three even layers of newspaper all over the balloon.", "Then she suspends it from a clothespin to dry.", "Hours later, the paper-mache is hardened into a shell around the balloon, which she now breaks and removes.", "Next, she cuts an opening at the top of the shell.", "This is the hole through which the buyer will fill the piñata with treats.", "She'll later reattach the cut piece to make a trap door.", "But first, with the sharp tips of her scissors, she pierces a row of holes along the circumference and threads twine through them.", "She leaves long ends at the top with which to suspend the piñata.", "This piñata will be star-shaped.", "To make each point, she rolls thin cardboard into a cone, taping it closed.", "She trims it to the required size, then cuts tabs at the base and bends them back.", "She makes seven of these cardboard points, then tapes them onto the shell one by one.", "Once all seven are positioned, the decorating with colorful, glittery foil wrapping paper can begin.", "She tapes a sheet around each point of the star.", "Then she applies glue in between the points and adheres pieces of wrapping paper to those areas.", "She folds other pieces into flower shapes and glues them on, as well.", "Once the entire piñata is covered, she tapes matching streamers to the end of each point.", "Historians believe spanish missionaries used star piñatas like this one to convert the native peoples in the americas to christianity.", "The star symbolized satan, its seven points, the seven deadly sins, its beautiful colors, temptation.", "Wearing a blindfold represented blind faith in god.", "Striking the piñata with a stick meant goodness and virtue battling evil.", "Breaking the piñata, releasing a shower of treats or trinkets, symbolized heavenly rewards.", "Human beings have always generated garbage.", "In the battle to keep the streets clean, the mechanized garbage truck is a combat vehicle.", "It crushes tons of trash en route to deliver it to landfills, incinerators, and recycling facilities.", "Without it, we'd all be knee-deep in garbage.", "Garbage trucks have different approaches to handling garbage.", "Some load from the front, other from the rear or side.", "And some are entirely mechanized like this side-loader truck.", "The operator inside the cab barely needs to lift a finger as the hydraulic lift-arm does all the heavy work.", "The garbage truck has come a long way since it hit the street in 1952.", "Production on a modern side-loader truck begins with a welding robot.", "The robot fuses numerous steel supports to the truck body floor.", "These supports will allow the truck to hold up to the force of tons of trash being compacted inside.", "Meanwhile, down the line, other parts like the roof and sides take shape in separate assemblies.", "Once they're complete, they hoist the large steel parts into place and assemble them within a metal framework.", "The framework serves as a guide to piece together all the parts of the truck box.", "Once assembled, the workers clamp the parts together to secure the assembly as they weld the seams.", "The garbage truck body is then ready for the mechanized parts, beginning with a hopper.", "It's equipped with a powerful, hydraulic compactor to squeeze as much trash as possible into the truck.", "They fit the hopper snugly to the front of the truck body and weld it to it.", "Then they lift the tailgate into position at the rear of the truck box.", "They hinge it to the truck by sliding heavy-duty steel pins through brackets.", "Once hinged, the tailgate can swing up and out of the way to allow garbage to be discharged.", "The driving force for this is a pair of hydraulic cylinders attached by brackets, welded to the tailgate at one end and the truck body at the other.", "With that job done, these cylinders can now extend to lift the tailgate and retract to close it.", "Across the factory floor, another team assembles a pair of steel lift-arms.", "These lift-arms are designed for another kind of truck, the front-end loader.", "It's mainly used to collect hefty commercial garbage containers.", "In action, these arms pivot around the truck cab and extend to the front to fork up the trash container and deposit the contents in the hopper.", "Hydraulic cylinders also power these lift-arms.", "When the task is complete, the forks at the end of the arms fold back out of the way.", "Nearby, workers test this rear-loader garbage truck.", "Its tailgate is split into two hoppers-- one for recyclables and the other for trash.", "Hydraulic systems lift them one at a time or simultaneously.", "Collecting garbage and disposing of it can be tough on a truck's paint job, so they apply an extra-durable finish.", "They spray sealer on the sanded outer surface, followed by two coats of epoxy paint.", "After that, they bake on the layers.", "Meanwhile, the truck chassis has arrived from another factory.", "It's a standard size, so they chop a piece off to size it for the garbage-truck body.", "They install bracket plates at the back and slide thick pins through the holes to join the truck body to the chassis.", "Using a crane, they lift the automated side-loader truck body onto the modified chassis.", "Once it's installed, they test the compactor.", "Dual hydraulic cylinders push the ejector blade to the back of the truck.", "They test the tailgate-- which has by now been equipped with signal lights, mud flaps, and other parts-- and verify that everything functions properly.", "Once a truck passes muster, it's ready to handle whatever garbage society throws its way.", "And with these automated garbage trucks, there's no need for anyone to strain their back or get their hands dirty, because these robot arms can handle it.", "High-performance cars typically have ceramic composite brake disks rather than regular cast-iron ones.", "That kind of power on wheels requires being lightweight, and cast iron is very heavy.", "It would also wear out too quickly due to the intense heat friction generates when you brake a car with such a powerful engine.", "Ceramic is heat-resistant up to 1,830 degrees fahrenheit.", "Therefore, these ceramic composite brake disks last about 60 times longer than standard cast-iron disks.", "Ceramic composite means the ceramic material silicon is combined with carbon fiber for strength.", "The disk factory prepares the carbon fiber by mixing two ingredients-- a heat-molded resin and chopped pieces of raw carbon fiber, the strength of which lies in the interweaving of its miniscule carbon filaments.", "Automated machines pour the carbon fiber into aluminum molds in the shape of the disk ring.", "The first filling station fills the mold cavity only halfway.", "Workers then fit a slotted belt around the mold and insert aluminum cores into the slots.", "These cores will form a ventilation channel in the disk ring to keep the disk from overheating.", "Now the mold moves on to the next filling station.", "It fills the remainder of the cavity with carbon fiber.", "A roller levels the top.", "Then workers close up the mold, and a small press pushes down the cover to lightly compact the contents.", "The mold enters a large press which applies 20 tons of pressure while heating to almost 400 degrees fahrenheit.", "This compacts the carbon fiber and transforms the resin powder into plastic.", "Once the mold has cooled down enough to be handled, workers submerge it in cold water for five to eight minutes.", "This cools the disk ring completely, enabling them to pull out the cores.", "A computer-guided laser then examines the mold to make sure every last core has been removed.", "When they get the all-clear, they open the top and bottom sections of the mold and extract the disk ring.", "Computer-guided machines then smooth out the rough areas and drill tiny ventilation holes.", "They put the disk ring into an oven which, over the course of two days, gradually heats it to just over 1,800 degrees fahrenheit.", "This causes a chemical change which transforms the plastic into carbon.", "Next, they take a crucible-- a high-heat resistant container-- and position five mounts inside.", "They place the disk ring on the mounts.", "Then in the middle, a funnel, into which they pour a ceramic material, a fine silicon powder.", "Then they load the crucible into an oven for 24 hours.", "It gradually heats the disk ring to more than 3,000 degrees fahrenheit, melting the silicon.", "Then it applies low-level suction, drawing the now-liquid silicon into the disk ring.", "This creates an exceptionally hard new material called silicon carbide.", "After a computer-guided drill bores mounting holes, the disk ring goes into a chamber where it receives a coat of protective paint.", "The paint shields the carbon in this disk ring from oxygen, which is critical because at high heat, oxygen burns carbon.", "This anti-oxidation treatment significantly extends the life of the brake disk.", "The paint is cured in an oven, leaving behind a white residue.", "A robot sands it off, then polishes the entire disk-ring surface.", "Here's what the finished disk ring looks like before it's cleaned and polished...", "And after.", "Every single brake disk ring undergoes a meticulous inspection.", "This sophisticated machine takes thousands of high-definition photographs of the surface, which a computer then analyzes in micron-level detail.", "To complete the brake disk, they affix the bell, a circular component in the middle which connects the brake disk to the vehicle.", "The bell is made of either aluminum or stainless steel and bolted into the mounting holes in the disk ring." ]

{ "things": [ "Prams", "Factory" ] }

[ "When it comes to choosing baby's vehicle, as with any set of wheels, there's no shortage of choices.", "Some parents prefer sporty models, while others opt for the elegance of a classic carriage.", "Either way, it's a stylish experience baby will likely sleep through.", "The classic perambulator, or \"pram\" for short.", "While this style of baby carriage is unmistakably british, this particular brand is italian-made.", "Production begins with this machine, which bends steel tubing to form the pram's handle.", "The machine's every move is computer-guided for accuracy and consistency from pram to pram.", "Once formed, the handle is chrome-plated.", "They construct the base of the pram's frame out of steel blade.", "An automatic feeder pulls the blade off the roll into a stamping machine.", "The machine's die cuts 21\"-long pieces with rounded ends.", "A press then bends each piece twice, forming it to the final shape.", "To assemble the base, workers align the pieces in the correct configuration with the help of a template.", "They add two steel rods for the front and rear axles, then weld everything together.", "The base then goes off to be plated with chrome.", "When it returns, following some minor assembly steps, the full frame assembly begins.", "Workers mount two large oval, steel springs on the base, securing them with pivoting hinges.", "Fold flat for easy transport.", "They hammer a rivet into each hinge...", "Then, using clamps, lock it in.", "The pram has a cargo basket made of chrome-plated, welded, steel mesh.", "It hooks onto the frame base.", "The pram's handle, meanwhile, has acquired a grip made of chrome-plated steel and genuine leather.", "They attach the handle to the frame with a plastic, pivoting hinge which enables the handle to fold down flat for transport.", "A spring locking device secures the chrome-plated wheels to the axles.", "A foot lever at the rear of the frame activates the brake on both rear wheels.", "The pram body has an upholstered covering.", "They make it by layering a rugged polyester fabric over soft polyester batting, then fusing the two materials along the perimeter with heat generated by a high-frequency welding machine.", "This upholstered covering is made up of three sections.", "After trimming off the excess fabric, a seamstress stitches the three sections together, then she lines the interior with cotton, a breathable fabric that's soft against baby skin.", "The body structure is made of plywood sides, poplar bottom supports, and sturdy fiberboard ends.", "After cushioning the sides and edges with polyester batting, they dress the body with the upholstered covering and lay in a cotton mattress.", "After installing metal carry handles, they affix the pram's canopy, driving the screws through the upholstery into pre-drilled holes in the plywood's structure.", "The canopy is made of water-resistant laminated polyester sewn over a frame of steel ribs.", "The ribs are hinged, enabling the canopy to be opened and locked or collapsed.", "The snap-on, upholstered front cover, like the canopy, is made of laminated polyester to protect baby from rain and cold.", "Metal pins underneath the body fit into slots on the frame, locking it securely with a lever.", "For quality control, the factory regularly tests random samples, putting them through 100 hours of simulated bumpy road at a speed of three miles an hour.", "The pram must survive this not very baby-friendly journey with nothing beyond normal wear and tear.", "Documents say a two-story, panelized-frame dwelling was shipped from england to the u.s. in 1764, but perhaps the first real predecessors of modular homes were sold from catalogues in the early 1900s.", "These kit homes eventually led to houses built in a factory setting.", "Not only do factory-built homes cost less, they tend to be much more energy-efficient and versatile.", "They are quick to build and offer a variety of space options with all the comforts and conveniences of conventional houses.", "They provide ease of living and ease of construction, as well.", "In the factory, a worker welds the steel pieces that make up the undercarriage chassis.", "Its length depends on the demands of the customer.", "Workers move the completed chassis to the next part of the factory.", "They pull a layer of polyethylene over the length of the chassis and roll a blanket of fiberglass insulation on top.", "Framing for the home's subfloor is in place, along with waterlines and heating ducts.", "An assembler nails the framing joist to a perimeter rail.", "They apply glue to the floor joists and cover the floor framing with composite wood floor decking.", "The assemblers nail the decking into place.", "A worker glues vinyl tiles onto the decking.", "Flooring comes in a variety of materials, including marble, ceramic tile, carpet, laminate, and wood.", "In another part of the factory, framers are working on the home's interior walls.", "Building them on tables tends to make them straighter and stronger than walls that are built standing upright.", "Workers fill these exterior walls with insulation.", "The efficiency of the insulation depends on the climate in which the home will be installed.", "Workers apply adhesive to the studs.", "They position interior paneling and staple it into place.", "This is the factory's cabinet shop.", "These specialized cabinet makers use a wide variety of materials and styles to create bathroom and kitchen cabinets, such as this double-sink galley cabinet.", "Workers begin putting cabinets on the floor of the home.", "In factory-built homes, cabinets are installed before exterior and partition walls have been put in place, making the job a lot easier and more precise.", "Once the cabinets and interior walls are done, workers install exterior walls.", "They add this wall with the help of a crane.", "The wall fits precisely into place.", "Both the wall and interior frame are pre-caulked, and when they meet, they form an airtight seal.", "Workers move this section to the next station in the factory.", "Using a crane, they lower the ceiling system into place.", "The ceiling system is all one piece.", "Workers lower it carefully, making sure the ceiling lines up precisely with the walls below.", "All the walls are pre-caulked, and once they set the ceiling down, it's completely sealed, adding to the home's energy efficiency.", "Workers blow cellulose insulation into the attic cavity to form a thermal barrier.", "Before adding the exterior roof covering, specialized roofers put wood decking over the trusses and staple it into place.", "Pvc piping is used to drain the home's waste water and sewer lines.", "Assemblers now install lap siding over a moisture barrier.", "Sidings can be composite, vinyl, cement, or wood with different finishes.", "This cement board is impervious to bugs and won't rot.", "A drywall finisher is inside, taping and texturing the gypsum wallboard and applying plaster to walls and ceilings.", "This particular home is ready for off-grid use.", "Solar panels on the roof charge batteries by day.", "The batteries store power for use at night.", "This single-module cottage, like most factory-built homes, can be transported and delivered anywhere in the world.", "Comfortable, affordable, and energy-efficient, factory-built houses have redefined the dream home.", "The wood flute is one of the oldest musical instruments.", "Every culture had a version, but the native american one has a particularly soulful sound and a very romantic past.", "For centuries, native men played the flute to court their beloved, and it became known as the courting flute.", "Today, the courting flute courts a wider following.", "Its appeal reaches beyond the native community.", "With two chambers instead of one and a block-whistle mechanism, the native american flute is unique.", "It takes less skill and effort to play it, and the tranquil tones offer relief from the din of the modern world.", "To make one, a native craftsman cleanly splits a piece of cedar with a table saw.", "No need to craft it entirely by hand when there are now mechanized woodworking tools.", "With a router, he carves a hollow in one end.", "It will be half of the flute's slow air chamber, which is the first chamber to receive breath.", "He now shapes the much longer sound chamber.", "It's the one that sets the pitch of the notes.", "After routering corresponding hollows in the other cedar half, he applies glue and spreads it evenly.", "A consistent application is crucial.", "Any gaps and the flute won't work.", "Me matches up the pieces and clamps them for a solid seal.", "The clamps squeeze out some glue, so he wipes it away quickly before it dries.", "He cleans up the inside with sandpaper wrapped around the end of a spinning metal rod.", "Once the assembly dries, he builds the mouthpiece, using a brand of dark african wood for contrast and then a thick chunk of myrtlewood.", "Myrtlewood is finely-grained and hard, so it will hold up to heavy use.", "He drills into the wood to carve out the mouthpiece and breaks through to the slow air chamber.", "It's time for a spin in the lathe.", "The craftsman turns a wheel to move a chain-driven router along the spinning wood.", "It shaves the wood a little with each pass to take it from square to round.", "He mills the flute between the two chambers to create the nest, a flat area with holes upon which the block will rest.", "It's through this area that air passes from one chamber to the other.", "He cuts off splinters that could ruin the sound of the flute.", "He builds up the nest area with a precisely-shaped flat piece of wood.", "He bores through it into the nest hole to reopen it and give it its final shape.", "He carves a ramp to compress and speed up air as it passes from the first chamber to the second.", "He drills the smaller sound hole.", "After he files the sound hole to a rectangular shape, he positions the block over the nest.", "It's this wood block that creates the clear whistle tone of the flute.", "The length of the tube determines the pitch of the instrument.", "He blows into the flute and checks the dial of the digital tuner.", "The key is a bit too low, so he cuts the end to take it up to \"g\" on the scale.", "Satisfied with the pitch, he drills six finger holes.", "He spaces them in a precise configuration.", "The size of the holes vary slightly to help create the desired notes.", "He files the edges of the finger holes on an angle to bring the notes into tune.", "He tests the flute again.", "It's in the correct range-- no tweaking needed.", "He now tapers the mouthpiece using a belt sander.", "He uses a fairly rough grit to transform the cylindrical mouthpiece into a cone shape that's easier on the lips.", "He scrutinizes the newly-sculpted mouthpiece and confirms that the shape is right.", "He signs and numbers it with a wood-burning tool.", "Finally, he coats this native american flute with protective acrylic.", "Using modern woodworking techniques, a centuries-old musical instrument has been updated and it's now ready to entertain.", "In the first half of the 18th century, bike tires were made of wood, then metal, and after that, solid rubber.", "Finally, in 1888, a scottish veterinarian named john dunlop developed an air-filled rubber tire to give his son's tricycle a smoother ride.", "The air-filled bicycle tire continues to be the hottest thing on two wheels, but a modern spin on the concept takes it into the 21st century.", "Computer designed for minimal road resistance and aerodynamics, the inflatable bike tire has had a major update.", "Additives such as mineral oil, sulfur, and carbon black make the tire more elastic and durable, and they use a combination of natural, synthetic, and recycled rubber.", "They weigh and bag it and send it into an enormous hot mixer.", "The white blocks are the synthetic stuff.", "Other ingredients include anti-aging agents.", "During the mixing, a chemical reaction causes the plastic bags to disintegrate, leaving only the desired elements.", "The components melt into a rubbery dough, and rollers squeeze it into thick sheets.", "This rubber sheet will now be used to make the tire, beginning with the tread.", "Narrower strips enter an extruder.", "It heats the rubber to soften it and takes it through a die to form a strategic profile for the bike-tire tread, leaving it thicker in the center and thinner along the edges.", "The tire-tread rubber now takes a long cool dip in a tub of water.", "This solidifies it, setting the profile shape.", "An automated spool winds it up with a fabric separator between the rubber layers to keep them from sticking together.", "In the meantime, rubber for the bike-tire casing has been reinforced with nylon mesh.", "This casing rubber now enters a cutting station.", "Blades slice the casing rubber into strips that are the correct width for building bicycle tires.", "It will take several to build one tire.", "An employee pieces all the strips together for production.", "He winds the assembled strips of casing rubber onto fabric backing.", "Neatly rolled onto spools, the rubber can be stored until the tire assembly.", "And they're ready to roll.", "An employee winds the nylon-reinforced rubber around a metal drum.", "She then applies two strong, kevlar threads for the tire beads.", "The beads will hold the tire to the wheel rim.", "Once in place, devices fold the rubber at the sides over the beads.", "She then wraps a kevlar strip around the tire casing.", "This is for puncture protection.", "A machine now rolls the tread rubber onto the kevlar strip.", "With all the layers of the bike tire in place, she removes it from the drum.", "Then it's over to the branding station.", "This worker arranges labels on the tire rubber and bonds them to it with hot metal plates.", "The next employee places the tire rubber in a clamshell-like mold.", "This mold contains a large balloon, or bladder.", "They pump steam into the balloon, causing it to press the rubber against the sides of the mold.", "This shapes the tire, including the tread, and fuses all the layers together.", "It also transforms the tire from limp to rigid in a process known as vulcanization, and it's quite a transformation.", "This is the tire before vulcanization, and this is the tire after.", "One tire from the batch undergoes a gamut of tests.", "This one simulates road wear.", "The tire spins against a metal wheel until it goes bald, usually after several thousand miles of spinning.", "This confirms that the tires from this production run are long-wearing and can go the distance.", "They also test for puncture resistance and pressurization.", "If the bicycle tire passes all the tests, this batch is ready to test human endurance." ]

{ "things": [ "Golf Balls", "Furniture Handles", "Parking Meters", "Room Dividers" ] }

[ "Today on \"how it's made\"...", "Golf balls.", "Furniture handles.", "Parking meters.", "And room dividers.", "Different types of golf balls deliver different results.", "Highly skilled golfers often use what's called a wound ball-- a ball made of rubber thread wound tightly over a core-- because its flight is more controllable.", "But most people use what's called a two-piece ball-- a ball whose core is covered in a dimpled material.", "Today's golf ball has really come a long way if you consider that the early ones were made of feathers.", "This is what's inside now-- a bouncy rubber.", "They mix it up with other chemicals to make a hot batter and then roll it out like a pie crust, cooling it between two huge steel drums.", "Next they push the rolled-up rubbery sheets into this machine, called an extruder.", "There's a ram inside, and it forces the rubber through a die.", "This makes shapes that resemble large marshmallows, called slugs.", "A conveyor belt sends them to a compression-mold machine.", "Here a worker positions the slugs in a steel mold.", "The slugs often vary in color depending on the type of ball being produced.", "When the door closes, the bottom part of the mold presses up into the top part, applying over a ton of pressure.", "This is a shape-and-bake system because inside this mold, the newly rounded rubber is cooking at 332 degrees fahrenheit.", "Baking it for 13 minutes hardens it.", "Then after it's cooled with water, a worker places a piece of slotted plexiglas over the mold.", "This holds down the leftover trimmings so that only the ball shapes get picked up by the vacuum.", "He peels off the excess rubber for recycling later.", "The marshmallow-shaped slugs have now been transformed into a solid golf-ball core.", "A robot transports these cores to another mold.", "A ram pushes melted plastic through tubes and into a mold cavity.", "This forms the outside shell of the golf ball, complete with the dimples that will help the ball travel farther.", "This is an inside look at a ball with its new shell.", "This injecting-molding system generates four dozen golf balls every minute.", "The new balls are on the move.", "They roll into a bin which funnels them to a golf-ball elevator.", "They're on their way to get cleaned up.", "Look closely, and you'll see little pieces of leftover plastic on the ball shells.", "The next process will get rid of that.", "This is an automatic miller that removes the excess plastic.", "This is a golf ball before milling.", "And here it is after.", "The flecks of plastic have been removed.", "Next robotic arms shovel the golf balls towards a chute entry.", "This is a quality checkpoint.", "If the ball is not smooth and uniform, it won't go through this hole.", "Now a wheel rolls the golf balls towards a stamping machine.", "Robotic arms carry silicone pads to an etched steel plate.", "The pads soak up ink from the etched plate and transfer it to the balls.", "The pads brand each ball with a player number, the company name, and the model type.", "Then beams of ultraviolet light harden the ink.", "They dump the balls into a bin, but they funnel some balls over to another stamping machine.", "This one does custom logoing.", "Now, that's a stamp of approval.", "Next an automated machine sprays the balls with polyurethane while they rotate atop spindles.", "The polyurethane protects the ink logos that have been stamped on the balls.", "Robotic arms carry the wet golf balls to a drying rack, where they cook at 150 degrees fahrenheit for 5 minutes.", "Then they're done.", "And that's the technique behind the golf ball.", "It's up to you to explain your golf technique.", "Imagine a dresser with antique-style brass pulls.", "Now imagine that same dresser with country-style wooden knobs or funky plastic knobs or sleek handles in stainless steel.", "The decorative hardware on a piece of furniture or on cabinetry dramatically affects its look, so changing them is an easy and inexpensive makeover.", "How would we get a grip on things without knobs and handles?", "They're more than something that can open doors for you.", "The many styles add to the appeal of our furniture.", "To make a handle, an electrical hoist drops big chunks of zinc into a melting furnace.", "At 800 degrees fahrenheit, metal quickly turns into liquid.", "It's so hot, you'd lose a finger if you touched it.", "Automated arms move an iron pot full of the liquid to a railroad car, which takes it to the next stage.", "Here they pour the liquid metal into another furnace that's just as hot.", "This is called a machine furnace.", "A hydraulically driven cylinder pushes the liquid metal through a system of nozzles and pipes that run through the furnace.", "It carries the liquid metal to a die.", "The die shapes the handles cookie-cutter style.", "Water flushes through the die.", "This cools down the zinc, and it hardens into a handle shape with a lot of extra molding that they're going to have to get rid of.", "So, now that they've cooled, it's safe to touch them and remove some of that waste.", "A worker snaps some of it off and tosses it into a bin for recycling later, and the handle shapes go into a separate bin.", "But there are still some little bits of waste on the handles called overflows, so a mechanically driven spinner tosses the handles around and knocks off any overflows that have been missed.", "It's a lot faster than picking off those little pieces by hand.", "A worker dumps the handle shapes into a bin.", "They're definitely starting to take shape now.", "A similar die-casting system is used to make knobs, but the knobs come in two interlocking pieces.", "They place them on a turntable and fit them together.", "Then a 4-ton hydraulic press presses down on the knob, and that pressure seals them.", "They pour a mixture of water and oil on the knobs to cool and lubricate them, while an automated machine drives a screw into the back of the knob.", "This makes a thread pattern inside of it so it can be easily screwed onto furniture later.", "Now they plunge the handles into a chemical bath.", "The chemicals help to conduct electricity.", "This process is called electroplating.", "The handles are negatively charged.", "The brass particles in the water are positively charged.", "They attract and connect, and this causes the brass plating to form.", "They dip the handles into the chemical wash twice and then rinse twice.", "Next they dump the brass handles into a vat of acid.", "This oxidizes it, blackening the finish to make it look antique.", "This brass pull has aged a hundred years in just a few minutes.", "Next they funnel the handles into a big, round polisher.", "It's called a bowl vibrator.", "The handles are mixed in with steel ball bearings.", "The machine vibrates, and the friction from the ball bearings polishes the handles.", "Now those antique brass handles have a shinier finish.", "Sometimes they use ceramic pellets in the polisher instead of ball bearings.", "They spray soap and water into the bowl to lubricate the handles and allow them to move freely.", "This gentler friction results in a different finish.", "The polish on the handles will be brighter.", "Now they put a handle into a clamp.", "With air pressure, it squeeze the handle so that it hooks into a backplate.", "When the pressure is released, the fit is snug.", "A front and backplate gives a handle a more elaborate look.", "They buff up a knob with a cloth polishing wheel that's mechanically driven.", "This process gives knobs and handles a certain gleam.", "It's the finishing touch.", "The beatles wrote a song about lovely rita the meter maid, but try finding anyone else singing the praises of those uniformed patrols who ticket your car when your meter expires.", "Parking meters have been around since the 1930s, and ever since then, drivers have had to pay for parking.", "It's time to find out just how these heavy-duty piggy banks are made.", "First the low-tech part.", "The time-limit label goes onto a zinc dome-shaped plate.", "Then a worker sprays lubricant onto various parts of the motherboard that contains computer circuitry.", "After he snaps the board onto the plate, he screws it in.", "Then he fastens another dome-shaped plate onto the back, sandwiching the motherboard between the two plates.", "The worker hooks the board up to the power source-- the battery pack-- and he tucks the pack into a special compartment so that it's secure.", "Then he plugs a programming device called an \"x\" key into prongs protruding from the motherboard.", "The key feeds software to the motherboard inside.", "When numbers appear on the screen, it's programmed.", "The next piece, called a smartchute, also has computer circuitry.", "It analyzes the coins as they fall through the meter.", "It can even recognize coins from other countries.", "He puts the chute into a protective plastic casing and plugs it into the protruding prongs that were used earlier to program the meter.", "The two boards make a connection and can now communicate to one another.", "He clicks another zinc plate over the coin chute and adds a stainless-steel coin slot for added protection.", "This card is a radio-frequency probe that detects how much money is in the meter as well as maintenance information.", "Just how good is a parking meter at analyzing coins?", "This particular meter was made in canada.", "A canadian nickel and a british 20 pence are roughly the same size.", "Put in a canadian nickel, and you get three minutes.", "But try the 20 pence.", "Nothing registers.", "The meter treats it like a plug nickel.", "The meters are now in an environmental chamber.", "This chamber replicates the most extreme climate conditions.", "It's a test to make sure they're ready for life on the street.", "Now it's time to make a lock.", "He puts a zinc-alloy lock plug containing brass tumblers into a miniature lathe.", "The lathe spins rapidly on its axis while pressing against the hard steel blades.", "The blades cut the spinning lock tumblers to the appropriate length.", "The result?", "A lock plug that has brass tumblers of different lengths that can't be opened without the correct key.", "Here a worker places the lock barrel in a vise to give a better view of the lock system.", "As you can see, it turns easily with the key.", "But, vandals, beware.", "This lock is designed to be tough to pick.", "Next he inserts the lock into the bottom of a coin can that's made of plastic.", "He closes it and then puts it on what's called a sonic welding machine.", "It emits high-frequency sound vibrations that actually melt the rigid plastic, welding the top and bottom pieces together.", "Now these coins will be really tough to get out without that key.", "Next he brushes a second lock system with a lubricant and adds a hard steel shield that will resist attempts to drill into it.", "This lock goes onto an iron door which will be part of the vault that contains the coin can.", "He brushes the lock assembly with another lubricant to make the locking operation smoother.", "Then he installs a rubber gasket along the frame for the meter dome window.", "This gasket seals the dome and protects the electronics from harsh weather.", "He places a tough plastic window on the gasket and tops it with a zinc strap.", "He screws all the pieces together.", "Then he places the iron case that will hold all the mechanics on top of the vault containing the coin can.", "He attaches the windowed cap and strap assembly with hinges.", "And there's a third lock to help protect the electrical components of the parking meter.", "After a check for fit and function, he installs the actual mechanics.", "This means it's all systems go.", "The parking meter is ready for the street.", "Later the coins can be collected without even opening the plastic coin can.", "This special receptacle activates the lock at the bottom of the can.", "Once turned, the coins deposited into the parking meter drop into the receptacle.", "If you need to section off part of a room, there are many types of room dividers that can do the job.", "Accordion doors routinely divide meeting rooms.", "Sliding walls made up of multiple panels can easily split a large reception hall in half or partition an office in no time at all.", "This particular company makes two types of room dividers-- sliding panels called operable walls and accordion doors.", "Both have built-in soundproofing.", "The folding mechanism at the core of an accordion door is called a pantograph.", "It's made of flat steel bars riveted together in a crisscross configuration.", "A worker tightens the rivets just enough to hold the bars in position without impeding their movement.", "Then he inserts pins along the top and bottom, securing them with steel retaining rings.", "The pantograph is custom-built to expand to the precise width of the door they're making, the pins attached to the covers that will later sandwich the pantograph, forming the accordion door's surface.", "To make those covers, they first make slats.", "This automated machine hot-glues a band of cardboard onto a band of steel.", "Then a series of rollers progressively folds the sides upward, forming a steel edge around the cardboard.", "Finally the machine cuts the continuous band into slats, whose length is the height of the accordion door they're making.", "Now workers pair up the slats, connecting them with cardboard strips.", "They feed each pair into a glue machine.", "The slats come out adhered to a soft and flexible type of paper that's tearproof.", "Next workers connect six pairs of slats to form a panel.", "Then they glue on the decorative surface-- in this case, commercial-quality vinyl.", "To block sound from passing through the space above and below the accordion door, a worker glues a felt-and-vinyl strip to the top and bottom of each panel.", "After lining the inside of each panel with acoustic wool, a soundproofing material, another worker gathers the number of panels required for the door's width.", "He attaches them using industrial-strength steel staples.", "Then he slips u-shaped steel channels onto what will be the door's inside folds.", "Using an air-powered machine called a serter, he presses the channels tightly in place.", "Now he installs the pentographs.", "The height of the doors determine how many.", "Using steel retaining rings, he locks the pentograph pins into holes on the channels.", "The second cover goes on the same way.", "After this, workers apply a metal trim to finish off the front and back ends.", "They also install a handle for opening and closing the door.", "The door hangs by wheels attached to the top pentograph.", "Operable walls are made up of several sliding panels.", "For each one, workers build an aluminum frame, then install a soundproofing mechanism-- a crank-activated aluminum seal that juts out to fill the gap above and below the panel.", "To make the front and back faces of each panel, workers begin with a sheet of gypsum board.", "To one side of it, they glue a steel sheet that's at least 4/100 of an inch thick.", "This provides soundproofing.", "To the other side, they glue a decorative surface-- in this case, laminate, a thinner version of the material used for countertops.", "A machine called a pinch roll applies pressure to ensure the laminate adheres well.", "Workers slide the face into the frame, fill in the middle with acoustical wool for soundproofing, then slide in a second facing.", "They close up the bottom, then test the retractable soundproofing seal.", "The last step is to install the wheels that run along the ceiling rail.", "An operable wall can have one or many types of faces-- from fabric, mirror, or galvanized steel to blackboard, markerboard, even cork bulletin board." ]

{ "things": [ "Balloons", "Wallpaper", "Frozen French Fries", "Incandescent Light Bulbs" ] }

[ "Today on \"how it's made\"...", "Balloons...", "Wallpaper...", "Frozen french fries...", "And incandescent light bulbs.", "Balloons are used to mark special occasions or to brighten up a day for young and old people alike.", "But balloons weren't always so delightful.", "In earlier days, they were made of dried animal bladders-- a bit of an unpleasant concept.", "In the 19th century, someone invented a rubber balloon which we still use today.", "They started mass-producing balloons in the 1930s, and today they're everywhere.", "To make balloons, they pour dye into a tank of latex.", "They filter it through cheesecloth to remove any lumps.", "Agitators at the bottom of the tank mix it up for 15 or 16 hours.", "This distributes the color, and it also keeps the latex active so it doesn't congeal.", "Balloons come in 53 different shades.", "Nozzles spray hot water onto balloon forms to clean them as they move on a system of rollers.", "A fixture then flips and dips the forms into a tank of coagulate that carries an electrochemical charge which will attract the colored latex.", "On top of this fixture are balloon forms freshly dipped in blue latex, while below a tank full of latex rises, coating more forms on the underside.", "The job done, the fixture flips back, moving the balloon forms to an upright position, while below another tray of balloon forms takes the plunge.", "The latex dries quickly as a conveyor moves the balloon forms forward toward spiraling brushes.", "The brushes roll up the bottoms of the balloons creating lips.", "The lips will make it possible for people to grip the balloons in order to inflate them.", "The fixture flips again, and the balloons nose-dive into a hot-water bath.", "They soak for up to 16 minutes.", "This step is critical.", "It leaches out all the impurities, including a protein that causes latex allergies.", "The hot bath also triggers vulcanization, or rubberizes the latex.", "The balloons travel to another station.", "Here, the fixture dips them in a mix of talcum powder and water.", "This will allow them to be more easily stripped off the form.", "And now it's time for the forms to shed their latex skins.", "As the forms pass through this station, air jets inflate the balloons.", "Rollers at the top grab the balloons as they fill with air and pull them away from the forms.", "The rollers shoot the balloons upward, and they topple onto a conveyor belt.", "Next, a worker piles the balloons into an industrial washing machine and adds a cleaning solution.", "The machine heats to a steamy 160 degrees fahrenheit, while the balloons tumble and nozzles spray water into it.", "This doesn't just clean the balloons.", "It completes the vulcanization of the latex.", "Now it's time to see if they can stand the test of inflation.", "A machine blows air into a huge, heart-shaped balloon, and the heart swells but doesn't break.", "She holds it against a light to check for imperfections like blisters.", "Now it's time to blow some up.", "They're sure to brighten up your day.", "We've been using wallpaper to add color to our homes for a long time.", "The use of wallpaper dates back to 15th-century england.", "At first, it was seen as a cheap substitute for tapestry and panels.", "But over time, wallpaper gained wider appeal.", "Even today, wallpaper is a popular alternative to plain paint.", "When it comes to variety and design, wallpaper has really got it covered.", "To make the vinyl base for wallpaper, they pour water into a giant mixing bowl, add stabilizing powder and a lot of plastic pellets.", "They add solvent which helps to dissolve the plastic pellets into the mix.", "Big beaters stir it all up.", "It starts to look a lot like pancake batter.", "And just as if they were making pancake batter, they add ingredients incrementally-- a little more powder to thicken the mix...", "And more plastic pellets for good measure.", "When the mix reaches the right consistency, they pour it between rollers onto one side of special paper.", "An applicator roller spreads the vinyl mix evenly onto the paper.", "A jumbo reel rolls it up and then unwinds it again.", "Here, nozzles fill trays with paste.", "Rollers pick it up and apply it to the backside of the paper.", "Electrically powered rollers pull the wallpaper through a gas oven, drying the paste.", "Then they wind up the paper again, creating a giant reel.", "A circular blade now slices through the center of the paper.", "This turns the one roll into two, each one of them 21 1/2 inches wide.", "They pull off a sample piece and tear the paper away from the vinyl.", "They're checking the adhesion and if the vinyl is durable and smooth.", "Meanwhile, away from the production line, stylists experiment with paint.", "They brush colors on a design that they've selected.", "They select five to six different color combinations because this design will be printed in many hues.", "Each color requires a separate print roller.", "The design is engraved into each roller.", "A worker applies some ink onto one of the print rollers.", "As the wallpaper turns on a big drum vinyl-side up the print roller transfers the image onto the paper.", "Each cylinder layers it in a different color, building up the design.", "Darker colors are achieved by deeper engravings on the print cylinder because they transfer more ink to the wallpaper.", "Conversely, shallower engravings produce lighter tones.", "When they have the final proof, they compare it to the original artwork.", "If the colors look right, the design goes into production.", "There's no turning back now.", "The ink is ready, and the paper roll travels through a web of print cylinders.", "Here, print cylinders build a dolphin design onto the vinyl side of the paper.", "To dry the ink, the paper travels through a hot-blower system.", "This is the view from below.", "Photos are taken and viewed on a monitor to get a close look at the quality of the wallpaper print.", "If it passes inspection, they roll the wallpaper onto a big reel.", "Some wallpaper has a flat finish, but they often emboss it, making raised designs.", "This creates texture.", "Blades from above and below cut the wallpaper into 32.8-foot rolls.", "A conveyor system transports the wallpaper to a machine that shrink-wraps it, and then it's off to the showroom, where you can pick your favorite design.", "Most food historians believe french fries are actually a belgian invention.", "One theory says they originated in the 1680s with poor people who'd resort to frying potatoes instead of fish.", "During world war i, fries were popular with north american soldiers stationed in belgium's french-speaking areas, which may be how they came to be called french fries.", "This company makes its frozen fries from russet potatoes.", "Russets are oval, so they produce longer fries than a rounder-shaped variety would.", "Russets are also sufficiently crunchy when fried, and their lower-than-average sugar content means their flesh stays white longer.", "When the potatoes arrive at the factory, they travel along rollers that rub off any foreign matter-- things such as soil, small rocks, and plant parts.", "The rollers also scrape off the eyes.", "The potatoes then enter the washing station.", "As they spin in a revolving cage, water jets spray their surface, cleaning them thoroughly.", "Next stop-- a sorting machine that divides the potatoes by size.", "It's made up of successive levels of vibrating grids.", "The shaking forces the smaller potatoes through the grid openings, separating them from the larger potatoes.", "Big potatoes become classic, strip-shaped fries.", "Small ones become ring-shaped or cube-shaped fries.", "After sorting, the potatoes drop into a collection bin.", "Once full, its bottom hatch opens, releasing the potatoes into a giant steamer.", "After about 10 seconds in the pressurized steam, the skins are soft enough to come off with just a little pressure.", "That happens next in this machine called the peeler.", "It looks like a giant clothes dryer, except that the drum is lined with brushes.", "As the drum tumbles, the bristles rub off the skins.", "As the skinless potatoes exit the peeler, workers inspect them, tossing any that have green or rotten parts or pieces of skin still stuck to them.", "The type of fries in production determines which of two systems to do the chopping.", "A series of rotary, mechanical slicers...", "Or a hydraulic system in which running water thrusts the potatoes against cutting blades.", "The freshly cut potato pieces drop into a canal.", "Flowing water transports them to a conveyor belt that will move them through the next phases.", "Now for a high-tech quality check.", "Each and every piece passes by a camera in which a computer analyzes size and color.", "Any substandard fry-to-be is flagged, and an air jet blows it off the production line.", "The good pieces fall into a water tank.", "As they soak, sugar leaches out of the flesh so that they'll all turn out the same color once they're cooked.", "Then a process known as blanching-- the pieces go into hot water then cold water.", "This firms up the flesh and makes the potato flavor more pronounced.", "Then it's into the fryer.", "The potatoes cook for about two minutes in non-hydrogenated vegetable oil.", "As the french fries leave the fryer, excess oil drains down through holes in the conveyor belt to a collection pan below.", "The fries now pass through the freezer area which is between 5 and negative-13 degrees fahrenheit.", "They take about 10 minutes to freeze.", "Once they do, an oscillating conveyor belt deposits them into chutes.", "Each chute has a built-in scale set to the package weight which, for this production run, is 8.8 pounds.", "Once that quantity accumulates, the bottom of the chute opens, and the fries drop into a plastic bag.", "All the customer has to do is drop these frozen french fries into boiling oil for two or three minutes, and they're ready to serve.", "The incandescent light bulb is a rather simple device.", "Its base has two metal contacts which connect to a metal filament.", "The electric current's electrons collide with the atoms in the filament, making them vibrate.", "This energy heats the atoms to 4,000 degrees fahrenheit, at which temperature they emit visible light.", "The light-bulb factory has two production lines that eventually merge.", "One prepares the glass bulb.", "The other makes what's called the mount-- the electrical components that go inside it.", "At the start of the mount line, a machine cuts glass tubing into pieces of specific lengths.", "The cut tubes land on what's called a glazing wheel that runs them through a gas flame for about seven seconds.", "This heats the glass enough to smooth the surface.", "The glazed tubes now enter what's called a flare-making machine, which heats each tube until the glass is malleable then stretches one end into a flared shape.", "The next machine loads two copper lead wires into the flare end, then it inserts a thin, glass cylinder called the exhaust tube.", "A trip through a series of progressively hotter flames softens the tubes.", "A press then moves in to squash them, encasing the wires in glass.", "At the same time, the machine makes a tiny hole in the glass in between the wires.", "This is to later remove air from inside the bulb.", "It will exit via the exhaust tube through this hole.", "Next, the machine separates the lead wires and forms the ends into hooks.", "These fasten to the filament, a thin wire coil made of tungsten, a type of metal that holds up well to heat.", "The machine coats the lead wires in a liquid form of another metal, zirconia.", "This lengthens their life span by making them more resistant to moisture inside the bulb.", "Like the tubes we've just seen, the bulbs are made of an inexpensive type of glass called soda-lime glass.", "A machine stamps the top of each bulb with the voltage, the wattage, and the company logo.", "Opaque light bulbs are simply clear bulbs with an inside coating of synthetic silica-- a white powder.", "The coating machine charges the bulbs to 30,000 volts.", "Combined with just the right amount of heat, this electrical charge makes a thin layer of powder cling to the glass.", "A series of flames evaporates moisture and bakes off any impurities.", "As the two production lines merge, a bulb goes over each mount.", "Torches then fuse the flared end of the mount to the neck of the bulb.", "Arms move in and mold the neck to fit inside the bulb's aluminum base.", "The next machine vacuums out all the air in the bulb and replaces it with pressurized argon gas.", "This inert gas will resist heat buildup, helping the filament last longer.", "After bending the lead wires out of the way, torches melt and seal off the glass exhaust tube, locking the argon gas inside.", "The bulb would now be fully functional if connected to an electric current.", "But it needs a base in order to screw into the socket of a light fixture.", "The base is made of aluminum.", "This machine inserts one of the bulbs' lead wires through the middle and solders it in place.", "It then spot-welds the other wire to the side.", "The result-- two base contacts to line up with two socket contacts.", "On their way to packaging, the bulbs undergo what's called flash testing-- repeated light-ups, using a higher voltage each time.", "This strengthens the filaments inside, making it less likely to break during shipping.", "This factory tests light bulbs regularly to make sure the light output and wattage are what they should be.", "One last illumination to make sure nothing broke between flash testing and packaging.", "The automated packaging equipment is designed to cushion and protect the fragile bulbs so they don't break during transport." ]

{ "things": [ "Spinning Reels", "Plasma Protein Therapies", "3D Cups", "Stainless Steel Beer Kegs" ] }

[ "Spinning reels are also called fixed spool reels.", "That's because the spool on this fishing reel doesn't rotate.", "Instead, a device around the spool does the spinning, which winds the fishing line.", "The advantage of using a non-spinning spool is there's no backlash of the line.", "A spinning reel provides a unique twist on fishing.", "Unlike other reels, the spool doesn't rotate.", "Instead, a pivoting, u-shaped wire called a bail spins around the spool to wrap the line.", "Making a spinning reel starts with a cylindrical chunk of aluminum.", "Computerized cutters carve the cylinder into the rotor that spins the bail around the reel spool.", "The transformation is complete.", "The cutter sculpts side arms onto the rotor to hold the bail, carving a hole for the spool shaft.", "Then a protective finish is applied to the rotor, and the bail is attached.", "Next, a craftsman heats a cylindrical piece of steel in a furnace until it's hot and flexible.", "Then it's transferred over to a press that flattens the cylinder.", "The worker inserts the hot steel puck into a mold.", "The top half descends and forces the steel into the crevices.", "Tools cut teeth into the part, completing the transformation into a gear.", "Next, the gear housing is formed using aluminum alloy.", "To trim the excess material from around the edges, designers use a die cutter.", "It punches down a part, which then slides down a chute into a bin.", "At another station, a laser etches the company name and the product number into the part.", "The gear system is now ready to be assembled.", "The technician brushes oil on a transmission gear...", "Installs it in the gear housing and screws it in place.", "Next, a part called a slider is placed on top of the gear.", "The ends of the slider are attached to the spinning reel body using thick pins.", "The slider moves the spool up and down as the bail spins the line.", "Oil is applied onto the neck of the gear body, and a helical pinion is inserted into the gear.", "Next, the technician installs a roller element on the extended part of the pinion gear.", "A retaining ring is positioned between the bearing and the gear body.", "Then a wider steel ring is placed onto the outside of the neck.", "An outer metal sleeve holds the part together.", "The threaded end of the pinion gear is set on top.", "Next, the rotor is attached on the end of the pinion gear and secured with a nut.", "This connects the rotor to the gear.", "The rotor is tested to confirm that it's operating smoothly.", "Another operator places the main gear in the gear body so that the lower teeth engage with the other gears.", "The operator slides a metal washer on the gear shaft and links a main axle shaft to the slider.", "The operator screws the end of the shaft to the slider...", "And inserts thick pins into the gear housing.", "They'll prevent the main gear from turning in the wrong direction.", "The spinning reel gear system is now complete.", "Next, an operator attaches a side plate to the gear body.", "This encases the spinning reel's gear system.", "The threaded fitting will enable the gears to be linked to a handle.", "The reel spool has a drag system inside so the line will slip instead of breaking when pulled by a powerful fish.", "A drag adjustment knob is screwed to the end of the spool, then the technician fastens the handle to the fitting in the gear body and checks to confirm it operates smoothly.", "An automated testing system turns the handle while water flows over the gear body.", "This exposes any leaks that could compromise the internal gear system.", "Finally, this spinning reel is ready for action.", "Plasma is a yellow-colored liquid component of blood that holds blood cells in suspension.", "It's 90% water and contains critical proteins.", "Companies harvest these proteins from donated plasma to manufacture medical treatments.", "Proteins from human plasma are used to treat shock, bleeding disorders, and immune deficiencies.", "First, the plasma is separated from the blood cells and placed in a freezer at a temperature of minus-4 degrees fahrenheit.", "This process preserves it until scientists can test its quality.", "A computer monitors the temperature and prints out measurements so the team can ensure the plasma remains adequately frozen.", "Ready for production, the plasma goes from a freezer to a cooler, and then a warming bath to thaw the outer layer.", "A machine collects the bottles and moves them into slots.", "A blade slices them open to release the plasma.", "The outer layer of plasma has liquefied, but the cores are still frozen.", "Then the plasma travels forward to a heated mixing tank.", "The agitator and heat break up the chunks, and the plasma becomes liquid.", "Transferred to other tanks, technicians expose the plasma to conditions that cause the proteins to become insoluble.", "They're pressed into slabs.", "In this form, the proteins are known as precipitate.", "A technician scrapes the precipitate off the filter sheets and into a plastic-lined container.", "An automated system retrieves the filter sheets and takes them through wash stations to remove residual precipitate.", "Once thoroughly washed, the filter sheets are ready for the next filtration.", "A technician breaks the protein chunks into smaller pieces and bags them for freezing.", "This protein is called albumin.", "Albumin helps maintain and repair tissue growth.", "Next, technicians dissolve the albumin protein in water.", "They remove the precipitate from the freezer and pound the outside of the bag to further reduce the size of the pieces inside.", "Then the bags of precipitate are emptied into the mixer, causing the particles to disperse.", "Over the next day and a half, processing continues to purify and concentrate the albumin.", "At the same time, glass bottles enter into a chamber with cameras to take pictures of each bottle.", "A computer locates defective bottles and signals a mechanism to knock them out of the line.", "The bottles cycle through a washing machine, and then a hot tunnel for sterilization.", "They're now ready for the albumin protein.", "Needles inject the protein into the bottles, filling eight bottles simultaneously.", "A robotic arm inserts stoppers in the neck of the bottles.", "Then a machine installs aluminum seals with flip caps.", "They crimp the seals around the necks for extra protection.", "Technicians load racks of the bottled albumin into a pasteurizer.", "The chamber fills with water heated to 140 degrees fahrenheit.", "This kills any potential pathogens.", "The glass vials slowly spin by a magnifying glass as inspectors scrutinize them for cracks, missing stoppers, broken seals, and other defects.", "A technician takes out any product with physical flaws.", "As the remaining bottles continue down the line, an inspector examines them again.", "This time, visually checking the volume of the albumin protein.", "At the next station, labels unwind, and a camera takes a picture for a computer check of the batch information.", "The computer confirms that what's on the label is accurate.", "Next, specialists place a sample in a petri dish and incubate it for 14 days.", "If there are unwanted micro-organisms in the batch, they'll grow.", "But if not, the protein therapy is cleared for use.", "This protein therapy is now ready for medical emergencies.", "Pictures on 3-d cups have depth and appear to move, depending on the angle you view them.", "It's a neat trick made possible by a technology known as lenticular printing.", "A sheet of tiny plastic lenses is applied to interlaced images, creating a kind of graphic magic to entertain you.", "A 3-d cup fools the eye.", "Viewed from different angles, the artwork seems to come to life.", "It's all a carefully crafted illusion.", "Making 3-d cups starts with clear plastic pellets.", "An extruder machine melts the pellets to a semi-liquid consistency.", "An engraving cylinder forms it into rows of tiny convex lenses.", "Water-chilled cylinders cool the sheet of lenses.", "This solidifies the plastic, then a gauge measures the lenses' thickness.", "A blower device dissipates static.", "An ink jet printer prints information on the edge.", "This indicates the optical resolution of the lenses, the type of plastic, and the lot number.", "Then a rotary blade cuts the plastic into sheets.", "The sheets land in a neat stack.", "To confirm their size and alignment, an inspector views them against a pitch test pattern.", "Another inspector magnifies a sample 100 times and measures the thickness of the lenses.", "Too thin or thick, and the lens display won't focus.", "With a lens strip clamped at both ends, the machine pulls it from the top.", "How far it stretches until it breaks is a measure of its strength.", "Meanwhile, a team designs and edits scenes on a computer.", "Designers copy the scene, divide it into very narrow strips, and then interlace the strips.", "Next, the strips are combined into a 2-dimensional, digital file.", "Designers now run test copies known as proofs.", "This process tests sheets of colored plastic film which will serve as ink.", "The technician layers the colored film in a cartridge with muslin paper.", "Next, the cartridge is placed in the printer which creates the proofs.", "The designer transfers them to an illuminated work surface and confirms that the images line up with the plastic lenses.", "Once the print plates are made, an operator loads them into the printer.", "A suctioning arm feeds the lenticular plastic sheets into the printer, reverse-side up.", "In this position, the images will be printed on the smooth side of the plastic.", "Rotating cylinders transfer ink from the printing plates to the sheets, one color at a time.", "This system prints several different 3-d cup images on each lenticular plastic sheet.", "The press ejects and stacks the printed sheets.", "The 3-d-printed sheets now head into a laminator.", "It applies a white film to the artwork.", "This film will protect the 3-d images during the cup-molding process.", "Next, the sheets are cut into cup-sized labels, placed on an illuminated table and inspected for any visual flaws.", "Once approved, the designer clears the the labels to be formed to plastic cups.", "Next, an operator loads the stacks of 3-d labels into the cup-forming machine.", "This machine will process four different labels onto cups at once.", "Each with a different 3-d image.", "A robot with suction grippers picks up the labels one at a time and transfers them to cup-shaped mandrels.", "The mandrel inserts the 3-d label into the mold of a cup.", "Molten polypropylene flows into the mold, and as it solidifies and becomes a cup, the 3-d label fuses to it together.", "Robots retrieve the 3-d cups and stack them on their sides to await final inspection.", "Then they're packaged for shipment.", "3-d cups are no ordinary beverage container.", "Rather, they're a fun visual experience for any type of consumer.", "Commercial breweries not only bottle and can their beer, they also ship it in kegs to distributors, bars, and restaurants.", "Kegs are typically made of stainless steel-- a durable metal that doesn't produce oxides that adversely affect the taste of the beer.", "This beer keg is made from a food-grade steel commonly used for cookware.", "It's exceptionally durable and contains sufficient chromium and nickel to protect against corrosion.", "First, a technician coats a circular piece of stainless steel with lubricant.", "Then the steel is placed in a machine called a deep draw press.", "The press slowly draws the edges of the metal circle upward for 90 seconds, forming a cylinder with one opened and one closed end.", "Next, technicians place the cylinder in a trimming machine, which spins the cylinder against a blade.", "The machine cuts off half an inch of excess metal from the open end.", "Then the cylinder is flipped and placed in a punch press.", "The press knocks out a 2-inch hole in the closed end.", "Next, technicians put the cylinder on a fixture and secure a stainless steel neck to the hole.", "The neck is welded into place.", "This cylinder will form the bottom half of the keg.", "Technicians pair it with another cylinder which will form the top half of the keg.", "This cylinder has an open end and a closed end.", "They align the two open ends in a welding fixture and manually tack weld them together in six spots.", "They transfer the assembled keg to an automated machine which welds the tacked perimeter together.", "This press punches four holes into a 2-millimeter-thick strip of stainless steel to imprint the name of the brewery.", "Next, a roll machine curves the strip.", "Then a seam welder joins the ends to form a circle.", "This circle will become the handle on top of the keg, known as the chime.", "A technician places the circle on the chime-forming machine and brushes on some lubricant.", "Automated, hydraulically driven rollers then form the chime in three stages.", "Next, the chime is placed on a punch press with lubricant.", "The press then knocks out two handle holes.", "Technicians place another chime underneath the keg with one on top of this machine, appropriately named the keg crusher.", "The machine presses both chimes in place.", "Next, an automated lathe welder welds them to the keg simultaneously.", "The keg is put through a series of baths, then rinses.", "The acid removes the scorch marks left by the welding and render the stainless steel food safe by making it resistant to oxidation, which causes corrosion.", "The valve, which connects to the tapping system that draws out the beer, goes through the hole in the bottom cylinder.", "This clip ring holds it in place.", "Pressed deep into the neck with this tool.", "Every keg goes through quality control testing before it leaves the factory.", "This is a pressure test to ensure the keg doesn't leak.", "Technicians pump in compressed air to three times the pressure the keg would ever have to withstand.", "Then they spray the keg with a water-and-soap solution, checking for air bubbles, which would indicate a pinhole leak.", "Then the finishing touch.", "A silk screen machine prints the brewery's identification onto the keg.", "The keg goes into an oven for 45 seconds to cure the ink, which renders it wear-resistant.", "These beer kegs are designed to withstand a lifetime of handling because they're transported back and forth between the brewery and the establishments filling the beer glasses." ]

{ "things": [ "Abalone Collagen", "Digital" ] }

[ "Abalone is an edible mollusk.", "Its shell has a multicolored iridescent lining that's been used since ancient times to decorate jewelry and other prized objects.", "More recently, abalone has been tapped as a source of collagen, a protein that supports the structure of bones, connective tissues, and skin.", "Abalone collagen is a popular treatment in asia.", "This farm and factory raises the abalones, then extracts their collagen to add to drinks, cosmetics, and medicine.", "The abalones spend their first six months in the farm's hatchery and nursery pond.", "Nocturnal, they hide from daylight under cement tiles that simulate their natural habitat of rocks and coral.", "Their single shell has pores that regulate various bodily functions such as breathing and reproduction.", "The main ingredient in their specially formulated food is seaweed.", "Feeding time is once every evening.", "At six months of age, the abalones graduate to the cultivation pond.", "There are two types of growing methods.", "In this one, before filling the pond with seawater, workers lay cement tiles at the bottom, along with underwater pipes that supply oxygen, which abalones need to survive.", "The other method houses the abalones in stacks of polyethylene crates, referred to as condominiums.", "With 50 to 100 abalones in each condo, the yield per square foot is significantly greater.", "Every second day, workers remove the condos from the cultivation pond to rinse out the crates, check the abalones, and feed them.", "Rather than wastefully using new seawater, the pond water is regularly drained, cleaned, and recirculated.", "The cleaning system filters out feces and neutralizes ammonia.", "After six months to a year in the cultivation pond, the abalones are mature and ready for harvesting.", "Workers remove them from the shell and remove organs to be used for other products.", "Then, the workers prepare to extract collagen from the meat.", "First, they mash the meat in an industrial-sized blender.", "The trick is to use an extraction method that doesn't destroy the collagen or diminish its effectiveness.", "Abalone collagen must have full potency when consumed in order to stimulate the human body to produce more of its own collagen.", "Since prolonged heating turns collagen into gelatin, worker use a process called cold extraction, stirring the meat in refrigerated tanks for up to seven days until the collagen separates and rises to the top.", "Workers skim off the collagen, then, to make this particular product, blend it with mixed fruit juices.", "Then they heat the drink in pasteurization tanks for three minutes to kill off any bacteria.", "The drink contains 20% collagen and 80% juice.", "When it's time to package the product, the conveyor belt moves glass bottles to the cleaning station, which washes them out with pressurized boiling water.", "After washing, the bottles move to the next machine which fills them with the drink.", "The next machine seals the bottles with an aluminum twist cap.", "Controlled by a sensor, an inkjet printer applies the lot number on the cap along with the product's expiration date, a year away.", "A worker visually inspects the bottles as they make their way to the labeling machine.", "The factory's on-site laboratory conducts a series of quality control tests on random samples.", "In this test, the technician uses a ph meter to ensure the product's acidity is within a specific target range.", "In another test, she places a few drops on a device called a refractometer.", "It measures to what extent light passing through the liquid is bent, which gives a reading of the sweetness.", "While this drink is a skin enhancement product, other abalone collagen formulations are designed for weight loss, boosting immunity, increasing bone density, and strengthening cartilage.", "An essential component of an audio system is the digital-to-analog converter.", "It receives data from a digital device such as a computer, tv, or disc player and converts that signal to analog, an electrical audio signal that the sound system can amplify and play through speakers.", "This digital-to-analog converter, part of a product line of high-end audio components, has four inputs for different digital devices.", "It also has a built-in cd drive.", "Many of the converter's structural parts are made by computer-guided machines.", "This computer-guided lathe, for example, rotates an aluminum bar, which a cutting tool forms into one of four legs that support the cd drive.", "This milling machine cuts and shapes most of the aluminum parts that makeup the converter's chassis, the box that contains all the electronic components.", "The parts come off the mill with sharp burrs along their edges, so the next step is to trim them with a de-burring tool.", "Workers spray the trimmed chassis parts with black powder paint, then bake the paint in an oven to make it more durable.", "Then they print labeling on the chassis's front and back panels by squeegeeing white epoxy paint through a silkscreen stencil.", "Then workers put the panels in the oven to bake the paint.", "Workers install them in between the cd drive support base and each of the feet to create a floating suspension system that protects the drive from vibration.", "Next, workers install the cd drive onto the support base.", "They install the drive's protective cover.", "It prevents dust from getting into the cd optical reader.", "Meanwhile, a technician tests each of the converter's five circuit boards to make sure they function perfectly.", "This board runs the l.e.d. display which shows the selected input and other playback information.", "Once all the circuit boards pass inspection, workers solder the l.e.d. board to the front panel circuit board which runs the converter's user controls.", "The worker inserts brushed aluminum push buttons into the front panel's labeled holes.", "Then they attach the front panel circuit board.", "This aligns the push buttons with the corresponding contacts on the board.", "The worker assembles the chassis bottom, side, and back panels.", "They attach the front panel with its push button controls, and in the center, an opening for the cd drive.", "The technician visually inspects the converter's main circuit board, which converts the digital signal to analog.", "If the main circuit board passes inspection, they install it in the back of the converter next to the power supply board.", "Next, a worker installs the cd drive.", "This requires connecting three cables into the main board-- one for the optical reader, and two for the motors that open and close the loading tray and spin the compact disc.", "Before completing the converter by closing up the top, a worker tests the cd drive as well as the four other digital inputs, which are designed for connecting devices such as audio components, dvd or blu-ray players, tvs, and computers.", "The testing machine takes all kinds of measurements to ensure the converter performs to a list of technical specifications.", "If the unit passes inspection, they complete the assembly by attaching the top cover.", "This digital-to-analog converter is now ready to play its critical role in this high-end audio system, reproducing sound for the discerning ear.", "Embossed wood trim can make factory furniture look handcrafted.", "The technique was developed over a century ago to mimic carvings on fancier furnishings that were only available to the wealthy.", "Today, this trim is still giving furniture and cabinetry the look of hand carving.", "The purpose of embossed wood trim is purely aesthetic.", "It can transform a piece of furniture and make it a beautiful thing.", "Making embossed moulding starts with a rough piece of maple.", "Using a rip saw, a woodworker slices the board into strips.", "The first cut straightens the edge of the wood to correct warps, and the second one trims the strips to the correct dimension.", "He then carves through the center of each strip to get two pieces of trim from one board.", "Each strip is about 1/2 inch thick.", "The strips are ready to be fed to the moulder, a machine that shapes the flat surface to a specific profile.", "The moulder has five cutter heads.", "To prepare them, he inserts a spacer and a blade into the steel head.", "He uses a magnet to pull them into alignment.", "The worker locks the blade and spacer to the cutter head with bolts.", "He slides the cutter head onto a spindle in the moulder.", "The worker secures it with a nut, using a special tool for the job.", "Once all the cutter heads are in place, he turns the switch on the machine.", "As the cutters spin, the operator feeds the long strips of wood to them.", "Rubber and steel wheels move the board from one cutter to the next.", "The cutter progressively profiles the area that's to be embossed and creates decorative raised borders.", "Here's a side view of the contouring.", "This trim is now ready for embossing.", "Some of the embossing wheels at this shop date back to 1908.", "The oldest wheels are made of bronze, and the newer ones are made of steel.", "There are hundreds of patterns to choose from.", "The worker selects the wheel with the desired pattern.", "He mounts it to an embossing machine that was built in 1908.", "The worker locks the embossing wheel onto the shaft.", "He ignites torches that heat the embossing wheel.", "As the hot wheel revolves, it presses the pattern into the moulded strip of wood.", "The heat releases moisture from the wood, preventing splintering during embossing.", "A drive wheel below works in concert with the embossing wheel to move the wood forward.", "Next up are rosettes that are used to accentuate the corners of furniture, windows, and doors.", "Using a sliding apparatus known as a sled, the woodworker delivers a board to the teeth of a saw.", "He makes straight cuts and squares to the desired dimensions.", "The worker draws lines from one corner of the wood square to another, and from the opposite sides.", "The lines intersect at the exact center of the square.", "The worker clamps the square in a milling machine with the cutting tool aimed directly at the center.", "He activates the tool to make the first circular cut.", "He removes the wood square to check out the cut.", "The worker measures it to confirm that it is in fact, dead center.", "He returns the square to the platform under the milling tool.", "This time the cutter spins into the wood to make a wider and deeper circular cut.", "This further expands the pattern in a radial fashion.", "And it completes the rosette pattern.", "The worker examines the quality of the cut and measures the distance to the edge of the wood to verify that it's to spec.", "From a simple wood square to an elegant rosette, this job is done.", "The trim can now be used to make furniture looked hand carved without all the effort.", "A stapler can instantly transform a pile of papers into a document.", "Its story begins with the rapid increase in the use of paper in the middle of the 19th century.", "The stapler was developed because people needed something better than string or pins to hold the pages together.", "Plier staplers open and close like pliers to tackle fastening jobs with quick precision.", "Making these staplers starts with the cover plate.", "A press wields up to 176 tons of force to shape steel blanks to a slopped profile.", "A robot inserts tracks into nickel steel casings.", "These are the vertical staple tracks for the front of the stapler.", "Tools bend tabs on the ends of the casings to fasten the two parts.", "Another robot serves up covers for the stapler's magazines to an automated welder.", "The welder fuses an assembly attachment to each cover.", "A worker immerses some of the stapler's interior parts in a solution of water and zinc phosphate.", "This solution forms an anti-corrosion coating on the surface of the steel.", "These particular parts are pusher guides.", "The top part has the protective coating.", "The parts then take a ride with ceramic stones and polishing solution.", "This smoothes rough bits and makes them shine.", "Next up is the die plate.", "This is the part that shapes and closes the staple during stapling.", "An automated system screws an iron \"u\"-bolt attachment to the die plate.", "A robot then inserts the spring block, the part that allows the stapler to spring back to its original position after use.", "Meanwhile at the next station, a robot places a piece of precision-cut steel on a mold.", "A press drives it into the mold to shape it into the stapler body that holds all the working components.", "More robots then work in perfect sequence, to install thick metal pins across the stapler body.", "These pins brace the stapler's structure, but that's not all.", "Some of the stapler's working parts will hook onto these pins.", "Other robots now fasten the die plate to one end of the stapler body using rivet hinge.", "In the process, they also fasten the spring block securely to the die plate.", "After cleaning and degreasing, the stapler bodies head into a paint booth.", "Spray guns apply primer, and a curtain of water behind the parts prevents emissions from escaping from the booth.", "The next sprayers coat the parts with green paint.", "With the paint dry on the stapler body, workers are ready to assemble all the working parts.", "The assembler slides the front staple track into place and inserts the staple pusher guide into the body.", "She positions a metal plate over the guide and screws everything in place through holes in the body of the stapler.", "The assembler clips a retaining ring around each screw.", "Next up is the driver.", "This part detaches staples one at a time during stapling.", "After installing it, the assembler inserts the spring loaded pusher and hooks the end on the staple guide.", "Another worker assembles the handle that allows the stapler to be wielded with plier-like accuracy.", "He secures the handle with a rolling fastener.", "This rolling fastener indirectly bears down on the staples to apply pressure during stapling.", "Another team member then inspects the stapler.", "Satisfied with its fabrication, she reaches for the cover plate and hammers the wings to bend them for a better fit.", "She slides the cover plate into the grooves of the stapler and loads the staples to give it a trial run.", "She staples paper repeatedly to confirm that it's fully operational.", "These plier staplers are now ready for the workplace, where with a few quick crunches, they'll help keep the paperwork in order." ]

{ "things": [ "Ropes", "Billiard Tables", "Sailboards", "Cymbals" ] }

[ "Today on \"how it's made\"...", "Ropes...", "Billiard tables...", "Sailboards...", "And cymbals.", "Years ago, making rope was a time-consuming process.", "They stretched yarn 700 to 1,000 feet-- sometimes down alleys-- and secured it on hooks.", "Then, they turned wheels to rotate the hooks, twisting the yarn into rope.", "This technique was called a rope walk.", "Luckily, today, we have machines to do all the work for us.", "These ropes are made from thousands of nylon fibers that are finer than human hair but stronger.", "To make rope, yarns wind around aluminum cylinders pulled by a turning spool down the line.", "Then, three at a time, the yarns roll over another spool that applies a protective coating of urethane.", "They funnel through a distribution plate that holds them evenly apart.", "This ensures they're at an even tension as a rocking spool twists them into one larger yarn.", "This machine is called the whirlwind.", "It twists the yarn and then winds it onto a take-up spool inside.", "A little arm moves back and forth, guiding the yarn so it winds evenly onto the spool.", "This is core yarn, and it will be used to make other rope.", "Now dozens of spools of nylon fiber unwind at the same time to make jackets to protect the core yarns.", "The fibers travel several feet over a network of rollers that act as guides and control tension on each individual fiber.", "They pass through distribution plates as turning bobbins below twist the fibers into yarn.", "A platform moves up and down to evenly wind the yarn onto the bobbin.", "They place 48 of these bobbins on the maypole machine-- so called because the braiding action resembles a dance around a traditional maypole.", "The bobbins spin and zigzag around each other as the machine pulls core yarn up through the center.", "Here, you can see the rope being braided around the core yarn as it's pulled up through a die.", "This is the braiding action in slow motion.", "It produces a mountain-climbing rope-- strong yet stretchy because of the twist in the core of the rope.", "The rope winds onto the wheel as it pulls it upwards.", "Then it spills into a basket.", "A worker pulls out a sample rope to checks its flexibility and strength.", "He bends it to make sure it will knot easily.", "Now another maypole braider weaves a synthetic rope that's stronger than steel yet lightweight and flexible.", "That's because the strands at the core are braided with a material called ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene.", "It's a high-performance thermoplastic.", "This rope will be used for advanced yachting.", "A pulley draws this high-tech rope through some metal pipes filled with steam.", "This shrinks the polyester jacket around the powerful core for a tight fit.", "These dancing bobbins do some fancy moves to produce different weaves around core ropes.", "They dip around and between each other in a choreographed sequence.", "But there are no worries about production hitting a snarl-- if a yarn breaks, the machine simply shuts down.", "It takes 8-10 hours to make around 3,000 feet of this large utility rope.", "Now for the strength test.", "They loop a sample piece of rope around steel posts.", "This one is a nylon double braid, the type used for dock lines on boats.", "Hydraulic pressure pulls the rope upwards while a computerized gauge measures the tension and detects the breaking point.", "Almost 20,000 pounds-- that's the weight of a killer whale.", "Needless to say, this rope is just fine.", "Now for another test-- they insert a steel probe, known as a fid, into some industrial rope, then place the pointed end into a hole.", "An electric motor forces the fid though while a gauge measures the force it takes for it to completely penetrate the rope.", "It took 10 pounds of pressure to push the probe through the rope, which means this rope is firm yet flexible.", "And that's how this useful item is made.", "The game of billiards has beenaround in one form or another for nearly 500 years.", "During the 19th century, the game's rules and equipment evolved to basically what they are today.", "Billiards, also known as pool, is played on a slate tabletop that's usually 8'3½\" long and 4'7½\" wide.", "Clients order billiard tables much like they would custom-designed furniture.", "They pick the table's style, colors, the type of wood, and its lacquer and stain.", "The tables come in maple, walnut, mahogany, cherry, and the most popular, oak.", "A computer-guided machine shapes part of what'll be the table's frame.", "This machine's rotating heads perform several different tasks.", "A profiling head carves the angle of part of the frame, a routering head creates the table's decorative grooves, and a drilling head makes holes for bolts to fit through.", "Six wood components, called rails, will surround the playing surface.", "They have diamond-shaped carvings that'll become visual markers for the players.", "After spraying the rails with glue, a worker inserts 18 metal nuts.", "They'll be used later to secure the rails to the playing surface.", "He attaches rubber strips along the sticky rails, which are just over three feet long.", "The rubber will cushion the balls when they hit the sides.", "The rails then pass through a press twice to ensure the rubber adheres.", "Next, workers move the rails along this 30-foot-long sanding machine.", "Rubber wheels gently grip each rail as presses rub sandpaper along the edge and top.", "They skip the bottom because it'll be covered.", "They pass the rails through this sander several times to smooth them down.", "To make sure everything fits, a worker pre-assembles the four sides and the middle section of the frame's base.", "He uses 20 metal bolts and 20 nuts to join them.", "And he inserts eight wooden dowels in order to align the table parts correctly.", "He stamps numbers on the frame sections so they can be reassembled later by pairing the same numbered parts together.", "Next, a worker hot glues 18 one-inch-long mother-of-pearl components called sights.", "He fits them into the carvings on the rails which have now been stained to the desired shade.", "He taps them into place using a hammer and a block made of synthetic resin.", "This way he won't damage the rail.", "A worker then lines the rubber part of the rail with cloth made of wool and nylon.", "He attaches it with a plastic strip that fits over the cloth and into a groove.", "He uses a mallet to ensure the cloth is tightly inserted.", "The worker then staples the cloth to the other side of the rail.", "A zinc and brass plaque displays the table's brand name.", "After shipping, workers reassemble the table in its new home.", "Serial numbers ensure the parts belong to the same table.", "Assembly takes about two hours.", "They match the numbered parts together using up to 50 bolts and 50 nuts.", "Then they level the table using metal components called leg levelers to adjust the table's height.", "It's like sticking a matchbook under an uneven table leg.", "Now comes the really heavy lifting-- workers fit the three sections of the table's top, which are made of slate and weigh up to 300 pounds each.", "Slate won't degrade, and it won't budge if you hit it.", "The workers use 12 screws to attach the slate sections to the frame.", "They level the sections using wedge-shaped plastic shims between the slate and the frame.", "Next, a worker melts wax over the cracks between the sections.", "He uses a scraper to smooth out the playing surface.", "The remaining holes will later be covered by rails.", "After the wax dries, they cover the table surface with cloth, which comes in a variety of colors.", "They cut the cloth in the corners so there won't be any creases in the lining of the pocket holes.", "They staple the cloth to wood strips under the slate.", "A worker pierces the cloth over holes in the slate so he can later attach the rails.", "The six pockets are six inches deep and consist of a metal frame covered with a leather lattice.", "Workers install 18 threaded metal rods underneath the rails.", "Then they flip the rail assembly and insert the rods through pre-made holes in the table top.", "They use nuts to secure the rods in place.", "Screws attach the pockets, and voilà, your table is ready.", "For prices ranging between $1,500 and $15,000 you have quite a stylish game.", "American newman darby built the first sailboards during the 1960s.", "He rigged a sail to a mast on a board with a tail fin and rode the wind and waves.", "Today's windsurfers can pay several thousand dollars for their high-tech gear.", "This includes a sail, a mast, and a sailboard.", "To make a sailboard, workers start with a long block of styrofoam.", "They attach a wood template, pushing nails through holes in the wood and into the block.", "Using an electrically heated tool, called a hot-wire, they slice the block along the curved line of the template.", "The result is what's known as the core.", "They use styrofoam because it's lightweight and buoyant.", "Next, a worker guides what's known as a shaper machine.", "It outlines a template, called a masterboard, on the left, while a spindle cuts grooves into the core on the right.", "The grooves are guidelines to carve the core into the shape of the masterboard later on.", "The shaper's 40-pound counterweight lets the spindle gently hover above the core as it cuts.", "Styrofoam dust flies everywhere, so the worker wears a protective mask to avoid inhaling it.", "A worker then saws along the grooves to reveal the initial shape of the sailboard.", "Another worker then sands down the core.", "Next, he applies almost 1 1/2 pounds of epoxy resin onto carbon fabric to reinforce the material and make it sticky.", "Another worker applies resin on fiberglass fabric.", "These strong, lightweight materials are part of the board's fabric-and-foam-sandwich construction.", "They'll harden inside molds of the board's top and bottom sections during the curing later on.", "The workers carefully scrape away about 20% of the resin.", "Too much and the board could crack during use.", "Here, the worker spreads thicker resin onto a piece of rigid foam that's 1/8 of an inch thick.", "He places it into the bottom mold and attaches a hand-sized plastic component called a fin box.", "It'll hold the sailboard's fin, which helps the user steer.", "They add kevlar, an ultra-lightweight synthetic fabric, as the final outer layer on the core's bottom side.", "After applying resin to another piece of rigid foam, a worker cuts openings through which other components will later fit.", "This layer is placed into the top mold and covered with more carbon fabric.", "Next, a worker places the core into the bottom mold.", "He fits two plastic components, called foot strap inserts, into openings lined with fiberglass fabric to secure them.", "Another plastic component, called a mast track, fits through an opening lined with a stronger carbon fabric.", "The track will later anchor a mast measuring up to 20 feet high.", "Strips of carbon fabric also reinforce the areas where the windsurfer will stand.", "Workers join the mold sections and insert the whole thing into a plastic sack called a vacuum bag.", "They tape the end shut but leave two smaller holes open.", "They attach two hoses to collars in these holes.", "An electric pump then takes about three minutes to suck all the air out of the bag.", "As the air is removed, pressure forces the mold sections even closer together.", "After curing in an oven at 100 degrees fahrenheit for 5 hours, workers separate the mold sections.", "Using a rotary grinder, a worker trims away excess hardened fabric and foam along the edge.", "The whole board got a coat of primer earlier, but now a worker sands the paint off along the edge.", "They place a strip of carbon fabric all the way around the edge and secure it with thin plastic wrap.", "After more curing, the wrapping is removed, and the board is sealed for good.", "Next, the sailboard gets another skin-- two coats of urethane paint.", "A worker locates the foot strap insert holes and cleans them out with a router bit.", "He uses a router to clean the inside of the mast-track opening.", "An enormous vinyl sticker gives the board its personality.", "A worker smoothes away any air bubbles.", "Then, after inscribing the sailboard's dimensions and serial number, he signs the board.", "Finally, workers glue on two rubber cushions, called deck pads.", "For $1,900, you've got the foundation of a very cool gliding machine.", "People have been crashing cymbals for centuries.", "History tells us that cymbals were used in israel in 1100 b.c. over the centuries, the finest cymbals have been manufactured in turkey with a secret method for blending metals.", "And those time-honored techniques still resound in cymbal-making today.", "Cymbals play an important role in today's music making.", "Each cymbal has its own character, resulting in subtle differences in tone.", "To make cymbals, they start with castings.", "In this case they're made of a secret blend of copper, tin, and trace amounts of silver.", "A worker sorts them by weight.", "Then a moving tray that's powered hydraulically takes them to a rotary oven.", "1,500 degrees fahrenheit softens the castings, and then workers shovel them into a rolling mill.", "It squeezes them between two big metal cylinders.", "And the effect is the same as rolling out pie crust-- the castings become thinner, flatter, and larger.", "These castings go through a heating and rolling cycle up to 12 times depending on the type of cymbal being made.", "The repeated heating and cross-rolling creates a dense, interlocking weave in the granular structure of the alloy.", "It will make the cymbals strong enough to take a real beating.", "The interlocking weave will also help transmit sound waves more rapidly across the cymbal.", "After the cymbal has been tempered and pressed into its final shape, they place it on a spindle.", "While it spins, circular cutters shear the edges to a set diameter.", "Next, the cymbal is pounded.", "A hydraulic engine powers this hammering cylinder, and a computer program directs the force.", "These impressions will enrich the cymbal's sound by changing the path of the sound waves.", "Next, the application of tonal grooves.", "This craftsman puts the cymbal on a lathe, bottom side forward.", "The cymbal spins on an axle while the lathing blade cuts into it.", "He starts with a hand-held lathing tool and then switches to one that's mounted on the machine.", "Lathing removes the cymbal's outer layer and carves those important tonal grooves into it.", "The depth and position will vary depending on the type of cymbal being produced.", "He lathes the top of the cymbal entirely by hand so he can better control the amount of pressure applied.", "Watch those fingers.", "Don't worry-- he knows what he's doing.", "He's honed his skills over five years of apprenticeship, and no automatic machine can duplicate the fine touch of an experienced cymbal craftsman.", "Now he removes the newly grooved cymbal and puts it on an edging machine.", "A big, round metal clamp locks the cymbal in place.", "It spins while a cutting tool smoothes out the edge of the cymbal.", "Here's a before and after shot-- the ragged rim is before edging.", "The smoother one at the bottom is after.", "This guy has the best job-- he's in charge of quality assurance.", "That means he tests each cymbal before it's sent out into the marketplace.", "He's listening for a range of sounds.", "Now a laser etches the trademark into the cymbal.", "It also engraves a unique serial number.", "Next, a silicon pad sponges up ink from a print plate and transfers it to the cymbal.", "Now that the company logo is on, it's ready for shipping anywhere in the world.", "But this rough metal casting has already come a long way.", "It's been transformed into a smooth, sleek cymbal over a total of 21 days." ]

{ "things": [ "Solid Tires", "Cheesecake", "Canoe Paddles", "Globes" ] }

[ "Today on \"how it's made,\" solid tires...", "Cheesecake...", "Canoe paddles...", "And globes.", "Solid rubber tires are designed to conquer the toughest turf, the kind of rough terrain found at construction sites, landfills, and mining operations.", "These places are full of hazards that would flatten ordinary air-filled tires, but solid tires don't go flat.", "Even with a dozen nails sticking out of them, these big boys just keep on turning.", "Strong and dependable, these tires are ideal for heavy work.", "And because there's no inner tube, you never have to worry about getting a flat.", "It all starts with a wide strip of partially processed rubber.", "As the strip is forced through a series of holes, it's turned into a long, tubular shape.", "Next, hot cylinders roll it thin and soft like a pie crust.", "In another part of the factory, the tires' metal frameworks are being prepped.", "A worker moves them along an overhead rail into a special chamber.", "Steel pellets are added to the mix.", "Inside the chamber, a machine tosses the pellets around and the friction polishes the metal tire frames.", "Next, workers spray on a coat of primer and apply an adhesive.", "Then one by one, the frames are mounted on a mechanical arm that's positioned in front of the rubber rolling system.", "The arm moves the tire frame forward to meet the turning cylinders.", "The metal surface, still tacky from the glue, easily takes up the freshly rolled rubber.", "Depending on the kind of tire being made, the machine can layer the rubber around the frame up to 100 times.", "Then, workers weigh the tire and slice off bits of rubber until it meets specifications.", "This solid tire is now in good shape, so it moves on to the next stage.", "Over at another station, they're building a different type of solid tire.", "This one has no metal framework, so it can fit on a rim made for an air-filled tire.", "Rubber strips are wound around the metal hub that serves as a mold.", "Then a heavy press squeezes out any air pockets.", "These rubber strips contain recycled material which is stiffer than regular rubber.", "This will help the tire hold its shape in the absence of a metal framework.", "Now it's time for some tread.", "Workers begin the process by spraying a release agent onto a mold so it will be easier to remove the tire later.", "Then they lightly glue the i.d. label and serial-number plate to position them for transfer to the tire.", "The tire is centered in the mold with a metal ring.", "Then the top section of the mold is lowered into place.", "Now it's time to get cooking.", "The mold is hoisted to another station and sandwiched between two steaming hot plates.", "The searing temperature melts the rubber into the crevices of the mold.", "Minutes later, the mold is opened and out comes a treaded tire.", "The heat has also vulcanized the rubber, a molecular change that makes it much more durable.", "Changing one of these tires isn't a job for just anyone.", "Typically a specialist travels to the work site and switches tires using a heavy-duty hydraulic system.", "And that's how you put a solid tire on a wheel rim made for an air-filled one.", "Big tires with metal frameworks go into this autoclave to be shaped and undergo vulcanization.", "A forklift, equipped with solid tires, of course, extracts the finished tires from the autoclave.", "And now they're ready to roll.", "When we return, another round creation.", "People associate cheesecake with new york, but actually, it comes from greece.", "The ancient greeks served this rich delicacy to the athletes of the first olympic games in 776 b.c. the roman conquest spread the dessert across europe, and many centuries later, european immigrants brought to north america.", "The ancient romans even brought cheesecake to their temples as an offering to the gods.", "The basis of a cheesecake is its rich, creamy filling made from ricotta, neufchatel, or cream cheese.", "But first, bakers need to make the crust, similar to a butter cookie.", "For a batch of about five dozen cakes, this bakery combines 50 pounds of butter with 10 pounds of sugar.", "Next, 16 egg whites.", "Then, 25 pounds of flour.", "After mixing just long enough to incorporate the flour smoothly, a conveyor belt shuttles the dough to a vat.", "Gravity pushes the blob of dough through a slot at the bottom, expelling a sheet less than a quarter inch thick.", "A dusting of flour prevents the dough from sticking, not just to the conveyor belt but also to the rolling and cutting tools.", "This prickly roller preparates the dough sheet.", "The holes allow any trapped air to escape during baking, which prevents the dough from shrinking and ensures a flat, bubble-free crust.", "The next roller has plastic circles that work like cookie cutters, slicing the dough into cake-size discs.", "The leftover pieces go into new batches of dough.", "Each dough circle goes in a pan, then bakes at 375 for 16 minutes.", "Meanwhile, the batter starts taking shape.", "For a batch of about 20 cakes, the bakery combines 25 pounds of cream cheese with two pounds of cultured sour cream.", "That's sour cream processed a little longer than usual to give it extra flavor.", "After slowly mixing in 15 pounds of sugar and about 2 1/2 cups of flour, workers blend in 3/4 cup of vanilla extract.", "Now they get cracking with 1 1/2 dozen eggs.", "That's the recipe for plain cheesecake.", "Flavored versions come with extra goodies.", "This batter is caramel pecan.", "It's paired with a chocolate cookie crust.", "As the baked crusts arrive, sprayers grease the inside of each pan with butter so that the cake will slide out easily after baking.", "Then a machine, called the depositor, shoots in just the right amount of batter.", "The pans now enter a tunnel-shaped oven that's almost 25 yards long.", "The temperature inside is a toasty 350 degrees.", "By the time the cakes exit the other end, they're fully baked.", "These 10-inch cakes take just under an hour.", "From the oven, the cheesecakes go onto a cooling conveyor, and by the time the hot cakes do the nearly hour-long circuit, they are at room temperature and ready to come out of their pans.", "From there, most cheesecakes go straight into the storage freezer, but there are a few exceptions which detour to the decoration department.", "This belgian chocolate cheesecake isn't complete without a squirt of chocolate ganache, a decadent mixture of chocolate and cream.", "Workers spread it all over, then make swirls with a decorating comb.", "And now the final touch, a sprinkling of cocoa.", "Some cakes go into an automated cutting machine that divides each cake into 14 equal slices and inserts parchment paper in between them.", "Back at the decorating department, they are putting shards of chocolate on a mud pie, a combination chocolate souffle, chocolate cheesecake with pecans and coffee mousse topping.", "You might want to put off that diet just for one more day.", "Coming up, an age-old implement gets a new spin.", "They keep us from going adrift, and no one wants to be up the creek without one.", "Paddles have been around so long no one know who is invented them or when.", "But there's no question they've evolved.", "Made with sophisticated craftsmanship, today's wooden paddles really go the nautical mile.", "Modern paddles are often made from a blend of hard and soft woods for a product that's strong yet lightweight.", "First, wooden boards are fed into a multi-bladed rip saw that slices them into uniform strips.", "Each strip has a flat, smooth joint on the side.", "Glue is rolled onto those flat joints and then the strips are pressed together.", "These glued sections will be used to make paddle blades.", "Over at another station, workers are creating the paddle shafts two at a time.", "They glue shorter pieces of wood for the handles, and clamp them together to allow the glue to set.", "The blade chunks are arranged in a much bigger clamp.", "Then the glue-coated ends of some shafts are wedged between the blade pieces.", "In a process called lamination, the blades are bonded to the shafts.", "The laminated paddle shapes are called blanks.", "Next, the blade design is traced onto one of the blanks...", "And the design is cut out with a band saw.", "Laminated wood doesn't warp easily.", "This allows the factory to produce wider blades, which give the canoer more power through the water.", "But paddles cut from a single piece of wood have a more traditional look and feel, and some canoers prefer them.", "These narrower paddles are made with cherry wood.", "Modern tools make quick work of a design that hasn't changed very much over the centuries.", "In no time, a basic paddle has been carved from a single piece of wood.", "Next, the edges are rounded off with a large router.", "It shapes and contours the paddle to its final dimensions and gives it a smooth finish.", "In just minutes, that chunky-looking piece of wood is transformed into a sleek traditional paddle.", "Meanwhile, back in the laminated paddle department, notches are sawed into each paddle blade.", "Workers mix up a liquid plastic concoction...", "Then pour it into the slots to harden.", "The plastic gives the paddle tips some extra protection against rocks and other obstacles in the water.", "Now it's time to improve the profile of the laminated paddles.", "With the same type of router used to shape the solid paddles, workers fine-tune the design.", "Both types of paddles then get a heavy sanding.", "The final touch is to taper each paddle head so that it's much thinner at the tip.", "Trademark information is branded onto each paddle using a hot iron.", "Then it's time for the paddles to take a dip in a tank of varnish that contains a sunblock.", "The varnish both protects the wood and enhances its natural beauty.", "The paddles are suspended on an overhead conveyor to dry.", "And soon, they'll be on their way to a waterway near you.", "Up next, a factory that makes the world go round.", "Because the world is round, flat maps don't give us the full picture.", "A globe is the most accurate representation of the earth.", "It depicts countries in true spatial relation to one another, and better defines latitude and longitude lines.", "At the globe factory, production revolves around world events.", "As war and political upheaval redraw boundaries, these spherical maps have to be constantly revised.", "Globe construction begins with a big roll of cardboard.", "A machine pulls it under a roller that coats it with glue.", "A knife then slices the cardboard into smaller pieces, which will serve as liners for the maps.", "One more coat of glue, and then the liners are attached to the back of maps.", "Heated rollers press them together, completing the seal.", "Each map represents a hemisphere.", "A powerful press now cuts the maps into a pinwheel shape.", "Each map must be carefully positioned in the cutting press.", "After all, one false move, and a whole country could end up on the factory floor.", "It takes two punch cuts to do the job.", "Then, the excess paper is pulled away, leaving behind a map divided into 12 spoke-like sections.", "Here's a top view of that cutting press.", "It acts like a giant fist to punch out pinwheels.", "And now it's time to shape the world.", "Workers place a map cutout and a liner into a mold.", "It rises into a heated cavity that presses the paper into a bowl-like shape.", "One hemisphere down, one more to go.", "The southern hemisphere is created using the same type of mold.", "Molds also emboss each map to represent the peaks and valleys on the earth's surface.", "Here's an inside look.", "The raised and indented sections of the molds allow people to see and feel variations in the world's topography, both aboveground and underwater.", "With the hemispheres complete, it's time to go global.", "The northern hemisphere goes for a spin while a razor blade trims the edges.", "Then the lower hemisphere takes its turn while a nozzle beads hot glue along the inside.", "This stiff cardboard ring adheres to the globe and gives it some re-enforcement along the equator.", "Glue is applied to the northern hemisphere...", "And it is fitted over the ridged edge of the southern one.", "The two halves are precisely aligned, then tape is attached over the seam.", "This both disguises the seam and marks the equator.", "Next, each globe is mounted on a pedestal that's attached to a metal arc called a meridian.", "Suctioned to the top of the globe, the meridian will allow the earth to revolve.", "From fragments of paper and glue, a whole new world's been created in just a couple of hours.", "Globes tell us where we are and help us figure out where we're going.", "They come in many different languages.", "And because they help us get our bearings, you could say they make the world a better place." ]

{ "things": [ "Glass Sculptures", "Racing Pulley Systems", "Inductors", "Medicine Balls" ] }

[ "the use of glass as an artistic medium dates back to ancient egypt.", "Despite the obvious fragility of glass sculptures, this art form has an enduring appeal.", "The transparency of glass often has a ghost-like quality.", "They're tangible works of art that are skillfully crafted.", "With this glass sculpture of a horse, the artist's two passions come together-- art and horsemanship.", "The artist takes inspiration from her horse, observing the swell of his muscles as he romps in order to create the same sense of movement in glass.", "She then draws a series of sketches of the horse in different stances.", "These sketches are an artistic study.", "They help her work out the sculpture's form before actually creating one.", "She cleans solid glass rods to prepare them for sculpting.", "This is borosilicate glass, which is more resistant to thermal shock than other kinds of glass.", "She brings the glass into the flame of a torch to soften it.", "Once softened, she can fuse two of the rods together.", "Then using tweezers and flat, knife-like tools, she sculpts the glass into the shape of the horse's hips and legs.", "She works quickly so the glass doesn't have a chance to cool and fracture.", "She adds a smaller piece of glass and forms it into a tail.", "She constantly turns the glass as she works it to make sure it looks good from all angles.", "She melts glass in front of the hips to build up the body and shape the horse's belly, back, and chest.", "This is intensive and precision work.", "The piece must be exposed to a well-adjusted flame and constantly moved so it doesn't become too hot and melt too much.", "She adds glass to the front and sculpts the shoulders and part of the front legs.", "She removes a little piece of extra glass.", "She deposits the sizzling, unwanted bit in water to cool it down and dispose of it safely.", "She does more work on the front legs.", "She'll refine them and form hooves later, but now she bakes the partially sculpted glass horse in a kiln.", "This is the first annealing, which realigns molecules to prevent cracking.", "She forms the head and mane separately from the body.", "This is more intricate work.", "The features are much more detailed, so she uses smaller tools.", "Once she shapes the eye sockets, she melts little blobs of black glass into them.", "She sculpts the eyes with a flat knife.", "She carves creases above them to create an eyelid effect.", "She adds glass for the ears.", "Then, using a tool called a masher, she pinches the ears to squeeze them thinner.", "She heats them again.", "This process can cause the ears to stick together, so she cuts them to separate them.", "She curls the ears using tweezers and tweaks their position on the horse's head.", "She melts the base of the head to the body, and they become one.", "She fuses more glass to the back to craft a mane, and after another annealing, she returns to the legs.", "She softens them with a flame again and adds definition to the fetlock joints.", "She cuts the tips to create a more level surface.", "She melts black glass on to the ends of the legs and sculpts it into the shapes of hooves.", "With a series of tools, she tweaks each hoof until she's satisfied this glass horse will stand the way she wants it to.", "After another annealing, she shines a polarized light through the sculpture and examines it for stresses that could compromise its structure.", "Finding none, this galloping work of glass art is complete.", "It's been made with great care and caring.", "To turn a regular car into a race car, one needs to change the pulley system mounted to its engine.", "Factory-installed pulley systems are heavy, and their pulley-size ratios are designed for driving at low speeds.", "A racing pulley system is lightweight and has pulley ratios for high-speed driving.", "Replacing the factory-installed pulley system on a car engine with one of these racing pulley systems is like putting a car on steroids.", "The components of this system are determined by what the engine already comes with.", "For example, if the engine's water pump is too heavy for racing, this company makes a lightweight one along with a size-appropriate pulley to go with it.", "To make a pulley, an automatic saw cuts a patty off an aluminum bar.", "Workers then mount the patty on a computer-guided lathe.", "As the lathe spins, multiple tools shape the patty into a pulley.", "The first two tools drill a hole in the center and machine the overall shape.", "Then, this tool bores the hole to a precise diameter.", "This tool carves grooves along the perimeter for the pulley belt.", "This broaching tool makes 17 vertical grooves inside the bored hole corresponding to grooves on a shaft, locking the pulley in place.", "A worker removes the partially-formed pulley from the lathe and mounts it on a computer-guided mill.", "The mill's first tool drills six round holes.", "The next tool reshapes those holes into triangles known as windows.", "This reduces the pulley's weight.", "The factory sends all pulleys out to a plating shop which coats the aluminum with the hard, black protective finish known as anodizing.", "This is a different type of crankshaft pulley.", "To make it, the automated saw first cuts a patty from a smaller aluminum bar.", "Then, a worker mounts it on a computer-guided lathe.", "After the first tool evens out the surface, this tool drills a hole through the center.", "The next tool enlarges that hole.", "The next tool cuts a female pattern inside the hole.", "A female pattern has grooves which receive corresponding protruding areas of a male pattern.", "The lathe then transfers the patty to another spindle to expose the opposite side for machining.", "The first tool shapes the back.", "The next one cuts a male pattern.", "With a female pattern on one side and a male pattern on the other, multiple pulleys can be stacked and interlocked to accurately align the system.", "The final tool cuts straight teeth for a square-tooth belt.", "When an original engine component is replaced with a new, smaller, and lighter one suitable for racing, the factory must also make a smaller, lighter bracket to mount the new component to the engine.", "A computer-guided mill shapes a rectangular piece of aluminum cut by the same automated saw that cut the patties for the pulleys.", "Brackets, like pulleys, go out for anodizing.", "When they come back to this factory, they get laser-printed with a brand name and model.", "Here's how the pulley system assembles on this particular engine.", "First, the technician bolts an adapter to the harmonic balancer.", "The harmonic balancer is a component on all engines that lessens vibration.", "Next, he installs the new crankshaft pulley on to the adapter, attaching it with a long central bolt that extends beyond the harmonic balancer and into the engine's crankshaft.", "He installs a new lightweight water pump, which has a new mounting bracket for the alternator attached to its left side.", "Then, he bolts on a new water-pump pulley, which has grooves for two belts.", "After mounting a new lightweight alternator, he connects the water-pump pulley to the crankshaft and power steering pump pulleys with one belt and to the alternator pulley with another belt.", "This allows simultaneous steering, battery charging, and water circulating to cool the engine.", "Coiled copper devices called inductors provide storage for electrical circuits.", "As electrical current flows through the coils, a magnetic field is produced.", "The inductor stores the electromagnetic energy until the circuit is ready for it.", "They're one of the most important parts in the circuit.", "Inductors come in many shapes and sizes.", "Conductive windings surround an iron-based core to provide temporary energy storage and to regulate the current flowing through a circuit.", "To make an inductor, manufactures use plenty of flame-resistant insulating material.", "They cut sheets of it to the desired dimensions.", "An operator programs this an automatic shear to cut the electrical insulation into long strips.", "The hydraulically driven blade makes clean, straight cuts.", "These strips will be used to insulate the inductor core and coils.", "A worker folds a rectangular piece of insulation around an aluminum form to start the inductor coil.", "She tapes the ends together.", "She pulls a strip of copper foil to the insulation.", "She's pre-soldered a terminal to the end of the foil, and she tapes the terminal to the insulating material.", "She begins to wind the copper foil around the insulating material and stops.", "She places one of the long insulating strips under the copper foil and resumes winding.", "This prevents short circuits.", "She clamps the copper windings tightly together and tucks an extra piece of the insulation under the copper.", "She hammers the copper to flatten any kinks.", "She solders a second terminal to this end of the copper foil windings.", "These terminals will be used to connect the inductor to the electrical circuit.", "She holds the terminal in place with a metal dowel and the soldering iron until the solder solidifies.", "She then cuts the copper strip along the edge of the terminal.", "She applies fiberglass tape to the soldered terminal joint.", "She removes the clamp and adds more tape to keep the terminal in place.", "She then winds fiberglas tape around the inside of the inductor coil.", "This outer wrap will prevent shocks to anyone who might touch the inductor when it's part of an electrical circuit.", "Using a tough nylon block to absorb the impact, she hammers the inductor coil to make it more rectangular.", "She removes the coil from the winding machine.", "Next up is this hard, polyester-infused fiberglass.", "Manufacturers will ultimately use it to insulate the core and fill the gaps.", "With a hydraulic shear, a worker cuts the fiberglass into strips that will fit in the core.", "Another worker clamps two of the insulated copper windings side by side.", "She inserts a c-shaped iron core in one end of the copper windings and flips the inductor assembly over.", "She connects the protruding terminals with a tin-copper jumper.", "She inserts insulating spacers into both cavities.", "These fiberglass spacers will fill the gap between the two iron \"c's\".", "She installs the second half of the iron core.", "When alternating current is applied to the copper windings, it will create a magnetic field in this core, and this is how the energy will be stored.", "She tucks a couple of fiberglass insulating spacers between the iron \"c's\" and the coils.", "She drives them deeper into the inductor.", "She loops a stainless-steel band around the iron core and pulls it tight with pneumatic tensioning tool.", "She solders the ends of the band to secure it.", "Workers immerse the inductor in a vat of varnish under vacuum pressure.", "The varnish completely seals the inductor against dirt and moisture.", "This instrument detects any problems with the insulation.", "It's one of several tests conducted.", "If the inductor passes them all, it's ready for the electrical circuit.", "A medicine ball has nothing to do with medicine but everything to do with health.", "This heavy ball is an effective workout tool, available in a variety of sizes and weights.", "It can be used for a wide range of exercises to improve strength, coordination, and cardiovascular fitness.", "Medicine balls are mass-produced in a variety of materials.", "This company is one of the few remaining which craft traditional leather medicine balls entirely by hand.", "The craftsman uses shoe leather, which is thicker and sturdier than garment leather.", "He places a pattern on top and cut loosely around it with the utility knife.", "This steel-cutting die precision-shapes the panel.", "The craftsman places it on the rough-cut panel.", "Then, with a press, forces the sharp die through the leather.", "The ball is made up of seven panels like this one.", "Once he has cut all seven, he repeats the process with the circular pattern, then a circular die.", "This cuts two leather circles-- one for each end of the ball.", "He cuts identical pieces from nylon cloth.", "These pieces will line the seven panels and two circles.", "For the circle linings, he first hand-cuts squares.", "Then he cuts those squares into circles with the die.", "He clamps each lining to its corresponding leather piece and sews them together with heavy-duty polyester thread.", "This industrial sewing machine is known as a cylinder bed machine because the sewing surface is cylindrical rather than flat, which enables working with a three-dimensional shape.", "He takes two of the lined panels, and one at a time, puts them back on the press, this time using a different cutting die.", "It cuts a notch in eight lace holes.", "He then places one of these panels in an embossing press, which heat-stamps the brand name into the leather.", "Using different dies, he cuts pieces of vinyl to reinforce the lace holes, then sews them to the panels.", "This is the only area where the bright red thread will be visible.", "He sews the panels to each other until he's formed a closed circle.", "However, he doesn't yet stitch together that notched area between the two sets of lace holes.", "First, he sews the lined leather circles to the ends.", "The ball's leather shell is complete, but inside out and with a gap between the lace holes.", "The craftsman hands it off to a colleague who inverts the shell and presses the seams against a metal rod to stretch and round them out.", "Now it's time to stuff the shell.", "The worker takes shredded scraps of leather, inserts them through the gap between the lace holes, then compresses the scraps with a thick wooden dowel.", "Once the ball is fully stuffed, he makes sure the ball has reached the target weight.", "Weight precision, however, is less important than perfect roundness.", "To close up the ball, he threads a thick rawhide lace through a large brass needle and threads it through the lace holes, pulling tightly.", "This is the same sturdy lacing configuration that's used on footballs.", "He uses two large, thick nails to properly size the end loops.", "Then he snips off the excess lace.", "And pokes each end inside a lace hole.", "Now he can safely remove the nails.", "With a final pounding here and there to perfect the shape, this medicine ball is ready to pull its weight in someone's exercise regiment." ]

{ "things": [ "Thermometers", "Produce Scales", "Aircraft Painting", "Luxury Chocolates" ] }

[ "You can sense the difference between hot and cold, but a thermometer puts a number on it.", "The concept is simple-- heat causes liquid to expand, forcing it up a glass column with a scale attached to it.", "Italy's galileo came up with the idea in 1593.", "Incredibly, these century-old thermometers can still tell the temperature.", "But modern versions are a bit more precise.", "To make one, they clamp glass tubing onto a carousel.", "As it spins, torches heat the center of the hollow glass, while below, the operator pumps air into it.", "This causes the melted glass to blister.", "They break the tubing at the blister, creating two tubes with funnel-shaped openings.", "They anchor a shorter glass cylinder on a turntable and suspend one of the funnel-mouth tubes above it.", "The tubes spin in concert as torches melt them together.", "The funnel ensures that the melting doesn't close the hollow tube.", "Another torch now aims further down the cylinder.", "It seals the end and shapes it into a ball.", "To test a sample of the production run, they heat the entire length of the tubing.", "This creates vacuum pressure so that when they place the open end in liquid wax, the tubing sips it up like a straw.", "By watching the liquid ascend, they confirm that the thermometer fills as it should and has the right dimensions.", "Next, the glass tubing swirls on a carousel as flames and forced air work together to form a longer blister.", "Again, they break the tubing at the blister.", "This blister creates openings that allow them to snake a narrow, hollow wire through the tubing, joining the two sections.", "Flames melt and seal the glass around the wire.", "This is called a glass-to-metal weld, and it creates a more flexible thermometer.", "They cool the welded glass and wire on a conveyor.", "Next, they turn on a vacuum pump for several hours to pull the air out of the wire and tubing.", "This draws the blue liquid wax up, but this time, it's not a test.", "The wax is a nontoxic alternative to mercury that will expand and contract with changing temperature.", "The thermometers now travel through chilled alcohol, shrinking the blue liquid down to the closed end of the thermometer.", "As the tubing turns, flames follow the top end to melt and close it.", "A heat gun below then drives the liquid up the tubing, and the air pressure creates a bubble in the end that was just closed.", "This bubble will be the thermometer's expansion chamber.", "They plunge the thermometers in ice water to calibrate the bulb liquid to 32 degrees fahrenheit.", "They scratch the glass at that mark.", "Next, the thermometers warm up in a bath set at 200 degrees fahrenheit.", "The blue liquid shoots up, and they make another scratch.", "They align the two scratches in the thermometer with markings on a printed grid.", "The distance between the two scratches often varies, so by measuring against this grid, they can calibrate the thermometer.", "They then match the thermometer with the corresponding scale.", "They install the top section of the thermometer in a case which can be metal or plastic.", "They then choose the appropriate scale and slide it between the glass tubing and case.", "They wrap part of the wire capillary around a joint and then cap it.", "The sensor bulb of this thermometer will be used to gauge the temperature inside industrial piping.", "So they protect it with a metal sleeve called a bulb chamber.", "A glass window slides easily into the grooves of the casing.", "A plastic cap is the finishing touch.", "And now these thermometers are ready to gauge the highs and lows of industrial processing, and they're sure to measure up to expectations.", "Much of what you buy in the produce department of your supermarket is sold by weight.", "So the store usually hangs a scale at the end of the aisle on which you can weigh your purchase before heading off to the checkout.", "This is typically a type of scale with fairly simple mechanics.", "Internal springs spin a pointer to the correct weight mark on a dial.", "The weight of produce hanging in the pan pulls on a pair of springs inside the scale.", "They move the various internal components that turn the pointer to the corresponding weight mark on the dial.", "To make the scale's frame, a press stamps a steel plate five times, progressively cutting and bending it into the final frame shape.", "A washer goes into each steel spring.", "They turn it up or down to adjust the spring's tension.", "That's how they'll calibrate the scale later.", "The top part of each spring will bolt to the frame, and the bottom part to this slider-- a long metal component with weight markings.", "Next, they attach a component called a rack to one end of the slider, securing the screw tightly with thread-locking fluid.", "The rack's teeth will mesh with this pinion gear and turn it.", "They install one end of the pinion into the frame.", "Then they screw on a metal bridge to support the other end.", "They insert the slider with the rack attached through the bridge.", "Now when you pull on the slider, the pinion turns.", "Next, they attach the springs to the frame and slider.", "Each spring in this imperial scale supports up to 20 pounds, making this a 40-pound scale.", "When weight pulls on the springs, they move the rack, which turns the pinion, which rotates the scale's pointer.", "A press stamps out the dial face from a steel plate.", "After painting it white, they print on the markings with a silk-screen press.", "They insert a spring to prevent the rack from slipping on the pinion.", "Then they put the face over the bridge so that the pinion protrudes through a hole in the middle.", "A guide helps them align the face so that the zero will be in the right spot.", "Then they tighten two screws to attach the face.", "A press stamps the pointer from a thin sheet of aluminum.", "Using a special tool, they twist the end, forming a thin tip that won't obscure the fine line to which the pointer's pointing.", "Next, a coat of red paint so the pointer will stand out against the black-and-white face.", "Once the paint's dry, they mallet the pointer onto the pinion.", "Now they hang the pan on the scale and turn a little screw in the slider to adjust the pointer to zero.", "This ensures the scale will weigh just the produce rather than the produce and the pan.", "Now they calibrate the scale.", "To do this, they load it with weights to full capacity, which is 40 pounds for this scale.", "If the pointer doesn't indicate 40 pounds on the nose, they turn the washer in each spring to adjust the resistance.", "Then they adjust the pointer back to zero again.", "This is what they call a double-dial scale, meaning it has a face and pointer on each side.", "They install the second dial on the opposite end of the pinion so that the two pointers move in unison.", "They close up the space between the two dials with a strip of white plastic.", "This sash ring, as it's called, has grooves for the dials and for the transparent plastic cover that goes over them.", "Hanging scales can have dials or digital readouts, and they come in a wide range of capacities, from your common 20-pound, or 10-kilogram, grocery model, to heavy-duty 600-pound, or 272-kilo, scales designed to pull their weight in industry.", "The stresses of flight are hard on an aircraft's paint job.", "Ice, rain, and other environmental factors can soon make an aircraft look travel-weary.", "Regular paint jobs are just the ticket when it comes to keeping up appearances.", "They also help maintain the integrity of the airframe.", "Problems may lurk beneath the old paint of an aircraft.", "Stripping it off can expose weaknesses in the aluminum skin.", "They brush on a powerful chemical solution.", "The paint bubbles off, baring the aluminum and any small holes or dents in it.", "They seal the windows and doors and wrap sensitive components like antennas to protect them during stripping and pre-painting.", "Back to those flaws on the exposed aluminum.", "A production manager flags any damage or corrosion with blue tape.", "A technician then mixes a two-part aerodynamic filler.", "He works quickly because the compound will harden in minutes.", "He spreads the filler on the defects flagged by the production manager.", "The repair job smoothes the surface for painting and makes the airframe stronger and more aerodynamic.", "This aircraft has been primed and sanded.", "Now technicians blow off all the dust.", "They also wipe it down with adhesive cloths.", "This intensive cleaning is crucial.", "The plane has to be squeaky-clean or the paint won't adhere properly.", "Next, they prepare an additional primer.", "They spray it on areas that need more coverage and around parts that will get a lot of wear.", "They then mix polyurethane paint with various catalysts and activators.", "It's a special aircraft blend.", "Jets can be jumbo-sized, of course, so they often prep and paint a section at a time, sometimes on different days.", "They're now working on the fuselage and tail.", "Respirators and full-body gear protect them from the hazardous fumes as they work from the top of the aircraft down.", "A warm, low-humidity environment is essential to allow the paint to cure properly.", "And they'll adjust the paint formula to compensate when conditions aren't optimal.", "An aircraft usually gets two to three coats, resulting in a high-gloss finish.", "While it dries, a technician demonstrates for our camera the process of painting stripes onto an aircraft.", "He maps out the paint scheme with tape, then peels away some of it.", "He spray-paints the exposed sections.", "He peels off more tape and then covers the freshly painted stripes with protective paper so he can spray another color onto the plane.", "He pulls back the final pieces of tape, and this job passes with flying colors.", "They do some final detail work to make sure the lines are clean and crisp.", "After all, appearances count in the high-flying world of international travel.", "Even very tiny imperfections won't be tolerated.", "Using fine-grit sandpaper, they make them disappear.", "It can take four weeks and 1,800 person-hours to repaint a large jet.", "And when it comes to price, the sky's the limit.", "The least expensive jobs cost tens of thousands of dollars.", "So the customer has the final say.", "The handshake means this plane is ready to model its new look on the runway.", "Bite into a luxury chocolate, and you'll get a taste of one of the finer things in life.", "Each one tastes different from the next, and it's that element of surprise that keeps us coming back for more.", "Of course you could consult the index on the box, but that would spoil the fun.", "Ever since chocolate was discovered, people have had a craving for it.", "Today's luxury chocolates take our addiction to a whole new level.", "They add marshmallow cream and lots of pure butter to a mix of sugar and corn syrup to whip up some buttercream chocolates.", "Water, vanilla, and a special yeast enzyme complete the recipe.", "The enzyme will enhance the creaminess.", "They tuck the buttercream between ridged rollers, which shape it into creamy columns.", "A wire slices them into bite-sized morsels.", "They tamp the buttercreams to a uniform height.", "Chocolate oozes up through the slats of this conveyor to coat the bottoms of the creams.", "Then it's on to a cool surface to solidify.", "Next, the creams travel through two curtains of chocolate while being coated on the bottoms again.", "A worker uses her fingers to make a symbol on the top.", "It's a clue as to what's inside.", "A trip through a 24 1/2-foot-long cooling tunnel hardens the chocolate, and it's a feast for the eyes.", "You can look, but don't taste.", "These chocolates are headed to the stockroom.", "Now production takes a sweet turn as they cook up a caramel filling.", "They add sugar and salt to water, followed by corn syrup and a lot of heavy cream.", "They fire up the burner and turn on the mixer.", "They add butter to enhance the flavor.", "As the mix comes to a bubbling boil, it caramelizes.", "Then they kill the heat.", "Otherwise, the next ingredient, pure vanilla, would evaporate.", "They apply a nonstick substance to a big pan, then pour the caramel into it.", "They leave it to set overnight.", "The next day, they divide the caramel slab into squares.", "They feed the caramel squares into a device with circular knives.", "It's called a gang cutter, and it slices the squares into strips.", "They turn the sliced square sideways, and it goes through the gang cutter again to create caramel cubes.", "They dust the caramels with starch so they won't stick to each other as they go through the chocolate-coating system.", "And that's how they get the caramel in the chocolate.", "To make cordial-cherry chocolates, they load the cherries into a revolving pan.", "They add sugar crystals, and as the cherries roll around, they get an even coating.", "Along with the sugar, these cherries have been coated with a special enzyme.", "It will turn the sugar to liquid over the next 10 days for a juicer cherry taste.", "The enzyme effect is why the cherries get an extra coating of chocolate.", "It creates a solid shell that contains the sugary liquid.", "And now they're ready for cherry-picking chocoholics.", "Each box of chocolates contains 18 to 20 different varieties.", "Since they make three to four flavors a day, it can take up to a week to produce one of these luxury assortments.", "Of course, they'll be devoured in no time at all.", "For the customer, it's one sweet deal." ]

{ "things": [ "Chinese" ] }

[ "Classic chinese furniture is made of rich, lacquered woods with intricate carvings and ornate artwork in mother-of-pearl inlay.", "For centuries, the specialized skills required to craft these functional works of art have been passed down from generation to generation.", "The style of this striking rosewood sideboard dates to the tang dynasty of the 7th and 9th centuries-- a period considered a golden age of chinese arts.", "This manufacturer is located in thailand.", "Its design team consists of a conceptual designer who merges the structure and aesthetic features, a specialist who ensures the historical accuracy of the piece, and artists who draw the patterns for the elaborate wood carving and the intricate mother-of-pearl inlays.", "The team produces a highly detailed blueprint and makes several copies of the artwork patterns for the craftspeople to use.", "To make each inlaid cabinet door, a woodworker glues the pattern onto the wood, making sure that it's perfectly centered.", "Then using a router, he cuts about 3 millimeters deep, making a groove along the pattern's perimeter and cutting out the parts that will be inlaid with mother-of-pearl.", "Meanwhile, using another copy of the pattern, a worker makes templates by cutting out the same parts the woodworker routed out of the cabinet door.", "Each template is marked either pink, white, or green.", "She glues it into a 3-millimeter-thick piece of the corresponding color of mother-of-pearl.", "The next craftsperson takes one piece at a time, and holding it steady with pliers, carefully saws around the template with a 1-millimeter-wide blade.", "Once she's cut all the pieces, she reassembles the pattern.", "The next craftsperson spreads adhesive paste into the cutouts in the cabinet door.", "Then he fills each cutout with its corresponding piece of mother-of-pearl.", "Five hours from now, once the adhesive has dried, he runs a sander over the design to remove the paper and excess adhesive, smooth the wood, and polish the mother-of-pearl.", "Then an artist etches fine detail into the mother-of-pearl.", "This provides texture, dimension, and expression to objects and characters, which, until now, were merely blank shapes.", "High-end chinese-style furniture like this is traditionally made of heavy and sturdy rosewood.", "They first dry the wood to a humidity level of 11%.", "This prevents components from expanding or contracting significantly with temperature changes, which is critical because the sideboard is made of traditional jointed construction.", "The parts lock together without any nails, screws, or glue.", "To prepare pieces that will have a carved design, a worker glues a copy of the pattern onto the wood.", "Next, a woodworker drills a small hole in each area of the pattern to be cut out.", "He feeds a thin saw blade through the hole...", "Then saws out the area.", "Once he cuts out all the required areas, he hands the piece to one of the company's carvers.", "These artisans apprentice for years with the master carver to learn this ancient craft.", "Working with a collection of chisels, they gradually follow the pattern.", "It takes tremendous talent and skill to know how to read a drawing and, bit by bit, transform the flat wood beneath it into a three-dimensional design.", "Once all the components are ready, workers assemble the sideboard from the footed base upward.", "The drawers move on modern drawer slides, and the cabinet doors attach with bronze chinese-style hardware.", "They bring out the rich color and grain of the wood with four coats of traditional lacquer made entirely from tree sap.", "It highlights the etched details in the mother-of-pearl and protects the sideboard with a glossy shield.", "Light switches put a lot of power at your fingertips.", "One quick flick, and the lights go on or off.", "When switches are paired with sockets, appliances and gadgetry can also be powered up.", "Invented as an improvement over pull cords a century ago, switches deliver power to the people.", "Flip a switch, and the world instantly becomes a brighter place.", "Switches give us power over electrical power.", "Making switches starts with big sheets of metal.", "In this case, the sheets are brass.", "A worker serves them up to a hydraulic guillotine.", "It chops the brass into strips that will be used to make faceplates for custom-sized switches and sockets.", "For switches that are a standard size, they simply order the strips precut.", "Computerized punches cut holes and rough out both the faceplates and the steel grids that hold the electrical structure together.", "All the holes in the grid plates will correspond to holes in the faceplates in order to put the two together.", "These plates are for switches that will be installed in hotel rooms, and they will include sockets for three-pin british plugs.", "Next, more steel unwinds into a punch press, which transforms it into a framework to support the electrical components.", "The automated tooling wraps the punched metal around a form to give it the desired shape.", "This framework will also serve as an electrical grounding plate, discharging electrical energy from the socket to prevent shocks.", "A worker now attaches a molded plastic part to a grounding plate.", "He inserts a screw in a brass connector and installs it in a slot in the molded plastic.", "He installs a series of brass terminals.", "At the next station, a worker assembles fuse holders, contacts, and springs to the plastic structure.", "Next up are little spring- operated plastic shutters.", "They block the sockets when nothing is plugged into them.", "Moving down the assembly line, a worker inserts springs into twin rocker switches.", "She lowers a press to squeeze all the switch components together, then transfers the switches to the electrical unit.", "Another technician snaps a cover onto it.", "He plugs it into a light box to test it, and the bulbs of the box illuminate.", "This confirms that the switches and sockets are fully operational.", "He pulls the plug and sets the assembly aside.", "It has taken roughly four minutes to assemble the switch and socket unit.", "A worker now fits the steel grid plate to it with the switches and sockets protruding through it.", "This particular unit is also equipped with a round european plug and a usb charging port for mobile devices.", "At the next station, an operator serves up brass faceplates to a press that bends the rims, forming a thin lip that will fit around the grid plate.", "A computerized welder fuses studs to the back of the faceplates, placing one at each corner.", "These studs will fix the faceplate to the grid plate and provide a screwless finish on the front.", "When it comes to switch and socket combinations, there's no shortage of options.", "At this station, a worker assembles a particularly large one with switches, charging ports, and sockets.", "It's also designed for installation in a hotel room.", "He secures the charging port to the grid plate and is ready for the faceplate.", "He attaches it using the welded studs, and with the folded edging, it encases the grid plate neatly.", "This switch and socket assembly is now complete.", "When switched on, the circuit will be closed, and the electrical current will flow.", "When switched off, the circuit will open, and things will go dark.", "It should work every time.", "In many east asian cultures, salt is not traditionally used as a condiment.", "In its place, cooks use high-sodium sauces such as fish sauce.", "In thailand, fish sauce is a key ingredient in traditional dishes, giving them a rich and distinctive savory taste.", "Used in cooking or as a dipping sauce, thai fish sauce brings out the flavors of other ingredients.", "Fish sauce is made by fermenting two parts fish with one part salt.", "Over time, the salt will naturally extract water from the fish's flesh, creating the savory sauce.", "The factory processes 100 tons of fish every day.", "They use wild-caught anchovies from the gulf of thailand.", "Anchovies have a strong flavor, so even small amounts can be used to flavor dishes.", "They mix two parts fish with one part natural sea salt.", "The ingredients fall down a chute into a rotating drum.", "As it spins, it evenly mixes the salt and the fish.", "This is faster than mixing by hand, ensuring quicker processing times.", "When the mix is ready, it's taken to one of the 3,000 fermentation wells on-site.", "The bottom of the well is already filled with sea salt.", "They add the salt-fish mixture and spread it around so that the surface is flat.", "They finish by covering the mixture with a thick layer of sea salt.", "Each fermentation well can hold 10 tons of fish and salt.", "They cover the well with a cement corrugated sheet.", "The temperature inside can reach 104 degrees fahrenheit.", "They sometimes remove the cover to expose the sauce to sunlight.", "From time to time, they sample the sauce for inspection.", "Salt crystals form naturally on the surface.", "After 12 to 18 months of fermentation, first-grade sauce is pumped out from the bottom of the fermentation well with layers of salt acting as a natural filter.", "Fish sauce is stored in large fiberglass tanks.", "Employees take samples and send them to the lab for quality testing.", "After filtering and sweetening the sauce slightly with 5% sugar, they are ready for bottling.", "After a visual inspection, bottles head to the filling area.", "The machine grabs each bottle and fills it from the bottom up.", "Fish sauce does not need to be pasteurized as filtration has already eliminated most bacteria.", "Also, the sauce contains over 25% salt.", "This high-sodium content prevents any harmful bacteria from proliferating.", "Because of the sauce's intense flavor, it is generally used in moderation.", "So bottle caps have a small dropper hole to facilitate use of the sauce during cooking.", "Next, brushes apply adhesive labels to the body and neck of the bottle.", "This factory produces three different grades of fish sauce for a total of 15 million liters every year.", "After a second visual inspection, bottles proceed to the packing department.", "The machine pushes them forward, aligning them in position.", "By now, the bottle caps have been safety-sealed.", "A robotic carrier picks up 36 bottles to fill three boxes at once.", "A metal frame keeps the carton cases open as the machine inserts the bottles.", "The tasty sauce will be sold locally or exported to one of 70 different countries.", "In the food-science laboratory, technicians perform several quality-control tests.", "They start by measuring the salt content of the product as the salt will affect the taste and the shelf life of the sauce.", "Next, they measure the protein content.", "Fish protein breaks down during the fermentation process, releasing a compound called glutamate.", "Glutamate increases the flavor intensity of the sauce.", "Higher levels of protein give a tastier, higher-grade sauce.", "They also check the levels of histamine to make sure they comply with international food standards.", "High levels of histamine could indicate spoilage.", "They end with a ph test.", "Good fish sauce is slightly acidic, and the ph value must remain within an acceptable range.", "People now use fish sauce not only in thai dishes, but also to flavor their own traditional foods.", "Cappers are automated machines which apply caps on bottles that have been filled with a factory product-- anything from shampoo to soft drinks.", "The closures the cappers apply include screw caps, push-down tops, and aluminum caps molded to the shape of the bottle neck.", "Cappers come in different sizes to meet the product manufacturers' packaging requirements, from three-head machines that cap 40 bottles per minute, to 36-head machines that cap 1,200 bottles per minute.", "Every capper is custom-designed for the product being packaged, so producers must supply the capper manufacturer with samples of their specific bottles and caps.", "The first step of the design phase is to paint the samples white so that engineers can scan them with a laser to produce a three-dimensional computer model.", "Then the engineers use that virtual bottle and cap to design the machine's bottle-handling equipment.", "This refers to the components which transport the bottles through the machine as opposed to the components that apply the cap.", "This computer-guided water-jet cutter slices through a stainless-steel plate to make the bases that support the bottle-handling equipment on the capper from underneath.", "A computer-guided machining center shapes the complex bottle-handling components out of stainless-steel rods.", "The capper's bottle-capping components are machined the same way.", "Every part undergoes a precision inspection.", "An engineer checks the dimensions with a device called a coordinate measuring machine.", "A computer-guided router cuts the plastic components of the bottle-handling equipment from a 19-millimeter-thick sheet of polyethylene.", "Meanwhile, an electrician wires the capper's control panel.", "It houses the components which regulate the machine's speed, as well as the computer that controls all the machine's functions.", "The machine has sensors that detect the presence of a bottle and cap at the capping head.", "These sensors are wired to the computer.", "Other workers assemble the production-line conveyor belt that ferries bottles into and out of the capper.", "The belt is comprised of plastic links connected with pins.", "To begin assembling the machine, workers attach the three capping heads to the overhead carousel.", "Then they install a capping chuck in each head.", "The chuck picks up a cap.", "Then the capping head rotates to screw the cap on the bottle.", "A computer-guided engraver labels the capper's infeed star wheel-- a disc with pockets that guide the bottles into the machine.", "Workers highlight the engraving with paint and inset a colored disc indicating the specific bottle size the star wheel is designed to run.", "They repeat these steps with the machine's two other star wheels-- one in the center of the machine that moves the bottles under the capping heads and another that transfers the bottles to the machine's exit.", "Workers manually assemble each star wheel.", "They verify the pocket size...", "Then, on the center star wheel only, bolt a stainless-steel reinforcement layer and line the pockets with a rubber material that grips bottles.", "After installing the metal support bases on the capper, they mount the corresponding star wheels.", "The center star wheel and base have to be made in halves to fit around the machine's central shaft.", "Workers install the center guide.", "The bottles travel in the path between the wheels and the guide.", "Next, workers install a restraint belt made of the same rubber material that lines the center star wheel pockets.", "The belt and pocket prevent the bottle from spinning as the capping head screws on the cap.", "No capper leaves the factory without a test run.", "Before running the machine normally, workers run it at low speed to check that the components are properly aligned and the movements correctly timed.", "The infeed star wheel receiving the bottles transfers them to the center star wheel under the capping heads.", "The capped bottles then transfer to the discharge star wheel, which guides them to the conveyor belt leading to the labeling machine." ]

{ "things": [ "CCD Semiconductors", "Airline Meals", "Paper Cups", "Trumpets" ] }

[ "Today on \"how it's made,\" ccd semiconductors...", "Airline meals...", "Paper cups...", "And trumpets.", "A ccd semiconductor is the image sensor in a digital camera or camcorder.", "When you snap the shutter or press record, you expose the ccd to patterns of light.", "It captures them electronically by converting them into millions of electrical charges.", "The camera's processor then reads these charges and translates them into pictures or movies.", "Ccds, or charge couple devices, are made of silicon, the main element in sand.", "What's special about silicon?", "When light hits it, you get electrons.", "Production begins with a round silicon wafer six inches in diameter and about as thick as a shirt cardboard.", "It goes into a steam oven for three to four hours.", "The intense heat, along with oxygen and hydrogen gases in the steam, create a glass-like layer on the wafer.", "This insulates the silicon against the miniature electrical circuitry that will be built on top of it.", "But first, the wafer is covered in conductive material.", "This layer measures less than a micron.", "A human hair is 100 times thicker.", "Next, a robot applies a one-micron-thick layer of photo-sensitive resin, which will undergo a chemical reaction when exposed to light.", "A technician places a mask over the wafer.", "The pattern on this mask is the scheme attic for part of the circuitry.", "When you take a picture, you expose the silicon wafer to light and that generates electrons.", "The circuitry carries those electrons to the camera's processor, which reads the charges and translates them into an image.", "This machine exposes the masked wafer to ultraviolet light.", "The resin underneath the circuitry pattern remains intact, protecting the conductive layer beneath it.", "The resin on the areas not masked by the circuitry pattern needs to be removed.", "Chemicals are sprayed on.", "This dissolves the resin exposing the conductive layer underneath.", "Technicians repeat this entire process with anywhere from 13 to 30 masks until they've built up the full circuitry pattern on the wafer.", "Next, technicians submerge the wafer in acid, which eats away the uncovered conductive layer.", "So, now, the only conductive material left on the wafer is the actual circuitry.", "Next step, a thorough rinsing in tap water to remove the residue.", "Then a rinse with purified water to remove any impurities left by the tap water.", "Throughout production, contamination is a concern.", "A single speck of dust can ruin an entire wafer.", "To protect and insulate the circuitry, the wafer is coated in liquid glass, then baked for two hours, until the glass hardens.", "The wafer surface is divided into 25 million tiny square cells called pixels.", "When you take a photo, each pixel records the light intensity of a minute portion of the scene, generating an electrical charge.", "A filter on the ccd translates each pixel charge into color.", "The company makes this filter with three pigment powders-- red, green and blue.", "These three colors combined in varying ratios can reproduce any color.", "The camera's processor reads and then reconstructs the photograph scene pixel by pixel.", "Each finished ccd undergoes a battery of automated tests to ensure that all the circuits are functional.", "The machine marks faulty circuits with ink.", "Just one bad circuit means the entire ccd needs to be discarded.", "Technicians then check every ccd under a microscope looking for scratches that might have occurred during the production process.", "The number of pixels on a ccd varies depending on what type of camera it's for.", "This one is a 25 megapixel ccd, meaning it has 25 million pixels.", "This company even produces a single ccd that has 111 megapixels.", "So the next time you say, \"cheese,\" remember that you're producing a digital photo thanks to all that painstaking work that went into the sophisticated ccd semiconductor inside your camera.", "When we return, creating the ultimate to-go meals for today's highflyers.", "In the earliest days of air travel, passengers really lived the high life.", "They were served multi-course meals that were actually prepared during flight.", "But as air travel boomed, this kind of service became impractical, and airlines turned to premade meals.", "Not all food fares well at high altitudes.", "That's why you don't see any souffles at 30,000 feet.", "They couldn't possibly rise to the occasion.", "It's just one of the restrictions airline chefs need to consider when preparing a menu.", "Airline meals start with tons of ingredients, literally.", "Just one facility can turn out 45,000 meals in a single day.", "Of course, the cooks wash their hands very thoroughly because they don't want any germs stowed away in the meal.", "They cook on grills that are five feet long.", "At one end, they stir-fry vegetables, while at the other, they sauté potatoes.", "Then, they spice it up.", "Airline food isn't as bland as it's reputed to be.", "Researchers believe that low humidity and the pressurized environment cause our taste buds to work less efficiently in an airplane, something to take into account when you're traveling by air.", "Recipes vary according to the route.", "Flights to more exotic locales will offer spicier dishes, while a domestic north american flight usually calls for more moderate seasoning.", "Cooks fire up different grills for the meat.", "They prepare food for the crew as well as the passengers.", "On many airlines, the pilot and co-pilot must eat different meals to minimize the risk of food-related illness compromising the flight.", "The cooked food will now be blast chilled in special fridges.", "Cooks scrub up again as they prepare to assemble the meals.", "They start with the food that needs to be reheated on the plane.", "It goes into foil containers.", "Smaller containers inside help control the portion sizes.", "Cooks must be careful not to overstuff them because that could cause messy spills later.", "A little sauce and a generous dab of herb butter, and you have the makings of a first-class meal.", "Finally, the food is covered with a vented lid.", "With each menu change, chefs must meet with airline representatives.", "They serve up sample dishes and discuss the ingredients with them.", "There's often a lot of negotiation before the final menu is agreed upon.", "Every detail about an airline meal is carefully planned right down to the plates and bowls and how they're placed on the serving tray.", "It takes a bit of arranging to make everything fit.", "Once planners finalize the arrangements, they follow that formula in the kitchen.", "As with any meal, presentation counts for a lot.", "Of course, meals in economy class are more simple, and the planning less detailed.", "The food-laden trays go onto trolleys and are rolled into a big, refrigerated room, where they're arranged according to the flight number.", "They won't be here for long because every meal is made to be served that day.", "And all the groundwork beforehand is sure to pay off once passengers and crew are in the air.", "Up next, a popular product that lets us all enjoy one for the road.", "The paper cup was invented around the turn of the 20th century to stop the spread of disease.", "Today, it's an integral part of our culture.", "Paper cups provide a convenient and hygienic way to serve food and beverages, and the lining of water-tight plastic or wax prevents any nasty leaks.", "And where would we be without our disposable coffee cups?", "Production starts with paper that has a thin plastic coating.", "It unrolls into a printer that's as long as a bowling lane.", "As the paper weaves through the machine, printing cylinders layer an image onto the paper one color at a time.", "When the image is complete, a rotary die cuts the paper into what's called a flat.", "The dimensions of the flat vary depending on the size of the cup being made.", "Each flat will eventually become a paper cup.", "They land on a conveyor in a shingle-like lineup.", "A computerized system counts the flats and divvies them up into stacks of 200.", "The flats drop into an elevator stacker.", "It creates piles that workers can easily collect.", "They load them into another conveyor in a different part of the factory.", "It moves the flats in a vibrating shuffle up into the cup machine.", "Meanwhile, a roll of paper winds into the other side of that machine, where a die punches out bottoms for the paper cups.", "This leaves a long strip of scrap paper which gets sucked away for recycling.", "Meanwhile, the flats are relayed to a carousel.", "Now the paper cup takes shape.", "Mechanical jaws wrap each flat, and a heat gun seals the seam.", "And now, you have a paper cup with no bottom.", "That crucial step comes next.", "Bottoms are shoved onto the cups and heat-sealed in place by melting the plastic backing on the unprinted side of the paper.", "The cups then fall down a chute to the next operation, which will give the cups a rim and allow you to take a sip without spilling.", "A hot tool curls the top edge of the paper.", "Then, the vacuum sucks each cup into ductwork overhead.", "Each piece of ductwork comes from a different production line.", "There are big cups and small cups, all traveling to the packing department, where they land in stacking tubes.", "A counter keeps a running tally and portions out the stacks.", "The stacks then slide into a curtain of plastic.", "Hot jaws seal the plastic wrap around the stack.", "And now, the cups are ready to be packed and shipped.", "Meanwhile, over in the testing department, this is no coffee break.", "Inspectors have pulled some cups off the production line to check for leaks.", "A mirror below reflects the bottom line, but leaks are one in a million, so they made one leak deliberately for demonstration.", "In the case of a real leak, production is halted and inspectors follow the paper trail until they determine the problem.", "It takes about a minute to transform pieces of paper into a cup.", "Now, it's time to hit the road without any leakage.", "When we return, a factory with something to trumpet about.", "The ancestor of the modern trumpet was a straight horn that could emit just a few notes.", "By the 15th century, instrument makers learned how to bend a horn, allowing for more notes to be produced.", "The invention of the valve in the mid-1800s finally allowed the trumpet to play in any key.", "A trumpet is made up of five feet of tubing.", "Three valves allow air to flow through additional tubing to alter the trumpet's pitch.", "Trumpets are made from sheets of metal, most often brass.", "This factory combines different thicknesses of brass in a single instrument to attain a particular sound.", "Workers first lay a template on a brass sheet and trace it out.", "Then they cut along the score line with electric shears.", "This piece will become the trumpet's bell.", "A manually operated press forms a perfect fold down the middle.", "Then, they notch the edges.", "Then, they close up the bell by hammering the notched pieces onto the opposite edge.", "They use a rawhide mallet because anything harder would damage the brass.", "A brass alloy is melted along the joint.", "It solidifies in a metal seam that permanently bonds the edges.", "Next, the bell goes over a cone-shaped mandril where the brass is hammered until it, too, is cone-shaped.", "Then the bell goes onto another mandril mounted on a lathe.", "Here, the brass cone is refined into a more refined shape.", "Then, the metal is filed smooth.", "Now for the bell's rim, called the bead.", "A brass rod with a notch at the end catches the edge of the bell and rolls it back into a rim.", "Metalworkers use what's called a concave roller to round the rim's jagged edge.", "Then they slide a brass alloy wire into the rim pocket.", "This makes the bell stronger and adds weight to the edge of the flare to project the sound better.", "They roll the rim over even more to enclose the wire.", "Now they heat the rim and apply acid flux to clean the surface for soldering.", "Silver solder ensures the wire won't rattle when the bell vibrates.", "After wiping off the excess flux, the bell goes back on the lathe to scrape off the excess solder.", "Using an abrasive sponge, workers smooth away any scratches left by the scraper.", "Then, they remove any solder bits trapped in the rim.", "Now, the entire bell is filled with a soapy solution.", "Then, it's frozen at minus 56 degrees.", "When the solution is frozen, the bell goes into a bending block.", "The frozen solution provides counter pressure, preventing the brass from buckling inward, and because there's soap mixed in, the pliable ice doesn't shatter under the pressure.", "After the angle of the bend is checked with a gauge, the bell is defrosted.", "In the mounting department, workers assemble smaller components made of brass and nickel.", "Valve casings, the sliding tubes to which they connect, the slide for tuning the trumpet, the pipe that holds the mouthpiece, then they solder on the bell.", "They lubricate three pistons and install one in each valve casing.", "These slides have to be loose enough to move but tight enough to prevent air leaks.", "One slide has a finger ring for holding the trumpet.", "After polishing and lacquering the brass, workers test the trumpet for sound quality.", "This is one company that likes to blow its own horn." ]

{ "things": [ "Car Headlamps", "Directional Drills", "Pet Grooming Combs", "Stained Glass Restoration" ] }

[ "Headlights aren't just functional.", "They're often the first design feature that catches the eye of a potential buyer.", "Unlike the metal and glass versions of the past, today's headlights are made of durable plastics that can be creatively molded into a multitude of shapes.", "In addition to the main beam, this pickup truck headlight has an integrated amber turn signal and daytime running light.", "Most of the headlight's components are made of injection-molded plastic.", "The machine melts plastic pellets into a gooey liquid, then shoots it into a mold for the specific part.", "The headlight lenses are made of clear polycarbonate, a strong plastic that's resistant to extreme heat and cold.", "The molding process stresses the plastic.", "To relieve that stress, they put the lens into an annealing oven for 20 minutes.", "When the lens comes out, they wipe it down with an anti-static cloth and inspect the surface meticulously.", "Next, a robot sprays the lens with a protective coating.", "This will prevent scratches, chips, or yellowing from exposure to ultraviolet rays.", "They run the lens through a tunnel oven to cure it.", "This component is the reflector for the headlight's main beam.", "It's made of fiberglass-reinforced polyester.", "They sand away any excess material, then hand wash the part with soap and water to remove any polyester residue left by the sanding.", "Then, they put the reflector into a machine similar to a dishwasher.", "A robot sprays on a coat of primer.", "It goes on clear, but turns yellow after it cures in an oven.", "Now comes the process that makes the reflector reflective.", "Inside an aluminizing chamber, a fixture rotates the reflector on its own axis as well as around copper electrodes at the center of the machine.", "An electrical charge to the copper electrodes generates heat, which vaporizes an aluminum wire that's wrapped around a spiral tungsten filament.", "The aluminum becomes a mist that deposits evenly across the surface of the reflector.", "Now they assemble the headlight, beginning with the housing.", "It's made of injected-molded polypropylene.", "After installing the reflector for the daytime running light, they attach the main beam reflector.", "They include pivots and adjusting screws so that the beam level can be customized.", "They screw in the reflector for the turn signal.", "It's made of aluminized plastic.", "Then, a robot applies a sealant which prevents water, dust, and insects from penetrating the housing.", "They place the assembly in a lens binding machine.", "Then, they insert the main beam lens, which has already been joined to the turn signal and daytime running lights.", "The top of the binding machine descends, securing these assemblies to each other with screws.", "Next, they screw in a halogen bulb for the main beam reflector.", "The bulb has two filaments for a high and low beam.", "Then, they add halogen bulbs for the turn signal and daytime running lights.", "The last step is to level the main beam reflector.", "This leveling machine tells them which adjustable screws to turn to tilt the reflector into the correct position.", "This is the manufacturer's default setting.", "Auto makers can change this before installing the headlights in their vehicles.", "This model hooks up to wiring coming from the pickup truck.", "Some headlights have built-in wiring that connects to the vehicle.", "It's easy to change a burnt out bulb in both designs.", "You simply lift the hood of the vehicle to access the bulb from the rear of the headlight housing.", "When work crews need to lay pipes or cables, they use a directional drill to bore a horizontal hole underground.", "It enters the ground at an angle, drills underneath the surface horizontally, then exits at an angle on the other end.", "A directional drill enters the ground at an 18 degree angle.", "Once it reaches the desired depth, it drills horizontally.", "The machine can attach several onboard drill rods for increased drilling distance.", "Most of the machine's parts are made of steel, cut to the required shape by a computer-guided laser.", "Workers use a press brake to bend certain parts.", "This is part of the drill's undercarriage, the frame on which everything else sits.", "After they bend this part, they weld it to other parts to build the engine mount.", "They weld the engine mount to the rest of the undercarriage.", "Once the undercarriage is complete, they clean the steel with a chemical to maximize the adhesion of the industrial-grade primer and paint.", "Once the paint dries, they install a rubber track on each side.", "Tires leave ruts in the ground, so tracks work better.", "The track loops around a rail and sprocket at the back.", "Workers mount the sprocket on a hydraulically-powered motor, then align the sprocket teeth with the track.", "When the motor runs, the sprocket rotates, driving the track.", "They apply thread-locking fluid to the bolts that secure the sprocket to the motor.", "This ensures the sprocket won't loosen.", "Then, they install a track tensioning spring and tighten it with a pneumatic wrench.", "Next, the steel hydraulic tank.", "It holds the hydraulic oil for the machine's 23 different hydraulic functions.", "Now the water pump.", "It lubricates the drill rod with water to help it move through the ground.", "It also cleans the machine after each drilling job.", "They install the pivot mechanism that opens and closes the engine hood.", "Now that the hydraulic tank, water pump, and hood pivot are in place, they begin installing the machine's diesel engine.", "It's similar to a tractor engine.", "They connect its wiring to the operator console and several other components on the machine.", "The operator console consists of the driver seat, dashboard lcd display, and joystick controls.", "Next, they join the rack containing all the drilling components to the undercarriage.", "They install two plastic tanks-- white for water, black for fuel.", "Then, the onboard computer that runs the engine and drilling components.", "They also install control valves for the hydraulic lines.", "They mount the rod box, which holds 40 drill rods, each measuring 2 inches in diameter by 10 feet in length.", "Larger models have longer and wider drill rods.", "They connect the ventilated plastic hood to the hood pivot they installed earlier.", "They close the hood over the engine, then apply make and model number decals.", "This directional drilling machine is now fully built and ready for testing.", "As the rack tilts down at the front, hydraulically-powered outrigger feet at the back descend, raising the machine into the drill position.", "Giant augurs at the front keep the machine on the ground.", "The rack's gearbox is powered by a hydraulic motor.", "It rotates the drill rod while the carriage moves the rod through the ground.", "When the job's done, the carriage moves back, retracting the rod.", "With all its rods joined together, this small machine can drill almost 400 feet.", "Pet grooming combs are specifically designed for animal fur.", "They can get down to the roots to detangle, loosen, and remove dead hair.", "A good grooming comb is essential to the primping process.", "It's believed that the pets of british and french nobility were the first to be regularly groomed centuries ago.", "Today, a lot of pets receive the royal treatment.", "At this factory, pet combs start with bundles of long brass bars.", "A computer-guided saw slices them into 6-inch pieces.", "Each piece will be transformed into a comb body.", "An employee inserts six of the brass pieces into a vice and tightens the clamps.", "A computerized drill carves dimples into the ends of each of the blanks.", "This is called a predrill.", "The drill returns to each dimple, producing precisely-cut holes to join the comb body to a handle.", "Next, a computerized drill bores into the brass pieces, creating small holes for the comb's teeth.", "The spacing of the holes varies depending on the type of comb being made.", "Combs with tightly-spaced teeth are used for finer fur.", "The combs are now ready for teeth.", "An employee inserts three comb bodies in a fixture, then grabs a handful of steel pins and pops them into the holes, one by one.", "These steel teeth aren't sharp.", "They've been blunted to avoid hurting the animal during combing.", "She gently taps the steel teeth with a hammer to force them further into the holes.", "She brushes off any residual shavings from the earlier drilling.", "Then, she places the combs on a demagnetizer.", "It erases any magnetic fields in the steel teeth that could compromise the chrome plating finish they will soon receive.", "Next, a punch sets the steel teeth in their final position.", "At another station, a device cuts extruded aluminum into shorter pieces.", "These pieces of aluminum will be the pet comb handles.", "Their contoured shape is designed for easy gripping.", "A worker clamps one of the handles in a fixture.", "It holds the handle steady as he drills rivet holes in both ends.", "The fixture also helps locate the holes through lined channels called bushings.", "By drilling through the bushings, he produces accurate rivet holes every time.", "In the meantime, the comb assembly has been plated with a rust-resistant nickel and chrome finish.", "It's ready to be joined to the handle.", "An employee aligns the holes in the comb with the holes in the handle, and places them in a riveter.", "The tool flattens the rivets against the handle on both sides.", "Then, she dabs adhesive around the open ends of the handle and inserts plastic caps.", "She hammers the caps down.", "The glue sets quickly, creating a strong seal.", "After about a half hour of work, this pet grooming comb is now complete.", "It should last for many years.", "There will, no doubt, be many tangles ahead, but this comb will pull through them.", "And, in the end, fido will look and feel a whole lot better.", "Stained glass windows add beauty and light to places of worship.", "Over time, exposure to the elements and pollution can cause the glass, metal framework, and glazing to deteriorate.", "Restoration ensures the survival of these sacred works of art for future generations.", "They are incredible picture windows.", "Each stained glass panel depicts a religious scene.", "But it is a fragile art, and often, only a restoration can ensure its survival.", "It starts with a thorough evaluation.", "An assessor photographs the window.", "She examines every part as well as measures the panes and connecting lead strips known as cames.", "She numbers the parts and loads information about their condition into a computer.", "These cames are in bad shape, so they'll need to completely disassemble the panel and rebuild it.", "First, they make a rubbing.", "A member of the team places a large sheet of paper over the back of the window.", "He rubs a wax crayon over the raised led strips to transfer the pattern of the panes.", "After testing the condition of the paint on the panes, he submerges the glass in a non-acidic cleaning solution, and leaves it overnight.", "This softens the glazing cement between the lead strips so the window can be easily disassembled.", "He clips off the lead strips.", "He extracts the glass and cleans off the glazing using a straight-edged razor.", "He gently scrubs off residue with a soft-bristle brush, and wipes the glass clean.", "He pieces together the glass panes within the paper pattern.", "Most of the panes are in good condition and can be preserved.", "But one is fractured and held together with special conservation tape.", "They'll need to replace it.", "A craftsperson traces the outline of the cracked piece onto a new piece of glass.", "She scores the new glass, giving the outline a wide margin.", "She snaps the glass along the score line, then cuts the glass along the tracing lines.", "She compares the pieces to confirm they have the same silhouette.", "She copies the designs onto the new pane and mixes a matte paint that matches the one on the broken pane.", "She then shades the designs on the new pane with the matte paint.", "She dabs it with a brush to create fine, crisscrossed lines.", "Then, she switches to a brush with shorter and stiffer bristles.", "She removes some of the paint, following the designs on the pane.", "This creates highlights.", "She fires the glass in a hot kiln, and then lowers the temperature to anneal it.", "This process reduces brittleness.", "Switch compares the replicated pane to the broken one.", "She joins all the stained glass panes using new lead cames.", "She taps the panes gently with a rubber mallet to fit them snugly into the grooves of the cames.", "This lead matrix will both unify the numerous panes and create visual interest with bold strokes.", "Using an electric soldering iron, she melts tin and lead solder where the channeled lead strips intersect.", "These solder joints hold the window's lead skeleton together.", "Another team member applies glazing cement across the front and back of the stained glass panel.", "The cement provides waterproofing and added strength.", "He sprinkles calcium carbonate onto the wet cement.", "It's known as whiting.", "The whiting soaks up excess oil in the glaze.", "As he brushes it off, it cleans and polishes the panel.", "He trims the cement around the lead strips to give them a clean edge.", "Finally, he vacuums up the glazing residue.", "With the restoration complete, he props the stained glass panel against a backlight.", "It shines like new when illuminated.", "It's taken about a week to restore this stained glass window.", "It should last another century or more, providing plenty of opportunities for spiritual reflection." ]

{ "things": [ "Glass Cookware", "Soap Bars", "Steel Drums", "Firefighter Uniforms" ] }

[ "Today on \"how it's made\"...", "Glass cookware...", "Soap bars...", "Steel drums...", "And firefighter uniforms.", "Pyrex is an idea cooked up by the wife of a glass-industry scientist in 1913.", "She believed the tough glass used in lantern globes would be great for baking cakes in, so she baked one in some glass her husband brought home.", "The cake was a hit, changing the notion that glass was too fragile for the oven.", "Today, in most homes, you'll find different types of cookware, many of which are made from pyrex.", "To produce some dishes, a batch feeder pushes ingredients into a big furnace as they spill out of a bin overhead.", "Silica sand is the biggest part of the mix.", "It's a crystalline substance, and it makes glass transparent.", "The batch also includes soda ash and recycled glass.", "Some of the other ingredients are a trade secret.", "The furnace heats the mix to the melting point, over 2,700 degrees fahrenheit.", "It turns into molten glass that looks like lava.", "The glass, in this lava-like form, will spend up to 24 hours in the furnace.", "On its way out, mechanical shears cut it into gobs.", "The gobs slide down a water-cooled chute and drop into a baking-dish-shaped mold.", "There are 16 molds on a rotating table.", "As it turns, the table delivers the gob-filled molds to a plunger, which presses them into the baking-dish shape.", "Continuing to rotate, the table positions the molds under blowers.", "They cool the freshly-molded glass so it holds its shape.", "A mechanical arm suctions up the glass dish and sets it down on another revolving table.", "Flames lick the glassware from burners above and below.", "The dish is exposed to a temperature of over 1,800 degrees fahrenheit.", "This softens its sharp edges so that the rim is smooth.", "Next, hoses blast high-pressure air, cooling the dishes to solidify them, so that a mechanical arm can pick them up without ruining them.", "It transports the glass dishes to a conveyor belt.", "Further down, another arm feeds the dishes to a kiln, where heating and cooling cycles temper the glass.", "This is what gives pyrex its strength.", "Now it's time to make the lid.", "A different plunger presses glass gobs into a lid shape.", "Every lid needs a knob, so a valve inside the mold forms it, and then thrusts the lid up to be picked up by a mechanical arm.", "The arm flips its lid and sets it down on a conveyor belt.", "The lids are on the move, traveling through a tempering kiln.", "On their way out, a fan cools them off so that they can be handled by human hands this time.", "Workers inspect each glass lid before packing them.", "On another line, measuring cups are produced.", "Little platforms lift the measuring cups to suctioning arms that protrude from a revolving silk-screen machine.", "A little squeegee forces enamel through a screen, printing measurements onto the cup.", "Over in the lab, a worker roughs up a sample dish.", "By rubbing it with sandpaper, he mimics years of wear and tear.", "But it's about to be subjected to even more abuse.", "He places a sharp tool in the center of the dish and takes aim with a hammer.", "Will it break without shattering into numerous little shards?", "It's a clean break, which means this dish has met the quality standards.", "The widespread use of soap has elevated our standards of cleanliness.", "The ingredients that are used in soap remove dirt and dangerous pathogens.", "Regularly washing your hands can reduce the chances of you getting sick and will make your world a more hygienic place.", "Soap comes in a variety of shapes, colors, and textures, even different scents.", "But it all starts in a bubbling kettle, where animal or vegetable fat reacts with sodium hydroxide, a caustic substance, to create soap.", "They add water to keep it fluid, as steam bubbles up through the center to mix it all up and encourage the chemical reaction.", "This may look like an arctic ice floe, but it's the leftovers-- soap that settled at the bottom of the kettle.", "They pour it all into this tank and reuse it in the next batch.", "Now they spray hot liquid soap onto a big metal roll.", "It solidifies in a flash, and a big blade scrapes it off the roll, creating ribbons of soap.", "The soap ribbons plunge into a hopper, where an auger moves the soap along, sending it down a chute.", "The soap ribbons fall all the way to the next floor to big steel rollers called mills.", "They mix and compress the soap.", "A blade scrapes it off the rollers and cuts it into ribbons again, but these soap ribbons are denser.", "Inside the next hopper, another auger turns.", "It pushes the soap through an extruder called a noodle plate that shapes it into soap noodles.", "As the noodles fall from the extruder, they're collected in bins, which are then dumped into a mixer.", "At this point, they add color in powder and liquid form.", "Steel blades stir it up until the color coats the soap noodles.", "They add some fragrant oils, and the blades toss it all together.", "When the batch is ready, a trapdoor opens.", "The blades keep turning, nudging the soap out the door.", "Then it's forced through another noodle plate.", "This mixes up the batch a little more.", "Next they push the soap through a forming plate, making a long bar.", "Blades mounted on a track slice it into shorter pieces called slugs.", "The soap slugs are on their way to the next stage.", "They're on a two-lane thoroughfare heading into a die-press.", "A mechanical arm pushes the slugs through an oval plate, trimming it and then loading it into the die.", "The die rotates to accept the slugs.", "Mechanical presses move in to shape and stamp them.", "Mechanical arms suction the bars to remove them from the die.", "These mechanical pushers help.", "They nudge the soap bars out of the die towards the suctioning arms.", "The oval soap bars now travel through a wrapping station.", "A blade crimps and heat-seals the plastic wrap in one fell swoop.", "Then automated grippers grasp the wrapped bars and load them into a machine, which slides them into little boxes.", "Now it's time to pack them up and ship them off to the store.", "The story of the steel drum begins in trinidad in the 1930s, when street-band skirmishes led to the ban of skin drums.", "So people improvised and made drums from thick bamboo poles, car parts, tins, and, finally, oil barrels.", "Steel drums have a very distinctive sound.", "when people first started pounding on steel instruments, they inadvertently dented them.", "That's how they discovered that each dent produced a different pitch.", "So now steel drums are created with the same idea.", "To make a drumhead, they cut a piece of steel into a circle.", "They weld a metal ring onto it, and then they position a metal shell, or skirt, on the ring and weld it in place.", "The drum is held in a big clamp while a worker pinpoints the drumhead's exact center.", "He places a measuring guide there, using it to mark radial lines from the center to the rim.", "Each line is 10 degrees apart.", "As the drum turns, he draws circular lines to make a grid.", "Now he pounds the head of the drum with a pneumatic hammer, using the grid as a guide to ensure the work is done evenly.", "It takes 8 hours of hammering to transform the drum into a bowl-like shape.", "This is called sinking the drum.", "Then, with a special guide for curved surfaces, a technician measures out another grid inside the bowled drumhead.", "He outlines the notes that are about to be hammered out-- in this case, a high \"b\" and an \"e\".", "Then he hammers down the steel around each one to shape the note.", "Getting this right takes skill and a lot of time, up to 50 hours.", "He trims the drum skirt to the correct length and tapes a stencil of the company logo onto the skirt.", "This device is an electrical etching machine.", "It uses acid and electric current to eat away the steel exposed through the stencil.", "Now a technician wields an ultrasonic thickness probe.", "She presses it against a note.", "Using high-frequency sound waves, the probe measures the steel's thickness to within a fraction of an inch.", "She grinds down the notes where needed.", "Then, using a scribing tool, she scratches a line around each note, so it will be visible to the player.", "Now it's time to make sure they have the right note.", "To tune a steel drum, the technician plays a note with a stick and then dents it with a hammer to adjust the pitch.", "You have to listen very carefully.", "He hammers the note until it sounds right.", "Sometimes, he turns the drum upside down to knock out a note from the underside.", "For the fine-tuning, he relies on an electronic tuner.", "A microphone delivers the sound to it, and the lines on the screen tell him if the note is in tune or not.", "Next, he burns the border of each note with a blowtorch.", "Then he cools it down with water.", "The process tempers the steel, making the notes more resonant.", "He tunes the drum again, checking for flaws.", "After the drum is chrome-plated, he tunes it a final time.", "It has taken 120 hours to make this steel drum.", "Now it's time to take a break and listen to the unique sound.", "firefighters have been doing their jobs heroically for centuries.", "Their uniforms, however, were not always up to the task.", "Good thing today's firefighters are cloaked in layers of space-age material.", "The protective armor has virtually eliminated firefighter deaths caused by burn injuries.", "A computer-guided machine cuts out more than 90 parts to make the outer shell, just one of three layers in a firefighter's jacket.", "This fabric contains synthetic fiber known as pbi, which protects against temperatures as high as 1,200 degrees fahrenheit.", "Another machine tapes the seams of the jacket's middle layer, the moisture barrier.", "Pressure rollers and high heat activate glue in the tape, sealing the seams.", "This synthetic fabric lets perspiration through, but blocks some harmful liquids, such as battery acid, hydraulic fluid, or infected blood.", "Now they line the moisture barrier with the thermal liner, the jacket's third and innermost layer.", "This synthetic fabric protects against heat of up to 800 degrees fahrenheit.", "To reinforce the cuffs, hems, and front and back panels, a worker sews them together with a heat-resistant tape and thread, but she leaves the neck area unattached, so the firefighters can pull the jacket inside out to inspect the liner between rescues.", "Back to the outer shell.", "A worker sews two orange-and-silver stripes to the front and back panels.", "She also sews a stripe onto each sleeve.", "The florescent orange makes the firefighter more visible in daylight.", "The reflective silver is for nighttime or in the smoke.", "In some cases, she adds reflective die-cut letters identifying the fire department or spelling the firefighter's name.", "A strip of velcro goes onto the left front panel.", "It's one of four ways to fasten the jacket, in addition to zippers, snaps, and hooks.", "To keep water from entering through the front of the jacket, they attach a strip of the same fabric used to make the moisture barrier.", "A worker sews it inside the outer shell's right front panel, what's called the storm flap.", "The storm flap's other side gets a velcro strip that mates with the velcro on the left panel.", "They attach the front panels to the back panels.", "A worker folds the garment over, and the machine sews through two layers at once.", "It's another way to reinforce the seams of the jacket.", "They use a different sewing machine to attach the sleeves.", "A worker sews five different seams to join the shoulder areas.", "This is critical because firefighters carry a 24-pound air tank on their back.", "The seams spread out the stress this weight places on the jacket.", "A worker attaches three metal snaps to the inside front of the outer shell.", "These will attach the outer shell to the two inner layers.", "Then, a heat-resistant plastic zipper.", "This machine applies three rivets to each of four spring-loaded hooks along the right front panel of the jacket.", "A six-foot-long strap cinches around the armpits to drag an injured firefighter away from danger.", "A worker then snaps together the assembled inner layers to the outer shell.", "There are four snaps on each cuff, which could heat up quickly in a fire.", "Tabs ensure they never burn the firefighter's skin.", "The front panels come together with four snaps on each side.", "The four-inch collar unfolds, covering the neck to where it meets the firefighter's helmet.", "Fully assembled, the jacket weighs about four and a half pounds.", "This testing device gauges how long it would take to sustain a second-degree burn.", "A gas burner shoots a flame that's exactly 2,000 degrees fahrenheit directly onto the jacket's outer layer.", "A heat sensor mimics human skin's sensitivity to heat.", "The material fails the test if the transferred heat would cause second-degree burns in less than 17 1/2 seconds.", "Finally, they shower the uniform for 20 minutes to test its watertight seal.", "The dummy's wearing a cotton bodysuit underneath.", "Just one wet spot on the bodysuit, and the uniform fails inspection." ]

{ "things": [ "Blast Doors", "Lipstick", "Artificial Palm Trees", "Brass Plaques" ] }

[ "With a black market for firearms and terrorism a worldwide threat, armed forces need to protect their munitions from getting into the wrong hands.", "Weapons are often stored in earth-covered concrete bunkers that have special doors.", "These mammoth steel doors are designed to prevent anyone from blasting their way into a military bunker to access the munitions stored inside.", "The key to the doors' exceptional strength-- a grid structure core made from steel slats 6 inches wide and 6mm thick.", "A computer-guided torch notches half the slats so the other half can slot into them to form the grid structure.", "Workers assemble the grid structure on top of a nearly 1/2-inch-thick steel plate, the exterior face of the door.", "Because the grids have empty space in the middle, they provide three-dimensional strength without the excessive weight of a solid core.", "Even so, these doors weigh almost 10 tons each.", "Once the slats are all assembled, workers weld the bottom of the grids to the plate.", "Then with a manual gas torch, they trim the ends of the slats so they'll fit inside the channel of the steel framing that will run around the perimeter.", "Once they've installed framing on all four sides, they clamp everything in position, then weld all around.", "They run a string line to properly position and weld l-shaped steel tabs to the top of the grid structure.", "These tabs, two per grid, will support the interior face of the door.", "Then they fill each grid with mineral fiber insulation.", "This prevents moisture from condensing on the inside of the door.", "They take the steel plate for the interior door face, drill several 1/2-inch-wide holes through it...", "And lay it onto the structure, aligning the holes with the grid tabs.", "Then they weld the plate's perimeter to the framing and each hole to the grid tab beneath it.", "Once workers have finished constructing the doors, they weld on hinge pins and locking mechanisms.", "The frame on which the doors hang is made of two heavy, vertical steel beams with hinge pin receivers and two horizontal steel tubes.", "In the middle is a temporary cross bracing to keep the frame square and to prevent it from buckling under the weight of the doors before installation is complete.", "Onsite, the installers first mount the door frame.", "Then, using a forklift with an extended boom, a type of heavy lifting arm, they carefully descend the door's hinge pins into the receivers on the frame.", "Crews then build the bunker's concrete structure around the installed door.", "Once the concrete has properly cured, they remove the frame cross bracing.", "A handle on the door releases a foot bolt, which slots into the base of the frame.", "This prevents the locked door from bowing.", "The lock itself is a massive dead bolt with a tungsten-carbide rod inside, making it impossible to saw through.", "As an added layer of security, the military installs a monitoring system that sends out a signal the second anyone tries to open the door, even with the key.", "If the entry is unauthorized, soldiers descend on the bunker to apprehend the intruder.", "Throughout history, women have enhanced their lips with color.", "Cleopatra led the way over 2,000 years ago.", "She used crushed ants and beetles to redden her lips.", "Today a tube of lipstick does the job nicely.", "No need to mess around with crushed bugs.", "Lipstick comes in a case that also serves as an applicator, and that's the beauty of it.", "Just just twist the stick and apply color to make lackluster lips look luscious.", "Lipstick ingredients include waxes, pigments, and moisturizers.", "A worker pre-weighs everything following a formula.", "The exact blends are usually a company secret.", "She pours the measured ingredients into a kettle, that melts and mixes them together.", "She adds a plant-based gel known as plantolatum.", "It will act as a skin softener and also enable the lipstick to be smoothly applied.", "Different waxes-- carnauba, candelilla, and beeswax-- add body to the mixture.", "The waxes will also give the lipstick a certain sheen upon application.", "With the base mixture prepared, she now whips up a batch of pigment using different iron oxide colorants.", "She scoops it onto rollers that grind the pigment particles while rolling it into sheet form.", "It takes three passes through the rollers to fully grind the pigment.", "It's ready to be added to the base mixture.", "She lowers the heat in the kettle to avoid scalding the ingredients.", "She adds pigment until the mixture thickens and becomes creamy.", "It's now the right consistency to be shaped into lipstick.", "It's over to the next station where another worker pours the lipstick liquid into a filling machine.", "This filling system also has a mixer that keeps the consistency creamy.", "She places a mold under the filling machine and activates a lift.", "It serves up the mold to nozzles that pump lipstick liquid into the slots of the mold.", "She continues to fill lipstick molds until the supply in the machine has been depleted.", "She places the molds on a conveyer, which takes them through a nearly five-foot-long cooling tunnel.", "The chilly trip causes the lipstick liquid to solidify.", "The lipsticks are now ready for their swiveling, tubular containers.", "She places a rack on top of the mold and inserts the cases into slots on the rack.", "The slots are aligned with the lipsticks in the mold.", "Then it's over to the turnaround machine.", "Bursts of air gently push the lipstick out of the mold and up into the cases.", "To assist, little pushers apply pressure to the bottoms of the cases.", "The lipsticks have made their transfer without a smudge.", "She sets them down and removes the transfer rack.", "On another conveyor, the lipsticks pass by heat guns.", "The hot air melts the lipsticks just a little to make them shine.", "Continuing on, the lipsticks travel past rollers that turn the cases to cause the lipsticks to swivel down.", "A testers samples a lipstick from every batch to determine the melting point.", "This is important because lipstick should be stable enough not to melt in a purse on a hot day.", "He smears lipstick shavings onto a glass disk and examines their consistency.", "He places the sample on a heating element and swings a magnifying glass overhead for a close-up view as the lipstick shavings melt into a puddle.", "Checking a thermometer, he confirms that the melting point is within an acceptable range.", "Another worker then compares the color of the freshly made lipstick to the standard, and it's a match.", "So they wrap up production with a plastic cap.", "The cap is clear to showcase the shade of the lipstick.", "It has taken about a day to manufacture this lipstick.", "It's time to freshen up.", "There's no need to close your eyes and imagine you're in a tropical paradise when artificial palm trees are part of the landscaping.", "They can provide a touch of tropical in any climate, but making a synthetic copy of one of nature's towering achievements is no small task.", "With artificial palm trees, there are no watering or other maintenance worries, so you really have it made in the shade.", "To manufacture a palm tree, a worker wraps sticky mesh tape around a tubular piece of polyvinyl chloride.", "This tube will establish the shape of the trunk, and the tape will allow the next layers to adhere to it.", "While all that taping is going on, a welder pieces together the tree's solid-steel skeleton.", "He welds the base plate to a pole.", "He strengthens the joint with lateral supports called gussets.", "The gussets should enable the palm tree to withstand heavy winds.", "He adds height to the tree skeleton with another piece of steel.", "Artificial palm trees can be made to exact specifications, while in nature, things are less precise.", "After a coat of rust-inhibiting paint, they're ready to insert the steel skeleton into the taped pvc pipe.", "One worker clamps the end of the steel structure to a table, and the other member of the team slides the trunk core onto it.", "They screw the trunk to the steel skeleton in several places.", "With a foot pedal, a member of the team activates a spindle, and it turns the palm tree trunk so he can efficiently wrap synthetic rubber around it.", "The effect simulates natural growth rings.", "He brushes an adhesive onto the rubber, ensuring complete coverage.", "The adhesive is high-strength and waterproof, qualities that will allow this synthetic concrete to stick to it in all kinds of weather.", "The concrete is made of many components, including silicone and liquid rubber, and is the consistency of peanut butter.", "He spreads it onto the entire palm tree trunk.", "After an overnight cure, the coating solidifies and he paints it with exterior latex paint using a light touch.", "He adds contrast with darker paint.", "It highlights the rubber ridges on the trunk to make it look more authentic.", "While the paint dries, he turns his attention to the slotted steel trunk cap.", "He applies some of the synthetic concrete used on the trunk.", "It will serve as an adhesive as he now presses a cocoa-fiber fringe to the cap.", "The fringe of fiber camouflages the steel and makes the cap look like a tree husk.", "He ties it with wire to maintain the arrangement.", "He tightens it with pliers and snips off the excess.", "He disguises the wire with more of the synthetic concrete.", "And after it cures, he paints it to match the cocoa fibers.", "Successfully disguised by cocoa fiber and paint, he bolts the steel cap to the treetop.", "The next worker tapes a flat steel bar to the stem of palm foliage which is made of polyethylene.", "He reinforces the job with two metal clamps.", "He crimps the clamps tightly to the stem and bar.", "These palm fronds, as they're called, provide the crowning touch.", "They insert the steel bars in the slotted cap and then bend the fronds back to a more realistic angle.", "It's taken about an hour and a half to manufacture this artificial palm tree, easier than waiting a decade or more for a real one to grow.", "And with the job done, it's time for a piña colada.", "A brass plaque prominently identifies an important site.", "Think historical landmarks, memorials, hospital donor walls, walks of fame.", "Many professional firms identify their offices and many homes display their addresses with an elegant plaque made of brass.", "A brass plaque makes a bold and lasting statement.", "Making one begins with a wooden model, minus the lettering, covered in artificial leather where they want a bumpy texture.", "They use this model to cast an aluminum pattern.", "A typesetter draws guidelines on the pattern for the inscription, then glues pewter lettering on the lines.", "Getting the pattern perfect is essential, as this is what they use to make the sand mold for casting the brass plaque.", "The typesetter hands off the pattern to the molders, who spray the surface with a release agent, the industrial version of nonstick cooking spray.", "This will prevent the pattern from adhering to the sand mold they're about to make with it.", "After laying the pattern in a high-edge steel frame, they pour in a mixture of silica sand and resin, filling it to the top and compacting tightly.", "After 15 minutes, the resin cures, binding the grains of sand.", "The molders then flip the frame and lift off the top half of it.", "A hard block of sand is in the bottom half containing a mirror image of the plaque pattern.", "This is the sand mold with which they'll cast the plaque in brass.", "The molders now spray the surface with a solution of alcohol and graphite, then they burn off the alcohol with a lighter, leaving behind a film of graphite.", "This heat-resistant layer will prevent the sand mold from eroding when it comes into contact with the molten metal.", "Workers charge the furnace with brass ingots, as well as with pieces of excess brass from previous castings.", "The furnace temperature, 2,300 degrees fahrenheit, liquifies the solid metal in about 20 minutes.", "Then the molders pour the molten brass through a hole at the top of the mold.", "The hole feeds two channels leading to the cavity.", "The metal begins solidifying immediately.", "However, it's a good hour before the casting is fully hardened, at which point, they open the mold to extract the plaque.", "Attached to it are runners, excess metal that solidifies in the channels leading to the mold cavity.", "So, after knocking the sand out of the frame to release the plaque...", "They saw off the runners, then throw them back into the furnace to be remelted for the next casting.", "They grind the edge of the plaque with an abrasive wheel, smoothing the nubs where the runners were cut off and making the plaque perfectly round and straight-edged.", "With a steel scraper, they clean up the surface, removing flakes of metal and remnants of sand and graphite.", "They dissolve sulfurated potash in warm water.", "This chemical solution oxidizes metal, creating what looks like a natural patina, a darkening of the surface that develops with age.", "After preparing the solution, they transfer it to a large basin.", "A kiddy wading pool does the trick.", "Then they dip the plaque, keeping it submerged until they get enough patina to make the brass look antique.", "They rinse off the chemical with water and dry the plaque with compressed air.", "They gently press a vibrating abrasive belt against the plaque.", "It polishes the raised surfaces, removing their patina and restoring their brassy shine.", "This finishing creates depth by highlighting the relief against the dark background.", "Just one last step before the plaque is ready to take its rightful place.", "Workers spray the surface with a coat of clear urethane.", "This prevents the brass from tarnishing and protects the plaque from weathering when mounted outdoors." ]

{ "things": [ "Pocket Knives", "Soapstone Products", "Electric Pole Transformers", "Snowshoes" ] }

[ "Today on \"how it's made\"...", "Pocketknives...", "Soapstone products...", "Electric pole transformers...", "And traditional snowshoes.", "Pocketknives can be used to cut rope or slice an orange.", "Just unfold the blade, and you're good to go.", "Folding knives actually date back to ancient rome.", "Many centuries later, the smaller pocket-sized versions came along so people could carry their knives without shredding their pockets.", "Pocketknives can pack a lot of punch.", "They often contain several blades and tools, all of which can be retracted into the handle.", "To make pocketknives, rollers first feed a strip of stainless steel to a series of dyes.", "Then dyes punch out blade shapes.", "They cut holes in the handle for installation, stamp on the company logo, and create grooves so the user can get a grip.", "A trip into a fiery furnace hardens the metal.", "It's the first step in heat-treating the blades.", "Once they're cool, the blade shapes are placed on the magnetized rim of a rotating carousel.", "It moves the base of the blades under an induction-heating coil.", "The heat anneals that end, making it pliable enough to bend and easier to fit in the pocketknife handle.", "A robot now transfers a blade shape into a computerized grinder that bevels the edge but leaves it blunt.", "It won't get its cutting edge until later.", "Here you can see the difference the grinding makes.", "Vibrating ceramic pellets polish the blades with paste for 32 hours to achieve a mirror finish.", "A magnetic belt collects them and transfers them to the next station.", "Meanwhile, a rocking cutting tool carves ridges into a piece of cow shinbone, which will adorn the pocketknife handle.", "A bag of those ridged shinbones are dipped in dye, tinting them a vibrant green.", "Cow shinbone is just one of the many materials used to adorn the knives.", "Some are synthetic, and some are natural, like this material-- mammoth ivory.", "Using epoxy adhesive, workers decorate these pieces of bone with embellished metal inlay.", "Then they trim the excess bone so that it's flush to the metal liner.", "Next, they place a spring on the underside of the bone and brass part followed by a rocker arm and a spacer.", "This sandwich is finished off with another bone-covered brass liner.", "Workers insert blades in one end, first dipping them in oil for lubrication.", "A pin holds it all together.", "A separate set of blades goes in the other end of the pocketknife, and another pin is inserted.", "A pneumatic tool flattens the ends of the pins, riveting all the parts together.", "Sometimes a shim is pounded between the layers so the knives can move more freely.", "It's a little fine-tuning.", "The pinheads are grinded down to blend them to the rest of the pocketknife.", "Sparks fly as workers hone the beveled edges against a belt sander until they're sharp enough to cut.", "Next, all the blades are retracted, and the knife is buffed until it shines.", "Here a laser edges an insignia into the bone handle.", "The engraving is enhanced with paint.", "And now you have a pocketknife that's sharp and sharp-looking.", "Coming up, soapstone products-- a real rock-'n'-roll story.", "Dig deep into the history of civilization, and you'll find plenty of soapstone.", "Over the centuries, it's been used to make everything from cookware to countertops to the kitchen sink.", "Soapstone doesn't stain or burn, and that's why it continues to be a rock-solid material.", "But before you can make something out of soapstone, you need raw materials.", "Several deep holes are bored into a soapstone hillside.", "The horizontal and vertical holes form an intersecting lattice.", "Miners loop one end of a long diamond-encrusted cable and attach it to a rod.", "This makes it easy to maneuver as they snake the cable through one of the vertical holes.", "A coiled snare is attached to the cable's other end and inserted in one of the horizontal holes, jiggling it around it until the snare snags the loop.", "Next, the cable is threaded through the rock.", "Two ends of the cable are crimped together to create one big circle over 200 feet in circumference.", "A section of the diamond cable is wound around mechanical wheels.", "The machine moves backward as the wheels turn the cable through the rock, and slowly but surely the tiny diamonds saw through the soapstone.", "The process kicks up a lot of talc, the mineral that gives this stone its soapy texture.", "So water is sprayed into the cut to minimize the dusty fallout.", "As the cable exits the rock, it snaps off the wheels, so everyone has to steer clear.", "It has taken about 20 minutes to slice through this soapstone hillside.", "Now it's time for the excavator.", "As it pulls the soapstone away from the hillside, the slab breaks into chunks, each one about two or three square yards.", "The chunks are washed.", "Then they're lifted up by a front-end loader and delivered to a band saw.", "Like the cable, the saw has a diamond edge that easily cuts through the stone.", "They get several one-inch thick slabs from each block, perfect for a countertop.", "The smaller-end slabs are used to build apron sinks.", "This type of sink was first popular a century and a half ago.", "But these days, computerized blades and lasers make the job of building one a whole lot easier.", "The laser lines serve as guides while the blades cut the soapstone to precise dimensions.", "This piece will be the bottom of the sink.", "A precision grinder tapers the sink bottom from the center out so that liquid will flow down into a drain in the middle.", "Next, a drain hole is punched out.", "A constant flow of water keeps the cutter cool and the dust down.", "Epoxy resin is mixed with hardener for a high-strength waterproof adhesive.", "It's quickly applied along the edge of the sink bottom so it doesn't dry.", "Then a sink wall is pressed onto the glued surface.", "They piece together the rest of the sink, and it's ready to blend in with the soapstone countertop.", "From the shower floor to the stove surround soapstone can perform many functions with style.", "When we return, the shocking truth behind electric pole transformers.", "Electric transformers-- we see them everywhere but often take for granted the big part they play in our everyday lives.", "Their job is to transform the high voltage from electrical power lines to the lower voltage that's suitable for home use.", "Without them, raw electrical power would be virtually useless to the average person.", "Transformers are a critical part of modern life, but did you ever stop to wonder what's inside those canisters?", "To build a transformer, workers start by taking paper that's coated with epoxy glue and tape it to a wooden block.", "Next component-- an 1/8-of-an-inch-thick aluminum strip.", "It's a metal that can withstand the heat that a high-voltage current produces.", "As the block is rotated, the paper and the aluminum strip are wrapped around it.", "An aluminum bus bar, called the low-voltage lead, sends low voltage current out from the transformer.", "Workers fold the lead and move the unit to another rotating block for more wrapping.", "The insulating paper has epoxy glue on both sides.", "This glue will later melt and bond several components in place.", "On the next block, a worker tapes on more epoxy paper along with epoxy-coated copper wire.", "He covers the paper...", "Then repeats the same process, forming a second layer of copper wire.", "He solders a high-voltage lead wire to the copper wire then rolls yet another layer of copper wire.", "Next, he welds on what's called the lead wire out, the wire that will protrude from the transformer cylinder and attaches vinyl-coated wires that will connect to different voltages out of the transformer.", "This completed unit is called the coil.", "Now using electrical steel, workers build the transformer's other main component, called the core.", "The coil and core are tightly secured together with metal strapping, which will help to fix the assembly in the tank.", "Then it's into an oven where they bake for 8 hours at 275 degrees.", "The heat improves insulation by removing any traces of humidity.", "It also melts the epoxy glue, fusing together the paper, the aluminum strip, and the copper wires.", "The assembly now goes into a steel tank.", "A rubber gasket is hammered around the perimeter, and a grounding wire is bolted on.", "Then three thermoplastics bushings are inserted.", "Workers connect the low-voltage lead to the thermplastic bushings then bolt the bushings to the tank.", "They adhere an oil-filling guide to the side of the tank then position an automated filling machine.", "A machine fills the tank with mineral oil, drawing a vacuum to make sure the oil disburses throughout the coil and core.", "The oil is used for its thermal and insulating properties.", "An internal fault detector will alert maintenance crews if there is a short circuit.", "A worker runs lead wire through the thermoplastic bushing and secures it in place.", "Next comes the high-voltage connector.", "Finally, the tank cover is bolted shut.", "The transformation, so to speak, is finished.", "Before transformers go into service, they have to undergo some truly electrifying tests.", "This equipment simulates a 145,000 volt lightning strike.", "Then it's into a water tank to test the transformer for leaks.", "If it passes muster, it could soon be appearing at a pole near you.", "Up next, how they make snowshoes step by step.", "Historians believe the ancestors of north american native peoples brought snowshoes with them when they migrated from central asia some 4,000 years ago.", "Today, the tradition of snowshoe making lives on thanks to skilled artisans who combine an age-old craft with a few modern improvements.", "Every snowshoe frame comes from a single piece of hardwood, usually white ash.", "Craftsmen start with a two-yard strip about 3/4 of an inch thick.", "Using a planer, they thin the middle down to about half an inch.", "Then it's on to a table saw, where each end is tapered to a fine point.", "They take the trim pieces known as bows and hammer steel braces onto each one.", "These support the wood where it's thinnest so it won't break later on during the bending process.", "The bows go into a steam chamber to soften the wood.", "30 minutes later, they're damp enough to bend without breaking.", "The craftsmen start working from the middle, the area called the toe, where the wood is thinnest and easiest to bend.", "They wrap it around a steel form on a bending jig...", "Then lay one tapered end over the other and tack them together.", "Now back to the steamer for a second bow to complete the pair.", "A temporary crossbar helps hold the shape.", "Different steel forms are used to shake different snowshoe models.", "The frame is set on a bending machine called a press break.", "Then a wooden bar is positioned on the frame to act as a fulcrum.", "As the press comes down, it curves the tip of the frame about 2 3/4 inches upward.", "A crossbar is inserted lengthwise to hold the bend in place.", "Still damp from the steam chamber, the frames will need to dry out for several days.", "Only then can the temporary crossbars safely come out.", "The craftsmen then sand the wood to a smooth finish.", "They drill slots on the inside for the two permanent crossbars while another machine stamps those bars with the company logo.", "It takes just a quick stretch to insert the bars-- one near the toe, the other near the heel.", "Now the frames go for a dip in a vat of oil-based varnish to seal and waterproof the wood.", "Once the varnish dries, the frames are ready for lacing.", "In keeping with tradition, the laces are made of animal hide.", "Wetting it makes it easier to cut into the long strips.", "A skilled weaver threads her needle then begins by hooking the rawhide lace through a nylon thread that runs along the shoe's inside perimeter.", "She nimbly builds up a pattern of webbing that always begins and ends with a series of triangular shapes.", "This intricate weaving technique is a traditional skill passed down through generations of native canadian women.", "She finishes by wrapping up the heel end of the frame with rawhide then pulls it tight.", "Now that the toe piece is finished, she starts weaving the middle piece.", "Using a large width of rawhide, she builds up another web of triangles, this time knotting the strips directly onto the frame.", "Finally, she weaves an opening to leave room for the bindings that hold the snowshoe to your boot.", "Once the rawhide dries, the webbing will lie taut across the frame.", "The last step-- another coat of varnish to seal and protect both the wood and webbing.", "And now these traditional snowshoes are ready to make some tracks." ]

{ "things": [ "Rock Crushers", "Fabric Lampshades", "Cake Sprinkles", "Steam Irons" ] }

[ "Rock crushers are brawny machines designed to smash big boulders to bits.", "The broken rock is then used to make asphalt pavement, concrete building foundations, ceramic tile, and many other things.", "Modern society is largely built on the crushing strength of these powerful machines.", "If there's one invention that's been a smashing success, it's the rock crusher.", "These machines are designed to pulverize.", "This crusher slams rocks against anvils to shatter them along natural stress lines.", "They break into uniform cubicle particles that can be processed into many different things.", "Production starts with the crusher's lid.", "A computer-controlled plasma torch cuts through a sheet of steel that's underwater.", "The water keeps the smoke down as the plasma gas makes a sharp, precise cut.", "They feed a piece of steel back and forth between rollers to shape it into the crusher body.", "With each pass, the strip curls a little more.", "When the two ends meet, the steel is sufficiently cylindrical.", "The technician tack welds the ends while the steel is still in the rolling machine.", "This holds the shape so that he can then do a complete weld.", "After a bit more work, the crusher body is ready for mounting to the base frame.", "They lower it into place with the crane and weld it to the section that will hold the electric motor and pedestal.", "After a paint job and some fittings, the focus turns to the inside of the rock crusher.", "A worker bolts steel castings to the interior wall.", "The rugged castings will protect the crusher structure from damage as rocks are slammed around inside during crushing.", "He secures the bolts from the outside of the crusher structure.", "They're now ready to assemble the crusher bearing and shaft.", "The worker starts with the bearing.", "He carefully aims a torch at it, and the exposure to the steady flame causes the bearing to expand.", "When it's large enough, he lowers the shaft into the bearing.", "As the bearing cools, it shrinks to the shaft for a tight fit.", "This takes several hours.", "Then he heats the opening in a part known as the pedestal housing to enlarge it.", "He inserts the shaft and bearing assembly into it.", "The housing cools and shrinks to the bearing.", "They also equip the other end of the shaft with a bearing and cap, and then it's time for a test run.", "They run each pedestal unit for two hours so a computer can thoroughly assess its performance.", "The pedestal shaft assembly has passed a gamut of tests.", "It's ready to go into the crusher.", "The installer bolts it to the frame in six places.", "He attaches it to the protruding shaft bearing by heat shrinking it in place.", "He reinforces the installation with two locknuts.", "Meanwhile, a robot welds brackets onto a machined steel plate that will serve as the impeller.", "The impeller is a kind of turntable that revolves to toss the rock into anvils to shatter it.", "They attach parts called shoes to the brackets.", "They transfer the impeller to the crusher and bolt it to the hub.", "A worker installs chrome and white iron castings.", "The castings are the anvils.", "Arranged in a ring, they serve as the striking surface for the rocks.", "He installs them on an angle and locks them in position.", "The crane transfers the ring to the crusher, and the anvils now surround the impeller.", "With all of the components in place, it's time to put the lid on the rock crusher.", "A worker presses a decal with brand information onto the outside.", "They install the electric motor, and this crusher is now ready to reduce rocks to rubble.", "A lampshade is primarily practical.", "It diffuses the light that bulbs emit.", "It also serves a decorative purpose.", "What the shade is made of, its shape, and size all influence the style of the lamp, so much so that you can give an old lamp a whole new look just by changing the shade.", "Whether the look is modern or classic, putting the perfect shade on your lamp base is always a bright idea.", "Manufacturing a lampshade begins with the frame.", "It's made of steel wire 3 or 4 millimeters thick, depending on the shade size.", "A computer-guided forming machine pulls the wire off the spindle and straightens it with rollers.", "Then the machine bends and cuts the wire into the shape of each frame component.", "For each frame, the machine makes two rings in the shape of the shade, typically round, square, or rectangular.", "Then it makes three \"l\"-shaped pieces.", "To assemble the top of the frame, they place one \"l\"-shaped piece at a time in a positioning jig alongside a steel loop with three tabs.", "They weld an \"l\" piece to each of those tabs.", "Next, they take each ring and weld it closed.", "They weld the free end of the \"l\"-shaped pieces to one of the rings.", "This completes the top of the frame.", "The remaining ring forms the bottom of the frame.", "Workers spray both of them with paint powder.", "Then the frame parts enter an oven, which bakes the powder into a durable coating.", "At the core of the fabric portion of the shade is a sheet of pvc plastic that has an adhesive on both sides.", "Working one side at a time, they peel off the paper covering the adhesive, then apply the fabric gradually, carefully smoothing it out as they go to prevent creases.", "This lampshade has cream-colored linen on one side and patterned cotton on the other.", "Once they've applied fabric to both sides of the pvc sheet, a computer-guided cutter cuts out the shape of the shade.", "It also cuts through the inside of the fabric and the pvc all along the perimeter half an inch from the edge.", "This leaves a small border of only outside fabric.", "They apply double-sided tape to this border on the top and bottom of the shade.", "They run a bead of glue down one side edge, then fold the outside fabric border over the inner fabric.", "This gives the lampshade a neat seam.", "Now they assemble fabric and frame, starting with the bottom ring.", "They position it just above the double-sided tape along the border, then they remove the paper to expose the tape's adhesive surface and fold the tape border tightly over the frame.", "They stand up the shade on its bottom ring and position the top ring with clips.", "Then they peel, fold, and stick the fabric border over the ring just as they did on the bottom.", "They press all around to smooth out the fabric and ensure it adheres well.", "Then, using a bent spoon, they push the edge of the fabric in behind the curved wire frame.", "This creates a neat, rounded rim.", "They seal the shade's vertical seam, applying glue to both the inside and outside edges.", "They weigh it down for about half an hour until the glue fully cures.", "The shade is now ready to add its personality to an awaiting base.", "With all the lampshade's styles, shapes, colors, and fabrics available today, any lamp can have multiple personalities.", "Believe it or not, cake sprinkles have been around since the late 18th century when french confectioners used them as decorations.", "Chocolate sprinkles are believed to have been invented in 1936 by a dutchman responding to a little boy's request for a chocolate bread topping.", "Cake sprinkles come in a variety of colors and can be found decorating and adding texture to many treats such as cupcakes, doughnuts, ice cream, and cookies.", "They can quickly turn a tasty treat into a visual one, as well.", "A variety of liquid and powder food colorants are among the ingredients used to make these colorful dessert decorations.", "Shortening is one of the other ingredients.", "A worker adds an exact quantity of shortening to a mixing tank.", "Water in the tank is heated as the mixture is agitated.", "Within minutes, the ingredients are absorbed.", "A worker adds powdered sugar to a dry mixer.", "By the time all the needed sugar has been added, the machine is full.", "He adds a pre-measured amount of liquid food colorant.", "Different food colorants and different amounts of colorants produce different-colored sprinkles and different shades of colors.", "The mixture of water and shortening are added to the dry mixer containing the powdered sugar and colorant.", "He closes the lid and begins the dough-mixing process.", "About 15 minutes later, a worker opens the lid to reveal the freshly mixed and colorful dough.", "A worker pushes the dough along a conveyor into a chute.", "It leads to a wide collection area and another conveyor machine which moves the dough toward an extruder.", "As the dough falls into the extruder, it's forced through many small holes.", "It emerges as these long, narrow strands which fall onto another conveyor.", "The holes through which the dough is forced are in a big plate.", "To make sure the quality of the product doesn't vary, room temperature in the production area is kept constant, and the relative humidity is kept at 50%.", "That same ambient air dries the dough as it moves along the conveyor through a tunnel.", "About 10 seconds after it enters the tunnel, it falls into a holding vat with a pail.", "A worker sifts through the dough to make sure it's properly dried.", "She lifts the dough-filled pail and places it on a trolley for the trip to a tumbler.", "The tumbler breaks the strands into smaller sizes.", "The dough usually spends about 10 minutes here.", "Any longer and the strand bits will be too small.", "A nozzle sprays a mixture of confectioner's glaze and carnauba wax.", "The mixer keeps the cake sprinkles from leaking color once they're placed in finished products.", "Now dried and trimmed for size, a worker removes the sprinkles from the tumbler and pours them onto a shaker table.", "Properly-sized pieces of dough fall through a screen along with smaller pieces as larger clumps are sorted out.", "Before dropping to another conveyor, a second filter below removes under-sized granules.", "The sprinkles fall into a plastic-lined packaging tub.", "Cake sprinkles come in a variety of colors.", "A tumbler mixes all the colors together in order to package a multi-colored product.", "The various colors are mixed together for about five minutes before a worker samples the mixture to make sure the variety of colors is consistent.", "Once the sprinkles have been thoroughly mixed, they fall into a line of bottles.", "A jet of air directed at the top of the bottles keeps sprinkles away from the cap area.", "The capping machine not only positions the cap, it also spins the bottle to screw the cap into place.", "The capped bottles head to the labeling area.", "An adhesive label is applied to the bottle.", "These colorful sprinkles are sure to make any dessert dazzle.", "The steam iron is a 20th-century invention that makes ironing less of a chore.", "Less physical effort is required because the steam opens the weave of the fabric so that creases can be smoothed out more easily by the heated sole of the iron.", "In the past, people used heavy wedges of iron heated over a fire to press clothing, and so they became known as irons.", "But today's electric irons aren't made from iron at all.", "They're made with lighter stuff like plastic and aluminum.", "Production starts with this injection-molding machine.", "Once the mold closes, nozzles inject three streams of plastic into the cavities, each one a different color.", "The plastic hardens into a tri-colored part that is the upper shell of the iron and its handle.", "The plastic shell will also serve as the iron's water tank.", "The robot transfers the molded parts to automated scissors.", "The scissors snip off unwanted bits that were formed as plastic flowed into the mold.", "The next robot transfers a plastic ring to a printing station.", "This ring will be the temperature indicator for the control knob.", "Another robot stamps the measurements and other information onto it.", "Nozzles inject a ceramic liquid into the iron's aluminum base-- the sole plate which contains the heating element.", "The ceramic will aid in the production of steam by breaking the surface tension of the water from the tank.", "A worker places a cover on top of the sole plate, and a machine rivets them together.", "There's a cover for the bottom of the sole plate, as well, fittingly known as the shoe.", "An injector coats all the rivets in the sole plate with silicone.", "The silicone serves as a kind of glue, keeping the rivets tight.", "A robot transfers the sole plate assembly to a heating unit to cure the silicone.", "Another robot pumps compressed air into the sole plate to check for leaks.", "The sole plate cools down from the silicone cure on the ride to the next station.", "While just ahead, robots nimbly bend and twist wires to a precise geometry.", "These robots are faster than humans and incredibly accurate.", "Afterwards, another robot welds the wires to a post on the iron's temperature-control unit.", "A carriage shuttles the unit forward, and the next robot retrieves it and transfers it to the iron sole plate assembly.", "Another robot adjusts the unit's knob until it's in the correct position.", "They install an aluminum silicate disk to protect the knob from heat.", "A robot applies hot glue into the grooves of the iron's heat shield, which will also serve as the bottom of the water tank.", "With the glue still liquid, another robot transfers the iron upper to it, and the glue cures.", "Up until now, the robots have done most of the work, but it's time for a helping hand or two.", "A worker transfers the iron upper assembly to the bottom one.", "After the two parts have been secured and a leak test performed, another worker connects the power cord to it.", "She encloses the back with another molded plastic part.", "Another worker installs the steam and spray subassembly.", "This part has an intake channel for fill ups and a mechanism to control the steam.", "It's time for a thorough electrical test.", "They plug it in, and a robot turns the knob while a computer monitors its performance.", "A worker then examines the steam iron from all angles.", "With her final approval, it's ready for packaging.", "With robots and humans working in tandem, it takes just 10 minutes to assemble a steam iron.", "Piles of rumpled laundry await, so it's full steam ahead." ]

{ "things": [ "Crosscut Saws", "Haggis", "Collectible Firearms" ] }

[ "Chain saws and other machines may dominate forestry, but the human-powered crosscut saw still has a basic appeal.", "Pushed and pulled through the trunks of trees, its jagged blade can handle any job, that is, until the person operating it runs out of gas.", "Making a crosscut saw is an exact science that dates back centuries.", "At this factory, they make these saws the old-fashioned way, mostly by hand.", "It's a nod to a time when these saws were at the forefront of history, helping to clear the way for railways and settlements.", "With guillotine blades, a worker first trims a steel rectangle along the lines measured and marked onto it.", "The trimming gives it a distinctive taper and establishes the correct dimensions.", "This particular saw is a one-person model, so it's about 3 feet long.", "Using a punch cutter, the worker carves gullets in the steel.", "These are the valleys between sawteeth, through which sawdust and debris are cleared.", "He cuts one gullet every inch.", "He then cuts the teeth, three between each gullet.", "This pattern is known as the great american tooth.", "It's designed to cut medium to hardwoods across the grain without snags.", "He hammers each tooth to bend it and alternates the direction of the bends-- one up, the next down.", "This is called setting the teeth.", "And the result is protruding teeth that cut more efficiently.", "He files each tooth, working from the bottom up to the tips and sharpens those tips to a point.", "It takes about a half-hour to give this steel blank its crosscutting edge.", "A worker then connects the blade to a power source.", "He centers a stencil of the company logo on the saw...", "And then applies liquid electrolyte to the exposed metal within the stencil.", "He turns on the power, and the electrolyte conducts the current to burn the logo into the metal.", "A computerized router carves a piece of beech into the pistol-shaped handle.", "This software-driven tool also drills holes for installing the blade.", "The computerized system is quicker and more precise than manual carving.", "An employee then cuts a slot in the handle to fit the saw.", "He sands the edges of the handle until it's smooth.", "He then inserts the crosscut saw blade into the handle.", "It's a tight fit, but to more solidly entrench it, he drills through the holes in the wood handle to make corresponding holes in the metal blade sandwiched within it.", "He inserts screws into the handle, securing the blade to it.", "He tightens the screws as much as possible.", "And this one-person saw is now complete.", "A two-person crosscut saw is crescent-shaped and longer to cut through bigger trees.", "The teeth are also more substantial with deep pitches between them.", "Sawdust will be expelled through these deep pitches, so there's no need for gullets in this particular cutting edge.", "Once the teeth have been cut, a worker places socket fittings on each end of the saw.", "He pounds in rivets to secure the fittings to the blade.", "These fittings will be used to install a different kind of handle known as a fist grip, which is more suitable for a two-person saw.", "It's essentially a wooden dowel that just slides into the socket fitting.", "It has taken about an hour to make this crosscut saw.", "Wielded with force, it will cause mighty trees to fall, proving that this low-tech tool can still cut it on the jobsite.", "Haggis is scotland's national dish, made from minced lamb and beef, encased in beef intestine.", "While quintessentially scottish, historians believe haggis actually originated in ancient greece and eventually made its way northward with the romans to britain.", "Haggis is traditionally served with mashed potatoes and turnips-- what the scots call neeps and tatties-- along with a glass of scotch whiskey to wash it down.", "At the haggis factory, the production process begins with beef fat.", "They put it through a mechanical chopper, and a guillotine blade slices it up.", "The chunks of fat go into a large cook tank.", "They fill the tank with water and simmer the fat for 2 1/2 hours.", "Then, using a strainer, they drain the cooked fat and put it in a tub.", "Then they empty the tub into a mincer.", "Next, they chop up lamb lungs.", "Haggis recipes sometimes also use heart and liver.", "They simmer those in a cook tank, as well, for 2 1/2 hours.", "Using a strainer, they drain and remove the cooked chopped lungs and transfer them to a tub.", "They now take dried, shredded onions and rehydrate them with some stock from the cooked meat.", "They pour the onion and stock mix into the tub with the cooked lungs...", "Then empty the whole thing into the mincer to join the ground fat.", "Next, two different grinds of oatmeal-- medium and coarse-- to give the haggis just the right texture-- not too stiff, but not too loose.", "The consistency is key, which is why the grind proportions are a closely guarded company secret.", "Also a top secret-- the composition of the spice blend they now add.", "All the company will divulge about this seasoning is that it includes salt and pepper.", "The oatmeal and spice blend now join the other ingredients in the mincer, and there you have it-- the finished haggis mix, ready to be stuffed into casings.", "In keeping with tradition, the company encases its haggis in beef intestines.", "After a thorough cleaning, the intestines are stored in salt.", "Before use, they soak in cold water overnight to desalinate.", "This also softens them up until sufficiently pliable for the stuffing process.", "On the filling line, workers slip an intestine over what's called the stuffing horn.", "Then, with a knee, activate a lever that triggers the machine to pump out a set amount of haggis mix.", "On this run, they're preparing the one-pound size.", "They close the casing on either side with a thick aluminum staple.", "Now they spread the haggis out on cooking trays and pierce each casing to let air escape as the casing shrinks during cooking.", "The temperature inside the steam oven is 230 degrees fahrenheit.", "The haggis cooks for one hour, during which the casing shrinks and forms into a ball shape.", "Once the haggis come out of the oven and cool, workers cut them apart.", "Each haggis goes into a printed plastic bag, then into a vacuum sealer.", "The machine draws out 99.9% of the air before sealing the bag.", "This vacuum-packing process extends a 7-to-10 day shelf life to 4 weeks.", "The packaged haggis now drop into a tank of hot water.", "The bags instantly shrink and thicken by 25%, making them significantly more durable.", "Haggis may date back to ancient greece, but it's certainly changed with the times.", "This company also makes a one-minute microwavable version, a canapé format, and even vegetarian haggis...", "Far beyond what robert burns could ever have imagined.", "The term \"collectible firearms\" refers to antique guns and top-of-the-line new guns made in the traditional style.", "These firearms are mostly handmade by skilled craftsmen, using centuries-old techniques.", "This quality workmanship translates into top-notch performance.", "This company in england has been manufacturing rifles and shotguns since 1835.", "It still uses the same traditional gun-making methods, only now with the help of modern-day computerized equipment.", "Even with that technology, it's still arduous work.", "Making just one gun takes, depending on the model, up to 1,250 hours of labor.", "In the factory's machine shop, under a shower of lubricant, a computer-guided tooling machine shapes a solid-steel bar into a hollow tube with a rectangular plate, called a lump, on one end.", "This tube will become the barrel of a shotgun.", "Here, you can see the progression from bar to tube, but it's still somewhat rough, so now a highly skilled barrel maker manually files the tube to obtain exactly the right roundness.", "This traditional process is known as striking the barrel.", "With his expert eye, he checks his work by observing how light and shadows fall on the barrel.", "Now he lays two barrels side by side in a fixture and connects their lumps with pegs.", "He lays a strip of silver solder along the joint and binds the adjoined lumps with steel wire.", "Then he brushes on flux, a chemical which prevents steel from oxidizing and helps molten solder flow into the joint.", "He now loads this end of the pair of barrels into a small furnace.", "Within about 20 minutes, the fiery heat, peaking at a temperature of 1,650 degrees fahrenheit, melts the silver solder, which flows into the joint.", "The barrels are now bonded.", "Next, he lays a thin strip of steel, called a rib, in the gap between the joined barrels.", "This time, he uses flux made of pine-tree resin, which works better than chemical flux when soldering with tin.", "He immobilizes the rib with steel wedges and wire then, using a hand torch, melts tin solder to fix the rib between the barrels.", "After removing the wire and wedges, he cleans off the flux and excess tin with abrasive paper, revealing a seemingly seamless double barrel.", "Now he mounts the double barrel on a fixture and coats what's called a lapping rod with oil and an abrasive powder.", "He moves the rod back and forth within the barrels until their inside is ground to within a fraction of an inch of the required diameter.", "This process also smoothes the interior of the bore to a mirror-like finish.", "The barrel maker then polishes the outside surface to a shine.", "Meanwhile, the action body, the part that houses the gun's mechanics, has already been roughly shaped.", "Now the final machining in a bath of paraffin to wash away the metal debris.", "In a process called spark erosion, copper electrodes of varying shapes erode the steel to create the required slots, holes, and recesses.", "Quite the transformation from what started out as a solid piece of steel.", "It's critical that the action's 60-plus intricate components will fit together with ultimate precision.", "Once again, nothing beats the traditional method.", "The actioner blackens the component with a smoke lamp.", "Here, he's fitting the trigger plate.", "He positions it in the action, taps a few times...", "Then removes it.", "The black soot marks left behind indicate where the plate needs to be filed down.", "He repeats this procedure again and again until the plate fits perfectly.", "He does this with each and every one of the action's components.", "Using the same marking method, he also files the lumps on the barrel to fit to the action perfectly.", "They hook onto a cross pin and serve as a hinge on which the barrel pivots against the action.", "He also marks and files the face of the barrel so that it fits perfectly with the face of the action.", "Such flawless precision is the hallmark of top-of-the-line firearms.", "The shotgun's action is finished, but there are still two main components to come.", "The lock is the firing mechanism.", "The stock is the gun's wooden butt end that you steady against your shoulder to shoot.", "Once those components join the others, the whole shotgun will be complete-- lock, stock, and barrel.", "Some double-barreled shotguns have two triggers-- one per barrel.", "Others have a single trigger which fires each barrel alternately.", "Depending on the style of the gun, the two barrels are positioned either side by side or one over the other.", "The gun's firing mechanism is called the lock.", "A double-barreled gun has two locks-- one for each barrel.", "Each lock consists of a plate with 14 components.", "They've all been machined by the factory's computer-guided tooling equipment.", "An expert craftsman assembles them by hand.", "To test the lock, he uses a cocking key to simulate what happens when you pull the trigger.", "The key depresses two spring-loaded sears that release and drives a tumbler forward, striking a firing pin to fire the gun.", "The locks are installed on both sides of the action body, just above the trigger.", "In the factory's stocking shop, another craftsman lays a template for the gun's stock onto a piece of turkish walnut, traces, and then saws out the shape.", "The wood appears quite ordinary now, but wetting it a bit shows the rich grain, which an extensive finishing later on will bring out.", "Just like the actioner before, he uses a smoke lamp to fit the action to the head of the stock, the soot marks telling him where to shave the wood with various chisels.", "This meticulous process takes more than 40 hours because he first has to strip the action of all its parts, then fit the main body into the stock, then reassemble the action piece by piece, fitting each and every one into the wood separately.", "Now, using a tool called a drawknife, he finalizes the stock's shape.", "By the time he finishes, the block of walnut has gone from this to this.", "A finishing specialist now applies linseed oil mixed with a hardener and polishes the wood many times over until the wood is lustrous.", "In the factory's engraving shop, decorative work is underway on each lock plate.", "An engraving artist first draws the design on paper, then on the plate in pencil.", "She then uses a sharp tool called a graver to cut the design into the metal plate.", "This process, while painstaking, requires minimal pressure.", "The graver is made of either high-speed steel or tungsten carbide, extremely hard metals which cut into steel quite easily.", "Later on, they'll highlight the engraving with black ink and varnish the surface to prevent tarnishing.", "Now the action and lock plates undergo a heat-treatment process that hardens the steel so that it won't wear out over time.", "This process leaves colors on the surface.", "On luxury guns like these, customers typically request designs or markings in gold inlay.", "After disassembling the barrels, the craftsmen inlays, in this case, a barrel number.", "After cutting the number, he undercuts the edge of it so that the gold he then beats into the number will lock in place.", "Then he files the gold inlay flush with the surface...", "And smoothes off the excess with an abrasive stone.", "Every gun goes out to an independent authority for extensive firing tests.", "The gun returns certified with proof marks.", "The very last operation is a chemical treatment to protect the steel barrel from rusting.", "The steel reacts to this chemical process by turning from its natural silver color to black.", "Because these guns are not mass-produced but handcrafted, with each and every component custom-fit to the neighboring component, parts from one gun are never interchangeable with those of another, even if they're the same model.", "It takes approximately 1,000 working hours to produce a single gun, so customers placing an order typically wait at least a couple of years until delivery." ]

{ "things": [ "Hydroponic Lettuce", "Construction Wood", "Recycling", "Fishing Flies" ] }

[ "Today on \"how it's made\"...", "Hydroponic lettuce, construction wood, recycling, and fishing flies.", "Bet you thought the only way to grow lettuce was in a garden.", "Well, vegetables don't necessarily need soil.", "They can also grow in water, provided it contains the proper nutrients and fertilizers.", "That's called hydroponics.", "This method of growing hydroponic lettuce is called \"deep pool floating raft technology\".", "It sounds pretty complicated, but it's really quite simple, and it all starts in the germination area with lettuce seeds.", "To plant them, workers use a steel tray connected to a vacuum hose.", "The tray has 276 holes, and a vacuum sucks a seed into each one.", "Next they take a foam block with corresponding holes called an oasis and position it into the tray.", "A quick flip deposits a seed into each hole of the oasis.", "The seeds are coated in clay.", "Clay holds in moisture to nourish the seed but also breaks apart easily to let the seed sprout.", "On the way to the greenhouse, the seeds get their first watering.", "Then workers set them afloat.", "The pool of water is about 12 inches deep.", "Technicians continuously monitor and manipulate its levels of oxygen and fertilizer.", "That's the key to hydroponic growing.", "The water is never discarded, just topped off to replace what the plants drink and what evaporates.", "On the first day, they water the seeds frequently.", "Within a couple of days, the seedlings start to appear.", "They water and fertilize them.", "By about the fourth day, there's some significant sprouting action.", "Again, they water and fertilize the plants.", "The first leaves emerge on about the seventh day in the summer, on about the 11th day in the winter.", "The winter growth rate is slower because there's less sun.", "At this point, it's time for the first in a series of transplants.", "Workers transfer the lettuces from the 276-plant oasis to a styrofoam board that holds more plants-- 288.", "They set the boards afloat in the nursery zone.", "At about the 13-day mark in the summer-- the 20-day mark in the winter-- transplant number 2 takes place, this time to a less crowded styrofoam board that holds just 72 plants.", "This gives the plants more light and more room to grow.", "Workers use a hook to avoid damaging the roots.", "A plant needs healthy roots to absorb water and nutrients.", "The last transplant happens on about the 26th day in the summer, the 45th day in the winter.", "Now the lettuces go from the 72-plant board to a board that holds just 18.", "By now the plants have long roots, so they're harder to manipulate.", "The lettuces go into the production zone, the last move before harvesting.", "These pools are bigger, so automatic machines move the boards around.", "This hydroponic system produces 500 plants per square yard, almost five times the yield of field-grown lettuce, and it's safer, too.", "There's no need here for pesticides or fungicides, and because it's all indoors, fertilizer can't contaminate the environment.", "By about the 45th day in the summer, the 75th day in the winter, the lettuces are finally ready for harvesting.", "Workers cut off the yellowed leaves at the base, then either cut off the roots or wrap them around the stem, depending on how this crop will be sold.", "Then they vacuum-cool each lettuce for longer shelf life.", "An american engineer has invented a self-mending plastic to use for components that vibrate and weaken.", "When the plastic tears, tiny capsules inside it also tear, releasing a liquid, like blood from a cut.", "Then a catalyzing agent also in the plastic seals the tear like a scar.", "There was a time when if you wanted to build something out of wood, you had to pick up an ax and go chop down a tree.", "Thankfully for city dwellers, all it takes today is a trip to your local home-improvement center to buy 2x4's, 2x10's-- you name it.", "They start with logs cut from spruce or fir trees.", "Turning them into construction wood isn't that complicated.", "First they soak the logs for about 20 minutes.", "This removes the mud and softens the bark to make it easier to remove.", "Next the logs go through the debarker, a machine with a rotor that shaves off the bark.", "The rotor has six sharp blades that take just 10 seconds to shave a log bare.", "In the filing room, they regularly sharpen and inspect the saw blades they'll use to cut the shaved logs, straightening them back into shape when necessary.", "In this sawmill, there are two production lines.", "The wider logs go through this saw.", "The worker at the controls uses a laser to help him position and reposition each log as he runs it through the saw several times to cut it into as many 4x10-inch pieces as possible.", "An average log usually yields about seven or eight pieces.", "The narrower logs go through a different saw.", "This saw first cuts a board off each side, then sends what's left of the log on to another saw.", "The 4x10's on the first production line go for a second cut called the resaw.", "They're cut in half into 2x10's.", "The logs on the second production line end up here in what's called the canter-bull machine.", "It has eight adjustable circular saws that can cut the log into various sizes of wood anywhere from 2x3's to 2x8's, depending on the log's diameter.", "Both production lines feed to machines that smooth the edges and trim off any defects that can effect the strength or resistance of the wood.", "Then an automated sorter drops the wood into bins according to their size.", "Each bin then feeds the stacking machine.", "From here they'll put the wood into a kiln to be dried to about 15% humidity.", "Then they'll grade the pieces and ship them to a lumberyard or home-improvement store.", "If you care about our environment, chances are you separate your recyclable waste from your other garbage and either take it to a recycling center or put it out at the curb for pickup.", "But have you ever wondered where it goes from there?", "When the truck arrives, your recyclables go through their first sorting.", "The worker puts paper and boxes in one receptacle, glass, plastics, and metals in another.", "At the sorting plant the truck dumps each receptacle into a separate area.", "Then it's on to separate conveyor belts for more sorting.", "On the paper-and-boxes line, workers first remove any plastic, metal, or glass that got there by mistake.", "Then they sort what's left into three categories-- first, corrugated cardboard-- what brown boxes are made of-- second, newsprint, and third, mixed-fiber paper such as cereal boxes, envelopes, and greeting cards.", "On the glass, metal, and plastics conveyor belt, workers first remove the big bulky items such as gallon-sized containers.", "A jumbo magnet picks up everything metal except for aluminum, which isn't magnetic.", "Workers then sort milk and juice cartons to one area, aluminum to another.", "They separate plastics into three categories, glass into two-- clear and colored.", "Once everything's been separated, each category goes into a baler, which compacts it...", "Then binds it with wire like a giant bale of hay.", "Then it's off to the warehouse until they're sold to a recycler.", "At the recycling plant, they cut open a bale of plastics, then load everything onto the conveyor belt.", "The plastics pass through magnets to remove any metal that might have slipped through.", "Then it's into the shredder.", "It takes the shredder just an hour to shred two tons of plastic.", "All those containers are now tiny, little plastic flakes.", "Next, cleaning by friction and water.", "Any remaining glass or other contaminants now sink to the bottom while the lighter plastic flakes float to the top.", "The dirty water will be chemically filtered and used again.", "They dry the flakes by hot air, then put them into silos to be compacted.", "Inside the compactor, it's 320 degrees fahrenheit.", "The heat partially melts the plastic, fusing the pieces as they compact.", "The flakes go through the compactor's perforated inner drum, much like a pasta press...", "And come out looking a bit like macaroni.", "They're now officially recycled plastic in raw-material form.", "Next they're melted, pressed through a screen, then cut into pellets 1/8 inch long.", "They drop into water to cool, then go into a dryer.", "Factories buy these pellets and use them to make plastic products.", "This recycling plant takes the plastic flakes it produces to mold warehouse pallets.", "The mold goes in at 446 degrees fahrenheit for just about seven or eight minutes.", "It takes just 2 1/2 minutes to mold a recycling bin...", "Something to help ensure a steady supply of what the factory needs to keep producing recycled plastic.", "Still moping about the one that got away?", "Well, maybe you just didn't use the right fly.", "Fly-fishing is one of the most challenging types of sport fishing, and tying a good fly to the end of your line can make all the difference.", "In about 300 a.d., people began decorating their fishing hooks to mimic insects and small fish.", "The macedonians were known to use a fishing fly made of red yarn and rooster feathers.", "Today, with so many synthetic materials available, the design possibilities are endless.", "But every fishing fly is still based on that centuries-old technique of attaching bird feathers or animal hairs to a hook.", "The whole idea is to trick the fish.", "The fly imitates an aquatic insect or tiny fish, something the fish you're trying to catch likes to eat.", "The flymaker starts by placing a hook in a vise.", "Using a tool called a bobbin holder, he winds a waxed nylon thread carefully and tightly around the shank of the hook...", "Then cuts off the excess.", "This fly will simulate a mothlike insect called a caddis, a primary food for trout-- a caddis in the pupal stage of its life cycle, just before it transforms into an adult.", "The flymaker first attaches a special synthetic yarn to create the tail.", "He secures it along the middle of the hook.", "He then takes another synthetic material called dubbing to create the body.", "He spins the dubbing between his fingers onto the thread.", "The wax on the thread helps it adhere.", "He winds the dubbing over the base of yarn to form the body.", "Then he folds some yarn over the dubbing and attaches it with more nylon thread.", "Then he cuts off the excess.", "Good fishing flies not only look like the real thing, they also act like it, mimicking the insect's natural movements.", "When a caddis pupa is ready to transform into an adult, it swims to the surface of the water, then deploys its wings.", "The shimmering yarn on this fake caddis will give the illusion of the air bubbles this voyage to the surface creates.", "To simulate the wings, the flymaker uses dubbing made of deer fur.", "He cuts off the long, coarse hairs known as guard hairs...", "Then places them into a device called a hair stacker.", "He shakes it...", "Turns it to the side...", "Then opens it up.", "All the hairs are now evenly aligned.", "He measures the length he needs to create the fly's wings.", "Then he attaches it, leaving a portion sticking out the front to form the insect's head.", "Next he uses a tool called a whip finisher to tie a sturdy knot made of several loops.", "This caddis fly imposter is now ready to trick some trout.", "There are thousands of styles of flies.", "You choose which to use according to what fish are feeding on at the moment.", "Flymakers use many types of natural and synthetic dubbings to form and decorate their flies-- feathers, animal hairs, metals, and plastics often dyed brilliant colors.", "Tying a great fly won't always snag you the catch of the day, but if you maneuver the fly to make realistic movements in the water, the fish will buy it-- hook, line, and sinker." ]

{ "things": [ "Plastic Injection Moulds", "Automotive Oil Filters", "Filing Cabinets", "Blown Glass" ] }

[ "If you take a closer look at the products around you, you'll notice that many are made of parts that have been assembled together.", "One way factories make product parts is by melting material such as metal, rubber, or plastic, then pouring or injecting them into molds.", "To make a plastic part for a product, the manufacturer has to first commission a mold-making company to design and produce a plastic-injection mold.", "The mold begins as bars of chromium steel, a highly durable metal that can withstand repeated high-pressure injection of plastic.", "Workers assemble several bars into a block called a mold base.", "They mount this base on a milling machine, which shaves the bars to the right dimension.", "This step is critical, enabling them to later machine the base into a mold that's true to the technical design, right down to the hundredth of a millimeter.", "A mold usually consists of two halves, each of which is comprised of several components.", "The factory drills strategically positioned holes in each base for the guide pins and bushings that hold the components together when the plastic's injected.", "A grinder now goes to work, smoothing and leveling all surfaces.", "This prepares the base for the high-precision machining operations that will transform it into a mold component.", "A computer-guided tooling machine called the cnc slowly machines the base, wearing away the steel, particle by particle, to create the mold-component shape.", "This one, part of a mold for the plastic rim around a snowmobile's front headlight, takes 20 hours to complete.", "From here, most mold components go on to a second tooling machine, especially if they require fine detailing that this cnc machine isn't capable of carving.", "The second machine is outfitted with a copper electrode in the shape of the plastic part, in this case, a snowmobile oil gauge.", "After polishing the electrode to ensure flawless casting, they use a sophisticated measuring device to verify the dimensions.", "The electrode goes facedown on the second tooling machine, called the edm.", "Directly underneath is the mold half that's been partially formed on the first machine.", "A strong electric current runs through the electrode and penetrates the mold, forming a cavity in the shape of the electrode.", "After tooling, they drill coolant lines.", "This is for the cooling fluid they'll use to accelerate the hardening of the molten plastic.", "Some plastic product parts, like that snowmobile oil gauge we saw earlier, have lettering on them.", "The factory engraves the letters in reverse inside the mold cavity.", "After the plastic's injected, the writing is right-side out and raised.", "This surface of the mold cavity is pretty rough from all that tooling, so they polish it smooth to ensure proper casting.", "Here's what the two halves of a finished mold look like.", "The pins and bushings fit together to close the mold before injecting the hot liquid plastic.", "Once the plastic cools and hardens, it's just a matter of extracting the molded plastic part.", "Here's a different molding method-- a two-step process they're using to make buttons that go on the steering handle of a jet ski.", "First, they mold a structural base out of hard, white plastic.", "Then, they put the base into a second mold and inject a rubberlike gray plastic.", "This softer plastic covers everything but the raised lettering, giving the button a softer feel.", "Factories also make molds for aluminum injection and rubber injection, among other materials.", "They build those molds from different types of metal but using the same techniques.", "Changing your car's oil filter a couple of times a year is an easy way to prolong the life of your engine.", "The oil pump forces oil through the filter to the moving parts in the engine.", "The filter's job is to block dirt and metal debris from getting in between those parts and causing engine damage.", "They make many oil-filter parts from steel coil-- a sheet of steel on a roll.", "They start by unwinding the roll and feeding the coil into a press.", "The press contains a series of dies, each of which progressively stamps the steel into the shape of the specific part they're making.", "This press is churning out tapping plates, a component on the end of the oil filter that screws onto the car's engine.", "Hot off the press, the tapping plates travel on a magnetic conveyer to the welding station.", "There, a robotic arm loads them onto the welding carrousel.", "But before any welding begins, a nozzle applies sealant around the rim of each plate.", "This will fill any gaps left between the parts after welding.", "A robot now welds the tapping plate to another steel part called the bottom ring.", "This ring will hold the gasket, the rubber seal that prevents oil from leaking out as it travels through the filter into the engine.", "The welded parts, known as the bottom assembly, now go onto a machine that cuts a thread pattern through the center.", "This will enable the oil filter to be screwed onto the engine.", "Another press produces the oil filter's steel body, called the cannister.", "The dies first stamp out a rough cannister shape.", "Then, they reduce the diameter and make the can taller.", "Finally, they cut off the excess.", "Elsewhere in the factory, another machine cuts and perforates pieces of tin-plated steel coil and rolls them into tubes.", "We'll see where those tubes go shortly.", "Yet another machine prepares the filter's key component-- a filter paper that works like a fine sieve, trapping dirt, carbon, and soot.", "First, the machine pleats the paper so it will fit inside the cannister.", "Next, the machine cuts the continuous ribbon of pleated paper into lengths.", "It folds each piece into a circle, fastening the ends with a steel clip.", "The next machine assembles what's called the filter cartridge.", "It places each filter paper over a tube.", "The tube's job is to reinforce the paper against the force of the oil pumping through it.", "This machine glues a capping disk on each end of the filter paper to hold the tube in place.", "A heater cures the glue.", "Now for the final assembly.", "As the cannisters go by upside down, automated arms insert the filter cartridges.", "A worker then puts a thin, rubber disk on top of each cartridge.", "This disk will prevent the oil from draining out of the filter.", "Now for those bottom assemblies we saw them making earlier.", "A worker positions one on each cannister.", "Then, a machine called a seamer folds its edge down, forming a rim, just like the rim of a soup can.", "Now the conveyer turns the filters right-side up, as they file by five nozzles spraying powder paint.", "An infrared oven dries the paint in about 90 seconds.", "Then, a printing machine stamps on the product information.", "The conveyer now turns the filters upside down again, as they travel to the gasket inserter.", "Its automated plungers insert a gasket into each bottom ring.", "These automotive oil filters are finally finished and ready to do the dirty work.", "Whether you work in a sprawling corporate office or in a home office, filing cabinets are an essential component of an efficient workplace.", "They keep your paperwork tidy, organized, and out of sight, yet just a drawer away.", "And when you're short on space, they make a handy counter for the coffee maker.", "Filing cabinets begin as sheets of cold rolled steel, a thin type of metal that's easy to bend, weld, and paint.", "As the sheet comes off the roll, it goes through a straightening machine that removes the curve, then, into a press, whose dies punch out the shape of the specific part, complete with holes, slots, and embossments.", "A filing cabinet is made up of over 60 steel parts.", "For the top-selling models, the factory has dies specially designed to punch out each part.", "But that's too costly a system for models that aren't mass-produced.", "To make low-volume or custom-made filing cabinets, the factory uses this computer-controlled punching machine.", "This equipment operates at a far slower speed than the presses we just saw, but the advantage is that it can be programmed to punch out any size, shape, or design, no matter how complex.", "Several filing-cabinet parts are designed to be bent into shape.", "Workers do that manually, using a machine called a press brake.", "This particular part will become the top of the filing cabinet, so they're making downward folds along the perimeter to create 1 1/2-inch-wide edges with strong and tight corner seams.", "This machine is called a dedicated bender because it only bends one type of part-- the filing-cabinet doors.", "The factory produces doors in such high volume that it pays to design a special machine to shape them.", "The doors are also bent downward along the perimeter to create edges half-an-inch wide with tight corner seams.", "The cabinet's base is welded from the same type of steel sheeting as the other parts.", "Small steel reinforcements make it rigid enough to support the excessive weight of file-filled drawers.", "To join the cabinet's side and back, robots perform what's called \"resistance welding,\" fusing metal using heat from an electric current.", "The next set of robots welds the side and back unit to the cabinet top.", "After this, workers attach the base using what's called \"mig welding\"-- welding that adds extra metal along the joint to create a strong seam.", "Once again, it doesn't pay to invest in robotic welding equipment for models that aren't mass-produced.", "They manually weld low-volume items such as those small filing cabinets that roll under desks.", "In the paint department, rotary atomizers envelop the filing cabinets in a mist of paint that contains a synthetic resin for durability.", "These atomizers lace the paint particles with a negative electric charge.", "This draws the particles to a positive charge on the cabinets, creating a thorough and even coat.", "After 20 minutes in an oven to bake the paint, assembly can begin.", "Ball-bearing sliders on which the drawers will sit, tracks for the fold-down doors, and doorstops, so the doors can't be pulled off their tracks.", "There's also a locking system that simultaneously bolts both sides of each door, making the files inside inaccessible.", "The last step is to install the doors and drawers using a rubber mallet, so as not to damage the finish.", "Each drawer can support up to 200 pounds of files.", "An interlock system lets you open only one drawer at a time.", "This prevents the cabinet from toppling forward.", "A glassblower can transform a sizzling blob of molten glass into sheer sculpture or objects that are both functional and decorative.", "Blowing glass can be on the cutting edge of modern design, quite a feat for an art that's more than 2,000 years old.", "The first hollow glass objects date back to 1,500 b.c. the invention of the blowpipe around 30 b.c. revolutionized the craft.", "Until then, objects were either carved from solid glass blocks or molded from molten glass.", "The blowpipe enabled glassmakers to expand and shape glass.", "It made fast, inexpensive production possible.", "This meant that everyday items, not just luxuries, could now be made of glass, accessible not just to the rich but to the ordinary people, too.", "When you see these spectacular shapes and colors, it's hard to believe that blown glass comes from this bland, clumpy stuff.", "This is silica, a natural material derived from sand, mixed with thinners and stabilizers, such as potassium and limestone.", "The glassblower recycles any leftover, colorless glass then loads the mix into the melting furnace.", "After 12 hours at fusion temperature, 2,200 degrees fahrenheit, the raw material transforms into colorless liquid glass.", "The glassblower uses a blowpipe, a long steel tube with a ring or pear-shaped end to collect what's called a gather, a glob of this red-hot molten material.", "To color the gather, she quickly rolls it in finely ground colored glass.", "At this stage, the glass is honey-like in consistency, though it's cooling and thickening by the second.", "She fuses the color layer by reheating the glass for a few seconds in a smaller furnace called a glory hole.", "Next, she rolls the glass against a ladle-shaped block to form a starting shape for blowing.", "A gentle blow or two bulges it into a hollow bubble.", "By now, the cooling glass has thickened to the consistency of caramel, making it more controllable and shapable.", "The glassblower stretches and shapes the glass with different blocks and hand tools.", "Now the glass is like hardened caramel, and it will hold its final shape.", "She scores the glass where it meets the blowpipe, then cools it down further with compressed air.", "On the opposite end of the glass, with a bit of hot glass, she attached a solid-metal maneuvering rod called a pontil.", "Then she applies a single drop of cold water on the score line to break the glass off the blowpipe.", "Using another pontil, she plugs the resulting hole with hot glass.", "Then, it's back to the melting furnace to attach a gather.", "It's critical to always rotate the glass so that it doesn't droop and become lopsided.", "The glassblower shapes this gather, not with a block, but by hand.", "She protects herself from the intense heat by using a thick stack of soggy newspapers.", "Using an ordinary pair of scissors, she forms ridges.", "Then, she twists the ridges to spiral them.", "She cools and hardens the finished design using compressed air.", "Then, it's a quick blast into the glory hole to equalize the temperature throughout the piece.", "This blown-glass lemon reamer has taken all of eight minutes to make.", "Now it goes into an electric kiln for a slow 12-hour cooldown to prevent cracking.", "Meanwhile, the glassblower starts a new piece-- a large vase.", "More blowing, more shaping.", "Then, while her co-worker blows air to expand the glass and thin it out, she cools the vase's bottom with wet newspapers.", "This holds the shape while she scores the cutoff point at the top.", "After reheating the glass to resoften it, they stretch it, lengthening the vase.", "Once they finalize the shape, they use a wooden paddle to flatten the base.", "Now for some eye-catching decoration-- vivid colored glass coiled like taffy over the entire vase.", "Certain designs require cutting off a portion of the finished piece.", "That leaves a rough, opaque edge they must extensively grind and polish.", "A lemon reamer, a vase, even a mortar and pestle-- a glassblower's work is clearly remarkable." ]

{ "things": [ "Educational Robots", "Boxing Belts", "Boat Radar Mounts", "European Style Radiators" ] }

[ "Artificial intelligence is an area of computer science focused on creating intelligent machines that work and react to humans.", "The term \"robot\" first appeared in 1920.", "It comes from the czech word \"robota,\" meaning \"forced labor\".", "This facility makes a type of educational robot equipped with a series of interconnected servomotors.", "This type of equipment allows the robot to move with an extraordinary degree of dexterity.", "Construction starts from scratch.", "Tiny bushings are created from a steel rod placed inside this high-tech automated machining device.", "A technician monitors the operation as the machine shapes the parts with digitized precision to the design specifications.", "The high-speed steel bits carve the metal at an incredible speed.", "This machine can manufacture 1,309 parts per every eight-hour shift.", "The parts fall into a vibrating mechanism that feeds them into the next phase of production.", "A specialized device called a gear-hobbing machine quickly and accurately cuts a series of cogs to create tiny sprocket wheels.", "A technician uses state-of-the-art measuring devices to gauge the profile, tooth alignment, and pitch of sample parts to ensure they are up to standards specified in the manufacturer's control plan.", "Another operator mounts a gear plate on a device, fastening it to a smaller part called the sun gear.", "Once all the required parts are tested and prepped, technicians begin putting them all together to create d.c. motors.", "Since the robots are specialty items with small production quantities, this facility is able to assemble each motor by hand.", "The gears used in the motors are made of a variety of metals to account for different requirements of torque and loading force within the device.", "Moving with speed and precision, specialists are able to assemble each motor in less than 10 minutes.", "Next, the tiny control unit is installed.", "That will allow the user to manipulate the robot.", "The technician carefully attaches the bottom portion of the unit inside the motor container with a small cordless drill.", "Once the unit is firmly secured, he expertly positions the wire leads to prepare them for the next step.", "A technician quickly solders the wires in place.", "Now that the installation of the control panel is complete, a technician finalizes the d.c. motor assembly by attaching the cover and securing it down with four screws using a cordless drill.", "Next, the individual motors are installed into the framework of the robot.", "One motor becomes the robot's head, while the remaining motors are attached to hinged joints that correspond to a major body part.", "Then the robot's wiring is plugged in, ensuring the motors are connected to each other.", "They now form parts of an integrated device which can act together.", "Technicians use a 3-d printer to create a suit of armor for the robot, which they mount on its exterior to give it a more finished look.", "A specialist plugs the robots into a computer and programs their different movements.", "The robot tech communicates with the robot's control panel to make it do remarkable things.", "But first, an old-fashioned rock 'em sock 'em before they take over the world.", "When professional boxers win a title, they're crowned the champ and rewarded with a belt to be worn around the waist.", "Each international organization commissions a belt that's custom-designed to its specifications and prominently features the organization's logo in the belt's central medallion.", "These boxing championship belts are entirely handcrafted.", "The laterals, the side pieces flanking the ornate centerplate, are sometimes engraved with a fighter's portrait.", "When a boxing association commissions a new design, the company's artisans prepare a sketch for each piece.", "Following the sketch, they sculpt a clay model.", "From that, they cast a plaster model, then a metal model, refining the sculpture at each step.", "Artisans use the final metal model to produce a rubber mold, which is used to cast the piece in white metal.", "The extracted castings are quite rough, so the workshop's craftsmen use files, chisels, and automated tools to refine the shape.", "Some of the devices and techniques are routinely used by jewelers, while others were designed specifically for this purpose.", "Once the intricate details are completed, the team files down rough spots along the perimeter.", "The belts feature a three-dimensional sculpture of an eagle fused to the centerplate.", "An artisan heats the wings with an open flame to make them pliable.", "Then he bends them to render the eagle more lifelike.", "Every piece must be meticulously hand-polished on a buffing wheel.", "This prepares the metal to be plated with gold or rhodium.", "The piece is electroplated with copper, then nickel, then 18-karat gold.", "The nickel carries the shine through to the surface.", "After a thorough buffing on the surface, the pieces are embellished with crystals into molded cavities.", "Sometimes the championship winner may order precious stones such as diamonds and rubies to replace the crystals, depending on their preference.", "A team of enamelers paints the finished pieces with jewelry-grade enamel.", "This requires a steady hand and close attention to detail.", "Once the piece is painted, it's put into an oven to bake the enamel.", "The belt strap is made of high-grade bonded leather.", "A craftsman traces a belt template in the leather, then cuts it out with a knife.", "Then they adhere the strap to leather or high-grade vinyl.", "The designer sews the strap's lining separately, stitching black spandex over a faux-fur backing and attaching the authenticity label which bears the belt's serial number.", "This distinguishes it from cheaply made copies.", "The craftsman attaches leather/high-grade vinyl piping to the strap perimeter.", "He places a brand sticker on the back next to an inscribed tribute to the originator of the modern boxing belt.", "They adhere the lining.", "Then, after smoothing out the layers of the belt with a hammer, the designer stitches the lining to the strap.", "Some belts have buckles, others hook-and-loop fasteners, which are stitched to the strap at the same time as the lining.", "Once the belt is finished, the centerplate and laterals are attached.", "It's essential to wear gloves while doing this to protect the pristine surface.", "The final step is to place an engravable brass plate into each lateral.", "Then the championship belt is delivered in a hand-crafted protective case for a knockout presentation.", "Radar helps sailors navigate through inclement weather while on the water, ensuring they aren't operating blind.", "These specialized pedestal mounts elevate the radar systems, which maximize the antenna's range.", "The mounts also provide equipment stability while traveling over rough waters.", "Boat-radar mounts are one of the most critical pieces of navigation equipment to have on deck.", "Radar-mount construction begins with a computer-generated drawing that specifies the height and angle of the tower.", "The parts are made from extruded marine-grade aluminum.", "A machinist clamps the first top plate in a jig and sets the tower upside down on the top plate.", "The jig holds the tower in position as he tack-welds the assembly in place.", "After clamping side gussets to the tower, the technician turns it right-side up and inserts the bottom tabs in a baseplate to position it for assembly.", "Using an angle ruler, he confirms that the tower stands at 90 degrees.", "Then he welds the radar-equipment tower to the base.", "He sets the tower on its side to measure locations for tack welds, marking each with a pen.", "Next, he makes larger stitch welds intermittently.", "This will secure the gussets to the tower.", "The machinist installs a gusset arm or bracket in the middle of the radar tower.", "Using a metal puck as a guide, he centers another top plate on the gusset arm.", "He clamps it and measures its placement to verify that it's properly centered, and welds it to the arm.", "He removes the puck and installs another mounting arm at the base.", "A computerized drill cuts bolt holes in a radar-mounting plate.", "Radar-bolting patterns vary, so it configures them to match up with a specific radar system.", "Once the bolt holes are placed, the drill carves around the border of the plate, reshaping it from square to round.", "The circular profile will match the base of the satellite-radar system.", "In a process known as countersinking, he bevels the rims of the bolt holes to a graduated profile.", "This method will provide a stronger connection between the mounting platform and the radar system.", "With a special deburring tool, the technician removes sharp edges left by the countersinking process.", "He smooths the outer edges of the mounting plate using a hand sander.", "The mounting plate is placed in a tub of vibrating ceramic stones mixed with water.", "The friction removes any lingering imperfections and sharp edges.", "Another technician cuts aluminum wings for an accessory extension.", "The extension could hold a number of accessories, including a radio, gps antenna, or deck lights.", "The parts are hollow in order to house wiring.", "The wings will be assembled to a center trunk.", "But first, they cap one end of each wing.", "This wing will contain wiring snaked through from holes in the sides of the trunk.", "The technician welds a wing to each side of the trunk.", "This step completes the accessory-extension structure.", "Next, it's time to build an arm for a navigation light.", "A hydraulic press bends the arm to the desired curvature.", "A measuring tool indicates the angle of the bend.", "The technician drills a hole for the installation of the light.", "After a powder-coat finish has been applied to all the parts, the mount is ready for assembly on the boat.", "By using critical navigational equipment, this boat-radar mount will ensure that any boater will be able to find their bearings.", "European radiators exude both warmth and style.", "The heating-tube technology can be modified for electric or hot-water heating systems and can be made in a range of designs.", "These radiators can blend into a background or stand out to make a statement on the wall.", "This european-style radiator is typically mounted to a wall so it doesn't take up floor space, allowing more room for furniture and people.", "Making panel radiators starts with steel flat tubes.", "Using a circular saw, the machine cuts a stack of the tubes to length.", "These flat tubes will be held together by struts known as headers.", "An automated drill punches holes for bushings into the ends.", "At the next station, a machine inserts bushings into the holes and welds them together.", "Another welding device seals the ends of the flat heating tubes.", "The tubes are stacked.", "Meanwhile, technicians prepare the headers, which are made of square steel tubes.", "An automated machine punches holes in the headers.", "These holes will allow hot water to flow throughout the radiator.", "A circular saw cuts the header to its specified length.", "Most radiators are custom-made, and sizes are determined by the heating requirements of the space.", "The headers are equipped with endcaps and fittings to supply water and vent air.", "A technician inserts the caps into the ends of the header tube and hammers them down.", "He clamps several of the capped headers in a fixture.", "The fixture holds them in position as an automated welder joins the caps to the headers.", "Here is the header tubing before and after the holes were punched and the endcaps were welded.", "With the header clamped into another fixture, a drill carves a threaded connector into the side.", "This connector will be used to plumb the radiator to the hot-water system.", "It's now time to build the grid of heating tubes.", "First, a machine moves the header into position.", "An automated arm slides the flat heating tube into place on the header, and a welding device joins them together.", "The automated welder installs flat tubes on each side of the headers and applies the company logo.", "Strips of steel will be used to make fins that direct heat upward.", "A machine punches a series of notches in the steel to mount the fins to the back of the radiator.", "A hydraulic press bends the notched steel, creating an accordion-like profile.", "These ridges create pockets that will capture hot air and allow it to rise.", "The fins coil up at the end of the line for easy transfer to the next station.", "At this point, all the flat tubes have been fully assembled to the headers.", "An operator places the fins, which have been cut to a specified length, on the back of the flat-tube grid.", "A machine welds the fins to the heating tubes between the folds.", "This step produces a heating panel that will radiate heat up and out.", "Another team member installs metal trim on the top of the radiator.", "He places mounts on the back corners and welds them together.", "These mounts will house threaded bolts, which will be used to level the radiator to the wall.", "The radiator is now fully assembled.", "The radiator undergoes a quality-control test.", "Technicians pump in air and submerge it in water.", "If bubbles appear, it indicates a leak.", "If not, the radiator is removed from the water.", "Electrostatically charged epoxy particles are sprayed onto the device, which provide a protective layer.", "This european-style radiator is now ready to release some major heat." ]

{ "things": [ "Recycled Skateboard Guitars", "Solar Street Lights", "Dolls" ] }

[ "With flips and jumps part of the sport, active skateboarders damage their decks beyond repair every few months.", "But instead of tossing the ruined skateboards into landfills, their being reclaimed for a different kind of trick-- a transformation into electric guitars.", "From skateboards to fretboards, it may seem quite a leap, but making electric guitars out of old skateboards is not such a wild idea.", "Skateboards are often made of multiple layers of rock maple, which is a traditional toned wood for guitars.", "A guitar maker evaluates the condition and color of the boards.", "And once he's made his selections, he aims a heat gun at the grip tape on top to soften it.", "He pries the edges of the softened tape away from the board using a razor.", "He grabs the tape and pulls it off the skateboard.", "He can now get a better look at the damage done to the board, and he decides it can be salvaged.", "He sands off the adhesive and the graphics.", "The sanding doesn't remove the turquoise color.", "The dye has penetrated the wood and is part of its intrinsic appeal.", "He cuts off the nose and the tail of the board and discards them.", "He'll just be using the wheel bases.", "The next step is to laminate five of the skateboards together.", "He applies a liberal coat of glue, spreading it with a putty knife for complete coverage.", "He adds the final board to the glued stack and places the stack in a hydraulic clamp.", "To protect the surface of the skateboards, he sets a wooden board on top.", "The clamp squeezes the skateboard sandwiched together as the glue sets.", "A day later, he removes the now laminated skateboards.", "A blade shaves the surface of the stack smooth and brings out the grain.", "He trims the edges of the stack so that they're more even.", "He applies glue in a zig-zag pattern to one of the side edges and spreads it across the entire edge.", "He joins another skateboard stack to this one and clamps the two together.", "Fused together, they form a block that's large enough to be crafted into an electric guitar body.", "With a pencil, he traces around the template of a guitar shape to transfer the outline to the laminated skateboards.", "Using a bandsaw, he cuts out the shape.", "The skateboard colors form a random pattern within the guitar shape.", "He places the template on the guitar body once again and secures it with double-sided tape.", "With a router, he fines the profile, giving the guitar smoother lines.", "Using a different pattern as a guide, he routes and drills cavities to accommodate the guitar's neck, electronics, and bridge.", "He removes the template and inspects his work.", "He sands the edges of the cavity smooth.", "Then he drills several holes in the back of the guitar for attaching the neck later.", "With the guitar body held steady in a clamp, he bores a hole for the input jack.", "After crafting the neck of the guitar from reclaimed skateboards, he files it aggressively to shape it to the desired profile.", "He then sands the entire neck.", "The body undergoes an extensive sanding, too, and then he coats it with clear gloss.", "This is the first of seven to eight coats with a sanding in between each one.", "With curing time, this lacquering process takes three weeks.", "After wet sanding and buffing, the guitar body and neck have a mirror finish.", "The guitar maker nestles the neck in the hollow space at the front of the body and screws it in place from the back of the guitar.", "This recycled skateboard guitar can now be assembled and wired and is set up to rock.", "It takes a month to transform some battered, old skateboards into a sleek electric guitar.", "Trading the half-pipe for the stage, these skateboards are no longer hasbeens.", "Solar street lights are a 21st century innovation.", "Powered by the sun's rays, they take the concept of renewable energy to the streets.", "There's no need to tap into the grid.", "These lights are standalone systems, so even if there's an electrical power outage, these street lights will stay on.", "Solar street lights take energy from the sun during the day, store it, and then use it to shine brightly at night.", "So even when the sun sets, they still provide light.", "Manufacturing begins with the assembly of an led circuit board.", "The technician places the optics or lenses, onto the aluminum board and adds a silicone-foam gasket for water proofing.", "She secures the assembly with a stainless-steel plate.", "This completes the solar street light's led board.", "The next worker assembles the led board to the base of an aluminum heat sink.", "It will disperse excess heat from the led board.", "He uses several screws to secure the led board to the heat sink.", "He installs the driver, which will provide power to the led board.", "Once in place, he connects the led driver to the input power lead.", "He now builds the decorative housing.", "He screws aluminum tiers together.", "He applies adhesive to the upper inner rim.", "He inserts an optically clear polycarbonate lens, and the flange adheres to the adhesive-coated rim.", "He screws the led heat sink assembly to an aluminum lid.", "He now applies a special adhesive to the outside rim of the light fixture housing.", "He presses foam tubing onto the area.", "Once compressed by the lid, it will provide a water-tight seal.", "With everything in an upside down position, he lowers the assembly over the led heat sink and screws it to the lid.", "A technician plugs the fixture into an electrical testing unit.", "He confirms that all the leds are illuminating and that there are no electrical issues.", "The manufacturers then transfer the light fixture to a solar light factory.", "Upon arrival here, a technician does more testing to verify that its function hasn't been compromised along the way.", "The team is now ready to add the solar power system to the led street light.", "A technician programs the solar charge and load controller.", "Another team member places the battery that will hold the solar charge into a vented cabinet.", "He connects the battery to a side clip and ground wire.", "He tucks insulating foam to the sides and connects a load fuse to the battery wiring.", "He plugs the controller into the battery.", "In addition to regulating the battery charge and energy load, it's also a timer for the light's operation.", "Next up is the solar array.", "It's a group of photovoltaic panels or solar cells.", "The technician sets the solar array front-side down on the workbench.", "He threads cable through an aluminum back panel.", "This cable will serve as a ground wire.", "He pushes a pop rivet through a hole beside the cable and slides the eyelid on the end of the cable over it.", "He then pulls the pin through the rivet.", "He threads wires from the panel junction box and into the opening beside the ground cable.", "He tucks them into a flexible cable at the back.", "He rivets the aluminum back plate to the solar panel array.", "He pulls the wires from the junction box through holes in a cover.", "He solders electrical pins to the ends of the wires and plugs them into a single connector.", "With the junction box cover installed, the solar street light system is ready for final testing.", "The team assembles the street light to a pole in the factory, they connect everything, and stuff the wires into the pole's cavity.", "They screw the led light fixture to the bracket on the pole, and it's ready to shine.", "The street lamp controller senses when it's dark and automatically illuminates.", "It will also a detect a well-lit environment and switch the light off.", "Now, that's street smarts.", "The doll just may be the earliest recorded toy.", "There's archaeological evidence that in ancient greece, rome, and egypt, people made dolls from available materials, such as clay, wood, bone, and leather.", "But doll manufacturing began in germany in the 1400s.", "This french company has been hand-crafting dolls since 1860.", "The materials have changed over the years, but the doll making techniques have essentially remained the same.", "The body parts are still cast in traditional copper molds.", "The factory makes one line of dolls out of tinted vinyl.", "This pinkish color is for caucasian dolls.", "However, the factory also makes black and mediterranean dolls.", "Each tray holds the six molds required for a single doll-- head, torso, arms, and legs.", "The worker sets the machine to fill each one with a specific quantity of vinyl.", "He closes each mold with a twist cap.", "He tightens each cap with pliers to prevent leaks.", "Then he places the molds in an oven at 410 degrees fahrenheit.", "Throughout baking, the oven rotates the molds in two directions to ensure the vinyl spreads evenly inside the mold cavity.", "He removes the molds from the oven seven minutes later...", "Then submerges them in water for precisely 23 seconds.", "This stops the baking and solidifies the vinyl.", "The worker uses pliers to remove the caps...", "Then switches to a pair of needlenose pliers to grab each cast-vinyl limb and yank it out of the mold.", "To remove the head, he pierces a hole to release trapped air, then, with a stick, compresses the head just enough to pry it out.", "The vinyl is still flexible.", "As it cools, it will become more rigid, yet still soft enough to stamp out eye sockets and implant strands of synthetic hair.", "This factory makes another line of dolls out of colorless polyethylene granules mixed with ground-tinted polyethylene left over from the molding process.", "The molding machine melts the granules and simultaneously extrudes and inflates the liquid poly into a balloon, which the mold shapes into a specific part.", "This mold makes the torso.", "Workers simply switch the mold onto the machine to produce a different part.", "A worker snaps off the excess polyethylene.", "These are the leftovers which get ground up and combined with new, colorless granules.", "As the polyethylene cools, it hardens.", "That's why these dolls have molded hair and eyes, which are later painted.", "Each part comes out of the mold with a glossy finish and is seamed where the two halves of the mold met.", "A worker buffs the part against a felt wheel rotating at high speed to wear down the seam.", "But this discolors that area in the process.", "To make this surface finish uniform, the parts tumble in a rotating drum filled with sand for about seven minutes.", "The sand rubs against the surface of the part, removing the shine and discoloration.", "When the part comes out of the sanding drum, its uniform surface is seamless, smooth, and matte.", "Back to the vinyl dolls now, it's time to address that bald scalp.", "This factory uses hair-stitching machines from the 1950s.", "Before that time, hair was glued to the head.", "The hair is nylon and comes in a range of shades.", "This machine's thick needle repeatedly pierces the vinyl, stitching on the strands as the seamstress moves the doll's head in concentric circles.", "Once the head is completely covered, she parts the hair, then stitches on more in the middle to add thickness and height.", "In addition to soft vinyl dolls and hard polyethylene dolls, the factory also makes combination dolls that have soft heads, with hair on hard bodies.", "But all types of dolls become more lifelike as this process continues.", "Dolls are recognized as an important contributor to the development of healthy children.", "Dolls give kids children of their own to care for, a chance to emulate their parents and engage their imaginations as they feed, dress, and cuddle their dolls and lullaby them to sleep.", "These vinyl dolls have what are known as sleeping eyes.", "When the doll lies down, its eyes close.", "Before installing the eyes, workers warm the head with a heat lamp.", "This makes the vinyl flexible enough for the press to lodge the eye into the socket with a shot of compressed air.", "The eyes are made of metal and plastic.", "Once installed, they often require a slight adjustment so the doll isn't cross-eyed.", "For safety, molded pockets inside the head hold the eyes securely in place so that children can't pull them off.", "These vinyl dolls have painted hair.", "The painter applies the hair and facial colors with an air brush.", "There's a different stencil for each model.", "This one has light-brown hair and eyebrows, a pale pink mouth, and rosy pink cheeks.", "All the paint is non-toxic.", "Polyethylene dolls get some extra pampering with a manicure and a pedicure.", "The assembler takes a thick length of elastic, ties a large knot at one end, then with a tool, pokes the knot into a hole in one of the legs.", "She threads the other end of the elastic through holes in the torso and pulls until the leg and torso are connected.", "Then she knots the other end of elastic and pokes that knot into the hole of the other leg.", "She repeats the process at the top of the torso, connecting the first arm, the head, and the second arm with the same elastic.", "This traditional assembly method makes the dolls limbs and head moveable.", "Workers here have been assembling dolls this way since 1860.", "This is the last of what were once many factories in france handcrafting dolls.", "Traditional operations are fewer and fewer worldwide, as most dolls today are mass produced in asia.", "The assembler makes sure that the limbs and head move properly before sending the doll to the next department.", "Meanwhile, other departments are producing a range of outfits and accessories.", "Before dressing and packaging a polyethylene doll, the worker has to wipe it down, as buffing down the seams left a layer of plastic dust.", "This doll comes in a ballerina outfit, white tights, pink leg warmers, pink ballet shoes with flowers and ribbons, of course...", "And a pink tutu.", "Although there are no hard and fast rules, doll collectors usually prefer the hard polyethylene dolls, while the softer, vinyl dolls are designed for children.", "After putting the finishing touches on the outfit, the dresser brushes and styles the doll's hair.", "This little ballerina wears a pink bow in her ponytail.", "All the clothes are removable, to allow a child to change the doll's outfit.", "The last step before packaging is to hang an elegant, color-coordinated manufacturer's tag on the doll's right wrist.", "They may be wearing today's styles and fashions, but these handcrafted dolls are a testament to a toy-making tradition that goes back centuries." ]

{ "things": [ "Table Tennis Tables", "Plastic Model Kits", "Light Microscopes" ] }

[ "Table tennis is more commonly known as ping-pong.", "Folding table-tennis tables are popular in homes and kept outdoors because they can be closed up and rolled out of the way.", "These tables can also fold down on just one side, allowing for solo play.", "This high-end outdoor table-tennis table has an aluminum bottom that prevents the tabletop, called the plate, from warping or splitting due to expansion and contraction.", "A press stamps cups into a sheet of aluminum.", "This pattern creates nearly equal areas both in contact and out of contact with the rest of the plate layers, providing flexibility to withstand temperature-related movement.", "Each table needs two embossed aluminum sheets-- one for each half of the plate.", "A technician assembles frames for the plate halves out of square extruded aluminum tubes, cut to the lengths and widths of the plate half perimeter.", "An automated milling machine makes miter cuts, which allow the tubes to be made into rectangles.", "Then, the technician moves the frames onto a rotating fixture...", "And welds the corners together.", "The frames are inserted into a brushing machine.", "Inside, wire brush rollers allow the aluminum surface to become rough.", "This helps the components to adhere to one another.", "Another technician places the embossed aluminum sheet into a rectangular assembly jig.", "And adds the brushed aluminum frame.", "A conveyor transfers the jig to the next station.", "Then, the jig connects with an 8-millimeter-thick sheet of particleboard, made of wood chips and glue.", "The board is coated with a heat-activated adhesive film on both sides.", "At the next station, an aluminum sheet is placed on top of the particleboard.", "This step completes the plate component assembly.", "Next, the conveyor loads the jig into a press.", "Once 12 jigs have been loaded onto the press, it heats to 239 degrees fahrenheit.", "And compresses them for about 10 minutes.", "This process activates the adhesive and bonds the components of each plate into a single unit-- one framed plate half.", "Each plate half goes through an automated milling machine.", "The machine trims any excess material from all four sides to ensure the table won't have any sharp edges.", "The plate half goes through a paint machine, then into an oven.", "The process repeats, applying a second coat of paint and a u.v.-resistant clear coat.", "A machine applies paint through a screen stencil, printing the lines that mark the boundaries of the playing surface.", "After the paint is dried in an oven, a team places the finished plate half in a cardboard box and attaches folding legs to the base.", "The factory mills the legs in-house out of high-tensile steel, then finishes them in baked-on paint.", "The net, along with several components, are packed and made in-house, which the consumer later assembles to the table.", "Components include the net posts, side panels, wheels, wheel brakes, and the ball return box.", "Finally, the plate half is transferred to an automated system, which completes the packaging.", "Many ping-pong tables on the market require the net to be removed every time you fold the table.", "The design of this table enables the net to remain in place whether the table is folded for storage or has one or both sides open for playing.", "Less setup time means more time to play.", "Plastic model kits were developed before world war ii, when people became interested in seeing machines in small-scale replication.", "Today plastic model kits continue to offer building opportunities to hobbyists, who love the challenge of putting little pieces together.", "With a plastic model kit, a colossal ocean liner can be replicated in small scale.", "Built with nearly 2,000 pieces, assembly is all about the details.", "Each model kit starts with extensive research and design, a process that can take up to a year to complete and cost up to $100,000 dollars.", "Using the computer design, a set of steel molds is made for every piece of the kit.", "Tools carve into steel chunks to make the molds.", "Precision work done entirely by machinery.", "Installed in large dies, the molds are linked by channels.", "Melted plastic will flow through the channels to fill the molds.", "Clear polystyrene is used for transparent components.", "The melted polystyrene is pumped under high pressure into the molds.", "Once the plastic hardens, a pusher ejects the parts.", "The connected kit parts are known as a tree.", "The opaque polystyrene pellets are used to form the other kit parts and are molded separately.", "The scale of the parts is 1 to 24, which means the model will be 1/24 the size of the original.", "Since the manufacturing is automated, the risk of contamination is reduced.", "Next, the tree is put through a technical analysis test.", "The technician photographs the tree and compares it to an image already fit to scale.", "If some parts haven't taken shape or if they're only partially formed, more pressure may be needed to ensure that the polystyrene flows into all the mold cavities.", "A technician compares a randomly selected tree to the design and verifies that no parts are poorly formed or missing.", "Once the confirmation is attained, the technician slides the model kit parts into a clear plastic sleeve.", "Before it's ready for retail, the kit needs a set of illustrated instructions.", "The designer deconstructs the model and then reconstructs it on his computer as he draws up the instructions.", "With the instruction manual complete, a team packs all the components of the model kit in a box.", "One of each of the kit trees is placed in each box.", "The kit also includes decals and large, separately molded parts, like the ocean liner hull.", "A technician closes the box.", "As it moves down a conveyor, a laser prints the date of production and the batch number on the side.", "Then, the box is wrapped in plastic, and the ends are sealed with heat guns.", "A year of planning has gone into making the plastic mold kit.", "But took less than 10 minutes to mold the kit parts and package them.", "Building the model will take 10 to 12 hours.", "The factory does a test build on each model to confirm that it comes together as planned.", "This is the iconic constellation aircraft, a world war ii military transport plane that was later converted to a commercial airliner.", "Assembling a plastic model kit can be a great learning experience for the builder.", "Decals mimic the i.d. information on the outside of the original aircraft.", "These decals have been pretreated with adhesive.", "Soaking the decals in water activates them.", "The assembler brushes more water onto the design spots on the model.", "And applies the decals to the dampened spots.", "As the glue dries, they adhere to each other.", "The plastic models can also be painted beforethe decals are applied for refined and clean look that really comes together.", "The light microscope was invented in 16th-century europe.", "It allowed the human eye to see tiny things that couldn't be seen before.", "A sophisticated research tool with focused light and optical lenses, can magnify biological tissue, minerals, and computer chips.", "Observation is an important aspect of science.", "The light microscope increases the power of observation, making it possible to see things that can't be seen with the naked eye.", "This 19th-century microscope represented a turning point, with lenses that delivered more light to specimens, increasing resolution.", "A light microscope often has multiple lenses, all made from special optical glass.", "A drill with a core bit tunnels into the glass to produce several solid cylinders.", "The drill cuts them larger and thicker than the final specifications.", "This gives technicians extra material to work with.", "A tool moves the cylinder against a spinning blade slicing it into lens blanks.", "The cylinder is first glued to a glass block, then glued to the tool.", "This method holds the cylinder in the correct position.", "Since bits of glue are left on the lenses, a thorough washing removes them.", "Next, a device grips the lens using vacuum pressure and angles it for grinding.", "Multiple grinding tools remove any excess glass and shape the radius of the lens.", "In a process known as lapping, a technician applies a fine abrasive compound to a bowl with the desired contours.", "He rotates and rubs the lens against the bowl to further shape the lens.", "He rinses off the lens and holds it against a light while he examines it for scratches.", "He measures the radius of a master lens and compares it to that of the lens he's been working on.", "If the measurements are off, he'll remove more material.", "Once additional material is removed, he measures the thickness of the lens and compares it to what it was before the adjustments.", "Next, these polishing tools will be used to fine-tune the profile of the microscope lenses.", "To protect the lenses during polishing, a technician sprays on a temporary lacquer.", "These tools will remove just a fraction of a millimeter of glass, but it will make an important impact.", "Polishing liquid provides fine abrasion and enables the tool to move across the glass.", "Then, a robot trims the edges of the lens.", "A device clamps the lens in place as trimming continues along the edges.", "Trimming allows the lens to reach the correct diameter.", "Next, the lenses are cleaned in multiple water-based solutions.", "In the baths, the vibrations from high-frequency sound create a gentle scrubbing action.", "The intensive cleaning leaves the lenses pristine.", "A technician places the freshly cleaned lenses in round trays.", "She handles them very carefully inserting them individually into each tray slot.", "Because they're extremely fragile, the slightest pressure could crack them.", "The lenses in the trays will receive an antireflective coating-- one that will prevent a loss of light due to reflection.", "Next, the antireflective material is loaded into a coating machine.", "The technician adds a specific amount of magnesium fluoride into a receptacle in the base.", "She inserts a piece of aluminum oxide in the next receptacle.", "And transfers the microscope lenses to the chamber, placing the rack on top.", "Inside the chamber, heat and a targeted plasma beam evaporate the materials.", "They precipitate onto the lenses, forming a coating.", "Coming up, all is revealed as the lenses come together in the microscope.", "Light microscopes bring the invisible into focus.", "Similar to telescopes, a tiny specimen is placed under the lens assembly, from which the viewer can discover what lies within.", "By magnifying the minuscule, the light microscope has become an indispensable scientific tool.", "The light microscope often has multiple lenses.", "Throughout the production process, the lenses are put under the microscope to confirm that the geometry is correct.", "A technician magnifies the lenses one at a time, measuring their radius and the diameter.", "Meanwhile, computerized tools shape the edges of glass prisms.", "The prisms are triangular lenses that bend or refract light, aligning colors at a focal point for a clearer image.", "Once the shaping is complete, a technician positions a prism on a holder to be calibrated.", "She aims a laser at it.", "The light passes through the prism, reflected in a mirror, and bounces back.", "A computer magnifies the surface of the prism a thousand times bigger than its original size, measuring the degree to which the prism refracts light and the flatness on each side.", "This is an inside look at a microscope lens assembly, revealing the combination of lenses.", "A prism can be an important part of this combination.", "The cast-aluminum housing has been equipped with the circuitry.", "Some of the connections have already been made.", "It's ready for the focusing mechanisms that allow the user to zoom in on tissue or other specimens.", "A technician inserts the motorized focus drive into the housing so that the ends protrude from both sides.", "He attaches adjustment knobs to the ends.", "The larger part of the knob is for quick motorized focus.", "The small one is for slower and more precise focusing.", "He slides a protective rubber cap onto the fine-focus component of the knob.", "Another technician mounts a system for revolving lenses to the microscope.", "This is called the nosepiece.", "He wires the nosepiece to the controls.", "Using compressed air, a technician cleans a part known as the side port revolver.", "It's equipped with a mirror, prism lens, and a magnifying lens.", "It will reflect light to the lenses in the eyepiece or external cameras.", "Then the side port revolver is tested.", "At this point, multiple lenses have been installed in the tube lens assembly.", "The technician screws the assembly to a revolver.", "Light from the illuminated specimen shines through the tube lens in parallel rays the rays are projected onto the eyepiece or external camera.", "He looks through the eyepiece to check the positioning of the lens in the revolver slot making adjustments if needed.", "A reflected-light illumination system is installed.", "This part directs light through the lens and onto the specimen, then back through the lens to the eyepiece or external cameras.", "This system makes it possible to magnify opaque specimens.", "Then a technician installs the transmitted light arm.", "The light arm is used for magnifying transparent or thin specimens.", "It does this by directing light through them.", "A technician performs a final inspection.", "He places specimens under the microscope, checking the brightness of the transmitted light and the resolution of the magnified image.", "He tests the focus of all the lenses in the nosepiece to confirm that each one delivers a sharp, clear view.", "He verifies that the revolving mechanisms move smoothly and are in good working order.", "After this final inspection, this light microscope is ready for research.", "By imaging small things, big discoveries are possible." ]

{ "things": [ "Temporary Metal Fences", "Asphalt Shingles", "Expanded Polystyrene Products", "Hard Candies" ] }

[ "Today on \"how it's made\"...", "Temporary metal fences...", "Asphalt shingles...", "Expanded polystyrene products...", "And hard candies.", "Temporary metal fences securely cordon off dangerous areas on construction sites.", "At open-air events such as concerts and festivals, they mark the perimeter and help direct traffic flow.", "Seasonal businesses such as garden centers use them to protect their merchandise from thieves and vandals.", "It all starts with a giant spool, roughly 4 1/2 miles of galvanized steel wire.", "A machine called the \"straightener\" uncoils the spool and straightens out the wire.", "The next machine cuts the lengths they'll need to construct the fence panels.", "A worker feeds those wire lengths into another machine, arranging them in the proper configuration.", "The lights show where they go for this particular model of fencing.", "These lengths will form the panels' vertical pieces.", "The machine carries them over to the automated welding station.", "At the welding station, a magnetic arm grabs the panels' horizontal pieces and feeds them, one by one, into position over the vertical pieces.", "Then the welding begins.", "This is electrical welding.", "A strong electric current zaps the joints, melting the metal and fusing the pieces together.", "It's faster and neater than traditional welding.", "The machinery then stacks the welded panels and moves them down the production line.", "Some panels are welded on another kind of electrical welding machine.", "It feeds the horizontal pieces onto the vertical ones using a different technique.", "But the result is the same.", "Workers position each welded panel in a manually operated pneumatic press.", "Then they bend the panel at certain key points.", "This makes it more rigid and, therefore, stronger.", "Next, workers trim off the surplus wire sticking out along the edge of the panel.", "And then the final step-- they position a round galvanized steel post on each side of the panel.", "A robotic welder then welds these side posts in place.", "When it comes time to erect this temporary fence, all they'll have to do is place each panel in footings that sit on the ground, then line up the panels side by side and attach them by clamping together the side posts.", "All the fence components are made of heavy-duty galvanized steel.", "That makes this temporary metal fence highly durable, maintenance-free, and rustproof.", "Asphalt roof shingles come in many different colors, textures, and patterns.", "They're one of the least expensive roofing materials.", "They're also very durable.", "Some even carry a lifetime warranty.", "But they can only go on a roof with a steep-enough slope.", "At the heart of every asphalt shingle is a membrane.", "It can be made from fiberglass or, like this one, from organic fibers like wood chips, recycled cardboard, and paper.", "The giant rolls of membrane feed what's known as a \"felt looper\".", "It builds up enough reserves so that workers can change rolls as needed, without stopping production.", "From there, the membrane enters a machine called the \"saturator,\" where it's drenched in hot liquid asphalt, a petroleum derivative.", "When this saturant dries, the membrane will be impermeable.", "Next comes a thicker asphalt coating, mixed with powdered limestone.", "They apply it to both the top and bottom.", "This coating will make the membrane flexible.", "It will also form a protective barrier against harsh weather.", "With that coating still wet, they spread color ceramic granules over the top surface.", "This gives the shingles their color and makes them resistant to the sun's ultraviolet rays.", "Granules that don't stick to the wet asphalt get recycled back into the system.", "Next they apply a cellophane strip to the back surface so the shingles won't stick together in the package.", "Then they shower the back surface with powdered stone, also to prevent sticking.", "Even by this point, the asphalt coating is still piping hot, too hot for the shingle material to be cut to size.", "So it's off to the cooling section, where cold rollers and water jets bring down the temperature.", "The next machine applies strips of adhesive asphalt.", "The sun's heat will activate them, keeping the shingles stuck to each other.", "The process to this point is the same, regardless of color.", "The only thing that will differ from this point on is how the shingle's bottom edge is cut.", "That determines the shingle's profile.", "On the way to the cutting station, the shingle material passes through the finish looper.", "Like the felt looper we saw at the beginning, the finish looper accumulates enough reserves so that production won't come to a standstill if there's a problem.", "The cutting machine cuts to size and profile.", "Standard shingles measure 39\" x 13.3\".", "This model has a straight edge, but some styles have a curved bottom.", "An automatic counter keeps track of production.", "The machine automatically stacks the shingles for packaging, usually 21 sheets to a bundle, which is enough to cover roughly 32 square feet of roof.", "Asphalt shingles come in about 50 different colors and in about a dozen different shapes and profiles.", "They wrap each bundle of shingles in paper that's been treated with polyethylene to prevent water penetration.", "The bundles then go onto pallets, which the factory wraps in a plastic bag that's water- and u.v.-resistant.", "The warranties on asphalt shingles range from 20 years to lifetime.", "Generally, the thicker the asphalt and granule protective barrier, the more durable the shingle, and the longer the guarantee.", "We call it \"packing foam,\" but its real name is \"expanded polystyrene packaging,\" those feather-light white foam inserts that come with many boxed items.", "They not only secure the merchandise within the box-- they also act as a shock absorber during transport.", "Polystyrene plastic comes in tiny pellets about 4/100 of an inch in diameter.", "The first step is to expand them inside a steam chamber.", "The 392-degree-fahrenheit heat causes the pentane gas in the pellets to escape, allowing air to enter the pellets and inflate them up to 40 times their original size.", "Here are the polystyrene pellets before...", "And after expansion.", "The factory then bags the pellets in huge sacks.", "To make expanded polystyrene products, they start by dumping sacks of expanded pellets into what's called the \"block mold\" machine.", "The more pellets they put per cubic yard, the denser the product will be.", "They steam-fuse the pellets together, molding them into a block that's roughly 16 feet long by 3 feet wide by 2 feet high.", "This molding process takes from 5 to 20 minutes, depending on the density.", "A scale built into the conveyor belt weighs the block to make sure it meets specifications.", "Depending on its density, a block this size can weigh anywhere from 99 to 440 pounds.", "Now the block is ready to be cut into whatever product the client has ordered.", "Expanded polystyrene is best known as packaging material, but it also has many other uses.", "Here they are slicing a block into insulation panels.", "Builders use expanded polystyrene insulation for basements, roofs, foundations, and inside and outside walls.", "Regardless of the product, they cut polystyrene blocks using a copper-and-nickel wire that's electrically heated.", "It melts the polystyrene on contact, enabling fine, precision cuts, almost to the hundredth of an inch.", "To make expanded polystyrene packaging, they custom-cut the specific shapes required.", "These squares they're gluing together have been ordered up by a furniture manufacturer.", "They're designed to fit onto the bottom of chair legs to protect them from damage during shipping.", "This machine handles more detailed and complex jobs.", "Its cutting wire is guided by computer software, so it can cut virtually any design.", "Expanded polystyrene is a low-cost alternative for making commercial signs that can be hung indoors or out.", "A sign made of high-density expanded polystyrene and coated with a quality exterior paint has an outdoor life-span of a few years.", "This moldable product has endless creative and commercial uses.", "They come in different colors, different shapes and sizes, in flavors ranging from fruity to minty, from tart to tangy.", "Pretty much everyone enjoys sucking on a hard candy from time to time.", "For children and adults alike, these sweet treats are just irresistible.", "Our love of sweets goes back to the caveman, who delighted in eating honey from beehives.", "In ancient times, people indulged in treats made of honey-covered fruit and nuts.", "In the middle ages, europeans made candy from boiled sugar.", "But the high cost of imported cane sugar restricted this delicacy to the wealthy.", "Candy finally became affordable for the masses in the 1800s, with the discovery of a new and domestic source of sugar, the sugar beet.", "These hard candies aren't mass-produced confections.", "They're gourmet candies, custom-made and crafted by hand.", "The candymaker starts by bringing a pot of sugar and water to a boil.", "Then he adds glucose, a thick syrup made from starch.", "He heats the mixture to a specific temperature, depending on what type of candy he's making, and lets it cook for about a half-hour.", "Then he stirs in liquid flavoring.", "Once the mixture is evenly blended, he pours it onto a cooling table.", "The candymaker has several flavorings at his disposal, from eucalyptus oil to fruit flavors.", "He also chooses from a wide range of food colorings.", "This candy will have a strawberry design in the middle, so he and his assistants are working with three colors-- green for the leaves, red for the berry, and yellow for the background.", "To enhance the flavor, they add citric acid.", "Then they keep blending until the candy has cooled down and hardened enough to be malleable.", "They separate the pieces by color and put each piece on a heated table to slow the hardening process so that the candy will remain pliable.", "Now they create the design.", "They form various shapes and sizes and, like a puzzle, put the pieces together to make a jumbo version of the candy design.", "Once they have assembled the red berry and green leaves and yellow background, they roll on more yellow background...", "Then a layer of red for the outside trim.", "All that's left is to reduce this giant wad of candy into a bite-sized version.", "To do that, the candymaker pinches one end and stretches it out to form a long, uniform strand called a \"rod\".", "He cuts the rod into pieces almost 2 feet long, but he has to keep rolling them until they cool and harden, or else they'll go flat.", "When the rod is just the right diameter, the design is in perfect proportion.", "All they have to do now is cut candy-size pieces.", "They use the same technique to make kiwi candy, pink grapefruit candy, and banana candy, to name just a few varieties.", "Want to order up some candy with a personalized message?", "Here's an \"l\"...", "An \"o,\" a \"v\"...", "An \"e\"...", "A \"y\"...", "\"o\"...", "And \"u\".", "Again, they create a yellow background and red trim.", "Then it's more pinching, pulling, rolling, and cutting...", "Until the rods are down to just the right size.", "If you look at the back end of each rod, you'll see the lettering is in reverse.", "That will be the underside of the candy.", "When the raw candy comes off the cooling table, it's transparent.", "To make it opaque or lighten the color, they'll pull it on a hook.", "Here, they intertwine two colors and feed the rod through a special machine that forms bands of pillow-shaped candies.", "After cooling, they simply break them apart by hand.", "If you're no sucker for hard candies, no problem.", "They can also twist rods into lollipops." ]

{ "things": [ "Mouth" ] }

[ "Today, on \"how it's made\"...", "Mouth-blown window glass...", "Water pumps...", "Sake...", "And tweezers.", "Before machine-made plate glass became popular in the 1920s, window glass was blown by artisans.", "Today, specialty companies still make window glass the traditional way.", "While machine-made glass is uniformly clear and flat, mouth-blown window glass has subtle variations.", "This german company produces a wide variety of mouth-blown sheet glass.", "It's used to make contemporary wall light panels.", "It can also be used to make clear or stained glass windows.", "The company can make glass sheets in 5,000 different colors and textures.", "This furnace melts silica sand and other natural materials into glass.", "The starter begins by inserting the end of a blowpipe into a furnace.", "He takes a small amount of colorless molten glass out of the furnace and rotates it in a wooden mold.", "The mold is lined with heavy paper to soften the surface.", "Then, he inserts a metal needle through the blowpipe to create a pathway for air.", "He returns to the furnace for more molten glass.", "The artisans make multiple trips to the furnace, shaping the molten glass in stages so it's easier to handle.", "This time, the assistant shapes the glass with a large mold.", "When the shape is set, the assistant prepares it for blowing.", "He uses a fork tool to push the glass to the top of the pipe.", "The starter rotates the glass in a larger, paper-lined mold to round it further.", "The molten glass cools rapidly once it comes out of the furnace.", "If the temperature dips below 1,800 degrees, it's not longer workable.", "So the team must work quickly and reheat the glass repeatedly.", "Another assistant lubricates the blowpipe so it will rotate easily on the support stand.", "The starter hands the glass over to the master glassblower.", "First, he rotates the blowpipe to straighten and center the drooping glass.", "Then, he begins turning and blowing into the pipe to gradually inflate the glass.", "This requires great physical strength as well as tremendous artistic and technical skill.", "The pipe and glass weigh over 30 pounds combined.", "When the glass starts to cool, the assistant reheats it in a smaller oven.", "He passes the pipe back to the glassblower, who then resumes inflating it.", "This time, he swings it upside-down, using gravity to help elongate the shape.", "Next, he will transform the glass balloon into a cylinder.", "First, he reheats the tip of the glass and weakens it with a hot burner.", "Then, he reheats the entire glass cylinder.", "This expands the air inside and forces the weakened tip open.", "The glassblower taps the opposite side of the hot glass with a cold metal stick.", "The thermal shock causes a neat stress break.", "This releases the glass from the blowpipe.", "Then, the assistant slices it lengthwise with a glass cutter and hands it off to the flattening team.", "Their job is to transform the cylinder into sheet glass.", "The flattening master's assistant puts the cylinder into a furnace.", "It's heated to over 1,500 degrees.", "The glass softens in about 30 minutes.", "Then, the flattening master reaches into the opposite end of the furnace with a stick and gently opens the cylinder.", "Next, the flattening master irons the glass sheet with a special wooden tool.", "The flat sheet goes into the annealing oven for a gradual controlled cooldown.", "This relieves stress and prevents cracking.", "The flatting master's assistant removes the glass from the annealing oven and performs a visual inspection.", "The last step is to cut the edges straight.", "To make multicolored and textured glass, they add additional ingredients during the melting process.", "Mouth-blown window glass contains natural variations that play with the light and create a subtle glow, a glow that machine-made window glass can't replicate.", "Water is essential for life.", "But most of earth's fresh water is trapped underground.", "To tap into these reservoirs, we need water pumps.", "They've existed in many forms for thousands of years.", "The designs have improved over time, and today's water pumps are truly an underground success.", "For farmers and municipal water providers, the turbine water pump is a workhorse.", "It can pump thousands of gallons of water out of the ground every minute.", "They start by making diffuser bowls using urn-shaped castings.", "One turbine pump could have up to 30 diffuser bowls.", "The bowls hold the pump's spinning impellers.", "Computerized tools refine their shape so the bowls fit neatly in the pump column.", "Another set of tools carve the bronze impellers.", "They fine-tune the casings so that the impellers will fit into the diffuser bowls.", "Here's a look at both sides of the finished impellers.", "An uneven impeller will vibrate when spinning.", "A technician uses this machine to check for imbalances.", "When sensors locate the problem, he sands down the metal in that area.", "This balances the impeller.", "Next, a machine carves the top attachment ring of the discharge head.", "The discharge head shields the motor from water.", "It also changes the water flow from vertical to horizontal.", "Next, a machine carves the outflow flange and drills holes for attaching a gasket.", "An employee paints the part blue.", "The paint protects the metal against rust.", "He also highlights the embossed company name with bright red paint.", "Here are the machine parts before and after painting.", "Next, they make the pump's shaft pipes.", "Tools work on both ends of the pipes simultaneously to refine the inner diameter.", "Then, they carve threads into them.", "They clean the pipes, then roll them into the holding area.", "Next, computerized tools cut threads into the bronze bearings.", "These threads will interconnect with the ones on the shaft pipes.", "A worker screws the completed bearings into the ends of the shaft pipes.", "Then, he screws the pipes together in a loose preassembly.", "He brushes lubricant onto the exposed section of the bearings.", "He links four pipes to create one 20-foot pipe.", "He sets the long pipe in a cradle-like device and activates the drive wheel.", "As the pipes tighten, the bearing disappears inside.", "The worker inserts a steel shaft into each 20-foot pipe.", "He caps the ends to secure the shafts inside the pipes.", "This wider pipe is called the column pipe.", "An employee attaches an assembly flange to each end and secures it with bolts.", "A worker connects a suction bell to one of the shafts.", "The suction bell will draw the well water into the pump.", "Then, he slides an impeller into place.", "He secures the impeller to the shaft with a tapered clamp called a collet.", "He encases the impeller in an iron diffuser bowl.", "He bolts the diffuser bowl to the suction bell.", "They add more impellers to increase the power of the water pump.", "A more powerful pump will be able to extract water from deeper underground.", "They apply protective paint to the pump, and then, it's ready to install.", "On site, workers use special equipment to help guide the pump into the well.", "They join the shaft pipe to the pump.", "Then, they slide the column pipe around the shaft pipe and bolt it to the top of the pump.", "The team adds more shaft pipe for a deeper reach.", "Then, they install the discharge head.", "This turbine pump is now ready to extract water from great depths underground.", "Sake is japanese rice wine.", "It's distinguished by two main factors-- how the rice is milled before fermentation, and whether there's any distilled alcohol added to the final blend.", "Sake can be mass-produced or handcrafted the traditional way.", "This canadian microbrewery only makes pure rice wine called junmai-shu.", "The brewery doesn't add any extra alcohol to their sake.", "The clear sake, known as seishu, have a subtle, fruitier, nutty flavor.", "Cloudier sake is called nigori.", "It contains rice sediment, which produces its creamier texture.", "The rice is milled before it arrives at the brewery.", "Milling removes the proteins and lipids on the outside layers of the rice grain.", "This rice has 30 percent of its grain milled away.", "The starch of the core will produce premium sake.", "First, they wash the rice.", "Then, the pour it in a porous bag and soak it in cold filtered water.", "The brewmaster checks the rice with his hands.", "Once it reaches the right consistency, they drain the bag overnight.", "Then, they pour the rice into a steamer.", "The steamer cooks the rice under pressure for about an hour.", "They cover the steamer with cloth to contain the rice as it cooks.", "The steamer softens the rice but doesn't overcook it.", "To ferment at the right speed, the rice needs to be firm on the outside and soft in the center.", "Workers separate the rice by hand, then use fans to cool the rice down to about 98 degrees.", "Next, they transfer it to a heated room.", "They spread out the rice and cover it with mold spores imported from japan.", "When heated, the spores germinate and grow on the rice.", "The spores secrete enzymes that will transform the starch into fermentable sugars.", "Workers insert a thermometer into the rice then wrap it in cloth to hold in the heat.", "48 hours later, the sweet rice, called koji, is ready.", "Now, they begin the fermentation process.", "They mix 3/4 of steamed rice with 1/4 of koji in a temperature-controlled fermentation tank.", "Then, they add spring water and yeast.", "The mold enzymes in the koji convert the starch in the steamed rice into sugars.", "The yeast consumes those sugars and produces alcohol.", "The process takes about three weeks.", "The brewmaster checks the temperature, acidity, residual sugar, and alcohol levels every day.", "When the brew is ready, they pour it into cloth bags.", "They neatly stack the bags in a traditional japanese mechanical press.", "Large sake breweries automate this entire process, but this smaller operation follows century-old traditions and does everything by hand.", "As the press fills up, the weight of the bags kick-starts the pressing.", "They seal the press with heavy steel plates and mount the pressing mechanism.", "As they turn the crank, the press squeezes all the liquid out of the bags.", "When they're done, only unfermented rice will be left behind.", "The liquid sake drains out of a spout at the base of the press.", "They age the sake in refrigerated tanks for up to 4 months.", "As it ages, the sake develops deeper and more complex flavors.", "Not only is this sake entirely handcrafted, it's also hand-bottled.", "Workers use a gravity-fed filling machine to pour sake into these glass bottles.", "The dark bottles protects the sake from uv rays, which would spoil its color and flavor.", "Next, they add the aluminum twist cap.", "A machine molds it to the shape of the bottleneck and crimps the bottom rim.", "They apply a label to each bottle with a simple hand-crank machine.", "Full-strength sake has an alcohol content of 18 percent.", "Some sake is diluted with spring water to bring the alcohol content down before bottling.", "The sake this brewery produces is unpasteurized.", "This enhances the flavor but requires refrigeration.", "Tweezers were first used in ancient egypt and rome.", "These indispensable tools help us grip small objects.", "We use tweezers to pull splinters and unwanted hair from our skin.", "They can also handle the tiny parts found in mechanical devices, like watches.", "When something small eludes our grasp, tweezers help us pick them up.", "They act as an extension of our forefinger and thumb, allowing us to grab and hold on to the tiniest things.", "First, a worker preps the tweezer mold by grinding and sanding around the tweezer-shaped cavity.", "This smoothes the mold, making it easier to cut out the metal parts.", "A worker buffs the mold to give the surface a glossy finish.", "A computer-guided machine carves a die cutter out of a steel block.", "It uses an electrified brass wire to slice through the steel.", "The die cutter perfectly matches the tweezer mold.", "After the tools are prepped, they're ready to make the tweezers.", "A coil of thick stainless steel wire unwinds into the molding machine.", "Rollers straighten out the kinks.", "An automated device grabs the wire and pulls it between the die-cutter and the mold.", "The die-cutter pushes the wire into the mold and cuts out the shape it needs.", "The excess steel slides out, and a spool collects it for recycling.", "The mold ejects the part into a bin.", "They are a little thinner at the gripping end.", "This design gives the tweezers more flexibility.", "An employee places two of the parts in an induction welder.", "He activates the welder to fuse it twice at the gripping end.", "A double weld reinforces the joint, making it very difficult to pull the tweezers apart.", "This welder assembles approximately 3,000 pairs of tweezers per shift.", "Each pair of tweezers is thoroughly polished to make them smoother and easier to grip.", "It's a multi-step process.", "First, an employee sands the body of the tweezers using fine abrasive paper and polishing cream.", "Next, the tweezers go into a vibrating polisher.", "They bounce around with ceramic stones and various polishing solutions for 24 hours.", "After that, they wash off the chemical residue.", "Then, they filter and neutralize the water.", "Using another device, they shoot fine glass particles at the tweezers.", "This gives them a satin finish that's durable and resists scratching.", "A worker levels a tweezers' tips using a sanding belt.", "She makes sure the claw-like tips are exactly the same length and angle.", "Another member of the team sands the inside of the tips using a very fine abrasive disc.", "This will improve the tweezer's grip.", "The factory also makes carbon steel tweezers.", "They're a cheaper alternative to stainless steel.", "They immerse the carbon steel tweezers in a chrome solution to protect them from rust.", "The tweezers' electrical charge attracts the chrome.", "The result is a shiny and protective chrome plating.", "Next, an employee prepares the tweezers for laser lettering.", "She places them in a fixture and selects the image on her computer.", "She activates the laser, and it permanently etches the graphics onto the metal.", "Next, she rubs special oil onto the surface of the metal and cleans the tweezers thoroughly.", "She also inspects the tweezers for any cosmetic flaws and makes sure they function properly.", "These tweezers are now ready for plucking, primping, and any other small jobs." ]

{ "things": [ "Train Rails", "Desalinated Water", "Racing Wheelchairs", "Parquetry" ] }

[ "In the early days of the railroad, train rails were made of either cast iron or wrought iron.", "Cast iron was too brittle and would break easily.", "Wrought iron was too soft and would wear out too quickly.", "So steel eventually became and remained the train-rail metal of choice.", "The train wheel's rim runs on the inside of the rail to keep the train on the track.", "This plant makes train rails entirely out of recycled steel from scrapyards, food cans, and recycled pieces from the rail-making process itself.", "Electromagnets pick up the scrap and dump it in a charging bucket.", "A truck hauls the bucket inside, where a crane drops the contents into a furnace.", "An intense electric current melts the scrap steel at 3,000 degrees fahrenheit.", "It then flows into a large brick-lined ladle, where they add carbon, manganese, and other elements to make the steel more durable.", "The alloy then runs down a ceramic tube that shields it from exposure to oxygen, which would ruin the metal.", "From there, the molten metal flows into molds, which extrude it into continuous rectangular blocks called blooms.", "Acetylene torches cut each bloom into 12-foot lengths.", "A crane then transfers the blooms to a furnace, which, over the next five to seven hours, reheats them to 2,300 degrees fahrenheit.", "This softens the steel for further shaping.", "Then the reheated blooms enter a machine called a rolling mill, which elongates each bloom, more than quadrupling its length.", "A shear then slices the longer, thinner blooms into four pieces.", "The pieces now go into another furnace for reheating.", "This preps them for the next set of rolling mills, which will gradually form them to the final rail shape.", "Different railroads used to use different-shaped rails, which required changing the train's wheels when passing from one railway to another.", "By the turn of the 20th century, the t-shaped rail became the industry standard and remains so today.", "For the final shaping, each steel rail passes several times through three consecutive mills.", "This is what a mill's rollers look like.", "And here's the standard \"t\" shape to which they form the steel.", "Next, a saw slices off about 12 inches to square off the ends.", "The cut-off pieces go back to the scrapyard.", "The rails, meanwhile, are laid out until they cool to about 930 degrees fahrenheit.", "Then an electromagnet piles them in a holding box, where they sit for 10 hours until they cool off to about 190 degrees fahrenheit.", "When they come out of the box, they run through two sets of rollers.", "The first set flexes the rail vertically.", "The second, horizontally.", "This flexing process straightens out the rails, which curve slightly due to all that heating, shaping, and cooling.", "Next, each rail passes over a mirror, enabling inspectors to examine the bottom, as well as the top.", "Finally, a saw cuts the rails to whatever size the railway ordered-- most often the standard length of 82 feet.", "The quality-control department measures random samples to make sure all the dimensions are precise.", "Every rail bears a number identifying the batch of steel from which it came.", "In the event of a problem, that number lets them trace all the rails made from the same batch.", "It's a system that ensures a safe, smooth ride.", "In regions where fresh drinking water is limited, desalination plants remove salt from seawater, converting it into freshwater suitable for human consumption.", "There are more than 13,000 desalination plants worldwide, producing 12 billion gallons of water a day.", "The desalination plant that produced this drinkable water is located right next to an electrical power plant which uses seawater to cool down its condensers.", "Post-cooling, the water travels via underground pipes to the desalination plant.", "Before salt extraction, the water is pretreated in a multiphase cleaning process.", "First, the water flows through screens that filter out large debris.", "From there, it flows into basins for the first pretreatment stage.", "As large paddles agitate the water, the plant adds two chemicals-- sodium hypochlorite, a disinfectant, and ferric chloride, a coagulant.", "The coagulant binds together sand and other tiny particles of debris, forming heavier clumps that sink to the bottom.", "This removes a significant portion of dirt from the water, but it's still far from being crystal clear.", "The water now moves into another set of basins for the second pretreatment phase-- sand filtering.", "Inside each sand filter, regulated by various pressure and flow gauges, a steady stream of air continually moves sand in a circular motion.", "The seawater enters at the bottom of each filter and flows to the top.", "As the sand moves downward against the rising water, the dirt particles attach to the sand.", "The seawater now looks clean but still contains microscopic particles.", "So it enters the final pretreatment phase.", "This time, the filtering medium is diatomaceous earth, a powdered rock that contains algae fossils.", "Finer than sand, it filters out those microscopic particles.", "The seawater is now perfectly clean and ready for salt extraction.", "They do that using membranes-- cylinders containing layers of plastic sheets that have pores .", "001 the diameter of a human hair, small enough to trap microscopic salt crystals.", "The plant pumps the clean saltwater under extremely high pressure through long tubes, each of which contains eight membranes.", "By the time the water passes through all the membranes and reaches the center of the tube, it's completely salt-free.", "Plant personnel and a slew of sophisticated instruments continually monitor every one of the system's 10,000 membranes.", "Meanwhile, the plant sends the debris removed earlier to large waste basins for another round of chemical treatment.", "After the solids settle to the bottom, the dirty water goes back to the front of the plant to be cleaned and recycled.", "Pressure rollers squeeze the remaining water out of the solids.", "Trucks then transport the dry solids to a landfill.", "The extracted salt, meanwhile, goes to the power plant, which dilutes it, then returns it to the sea in a way that doesn't upset the water's natural salinity level.", "Processing saltwater into freshwater strips away the water's natural minerals.", "Not replacing them would create two problems.", "First, the water wouldn't taste right.", "Second, it would damage metal pipes by aggressively trying to replace the missing minerals.", "Therefore, the plant adds liquid lime and carbon dioxide to the water.", "These two elements adjust the ph level and raise the alkalinity, restoring the minerals and natural taste.", "World war ii veterans disabled in combat were the first to race in wheelchairs.", "But those chairs were clunky, steel models.", "Fast-forward to today and wheelchair racing is a serious sport with aerodynamic chairs.", "These chairs have elongated mainframes and three wheels instead of four.", "This modern racing chair is tailored to the athlete's physique, specific disability, and skill level.", "They begin by taking detailed measurements of the athlete as she sits in a demo chair.", "They measure the width and height of her knees to determine the best seating position.", "They check the balance point to decide how the rear-wheel axle should be positioned, and they measure her arms so push rims can be sized for her.", "They then produce a digital drawing of the racing wheelchair, complete with any extras requested by the athlete.", "The fabricator selects the appropriate aluminum tubing and cuts it to the desired length.", "This one will be the main tube for the racing chair's frame.", "Rollers curve the tube slightly at one end so the framework will accommodate the seat.", "A press then flattens the tube quite a bit.", "This stiffens the metal and will make the racing-chair frame more aerodynamic.", "This small tube, which they weld to the main tube, will hold the racing chair's steering fork.", "He now tapes a steering mechanism for the front wheel onto the framework and confirms that its placement is exact before welding.", "This device will keep the front wheel on autopilot, freeing the racer's hands to push the rear wheels.", "The welder now positions the other end of the main tube perpendicular to the wheel axle.", "He inches the tube towards the center of the axle until it's right on the mark.", "He welds the axle to the main tube, giving the framework a \"t\" profile.", "Temporary wheels lift the axle so he can install the seat frame.", "Then a hydraulic machine bends an aluminum tube into a \"u\" shape to make the racing chair's seat frame.", "He positions the seat frame on the rear axle and does a few more welds.", "Finally, he installs fenders on the wheels.", "The main framework of this racing wheelchair is complete.", "But to make it look flashy, they spray-paint it red.", "This is a powder coating.", "It's a thermoplastic paint that's tougher than the conventional kind.", "Next, this machine rolls the push rims, which the athlete uses to propel the wheelchair.", "They weld on pegs for attaching the rims to the wheels, then glue a rubber sleeve onto each rim.", "They wrap it in tape to clamp the two as the glue dries.", "The tape stays on until the chair is delivered to the customer.", "They install the rear wheels at an angle to make the racing chair more stable when cornering.", "They add padding for the athlete's knees, then assemble the nylon seat to the chair.", "Next comes the front-wheel steering fork and handle.", "They complete the assembly with a spring-loaded cylinder.", "That's part of the steering autopilot system.", "After testing the steering fork, they install the front wheel, which is smaller than the rear two.", "Once it's been equipped with brakes, this custom racing chair is ready to take on the competition.", "An elite athlete will buy a new racing chair every year.", "Some choose rear wheels made of lightweight carbon fiber because any advantage is welcome in the push to win.", "Parquetry was invented in france in the 1600s as an alternative to high-maintenance marble flooring.", "It's made from small pieces of wood bonded together in a geometric pattern.", "The most common motif is squares.", "But it also comes in other patterns, such as herringbone, lozenges, and triangles.", "Parquetry can be made of laminate or plywood.", "However, the best-quality flooring is made from genuine wood, such as oak, maple, or yellow birch.", "The factory first cuts the wood into planks, measuring 2 to 5 inches wide by about a yard long.", "A drum saw then cuts each plank into 6 blocks about 6 inches long while an inspector discards any misshapen ones.", "The blocks then move through a planer that shaves a fine layer off both sides.", "This reduces the blocks to a thickness of just under an inch and smoothes the top and bottom surfaces.", "Next, the blocks run through a saw with 10 blades that slice them into strips measuring .", "3 inches wide by 6.2 inches long.", "Quality controllers remove any strips with inconsistent thickness, which are usually the ones cut from the block's extremities.", "The good strips continue on to another area, where they undergo a more thorough quality-control inspection.", "A worker checks the tops and bottoms, then lines them up on a conveyor belt good-side up.", "She also discards any substandard strips that may have slipped past the first inspection.", "The conveyor belt then flips the strips over.", "This positions the strips underside facing upward.", "Saws then cut two parallel grooves through them.", "These grooves are set .", "9 inches in from the edge...", "And are just deep enough to hold a thin aluminum wire that'll connect strips together to form tiles.", "The next machine dispenses the parallel wires.", "A wheel pushes the wires deep inside their respective grooves.", "After every seven strips, the machine cuts the wires and starts new ones.", "The 7-length strips form a 6-inch-square tile.", "An end-matching machine now squares each tile so that the four corners are precisely 90 degrees.", "Then it carves tongues on two of the tile's edges and grooves into the other two.", "Four tile feeders then drop tiles into an assembly machine that inserts the tongues into the grooves.", "The machine then applies hot glue which bonds the four tiles into one larger tile measuring 12x12 inches.", "The tiles are now ready for varnishing.", "Feeders drop them onto the automated varnishing line.", "The tile surface gets a sanding.", "Rollers then apply an even coat of varnish.", "From there, the tiles immediately pass under ultraviolet light.", "This dries the varnish within a second.", "Then the process repeats three more times for a total of four coats of varnish.", "Workers then stack them in 10s, at the same time doing a final inspection and discarding any tile that has a less-than-perfect finish.", "On the packaging line, each stack gets a label and clear plastic wrapping.", "An oven shrinks the plastic tightly around the tiles.", "Those four coats of varnish made this parquetry superdurable, and because it's real wood, when the many years of wear do begin to show, you can simply refinish the floor to its original splendor." ]

{ "things": [ "Dress Forms", "Boat Propellers", "Duvets", "Faucets" ] }

[ "Today on \"how it's made\"...", "Dress forms...", "Boat propellers...", "Duvets...", "And faucets.", "When it comes to dressmaking, a dummy can be a lot of help.", "These dummies are known as dress forms, and they're full-scale reproductions of the human body.", "They give seamstresses a form on which to solve fitting problems.", "They're also used to showcase outfits in storefronts where they can look pretty smart all dressed up.", "For centuries, the fashion industry has relied on dummies to act as stand-ins so clients don't have to endure lengthy fittings.", "Sometimes, a form is even custom-made as the client's exact body double.", "To make one of these forms, a worker starts by soaking cardboard in water.", "It's strong and porous, so it can absorb a lot of water without falling apart.", "He positions the back half of a plaster body mold, then rips a soaked cardboard sheet in two.", "He dips his gloved hand in paste and slathers it on the cardboard.", "This paste is a combination of plaster and tacky glue.", "Then, in a process called feathering, he makes a series of tears along the edge of the cardboard.", "Next, the glue-coated cardboard is pressed into the shape of the body mold, building up several layers.", "Some pieces are arranged lengthwise and others horizontally for a tight interweave.", "Overlapping the feathered edges helps to interlock them, and a few taps with a hammer makes them level.", "The worker lifts a few of the feathered edges...", "Then joins the front of the body to the back.", "The cardboard forms fit loosely on top of one another.", "It takes even more paste to seal them together.", "The worker manipulates the end of a paste-covered tool inside the cavity, overlapping loose layers with adhesive.", "Finally, he opens the mold to reveal the shape.", "This dummy is a size 12.", "After 24 hours of drying in the open air, the form goes into an oven where it bakes at 350 degrees for 8 hours.", "This causes the moisture to evaporate from the form, hardening it.", "A worker scrapes off all the rough bits with a rasp...", "Then sands it smooth.", "Another worker draws lines on the form with a pencil.", "He'll use these marks as guides as he cuts into the dress form to make the shoulders collapsible.", "He carves out slots on each side of the form, then peels back layers on either side of the slots.", "This allows him to install hinges level to the form so they won't protrude and ruin a fitting job.", "The dress form then undergoes some major surgery.", "A worker slices open both shoulders, but leaves them attached to the rest of the form by the hinges.", "He makes sure they function smoothly...", "Then trims the dress form along the incisions.", "This will allow the shoulders to be collapsed into the form, a feature that makes it easier to pull a garment on and off.", "This piece of pliable steel is a spring for a mechanism that locks the collapsed shoulders in position.", "Along with the rest of the locking mechanism, it's attached to wooden supports in each shoulder.", "The dress form is now covered in layers of jersey and linen.", "These pins will serve as reference points for the seamstress.", "Another worker then washes the dummy with a sponge, shrinking the fabric to the form.", "The dress form gets the stamp of approval.", "A worker then gives the headless body a metal collar...", "And caps it off with a gold-colored finial.", "And now you have a body shape that's made to measure.", "When we return, we'll take you up to speed at a boat propeller factory.", "Boat propellers were invented in the early 19th century, and they've been making waves ever since.", "These propellers rotate in a screwlike fashion, drawing water in and pushing it out to move the boat across the water.", "With a steel propeller, you can zip across the lake in a flash and make a real splash.", "Production begins with wax pellets, which are melted until they're the consistency of toothpaste.", "Nearby, a mold of a boat propeller closes, and the thick wax is injected into it.", "It takes about a minute for the wax to cool into the propeller shape, which will serve as a pattern for the metal prop.", "A shot of compressed air helps extract a wax funnel from its mold.", "It's called the pour cup.", "We'll find out what's poured into it later on.", "After a cast shape is wiped down, its flat end is softened on a burner and joined to the glue-coated end of the pour cup.", "Workers dip the attached pieces into hot wax to fill any gaps in the joint.", "A quick wash and rinse gets rid of any oily residues left behind.", "Here, a robot submerges a rack of propellers in a special solution that gives them a nonstick coating.", "Then it's over to a tank containing a mix of silica sand and water.", "The robot dips the wax propellers several times, then plunges them into various ceramic-based concoctions.", "After each dipping, the propellers go into a machine that showers them with sand.", "Then they dry under fans.", "The process of dipping and sand bathing builds up a hard ceramic shell around the wax.", "Workers load the propellers into a pressurized oven called an autoclave, where the wax melts away, leaving only the ceramic shells.", "Those shells are then fired in big ovens, the way potters bake ceramics to strengthen them.", "Nearby, molten steel is bubbling, heated to the melting point by electrical induction coils.", "A worker takes a ceramic propeller shell out of the oven, then the searing steel is poured into it through the pour cup.", "The steel immediately begins to cool, causing cracks in the ceramic shell.", "Any remaining bits of ceramic are knocked off with a metal rod.", "Now it's time to get rid of the pour cup, which has already served its purpose.", "They grind the edges to smooth them.", "Then a more intensive grinding removes any corrosion on the surface.", "Talk about putting your shoulder to the grindstone-- this process takes skill and strength.", "The propellers are lowered into a series of vibrating polishers.", "The friction from these pulsating cones smooths out the grind lines on the propellers and adds shine.", "Finally, each propeller gets the once-over from a laser that measures the blades from all angles.", "It sends the information to a computer which compares it to the specifications.", "If it checks out, the propeller will be on its way to a waterway, ready to launch.", "Up next...", "Getting down on the duvet production line.", "\"down\" is the term for belly feathers of waterfowl, primarily ducks and geese.", "Made from interlocking fibers that create micro-size air pockets, down works something like a scuba diver's wet suit.", "The bird's body heat warms the trapped air, and the warm air then insulates the bird against the cold water.", "Regular feathers have a central stem from which the fibers emanate.", "Down is more lightweight, and its fibers are in clusters.", "Bags of plumage from waterfowl farms arrive at the feather-and-down processing factory.", "The first step is to separate the down from the feathers.", "A vacuum hose sucks everything up into a sorting machine that has four air chambers side by side.", "In the first one, the air blows everything upward.", "The heaviest feathers rise just partway, while the lighter plumage floats through an opening into the next chamber.", "Same air-sorting process there-- heaviest stays, lighter moves on.", "This continues until there's only pure down in the fourth and final chamber.", "A vacuum hose then transfers the down to the cleaning machines.", "First, agitation and suction remove any dirt trapped inside the fibers.", "Then a 13-cycle, hot-water wash with soap kills bacteria.", "A degreaser strips the natural oils that coat the down fibers, and the last rinse cycle applies an antibacterial, antifungal treatment.", "The next machine spins the down to remove the water.", "When the down comes out, it's still a bit damp.", "A robotic machine called the picker gathers small batches at a time and loads them into a steam dryer.", "After processing, the factory's lab tests a sample from each batch for cleanliness.", "Technicians also evaluate \"loft,\" the technical term for filling power.", "The higher the loft, the better the down will insulate.", "They measure how much space the sample fills.", "If the down meets specifications, the factory bags the batch for shipping to the duvet factory.", "First stop there-- a holding tank.", "A programmable filling machine extracts a specific amount of down and transfers it to a canister.", "Next, a worker shoots the canister's contents in a duvet's fabric shell.", "To keep the down evenly distributed throughout the duvet, the shell is sewn into sections called boxes.", "Emptying one tube at a time, they fill one box at a time.", "Air pressure piles all the down at one end of the box, but it'll get spread out later in the process.", "The open ends of each row are temporarily closed with a plastic clip.", "Then, when all the boxes are filled, it's off to the sewing department.", "There, seamstresses stitch the open ends closed and sew on labels and washing instructions.", "A light table allows them to see the down within each box.", "Then they spread it out evenly using, of all things, badminton rackets.", "The 100%-cotton shell has gone through a high-pressure treatment to fuse its fibers so that no down can poke through.", "The factory also stuffs bedding items with feathers.", "Back at the processing factory, feathers go through the same post-washing tests as the down.", "To measure cleanliness, lab technicians soak a sample from each batch in distilled water.", "Then they strain the water...", "Mix it with sulfuric acid...", "And add a potassium compound.", "They analyze the color of the liquid to gauge its oxygen content.", "If the oxygen level's under 10, the feathers are clean enough to ship to the duvet factory.", "There, the feather-filling process is just like the down-filling process, only with bigger canisters and blowing nozzles to accommodate the larger feathers and larger fabric shells.", "Feathers are heavier than down and have less insulating power, but they're more affordable.", "Down is only found on the bird's belly, and that scarcity makes it expensive.", "That explains why high-end bedding contains 100% down, while the rest contains either a down-and-feather mix or feathers alone.", "But when it comes to getting a cozy night's sleep, there's no \"downside\" to any of those options.", "Coming up...", "A production line where they know how to go with the flow.", "Faucets were actually invented by the ancient romans.", "But when their empire collapsed, so did their water and sewer systems.", "It took many centuries for running water to make a comeback and for water to become available on tap.", "Today, faucets are an indispensable part of our daily lives.", "Modern faucets come in many different designs, but inside, they all have the same basic components.", "Workers start by setting a brass spout tube on a revolving support.", "An automated dispenser applies silver solder to the inside rim of the spout.", "They press a threaded tip into the spout, then dip the other end of the tube in flux paste, which cleans the brass and prevents tarnishing.", "The tubes are set against brass hubs.", "Then torches liquefy the solder, which flows into the joint, sealing the tube to the hub.", "The threaded tip is soldered in turn.", "A carriage now moves the faucet spouts against buffing wheels coated with polishing compound for a mirror finish.", "A wheel with an abrasive surface gives that finish a brush texture.", "The faucet spouts are dipped in an acid bath laced with dissolved nickel.", "The application of an electric current draws the dissolved nickel onto the brass spouts, plating them with a thin, even layer.", "Next, the faucet spouts and other parts are loaded into a special chamber.", "Inside, an electron beam flashes like lightning as it spirals around the zirconium rod.", "This causes the zirconium to vaporize.", "The vapors mix with gases being pumped into the chamber and bond to the faucet for a final finish that's virtually indestructible.", "The other parts of the faucets get the same treatment.", "Meanwhile, a blade slices a solid-brass rod into smaller pieces.", "A variety of cutting tools machine the brass lump to make a faucet body.", "It will house a ball valve that controls the volume and temperature of the water.", "A jaw grabs the other end of the brass body to position it for more drilling.", "Several tools carve out holes that will act as waterways.", "The waste brass gets recycled.", "That piece of solid brass has now been transformed into a pivotal piece for the faucet, the valve body.", "With copper tubes and brass fittings now attached, the faucet slides into the baseplate.", "That's the plate that sits on the sink deck.", "Working from underneath, it's fastened with screws.", "Next, a robot puts one-half of a stainless-steel ball in a spinning vice, which orients it so an automated welder can join it to the other half.", "The ball's openings align with hot and cold inlets in the faucet body to regulate the flow of water into the spout.", "Rubber seals are inserted into those inlet holes in the faucet body.", "Rubber o-rings on the body will both form a seal and allow the spout to swivel.", "In goes the ball valve.", "Then a rubber seal caps it off.", "The aerator is screwed onto the spout, and pneumatic driver tightens it down.", "The spout assembly is secured to the rest of the faucet with a metal bonnet.", "Now it's time to see how this faucet functions.", "An inspector connects it to a pressurized water source for a test run.", "Finally, the handle is attached to the rest of the faucet, and it's ready to ship out.", "Included in the box are the spray hose and support system, which will be installed on-site.", "It takes a day or two to build one of these faucets.", "But it will be on clean-up duty for many years to come." ]

{ "things": [ "Olive Oil", "Lift Trucks", "Seamless Rolled Rings", "Ski Boots" ] }

[ "The ancient greek poet homer called olive oil \"liquid gold,\" and today a little drizzle can still dazzle.", "Like fine wine, premium olive oil can bring a complexity of flavors to the table and create flavors to the table and create a real taste sensation.", "A real taste sensation.", "The roots of the olive tree stretch far into the past.", "For thousands of years, people have harvested its fruit and crushed it with stone to extract the precious yellow oil.", "In those early days, olive oil wasn't just used in food, it fueled lamps and was a medicinal ointment.", "Today's thriving olive groves are living proof that our appetite for olive oil hasn't waned.", "When green olives turn a violet red, they're ripe and ready for harvest.", "Workers shake the olives off the workers shake the olives off the branches with vibrating rakes.", "Branches with vibrating rakes.", "The olives fall onto nets spread the olives fall onto nets spread beneath the trees.", "Beneath the trees.", "They funnel the harvested olives into the factory.", "They fall down a chute into a large vat of pure water.", "A hose suctions the olives and water into a vibrating bin.", "It separates out leaves and twigs as the water drains away.", "The cleaned olives now bounce merrily on their way toward the crusher.", "A few centuries ago, the crusher was a donkey-powered apparatus.", "Today, a motor drives 1,300-pound granite wheels to grind the olives, pits and all, grind the olives, pits and all, into a paste.", "Into a paste.", "Once the paste reaches the desired consistency, it's over to a computerized system that regulates the temperature of the paste as an auger mixes it.", "This separates the oil from the paste, making it easier to extract with this machine.", "Traditional extracting techniques involve spreading the paste on mats and then stacking them to press out the oil.", "This system is more high-tech.", "Rows of metal plates dip into the paste and the oil adheres to them.", "A spin in a centrifuge separates the residual paste from the oil.", "Oil.", "The result is virgin olive oil.", "The result is virgin olive oil.", "A sample of every batch goes to the testing room where there's a guy who has a nose for the job.", "He inhales the olive oil's aroma.", "Like a glass of fine wine, it should have a certain bouquet and should taste intensely fruity.", "If the olive oil makes the grade with this tester, the entire batch is ready for packaging.", "The packaging process is entirely automated, ensuring it's all done hygienically.", "A conveyor funnels these tins into line for a filling.", "A mechanized system then feeds the olive oil directly from big tanks into the tins.", "A measuring device controls the amount that goes into each one.", "At the next station, equipment spins and curls a metal disk around the lip of the container to put the bottom on the can.", "The conveyor flips the can around so it lands right side up, ready to pack.", "They package the premium-grade oil in bottles.", "They use dark glass to protect the oil from the sun's ultraviolet light, which could cause olive oil to degrade and lose intensity.", "After an automated fill up, they cap the threaded necks of the bottles.", "Machinery press-fits and then screws the caps on for an airtight seal.", "Equipment then glues and applies the labels to the bottles.", "Preserved and protected, this olive oil is now on its way to the store shelf and ultimately to the table, where it's sure to the table, where it's sure to kick up the flavor factor.", "To kick up the flavor factor.", "The development of the forklift truck in britain early in the last century was an uplifting event.", "It was during the first world war, and much of the country's male workforce was on the battle front, so the forklift literally picked up where they left off to keep the economy moving on the home front.", "The modern forklift has quite an extensive reach.", "That's because warehouses today expand up rather than out to stack more into a given space.", "Production starts with this welding robot.", "The robot uses computer smarts to fuse steel parts together to produce the truck body.", "Humans take over to weld together rails for the lift system's mainframe.", "After a sleek paint job, the truck body is ready for the mechanics.", "An emergency switch goes on the front.", "It will allow the forklift operator to quickly cut the engine's power.", "Then they assemble the lift's hydraulic system, beginning with the tank that holds the hydraulic fluid.", "They hook it up to the pump that provides the required pressure.", "They wire the pump so they can later connect it to the forklift's battery.", "They nudge the pump into its permanent position and bolt it to the floor of the truck.", "Wiring for the lights, horn, and lift sensors comes next.", "Then they slide a foot pedal into place.", "It both activates and brakes the forklift truck.", "At seven horsepower, this engine may seem small, but it's enough to move the truck and a load of 2.2 tons safely.", "They check the oil and install a bracket for the vehicle control bracket for the vehicle control handle.", "Handle.", "The handle is then connected to a computerized system that operates both the vehicle and its hydraulic lift.", "They slide the steering wheel onto a shaft and make sure it's solidly attached.", "Production then hits a turning point as they power up the motor and check the steering wheel installation.", "They flush filtered oil through the hydraulic system that powers the lift.", "It's a cleansing process to ensure no dirt can compromise the hydraulics.", "They test the computerized controls for the lift and motor.", "With the hydraulic cylinders installed, they grease the mainframe above them.", "This makes it easier to slide the inner rails onto the frame, and later, the grease will also improve the function of this hydraulic lift.", "They thread chains through the mainframe and its inner rails.", "These chains will work in conjunction with lift cylinders to elevate the load.", "They roll the forklift's carriage along grooves in the rail system.", "It's this carriage to which the forks and other attachments will be mounted.", "A special machine now maneuvers the lift into an upright position.", "Then they wheel in the completed truck.", "They call this a marriage because the truck and lift are getting hitched.", "They bolt the two subassemblies together from the inside of the empty battery compartment.", "They then temporarily connect the forklift to a battery in order to move it down the line.", "It's time for the forklift to undergo a little corporate branding with these company decals.", "They engrave a serial number onto a metal plate.", "It identifies the forklift for warranty purposes.", "They put a cover on the truck, and this forklift is ready to go to work.", "The forks and the battery will be installed on the worksite because they're often specific to the job.", "But one thing's for certain-- this forklift is sure to carry a this forklift is sure to carry a lot of weight in the workplace.", "Lot of weight in the workplace.", "Seamless rolled rings keep a lot of things running in our world, so we thought it was time to recognize their contribution.", "These wheels of steel are essential components of engines, power generators, and industrial machinery, to name just a few things.", "And you could say they keep things operating seamlessly.", "Seamless rolled rings are at the center of the action in a lot of machinery such as bearings, gears, and connectors.", "A seamless rolled ring starts with one of these solid steel billets.", "A powerful magnet moves them into a queue for production.", "A saw with carbide-tipped teeth cuts the billet into smaller chunks.", "A hydraulically powered claw then takes the cut piece to a furnace fired to 1,260 degrees celsius.", "That's hot enough to soften the steel for forging but below its melting point.", "The steel turns bright yellow, which indicates that it's ready to be removed.", "The operator places it in a chamber where chains batter the ends to break off scale formed by the searing heat of the furnace.", "The claw then transfers it to an 1,100-ton press.", "It squashes the steel slightly, causing the scale on the sides to crack and break off.", "To crack and break off.", "Then it's over to a die.", "Then it's over to a die.", "A worker places a bit of coal in the center of the hot steel chunk.", "The coal catches, generating a powder that lubricates the action of a 2,800-ton punch.", "The punch pierces the center of the steel and pushes it against the walls of the die, transforming the steel chunk into a doughnut.", "30 feet away, the operator controls the gripper to lift out the doughnut.", "He then reactivates the punch to knock out the last bit of metal in the center hole.", "By now, the steel has cooled down quite a bit, so it's into another furnace to bring it back to forging temperature.", "Once it's yellow hot, this steel doughnut is ready to be transformed into a ring.", "A mandrel pokes up through the center.", "It stabilizes the doughnut as a conveyor slides it into position for ring rolling.", "The doughnut rotates, and rollers press against it to shape it into a thin, wide ring.", "Cone-shaped tools above and below also spin against it to establish the desired height.", "The hot steel is easily manipulated by the tools and stretches like putty.", "This process turns the doughnut into a ring, and that's why they call this ring rolling.", "The change is truly dramatic.", "A worker stamps a serial number onto the rim.", "Next, a tool drags the ring onto a conveyor which takes it to a stacking device.", "The rings cool from yellow to orange.", "Soon, they'll be completely cooled and ready to head into another furnace, this time for heat treating.", "This tempering process relieves the stresses in the steel caused by all that rolling and forging.", "This makes the steel stronger and more resilient.", "Once this ring has been cooled and hardened, they position it on a turntable, relying on a special gauge to let them know special gauge to let them know it's on the mark.", "It's on the mark.", "The ring revolves as a tool peels off that sooty-looking crust to reveal the glossy substructure.", "And they give the interior of some rings the same treatment.", "Now these steel rings are ready to take their place as components in heavy equipment, power plants, and even train wheels because when it comes to their capabilities, they're their capabilities, they're definitely well-rounded.", "Definitely well-rounded.", "In a sport with steep challenges, proper footwear is a must.", "Early ski boots were made of leather, but when molded plastic boots came along in the late 1960s, they offered a big advantage-- stiffness.", "Stiffer boots meant better control, and when you're heading downhill fast, control is definitely a good thing.", "The modern ski boot transfers the body's movements effectively to the skis, and a little high tech can't hurt when you're trying to take your skiing skills to new heights.", "Transforming these plastic chips into a high-tech ski boot takes some planning.", "They design the boot on a computer and simulate the process of the chips being melted and molded into the shape.", "Like in the computer model, it will take just seconds to turn the chips into the outer shell of the ski boot.", "Machinery lowers boot forms into molds which clamp together with a force of up to 550 tons.", "Pumps then inject the melted chips into the space between the molds and the forms.", "The plastic hardens instantly, and robotic arms pull the new ski-boot shells off the forms.", "Two different plastics have been used to give these shells specific performance characteristics.", "Equipment now stamps the brand name and graphics onto the shell.", "The assembler rivets rubber protectors to the sole of the boot.", "They'll interface with the ski's bindings.", "They'll also provide tread to make the boot safer to walk around in during those ski breaks.", "This ski-boot shell is now ready for some buckles.", "Their location has been mapped out during molding with little indentations.", "The indentations guide the assembler as she rivets the buckles to the boots.", "Meanwhile, another worker focuses on the boot's plastic cuff.", "It's fresh out of the mold, so he trims the edges to ensure they're perfectly smooth.", "He installs a reflector on the inside to locate the skier in the event of an avalanche.", "This feature is found on high-end models.", "He attaches a long strap to the back.", "It's for adjusting the boot's fit around the skier's calf and shin.", "Now they're ready to attach the cuff to the shell.", "The fastener is adjustable to align the cuff with the shape of the skier's leg.", "This adjustment is called canting.", "With the outer boot now complete, production moves to the liner.", "A technician loads the patterns into a computerized fabric cutter, arranging them to minimize waste.", "The computer-guided blade goes to work and cuts out the shapes.", "They use a combination of synthetic fabrics to help the boot liner insulate the skier's foot against cold and humidity.", "After sewing the outer part together, they glue two layers to it.", "The outside fabric and inner padding are polyurethane material and the inner layer is polyester.", "This special device presses the glued fabrics together and shapes them.", "Then it's over to the sewing department where the glued seams are stitched.", "They add the sole and finish it off with a waterproof fabric.", "It has a special weave that keeps the liner from sliding around in the boot.", "Mechanical arms now hold open the boot as the assembler slides the boot as the assembler slides a liner into it.", "A liner into it.", "Once the liner is installed, this ski boot is on its way to the sporting-goods store, and, the sporting-goods store, and, inevitably, to higher ground.", "Inevitably, to higher ground.", "The manufacturing process has taken about an hour.", "And these boots should be good for years of plunging through for years of plunging through powder and mogul maneuvering.", "Powder and mogul maneuvering." ]

{ "things": [ "Berets", "Pastis", "Stationary Bikes" ] }

[ "Today on \"how it's made\"...", "When it comes to iconic hats, nothing says french more than the beret, specifically the basque-style beret, as people wear different styles in other countries.", "The basque beret was traditionally worn by shepherds tending their flocks along the pyrenees mountain range that divides southern france from spain.", "The basque beret dates back to the 1600s in southern france.", "Made of black merino wool, it has a little cabillou on top.", "The factory making these berets has been doing so since 1840.", "An automated machine knits undyed wood yarn into a galette, the french word for pancake.", "The galette is flat and round with loose knit stitches making it soft and floppy.", "A worker then pulls the galette's central thread, closing it into a circular shape resembling a shower cap.", "In an industrial size washing machine, a worker washes this rudimentary beret in lukewarm water from the local river and soap for about 8 hours.", "The type of soap is a trade secret.", "The wool shrinks, causing the loose knit stitches to tighten.", "The wool fibers also soften, transforming into the smooth and soft wool and fabric we call felt.", "After felting the beret, the manufacturers begin the dyeing process.", "The worker loads it into another washing machine, only this time with powdered dye.", "This factory has always produced its own dyes in a wide range of colors, again using water from the local river.", "However, the temperature to which this company heats it is a closely guarded secret.", "When the dye cycle finishes, another worker checks the beret against a color sample because the wool composition and the river water quality are variable factors that can affect dye absorption.", "The next step is to form the beret to the final shape.", "Traditionally, beret factories did this using wooden forms, but today, they use metal ones.", "The beret remains on the form long enough to lock in the shape.", "This process, too, depends on the wool composition as well as on how humid it is in the factory on that particular day.", "Each beret goes for a spin on the scratching machine, a rotating wheel surfaced with wire brushes.", "The bristles lift the wood fibers, thickening the felt.", "After inserting a cardboard template to maintain the shape, a worker uses a manual shearing tool to carefully scratch the area around the cabillou.", "She removes any clinging plant debris left by the river water used in the wash and dye cycles.", "Then she inspects for any holes or stretched fibers.", "The beret now goes to the seamstress.", "First, she heats a black cotton lining on a mold to shape it to fit perfectly inside the beret.", "The lining has the manufacturer's label in the center, which features the company crest and the model name, vrai basque, confirming that this is indeed an authentic basque-style beret.", "She turns the beret inside out to sew in the lining.", "Then she turns the beret right side out again and puts it on a stretching machine.", "She sets the machine to the desired hat size, and it automatically stretches the beret to that size.", "Now, she sews a black leather band to the edge.", "The hat size is printed on it.", "Some models feature a color trim on the band.", "The finishing touch is the company's metal hallmark.", "She rivets it to the underside of the beret on one side...", "And that caps off production.", "Pastis is an anise-flavored liqueur popular in france, particularly in the southern city of marseilles where it originated.", "You don't drink it straight, though.", "The proper technique is to dilute it with water, typically 5 to 7 parts water to one part pastis.", "Then add ice.", "The maker of this pastis combines star anise with licorice extract and herbs and spices from the provence region of france.", "Star anise is an asian spice.", "The starting ingredient for this pastis is a pale yellow star anise essential oil purchased from a chinese supplier.", "The first step at this french distillery is to distill that essential oil.", "As the oil is heated, it evaporates and rises up the column still, passing through a series of stacking cooling trays.", "Each tray condenses, then removes one of the oil's various components.", "Pastis requires just one of the extracted components-- anethole, which is an organic compound responsible for the anise flavor and smell.", "This pastis recipe also contains 60 different herbs and spices, each of which is separately distilled into alcohol.", "One of these herbs is artemisia vulgaris, commonly known as mugwort.", "A worker loads mugwort leaves into a tank filled with a mixture of water and alcohol.", "As the leaves soak, the alcohol acts as a solvent, extracting the aromatic molecules.", "This process is called maceration.", "After a few days, workers drain the alcoholic liquid, now infused with aromatic molecules.", "It's so alcoholic that it emits volatile fumes, so workers wear an alarm that goes off when the surrounding air reaches an explosive level.", "The liquid is stored in a vat until it's time to mix the pastis.", "Then, a worker removes the alcohol-soaked mugwort leaves from the tank and transfer them to a distillation device called an alembic.", "The alembic heats the mash of fermented leaves with steam produced by a wood-fired boiler.", "Once the mash heats to a temperature of 172 degrees fahrenheit, the alcohol in it begins to evaporate and rise.", "The alcoholic vapor eventually reaches the neck of the alembic, where cooling coils condense it into liquid, which then flows out of the alembic and through a filter that also removes plant particles.", "An alcoholometer measures the percentage of alcohol, which starts off very high, then tapers off.", "The pastis maker uses only the middle of the flow, when the reading is between 70 and 50%, what's known as the heart of the distillation.", "To make the pastis, workers combine all the ingredients.", "The anethole, distilled from the anise essential oil, the 60 different maceration liquids and distillates of herbs and spices and licorice extract.", "Workers also add water to dilute the final product's alcohol level to 45%.", "A last filtration removes any particles that would diminish the clarity of the pastis.", "A machine bottles the pastis in dark glass to protect the contents from light, which, by oxidation, would damage the liqueur.", "The second station on the filling line seals each bottle with a t-cork, a type of stopper designed for bottles which are opened and sealed repeatedly.", "The next station applies a sheath of heat shrink plastic over the t-cork.", "The bottle then travels through a heating tunnel, which shrinks the plastic tightly over the neck of the bottle.", "The final station applies the adhesive-backed label.", "Pastis is always poured into the glass first, followed by water.", "This makes the liqueur cloudy because the anethole doesn't dissolve in water.", "If you want to add ice, you can do so only after the water, otherwise, the anethole crystallizes.", "So just remember that chemistry lesson and enjoy.", "The first stationary bike was developed by a london physician in the late 18th century to exercise the joints of patients suffering from gout, rheumatic disorders, or other afflictions.", "The modern stationary bike is all about helping people stay fit to prevent illnesses.", "On this stationary bike, magnets linked to the flywheel create tension that causes the cyclist to push harder, making the workout truly an uphill battle.", "Production starts with steel tubing for the base.", "A probe locates the center of the tubing.", "This reference point allows a computerized laser cutter to find the exact spots to cut assembly holes.", "With the assembly holes cut, the laser slices the tubing to the correct length.", "An automated system retrieves the part and transfers it to a holding area.", "A worker inserts screws in the base part, which will attach it to the main frame.", "He pipes sealant around the screws.", "Another worker now arranges the three tubular base parts in a welding fixture and clamps them in place.", "The fixture revolves and meets up with a robotic welder.", "The robot welds the three parts together.", "This completes the base of the stationary bike.", "The bike's main frame has been configured on the other side of the welding fixture.", "The robot welds these parts together.", "The fixture rotates to serve up another base assembly to the robot, and the worker collects the welded main frame from the reverse side.", "He grinds the welded seam smooth and gets rid of burrs on the steel.", "Workers sandblast the metal, wash it, and apply primer.", "After grounding the main frame, another worker sprays electrostatically charged resin and pigment onto it.", "Once it's baked on, this powder coat will provide a protective finish.", "At another station, a 55-ton press punches holes into posts for the bike's handlebar and seat.", "The holes are for adjusting the height of these parts.", "Next up is the casting for mounting the handlebar to the post.", "Using another press, the worker entrenches the top of the post in the casting.", "He taps the casting with a rubber mallet to tweak the installation and sets the assembly aside.", "At another station, a worker arranges numerous seat posts in tight alignment.", "He drapes a stencil of sequential lettering on top of the posts.", "He dips an etching wand in a chemical solution and then moves it over the letters five times.", "This burns the letters into the steel, providing markers for height adjustment.", "An assembler drives the wedge into one of the bike's two crank arms to create a hole that the axle will fit into.", "He checks the depth of the hole with a gauge.", "He inserts the end of the axle in the hole and using a press, pushes it into place.", "He measures the hole from the other side of the crank arm and confirms that the axle has been set to the correct depth.", "He then bolts the assembly to a precise torque.", "He locks the crank arm assembly in a lathe.", "He slips a foam sleeve over the axle to protect it from shards of flying metal as a tool machines the part of the crank arm that will ultimately hold the bike's pulley.", "Another member of the team now assembles bearings to a wheel hub.", "He slides two bearings with a spacer in a press.", "He heats the hub in an oven, causing the metal to expand.", "The machine presses the hub sandwich together.", "As the hub cools, it shrinks for a tight fit to the bearings.", "He installs a retaining clip in the hub to also keep it together.", "Next up are the holders for the magnets that create resistance on the flywheel.", "A worker places each one in a fixture to inspect the dimensions.", "He then checks the strength of the magnets in a tester, and satisfied, he inserts two in each holder.", "This metal cage, pulled into position by the magnets, completes the magnetic field.", "Stay tuned for more on the making of this stationary bike.", "Stationary bikes are equipped with resistance mechanisms.", "They can be simple tension belts or more complex systems in which magnets produce an electrical current in the flywheel.", "The indoor cyclist simply dials up the resistance, and he or she will soon feel the burn.", "The assembler installs the magnetic resistance unit so that it swings from a bracket on the main frame.", "This bracket also holds the computer board.", "He mounts the aluminum flywheel to the axle, sliding it between the magnets and the tension device.", "He caps the flywheel hub and secures the cap with screws.", "The torsion spring-equipped cover completes the stationary bike's tension system.", "He assembles the crank arm and axle to the bike and installs a bearing.", "Then the bike moves on to the next station.", "Another worker places an alignment tool on the back axle.", "He loops an elastic belt with grooves around the small pulley on the flywheel and around the larger crank arm pulley, linking the two.", "He inserts another tool into the crank arm and turns it to better wrap the belt around the large crank pulley.", "He then removes both installation tools.", "He installs four flat bushings in the handlebar post.", "These bushings make it possible for the handlebar to be raised and lowered.", "He applies a decal with the height indicators.", "Made of a rugged synthetic material, the decal encases three sides of the metal post, and this protects it from abrasion.", "He bolts the second crank arm to the axle and torques it to the specified tension.", "Next up is the seat assembly.", "He slides the seat stem into the post and tightens the adjustment knob to lock it in place.", "He inserts the handlebar post into the bike frame and fishes the gear cable and communication wires through it.", "He secures the handlebar post with the adjustment knob.", "He connects the communication line to the resistance system's computer board.", "He links the gear cable to the resistance system and tests its functionality.", "Satisfied, he tightens a nut at the side to secure the cable.", "Another worker installs a plastic cover on the drivetrain.", "This will protect the cyclist's legs from the pulley system and shield the metal components from human sweat.", "For added moisture protection, she applies sealer around a welded reinforcement on the bike frame.", "She then encases the fork of the bike with more molded plastic.", "Bolts secure the casings to the bike.", "She now places a magnetized microphone on the axle and spins the flywheel at a high rpm.", "This is a test.", "The bike must operate noiselessly.", "And the decibel meter confirms the noise level is negligible.", "She also feels the frame for unwanted vibrations.", "She now sets the location of the magnetic resistance mechanism using a special tool.", "This calibrates the resistance so that they handlebar computer can find it and display the resistance setting during cycling.", "Another member of the team then applies thread-locking adhesive to the screw holes in the crank arms.", "He screws the pedals tightly to the crank arms and torques them to a specific setting.", "The worker aligns the four bolt holes on the frame to the bolts on the base and secures them with cap nuts.", "He installs a metal guard that encircles most of the flywheel.", "This prevents contact with the edge of the wheel when it's spinning.", "Once the trip computer has been mounted to the top of the frame, he slides the handlebar into place.", "It takes about 2 hours to manufacture this stationary bike.", "Now that the work is done, the workout can begin." ]

{ "things": [ "Tin Whistles", "Horn Products", "Formula F Race Cars" ] }

[ "Today on \"how it's made\"...", "The distinctive sound of the tin whistle is characteristic of the traditional music of england, ireland, and scotland.", "When this flute was first manufactured in the mid-19th century, it sold for just a penny, making it affordable and earning its nickname \"the penny whistle\".", "This u.k. company was the first factory to make tin whistles.", "In 1843, the company produced whistles using tinplate-- that's tin-coated steel-- from british metal foundries.", "A press strikes each sheet with a dye 20 times, stamping out 20 flat shapes called blanks.", "Each blank contains six finger holes toward the bottom and a rectangular opening called a fipple near the top.", "A technician inserts one blank at a time into a custom-made mandrel, then turns the crank.", "The mandrel rolls the flat blank into a tube.", "While some tin whistles are straight, this company's tin whistles are tapered.", "The signature shape creates a distinctive sound.", "Next, a technician slides four tubes into tapered slots on a custom-built jig.", "The slots align the tube's edges, creating a seam that will prevent air blown into the instrument from leaking out.", "The seam is coated in a chemical called flux.", "Without it, solder wire won't adhere to the tinplate.", "Using a custom-designed soldering gun, the technician melts lead-free solder wire onto the edges, fusing them together.", "The flux and solder are both nontoxic since they're being used on an instrument that goes into the mouth.", "A worker washes the tin whistles in mild soap and water to remove any excess flux.", "Another technician uses a custom-made file to scrape off any excess solder and ensure the seam is smooth.", "Then he shapes the top end of the tin whistle with this custom-made squaring tool.", "The round top of the instrument is now square.", "The tin whistles are sent to the factory's paint shop.", "An operator hooks the whistles onto a track that moves through a paint chamber.", "Inside, automated nozzles spray the instruments with powder paint.", "Then the tin whistles head to an oven, which bakes the paint for 20 minutes, at a temperature of 255 degrees fahrenheit.", "As each instrument exits the oven, the operator inspects the paint job.", "A pad printer spreads gold ink into the engraved company logo and design.", "The pad picks up the ink, and stamps the logo and design on the instrument.", "To create the narrow air channel that produces sound, a wooden plug is created and placed above the mouthpiece, or fipple.", "The plug is made from cedar or beechwood.", "This type of wood contains closed grains that prevent swelling.", "After pieces of wood are cut to the required shape, a tin whistle tuner applies a water-based, nontoxic adhesive inside the top of the instrument.", "Then he takes a plug, sands the cut edge, and glues it into the top.", "Once he's completed sanding, the whistle specialist tunes the tin whistle by inserting a sizing tool in the gap between the tinplate and the plug.", "He gently hammers the tinplate against the plug and tool.", "This step adjusts the air channel to the required width, perfectly tuning the instrument.", "After tuning 50 or so tin whistles, he performs a musical spot-check.", "Once the adhesive has cured for 24 hours, the tin whistle is ready for packaging.", "After the instrument has been cleaned, a technician includes a fingering chart and a sheet of tunes in the package so that beginners can teach themselves how to play.", "The tin whistle comes in the key of c and d. the musical landscapes of jigs, reels, highland flings, and other traditional melodies of the british isles.", "Animal horns are made from meat-industry by-products.", "They can be shaped and cut easily, while remaining incredibly durable.", "In the 20th century, synthetic plastics largely replaced horn, but today, it's making a comeback as an all-natural biodegradable material.", "In 1749, this manufacturer made inexpensive utensils for people on a tight budget.", "Two and a half centuries later, horn products are desirable luxury items.", "This facility sources its horns from nigeria where ankole cattle are known for their long, magnificent horns.", "A craftsman cuts the horns on a band saw.", "Horn is formed from keratin, the same material in hair and nails.", "Even though it's hard, woodworking tools can easily cut and shape the horn.", "The horn is also biodegradable.", "The craftsman uses a sanding disk to shape the edges.", "This particular horn will become a drinking mug.", "Horn is thermoplastic.", "It can be shaped when heated and will retain its new shape when cooled.", "An artisan heats a thin section and bends the tip.", "He heats the base of the thin section over an open flame and then carefully folds it over to form a perfect handle for the mug.", "The craftsman puts the mug into a vice to ensures that the handle will retain its new shape once cooled.", "In just a few steps, this cattle horn has been transformed into a unique mug-shaped object.", "Now the mug needs a bottom.", "A technician glues a set of mugs to wooden planks and then pours in a food-safe resin to form a watertight seal.", "It takes 24 hours for the resin to cure.", "Once cured, a craftsman uses a band saw to separate the mugs.", "Then he trims the wood until there's only a small amount left around the edges.", "The sanding disk easily removes the excess until the wood is even with the horn.", "A specialized wheel with sandpaper edges smoothes hard-to-reach areas of the mug.", "A craftsman sands and polishes each mug thoroughly until they shine.", "For constructing other types of products, this facility uses a deep fryer to heat sections of horn in 392-degree cooking oil.", "A hydraulic press flattens the heated material by applying pressure, then it's set aside to cool.", "After 10 minutes, the horn will retain its new shape, which is called a plate.", "Flat horn plate is used to make a variety of products.", "Here, a cutting form stamps out spoons.", "Artisans use a sanding disk to refine the spoon's shape.", "Another press hollows out the end of the spoon.", "Horn is a naturally non-stick material that won't absorb odor or color from food.", "Beside their many other products, this facility also manufactures shoehorns.", "Shoehorns get their name from the horn material used to make them.", "A sanding disk is used to shape the horn.", "It takes artisans years to develop this particular set of skills.", "The horn, which has been straightened in a specialized press is now ready for the final phase.", "A craftsman refines the shape of the horn by using a specialized tool, equipped with a narrow belt of sandpaper he smoothes the inner curve of the shoehorn by pressing on the sandpaper belt.", "This operation requires a high degree of concentration and skill.", "Too much pressure will remove more of the horn material than necessary.", "Polishing wheels give the shoehorn its final sheen.", "Once polishing is complete, the horn's color is revealed.", "The colors of a horn are near the surface, so the sander must be careful not to remove too much material.", "Skilled craftsmanship has transformed a raw horn into a shoe horn in just a few steps.", "A laser engraving machine brands the shoehorn with the manufacturer's mark.", "Horns may be an ancient material, but they still make relevant instruments for modern life.", "Many professional race-car drivers got their start in a formula f car, an entry-level racing car developed in britain in the 1960s.", "Initially called \"formula ford,\" the name was changed to formula f when a motor other than a ford was permitted.", "A formula f racecar is driven by both aspiring professionals and amateurs.", "This car can give drivers a start in the sport and hopefully a strong finish.", "Productions starts with a steel tube skeleton known as a space frame.", "The frame is designed to be lightweight yet rigid.", "The technician measures a piece of steel to be trimmed.", "Using a band saw, he cuts the steel to its specified length.", "This piece will be used for the roll hoop, which protects the driver's head in the event the car rolls.", "He measures the tubing one last time.", "When satisfied with its placement, he lowers the saw and cuts off any excess steel.", "He clamps the tubing in a hydraulic bending device.", "Once activated, the device wraps the tubing around a dye forming it to the desired curvature.", "Next, he builds the car's front bulkhead.", "He arranges steel tubing in the desired configuration and clamps them to the work bench to hold them steady.", "Using angle-measuring tools, the craftsman verifies that the corners of the bulkhead structure measure 90 degrees.", "This confirms that the bulkhead is perfectly square.", "Next, the bulkhead structure is welded at the joints.", "The space-frame tubing is made up of varying thicknesses.", "This ensures the bulkhead steel is strong and protected in the event there's a frontal collision.", "He compares the newly fabricated bulkhead to the standard.", "Once the frame is complete, the builder applies epoxy to the base in preparation for floor installation.", "Since the steel floor is substantial in thickness and weight, it takes two technicians to lift it onto the epoxied section of the space frame.", "In addition to the epoxy, a craftsman uses rivets to fasten the floor to the frame.", "The floor will be the only barrier between the driver and the track.", "With the space frame and floor secured, the racecar is ready for mechanical-component assembly.", "After installing adapter plates to the engine, the engine is hoisted into the back of the space frame.", "Then the adapter plates are bolted to the frame, securing the engine in place.", "The technician uses a hoist to carry the transmission system to the motor.", "Once in position, he connects the input shaft to the engine.", "He straps a fire extinguisher to the cockpit floor using metal bands.", "Then he runs wires from the instrument panel to the extinguisher for easy activation.", "He screws the panel to the cowl.", "Moving to the front, the technician bolts the foot pedals to the floor.", "Next, he works on the rack-and-pinion steering system.", "This assembly will convert the rotational motion of the steering wheel to the lateral motion of the rack.", "Tie rods link the tires to the system.", "The technician tests the movement of the rack to confirm that it's operating smoothly.", "At another station, computerized tools drill holes in a solid piece of aluminum.", "This step transforms the aluminum into a part called the bell crank.", "The bell crank will provide a link between the car's suspension rods and the shock absorbers.", "It takes about 10 minutes for these computerized tools to turn a piece of aluminum into a precision-crafted bell crank.", "The technician installs the bell crank onto the car frame.", "With that, they've turned a production corner, and it's full speed ahead to the next phase, coming up.", "A formula f car is designed to make semi-professional racing accessible to amateurs.", "This vehicle's steel space frame is inexpensive to produce and easier to repair in comparison to frames made of carbon fiber.", "With the steel frame complete and the engine and transmission installed, the technician bolts shock absorbers to the chassis, one for each wheel's suspension system.", "A technician connects the shock absorbers to the bell crank, linking it to the rest of the suspension system.", "He bolts suspension arms to mounts on the frame.", "A push rod links the arms to the bell crank.", "He bolts the wheel hub assembly to the suspension arms.", "He assembles a brake rotor to the hub.", "Then he installs the drive shaft assembly.", "This assembly connects the transmission to the wheel hub.", "That completes the push-rod suspension system for one wheel.", "This sheet of aluminum will be used for the back of the fuel-cell compartment.", "He measures and marks the sheet accordingly.", "He clamps the sheet in a press brake along the measured line and activates the press brake.", "The bend forms a flap that will be used to attach the sheet to the car frame.", "He measures and marks spots for mounting holes so they'll be evenly spaced when drilled.", "The panel is placed in the space frame behind the cockpit with the flap resting on lateral tubing.", "The fuel cell is made of a flexible rubber-like material that's unlikely to rupture if in an accident.", "He assembles the sides and front panels to the back, creating a compartment that encloses the fuel cell.", "Next, the technician wires the racecar's electrical systems together.", "He crimps connectors to the ends of the wires and plugs them into their corresponding electrical components.", "He routes wiring through the car and plugs in the alternator.", "He installs fiberglass support parts to the radiators, attaching one to each side of the car.", "He runs hoses from the radiators to the engine.", "With the radiators now on the supports, the packing material is removed.", "A cone-shaped air filter located on the engine's throttle body will keep dirt out of the engine.", "After installing front shock absorbers, he assembles the steering column and shaft to the car.", "He slides the steering wheel onto the column.", "He tucks a special safety seat into the cockpit.", "The seat has been custom-made for the driver.", "The harness has six straps for upper-body protection.", "Then he connects an exhaust pipe to the engine and hangs it to the car with metal bands.", "After the fiberglass body parts are molded, he maps out holes for components.", "He cuts out the holes with a rotary sanding tool.", "The cockpit's side panels are fitted to the space frame and screwed into place.", "The nose of the car is made of carbon fiber.", "The strength of the carbon fiber provides additional crash protection.", "The body panels are attached with fasteners that can be quickly during a race.", "With the front suspension installed, this racecar is ready for wheels.", "The technician torques the locknut that holds the wheel in place and slides a pin onto the axle.", "It takes about two to three months to build this formula f racecar.", "Now that it's left the shop, things are sure to accelerate." ]

{ "things": [ "Industrial Casters", "Wedding Cakes", "Terahertz Spectrometers", "Racing Catamarans" ] }

[ "Industrial casters are used to move heavy equipment from one location to another.", "The wheels make it easy to move mining machinery, large medical devices, or factory carts wherever and whenever it's required.", "The size of the object determines the size of the casters used to move it.", "Heavy items need casters with thicker wheels.", "Some larger objects may need multiple wheels to evenly distribute its weight.", "First, they make the top plate, which mounts the caster underneath the object.", "They begin with a thick sheet of steel.", "A computer-guided cutting machine combines oxygen and electricity to produce plasma.", "This incredibly hot flame melts the steel to cut out the part.", "They make several other caster parts out of steel coil.", "It's a thinner, more flexible type of steel.", "They fit it through a punch press.", "The press strikes it with a yoke-shaped die.", "The yokes are the arms that hold each side of the wheel axle.", "Workers place each yoke piece in a forming press.", "The press bends the piece into the required shape.", "It also makes a circular groove around the hole in the middle.", "Next they fill the groove with steel ball bearings.", "These bearings allow the yoke to swivel.", "The steel retainer holds the ball bearings in place.", "They fill the grooves of the steel cap with ball bearings, as well.", "Then they place it in a punch press and position the yoke on top of it.", "The press joins the cap to the yokes retainer, sandwiching the ball bearings in between.", "After riveting the top plate to the yoke, they put a steel seal over the retainer.", "They lock it in place with a pneumatic press.", "This factory purchases nylon wheel inserts from a supplier.", "Workers place the inserts in an injection molding press.", "The press melts neoprene rubber and injects it into the mold.", "Once it cools to a solid state, the machine ejects what are now rubber-edged wheels.", "This process takes about four minutes.", "The rubber edge absorbs shock, reduces noise, and prevents damage to the floor.", "When this factory needs to make larger wheels, they use a different injection molding press, one that can make wheels five times larger than their standard models.", "It works exactly like the other injection molder except it only makes one wheel at time.", "A worker carefully places the wheel on a cool-down rack for two and a half hours.", "The wheel molds are made of two parts.", "The parts form a seam once attached.", "A worker grinds down the rubber seam until the surface is smooth.", "Now that all the caster's parts are ready, assembly can begin.", "First they place a two-part bearing inside the wheel and lock it into position with a pneumatic press.", "Next they install a steel guard on each side.", "The guards prevent anything from getting inside the wheel and inhibiting its movement.", "They position the wheel between the yokes and insert the steel wheel axle.", "A bolt head secures one end, and they attach a nut to the other.", "Then they tighten everything with an impact gun.", "They inject grease to lubricate the ball bearings.", "This factory runs random samples through a series of quality control tests.", "A machine applies weight and counts how many revolutions the caster can withstand before it finally breaks.", "This factory also makes special casters for oven and freezer carts using rubber wheels built to withstand extreme heat or cold.", "Their ball bearings are also lubricated with grease that doesn't freeze or melt.", "Casters can also come equipped with a foot-activated brake.", "Wedding cakes have become bigger and more elaborate over the years.", "Today's wedding cakes are multi-tiered and even multi-flavored.", "They're typically covered in fondant icing and decorated with ornate sugar flowers.", "The finished product is an edible work of art, perfect for that special day.", "These customized wedding cakes are covered in fondant.", "This special icing acts as a canvas on which delicious designs can be created.", "The baker starts by making chocolate cakes for the bottom tier.", "Once the cakes come out of the oven, she transfers them directly to the fridge.", "The cool, firm cakes are easy to slice into layers.", "She spreads buttercream frosting between the layers.", "The frosting ingredients include lightly salted butter, icing sugar, and dutch cocoa powder.", "Layer by layer, she builds the tier to the desired height.", "She puts the tier back in the fridge.", "While it's solidifying, she makes the gum paste that will be used to craft the edible flowers.", "First, she adds icing sugar to egg whites...", "Then thins out the mixture with a teaspoon of water.", "Next, she adds food coloring.", "She mixes the ingredients for a couple of minutes until they're thoroughly blended.", "She adds tylose powder, a synthetic version of gum arabic to harden the mixture.", "After another 15 seconds of mixing, the gum paste is ready for kneading.", "The baker rubs some vegetable shortening on her hands for lubrication.", "She sprinkles some icing sugar on the table to prevent the gum paste from sticking.", "Then she kneads the gum paste for 5 to 10 minutes.", "Now the artistry begins.", "She uses a set of modeling tools made of food-safe, nonstick plastic.", "First she makes a little hat out of the pink gum paste.", "Then she rolls out another piece until it's paper thin.", "The baker uses a gum paste cutter to cut out several teardrop shapes.", "One at a time, she lays the tear drops out on a hard foam mat.", "She thins and curls the edges with a ball-tipped modeling tool to create a natural-looking rose petal.", "Then she switches to a scribe tool.", "She curls back the edges to make the petal even more lifelike.", "Then she applies tasteless edible glue.", "She adheres the first petal onto the point of the gum paste hat.", "She wraps it all the way around to create the center of the rose.", "The baker attaches the next layer, this time using two petals.", "She adds several additional layers using two more petals each time until the rose is complete.", "She snips off the base of the hat, then lets the glue dry for 15 minutes.", "The baker uses green gum paste to make the leaves.", "She rolls the paste thicker at the base and thinner at the top.", "Then she presses the sheet against the top of the board to produce vertical veins.", "She centers her leaf-shaped cutter over one of the veins and cuts out a leaf.", "After attaching the wire to the base, she uses a silicone stamp to imprint smaller veins on the leaf.", "This makes it look more realistic.", "The baker curls the leaf's edges with a round tool.", "She uses a different tool to deepen some of the veining and complete the leaf.", "The baker sets her decorations aside and removes the cake tiers from the refrigerator.", "She firmly applies the fondant over the chilled chocolate frosting.", "She made the fondant earlier with melted marshmallows, butter, icing sugar, vanilla extract, and food coloring.", "She applies fondant to the remaining tiers, then stacks them.", "She begins decorating this cake with ribbon and italian lace.", "She attaches the flowers with stiff edible glue made from egg whites, icing sugar, and lemon juice.", "She can also make edible ribbons and lace by pouring liquid gum paste into the appropriate molds.", "This special gum paste uses corn syrup and corn starch to reach the right consistency.", "A magnificent custom-made cake is designed to be a showpiece at the wedding reception, admired, devoured, and always remembered.", "Terahertz spectrometers use invisible light to see through objects, including living tissue.", "These t-rays are an emerging technology that allows objects to be imaged and analyzed.", "It's a form of radiation that is non-ionizing and believed to be non-destructive.", "An alternative to x-rays and ultrasound, terahertz technology generates a light that can't be seen by the naked eye, but it can see what lies beneath the surface.", "The technology has potential applications in the medical, security, and manufacturing fields.", "Production starts with the circuit board holder for the transmitter sensor head.", "Computerized tools drill a hole into a cylindrical piece of brass and carve ridged slots to hold the circuit board.", "Another tool transforms a second brass cylinder into the main body for the sensor head.", "This is the completed sensor head body.", "A technician screws an optical collimator into the housing.", "This device separates the laser light into parallel beams.", "He inserts a lens in the housing.", "The next piece he installs adjusts the position of the circuit board holder in the spectrometer.", "He selects a circuit board.", "It has a sensor chip in the center that emits terahertz light.", "He places it into the holder and slides the holder on the sensor body.", "He uses steel pins to lock it in place.", "The worker fastens a larger lens on the end.", "A device holds the sensor head in place as he tweaks the position of the circuit board.", "It must be perfectly aligned in order to receive the laser beam.", "He attaches a round circuit board to the sensor head.", "This board will allow the sensor head to establish electrical connections.", "Next he installs the collimating module.", "This device has a larger lens than the sensor head so it can send parallel terahertz beams further.", "He attaches a retainer ring to the module.", "The technician screws the collimating module to the sensor head.", "Now the spectrometer transmitter is complete.", "He slides the base of the stand into a rail system.", "He installs a receiver at the other end of the rail, and connects fiber optic cables to both the transmitter and the receiver.", "The next technician assembles the optical chassis that scans objects for imaging.", "He installs lenses in specific locations within the aluminum chassis.", "He attaches a mirror to a rail in front of the lenses.", "The moving mirror will bounce laser light to scan images.", "He tests the rail system to make sure it shuttles the mirror across the spectrometer chassis.", "The technician places the chassis on a steel panel and wires the fiber optics throughout.", "He connects the fiber optic cable to the laser-generating unit.", "He screws an acrylic glass cover to the chassis.", "Then he secures the chassis and laser unit to the cabinet panel.", "Technicians mount the panel to the back of the spectrometer cabinet using brackets and screws.", "Once it's solidly in place, they install the cabinet door.", "The door allows for easy access during servicing.", "They lock the door, then screw on the top lid.", "The spectrometer is ready for the transmitter and receiver assembly.", "The technician pushes the fiber optic cable through a hole in the lid and makes all the connections.", "He tests the device using a plastic bottle.", "The transmitter sends terahertz light through the bottle to measure its thickness and analyze its chemical composition.", "The receiver collects the data for computer analysis.", "This terahertz spectrometer is now ready to scan objects and show them in a new light.", "Thousands of years ago, the polynesians built the first catamarans.", "Then in 1876, an american redesigned one for racing.", "It was so fast that it was deemed unfair competition and banned from organized racing.", "But eventually, racing catamarans made a comeback in the late 20th century.", "With two hulls instead of one, catamarans skim the water faster than traditional sailboats.", "While a single-hull boat relies on a heavy keel, a catamaran uses its width as leverage to harness the power of the wind.", "A racing catamaran starts with foam material for the hull's lightweight core.", "A worker clamps the foam to a fiberglass form.", "Then he places it into an oven and closes the door.", "The oven gradually brings the core temperature up to 160 degrees fahrenheit.", "After a few minutes, he takes the foam out of the oven and places an upper form over it.", "The softened and malleable foam bends to the form's contours.", "After applying a gel coat and fiberglass fabric in a hull mold, he lays in the shaped foam pieces.", "He fills any gaps in the core with slivers of foam material.", "He adds little squares of porous plastic to reinforce areas where hardware will be attached later.", "The worker drapes fiberglass fabric loosely over the core.", "He sprays a small amount of rubber cement onto the core and presses the fabric into it.", "The cement helps the fabric stick to the core.", "Then he stretches nylon fabric over the fiberglass and foam.", "He runs spiral cut tubing along the sides of the mold.", "He cuts it to the right length and tapes it down.", "After laying down a plastic mesh, two workers cover the mold and its contents in plastic.", "They secure the edges of the mold with tacky tape, creating a tight seal.", "The team connects a vacuum to the spiral tubing on one side of the mold.", "When they turn it on, the vacuum sucks out the air, pulling the layers tightly together.", "They prepare a vinyl-based resin and apply it using the vacuum tube.", "The vacuum pumps the resin through the layers of fiberglass and foam.", "The resin takes a couple of hours to dry.", "The team removes the plastic, mesh, and nylon layers, revealing one half of a catamaran hull.", "Next they install the bulkheads.", "They use special tools to accurately position them in the hull.", "They also place bulkheads in the second half of the hull.", "The workers join the two hulls while they're still in the molds and seal the seam with epoxy.", "They remove the hull from the molds and cut an opening for the trunk.", "It holds a retractable center board for curbing sideways movement.", "They attach the screws used to lace the trampoline platform.", "A worker applies glue-back strips of plastic to protect the fiberglass from chafing.", "He screws sailing hardware to both hulls.", "The hulls are placed in an alignment jig.", "Then the team installs crossbars that fit into molded recesses.", "They attach a rudder system to each hull and test them to verify they operate correctly.", "The trampoline platform is made of polypropylene.", "The front slides into a molded groove.", "They lace up the back and sides with double-braided synthetic rope.", "He pulls the laces tight to keep the platform rigid.", "Once the other sailing control lines are in place, they're ready to hoist the sail on this racing catamaran.", "From start to finish, it takes three weeks to produce a racing catamaran.", "In competition, these boats have been clocked at three times the speed of wind." ]

{ "things": [ "Radiators", "Hatchery Chicks", "Filo Pastry", "Cross" ] }

[ "Today on \"how it's made\"...", "Car radiators...", "Hatchery chicks...", "Phyllo dough...", "And cross-country skis.", "When the gasoline in a car engine burns, up to 70% of the energy generated converts into heat.", "A lot of this heat goes out the exhaust system, but much of it stays heating up the engine.", "The car's cooling system prevents overheating.", "The system's key component is the radiator.", "A water-and-antifreeze mix absorbs the heat generated by the engine.", "The fluid then flows through the radiator tubes to cool down.", "The tubes are made from paper-thin brass.", "The 1.5-inch-wide strip is bent by rollers into the shape of a flat tube.", "The tubing then runs through a vat of bubbling-hot molten lead.", "As the tubing exits the vat, it runs through cold water that hardens the lead coating.", "A cutter then chops the tubing into pieces, the length of which varies according to the model of radiator.", "These are about 30 inches long.", "Meanwhile, another machine shapes a narrow strip of copper just 6/100 of an inch thick into what are called \"cooling fins\".", "As we'll see in slow motion, the machine folds the copper strip like a fan, then perforates it, creating mini air vents.", "When the hot fluid runs through the tubes, these fins will transfer the heat to the air flowing through the radiator.", "The cooled fluid can then go back for another round of absorbing engine heat.", "The cooling fins come out of the machine cut to size.", "Then workers manually stack the tubes and fins one on top of the other.", "They straighten them out and apply a brass tag indicating the model number and date of production.", "Then they compress and strap the components together.", "Elsewhere, a computer-guided machine punches out a pattern on brass sheets.", "These will become what are called \"headers\".", "There's one on each side of a radiator.", "The punching tool then changes to a knife, which now cuts along the perforation lines.", "Using a press, they bend each header.", "Then punch slots for the radiator's tubes.", "Now, using a mallet, they hammer the headers onto the ends of the tubes.", "The banging inadvertently closes a few tubes, so they use a special roller to reopen them.", "After cleaning the surface, it's into an oven at 600 degrees fahrenheit.", "In just two minutes, the lead melts, fusing the tubes and cooling fins.", "After straightening out any crooked tubes, workers dip the headers in a tank of hot-liquid lead for 30 seconds.", "This solders them to the sides of the radiator.", "They apply a few drops of lead on the corners for reinforcement.", "The headers and tube openings are now encased in lead.", "Workers now feed a sheet of brass into a press to form the tanks that go onto the headers.", "One contains a brass tube.", "Hot transmission oil enters one end of it and exits the other, cooling along the way.", "Once workers finish soldering the tanks to the headers, they solder on what's called the filler net, a spout for pouring antifreeze into the tank.", "On the opposite tank, they solder on a water-intake pipe.", "This will be the entry point for the fluid heated by the engine.", "Finally, they coat the finished radiator in an asphalt-based black paint.", "The asphalt content makes the paint heat resistant and protects the radiator's cooling fins.", "Which came first, the chicken or the egg?", "It's an age-old question, and we can't give you the definitive answer.", "But we can take you to a hatchery to see how baby chicks are bred.", "It's the first step in commercial chicken farming, or the second step if you think the egg came first.", "Chicks come from eggs fertilized by mating, but a hen can lay eggs without mating.", "Those unfertilized eggs are the ones we eat.", "The fertilized ones go to the hatchery three or four days after being laid.", "Hatchery workers transfer the eggs onto special trolleys, then roll them into the incubator, where the temperature and humidity level mimic natural conditions.", "The egg yolk, egg white, and shell all nourish the embryo.", "Every hour, the trays shift 45 degrees to the opposite side and back, simulating the way hens turn their eggs while waiting for them to hatch.", "After 18 1/2 days, the eggs come out of incubation and go onto a conveyer belt.", "They pass under an infrared sensor that checks for eggs that are too transparent.", "These are unfertilized eggs that slipped through.", "The sensor triggers a suction device to remove them.", "They go to a rendering plant to become animal feed.", "The fertilized eggs continue along to the next station to be vaccinated against marek, a poultry disease.", "Automated needles pierce a hole in each shell and inject a vaccine into the amniotic fluid surrounding the chick.", "Now a suction device transfers the eggs to hatching trays, 168 eggs per tray.", "About 150 of them can be expected to hatch.", "The rest die in incubation or have physical defects.", "Day 19-- the chicks use their beaks to crack a hole through the shell, then a horizontal line all around.", "After six to eight hours, the chicks finally emerge from the shell.", "They're covered in short feathers called \"down,\" and they're able to walk and see.", "After about four hours, their down has dried.", "Now workers roll the chicks to what's called the separator, a machine that separates the birds from the shell halves.", "The shells are larger than the chicks, so they stay on top while the chicks fall down to a conveyer belt below.", "The shells, which are high in calcium, go to a rendering plant.", "The chicks move on to be classified according to gender.", "Workers put the females down one chute, the males down another.", "They determine the sex by checking two rows of feathers.", "If one row's shorter than the other, the chick's a female.", "If the rows are the same height, it's a male.", "Each chute feeds a separate conveyer belt.", "An optical counter tracks the number of males and females.", "The chicks now fall into specially designed transportation boxes, 102 chicks per box.", "Some clients request that their order of chicks be vaccinated against bronchitis.", "Those boxes pass under an aerosol sprayer that sprinkles them with a mild dose of vaccine.", "Poultry farmers raise chicks for their meat or eggs.", "Females used for egg production begin laying eggs at about 20 weeks of age.", "For meat production, females reach slaughter weight at about 38 days.", "Males, depending on market size, take from 40 to 65 days.", "If you like greek food, then you've probably tasted baklava.", "It's made with a paper-thin, flaky dough called \"phyllo,\" the greek word for \"leaf\".", "Phyllo dough itself is low-fat and cholesterol-free.", "Unfortunately, the stuff they usually fill it with isn't.", "Phyllo dough can be made by hand or by machine.", "Either way, it starts with the same dough recipe.", "The proportions are roughly 40% water to 60% flour.", "They use two types of wheat flour-- high-protein flour to make the dough strong and flexible and low-protein flour to make its texture smooth.", "They also add sorbate, a preservative, to increase shelf life.", "After about 15 minutes of mixing, the dough is ready.", "They cut off a section and feed it into a machine called the divider, which transforms it into a cylindrical wad.", "They hand-roll the wad into a rough ball, then feed it two or three times through a machine that kneads the dough into a rounder, harder ball with no air bubbles trapped inside.", "They can tell when it's ready just by feeling it.", "Then a machine called the sheeter flattens the ball into what looks like pizza dough.", "Workers stack about 30 sheets with craft paper in between to absorb some of the moisture.", "Now the key step-- opening the dough.", "First, they lay a large cotton cloth over the work surface.", "It must be 100% cotton to absorb the moisture.", "Otherwise, the dough would stick together.", "They take the sheet of dough and begin stretching it by hand until it's approximately 27 square feet.", "Even though the dough is stretched thin, it doesn't tear.", "This is due partly to its protein content and partly to the skill of the worker.", "They repeat the process with all 30 sheets, stacking them one on top of the other.", "Then they take a plank of wood, called a \"sanida\" in greek, and roll the dough sheets onto it one by one, removing the cloths that were in between.", "They sprinkle corn starch on the dough, just enough to prevent sticking.", "Too much corn starch will burn the dough.", "Now they move the sanida to another table and cut along one side of the dough.", "They remove the wood and open the sheets flat.", "Then they cut rectangles measuring 13x17 inches, standard phyllo size.", "Each sheet of phyllo dough is about as thin as a sheet of tissue paper, but it's strong and flexible enough not to tear when a baker works with it.", "Machine-made phyllo dough is a much faster method, used primarily for mass-produced frozen-food items.", "An automated machine called the stretcher transforms a big wad of dough into a thin, flat sheet, applying just the right amount of corn starch.", "A continuous air current coming from underneath creates an air bubble.", "The height of the bubble tells them whether the dough is the right consistency.", "The dough dries under infrared lamps.", "This step is necessary because this method doesn't use craft paper and cotton cloths to absorb the excess moisture.", "The dried sheet of dough rolls onto a spool.", "They cut along the side to release the dough and lay it flat.", "Using a template, they cut the standard size rectangle, yielding about 800 sheets of phyllo dough.", "They roll about 20 sheets together at a time and wrap them in plastic.", "Then, they vacuum-pack and heat-seal the package.", "Phyllo dough stays fresh for six weeks in the refrigerator, six months in the freezer.", "Cross-country skis used to look pretty much all the same-- long, narrow, and wooden.", "Today's skis, however, come in many different styles, specifically designed for the many types of cross-country-- telemark, back-country, all-terrain, touring, and racing.", "Archeologists in scandinavia have uncovered ski artifacts 5,000 years old.", "These stone-age skis enabled people to hunt during the winter.", "Skiing became so vital a means of transportation that the vikings worshipped a god and goddess of skiing.", "19th-century scandinavian soldiers wore skis in winter warfare.", "They held races in their spare time, turning cross-country skiing into a popular sport.", "From there, it just snowballed.", "One way to make cross-country skis is compression molding, a process that uses heat and pressure to bond the components together.", "First, a computer-guided blade cuts out what will become the ski's underside, called the gliding surface.", "It's made of pre-assembled fiberglass laminate and polyethylene thermoplastic, a friction-resistant material.", "They lay it into the bottom half of a mold, then glue on steel edges for grip.", "This spray makes the adhesive dry faster so that they can apply the principle adhesive-- epoxy.", "A rubber shock absorber goes on the back, followed by a durable plastic reinforcement called the heel-piece protector.", "The ski's wooden core is made of aspen and birch laminated together.", "Next comes a sheet of fiberglass impregnated with epoxy for extra reinforcement.", "The wood core is now sandwiched between two high-resistance layers.", "Then, for decoration, a plastic film with a silk-screen design.", "With everything now in the bottom half of the mold, they clamp on the top and tape it up to ensure nothing shifts out of place.", "Then it's into a press that compresses the mold and heats it to 185 degrees fahrenheit.", "This activates the epoxy, hardening it in 12 to 15 minutes, depending on the thickness of the ski.", "Now they do a rough cut to trim off the excess.", "Then they sand all the edges until they're smooth.", "They run the gliding surface across a grinding stone, that white object you see below.", "This extra step is only for the higher-end models.", "Another way to make cross-country skis is by a process called reaction-injection molding.", "First, they place the skis' top layer, a fiberglass-epoxy sheet, in the mold...", "Then the gliding surface, made of pre-assembled fiberglass laminate and polyethylene with a high-resistance backing.", "Instead of a wooden core in the middle, this press injects a super-resilient plastic.", "In just three seconds, the injection phase is over, and the reaction phase begins.", "This demonstration shows what happens.", "First, the polyurethane inflates...", "Then it hardens.", "After eight minutes, it's hardened enough to come out of the mold.", "They let the ski cure for up to eight hours, at which point it's strong enough to support the weight of a skier.", "Now, these three components-- the top layer, the polyurethane middle, and the gliding surface-- are one.", "Now comes the finishing.", "First they trim and bevel the edges.", "They sand the gliding surface.", "Then they carve a groove down its length.", "This gives the ski directional stability.", "All that's left to do now is decorate the skis.", "First the background color and a quick-drying, solvent-based lacquer.", "They apply the design manually, one color at a time, using the silk-screening process.", "A typical design consists of five to seven colors, including the background.", "To keep the skis looking vibrant, they protect the paint with a coat of transparent varnish." ]

{ "things": [ "Motion Sensors", "Belt Loaders", "Pheasant Breeding", "Diving Helmets" ] }

[ "Tiny motion sensors known as accelerometers are at the heart of much of today's technology.", "Built into a smartphone, for example, the sensor detects both movement and the angle at which the phone is being held to trigger the rotation of the screen.", "This little chip is why a smartphone knows when it has moved.", "These motion sensors are tiny, but smart, because they can detect every move.", "They start with silicon disks called wafers.", "Each wafer will be used to make thousands of motion sensors.", "A technician aligns the disks in a cassette, using the flat part of each one as a reference point.", "Once properly aligned, a mechanism lowers the silicon wafers onto a carrier made of quartz, which can withstand intense heat.", "The technician loads the wafers into the furnace.", "Inside, the 2,000-degree heat and steam cause an oxide to form on the surface of each wafer.", "It'll act as an electrical insulator.", "Then it goes into what's known as a sputter system.", "Here, inert gas ions bombard aluminum, causing it to sputter onto the wafer until an even layer accumulates.", "This aluminum layer will serve as a conductor of electricity.", "The next machine deposits a light-sensitive chemical onto the wafer.", "The wafer spins, allowing the chemical to flow evenly across the surface.", "This all happens under the glow of yellow light to prevent the untimely activation of the chemical, which reacts to bright light just like an unexposed photographic negative would.", "They're now ready for that bright light.", "U.v. light beams through tiny patterns on a glass plate to activate the light-sensitive chemical.", "The patterns transfer to the wafer's surface, forming an outline for thousands of motion sensors.", "Another chemical then flows onto the silicon wafer to further develop these miniscule images.", "Next, lasers locate the wafer's flat edge, signaling a chuck to spin into its proper position for plasma etching.", "The etching creates thousands of free-moving 3-d structures.", "Each one is a motion sensor.", "After etching, a sprayer blasts the surface with carbon dioxide.", "It's the only way to clean it without damaging the now-movable sensors.", "At the next station, a robotic arm flips the wafer into position.", "A tray moves under the robot and places the wafer on it.", "The tray retracts and loads the wafer into a clamping system.", "It then collects a second silicon wafer and places it on the first one in the clamp.", "The second wafer acts as a lid to protect the individual sensors.", "Held in the clamp, a machine heat-seals the two wafers, and the bond is complete.", "Next, a computerized saw cuts grooves into the top wafer only, while a steady stream of water keeps the dust down.", "The saw exposes the aluminum layer on the bottom wafer, something that will allow each sensor to make an electrical connection.", "A platform now moves the wafer a millimeter at a time so that a probe can test each sensor and confirm it performs correctly.", "This continues until every sensor on the wafer has been tested.", "From a plain silicon wafer to a unit that contains thousands of motion sensors-- this process takes three weeks.", "After the individual sensors have been cut and encased in plastic, they're ready for a final test.", "A robot loads each sensor into a test socket.", "The socket both tests the sensor's performance and programs it to customer specifications.", "A robot packages the sensors for shipping.", "And once installed in phones, tablets, and computers, these motion sensors will be ready for action.", "If you've been to an airport, you've seen mobile belt loaders on the tarmac.", "They drive from the terminal to the aircraft, align their built-in conveyor belt with the entrance to the cargo hold, then load baggage or cargo on board.", "When an aircraft arrives, they do all that in reverse to unload baggage or cargo.", "A turn of the control handle adjusts the height of the front of the belt loader, enabling it to reach the cargo hold of even the tallest aircraft.", "The rear height is also adjustable so the airport baggage handlers can set it at a level comfortable for loading.", "The vehicle and the conveyor belt are separate units.", "In this part of the factory, workers construct the conveyor's steel frame.", "They weld together all the steel parts then grind all the weld seams flat so that the belt will move over the frame smoothly.", "Workers install a crossmember just past the midpoint of the frame.", "It will connect with two sets of lift arms installed in the vehicle-- one which raises and lowers the front of the conveyor, the other which raises and lowers the rear.", "Workers insert alignment pins to position the crossmember on the frame correctly, then weld it into place.", "The vehicle's chassis is also made of welded steel.", "Workers blast the chassis and conveyor frame with a metal abrasive.", "This removes rust and other debris, prepping the surface for paint to adhere properly.", "The caulk all the unwelded seams to prevent corrosion, then spray a coat of primer followed by a coat of industrial-grade paint in the color the customer requested.", "Once the paint dries, assembly can resume.", "On the conveyor frame, they install the motor, which drives the belt.", "There are two options available-- this hydraulic motor powered by the vehicle's engine or an electric motor powered by battery.", "The motor rotates two large metal rollers-- one at the front of the frame, the other at the rear.", "The belt wraps around these rollers so that, when they turn, the belt moves.", "Between the end rollers, running the entire length of the conveyor, workers install 58 smaller metal rollers.", "These form the floor of the conveyor and can support up to a ton of cargo.", "The motor runs these rollers forward or in reverse, depending on whether the belt is loading or unloading the aircraft.", "The belt itself is made of high-strength tire-grade rubber with an antiskid texture on the surface.", "To be long enough to loop around the 25-foot-long conveyor plus the end rollers, the belt is 50 feet in length.", "The ends have teeth which fit into each other like a zipper and fasten with a metal pin.", "Elsewhere in the factory, technicians install components on the vehicle chassis.", "First, the front and rear axles...", "Then on each axle, two wheels with tires specifically designed for long life on the airport tarmac.", "At the rear of the chassis, they install the hydraulic cylinder, which raises and lowers the rear lift arms, then the vehicle's engine, which can be either gas, diesel, propane, or electric powered.", "The vehicle drives at a maximum speed of just 25 miles per hour, but that's more than sufficient for traveling between the terminal and the aircraft.", "After installing the power-steering system, technicians run wiring for the lights and other electrical components, run hydraulic hoses for the brakes and lift cylinders, and install the controls for the conveyor.", "They install the hydraulic cylinder, which raises the front lift arms, then connect the fluid hoses to the hydraulic pump.", "Next, they install the front and rear lift arms along with a safety brace underneath to use when mechanics are working beneath the conveyor.", "They attach the lift arms to the front and rear cylinders, which expand to raise the arms and retract to lower them.", "Now workers hoist the conveyor over the vehicle and bolt the front and rear lift arms to the crossmember on the conveyor's underside.", "The two units are now one mobile belt loader, ready to roll off the line and hit the tarmac.", "The pheasant is one of the most sought-after game birds in north america, but populations in the wild have dwindled.", "To replenish them and also supply a market for pheasant meat, farmers raise breeding stock and incubate their eggs to make it more likely they'll yield chicks.", "With stunning plumage and an ability to both run and fly, no wonder the pheasant struts around.", "Each pheasant lays approximately four eggs weekly, april through to july.", "Farm workers collect the eggs daily before the pheasants have an opportunity to nest.", "With their intervention, the hatch rate will get a big boost.", "It will go from 40% to at least 75%.", "The farmer washes the eggs in water and special soap to remove dirt and bacteria that could infiltrate the shells and harm the growing chicks.", "She inspects the eggs and rejects any cracked or very large ones that would contain a double yolk.", "Eggs with cracks or double yolks won't hatch.", "One last dip, and she sets the eggs aside to drip dry.", "Once dry, she taps eggs together systematically and listens.", "If the tap sounds like fine china clinking together, they're suitable for hatching.", "But if the tap sounds dull, there's likely a crack.", "By listening, she finds one or two cracked eggs she missed with the visual inspection.", "She places the eggs in an incubator rack and transfers it to a cooling room.", "The pheasant eggs chill here for a few days.", "The cooling slows down cell division until the farmer is ready to put the eggs in the incubator.", "Chick production is timed for two hatches weekly.", "When the time is right, she transfers the eggs to the incubator.", "The incubator is a toasty 100 degrees fahrenheit to mimic the warmth of a hen's body.", "She latches the racks onto an automated system that gently rocks the long cradles back and forth to turn the pheasant eggs.", "Turning the eggs routinely is something that nesting hens do naturally, and it's important.", "Without it, the developing embryo could stick to the shell, causing abnormal growth.", "The farmer monitors the incubator temperature and humidity several times daily.", "Three weeks later, she removes the rack and places it on a tray lined with cheesecloth.", "She opens each cradle, and the eggs spill softly onto the tray.", "At this point, there are tiny pits on the shells caused by the chicks' beaks as they attempt to break through.", "Once on the tray, she arranges them close together in a figure-eight configuration.", "This way, the chicks can feel each other moving, cuing them to break out of their shells.", "She pumps water onto the tiers of the hatcher now.", "The hatcher is warmer than the incubator.", "She covers the trays with screens to keep the chicks from jumping onto other trays.", "As the water heats up, the humidity increases.", "This causes the shells to weaken, making it easier for the pheasant chicks to break out of their shells.", "After a couple of days, the eggs have hatched.", "After drying off, the chicks are fluffy and lively.", "The farmer packs them in ventilated cardboard boxes.", "Freshly hatched, they'll survive 60 hours without food, giving the breeder enough time to ship them anywhere in the world.", "That's why pheasants are easier to ship when they're chicks.", "Some customers prefer more mature birds, so the farmer raises some chicks in wire frames for a week, until their legs become stronger.", "Then they move those chicks to other heated buildings until they're ready to thrive outdoors.", "Some will be kept as breeding stock.", "Others will be sold as food.", "The rest will be introduced into the wild and just fly away.", "Today's diving helmets are produced primarily for history buffs and divers performing underwater work, such as welding the submerged parts of bridges.", "Unlike a scuba tank, which carries a limited amount of oxygen, a helmet connects to an air pump at the surface, providing an unlimited air supply.", "A diving helmet is completely watertight so the diver doesn't need a mouthpiece to breathe and can speak to people at the surface via a built-in transceiver.", "This helmet is the design the u.s. navy used from 1916 until 1984.", "At the factory, they make the helmet's head portion, called the bonnet, from a copper sheet about a millimeter and a half thick that's been spun on a lathe into a dome.", "They buff it smooth, then, using a template, mark where to cut openings for the various components.", "It takes a good month and a half for the factory to machine all those components and assemble the helmet.", "With a hammer and punch, they dimple the copper at the marked spots.", "This will give the saw a foothold on the otherwise slippery surface.", "Then they apply cutting oil to prevent the saw from overheating as it bores through the metal.", "The first cut is a 6-inch-wide hole at the front for the bonnet's hinged faceplate.", "They saw eight openings for the bonnet's other components, including three windows.", "Next, with tin-and-lead solder, they fuse a threaded neck ring to the bottom edge.", "This ring attaches the bonnet to the helmet's breastplate, which bolts to the collar of the diver's dry suit.", "Then they solder a base to the faceplate opening.", "Like all the helmet's components, it's made of red brass, which is more durable than standard brass due to its higher copper content.", "Next, through a template, they drill holes into a banana-shaped brass exhaust tube.", "It enables the diver's exhaled air to exit the helmet.", "They solder the exhaust to the bonnet, positioning the non-perforated end over a hole near the diver's mouth and the perforated end at the rear.", "This directs air bubbles behind the diver so as not to obstruct the view.", "Then they solder on the remaining components, including three window bases.", "Just as one does when installing a window in a building, they apply glazing to the faceplate and window bases to seal the three-inch thick acrylic pane against leaks.", "For underwater safety, they screw a brass guard to the base.", "This prevents the pane from popping out should too much air pressure build up inside the helmet.", "Now they install the transceiver and feed its wires through a brass elbow, which will ultimately attach to a communications cable running to the surface.", "With the bonnet complete, it's time to shape the helmet's breastplate.", "They lay a copper sheet onto a breastplate-shaped mandrel, clamp on a breastplate-shaped form, heat the copper with a torch to make it malleable, then, with a wooden mallet soaked in brine to keep it from splitting, pound the copper for about 45 minutes, until it assumes the shape.", "Then they chisel out the neck opening.", "Once the copper has cooled, they transfer the breastplate to a form and begin reinforcing the bottom with a brass strap.", "After clamping the strap in position, they hammer the copper around and over its outer edge.", "Then they remove the clamps and solder the copper to the strap.", "Once the soldering's done, they grind the surface smooth and drill 12 holes into the strap for the custom-made bolts that connect the helmet to the collar of the diver's dry suit.", "Then, after flipping the breastplate upside down, they wrap solder around the bolts, drop them in the holes, and melt the solder to lock them in.", "They polish the metal and solder on the last breastplate components-- a threaded neck ring for connecting the bonnet and, at the front, a pair of brass eyes for lashing the air- and communication hoses off to the side so they won't get in the diver's way underwater." ]

{ "things": [ "Chocolate Coins", "Floor Heating Systems", "Pedal Cars", "Latex Swords" ] }

[ "This edible money is a symbolic treat.", "In some parts of the world, chocolate coins are stuffed in christmas stockings to celebrate the charity of saint nicholas.", "They're also handed out to jewish children during the festival of hanukkah to teach them the value of money and charity.", "Chocolate coins don't have any purchasing power, but they do buy a lot of appreciative smiles from the kids.", "They start with giant chocolate bars.", "Each one is 10 pounds of pure chocolate.", "The worker transfers the big bars to a kettle.", "It's a kind of double boiler.", "Hot water bubbles and steams inside a sleeve shell to heat and melt the chocolate.", "There are 2 1/2 tons of liquid chocolate in this kettle.", "The machine now pumps the chocolate through a long pipe with different cooling zones.", "The chocolate thickens but not to the point of solidification-- a process called tempering.", "It causes the chocolate to form a precise crystal structure for just the right texture and taste.", "The thick liquid chocolate flows onto a conveyer that brings the chocolate under a broad blade.", "The blade levels it to a specific thickness and spreads it evenly, creating a long sheet of chocolate.", "The chocolate now begins to coagulate and harden.", "To spur that process, it travels through a refrigeration tunnel that is approximately 15 yards long.", "This journey transforms the liquid chocolate into a soft solid.", "Next, they clean and prepare the die.", "It's a spring-loaded device that works cookie-cutter style to punch out round blanks.", "There is one big difference.", "Each cutter is long and tubular, so as it punches out the chocolate blanks, they accumulate inside.", "The latticework of leftovers journeys forward to be re-melted into the process...", "So not a crumb of chocolate goes to waste.", "At the end of the line, dozens of coin blanks have stacked up in each magazine.", "And piles of leftover chocolate have accumulated in a bin that will now be transferred back to the melting pot.", "Now it's time to print some chocolate money.", "To do this, they wrap the chocolate first and then emboss both the wrap and the chocolate blanks simultaneously.", "Here's how it works.", "Sheets of glossy gold foil travel between rollers to establish an even tension.", "Ahead, a forked arm moves two chocolate blanks between the foil sheets.", "Piston-like knives move in to wrap, cut, and fold the foil around the blanks.", "The forked arm then delivers the foil-wrapped blanks to a die press.", "It stamps designs on both sides of the coins, making an impression on the foil through to the chocolate.", "The chocolate, although solid, is still warm enough to receive the image.", "Removed from the machine, here's what the die heads look like.", "These are used to emboss chocolate coins with american penny markings.", "As for the foil discards, they don't end up on the scrap heap.", "Instead, they accumulate in a bin to be sent out for recycling.", "They make 150,000 foil-wrapped coins a day.", "To change the currency type, they simply switch die heads.", "Chocolate coins can be made in many sizes with a range of different illustrations.", "The coins now spill out onto a conveyor that takes them to a bin.", "All that's left now is the packaging, which will be the traditional mesh bag.", "From start to finish, it takes less than an hour to make a chocolate coin.", "Gold dollars or $5 poker chips, every day, it's a jackpot of chocolate money at this factory.", "So there's never any shortage of edible cash, only decisions to be made-- poker chip or chocolate penny?", "You could always flip a coin.", "In-floor heating systems are hardly a new concept.", "The ancient romans heated the floors of their bathhouses.", "Today's systems use either electric cables or hot-water pipes installed beneath the floor's surface.", "As the floor warms up, the heat radiates to people and objects in the room.", "For electric radiant heating systems, installers affix installation gauges to the subfloor, then wind electrical cables around those gauges.", "When there are no objects such as bathtubs to work around, installers can roll out a fiberglass mat that has the cable embedded.", "Once the cables are in place, the installers lay down the floor.", "Radiant heating systems can be installed under most types of flooring.", "It's up to 28% more energy efficient than forced-air or baseboard heating.", "At the core of those electric heating cables are copper or copper-alloy wires called conductors.", "An unwinding system feeds each spool of conductor to an extrusion machine.", "Extrusion machines force molten plastic through a die to form a particular shape.", "They load the raw plastic pellets into a receptacle called a hopper at the top of the machine.", "The pellets drop down into a heating device that quickly liquefies them.", "The machine then forces the molten plastic through a round die, forming a plastic jacket around the conductor passing through.", "This jacket insulates the bare wire.", "A water bath cools the still-warm plastic to prevent sticking as they wind up the conductor on a spool.", "The next machine takes two insulated conductors and twists them together into a single strand.", "This forms a paired conductor.", "Then the next machine braids 16 spools of triple-strand copper wire around the paired conductor.", "This copper braid is the ground.", "The ground will capture any electrical leak should the cable get damaged, preventing electrocution.", "The cable's internal wiring is complete.", "Now they run it through an alignment jig that straightens and smooths everything out in preparation for the next extrusion process, which coats the wiring in a final plastic jacket.", "Then they wind up the cable on a spool to prepare it for packaging...", "And put one end into a machine that cuts off an inch or so of jacket.", "After soldering the two conductors to each other so that the electrical current goes out on one and returns on the other, they insulate this connection from the braided ground with transparent heat-shrink plastic.", "Then they pull the ground over the now-insulated end and cover it with a black heat-shrink plastic.", "This seals the end of the cable so that water can't seep in and short out the wiring.", "Another machine produces the cable that brings power from the wall-mounted thermostat to the heating cables under the floor.", "It's called the cold lead because it leads to the heating cable, yet itself doesn't heat up.", "This machine cuts the average production run of 8 1/2 miles of cold-lead cable into several cables of standard length, either 2 or 3 yards long depending on the product format.", "The cold lead is comprised of two conductors and a separate ground wire.", "Workers connect it to the heating cable by fusing conductor to conductor and ground to ground.", "They protect this junction with a hard plastic cover called a mechanical joint.", "This, too, must be sealed to prevent any water infiltration.", "After all, heating cables are often installed under floors in wet environments such as bathrooms.", "So, they seal the joint by injecting enough polyurethane to fill every nook and cranny.", "The polyurethane takes three to four minutes to dry, then another 24 hours to fully harden.", "This machine assembles the other format-- the roll-out mat with heating cable embedded.", "First, it winds cable the same way an installer would onto installation gauges.", "Then it secures it to an adhesive-backed fiberglass mesh.", "Three strips of adhesive tape above and below reinforce the bond.", "The mat format is sold by the roll, while the loose cable is packaged in a kit with installation gauges and glue sticks to adhere the gauges to the subfloor.", "It looks like a car and it drives like a tricycle-- a child-size version of a motorized three-wheeler vehicle, popular in the early 20th century.", "Instead of gas, pedal power propels this replica forward.", "Based on actual vehicles, a wave of nostalgia has put pedal cars on the road to a comeback.", "An old-style pedal car is a snazzy toy with a sleek metal body and real rubber tires.", "Highly collectible, owning one is a trip down memory lane.", "Production starts with the pedal car's wood floor.", "The worker places a metal template of the floor under a sheet of ash plywood and transfers the two to a router table.", "With a pin in the template below to guide him, he moves the plywood as the router cuts it.", "This produces a part that's the precise size and shape needed for the pedal-car floor.", "Using the same system, he cuts a slot for the pedals and another one for the rear wheel.", "He evens the edges with a hand router, giving the pedal-car floor a finer look and feel.", "He glues supports for the backrest close to the rear of the floorboard.", "He props the backrest against the supports and screws it into position.", "He installs the dashboard framework further towards the front.", "Next, they varnish the laminated ash dashboard a deep, rich hue, to replicate the look of the one in the original three-wheeler vehicle.", "And now for the body of the pedal car.", "A welder tacks together the two parts of the aluminum shell and seals them with special adhesive.", "They then screw the wooden framework to the aluminum body.", "After a thorough cleaning, they paint a primer coat onto the metal.", "Then it's in to the paint booth for a glossy coat of automotive paint.", "In the meantime, the metal chassis of the pedal car comes together.", "A worker mounts a dummy twin engine to the front.", "In this pedal-powered replica, the engine's purpose is purely decorative.", "The headlights, though, are real.", "He attaches those to the chassis, complete with the hooded framework distinctive to the original, full-size three-wheeled car from a century ago.", "He then fits the tires to the chassis.", "They're cycle tires, child-sized, to fit the scale of this toy-car replica.", "A quick spin confirms they're operational.", "He mounts the fenders to the frame just above the tires and secures them with metal brackets.", "The fenders will guard against splashing mud and water.", "He now transfers the car body to the three-wheeled chassis.", "He aligns it with fixing points on the chassis and then screws it into place.", "Next, he hooks up the exhaust pipe.", "Like the engine, it's an imitation, but it looks real.", "He fits an aluminum grille to the front of the pedal car, just behind the mock engine.", "He installs a small windshield in front of the pedal-car cockpit.", "And now he pops the dashboard, equipped with a speed dial, into place.", "It fits into the pedal car's hooped frame perfectly.", "He wires the battery-operated headlights to the dashboard switch.", "He attaches the hand brake to the side of the cab and runs the braking cables to the rear wheel.", "He threads the steering-wheel column down through the dashboard to steering arms on the front wheel axle.", "He clamps it to the steering arms...", "And makes some adjustments to precisely position the column to the shaft.", "He fits the padded leather seat into the cab, and this completes the construction of this pedal-powered replica car.", "It takes about 40 hours to make one of those retro toys.", "When it comes to the authentic touches, dave spared no expense and expended great effort.", "It's time for a spin to the playground and some good old-fashioned fun.", "Some people enjoy playing combat games on video systems, while others prefer to exchange the controller for a fake weapon, dress up in costume, and act out the fantasy with those who share the same passion.", "It's called live-action role-playing, and there's typically a medieval or apocalyptic theme to it.", "These weapons sure look like the real thing-- so much so that this company also sells them as film and theater props.", "But as menacing as these axes and swords appear, they couldn't even hurt a fly because they're blades are made of latex.", "In the weapons workshop, they begin the sword-making process by constructing the blade.", "After tracing a template on a 4/10-of-an-inch-thick piece of flexible waterproof foam, they cut out two blade halves with a utility knife.", "After slitting one of them down the middle, they glue in a rigid 4/10-of-an-inch fiberglass core.", "This makes the sword blade stiff enough for combat, yet flexible enough to not break.", "Next, they glue a strip of durable polyester fabric over the core.", "This acts as reinforcement, preventing the tip of the core from poking through the foam.", "Now they glue the second blade half over the first one, sandwiching the core.", "The glue is a rubber-based adhesive that bonds with pressure that they apply with a heavy marble rolling pin.", "Next, using a band sander, they sculpt the blade's cutting edges.", "Then they remove the foam residue with a rotary tool.", "Next, they take a wood-burning iron and melt the foam in select spots to create the look of battle scars.", "Then they spray on five to six coats of latex rubber.", "This forms a protective shield over the foam without hindering the blade's flexibility.", "Next, using an air brush, they apply two coats of acrylic-based latex paint-- first black, then silver.", "They brush on a thick coat of black paint, then wipe it off.", "This wash, as it's called, creates the look of aged metal.", "And finally, they lightly dab some silver acrylic paint over select spots to highlight details.", "From foam to main component of a lethal weapon in just a few easy steps.", "They finish off their handiwork by stenciling on the company logo in gold acrylic paint.", "Now for the sword's handle.", "They drill a hole lengthwise through a cylinder made of walnut and glue a steel tube inside.", "Then they glue leather around the wood...", "And wrap a leather ribbon around it for decoration.", "To give it a worn appearance, they lightly sand parts of the surface.", "To make ornate handles, an artist first sculpts a model out of lindenwood.", "Using that wooden model, they cast a silicon mold.", "Then they pour rubber into the mold to cast a handle.", "For that leather-covered wooden handle, they cast only the components above and below it in rubber.", "After trimming off the excess rubber, they paint it to look like metal.", "To assemble the sword, they glue the handle components onto the core, which protrudes from the base of the blade.", "First, they position the guard.", "It stops the opposing sword from sliding down past the blade and cutting your hand.", "Next, the handle.", "And last, the pommel.", "It blocks the end of the handle to prevent the sword from sliding out of your hand.", "Each sword this workshop creates comes with a scabbard, a protective leather sheath.", "They boil and wax the leather to make it rigid.", "The workshop also makes daggers and other realistic-looking weaponry-- all you need to bring out your inner warrior." ]

{ "things": [ "Grammy Awards", "Bicycle Lights", "Above" ] }

[ "Today, on \"how it's made\"...", "In the music industry, winning a grammy is the ultimate accolade.", "The national academy of recording arts and sciences has been awarding grammys for recording since 1958.", "Every year, the winners are honored with a golden gramophone trophy.", "The grammys are to the music industry what the oscars are to movies.", "The coveted trophy is made of gold-plated grammium.", "But don't look for that metal on the periodic table.", "It's a proprietary zinc alloy specially formulated and trademarked by the artisan who makes the grammys.", "To make the base of the trophy, they heat the grammium to 644 degrees and pour it into a bronze mold.", "They immediately pour out the excess molten metal.", "What remains quickly solidifies in a thin layer against the walls of the cavity, creating a hollow cast.", "They also cast the gramophone's cabinet and tone arm in grammium.", "They remove mold seams, excess metal, and smooth out the surface of each cast component with a belt sander.", "Then, they file by hand the areas the belt can't reach.", "Finally, they polish the metal with an abrasive compound on a buffing wheel.", "They make sure there are no surface imperfections.", "Now, they work on the gramophone's iconic horn.", "Using a metal shear, they cut a disc of malleable bronze.", "They mount the disc on a lathe.", "As the lathe spins, they use a series of tools to transform the flat disc into a horn.", "Then, they spin the horn on a different lathe, pressing an abrasive cloth against the surface to remove any tool marks.", "Before they connect the tone arm to the cabinet, they brush on some flux, a chemical that makes the stationary solder flow into the tiny gap between components.", "Now, they bolt the tone arm to the cabinet, then solder.", "They submerge this part of the trophy in a degreasing solution for a few minutes, then in water.", "Gold doesn't adhere to zinc, so they plate it with copper.", "They run a positive electric charge through the trophy and a negative charge through a piece of copper also suspended in the plating tank.", "This process dissolves the copper, then draws the particles through the water and onto the trophy.", "They repeat the electroplating process in a different tank, this time with nickel.", "Nickel creates a sufficiently hard base to support the gold plating.", "It also makes gold appear brighter.", "After another rinse, it's back into a tank for the final plating with 24-karat gold.", "To prepare the trophy's base for painting, they smooth the surface with a belt sander, then fine-sand by hand.", "They spray on an epoxy primer, let it dry for a day then wet sand it with fine sandpaper.", "They repeat these steps with a black primer, then paint the base with high-gloss, chip-resistant black paint.", "Once it dries, they can finish assembling the trophy.", "They bolt the polished gold-plated cabinet and tone arm to the painted base.", "Then, they take the horn, which has been gold-plated and polished, and screw it into the tone arm.", "After 15 hours of craftsmanship, this grammy is ready to be awarded.", "But this trophy won't be handed out during the award show.", "The grammys handed out on stage are actually props that are used year after year.", "The winners receive a personalized trophy a few weeks after the show.", "The base has a brass plate engraved with their name and musical category.", "The first bicycle lights were modified kerosene lamps fixed to the handlebars.", "The concept was truly trailblazing and made it possible to cycle at night.", "A century later, the technology has changed, but the concept remains the same.", "Bicycle lights are still showing us the way.", "These bicycle lights are battery-powered with energy-efficient l.e.d. lights.", "Mounted to handlebars or a helmet, they make it possible for a cyclist to see and be seen at night.", "A bicycle light starts with a design for the canister.", "In this case, it's for a handlebar-mounted trail light.", "Following that plan, computerized tools carve blocks of aluminum into a two-part mold for the bicycle light reflector.", "They secure the mold in an injection molding machine.", "Then, they load white acrylic pellets into the machine's hopper.", "The machine grinds and melts the acrylic pellets into a thick liquid.", "Then, it pushes the liquid into the crevices of the mold.", "The acrylic quickly solidifies into the shape of a reflector.", "An aluminum finish makes the acrylic shiny and reflective.", "Then, it's over to a different injection-molding machine.", "This one uses molten rubber to form four on/off buttons.", "A worker sets an l.e.d.-studded circuit board on a switch cradled in a fixture.", "She trims wires from the switch that protrudes through the board.", "She solders those wires to copper pads on the board, securing the switch and making an electrical connection.", "She removes the assembly from the fixture and threads the battery cord through the board.", "She attaches the board to a vented heat sink, which will draw heat away from the lights, allowing them to run more efficiently.", "She installs the reflector over the tiny l.e.d. lights.", "The reflector will focus the light forward, creating narrow beams.", "Another member of the team places a tray of reflector covers in a laser etcher.", "He closes the lid and activates the laser.", "It etches through tape that's been applied to the metal.", "The tape has a blackening agent on it.", "The laser transfers that blackening agent to the etched number, making it stand out.", "The number indicates the lumen power of the light.", "Lumen is a measure of the total amount of visible light emitted by a source.", "Back on the assembly line, a worker snaps the cover onto the bike light.", "Then, she attaches an open guard to the heat sink to protect the cyclist from the heat generated by the l.e.d.s.", "This bicycle light is ready to be put to the test.", "A technician turns it on and inserts it in a device called a lumen sphere.", "A computer analyzes the light and finds that it meets standards.", "Next, an employee builds a smaller bike light for a cyclist helmet.", "She inserts the l.e.d. assembly in a canister, then attaches the on/off button.", "She attaches the light to a circuit board with three l.e.d.s.", "She tucks the circuit board into the housing and inserts a rechargeable lithium battery.", "She puts the assembly aside and attaches a red reflective panel to an aluminized reflector.", "She snaps the assembly into a clear plastic case, completing the rear light lens.", "She returns for the front helmet light and installs the reflector over the light.", "She screws on a glass cover that's framed by a metal bezel.", "She joins the rear lens and the l.e.d. assembly, encasing the electronics of this bike light.", "She switches on both lights to confirm that they're fully operational.", "These bicycle lights are ready to illuminate a rider's path, whether it's a shadowy mountain trail or a dark city street.", "Installing a pool above ground costs much less than installing one in ground.", "This is because there's no excavation required.", "You can build an elevated deck around the top to give it an in-ground appearance, or you can simply climb up a ladder and jump right in.", "No hole to dig, no underground pipes to install.", "Just a day or so of on-site prep and assembly, and you can take to your above-ground pool like a duck to water.", "At the factory, a computer-guided machine cuts vinyl panels for the pool's water-retaining inside surface.", "The vinyl comes in a wide choice of printed designs.", "It's tear-resistant, u.v.-resistant, and is treated with an antifungal coating.", "The wall panel is rectangular, and the floor panels are curved to fit the pool's perimeter.", "The wall panels go through a welder that fuses a bead to the top edge.", "A bead is a flexible, \"u'-shaped, thermoplastic strip that is used to attach the pool wall to the liner.", "A hot welding tool slightly melts both the bead and the liner edge, so when they cool and solidify, they're bonded.", "The liner is ready to be assembled.", "Workers use a manual welding machine that generates heat with radio frequencies.", "They overlap the edges of adjoining panels, then fuse them together.", "After connecting the floor panels to each other, workers complete the liner by joining the wall to the floor.", "A quality-control inspector checks every soldered seam to make sure they're solid.", "Meanwhile, workers manufacture the pool's structural components.", "They feed a continuous strip of painted, galvanized steel through a roll former.", "The strip is shaped to a specific profile.", "A punch press cuts the components to the required length and shape.", "Four different structural components are made this way-- the pieces that form the top and bottom tracks of the pool, the vertical posts that support the pool wall, and the ledges running along the top of the wall.", "The wall is also made of painted galvanized steel.", "A roller impresses a corrugated pattern to give the wall more vertical strength.", "Then, a press punches out openings for the pool's water inlet and filter.", "After folding each end of the wall over itself to form a strong edge, they punch holes for the bolts that will join the edges.", "A stamping die progressively shapes strips of galvanized steel into connectors.", "The connectors join the vertical posts to the structure's bottom track and top rail.", "An injection molder makes the plastic covers that will hide those connectors.", "Workers then box the liner and structural components for transport to the installation site.", "On-site, they lay crushed stone around the perimeter to support the bottom track under the weight of the water.", "Next, they unroll the pool wall and place it in the bottom track.", "They place a vertical post over each bottom connector and secure it with screws.", "Inside the pool wall, they lay down a base of sand and compact it.", "Then, they lay down landscaping fabric.", "They cut a hole for a central bottom drain.", "Then, they begin spreading out the liner.", "They hook the bead over the top edge of the wall, then lock it in place with the top rail.", "Once the liner is fully attached, they suction out the air to draw it tight against the wall.", "They seal the liner to the bottom drain.", "They hide the top rail under the ledge and the connections under plastic caps.", "They run pipes to connect the filtration system and skimmer.", "Then, with an ordinary garden hose, they fill the pool with water.", "Foldable solar panels were invented in the 1990s for american soldiers in the field.", "They use them to recharge electronic devices.", "The panels have environmental and tactical advantages, conserving both electricity and physical energy.", "Today, foldable solar panels are not just for the military.", "These lightweight panels can be folded up and tucked into a backpack, allowing anyone to escape to the wilderness but stay plugged in.", "Production starts with a roll of thin plastic film.", "It's the same material used to make flat-screen tvs.", "A worker loads it into machines that distribute thin layers of aluminum and silicon onto it.", "The aluminum acts as an electrical contact.", "The silicon produces electricity when exposed to the sun's rays.", "Next, lasers carve vertical and horizontal lines into the film.", "These lines define the solar cells.", "An automated squeegee applies black ink through a screen and into the lines.", "The ink will act as an electrical insulator.", "It also makes it possible to cut through the film without damaging it.", "Uv light cures the insulator ink.", "An employee pours a generous amount of metallic silver ink onto a pattern.", "A squeegee forces the ink through to the solar film.", "This creates a conductive grid on the film.", "A camera magnifies the grid for inspection.", "The solar film travels through a chamber where heat cures the silver ink.", "A laser now connects the solar cells, linking the bottom aluminum layer of one cell to the top silicon layer of the next.", "The laser ties them together similar to how a soldering tool would.", "This establishes electrical connections and increases the voltage significantly.", "A different camera magnifies the connections to check the alignment.", "Now, a worker loads the solar film into a machine.", "It deposits a transparent oxide onto the film that will increase conductivity.", "These solar cells are now fully functional.", "The next machine tests each one.", "It also applies a conductive foil tape at certain points.", "Another machine rolls a clear sheet of plastic onto the solar cells.", "The plastic adheres to the cells, waterproofing and encapsulating them.", "A die press cuts out solar panels along the black insulator lines.", "The press uses computerized cameras for accurate cuts.", "A robot transfers each panel to the next station using suctioning heads.", "A computerized camera scrutinizes the panels for defects.", "After more testing, they deposit the panels on a piece of fabric.", "A laser cuts the fabric around the panels.", "Heated rollers bond the plastic panels to the fabric.", "Now, an employee burns through clear plastic film to reach the conductive foil.", "He solders wire to the foil at these points to connect the positive and negative leads.", "The wire is flexible and will bend with the fabric when it's folded.", "A seamstress now stitches strips of fabric over the wires, enclosing them in a protective pocket.", "Another member of the team solders a connector to a circuit board that's been attached to protruding wires.", "He squeezes silicone into a plastic cover and places it on the assembly.", "The silicone solidifies around the components to protect them from water damage.", "Finally, he rivets the cover to the fabric.", "This foldable solar charger is ready to be bundled up and placed in a backpack.", "It can power a laptop or a smartphone, keeping the user connected anywhere in the world." ]

{ "things": [ "Space Pens", "Reef Aquariums", "Metal Caskets", "Composite Bike Wheels" ] }

[ "The space pen can write in zero gravity, which is why astronauts have used it.", "It also writes underwater, in extreme heat or cold, or when held upside down.", "All this is possible due to the pen's ingenious design that keeps ink flowing toward the tip no matter what.", "The space pen's ink is pressurized with nitrogen, so, unlike ordinary ballpoints, it doesn't rely on gravity to flow toward the tip.", "Invented in 1966, the pen first went into space with the apollo 7 astronauts.", "The pen's writing point starts out as an 3/10 of an inch long block of stainless steel.", "It passes through more than a dozen machining operations that progressively shape a point, then bore a hole through the tip to form a pocket for the carbide steel ball.", "That makes this a ballpoint.", "The last station inserts the ball and curves the edges of the pocket inward so that the ball is locked in yet can rotate to spread ink.", "The replaceable ink cartridge, called the refill, begins as an empty brass tube.", "This assembly machine inserts a white plastic ball into the back end then pumps in half a gram of ink.", "The white ball is called the float.", "Its job is to follow the ink down the tube, moving residual ink forward toward the point.", "Next, the machine inserts the writing point into the opposite end of the tube, then it crimps the end to ensure the writing point can't dislodge.", "Back to the other end of the tube now.", "The machine applies a bit of sealant...", "Injects nitrogen to pressurize the refill, then caps the tube with a hollow brass plug.", "Nitrogen is ideal for pressurizing because it's an inert gas that doesn't harm the refill tube or its contents.", "This demonstration shows how the pressurized nitrogen forces the ink flow.", "After subjecting each and every refill to a writing test and washing the surface to remove traces of machine lubricant and other residues, a printer applies the company name and product information on the refill.", "Certain space pen models have a cap that fits over the writing point.", "A feeder places a brass cap on each spoke of the cap assembly machine, which then pushes the cap into position to receive a clip.", "The clip is stamped out of spring steel, a fairly flexible metal.", "It's chrome-plated for corrosion resistance and aesthetics.", "The machine drives the clip's teeth through the wall of the cap, then curls them back toward the inside of the wall, locking the clip in position.", "To prepare the two-part brass body of the pen, a feeder drops the bottom part, called the barrel, onto each spoke of the barrel assembly machine.", "To straighten the writing end, the machine inserts a brass reinforcement piece called the nose tip.", "It then crimps the end, flaring the nose tip inside the barrel so that it becomes wider than the barrel opening and therefore can't slip out.", "This model has a chrome-plated brass body and clipless cap.", "To begin assembling the pen, workers place the barrel in a foam holder, insert a spring to keep the refill in position, then a threaded connector made of brass.", "The barrel goes through a machine, which puts a silicone rubber o-ring on the top edge of the barrel.", "And now the final assembly.", "They place a refill in the barrel, insert the connector into the top half of the body, then, with an electric motor, thread the parts together.", "After placing the cap open-side up in a foam holder, they insert the pen.", "The o-ring holds the cap in place.", "The original space pen, still in production, has a push button on top to push out the refill and another on the side to retract it.", "This demonstration pen has a cutaway section to show the inner workings.", "All space pen models can write underwater...", "And in zero gravity.", "They also work in freezing cold, intense heat, and upside down.", "A reef aquarium takes underwater exploration to a whole new sea level.", "It's a mini coral reef system re-created in a glass tank.", "Installed in a home or business, a reef aquarium allows people to see life on the bottom of the sea without donning a wet suit and a snorkel.", "A reef aquarium is a living, breathing, and growing ecosystem.", "Along with tropical fish, it has spectacular coral and more low-profile organisms like crab, shrimp, and tiny aquatic creatures.", "All these organisms act as a biological filtration system for the water in the tank.", "They supplement the biological filtration system with mechanical and chemical ones.", "The assembler starts with the pump that recirculates the water.", "He installs it in a tank under the display tank.", "This tank is known as the sump.", "He places the protein skimmer in the sump beside the pump.", "This unit injects air bubbles into the water to remove organic compounds before they decompose and become waste.", "He adds a u.v. sterilizer.", "It has a high-intensity light that will be activated when needed to kill free-floating bacteria, parasites, and algae.", "Next, he introduces the media reactor.", "This cylindrical device contains both activated carbon and an aluminum-based media.", "These materials will absorb fish-waste by-products, thereby removing them from the water.", "With the mechanical and chemical filters in place, he now moves on to the display tank.", "He spreads real ocean sand on the bottom.", "This sand will be a habitat for some of the bacteria and other organisms that will aid in the biological filtering process.", "He selects rocks from a supply tank and transfers them to the aquarium.", "The rocks are home to numerous algae, bacteria, and small invertebrates.", "This makes them the central part of the aquarium's biological filtering system.", "He now prepares the ocean potion, adding synthetic sea salt to water.", "A pump circulates the water as the salt dissolves over a period of 24 hours.", "He presses a switch, and the premix of water and salt flows into the tank.", "This water now needs to mature.", "It will take weeks for tiny aquatic creatures to begin to thrive in this water.", "During this time, the filtering equipment in the pump below helps keep it clean.", "The protein skimmer foams up as the water constantly circulates through it.", "After about three weeks, there are enough microorganisms in the water.", "It's ready for coral and fish.", "These corals have been grown on an ocean farm and kept in this holding tank for this very moment.", "Each coral is composed of tiny, fragile animals called coral polyps.", "They are essentially little colonies.", "As the aquarium technician makes his selections, he considers how the coral will adapt to light and water motion and how compatible the corals will be with one another.", "Some corals are very territorial and may release toxins when they come into contact with other corals.", "He leaves a lot of space between the corals to give them room to grow.", "Allowed to thrive, some will triple in size.", "He now introduces fish.", "Clearly, this aquarium has all the comforts of home.", "He installs a lighting system overhead that mimics ocean light at different times of day-- sunrise, daytime, and sunset.", "For the creatures in this reef aquarium, light is a source of energy.", "With the reef aquarium now complete, the monitoring begins.", "He'll test the water chemistry regularly to ensure the right environment is being achieved.", "The activity of the fish and coral will be under observation to confirm this mini-reef system is becoming a thriving marine community.", "Only then will this reef aquarium be ready to go public.", "So much more than a fishbowl, the reef aquarium brings the wonders of the ocean to the surface.", "A central part of arranging a loved one's funeral is choosing a casket.", "This is often an emotionally difficult decision, as it forces us to face the reality of the loss.", "Caskets are most commonly made of either wood or metal and range in style from understated to ornate.", "There are two styles of caskets.", "Full-couch models have an undivided top to show the deceased from head to toe.", "Perfection-cut models have a split-top to show the deceased only from the waist up.", "This factory makes metal caskets constructed from sheets of steel.", "To form the top, workers insert a sheet into a press.", "A die inside draws the metal into a paneled shape.", "This requires 900 tons of pulling force, the equivalent of hoisting 27 fully loaded tractor trailers.", "After trimming the edges, workers insert the panel into an automated folding machine.", "First, the machine bends both long sides upward-- two bends of 90 degrees each.", "Second, it bends both short sides upward the same way.", "Then, workers weld the corner seams.", "They also assemble and weld the casket's side, end, and reinforce bottom panels.", "These two were shaped in the press but with a different type of die, which stamps, rather than draws, the steel to the required shape.", "For a perfection-cut casket, they saw the top in half, then weld steel to the cut end, forming a header to give it a neatly-finished look.", "An automated belt grinds all the welds flat to create a smooth finish.", "After a cleaning, all the parts travel through a booth inside which 20 automated spray guns coat them in powder paint.", "An electrical charge draws the powder particles onto the steel, ensuring a thorough and even coat, which a giant oven then bakes for 20 minutes.", "Once the surface cools, workers inspect the paint finish to make sure it's flawless.", "Workers apply hot-melt glue on the inside, along where the bottom and sides meet.", "This makes the body of the casket watertight.", "And they conduct a water test to make sure.", "The casket is lined with crepe, a synthetic fabric which is formable when you apply high heat.", "This specially-designed machine heats the material with an iron as serrated wheels gather it into decorative pleats known as shirring.", "The high heat forms the fabric to this shape permanently.", "Sewers cut and sew the shirred fabric into lining components.", "Meanwhile, workers mount the casket's steel hardware, either stationary handles or swing bar handles, which pivot.", "They place a rubber gasket around the top edge to ensure a proper seal when the top is closed.", "Then, they mount the top.", "The gasket has holes for the steel hinges.", "By this point, they've already attached most of the interior fabric over an inner lining of corrugated cardboard.", "Now it's time to install the steel bed, using an expandable rod.", "The bed's height is adjustable, enabling funeral directors to elevate the deceased for easier viewing.", "A mattress pad and sheet go on the top of the bed.", "Clips on each end hold them in place.", "A pillow completes the interior.", "Every casket undergoes a thorough final inspection, then it's shipped to the funeral home that ordered it.", "The funeral home typically displays several sample pieces showing the range of styles, colors, hardware, and fabric options available for a loved one's casket.", "In the cycling world, carbon composite wheels are the wheels of change.", "They can weigh half the amount of traditional metal wheels, so the cyclists can pick up speed with less effort.", "Carbon wheels also cost many times more than metal ones, so your wallet will also be more lightweight.", "Flatter and thinner than metal ones, these high-tech carbon bike wheels are designed to take advantage of carbon fiber's unique characteristics and support the cyclist's weight efficiently.", "They start by cutting carbon fiber into patterns.", "These arcs are for half of a side wheel.", "The technician layers them onto a band of fiberglass in a mold.", "The fiberglass will provide a good breaking surface.", "He drapes a piece of nonstick plastic film over the mold and adds a silicone pressure pad.", "He stacks several carbon-filled sidewall molds, each with a silicone pad and plastic film.", "He wraps a heater pad and a plastic vacuum bag around the stack and activates the vacuum.", "It sucks out the air to pull the melting carbon fiber to the shape of the molds.", "He adds an air bladder and metal plate.", "This applies more pressure as the carbon fiber solidifies into a sidewall shape.", "The next technician layers material for the wheel rims.", "He inserts strips of carbon fiber into a long and narrow mold, pushing it into the crevasses with a teflon wheel.", "He applies strips of carbon to the sides for reinforcement.", "He adds a resin-based film adhesive followed by more carbon fiber.", "Using a kind of wedge, he again puts on the pressure, causing the carbon fiber and film adhesive to stick together.", "He transfers the long layers to a round mold.", "As with the sidewalls, he heats the rims under pressure to set the shape.", "He'll get five wheel rims out of this one tool.", "The next technician shapes carbon-fiber layers around a metal shaft and flares them out to form the wheel's hub flanges.", "She smoothes the creases, then prepares for the vacuum pressure curing, placing a piece of nonstick plastic and a silicone mandrel assembly on top.", "She stacks the flanges and slides a tube around them.", "She bolts on a lid.", "Then it's into an oven to bake under pressure for about four hours.", "This transforms each patchwork of carbon fiber into a solid, seamless bike wheel flange.", "They'll now assemble the wheel.", "The technician inserts flat carbon-fiber spokes into holes in one half of a sidewall.", "Adhesive and carbon fiber will bond the spokes to the sidewall.", "He places a carbon-fiber patch where the end of the spoke meets the sidewall and tapes it there.", "With all the spokes in position, he lowers the lid and applies mechanical pressure.", "The spokes bond to the sidewall, and it's ready for the rim.", "With the help of a locating pin, the technician positions the rim on the sidewall.", "He also uses this carbon-fiber ring as an alignment tool.", "He places the other sidewall half, with spokes attached, on top.", "The geometry is precise for maximum strength and resilience.", "After another compressed bake, he applies adhesive to the ends of the spokes and attaches them to hub flanges.", "He places a metal spacer between the two flanges for now and tapes the spokes to prevent adhesive from trickling down onto them during the heating process.", "He adds a piece of release film and a silicone pressure pad.", "He clips metal splints to the carbon-fiber spokes to support them through the cure.", "And, with the spokes now pressure-bonded to the flanges, it's time for fine-tuning.", "The technician locks the bike wheel in a fixture that stretches the spokes slightly.", "This creates the necessary tension and rigidity.", "Once he's satisfied with the tensioning, he applies resin adhesive through a hole in a hub flange.", "Two hours in an oven sets the tensioning, and he removes the wheel from the fixture.", "After cleaning and the application of graphics, the carbon-fiber bike wheel just needs a rubber tire, and it's ready to go for a spin." ]

{ "things": [ "Cast Iron Tubs", "Hopi Kachina Dolls", "Mine Truck Engine", "Memory Cards" ] }

[ "An 1880s invention, the cast-iron tub was first marketed in america as a horse trough and a hog scalder, which could also serve as a bathtub.", "It was soon more popular in the bathroom than the barnyard.", "It's heat-retaining properties made a long and luxurious soak possible.", "The cast-iron tub is one invention that's got a lot of people in hot water, and that's what people like about it.", "Today, they make cast-iron tubs from scrap metal-- things like old heating radiators, water pipes, manhole covers, and even some car parts.", "Recycling scrap iron is more energy efficient and cheaper than mining it.", "A powerful magnet at the end of a crane arm lifts the heavy iron from the scrap heap and transfers it to big trays known as charging pans.", "The charging pans deliver the scrap to a center trough.", "This trough is a scale.", "It weighs the scrap and releases it to a conveyer.", "The scrap heads into the bathtub factory.", "Inside, it flows directly into an enormous electric induction furnace heated to more than 2,500° fahrenheit.", "The scrap iron melts into a pool of liquid metal.", "They run this furnace around the clock, and it's always two-thirds full so that newly-added scrap melts quickly.", "Huge hydraulic cylinders tip the furnace forward.", "The molten iron flows into a ladle.", "An overhead trolley carries the ladle brimming with the hot liquid metal to a holding furnace which maintains its temperature until the next step.", "They're now ready to make a two-part casting mold from sand using steel tub patterns.", "To make one half of the mold, they fill a tub pattern with a mix of moist sand and clay.", "Hydraulic rams pack it down, and the mix compacts and takes the shape of the pattern.", "The clay is the bonding agent that causes the mix to hold the shape.", "Once the rams retract, the mold takes a trip under some blades that scrape off the excess sand.", "Machinery then lifts this half of the sand mold out of the steel pattern and transfers it to the other half of the mold prepared earlier.", "The two bathtub molds now come together, leaving a small gap between them.", "The molten iron, which has been transferred to an automatic pouring system, flows into portals in the top of the mold and into the gap at the center.", "The bathtub molds then move to a cooling line, and after chilling here for about 20 minutes, the iron inside solidifies.", "Then, it's into a shaker device that breaks apart the sand mold, revealing the newly cast iron bathtub.", "A robot retrieves the bathtub and stacks it.", "Next, an employee sprays specially-formulated glass powder onto the tub.", "It's an undercoat for the enamel finish.", "They bake the tub until it's red-hot.", "In the heat, the glass powder melts and adheres to the iron tub.", "A hydraulic device called a manipulator sets the tub on a pedestal.", "The pedestal swivels as they apply two more ground-glass layers.", "These are the enamel topcoats.", "On contact, the glass mixture melts onto the undercoat.", "The layers of glass form a permanent bond with the iron casting.", "Between coats, the tub cools, and they send it back into the furnace for a reheat.", "They place a mask in the base of the enamel tub.", "The mask is like a stencil.", "A robot blasts fine alumina-oxide particles into the open areas of the mask.", "This etches an abrasive finish, leaving a subtle pattern on the surface of the bathtub.", "It creates visual interest and also provides a non-slip surface.", "The masks come in a variety of patterns for different looks.", "Whether it's a modern design or the traditional claw-foot one, these cast-iron tubs should have no problem finding a home.", "The hopi, a native american tribe living primarily in northeastern arizona, are known for carving kachinas, wooden dolls representing deities, elements in nature, or the spirits of ancestors.", "They are traditionally presented in a dance ceremony to the girls of the community.", "Hopi kachina dolls are cherished family keepsakes designed to teach hopi children about the deities and spirits central to their aboriginal traditions.", "Besides ceremonial purposes, many hopi carvers produce kachina dolls for sale to native art enthusiasts.", "The carver uses knives of different sizes, sharpening the steel blades after every 10 or 15 minutes to prevent dulling.", "Kachina dolls are traditionally made of cottonwood-- not from the tree's branch, but from its root.", "The carver begins by shaving off the thin outer bark.", "With a straight cut from one side to the other, he shapes a bit of the single feather which will adorn the top of this doll's head.", "He makes a series of vertical cuts to form the face and hairline.", "He continues carving the head form, then, with a wood-burning tool, burns in the square outline of the face.", "Now he shaves away wood above and below to make the face protrude.", "He forms the face in more detail...", "Then picks up the wood-burning tool again, this time to delineate the neckline...", "And the doll's robe.", "Back to carving.", "Now, with upward strokes, he shaves off wood to shape the neckline.", "He takes a larger knife and removes bigger pieces of wood to finish forming the head feather.", "Now he sands the wood with progressively finer sandpapers to remove all the cut marks left by his knives and to refine the doll's shape.", "With the doll perfectly formed now, it's time for the details and decorations.", "First, he sketches it all out in pencil...", "Then runs the wood-burning tool along the lines.", "He decorates the body, then moves on to the doll's hair and facial features.", "It's these details that bring the doll alive.", "What was a simple and ordinary cottonwood tree root has gone through carving, sanding, and burning to become an almost-finished kachina doll.", "He now coats the entire surface with clear varnish.", "This seals the wood to prevent it from absorbing the paint he applies next.", "About 40 minutes later, the varnish is dry and the painting can begin.", "Traditionally, hopi carvers made paint from natural pigments such as sand, plants, and berries.", "Today's carvers buy ready-made oils or acrylics.", "This carver dilutes acrylic paint with water to make it transparent.", "This allows the natural beauty of the wood grain to show through the color.", "After painting, he applies a coat of clear varnish to seal and protect the surface.", "Some carvers have moved in a new artistic direction-- bronze.", "They use their wooden kachina doll to produce a latex mold.", "Then, with this mold, cast a wax replica.", "They dip the replica in a substance that hardens into a heat-resistant shell.", "Then, they put the shell in a furnace to melt away the wax.", "This leaves a cavity in the shape of the doll.", "They poor molten bronze into the cavity, and when the bronze cools and solidifies, they break the shell to extract a bronze version of their kachina doll.", "Instead of paints, they apply chemicals that color the metal-- a modern twist on an age-old hopi art.", "A mine-truck engine is a beast.", "The most powerful ones pack a brawny 24 cylinders, generating 4,200 horsepower.", "Compare that to 200 horsepower for a mid-sized car with six cylinders.", "But when they start to show the strain, it's time for a total rebuild.", "After about 20,000 hours of hauling heavy rock, it's time for renewal.", "Mine-truck engines are routinely rebuilt-- not just once, but numerous times.", "It's cheaper than buying a new engine, and it saves precious resources.", "Each rebuild is a massive undertaking-- virtually every component of this diesel engine will be remanufactured or replaced.", "As the team dismantles it, they inspect each part for wear and tear.", "They take it down to the immense crankshaft, the heart of this mine-truck engine.", "With the crankshaft removed, they pull the lengthy camshaft out of the cylinder block.", "With the engine now in pieces, they clean every part that's salvageable, including the huge cylinder block.", "A couple of hours soaking in a hot sodium-phosphate solution removes the grease and exposes the bare metal.", "Any imperfections are now more apparent.", "Using a depth gauge, a technician maps out flaws, like this crack.", "It will need to be filled, and he makes a note of it.", "Next, a high-speed milling tool carves off a thin layer of the steel, taking the cylinder block's finish from grimy-gray to bright and shiny.", "It also smoothes away any unevenness to create a uniform surface for sealing gaskets around the cylinders later.", "After the intensive machining, the cylinder block looks like new.", "It's back to the crankshaft now.", "It, too, has undergone an extensive cleaning.", "Machinery grinds the outside diameter to a precise tolerance-- equivalent to one-twentieth of a human hair.", "This will allow new, thicker bearings to fit to it.", "The team clamps weights to the machine crankshaft.", "These weights mimic the load of engine parts, like pistons and rods, as they now balance this critical part.", "The crankshaft rotates, and sensors detect vibrations and pinpoint the problem.", "After more grinding in these locations, they test it again to confirm the crankshaft is balanced.", "Back to the camshaft now-- a member of the crew uses a black marker to highlight wear patterns.", "A grinder evens out the wear, and it also machines the profile of each lobe as it follows a metal camshaft master.", "The black-marker lines vanish as the wear lines are smoothed, and the profile of the camshaft is improved.", "A major clean-up also transforms the rods that connect the piston to the crankshaft.", "A technician then places the rod in a special honing machine and activates it.", "Four arms with gritty ends grind the inside of the rod-head as the technician moves the rod back and forth.", "This sizes the inner diameter to enable the rod to fit to the other revamped parts.", "Once all the parts have been cleaned and machined, the engine is ready for reassembly.", "Using a crane, a technician lowers the crankshaft back into the cylinder block.", "He secures the crankshaft at one end with a metal bracket called a main cap.", "There are actually nine main caps in total.", "He gives the crankshaft a spin to confirm that it rotates freely before installing the rest.", "With a piston now attached to one end of a connecting rod, he slides the other end into a slot in the cylinder block.", "This particular engine is a 16-cylinder one.", "It's considered midsize for mining trucks.", "Once the gaskets have been fixed to the cylinder block, they bolt the cylinder heads to it.", "There are hundreds of parts in one of these monster engines, and it takes 700 person hours for one rebuild.", "With this mine-truck engine now fully assembled, they hook it up to a dynamometer to measure engine performance.", "They run at full tilt to confirm that it's firing all cylinders and performing to the max.", "This rebuilt mine-truck engine is ready to go back into service.", "Strong and heavily built, this nine-ton diesel engine should pull its own weight and then some.", "Music, photographs, documents-- what used to take up shelf space in our homes offices can now be stored on a tiny memory card or flash drive.", "You can save your files on it, take them out of the device and transport them anywhere, as well as delete data you no longer need.", "A memory card fits into a slot in your digital device.", "A flash drive plugs into a usb port.", "The key component of both formats-- a memory chip, produced in a factory that's 1,000 times cleaner than a hospital operating room.", "It all begins with the wafer-- a thin disc of pure silicon, a non-metallic natural element that conducts electricity.", "An automated container system moves the wafer through more than 800 operations.", "At each stop, the wafer receives one of several layers of non-conductive materials, such as silicon dioxide, and conductive materials, such as copper.", "The machines coat the layer with light-sensitive fluid, then apply uv light through a glass stencil of the complex pattern of electrical circuitry.", "The exposed areas of fluid chemically react, locking the material directly underneath into the circuitry pattern.", "Chemical baths then remove the surrounding fluid and material, leaving only the layer of circuitry, electrical pathways 2,000 times narrower than a human hair.", "A robot tests the circuitry for every memory chip on the wafer.", "A single wafer, measuring 12 inches in diameter, yields hundreds of memory chips.", "The goal is to make those chips as small as possible.", "In this industry, it's all about maximum memory in minimal space.", "That's why this operation thins the chips by grinding away two-thirds of the silicon from the backside of the wafer.", "And one last step before cutting the wafer into individual memory chips-- this machine applies tape to hold the separated chips together.", "A computer-guided saw slices the chips apart.", "Cutting silicon is like cutting glass-- it requires a diamond-edge blade.", "In the next step, a robotic arm, following the wafer map generated earlier, picks up the chips which pass testing and attaches each one to a fiberglass lead frame.", "The term lead refers to the frame's pins, which connect the chip to the digital device.", "Another robot wires the chip to the lead frame with gold thread that's about the width of a human hair.", "Gold is very conductive, so now the pathway is complete.", "Electricity will travel from the chip's circuitry, through the gold thread, to the pins, to the device.", "After a machine seals the chip in plastic, workers gently snap them apart and insert them in memory-card housings.", "The plastic and metal housing is for a memory card format known as compact flash.", "A small, automated press locks the two halves of the housing together.", "The next station labels the front of the housing.", "Every single memory card undergoes testing for both function and speed.", "A laser machine etches product information into the back of the housing.", "These are another format called secure digital, or sd.", "They're assembled and labeled just like the compact flashcards.", "When the finished memory cards come off the assembly line, workers conduct a final, visual inspection.", "On the flash drive assembly line, much the same process.", "A robot puts 20 lead frames on 20 circuit boards.", "Then, a worker positions 20 usb connectors, which a soldering machine bonds to the circuit boards.", "The final step-- electronic testing, to make sure the usb connection is working, and via the circuit board, talking to the chip.", "The flash drives are now ready to go into individual housings.", "This model has a two-part plastic housing, which pivots in and out of a plastic case, that can conveniently be attached to a key chain or a lanyard for easy portability.", "Flash drive or memory card, storing your digital effects is just a click away." ]

{ "things": [ "Copy Paper", "Jeans", "Computers", "Plate Glass" ] }

[ "Today on \"how it's made\"...", "Copy paper-- we'll check it out again and again and again...", "Jeans-- stay tuned for a \"denim-stration\"...", ".computers-- here's some hard data for you...", "And plate glass-- we promise you full transparency in this report.", "Computers were supposed to send paper back to the stone age-- no more letters, just e-mails.", "Goodbye, typewritten reports.", "Hello, floppy disks.", "Well, those predictions were wrong.", "Photocopiers and printers have us using more paper than ever before.", "Paper production begins with the arrival of wood at the mill.", "Paper is made from a paste produced from a mix of 65% maple, 25% birch, and 10% poplar.", "They require two tons of wood to produce one ton of paste.", "Everything starts from this debarking drum, which removes bark from the logs.", "It's about a 20-minute operation.", "The bark will be burned to produce steam, for the operation of the mill.", "The debarked logs are transported on this conveyor.", "All is controlled by an operator.", "Now the logs are reduced into small pieces called kindling.", "They're accumulated into a pile and remain outdoors winter and summer.", "The kindling looks like this.", "These 5 piles total about 30,000 tons of kindling.", "Next step-- reduce the kindling into a paste.", "They begin by washing it.", "This screen verifies that the washer is properly loaded.", "Then comes alkaline cooking.", "This diagram controls its operation.", "This huge cylinder is the washer, in which the kindling is cooked for several hours at a temperature of 315 degrees.", "And this is the recuperation boiler.", "It burns wood lignite at 1,800 degrees.", "Certain chemical products, which come out fused as lava, are recuperated.", "This black lacquer, a reside of burned wood, will be burned to produce steam.", "Exiting the washer, the brown paste is washed and sent to the thickener.", "With this spatula, they verify the quality of the brown-paste washing.", "The paste must be bleached.", "This alkaline-extraction tower places the brown paste in contact with chemical products.", "It's bleached with chlorine dioxide and gradually becomes more white.", "Then the water is partially drawn off.", "Water is extracted with this equipment, the beloit bel baie iii paper machine, operating at a speed of 3,500 feet a minute.", "Between the entry and the exit, the concentration of water in the paste falls from 95% to 5%.", "Here we see the sheet of paper coming out of the presses.", "Then analyzers verify the quality parameters of the paper and signal any anomaly.", "The paper is then rolled up.", "This roller produces enormous main spools.", "With this transfer arm, they change a full spool for an empty one.", "A roll weighs over 35 tons and contains over 37 miles of paper.", "The spooler cuts the main spools into smaller, less wide rolls.", "Some will be delivered as is, while other will be shipped to paper cutters.", "Rolls are sent to an automated warehouse.", "In the warehouse, they store rolls that will be cut later.", "Robots, guided on rails in the floor, feed the bielomatik paper cutter.", "This is the one that produces copy paper.", "Robots are controlled by a central computer directed by operators.", "Production reaches 55,000 sheets per minute.", "We see here the transfer section of the cutter.", "Four automatic catchers and operators verify paper quality before packaging.", "In one hour, this mill produces 6,600 packages of copy paper.", "A single log allowed for the production of at least 15 of those packages.", "Jeans might be the world's greatest rags-to-riches story.", "When they were first invented, nobody would be caught dead in them, except for factory workers, farmers, and tradesmen.", "Yet, today, they're one of the most popular clothing items in the world-- quite a fashion statement.", "Jeans are made from a highly rugged cotton called denim.", "This enormous roll contains 1,500 feet of fabric, from which they will produce 350 pairs of jeans.", "Several thicknesses of the material are unrolled on this long table.", "This knife can cut up to 100 thicknesses of the material at a time.", "By multiplying the thicknesses, they produce a whole pile of pieces with one cut.", "They shape the denim pieces following the cutting patterns.", "Each piece of the jeans has its own cutting pattern.", "The little pieces of fabric are cut with a clicker, also known as the stamper, which cuts out pockets with a cutting mold.", "Exerting 1,500 pounds of pressure, it can cut 20 pockets at a time.", "They begin sewing.", "Jeans are sewn with 100%-cotton thread.", "This needle pierces the fabric 4,000 times a minute.", "Designs are embroidered on the pockets with this machine.", "Its needles move at 2,500 strokes per minute.", "This pocket robot will simultaneously fold, press, and sew a pocket.", "This machine allows for the installation of 75 pockets in 60 minutes.", "The pocket is now sewn into place.", "Next step-- the buttonhole.", "This machine sews the contours of the buttonhole and a steel blade comes down to cut the opening.", "The closing button is positioned.", "This machine is used to make the loops, which will hold the belt in place.", "The loops are sewn, as usual, with cotton thread.", "At this stage, they assemble the different pieces of the jeans.", "This operator joins the two pieces of denim at the crotch.", "Then she sews it.", "Then they sew the exterior of the leg.", "This sewing is done flat, with an overcaster, which cuts excess material proportionately and to size.", "Now for the zipper.", "This machine installs the zipper holdfast and the slide.", "The zipper is sewn into its position.", "The final sewing step consists of installing the jeans belt, a strip of fabric.", "This operation requires only a few seconds.", "The jeans were made up on the reverse side, so that all stitches would be on the inside when the jeans are worn.", "The pant is then turned right side out with this turner, which has 100-pound suction power.", "All that now remains is to steam-press the jeans.", "This operation lasts only 20 seconds and eliminates any pleats.", "This company makes 1,500 jeans every day.", "Producing a pair of jeans will have taken 12 minutes and 50 seconds of work and will have required between 3.6 and 3.9 feet of fabric.", "Just 30 years ago, nobody could have told you what this object was, let alone the kind of wonders you could work with it.", "Well, times change, and today, it's hard to imagine a single modern home or office without at least one of these revolutionary devices.", "It takes about 90 minutes to assemble a computer.", "Its hard-disk drive saves information transmitted to it for a long time.", "The reading head reads the information.", "It is extremely precise.", "The space between the reading head and the hard disk is as thin as a hair.", "The hard disk is installed in its position within the computer.", "There are two other units which safeguard information-- the removable 3-inch-disk reader, and the cd-rom reader, which allows for the reading and execution of programs recorded on compact discs.", "These two units are placed into position.", "The spinal column of the computer is the motherboard.", "It is to this unit that the other elements of the computer are connected.", "This cooler dissipates the heat generated by the chip set.", "Certain sound cards are integrated directly on the motherboard.", "These connections, in sequence, are the audio input, its output, and the microphone port.", "This agp retaining ring secures the video card during transport.", "This thermal unit measures the temperature emitted between the processor and the motherboard.", "The processor is the brain of the system.", "It interprets, calculates, and executes the instructions given to it.", "The processor has several million transistors.", "And its cadence, its operating speed, reaches the gigahertz level.", "The processor rests on this base.", "The processor's cooler dissipates the intense heat.", "Its efficiency depends on the type of material used, and a conducting material assures better cooling.", "The r.a.m. memory stores short-term information, but erases it when the current is turned off.", "This memory is more rapid than that of the hard disk or cd-rom.", "Now they integrate everything in the case.", "It protects the internal elements from the external elements.", "At this stage, they install the electronic components in this case.", "Several connectors of the case are connected to the motherboard, such as the computator and various light indicators.", "This is the output connection for the video card, which links the computer to the monitor.", "We also see the video chip, which creates images in 2 and 3 dimensions.", "Here is the video memory.", "The more its capacity is increased, the clearer will be the image displayed on the monitor.", "The video card is placed into its position.", "The modem allows two computers to communicate.", "Its capacitors produce the perfectly clean phone signal to facilitate communications.", "These modem chip connectors control information circulating between the two computers.", "The fax modem is installed.", "The power supply transforms electricity according to the voltage required by the different components.", "The computer's internal cabling is installed.", "It allows information to travel between the different media and the motherboard.", "The i.d.e. cable is connected and the cd-rom.", "The last electrical wires are connected to different computer components.", "The assembly of 30 components of the computer is now finished.", "Just before closing the case, they test each computer to verify the good functioning of the peripherals.", "Then they close up and proceed to packaging.", "This company produces about 300 computer units every day.", "No need to adjust your set.", "What you're looking at is supposed to be hard to see.", "Here at \"how it's made,\" our job is to explore the everyday things around us and how they came to be.", "So let's start by making one thing perfectly clear-- manufacturing plate glass is anything but simple.", "We can speak of the use of glass since the time of the egyptians 4,000 years ago.", "It wasn't used in construction, though, but merely to enclose small objects.", "Later, the romans became masters of glassmaking, with their methods being used up until the 18th century.", "By the end of the 19th century, glass was no longer just a luxury item, but became a construction material as common as steel and concrete.", "Plate glass is made from several raw materials mixed with a little water.", "These materials are silica sand...", "Soda ash...", "Dolomite...", "Limestone...", "Nepheline syenite...", "And salt cake.", "It begins by dumping into a hopper pieces of recycled glass together with the raw materials.", "It will all be melted.", "In a continuous stream, the mixed materials go into a gas-fed furnace.", "Temperature inside the furnace is 2,700 degrees.", "It contains 1,500 tons of molten glass.", "They use 500 tons of it every day.", "In this regenerating chamber, combustion air is preheated to 1,800 degrees.", "The materials of the mix begin fusing, and the molten glass is stirred up.", "The homogenizer mixes the glass to equalize its temperature.", "Pouring will be done within several hours.", "In the glass industry, they call this machine the top roller.", "The glass is poured onto a bath of liquid tin, on which it floats.", "As soft as toffee, it is molded into a ribbon.", "All equipment in the tin bath is cooled with water so that it won't break from the heat.", "Coming out of the bath, the glass is at 600 degrees.", "The glass must again be cooled, and this unit is used to do that.", "This huge ribbon of glass is 11 feet in width.", "The ribbon of glass rolls gently on rollers, gradually cooling along the way.", "The glass is still soft.", "The marks we see are imprints from the top roller.", "The glass must have a uniform thickness.", "This laser scanner measures its thickness to within a hundredth of a millimeter.", "The glass is now fairly hard.", "They proceed to cutting it.", "This ultrahard tungsten-carbide roller makes a longitudinal score before the glass can be cut.", "Now they proceed with transverse scoring, made according to the dimensions customers have asked for.", "The scored glass separates easily.", "The glass strips are separated and continue along the conveyor.", "These roller breakers cut the edges of the glass sheet.", "Leftover pieces fall to the ground and into a chute.", "They will later be recycled.", "These rubber-covered rollers move the glass sheets to the inspection department.", "When they arrive for inspection, these immense glass sheets are handled with great care and are positioned upright.", "The glass is inspected for faults with florescent lamps.", "Once inspected, the glass sheets are handled one at a time and stored vertically.", "Making the glass took several days of work.", "It is now ready for delivery.", "Heat fusion has transformed solid ingredients into transparent glass." ]

{ "things": [ "Custom Steering Wheels", "Aerospace Fuel Lines", "Apple Pies", "Household Radiators" ] }

[ "What do you do when you're the proud owner of an ultra-luxurious vintage automobile that has an original steering wheel that's several miles short of being as elegant as the car?", "You order yourself a handsome custom-made steering wheel designer to match the vehicle's deluxe interior.", "From the plain, original steering wheel to a deluxe edition befitting a vintage automobile, custom-matched to its woodwork and leather interior.", "They start by skinning the original wheel, a steel ring covered in black plastic with some leather trim.", "After slicing and chiseling off the covering, they file the ring clean because they'll be reusing it for the new wheel.", "However, they'll encase it within two plywood rings to beef up the width and thickness and to create a substrate on which to glue the wood veneer.", "Using a jigsaw and bandsaw, they cut a front ring and a back ring out of european birch plywood.", "Then they mill the profile, including a groove inside for the metal ring.", "Once the shape is finalized, they sand the surface smooth to prep it to receive the wood veneer.", "Veneer is made from a piece of wood sliced into ultra-thin sheets called leaves.", "For each steering wheel, they take four consecutively cut leaves so that their wood-grain pattern is nearly identical.", "For each plywood ring, they take two of those leaves and tape them mirror-image to each other.", "They insert adhesive where the taped edges meet and let it dry overnight.", "Then they lay the ring pattern onto the veneer, trace, and cut out the shape.", "Next, they notch the veneer ring so that it can fold over the ring's edges.", "After coating the plywood ring with glue, they center the veneer and tape down the edges.", "Next, they add a layer of protective plastic followed by rubber cushioning.", "These will protect the veneer surface in the next machine-- a vacuum press.", "Powerful suction draws the bag tightly around the materials.", "This locks the veneer onto the plywood substrate, forcing out any air in between them which would hinder full adhesion.", "Each plywood ring is now veneered and ready to encase the metal ring of the original steering wheel.", "The workers apply glue to the underside of both rings, into the groove.", "Then they assemble the two veneered rings over the metal one.", "They set clamps all around and leave the glue to dry overnight.", "The next day, they remove the clamps and put the steering wheel in an oven for about eight hours to cure the glue.", "Once the steering wheel cools, they file away excess glue that seeped out the seam, then sand the entire surface silky smooth.", "They protect the delicate veneer with eight coats of resin, cured in the oven for optimal durability.", "They then polish the surface with a series of compounds to produce a glossy finish which highlights the richness of the wood grain.", "The perimeter of the steering wheel now completed, they cover the spokes and hub with fine leather, first gluing the pieces...", "Then hand-stitching them.", "They put back the original steering wheel's hub, which they had removed before the makeover.", "Then the finishing touch-- a veneered horn button.", "After all, when you're driving a luxury car, you might just want to toot your own horn.", "Be they airplanes, satellites, or rockets, aerospace vehicles all have one thing in common besides their capacity to fly.", "Their internal construction includes several assemblies of tubes and ducts through which materials such as fuel, air, oil, and hydraulic fluid move.", "Aerospace tube-and-duct assemblies are typically made of highly durable, lightweight materials, such as aluminum and titanium.", "The choice of material depends on the application, for example, whether the finished component must be able to resist high heat or withstand high pressure.", "These aluminum tubes are on their way to becoming a fuel line for a boeing 737.", "The operator immobilizes a tube with clamps, then saws it to the length required.", "This leaves burrs-- sharp shards-- on the cut edge, so they insert the tube into a deburring machine.", "Here's what the tube looks like before deburring and after.", "They squirt some lubricant inside, then slide the tube onto the mandrill of a computer-guided bender.", "As the machine forms the tube to the required shape, the mandrill provides counter-pressure, preventing the tube walls from collapsing inward.", "They'll repeat this process with all the tubes which make up the fuel-line assembly.", "They clamp each part into a fixture, then pass a laser-measuring device over it.", "With utmost precision, the laser analyses the dimensions from five different angles to ensure the part meets technical specifications.", "Next, workers submerge the part in hot water and cleaning solution, then rinse twice.", "This washes away the lubricant and any dirt.", "Now the high-tech precision work can begin.", "A robotic laser-cutting system finalizes the shape and cuts all the required holes and slots.", "Just a bit of pressure, and the cut pieces easily pop out.", "Meanwhile, a stereolithography machine makes the fixtures, which will position the various parts of the fuel line together for welding.", "A computer-guided laser beam repeatedly flashes the shape of the fixtures onto liquid ceramic.", "Each flash solidifies a 250th-of-an-inch-thick layer of the liquid.", "Thousands of hardened layers later, the weld fixtures are fully formed.", "Welders use these ceramic fixtures to correctly assembly the connecting fuel-line components.", "Once everything's precisely in position, the welding begins.", "For aircraft safety, it's critical that every fuel line be leak-free.", "To test for leaks, they fill it with nitrogen at high pressure, submerge it in a water tank, then watch closely for bubbles, which would indicate nitrogen escaping.", "They use nitrogen rather than air because its molecules are smaller, making it possible to detect smaller leaks.", "After this, they heat-treat the fuel line to harden the metal and apply an anti-corrosion coating.", "They wrap the fuel line with high-heat-resistant foam insulation secured with high-heat-resistant polyester tape.", "This insulation prevents fuel from freezing in cold temperatures.", "It also blocks heat coming from other components of the aircraft, keeping the fuel at a safe working temperature.", "After a final inspection, the fuel line is ready to be shipped to the customer.", "It leaves the factory with a few un-insulated spaces for installation clamps.", "These areas will get insulated after the fuel line is mounted in the aircraft.", "The apple pie is a mouth-watering treat.", "This pie's popularity has been centuries in the making.", "It dates back to the 14th century, when countries like england, denmark, and sweden developed slightly different versions, all leaving fans hungry for more.", "Today, apple pie is mass-produced to meet demand.", "So you can throw away your rolling pin and let the folks at the factory do all the work.", "To make the filling, they empty loads of apple slices into a huge steam-heated kettle.", "These apples are a firm and tart type and have been organically grown.", "They add honey and apple juice, and the apple slices simmer in the liquids while mixing blades gently blend the ingredients.", "And with the slices now partially cooked, they spice up the mix with a generous dash of cinnamon.", "To thicken it to a syrupy sweetness, they add tapioca flour.", "The blades fold the dry ingredients into the mix as the apple slices continue to cook.", "The fruit softens and releases juices.", "The liquids thicken to a syrupy consistency.", "When the apple slices are lightly browned, this filling mix is done.", "These browned and syrupy slices are now prepared and ready for the pastry shell.", "The shell starts with chilled premium-grade butter.", "It's the creamiest.", "Organic and 100% whole-wheat flour is the next ingredient in this high-fiber pastry recipe.", "They pour a measured amount of honey into the pastry mix to sweeten it.", "They add ice-cold water.", "It's cold to keep the butter from melting too quickly, and that means the crust will turn out flaky.", "Inside the pastry mixer, a dough hook blends and kneads the ingredients until they congeal into dough.", "The dough is moist, but not too wet and sticky.", "Inside an apparatus called a sheeter, a mechanized roller presses the dough into sheets.", "A worker drapes a sheet of dough over groupings of four paper pie plates, which then move forward on a carousel.", "Meanwhile, overhead, that syrupy apple filling funnels into a device called a depositor.", "The depositor pumps the filling into the uncooked pie crusts as they circle around on the loop conveyor.", "This automated system fills every second grouping of crusts right on cue.", "Now full of sweet fruit, a worker tops them with more dough, giving the pies the upper crust.", "Like a big, revolving cookie-cutter, a rolling die punch-cuts the dough around the pie plates, separating them, trimming and crimping the edges all in one action.", "Pedestal lifts hoist the pies, and a worker transfers them to the next conveyor.", "They finish one group of pies and then start another, for a continuous cycle of pie production.", "The pies now head into the baking zone.", "Here, workers arrange the pies on baking sheets.", "They slice holes in the top crusts to vent steam and prevent fruit juices from overflowing.", "They stack the pie-laden baking sheets on racks in a convection oven.", "The racks spin for a more even baking job.", "They send one apple pie from each batch to the quality assurance department.", "Here, the inspector takes in the aromas from the freshly baked pie.", "She examines its form and compares it to an existing perfect pie.", "Slicing it confirms that the crust is flaky.", "But does it have that melt-in-your-mouth flavor?", "There's only one way to verify that.", "If the quality assurance people approve the pie, then the whole batch moves forward.", "They flash-freeze the pies, then seal them in cellophane.", "Suctioning arms open cardboard containers, and a worker slides in the pies.", "Rollers close the pre-glued flaps.", "They produce more than 2,100 apple pies every hour at this factory.", "Once the job is done, there are big decisions to be made-- like one scoop or two?", "One slice or the whole pie?", "Perhaps it's best just to dig in and decide later.", "Invented in 19th century america, the radiator brought warmth to people's lives.", "It made central heating possible.", "Before that, several fireplaces and stoves were needed to warm a home.", "But with a radiator in every room, one boiler could heat an entire house.", "While the traditional cast-iron radiator is still a source of warmth, it now competes with modern steel versions.", "These steel radiators are lighter and heat a room faster.", "They also come in a range of styles and can make a colorful design statement.", "Production begins with a series of powerful punch presses.", "They punch holes in steel plates, and they shape the parts by pressing the metal onto dies.", "These punched and pressed parts are called half pieces.", "They'll be used to make radiator headers, the connector part that interlinks the tubular heating elements.", "The half pieces exit the punch-press station and slide into the clutch of a robotic device.", "It brings two half pieces together in perfect alignment and delivers them to an automated welder, which joins them at the seam.", "The process is usually shielded by a protective cover, but it's been lifted to allow our camera to video it.", "Next, a press pares down the bulging seam.", "This is called deburring.", "With perfect timing, a robot then moves in and transfers the assembly to a grinding station.", "Here, it rotates between two sanding belts to smooth the seam to a flawless finish.", "A circular saw spins towards the part and slices it in the center to create two radiator headers.", "These radiator headers are now complete.", "A gripper with rounded claws transfers six steel tubes to a welder.", "The welder fuses the tubes to the headers, and while the welding is being done, another feeder robot ensures a steady supply of headers.", "There's one header for two tubes, so three radiator modules are coming together simultaneously.", "Sharp, pinscher-like knives sheer down the protruding welds so they're flush to the rest of the parts.", "The welded modules then chaff against two grinding belts.", "The process smoothes the seams substantially.", "But this grinding misses the spaces between the steel tubes, so a smaller sander tucks into that location, making the weld smooth all the way around.", "Now a test.", "They immerse a four-element module in water and pump air into it.", "No bubbles in the water mean no leaks, and production continues.", "They now build the radiator section by section.", "They layer the modules and weld them together at the headers.", "This sectional approach allows them to assemble radiators of virtually any size.", "Each radiator is custom-ordered to fit into a specific space and to meet a specific heating need.", "Of course, the larger the radiator, the more heat it delivers.", "Here's an inside look at a steel radiator header.", "With the radiator now complete, they repeat the test done earlier and confirm that it's completely leak-proof.", "They now run an electrical charge through the radiator, as they immerse it in a primer.", "The charge causes the primer to cling to the metal.", "Once baked on, it will protect it from corrosion.", "This household radiator is ready for a coat of paint.", "The customer selects the color beforehand to suit the home's interior design and his personal taste.", "They bake on the finish, and once it cools, they wrap up the job.", "These radiators are now homeward bound.", "Fueled by a furnace, hot water will move through them in a continuous loop, and they'll exude warmth.", "That's why the radiator continues to be a nice thing to come home to." ]

{ "things": [ "Fish Replicas", "Siren Systems", "Pre" ] }

[ "It used to be that you stuffed and mounted that big catch.", "Nowadays, catch-and-release is the norm, so the trend is to display replicas of the prize fish you caught, photographed, then set free.", "It's more humane, and you get to brag about the one that didn't get away until you let it.", "Sports fishermen aren't the only buyers of fish replicas.", "Marinas, seaquariums, and seafood restaurants also acquire them for display.", "While a replica is a humane alternative to mounting the real thing, one real fish does have to sacrifice his life for the cause in order to make the mold from which the replicas are cast.", "The first step is to surround the dead fish in a mix of soil and dirt.", "To construct the first half of the mold, the artist builds the mix-up to the halfway point, then rinses the surface clean.", "Next, using molding plaster, he forms a ledge all around the fish and under the fins.", "He positions six to eight tabs that will help align the two mold halves.", "Once the plaster hardens, he pins the fins steady and pours on gelcoat resin.", "This material picks up the scales and other intricate details.", "Once the gelcoat cures, he removes the pins, then covers the surface in fiberglass resin and over that, shredded fiberglass cloth.", "Then he applies another coat of fiberglass resin, ensuring the cloth is thoroughly saturated.", "Once the resin hardens, he flips the fish to the other side...", "Breaks off the plaster, and repeats all the previous steps to construct the second half of the mold.", "After about four hours of labor, the mold is finally finished.", "The mold maker removes the fish and washes the now vacant cavity.", "Now the team can begin casting the replicas.", "They wax the cavity to prevent sticking.", "Then they apply white gelcoat resin, which picks up all the fine details.", "With a handheld chopping gun, they lay down a layer of shredded fiberglass cloth.", "They apply resin putty along the perimeter of the cavity on each mold half.", "Using the alignment tabs, they close and clamp the mold halves together.", "Once the putty sets, they remove the clamps, open the mold, and extract the fiberglass replica.", "Using a jigsaw, they cut out the fish's mouth.", "Then via the mouth, they fill the hollow interior with expanding polyurethane foam.", "The hard foam provides a solid base against which to sculpt the fish's mouth and set its eyes, fins, and gill.", "With a jigsaw again, they remove all the excess foam...", "Then, with a disk sander, sand the rough edges smooth.", "Next, they glue a glass eye on each side of the head and, using resin putty, set the side and bottom fins, which they had removed at one point and molded separately.", "They epoxy teeth into the mouth.", "The mold maker used the real fish teeth to make a rubber mold.", "Then, using that mold, he cast this replica set of teeth in plastic.", "Now they'll bring the fish to life with color.", "First, using a paint gun, they apply a coat of gray primer.", "Once that dries, they apply a white base coat, followed by a coat of silver.", "With an airbrush, an artist paints the subtle shades and markings that make this fake fish look so incredibly real.", "The finishing touch-- they paint a piece of cardboard red, cut it into the shape of a gill, then glue it in place.", "After 45 hours of casting and painting, this prized catch is ready for display.", "Siren systems were first widely used during world war ii to warn of possible air attacks.", "Early on, that wailing effect was generated by forcing air against a perforated disk.", "Today's siren sounds emanate from higher-tech systems and still mean trouble is on its way.", "from atop towers and buildings, siren systems warn surrounding communities of impending tornadoes, floods, or any calamity.", "Today's sirens can broadcast both warning tones and live voice messages.", "They can also be activated by remote control from anywhere in the world.", "The messages and warning tones from a typical system can be heard from almost half a mile away.", "production begins with the transformers for the amplifiers.", "A worker winds thick, insulated copper wires around a plastic bobbin to produce the transformer's primary coil.", "She compresses the wires to eliminate gaps.", "A tight winding is critical for generating a magnetic field and transferring it to a secondary coil.", "She wraps insulating tape around the primary coil.", "She winds thin wire over it to produce the narrower secondary coil, and she encases that in more insulating tape.", "Next, with swift dexterity, an employee stacks e-shaped iron insulators in the center of the bobbin to build a core.", "She inserts smaller iron insulators between the e-shaped ones, and this tightens up the pack.", "She taps them into place and now has a dense iron core that will aid the flow of energy between the transformer coils.", "With an enamel coating baked on and the assembly wired for sound, this siren transformer is now complete.", "A computer-operated machine now punch-cuts assembly holes in an aluminum panel that will be used for a section of the siren cabinet.", "A robot transfers the panel to a computerized bending machine.", "Another robot feeds the panel to a clamping bar and, using hydraulic might, bends it against the clamp in strategic locations.", "This transforms it into a section of the siren's back and sidewalls.", "It also folds the edges, creating flanges for the cabinet-door assembly.", "This computerized system takes less than a minute to complete all these folds.", "The robot then transfers the siren-cabinet part to a conveyor, and it's on to the next station for assembly.", "Ahead, some cabinet brackets are in the wash zone.", "As the parts travel through, they get a soapy spray and then a rinse.", "After drying, the parts head into a powder-paint booth.", "Sprayers apply dry powder paint to the surface of the parts.", "It takes eight automated guns and two manually operated ones to evenly coat these brackets.", "The paint is electrostatically charged to cling to the metal, but at this point can be rubbed off like dust.", "Baking it causes the particles to melt and bond to the surface for a smooth and very tough paint job.", "This worker now installs the siren system's control board.", "It regulates the siren's six tones, 16 prerecorded messages, and the public-address function.", "He bolts it to the inside of the cabinet door.", "Next up is an amplifier equipped with the transformer we saw assembled earlier and the amplifier board.", "He installs the completed amplifier in the cabinet and connects it to the control board.", "There are five amplifiers in this siren system-- one for each speaker on the tower.", "He equips it with a control pad for on-site activation.", "Then a 1,650-ton press injects hot liquid plastic into molds.", "In seconds, the plastic cools, and the press retracts to reveal the new speaker parts.", "They bolt the speaker halves together, install the screen through which the siren sound emanates, and top it off with a plastic cap.", "They install a 400-watt driver in each section of the siren's speakers.", "The more speakers there are atop the siren tower, the greater the reach.", "The most powerful can be heard many miles away.", "Emergency vehicles are equipped with smaller versions of these systems to warn motorists of their speedy approach, and the concept is basically the same-- to get your instant attention.", "in today's hustle-and-bustle world, it's not uncommon to forgo brown-bagging it and instead to grab a meal on the go.", "It's not surprising to see that food retailers, from mega supermarkets to tiny convenience stores, carry prepackaged sandwiches for the hungry-in-a-hurry customer.", "Ham and cheese, cheese and tomato, chicken salad-- just a few of the many sandwich varieties you can buy ready-made.", "Retail customers specify which ingredients they want in their sandwich order, and the factory sets up the assembly lines accordingly.", "The first step is to load fresh bread into an automated machine.", "While doing so, they visually inspect the slices and remove any with holes or other flaws.", "The machine separates the slices in the loaf.", "Then, because this sandwich requires it, an internal roller spreads melted butter.", "The machine then drops the buttered slices faceup onto the belt that moves through the production line, where first, an automated depositor squirts on the quantity and type of mayonnaise the customer requested.", "Workers manually lay on the more specific ingredients, such as cold cuts or grated cheddar cheese.", "In the prep area, workers load logs of ham into a slicer.", "The customer has specified the size and weight of the slices it wants in the sandwich, and the factory programs the slicer accordingly.", "The slices go off to the assembly line, where workers add them to the sandwiches.", "Next, they close up the sandwiches.", "They stack the sandwiches in piles of two.", "The belt then brings the sandwiches to a mechanized cutter.", "The cutter works like a reciprocating saw, the vertical blade oscillating at high speed as the sandwich travels through it.", "The stacked halves on each side will be packaged together as one sandwich.", "Some of the sandwich varieties produced in the largest quantities are made on a fully automated assembly line.", "A robot suctions up bread slices and places them on a moving belt.", "Positioning plates descend and adjust the slices so that they'll be perfectly centered under the nozzles, which dispense the sandwich ingredients.", "In production here, egg-salad sandwiches.", "A nozzle deposits a set quantity of chopped egg with mayonnaise on every second slice.", "At the next station, robotic arms lined with suction cups grab the empty slices and flip them over onto the filled slices.", "Next stop, an ultrasonic knife.", "It slices the sandwiches in two using vibrations produced by high-frequency sound waves.", "This cutting method gives a cleaner edge.", "Next, robotic arms pick up half of each sandwich, spin it around, and stack it onto the other half.", "A robot grabs four finished sandwiches at a time and puts them in triangular, plastic trays, which then move on to the sealing and labeling stations.", "Back on the semi-automated assembly line, workers stack the sandwiches manually and place them in individual plastic-lined cardboard packages.", "A conveyor belt brings them to a machine, which pushes down the top flap and heat-seals it shut.", "The sandwiches hit store shelves within 12 hours of production.", "They stay fresh for an additional three days, after which the sandwich company removes the unsold ones while making its daily delivery of new ones.", "Before the invention of electrical lighting, candlesticks were household essentials.", "They often had shiny flanges to reflect the light of the flame and throw the glow farther.", "Necessity may have been the reason for their invention, but candlesticks soon evolved into a thing of beauty.", "With their elegant curves, these pewter candlesticks add a touch of class to any decor.", "Top them off with lit candles, and the ambiance improves, which is why people still use candlesticks to both decorate and illuminate.", "This candlestick starts with a flat pewter disk.", "The worker stamps the company insignia onto it.", "He loads the stamped disk into a lathe against a flared form known as the chuck-- a kind of template for the base of the candlestick.", "He rubs a wax-like lubricant onto the pewter to reduce friction, while he works the metal as it spins very fast on the lathe.", "He exerts a fair amount of pressure with a finger-shaped tool to make the pewter conform to the shape of the chuck.", "This process is called spinning.", "It takes a series of passes with the tool to transform the flat disk into the basic shape of a candlestick base.", "He trims the bottom to make the part perfectly level.", "Now, with a wooden dowel, he rolls the bottom of the candlestick base to make it more substantial.", "The base now complete, he sets it aside.", "He now works a smaller pewter disk against a different chuck to shape the candlestick top, which is called the bobeche.", "He flares the bobeche, creating a flange to reflect candlelight and catch wax drippings.", "Using the chuck, pictured on the left, he's produced a stylish candlestick top.", "To make the candlestick post, the next worker melts pewter and skims off the impurities.", "He pours the molten pewter into a mold, and it solidifies quickly.", "He drains the remaining liquid pewter and opens the mold, revealing a hollow post that matches the top and base of the candlestick.", "Pewter is also hardened in the channel through which it was poured.", "This extra material, called sprue, will be removed later.", "Over at the next station, a worker removes a seam-like ridge created where the parts of the mold came together.", "He scrapes and files the ridge to even the surface.", "On the left, you can see the candlestick post before the ridge removal.", "And this is the part afterward.", "Another worker now slices off the sprue ends with a band saw, leaving the post design intact.", "The pewter sprues will be remelted and reused.", "Next, the worker clamps the post into position, and a paddle drill bores into one end and then the other.", "It slopes the lip of the casting inward, creating a chamfered edge that will connect neatly to the candlestick top and base.", "He slides a rod through the casting to better grip the part as he presses it against a fine-grit sand belt.", "The sanding process removes scuffs and scrapes, and the result is satiny-smooth.", "Now it's time for this pewter candlestick to come together.", "He places the post on the candlestick top and solders them together.", "The tin-alloy solder wire melts and acts like hot glue to bond the two parts.", "He moves the candlestick base into position.", "He dips the open end of the cast post into a flux substance to prepare the surface and transfers it to the base.", "As he solders the two, he taps the post with the torch to realign it when it slips a bit.", "Then he continues soldering.", "He now dips the completed candlestick in soapy water.", "This removes flux residue and hardens the solder bond.", "For a highly polished finish, he presses the candlestick against a spinning cotton wheel that rubs a special compound onto it.", "It's a shinier alternative to the satin-pewter candlestick, and the effect is similar to silver.", "When it comes to candlesticks, two are always better than one, so it's time to pair them up.", "Together, they'll really shine." ]

{ "things": [ "Aluminum Foil", "Snowboards", "Contact Lenses", "Bread" ] }

[ "Today on \"how it's made\"...", "Aluminum foil...", "Snowboards...", "Contact lenses...", "And bread.", "Aluminum foil has a multitude of uses, from heating something up in the oven to keeping something cold in the fridge.", "But have you ever wondered how a huge block of solid aluminum gets transformed into a paper-thin sheet of foil?", "The manufacture of aluminum foil requires the repeated thinning out of a large block of aluminum.", "We begin by melting ingots of 100%-pure aluminum in a natural-gas furnace.", "These ingots, called \"pigs,\" are essential in alloys with zinc, titanium, and silica.", "It takes 3 to 8 hours to melt 30 tons of aluminum in this remelting furnace, which operates at 1,380 degrees fahrenheit.", "The fusion temperature of aluminum is 1,220 degrees fahrenheit.", "A portion of aluminum is poured into this small mold to make a sample.", "Solidifying in just seconds, the sample allows for testing to verify the contents of the prepared alloy.", "Molten aluminum runs in a movable trough located above the tapping well.", "At this stage, impurities are filtered out in special receptacles.", "The molds are cooled with water to accelerate the solidification of the molten aluminum.", "Ingots are unmolded and are ready for milling.", "Each ingot is massive, measuring 14 feet in length, 5 feet in width, and 18 inches thick.", "It weighs a whopping 8 tons, so it has to be handled by overhead cranes and placed on special plates.", "This crust-removing machine removes 1/10 of an inch of the ingot's thickness.", "Impurities are eliminated to achieve a perfectly smooth finish.", "All traces of the liquid used to cool the decrusting knives have to be eliminated.", "The many steps in the thinning of the ingot begin.", "First, the aluminum block is crushed by the hot mill rollers.", "Temperatures in the rollers are between 850 and 1,000 degrees fahrenheit.", "Pressure on the ingot is continually verified by a technician.", "If the pressure is too great, the technician will lower it.", "The heat is so high that the ingot risks sticking to the mill's roller.", "To prevent this, everything is cooled with a liquid that's 95% water and 5% oil.", "Starting from a thickness of 18 inches, the ingot becomes increasingly thinner with each pass-through.", "Depending on requirements, the ingot will go through the machine between 12 and 16 times.", "The ingot now measures about 3 inches in thickness.", "It has to get down to just 2/10 of an inch.", "At this stage, the ingot is about 2 inches thick and measures almost 30 feet in length.", "This conveyor transports the plate during its milling stages.", "The ingot has become a sheet 2/10 of an inch thick.", "It is sufficiently thin to proceed to spooling, where it spools onto itself before being sent to the cold rolling mill.", "There, its thickness will be reduced still further.", "The aluminum sheet has become very thin now and risks being broken by the tension needed for cold rolling.", "So the sheet is doubled to avoid this breakage.", "One final reduction in the mill, and the sheet will have the thickness required by the customer.", "A liquid coolant is used to prevent the foil from sticking to the rollers.", "Since the edges of the foil sheet are lightly damaged and crinkled, a knife removes a strip 4/10 of an inch wide.", "Finally, the roll is cut to the desired width, and one huge ingot has produced nearly 8 miles of foil.", "If you've ever tried snowboarding, you've probably discovered that those cool moves aren't quite as easy as the pros make it look.", "Learning to maneuver a snowboard is a long and involved process, and it's much the same when it comes to manufacturing these surfboards for snow.", "The snowboard is the delight of winter-sports enthusiasts.", "Its core is made of a thin sheet of wood.", "Various kinds of woods are used, depending on the type of board being made.", "Bindings have to be firmly attached to the board.", "Holes are drilled for inserts, to which bindings will be secured.", "A template allows the holes to be precisely drilled.", "Planing reduces the board to the required thickness.", "A thick board is obviously more rigid than a thin one.", "A shaping procedure refines the board's contours.", "At this point, the board is still perfectly flat with no curvature.", "The boards are then stored upright to await the next step.", "Now they must secure the aluminum inserts, which will be embedded in the wood.", "This thin sheet of fiberglass will create better support for the inserts.", "Therefore, they will be more solid.", "To make working on it easier, the board is securely held in place by clamps.", "Epoxy, an extremely strong adhesive often used with composite materials, is applied to the fiberglass at room temperature.", "It is essential to remove any excess epoxy, as well as eliminate all air bubbles so there will be a good adherence.", "As for the top part of the board, it's made of a resistant plastic applied by silk-screening.", "In silk-screening, ink is spread by this little squeegee.", "This application is called a pass.", "Colors have to be applied one at a time.", "The inks must dry for several hours between each coat.", "Now the board must be curved.", "A cover is placed on the mold.", "When the mold is closed, the board is given the desired curve.", "Heat trapped in the mold makes the epoxy set and harden.", "The board comes out of the mold, and any excess epoxy and wood are removed by a band saw.", "To achieve a perfect cut, the saw blade is changed every 50 boards.", "It's highly precise work and totally manual.", "They apply, again by silk-screening, another coat, then another color.", "This time, red.", "The snowboard must now be protected.", "A protecting varnish flows as a thin curtain.", "The board passes beneath this curtain and then moves into a dryer for a six-hour stay.", "Sanding removes surplus varnish from the edges of the board.", "New holes are pierced into the board to locate the inserts installed at the beginning of production.", "This sander removes imperfections in the hardened varnish and prepares the board for its second varnish coating.", "Then the plastic base is sanded to obtain the desired finish.", "The board is checked to see that it's perfectly flat.", "A razor blade verifies that the different coats are well-adhered to one another.", "Certain boards get an engraved aluminum insert-- a luxury touch.", "The board is now ready for action.", "This facility turns out over 500 snowboards per day in 30 different models.", "People who have defective vision can always wear glasses, but in many cases, there's a less-noticeable alternative.", "Contact lenses correct faulty vision without anyone knowing the wearer even has them on.", "What goes into making these tiny optical aids is really eye-catching.", "Contact lenses have been in existence for over a century.", "At first completely rigid, they have become gas-permeable and as flexible as gelatin.", "These small polyhema disks are used to make soft polymer contact lenses in a variety of colors.", "We see here a patient's prescription, essential to the fabrication of lenses.", "The process begins with data processing control of the shaping.", "Data is supplied by computer, which controls a digital lathe.", "They begin by shaping the inner curvature of the lens.", "This digital lathe, rotating at 6,000 revolutions per minute, is equipped with an industrial diamond.", "It shapes the inner surface-- the part that touches the cornea.", "It must be free from any abrasions and imperfections and is polished with a super-fine abrasive paste.", "Polishing is a crucial step because it assures excellent comfort and perfect vision.", "A technician measures lens thickness with an extremely precise gauge.", "They now shape the outer surface, the part that touches the eyelid.", "The lens is glued with a special warm wax, when the lens is completed, an ultrasound device will remove the wax.", "The wax takes on the desired shape in just seconds.", "The comfort of a lens is also determined by its thickness.", "It must be as thin as possible while retaining sufficient solidity.", "They begin by shaping the outer diameter of the lens, which takes only a few seconds.", "They now polish the outer surface of the lens.", "This polishing, done at high speed, calls for an abrasive paste, some oil, and a small polyester cotton ball.", "This apparatus polishes several lenses at the same time-- a step that takes only 60 seconds.", "With everything computerized, quality is incomparable.", "A technician then polishes the rims of the lens.", "The polymer is hydrated to make it flexible.", "Lenses remain immersed in a balanced ph saline solution for 24 hours.", "The lens becomes engorged with liquid and expands, reaching the desired proportions.", "This optical topographer is used to verify, through color distribution, whether the spread of optical power in the lens is precise enough to assure perfect vision.", "And now we proceed with another important testing procedure.", "The soft, fragile lenses are always handled with the greatest of care.", "This unit, called a frontofocometer, is a metering device which verifies the optical precision of the lens.", "The lenses are now completed and are cleaned.", "They're stored in containers filled with a salt solution.", "This little vial that we might find at optometrists' is sealed with a silicone cap and another of aluminum.", "These vials are placed in a sterilizer at temperatures of 250 degrees fahrenheit for an hour and a half.", "The contents will remain sterile for up to seven years if not opened.", "The production of a lens involves 14 steps.", "If we exclude the rather lengthy hydration process, actual lens production requires only 15 minutes.", "They can produce almost 1,000 contact lenses per day-- all made from these tiny colored disks.", "It's a staple for people all over the world.", "Smothered in butter and jelly or dipped in gravy, it's a delicious treat that's hard to resist.", "And we're willing to bet you can't resist the opportunity to find out what goes into the making of your daily bread.", "Over 3,000 years ago, in the time of king tut, egyptians were already baking 40 varieties of leaven bread.", "The greeks' contribution to this history was the oven and 70 varieties of flavored breads-- breads so good that the romans took the greek bakers to rome and their ovens to gaul.", "By the middle ages, bread had become the primary food of western europe.", "Multigrain bread is made from several ingredients such as flaxseed, buckwheat, soy, and millet.", "This protective grill prevents foreign matter from accidentally falling into the recipe mix-- a recipe that calls for a half a ton of flour.", "The ingredients, ground in a mill, are kept in these 36 enormous containers.", "We begin by mixing the ingredients together.", "These kneading troughs are used to ferment the yeast, a step which takes three hours.", "The fermenting yeast makes the dough rise considerably.", "This huge mixer kneads the dough for about eight minutes.", "When thoroughly homogenous, the contents are emptied into a large tub.", "The dough weighs a little over a ton.", "The dough is loaded onto a slide situated above the dough divider.", "At the bottom of the machine, a small hole allows the dough to escape.", "Two mechanically operated arms cut the dough pieces into equal lengths.", "It forms 192 of these a minute.", "The dough then falls onto a conveyor.", "Here dough pieces are rolled into balls, which can be more easily worked.", "The doughballs are floured to prevent them from sticking during their transport and when they're molded.", "Here the balls of dough leave the divider and go to the molder.", "During transport, the dough can rest, allowing the yeast to act.", "The dough is then folded and rolled.", "The machine can handle three per second for a total of 11,500 an hour.", "The dough is rolled out to the exact size and falls into baking molds.", "Here we see the making of hot dog rolls.", "These little doughballs have to be shaped lengthwise and fermented before molding.", "Here the hog dog rolls are being machine-molded.", "Dough pieces must not touch one another, so they're spaced apart by a small mechanical arm.", "Now we go back to multigrain bread production.", "Squatted down at the bottom of the molds, the dough pieces go into the proofer, where they rise for an hour at 110 degrees fahrenheit and at 70% humidity.", "Then they bake for 20 minutes at 490 degrees.", "When finally baked, the loaves end up with a nice golden color.", "A vacuum system draws the loaves from their molds.", "They're then placed on a conveyor to cool.", "A guidance system takes care of carrying the breads to various sections of the bakery.", "When well-cooled, breads go to the slicer, which cuts 65 loaves a minute.", "They are sliced by 7-foot-wide and 16-inch-long steel saw blades.", "These blades are changed every two weeks.", "Sliced loaves are automatically packed at 65 per minute.", "They're now ready for shipping.", "Some 5 1/2 hours have passed between preparation of the dry flour and packaging of the baked bread." ]

{ "things": [ "Champagne Hoods & Foils", "Pneumatic Systems", "Espresso Machines", "Pizza Ovens" ] }

[ "Champagne toasts are common at weddings, birthdays, and many other special occasions, but if the cork isn't secured properly, it can pop off at the wrong moment.", "So champagne manufacturers have developed hoods and foils to keep the bottles closed until the right moment.", "The foil covering that protects the cork is part of the iconic champagne look.", "Unwrapping it is like opening a special present.", "Underneath the foil is a wire hood and disk that keeps everything in place.", "The flat disks begin as thin sheets of steel.", "A suctioning device transfers the sheets to a printing machine.", "The machine slices the sheets into strips.", "Then, the suctioning device moves the strips to the next step in the production line.", "It positions the strips on a machine that quickly punches out the round disk components.", "The wire hoods are made out of galvanized steel.", "A series of large bobbins feed the steel into a multiphase machine.", "The wire is coated with colored lacquer for increased protection and aesthetic appeal.", "On a rotating carousel, the machine twists two horizontal strands of wire.", "It leaves enough room for a vertical loop between each set of twists.", "Next, the device twists the vertical loop.", "A blade cuts the wire in between each newly formed cross.", "Then, a mechanism removes the crosses and transfers them to the next stage of production.", "A machine shapes the bottom of the crosses in three steps.", "First, it pinches the wire together at the four extremities.", "Then, it forms a bend.", "And finally, it folds them over to create a hook.", "A device folds the feet up and hooks them onto a wire circle called a belt.", "The wire structures are ready for the disk insert.", "A press forces the disks into a die to create rounded caps.", "Finally, the machine inserts the newly formed caps into the wire structure.", "The champagne wire hoods are now complete and ready for their bottles.", "It takes 15 steps to build a wire hood.", "Incredibly, the machine can build each hood in under 2 seconds.", "The wire hood holds the cork in place, but the polylaminate foil wrapper protects it from the elements.", "This specially made foil is composed of polythene film sandwiched between two sheets of aluminum.", "A high-speed cutter trims the edges.", "Then, the polylaminate rolls through a bath of varnish.", "The polythene film is made out of granules.", "They dye the polylaminate gold using a high-speed printing process.", "The polylaminate foil is coated with specially formulated ink that dries instantly under ultraviolet light.", "The foil transfers to a perforation machine.", "This allows customers to easily unwrap the champagne bottle.", "A hot stamping machine adds decorative elements and the brand name to the foil.", "Another device adds a strip of glue to one edge.", "A machine cuts the foil, then a device equipped with cylindrical rods, called mandrels, wraps the foil into cones.", "The glue strip holds the cone together.", "A machine places a disk on top of the cones.", "They crimp the ends to increase the cone's rigidity.", "Then, a vacuum sucks the completed cones off the mandrels.", "No bottle of bubbly is complete without a hood and foil.", "This factory quickly produces both in any style or color the winery requests.", "The factory's speed and versatility allows them to produce wire hoods and foils for 50% of the sparkling wines made in france.", "Pneumatic tubes were originally used to transfer money and sensitive documents.", "Today, these systems have a different purpose.", "Hospitals use them to quickly transport blood samples to their labs.", "For patients who need a quick diagnosis, these pipelines are a lifeline.", "Many hospitals have a series of pneumatic pipes running behind their walls.", "Health care workers seal medical samples in capsules and put them in the system.", "These pipelines can be several miles long.", "A computer allows users to monitor the capsule's movement.", "Compressed air instantly pushes the capsules through the tubing.", "They arrive at the lab in seconds.", "The building process starts with the send-and-receive unit.", "A worker glues tubes to a plate.", "Both are made of plastic to reduce static.", "He slides the tubes through holes in the top of the unit's metal housing.", "He places more tubing inside the housing, then installs the track.", "The tubing slides back and forth on the track to shift between send and receive mode.", "He screws a bracket to the box.", "It contains a motor for the sliding mechanism.", "Then, he places the unit in an upright position.", "He connects the motor to a power source to test it.", "He confirms that the motor moves the plastic chutes back and forth smoothly.", "The worker connects an air source to the system to verify that the seals and vents work properly.", "At the next station, a technician removes the temporary door.", "Then, he wires the motor to the electrical power source.", "He bundles the wires and trims the plastic ties.", "He screws the computerized control panel to the door.", "Then, he reattaches the door.", "The technician wires the control panel and verifies that it works.", "Then, he connects the computer in the send-and-receive unit to one in a diverter unit.", "He confirms that the two computers communicate.", "Each pneumatic delivery system has several diverters.", "They allow the medical capsules to turn a corner or change direction to reach their final destination.", "He installs a gear and motor.", "Then, he tests the movement of the pipe from one outlet to the next.", "If everything works properly, he screws the back panel on.", "Then, they connect the diverter and other transfer units to tubing in the walls of the hospital.", "Next, they make the delivery capsules.", "A worker places the plastic body in a machine.", "He activates it, and the machine spins a cap onto the body.", "The spinning also generates heat, which fuses the two parts.", "He slides the capsule onto a post to keep it in place.", "Then, he hooks one end of a spring to the lid framework and the other end to the sliding lid.", "He screws the sliding lid to the framework.", "Now, the lid easily snaps open and shut.", "He places a rubber casing onto the end and stretches a rubber gasket around the rim.", "He wraps fabric bands around both ends.", "This helps buffer the capsule during the journey through the pipeline.", "He tucks the bands into the rims using a screwdriver.", "He installs plastic bumpers inside.", "They help cushion any blows to the capsule and its contents during the ride through the pipeline.", "This capsule is now ready for a test run.", "The technician inserts it in the shoot and programs the path.", "He opens the door to monitor its progress.", "The tubes slide over to collect the capsule and then slide back to drop it into the main pipeline.", "Compressed air blows it through the system.", "It zips through the pipes and arrives safely at its final destination.", "In the 1880s, italians developed special machines to make espresso.", "As the name implies, this coffee drink can be produced in seconds.", "Soon, the appeal of this quick brew expanded beyond italy, and today, espresso is enjoyed all over the world.", "Making good espresso is as much a science as it is an art.", "Professional machines balance temperature and steam pressure to produce espresso with kick and crema.", "Professional espresso machines are made of high-carbon steel sheets.", "Computer programmed tools carve different shapes out of the steel.", "These parts will be the framework for the espresso machine.", "The tools also cut holes for screws, bolts, and components like the steam tap.", "An employee places a freshly cut control panel into a hydraulic press machine.", "The press bends the panel to the correct shape and creates tabs for assembly.", "This is the panel before and after bending.", "After bending the other panels, they assemble the framework.", "The worker attaches a receptacle to capture excess water.", "He installs meters to control the flow of water.", "They release different amounts for long or short espressos.", "He turns the base right side up and screws the side framework to it.", "He attaches the front panel to the sides.", "The espresso machine's framework is now in place.", "Next, they make the group heads.", "These parts will shoot hot, pressurized water through the packed ground coffee.", "The worker installs valves that will regulate the water flow.", "The valves allows release built-up pressure so that the filter holders can be removed after brewing.", "The group heads fit into slots in the front of the framework.", "He secures them with nuts at the back.", "He places a large copper-and-brass boiler in the espresso machine chassis and connects the water lines.", "The tank will generate steam to froth milk for cappuccinos.", "It will also supply hot water for tea.", "Heat exchangers run through the boiler to supply the hot water for brewing.", "He connects copper pipes to the heat exchanger outlets on the boiler.", "Then, he links them to the group heads.", "The pipes have been pre-bent in order to easily fit into the group heads.", "He tightens the fitting for the hot water tap.", "Next, he installs the pump that pressurizes the water.", "He screws it to one side of the framework.", "A worker then wires the electronics to the front of the machine.", "The employee fits the control panel to the front framework.", "He slips rubber molding around the protruding seam.", "Then, he screws knobs onto the levers.", "He tucks a heating coil into the upper part of the machine.", "The top of the machine works as a cup warmer.", "The espresso stays hot longer when served in heated cups.", "A worker then encases the steel espresso machine in polycarbonate molded panels.", "The plastic parts are slightly rounded to make the espresso machine look less boxy.", "He seats a steel drip tray under the group heads.", "And he places the cup tray over the heating element.", "The espresso machine is ready for the filter basket holders.", "They're equipped with winglets that hook into the group heads.", "The worker tests the espresso machine to confirm that there are no leaks in the hydraulic circuitry.", "The machine appears to be in good, working order.", "Now, it's time for a coffee break.", "The best-tasting pizzas are made in traditional wood-fired pizza ovens.", "They're constructed primarily of natural clay bricks that can withstand high temperatures and retain heat.", "If a chef prefers to not use a wood-burning oven, a more convenient gas version is available, as well.", "This italian company has been handcrafting classic pizza ovens since 1892.", "While the tile or paint options change over time, the construction of the oven itself has remained the same for four generations.", "It begins with the oven's rounded top.", "They lay clay bricks on a dome form, working inward from a steel edge.", "These bricks are made in house.", "They can withstand temperatures of over 900 degrees fahrenheit.", "That's fast enough to bake a traditional neapolitan pizza in just 60 seconds.", "They combine sand, soil, concrete, clay and water in a mixer.", "They pour this mixture into a steel mold for the base of the oven.", "Once they fill the mold to the top, they place a circular template in the exact center of the mold.", "Then, they begin constructing the oven's combustion chamber.", "This is where the pizza is baked.", "The carefully place clay bricks along the template's inner perimeter.", "Then, they remove the template and add more bricks.", "They work from the outside in, towards the center.", "The oven floor serves as the cooking surface.", "It's comprised of four pie-shape pieces made of the same heat-resistant clay as the bricks.", "Each piece is 2 inches thick.", "They slide the floor in temporarily so they can correctly position the bricks around it.", "They remove the floor pieces and begin mortaring the bricks.", "Once complete, this oven will weigh over 5,000 pounds.", "The company makes even larger models that can weigh more than 3 tons.", "They lay a second row of bricks on top of the first.", "Then, they fill the middle with clay.", "The team covers the clay with soil.", "They pack down the soil as they go to create a hard, stable surface.", "Now, they can permanently install the oven floor.", "Next, they position the oven's cast iron mouth.", "They lay bricks in a circle around the mouth to form the wall of the combustion chamber.", "They lay most of the bricks vertically to fit in as many as possible.", "More bricks will provide better insulation in the chamber.", "The team pours water on the top edge of the wall.", "They remove the oven mouth and apply the mortar.", "Then, they lower the dome onto the wall to enclose the combustion chamber.", "A worker repositions the mouth and mortars it in place.", "He installs the over mouth, a cast iron plate bearing the manufacturer's name.", "He levels it, then fills the gap between the mouth and oven floor with plaster.", "They also use plaster to create a smooth surface on top of the mouth.", "Now, the smoke will rise through the hood toward the chimney instead of being trapped in the oven.", "They position steel side plates and weld them to the over mouth.", "Then, they wield on a curved steel front plate.", "Next, they construct a funnel-shaped stainless steel hood.", "They fill the hood with the same mixture they used for the oven's base.", "They cover the dome with wire mesh to compact the mix.", "Then, they apply a final coat of the mixture.", "A worker lays a cast iron plate on the base, directly in front of the mouth.", "He spreads a smooth finishing layer of concrete on both the dome and the base.", "Then, they paint the steel and cast iron parts with anti-corrosion paint.", "They install marble on the base and apply paint or tile to the dome.", "They mount the oven steel door last.", "They fire up the oven for 9 days to dry all the natural construction materials.", "Then, this oven is complete." ]

{ "things": [ "Guitar Pickups", "Heated Furniture", "Water Well Cylinders", "Nonconductive Tools" ] }

[ "Guitar pickups were invented during the time of the big-band era.", "Jazz music incorporated both guitar and large brass sections.", "To offset a guitar's mellow tones, a pickup device was developed to amplify the vibration of the guitar's strings, generating a louder sound.", "The guitar pickup was invented in the early 20th century.", "The device allowed musicians to plug into a new sound that would later define rock 'n' roll.", "Production starts with an edged steel part.", "A technician applies glue to the spine and attaches plastic strips to the glued areas for full adhesion.", "He glues a second edged steel part to the first, creating a bobbin for wire windings.", "He applies clear polyester tape along the inner edges of the bobbin.", "The tape will serve as electrical insulation, supplementing an insulating coating that's been applied to the metal.", "Using an abrasive wheel, he scuffs off the finish on the end of the bobbin to prepare it for soldering.", "The scuffed bobbin is the one on the left.", "Then the bobbin is mounted to a winding mandrel.", "The craftsman wraps thin copper wire around the end of the bobbin and activates the winding mandrel.", "As the mandrel spins, the bobbin gathers the copper wire together to produce a wad that's 4,000 windings thick.", "The bobbin containing thousands of copper-wire windings has created a path for magnetic energy.", "Next, the ends of the copper wire are soldered to the bobbin.", "The craftsman applies a direct current through the coil and measures the electrical resistance.", "Once the current falls within the acceptable range, he solders connection cables to the windings.", "Then the coil is submerged in hot liquid wax.", "The wax will encase the wire windings to prevent mechanical vibrations.", "Next, the craftsman inserts brass pins into a press fixture.", "He places a steel channel on top of the pins, piercing the pins through the channel.", "He flattens the heads of the pins with the press while allowing the ends to extend through the channel.", "To stabilize the assembly, he places rubber and steel washers over the protruding pins.", "He mounts a brass plate to the pins and adds more washers to electrically ground the assembly.", "The craftsman presses the pins to flatten them, securing the plate to the channel.", "A second steel channel is attached to the plate on top of the first channel.", "The dual coil assembly contains a higher output and will counteract electromagnetic interference.", "While most pickups have magnets inside the coils, this pickup contains magnets on the outside of the coils.", "This design reduces hum from electrical interference.", "The craftsman solders a ground wire to the unit and applies more solder to one of the pins to connect the coil cables.", "The coils are inserted in the channels.", "A burnt-chrome finish can be applied to the pickup's outer casing.", "The burnt-chrome casing produces a discoloration that adds visual interest.", "He now pipes a generous amount of epoxy into the casing cavity and inserts the pickup.", "He solders wire from the cover to the pickup to ground the unit.", "The pickup is placed over the strings of a guitar, and he plugs it into an amplifier.", "once he confirms the tone is acceptable, he measures the resistance.", "The craftsman tests the direction the current travels through the pickup.", "This method is called phase.", "He also assesses the strength of the magnetic field through a method known as polarity.", "Even though it's taken just 15 minutes to make this guitar pickup, due to its sustainability, it should last for years, providing musicians with plenty of good vibes.", "when you're sitting outdoors and it starts getting chilly, you can shiver, put on more layers of clothing, or press a button to let the furniture you're sitting on warm you up.", "Designed for use in the outdoors and in colder indoor spaces, heated furniture is a hot new trend.", "This heated lounge is hip and practical.", "Discreet drain holes prevent rainwater from puddling, and the easy-to-reach heat control knob is located underneath the seat.", "Benches, multi-seat lounges, and single chairs can all be made into heated furniture.", "The first step is to coat a fiberglass mold with a release agent.", "Once a rubber insert is glued into the drain hole, a technician mixes the ingredients for the casting material together.", "Ingredients include pigment containing metal oxides, which prevent color fading, a concrete mix containing a blend of fibers for extra strength and resistance, and water containing proprietary additives.", "The ingredients are mixed together for about three minutes until the concrete is the consistency of cake batter.", "A thin layer is sprayed on to the fiberglass mold, and any raised areas are flattened to remove air bubbles.", "The chair's color will never rub off or peel because the pigment is mixed right into the concrete.", "Next, technicians add the heating element, a cable that is wrapped around the piece of furniture.", "The cable is tacked in place with a separate mix of concrete that has a higher fiber content.", "The entire heating element is embedded in a full coat of the high-fiber concrete.", "Then a finishing coat of the first mix is applied, and the structure is left to cure at room temperature for 24 hours.", "Now cured, this white chair is ready to be extracted.", "A technician pumps compressed air through the drain-hole insert.", "Due to the release agent application, the cast chair easily pops off the mold.", "The rough edges are smoothed with a diamond file.", "Then the drain-hole plug is removed.", "At another station, a technician coats the entire surface of another chair with a sealant that blocks moisture.", "Moisture penetration weakens concrete and draws out the natural salt, which leaves white stains.", "Meanwhile, a welder constructs the chair's frame with parts made out of stainless-steel tubes and plates.", "The chair has three legs, plus cross members that act as conduits for electrical wires.", "The cross members connect to a stainless-steel box, which will house the temperature control unit.", "A technician fills the channel with adhesive along the perimeter.", "He places the frame into the channel.", "The adhesive will take a day to cure.", "Next, the electrical wiring is assembled.", "The technician fishes two electrical wires through the frame.", "One wire connects the power-cord plug to the temperature control unit.", "The other runs from the temperature control unit to the temperature control switch.", "He glues the switch into a hole in the right front leg.", "All the wires are embedded in rubber, making them waterproof.", "The temperature control unit is installed in the box at the center of the frame.", "Then a temperature sensor is installed underneath the seat.", "The technician hammers plastic and stainless-steel feet into the bottom of the legs.", "This prevents the legs from scratching the floor and levels the furniture on an uneven surface.", "Lastly, a bronze drain is inserted into the drain hole.", "A quality controlled heat test measures the surface temperature with an infrared thermometer.", "If all is operating correctly, the sensor under the seat tells the thermostat and the temperature control unit when to turn the heat on or off.", "Ever since the ancient egyptians developed the shaduf around 4,000 years ago, people have been creating new ways to move water.", "Before people relied on electricity, windmills generated power using water-well cylinders.", "These simple but highly effective mechanisms are still in use today.", "Production of this water-well cylinder began in the late 1800s.", "The design was so effective, it hasn't changed since.", "To create the valves integral to water-well cylinders, the process starts with a specialized mold made out of compressed sand.", "These orange tube-shaped objects are called cores, also made from compressed sand.", "The cores allow molten metal to flow around them, ensuring that the valve cage remains hollow.", "With the top of the mold casing in place, the assembly moves to the next station on the production line.", "A robotic arm lowers the jacket and weight on to each mold to prevent the molten metal from escaping.", "A metal worker drops pieces of metal, called returns, into a crucible.", "When the temperature of the molten metal reaches 2,102 degrees fahrenheit, it's ready to pour.", "Another metal worker uses a device called a cradle to hoist and move the crucible.", "He pours the liquefied metal into a sprue hole, which flows into the mold openings.", "The molds cool as they head to a vibratory conveyor system.", "The vibrations break the sand apart, leaving in its place the newly formed metal parts.", "A technician removes the parts with a hook and mounts them on an overhead transport system.", "The transport system carries them into a blast machine.", "Inside, steel shot blasts the metal clean.", "When the parts emerge from the blast machine, the castings are ready for the next phase.", "Using a band saw with a diamond-tipped blade, a metal worker carefully cuts the castings into their component parts.", "Rough castings have a seam called a parting line, where the two halves of a mold meet.", "A metal worker grinds off the excess casting.", "The rough casting goes through a machining process.", "As the valves are assembled, a small piece of newspaper is placed inside to prevent any damage to the balls during shipment.", "These brass, precision-ground balls are crucial components that permit or prevent water flow as they move up and down inside the valve cage.", "These components are made of leather that's been pressed, formed, and coated with graphite to lubricate them.", "Water-well cylinders have both a check valve and a plunger valve.", "A technician tightens a follower on a plunger valve.", "While a check valve remains stationary and prevents water from escaping, a plunger valve isn't fixed, so it allows water to move out the top.", "A water-well cylinder requires caps and connectors.", "A cnc lathe machines a brass cap to the required parameters.", "As the component spins at 800 rpm, carbide-tipped cutting tools hone, bore, and thread it where needed.", "The cylinders are made from brass tubing.", "The 3-millimeter-thick seamless tubing is made from a brass billet heated until soft enough to draw through an inner and outer die.", "The result is a strong, corrosion-resistant cylinder that can handle water pressure and immersion for decades.", "A cnc device threads both ends of the cylinder to receive the cap and connector.", "A technician brushes a pipe-compound sealant on to the threads.", "The sealant ensures a watertight fit.", "Then he screws the cap to the bottom end of the cylinder.", "He adds the top connector and inserts both ends into a lathe.", "With the bottom held firmly in place by the lathe chuck, he places a wrench on the top end and lets the machine tighten the parts.", "Next, the check valve and the plunger valve are inserted into the cylinder.", "This clear acrylic version of the cylinder demonstrates how the process works.", "As the plunger valve slides up and down, the check valve remains stationary.", "It's hard not to be pumped about an old technology so good.", "Nonconductive digging and cutting tools protect workers from potential hazards such as underground power lines.", "When a nonconductive tool hits a live wire, the risk is neutralized.", "The handle blocks the flow of electrons and reduces the risk of unexpected shocks.", "Workers who need to dig run the risk of hitting live electrical wires.", "The nonconductive handles of these tools will counteract the flow of electricity, stopping danger in its path.", "The handles are made of fiberglass.", "They are made using a process known as pultrusion.", "A machine pulls glass twine through the stages of production.", "Each piece of twine is comprised of hundreds of glass strands.", "The twine unwinds through an orange resin bath, which permeates the glass fibers.", "A die compresses the resin-soaked glass to a specific length and width.", "The result is slightly larger than what is ultimately needed.", "The compressed fiberglass travels through a microwave oven for preheating.", "Then the fiberglass enters a second heated die.", "The process squeezes the handle to its final size, shapes it, and cures the material.", "As it's pulled forward, the long fiberglass form cools and solidifies.", "This machine, called the tractor, is doing the pulling.", "The tractor's treaded rubber pads grab the fiberglass shaft and deliver it to a circular saw.", "The saw slices the fiberglass shaft to a specified length.", "Since the fiberglass is only partially cured, the handles are cooled at room temperature for 24 hours.", "The handles vary based on the type of tool.", "A machinist cuts one end of the handle on an angle to fit the blade shank.", "Using a sharp disc, he carves spiral grooves at the base of the angle cut.", "These grooves allow the shovel shank to fuse with the end of the handle.", "Next, the handle is placed in an injection-molding machine with the grooved end extended into the mold.", "Glass-filled nylon pellets move through the machine's heated chamber and melt.", "An auger forces the thick liquid into the mold.", "The shovel shank takes shape around the end of the handle, and glass-filled nylon liquid flows into the grooves.", "The shank becomes integral to the handle.", "Next, a machinist clips the excess material from the newly formed shank.", "The glass and nylon shank is also nonconductive.", "The shank end is submerged in a cooling bath.", "Using a drill, the machinist removes bolts from nuts installed in the shank during molding.", "This leaves the nuts embedded in the shank.", "They'll be used to attach the shovel blade.", "Meanwhile, another technician applies a rubber gasket to the end of the shank.", "The gasket has holes that keep the nuts open.", "He places the shovel blade on the assembly, aligning the holes with the nuts.", "He secures the shovel blade to the shank with screws.", "It's nonconductive from the handle to the metal blade, so the user can safely grip it at almost any spot.", "Apart from being nonconductive, this shovel must also be heavy-duty.", "To test its strength, an inspector inserts the blade into a machine.", "Once he has determined the test area, the chain is connected to a container filled with sand bags that weigh 250 pounds.", "He lowers the platform that holds the load and observes the handle.", "If the handle bends but doesn't break, it's sufficiently strong.", "The inspector places the shovel in another tester and runs 10,000 volts of electricity through the tool to measure the leakage at the end of the handle.", "If it's minimal, he assigns the shovel a unique serial number and brands it as certified according to electrical standards.", "On site, a nonconductive tool can be indispensable, providing the user a safe handle on a potentially dangerous situation." ]

{ "things": [ "Cartridge Blades", "Chocolate Banana Loaves", "Vending Machines", "Dive Computers" ] }

[ "Today on \"how it's made,\" cartridge blades, chocolate banana loaves, vending machines and dive computers.", "Developed in the middle of the 20th century, the cartridge blade is an invention with many cutting edges.", "The plastic cartridge houses up to five razor blades.", "With multiple blades, fewer shaving strokes may be necessary, which results in a faster shave.", "For the multibladed cartridge razor, getting rid of stubble is no trouble.", "When the many blades become dull, the cartridge can simply be popped out and replaced with a new one.", "Making cartridge blades starts with coiled steel strips that are a few miles long.", "The strips unwind around guide rollers that orient them for entry into punch machines.", "Revolving cylinders help feed the steel strips to the punches.", "The punches cut holes in the steel, spacing them at precise intervals.", "These holes will allow production machinery to grip the steel and move it through the blade-making process.", "Machinery pulls the steel ribbons through an oven, which heats them to a searing 1,832 degrees fahrenheit.", "The steel then enters a cooling chamber, followed by another oven.", "The temperature extremes change the steel's molecular structure.", "It becomes harder and stronger.", "The steel rewinds and then unwinds between grinding stones that hone the edge into a very sharp gothic arch profile.", "They're now ready to break the steel into individual blades.", "A mechanical punch snaps it.", "And it breaks cleanly.", "With a skewer holding the blades in alignment, a technician scrutinizes the edges for any defects.", "After applying coatings to prevent rust and add durability, they bake the blades in a special furnace.", "This binds the coatings to the blades.", "At another station, they transform plastic pellets into the razor cartridges.", "This machine melts the pellets and injects the liquid plastic into molds as pressure is applied.", "The plastic solidifies into the shape of razor cartridges.", "The cartridges bounce along a circular feeder.", "The feeder orients them front-side-up and then funnels them into the next machine.", "This one resembles an octopus with numerous tentacles.", "The tentacles are robots.", "The first one places the cartridges in a fixture on a revolving table.", "As the table turns, it serves up the cartridges to the next robots in the assembly line.", "In quick succession, these robots snap a total of five blades into the cartridges.", "By now, the holes used to move the blades through the assembly process have been trimmed off.", "And it's a perfect fit.", "They now place back casings in front of the cartridges and install pieces of metal on the parts.", "The metal pieces are sacrificial anodes.", "Their sole purpose is to be sacrificed to corrosive forces to save the blades.", "After that, robots flip the back casings then transfer them to the cartridge blades and click them into place.", "The cartridge blades are now fully assembled.", "The robotic system takes them into a station with more quality control cameras.", "If no problems are found, the blades move into another mechanized system.", "This one installs a temporary plastic cover to protect the consumer and keep the blades sharp until it's time for a shave.", "Robotic arms pick up the clear plastic protectors two at a time and place them in slots in the assembly machine.", "They then snap the cartridge blades into the plastic covers.", "With the protectors in place, the robots send the cartridge blades down a chute and into a bin.", "They're now ready for retail and the business of personal grooming.", "Many schools today require all food on the premises to be allergy-free because so many children have life-threatening to peanuts, tree nuts or dairy products.", "Often, these allergies are so severe that just touching or inhaling the allergen can cause a potentially deadly reaction.", "These kid-sized chocolate chip banana loaves contain no peanuts, tree nuts or dairy products.", "Nothing else this company makes contains them either to eliminate any possibility of cross-contamination.", "As a further precaution, all the ingredients come from suppliers whose facilities are also entirely peanut, tree nut and dairy-free.", "To make the batter, workers first combine water, canola oil and sugar.", "Then they add pureed banana and mix until the ingredients are well blended.", "They add wheat flour, then sea salt, baking soda and preservatives such as citric acid, routinely used in packaged foods, to prevent the growth of bacteria and mold.", "The final ingredients are eggs and chocolate chips, not milk chocolate because these snacks are dairy-free.", "Instead, chocolate chips are custom-made for this bakery by a producer of certified kosher pareve foods, meaning the products contain neither meat nor dairy ingredients.", "A pump moves the finished batter from the mixing bowl to a large hopper that feeds the automated production line.", "At the start of that line, more than 620 loaf baking pans pass under spray nozzles, which lightly grease them with canola oil.", "This prevents the baked loaves from sticking to the pan.", "Then the pans enter the depositor, which drops 1.5 ounces of batter into each loaf cavity.", "This one batch of batter produces 6,666 loaves.", "The filled pans enter a multilevel vertical oven in which they zigzag up and down 13 baking zones of varying temperatures.", "After 27 minutes, the loaves are fully baked.", "However, they can't be packaged yet because they're piping hot.", "So the next station on the line is a multilevel vertical cooling chamber.", "Its fans draw out the hot air while blowers introduce filtered cold air.", "When the pans exit the cooling chamber about 25 minutes later, the loaves are just slightly warm.", "A robot now descends on two pans at a time.", "It jabs the loaves with needles to lift them out then withdraws the needles to drop them on a conveyer belt that's ventilated to help the loaves finish cooling.", "This belt transfers them to a narrower one that leads to the packaging area.", "There, workers line up the loaves in single file on a track that leads to the wrapping machine.", "Each loaf is roughly 3 1/2 by 2 inches and 1 1/2 inches high.", "Even though each one started out as 1 1/2 ounces of batter, some moisture evaporated during baking, reducing the final loaf weight to 1.4 ounces.", "Under the watchful eye of a sensor, the loaves enter the wrapping machine where printed transparent film envelops them.", "The two edges of the film overlap slightly underneath the loaves.", "The machine seals the edges with a combination of heat and pressure.", "Then it simultaneously seals and cuts the film in between the loaves.", "Each chocolate chip banana loaf is now individually wrapped.", "Workers pack the snacks into the retail packaging.", "The box moves into a glue machine, which seals the flaps.", "The bakery conducts several quality control checks throughout production, for example, testing the viscosity and ph level of the batter.", "It also tests the finished product.", "Once per hour, they cut up a loaf and place the pieces in a moisture analyzer.", "The correct moisture level ensures that the loaf has a proper cake texture and isn't dry because as much as this snack needs to be safe for kids with allergies, it also has to taste great.", "Vending machines are a common sight in public places.", "The first modern vending machines in 1880s england didn't sell food at all.", "They dispensed postcards.", "Nowadays, automated vending has come full circle with machines selling not just food but electronics and other consumer goods.", "Thirsty?", "Just select a drink.", "Enter its number on the keypad.", "The led monitor displays what you've chosen and how much it costs.", "Then insert the money.", "The monitor shows your credit, how much you've paid.", "The credit resets to zero when the machine releases your drink and returns any change you're due.", "The vending machine has a welded steel body onto which workers assemble the other components such as the see -through refrigerator and an lcd monitor to display advertising.", "Workers assemble the machine's payment and display system, starting with the machine's control board.", "They install the led monitor and the keypad, which are integrated into a single unit.", "After bolting the unit securely in its window in the housing, the workers screw the control board securely in place, then plug the led monitor and the keypad into the board.", "They install the coin acceptor.", "It can be set up to recognize up to 16 different types of coins.", "When a customer inserts money, the coin acceptor transmits the value to the control board, which displays the amount on the led monitor, calculates it into the purchase of the item and directs the coin acceptor to dispense any required change.", "Next, workers install the bank note acceptor.", "It identifies the denomination of an inserted bill with an optical scanner and, to make sure the currency is genuine, measures fluorescent ink with uv light and reads magnetic ink printing with a magnetic scanner.", "It sends the value of the bill to the control board.", "They plug the data transfer cables from the money acceptors into the control board along with a cable for the controllers that operate the machine's product release motors and the data transfer cables coming from the two coin hoppers, which collect the inserted coins and dispense change.", "Then they close up the machine with cover panels.", "A worker constructs the product feed trays that go into the vending machine's refrigerator.", "The first step is to attach partitions to a back panel to form columns.", "Each column's width is set to the dimensions, weight and type of packaging of the product it will dispense, from small featherlight bags of chips to heavy glass beverage bottles.", "A feed tray can have up to six columns.", "The trays are constructed entirely of stainless steel because it withstands refrigeration temperature and doesn't rust when exposed to moisture.", "Workers install a motor at the back of each column.", "Once the tray's installed in the fridge, those motors plug into the control board.", "When the customer pays for the selected product, the board activates the motor for the corresponding column to release the product.", "Side-by-side columns designed to be stocked with the same product have linked motors.", "That way, if one column sells out, the linked one with more of the same product kicks in.", "Each motor moves the product with a steel drive spring.", "There are seven different sizes of springs.", "Workers install the size that has the correct spacing between the rolls that corresponds to the dimensions of the product being dispensed from that column.", "Once the customer pays for the selection, the motor rotates the spring 360 degrees to release the product and move the one behind it to the front of the line.", "Once all the product feed trays are installed, workers adjust the refrigerator thermostat and stock the products.", "Then they test the machine.", "First, they purchase a product with paper currency.", "They make sure the bills feed smoothly, that the bank note acceptor sends the right data to the control board, that the board calculates the transaction accurately and activates the correct motor.", "They run the same test with the coin acceptor to make sure its sensors correctly detect the coin, dimension, weight and chemical composition and transmit accurate information to the control board, all this to ensure the vending machine customers get exactly what they paid for.", "Dive computers help divers safely return from the deep.", "These wrist computers keep tabs on the time and depth of the dive.", "And they calculate a safe ascent.", "The journey back to the surface must often be done in stages, or the diver could fall victim to decompression sickness.", "A dive computer is something someone wears when they're ready to take the plunge.", "Strapped to the wrist like a watch, it provides critical safety data during the dive.", "They start with panels of four printed circuit boards.", "A technician confirms that the tracks and pads are correctly located.", "A conveyor then takes one of the panels into a machine that precisely positions a metal mesh stencil over it.", "An automated squeegee spreads solder paste onto the circuit boards through the open areas of the stencil.", "The solder paste will act as glue for over 100 tiny electrical components.", "Next, the circuit boards receive those electrical components.", "A robot peels them off plastic strips and places them on the soldered areas at an impressive rate of 13,000 pieces per hour.", "The parts include microprocessors, sensors and memory chips.", "Then the circuit boards head into an oven with several different heating and cooling zones.", "As they travel through these zones, the soldering particles melt to bond the components to the circuit boards.", "Passing through the cooling zones, the solder hardens.", "And this solidifies the bonds.", "The circuit boards have now received all of the necessary parts.", "A technician places the panel of circuit boards in an automated optical inspection machine.", "Here, a camera takes a picture of the panel and sends it to a computer.", "The computer scans the circuit boards for missing components, positioning errors and soldering defects.", "If there are no flaws, the panels move on to a programming station.", "Here, a technician positions them under probes.", "The probes descend and load software into the microprocessors.", "This brings them to life and enables them to control all of the board's functions.", "Another technician trims and cuts the panels using circular saws.", "She then punches out the four round circuit boards and transfers them to a tray that has an electrically conductive surface.", "The surface protects the boards from mechanical and electrical shocks until they're ready to be assembled into the dive computer module.", "Now the fabrication of that module begins.", "The technician places a buzzer mechanism behind a backlight.", "She transfers the two of them to the reverse side of a display screen.", "She places a plastic framework on top.", "And she inserts rubber connectors in it.", "These little rubber parts will make the connection between the circuit board and the digital display.", "The next assembler inserts the circuit board into the digital display unit.", "She installs a temporary battery and checks the digital monitor to confirm that it's functional.", "Satisfied that it's in good working order, she sets it aside temporarily.", "In the next stage of production, the worker removes any dust particles from the screen using blasts of compressed air.", "She snaps the dive computer module into a tough plastic case that's designed to withstand a lot of water pressure.", "She cleans a glass face plate and places it over the digital screen.", "This face plate will protect the screen from water.", "The next part is a metal bezel.", "It surrounds the face plate and will be used to secure it to the casing.", "She flips the assembly around and screws the bezel to the case from the back.", "She inserts the computer battery into a titanium back plate.", "She then installs the battery assembly in the back of the module and secures it with screws.", "This completes the dive computer module.", "All that's left is to attach the wrist strap, and this dive computer is ready to probe underwater and provide critical safety information." ]

{ "things": [ "Wooden Utensils", "Transport Refrigeration Units", "Moccasins", "Electronic Impact Drills" ] }

[ "Wooden utensils may date back to prehistoric times, yet today, they're a popular cutlery option for the modern dinner table.", "Typically a high-end product, handcrafted by artisans, wooden forks, knives, and spoons appeal to people who are drawn to the organic beauty and warmth of wood.", "Traditional in material but modern in design, each of these wooden utensils is meticulously handcrafted from a single piece of maple.", "Maple is dense, so it doesn't develop cracks which can harbor bacteria.", "It takes up to 28 steps to make a utensil.", "First, a worker planes a maple plank to a specific thickness.", "Then, they cut it into blocks the length of the utensil-- in this case, a fork.", "The worker places each block on a curved template and traces the curve, which matches the arc of the fork's handle.", "With a band saw, they cut along the trace line.", "The center of the curve runs parallel to the grain of the wood.", "This makes the handle and tines of the fork stronger than if the curve would run perpendicular to the grain.", "They clamp the block to another template and profile the curve on a machine called a wood molder.", "Then, with a band saw, following the curve, the worker cuts the block into strips 1/4 of an inch thick.", "The curve is quite pronounced to give the fork an elegant line.", "They clamp up to ten strips at a time onto this woodworking machine.", "Then, they start her up.", "Routers descend, and guided by computer software, simultaneously carve the strips into forks.", "After seven minutes, each curved strip, while nowhere near the finished shape, does have a defined handle and four tines.", "A strong squeeze snaps off the excess wood.", "Only small nubs of excess wood remain, which a worker now removes by running the fork against a sanding belt.", "From this point on comes finer detail work that can be done only by hand.", "Starting on a balloon sander, a worker adds or releases air-- adjusting the inflation pressure-- to produce a soft surface against which to sand a curved utensil and a hard surface against which to sand a flat one.", "Once they've refined the back of the fork, a worker manually sands the area that motorized sanders can't reach-- first beveling the tines to sharp points...", "Then sanding in between the tines.", "It's important to keep the tines thick so they won't wear out with use.", "Next, the worker sands the entire fork with a fine-grit sandpaper to remove any faint ridges left by the balloon sander.", "They finish with an ultra-fine sanding to make the fork feel silky smooth.", "Now that the fork has its final shape, the worker stamps the company's logo into each handle.", "To ensure the top of the fork remains smooth, they soak it in hot water.", "This draws up the wood's short fibers so they can then be sanded down.", "The final step is an intricate, hand-applied finishing process-- three coats of a proprietary mixture of food-safe plant oils, waxes, and lemon.", "Lemon works like a solvent, diluting the mixture, so that it penetrates deep into the pores of the wood.", "After the last coat dries, a worker manually polishes the surface with an ultra-fine abrasive pad, sweeps off any dust, then lets the finish cure for 28 days.", "The finish brings out the grain and color of the wood.", "It also protects against food stains, abrasion, and moisture over the lifetime of the utensil.", "Wooden cutlery doesn't just look different, it sounds different-- no ting of metal utensils on dishes as you eat.", "When dining a la wood, the only thing you'll hear is conversation.", "The invention of transport refrigeration units in the 1940s changed our food-consumption patterns forever.", "Suddenly, florida oranges were available in snowy regions and frozen food could be delivered far and wide.", "Previously, ice had been used to preserve perishables so the trucks couldn't go far.", "Transport refrigeration units are designed for the long haul.", "When trucks are parked, they can be plugged into an electrical outlet to keep the cargo cool.", "Production starts with this computerized punch cutter.", "It cuts holes and slots in steel panels that will be used for the housing of the compressor and condenser.", "A worker then serves up the panels to a bending machine.", "It folds them so they can be assembled to each other to form the refrigeration unit's housing.", "An automated machine bends copper pipe to form it into tubing for refrigerant.", "Each bend changes the direction of the pipe.", "It's an alternative to using fittings for this job.", "It means fewer seams, reducing the risk of leaks.", "A worker then joins the pipe to create the evaporator coil in which liquid refrigerant is converted to gas to draw heat from the area to be cooled.", "Once the evaporator coil is complete and he's installed additional copper pipes for defrosting, a worker assembles it to the housing.", "The fan panel completes the evaporator.", "During operation, it will blow cool air into the truck trailer.", "The unit can be set to refrigerate or freeze, depending on the trailer contents.", "A technician puts together the unit that goes on the outside of the truck.", "It compresses and then condenses the refrigerant during the cooling cycle.", "She secures the compressor and the copper pipes to the steel housing.", "She places a motor in the housing beside the compressor.", "Using a rubber belt, the technician links the motor pulley to the compressor pulley.", "She completes the connections for the inlet and outlet pipes.", "The condenser is next.", "It transforms refrigerant vapor back to liquid.", "Using more copper pipe, the technician links the condenser to the compressor.", "She connects a pipe to a little steel vessel that will hold liquid refrigerant not in circulation.", "The technician installs a filter unit on the outside wall and links the refrigerant pipe network to it.", "The mesh filter inside will catch dirt in the refrigerant gas and will trap any lingering humidity.", "Back to the compressor now, the technician installs a second motor.", "This one will keep the refrigeration system working even when the truck is shut off.", "All the trucker will need to do is plug the power cable into an electrical outlet.", "She attaches a pressure sensor to the pipe.", "The technician melts metal filler into the joint where the discharge pipe links to the condenser.", "This seals the connection.", "The electronics for the control panel are next.", "The technician screws the metal board that holds them to the housing.", "Then, she makes all the electrical connections.", "Now, a safety test.", "Another technician connects the compressor and condenser unit to a vacuum and activates it.", "It suctions out air in the system.", "He then injects nitrogen gas and traces of refrigerant.", "If the gas escapes, it will indicate a leak in the system.", "To find escaping gas, he uses a special leak detector.", "It sucks in tiny amounts of air and analyzes it for the refrigerant.", "This enables him to pinpoint exactly where any problem might be.", "Another technician powers up the unit and confirms that the control panel is working and that the compressor motors are fully operational.", "They fill the system with nitrogen gas.", "It's a temporary measure to protect it from oxidation during shipping.", "The on-site installer will replace the nitrogen with refrigerant.", "It has taken approximately an hour to manufacture this transport refrigeration unit.", "When it comes to keeping food chilled or frozen, it should deliver for many years to come.", "The indigenous people of north america invented moccasins to protect their feet from harsh weather conditions and to provide spiritual protection in the form of symbols stitched into the leather to evoke sacred places and things.", "The idea was to protect both the soles of the feet and the soul.", "Today, moccasins are mass-produced.", "Factories make their own versions of this traditional footwear.", "This one generates up to 100 pairs of moccasin slippers a day.", "Production starts with rabbit-fur pelts that are a by-product of the european rabbit-meat industry.", "The furrier places a plastic template over the pelt.", "He draws lines through the slats of the template.", "This outlines stripes to be used to trim the moccasins.", "Using a razor blade, he cuts out the fur strips and sets them aside.", "One pelt will provide enough trim for two pairs of moccasins.", "Using dies made of sharp steel, the furrier cuts out the suede leather parts.", "A hydraulic press, as known as a clicker, drives the dies through through the leather to punch out the pieces.", "The largest one will be used for the bottom and sides of the moccasins.", "It's called the foot.", "The other parts are a sole to reinforce the bottom and the vamp, which is the upper part of the slipper.", "Next, the furrier cuts out pieces of thick polyester fleece which will be used to create plush liners.", "He arranges the moccasin components in the correct sequence for sewing.", "This is called a layout, and it helps the sewing process go faster.", "The furrier presses an adhesive-back size label to the bottom of the foot part.", "The sewing machine operator stitches the sole of the foot through to its fleece liner.", "She also sews the label to the leather to fasten it more securely.", "She folds the back sides up, inside-out, and sews them together to form the heel of the moccasin.", "The worker trims the fleece that protrudes from the seam.", "She then folds the heel right side out.", "Now that the foot and sole have been joined and the heel formed, the worker turns her attention to the vamp.", "She sews beaded designs into this moccasins' upper.", "These geometric designs are a nod to the past, but their purpose is purely ornamental, not spiritual.", "After lining the beaded vamp with fleece, the worker stitches a leather strip around the edges, creating a border known as a welt.", "The welt gives the vamp a more attractive finish.", "To sew the vamp to the rest of the moccasin, she uses a special sewing machine.", "It pleats the top of the foot to fit the vamp as it stitches.", "The moccasins are now structurally complete, and they're ready for the fur trim.", "The worker stitches the rabbit-fur strips together to create one long strip that will fit to the moccasin.", "The length of the strip will vary depending on the size of the moccasin.", "She makes an initial chain stitch and then doubles back to lock the stitch down, in order to prevent it from unraveling.", "She aligns the fur trim with the collar of the moccasin and sews it to it.", "After stitching, the worker leaves the fur tucked down into the moccasin.", "This makes it easier to apply glue around the top of the moccasin, so that when the fur is folded up and over it, it stays in place.", "With that, this modern-day version of traditional indigenous footwear is ready for its first steps.", "An impact drill is a power tool that's tough enough to bore through hard materials, such as brick, stone, and concrete.", "It can also drive screws into softer materials like wood.", "An electronic impact drill has the added feature of a switch that amps up the drill speed if the job requires it.", "An impact drill is comprised of the drive unit, the back part with the electric motor, and the gear unit-- the front part containing the motor-rotated spindle that turns the drill bit.", "To make the housing for the gear unit, the factory furnace melts down solid aluminum.", "Then, an automated casting machine injects it at high pressure into a mold with six housing-shaped cavities.", "Once the machine cools the mold to re-solidify the aluminum, a robot removes the hot housings and submerges them in water to cool them.", "The robot then places the housings in an automated stamping press, which cuts off the connecting metal, separating the housings.", "A computer-guided milling machine finalizes the shape of each housing and forms a collar for attaching a second handle that provides extra control when drilling through hard materials.", "Elsewhere in the factory, a computer-guided turning lathe shapes a solid steel bar into the drill spindle.", "Back to the gear housing now, a worker positions it next to a spindle assembly fixture.", "She lines up a grooved wheel, called a ratchet wheel, over the housing and inserts another one into the spindle fixture.", "Then, she puts the spindle through this second ratchet wheel and inserts the first ratchet wheel into the housing with a press.", "The worker inserts the spindle with its wheel into the housing.", "This makes the two ratchet wheels, so that they'll move up and down against each other when the spindle rotates.", "After installing a seal and retaining clip, she completes the gear unit by installing the gears that rotate the spindle.", "An automated injection-molding machine, meanwhile, produces the plastic housing for the electric motor.", "The machine makes two housings at a time.", "The motor is made up of a stationary component called a stator and a rotating component called a rotor.", "A worker inserts the stator into the housing, pushes it down into position with a press, then secures it with screws.", "He mounts the electronic unit that lets you regulate the speed of the spindle.", "After installing a flange, the worker inserts the rotor and presses it into position.", "The rotor has a fan attached to cool the running motor.", "He connects the electronic unit to the motor.", "Now, everything comes together.", "Using an assembly guide, a worker positions half of the drill's plastic handle then wires the motor to the switch that's connected to the electronic unit.", "Moving the switch increases or decreases the drilling speed.", "Next, she takes the drill's power cable, applies a device that prevents the cable from kinking, then screws the cable to the switch.", "The worker closes it all up by affixing the other half of the plastic handle.", "This completes the assembly of the back part of the impact drill known as the drive unit.", "A worker places the gear unit onto the drive unit.", "An automated machine screws them together.", "Every impact drill this factory produces undergoes performance testing and a critical safety test.", "If the tool passes inspection, the spindle gets awarded its chuck.", "The chuck is the component that holds the drill bit.", "A computer-guided laser engraver marks the model number and all the technical data on the motor housing.", "Then, workers pack the electronic impact drill along with a second handle and accessories into a sturdy plastic carrying case.", "With this tool in your kit, you've got license to drill." ]

{ "things": [ "Underwater Robots", "Lasagne", "Band Saws", "Ski & Trekking Poles" ] }

[ "Robots perform many underwater tasks, which are impossible or too risky for divers to carry out, like collecting samples from the ocean floor for scientific research, exploring shipwrecks, inspecting underwater pipelines, searching for planted explosives, or recovering bodies.", "This particular underwater robot is designed to find unconscious drowning victims.", "Recent incidents have shown that a person recovered within 90 minutes can survive without brain damage when rescuers follow a specific resuscitation protocol.", "The robot uses a protruding, interlocking jaw to grab the victim by a limb and haul him or her to the surface.", "Its onboard camera gives operators at the surface an underwater view.", "When the water's too murky to see anything, video-enhancing technology and imaging sonar detect the outline of objects.", "Several thrusters propel the robot through the water.", "For each one, technicians grease, then position a pair of o-rings onto end caps that they install on each end of the thruster housing.", "The o-rings seal the end caps, keeping water out of the motor located inside the housing.", "The motor shaft protrudes through propeller the end cap.", "A mechanical bale secures both thruster end caps to the housing.", "They fill the thruster with oil.", "This prevents the thruster from imploding under pressure as the robot descends deeper and deeper.", "After filling, they draw a vacuum to remove any air bubbles and draw the oil into every nook and cranny.", "Then then install a reservoir, which they also fill with oil.", "When the underwater pressure builds, this backup oil supply fills any remaining miniscule air gap the vacuum might have missed.", "They close the reservoir with a sealing screw to prevent any oil from leaking out.", "Now they turn their attention to the thruster's main component, a two-blade propeller made of durable nylon.", "It goes on the back end of the thrusters.", "They install the camera chassis onto the robot.", "This chassis also carries the majority of the robot's electronics, such as the computer, communications equipment, and lighting.", "Here they're hooking up the belt for the tiny motor, which tilts the camera to look up and down.", "They cover the camera chassis with a transparent, acrylic dome called the viewing port.", "A cap with an o-ring seal keeps water out.", "They install the robot's power supply at the opposite end of the robot, then encase it in a metal tube, sealed on both sides with an end cap and an o-ring.", "For the thrusters to work at maximum efficiency, the robot must be neutrally buoyant, meaning neither too light nor too heavy.", "So once the robot is fitted with all its thrusters and electronics, technicians install the main float.", "Certain models have additional floats.", "They cap each propeller with a vented cover called a kort nozzle.", "This isolates the water flow, maximizing the propeller's efficiency.", "These bumper frames act like bumpers on a car.", "They absorb the force of impact, protecting the robot from damage when it encounters underwater objects.", "The bumper frames also serve as a structure to attach lights and other components, as well as specialized tools, such as that quick-release jaw, which grabs the victim by a limb.", "They install the jaw at an angle so that it doesn't block the camera's view.", "Now the sonar unit.", "It also mounts to the bumper frames.", "The sonar projects a 130-degree left-to-right 3-d image onto a monitor at the surface, showing the outline of objects around the robot.", "Finally, at the top, they install a strobe light-- a flashing beacon that tells rescuers on the surface exactly where the robot is.", "Every underwater robot goes out for a test drive.", "They submerge it in a tank, which is essentially an aquarium inhabited by fish of the stick-on variety.", "These inanimate creatures adhere to the glass, provide colorful images on which testers can focus and unfocus the camera.", "From there on in, the first mission in open water awaits.", "There are many ways to make lasagna, but no matter how it stacks up, people seem to never get enough of this classic italian dish.", "Popular in italy for centuries, its appeals transcends boundaries and cultures.", "Who anywhere can resist all those layers of flavor?", "Ruffled, flat noodles define lasagna.", "They give it structure.", "In between the layers, the possibilities are endless.", "Ingredients vary, depending on the recipe.", "For a veggie lasagna, things start off with sautéed onions, seasoned with pepper and salt.", "They add pureed tomatoes to the pungent mix.", "Blades stir the ingredients as they simmer in this steam-heated mixer, and in no time, they have a full-body tomato sauce.", "They pump the tomato sauce into lasagna tubs.", "This saucy base is the first layer of flavor, but it also serves a practical purpose, preventing the noodles from sticking to the bottom of the tray during baking.", "Workers arrange the broad and crinkled lasagna noodles over the sauce.", "These noodles have been made from a blend of whole grain and semolina flours for a texture that's firm, yet tender.", "Now for the filling ingredients.", "This factory lasagna will be made of roasted, organic vegetables.", "They include chunks of broccoli and uniformly mixed peppers, onions, carrots, zucchini, and mushrooms.", "They load the sliced and diced veggies into the next steam-heated mixer.", "The blades swing into action to stir the ingredients as they brown in oil.", "This causes the natural sugars to break down and the vegetables to become sweeter.", "Creamy mozzarella cheese will offset the sugary taste of the veggies.", "They add the caramelized veggies, the shredded mozzarella, and more pasta noodles, building the layers of flavor.", "And there's a lot more to come.", "Over in another steam-heated mixer, a combination of milk, oil, and rice flour is on a low boil.", "Paddles distribute the ingredients, and the sauce begins to thicken.", "Shredded monterey jack and parmesan cheeses will enhance the creaminess and add another dimension of flavor.", "Next, a serious dash of nutmeg and another one of salt spices it up.", "And after more stirring action, the white sauce is velvety smooth and substantially thicker.", "Meanwhile, a worker shovels crust into a grinder.", "The crusts are broken pieces from a pizza production line, and they have been dried to a specific consistency, so they should grind up nicely.", "A spiraling blade turns the crusts into uniform crumbs-- a classic lasagna topping-- adding a bit of crunch to the recipe.", "With these final ingredients, they're ready to pile it on thick.", "As the layering process continues, this meal really comes together.", "The cream sauce and bread crumbs are the finishing touches.", "With numerous sous chefs involved, things happen a whole lot faster here than on the home front.", "They assemble 48 single-serving lasagna dishes per minute at this factory...", "Then place them on trays and transfer them to a specialized freezer.", "This is a blast freezer, which is also known as a shock freezer.", "It brings down the temperature of foods very rapidly, preserving the flavor.", "On the next shift, they remove the lasagnas from the freezer.", "It's time to wrap up this meal.", "The lasagnas ride a conveyer through a curtain of cellophane.", "An automated system heat-seals the wrap around the trays.", "Things move swiftly to prevent thawing.", "They package 75 lasagnas per minute on this line, and then it's back in the freezer to await shipping.", "Once something only mama made, now workers and machines team up to mass-produce this traditional comfort food.", "So at mealtime, one only has to pop the frozen lasagna in the oven, and then mangia.", "From the home workshop to the factory floor, the band saw is one of the most popular power tools around.", "It's called a band saw because the blade is a metal band with teeth that moves continuously in a loop around two or three rotating wheels.", "It can make straight, curved, and angled cuts.", "This is an industrial band saw, designed to cut wood, aluminum, and composite materials, such as plexiglass.", "It can cut pieces up to 12 inches thick and can divide a board up to 40 inches wide into two equal sections.", "The tabletop tilts to a maximum 45 degrees for angled cuts.", "It's made of sturdy cast iron.", "The band-saw manufacturer purchases it from a nearby foundry, then uses a rotary grinder to make the surface, as we can see on the right, smooth and shiny.", "One of the saw's key components is this lower bearing case.", "It links the motor to the lower of two cast-iron wheels, which turn the saw blade.", "Workers will later mount that lower wheel on one end of the bearing case shaft.", "Now, on the opposite end of the shaft, they mount the drive pulley.", "The motor will rotate the drive pulley, turning the shaft and consequently the lower wheel on the opposite end, which moves the saw blade looped around the lower and upper wheels.", "Those cast-iron wheels, meanwhile, need a rubber edge to ensure the blade moves smoothly and without slipping.", "Workers position a guide over the first wheel, then slip a rubber band onto the guide.", "Next, they coat both the edge of the wheel and the rubber band on the guide with contact cement adhesive.", "Then they carefully pull the rubber band off the guide, flip it over, and press the glued side against the glued surface of the wheel.", "The first wheel now has a rubberized edge.", "They repeat the same procedures for the second wheel.", "In the meantime, another department has welded the band saw's steel steal cabinet.", "After the cabinet gets a paint job, workers begin installing the various components, among them the support assembly for the upper wheel.", "Behind the wall on which they mount the upper wheel, down at the bottom and protruding forward through the hole in the wall, they install the support for the lower wheel.", "This support is the shaft of the lower bearing case, the side opposite the drive pulley.", "After mounting the lower wheel, they move behind the wall, install an electric motor right below the lower bearing case, and link the two with a pair of belts.", "So now when the motor runs, the pulley rotates, and the lower wheel turns.", "Next, they bolt in the tabletop.", "It tilts on trunnions-- pairs of mating, cast-iron supports-- one attached to the table's underside, the other to the cabinet's table frame.", "Now for the most critical part of the assembly process.", "Workers use this jig as a precision guide to align the wheels.", "The wheels must be perfectly balanced to keep the saw blades stable while it's cutting.", "Once the alignment's complete, workers remove the jig and loop the steel saw blade around the two wheels.", "They adjust the blade to the correct tautness by simply setting the tension gauge to the width of the blade.", "And finally, the last step.", "Above the tabletop, they mount bearings which guide the blade.", "Without these, the blade would wobble or drift offline due to the force of cutting through the wood or other hard material.", "Now just a final check to ensure everything runs smoothly and make absolutely sure this band saw is up to speed when it comes to cutting construction materials.", "Whether skiing down a snowy slope or hiking up a rocky one, pointed metal poles can provide much needed support.", "They add balance and rhythm to both experiences.", "Aluminum poles were first developed for skiing.", "In recent years, the concept has been modified for trekking poles.", "Ski poles and trekking poles look alike, but there are important differences.", "Ski poles are one set length, while trekking poles can be extended as needed.", "Ski poles begin with hollow shafts made of aircraft-grade aluminum.", "They bake them for up to 12 hours to stiffen the metal.", "Next, the poles travel between rollers, which apply pressure to straighten them.", "The stiffening of the metal beforehand is key here.", "It ensures that the aluminum doesn't snap during this critical straightening.", "They insert one end of the ski-pole shaft into a device that squeezes it down to precisely tapered dimensions.", "It's a shape that will better resist breakage and will also make the pole easier to swing.", "An automated cutting tool spirals into the shaft to even the jagged edge.", "Another cutter spins around the outside of the wider end of the pole to trim it.", "Next, a machine punches a little hole in that wider end.", "The hole will serve as a guide during the stenciling of the trade name and artwork onto the exterior.", "With the ski poles tapered and trimmed, they head into an inspection station.", "A supervisor scrutinizes each one.", "Once he gives them the thumbs up, they're ready for sanding.", "The ski poles spin between two sanding belts to remove dusty residue and rough up the surface so that the paint will adhere.", "The poles now twirl on an overhead rail as a spray gun applies the paint.", "An automated tool then squeegees paint through stencils to transfer designs and lettering onto the poles.", "Each pass of the squeegee-like tool applies a different color, and this layering effect builds up the designs.", "The poles now head towards an acid bath.", "An electrical current ripples through the acid solution.", "This causes the poles to oxidize for a scratch-resistant finish called anodizing.", "Meanwhile, on the trekking poles' production line, machinery inserts long-wired, bristled brushes into the various shaft.", "This roughs up the inner surface.", "It's a step that will enable an expander device to grip it to extend the poles.", "Next, a spray gun coats some unfinished poles with clear lacquer.", "The owner of the factory now surveys a lineup of ski poles.", "He's on the lookout for smudges or other flaws.", "They meet his approval, and so it's on to the next step.", "A carriage moves each ski pole forward towards a carbide tip and presses the tip into the tapered end.", "With this tough tip in place, the ski pole is now equipped to pierce any hard snow pack.", "Next, a worker slides rubber grips onto the handle end of the poles.", "Like a big automated fist, a hydraulic mechanism shoves the grip more tightly onto the pole.", "There are many different kinds of grips, each with a different look and feel depending on the type of pole being made.", "Some ski-pole grips even have clips for attaching gloves.", "Trekking-pole shafts now roll down the production line.", "An automated arm slides plastic sleeves with carbide points onto the lower shaft section.", "A spinning tool drives part of an expander mechanism into the trekking pole's middle shaft.", "This expander will allow the pole to be lengthened or shortened to the user's preference.", "Machinery then inserts the other part of the expander mechanism into the lower shaft.", "Finally, a worker assembles the parts, sliding one section of the expander mechanism on the other.", "Finally, she sharpens the tips.", "And these poles are now ready for action." ]

{ "things": [ "Hollow Disk Pumps", "Palm Sugar", "Yachts" ] }

[ "Today on \"how it's made\"...", "And...", "Many industries require pumping a wide variety of liquids.", "And there are many different kinds of pumps that can do that.", "One type, the hollow rotary disk pump, uses a rotating disk to create sufficient suction to move thin or thick liquids in a forward or reverse direction.", "When the pump in the blue runs, a hollow disk inside it oscillates.", "This creates suction, drawing liquid into one side of the pump and pushing it out the other.", "Some of the pump components are cast in sand molds like this one for casting the first part of the pump's two-part body.", "The molten iron takes a few hours to cool and solidify inside the mold cavity.", "Then, a vibrating machine breaks the sand mold to release the cast part.", "A computer-guided milling machine then finishes the shape.", "The cut-off pieces of iron go back into the furnace to be melted down for subsequent castings.", "After it's cast, the second part of the pump's body is machined to its final shape on a computer-guided lathe.", "The pump's hollow disk, which the lathe machines from a bar of steel, requires a complex cut that only this electric disk charge machine can perform.", "Its cutting tool is a gold wire charged with a high-voltage current conducted by water.", "Guided by a computer, the wire erodes the metal in its path, cutting a teardrop-shaped opening in the disk.", "A laser printer engraves a part number and a batch number on the finished disk.", "To assemble the pump, a worker begins with the first part of the two-part body.", "The worker applies glue to the shaft sleeve and inserts it into a channel from the front.", "Next, they insert a lantern ring into the same channel from the back.", "The worker places a bearing on top of the lantern ring.", "Then, from the other side, they insert one more bearing.", "The worker inserts the pump shaft through all the bearings in the channel.", "The bearings minimize friction, enabling the shaft to rotate smoothly.", "Along with this retaining clip, the bearings also prevent the shaft from moving up and down or shifting side by side with the pump's movement.", "Workers take the second part of the pump's body and glue a bronze plate, called a diaphragm, into a groove at the top.", "Then they join the two parts of the body, placing a gasket in between to prevent leaks.", "The gasket is made of special gasket paper like the type used in car engine piping.", "The workers fasten the two parts of the body with 10 massive bolts and install a heavy-duty steel spring in a groove in the shaft.", "A steel cap keeps the spring firmly in position.", "The worker compresses the spring with a tool and inserts a bronze stem bushing.", "This spring loading is critical because it enables the disk to adapt to thin or thick liquids without clogging or getting damaged.", "Now, they mount the hollow disk onto the bushing and bolt on the front cover.", "When the motor turns the pump's shaft, the hollow disk oscillates around the diaphragm, which acts as a barrier, separating the suction side of the pump from the discharge side.", "This plate covers where the customer will later install a safety valve.", "The oscillating hollow disk produces suction, which pulls liquid through the inlet port, then out the opposite side, through the outlet port.", "Workers mask the inlet and outlet ports before spray-painting the pump.", "Next, the worker installs a metal coupling joint, which is comprised of several parts, including rubber members, which make the joint flexible enough to withstand some vibration or slight misalignment of the connection between the pump and the gear reducer.", "The gear reducer acts as the middleman between the motor and the pump, lowering the motor speed of 1,800 revolutions per minute to the disk oscillation speed of approximately 300 revolutions per minute.", "Such slow rotation speed is critical, as it enables the pump to move even very thick fluids.", "The disk can also rotate in reverse so that liquid can be loaded or unloaded using the same pump.", "Palmyra palm sugar is derived from the palmyra palm tree and is considered a healthier form of sweetener than many others, just 41 on the glycemic index with only 1/10th ounce of fructose per 3 1/2 ounces.", "It's also one of the few plant-based sources of vitamin b12.", "Palmyra palm sugar doesn't come out of the palmyra palm tree looking like this.", "From harvesting to processing, there are many steps between the tree and the ultimate product.", "The tree produces the round fruit seen on the right and the cylindrical flower cluster on the left.", "A palm sugar harvester prepares specialized containers for harvesting the sap by threading twine through a hole near the rim.", "These tubes are made from bamboo.", "And in thailand, they're called...", "the harvester adds wood chips to the tubes.", "The wood chips come from the shorea tree, which is called...", "in thailand.", "The chips well help prevent the sap from fermenting.", "Some palmyra trees are more than 100 years old.", "Here, the harvester climbs a ladder that reaches up around 66 feet.", "At the top of the tree, the harvester uses a machete to cut the tip off the palmyra flowers.", "Safely on the ground, he demonstrates what he does up in the tree.", "He starts by binding together two of the cylindrical flowers and then carefully trimming off their tips.", "Where they've been cut, the flowers exude drops of sap, which will collect in the bamboo tubes.", "Up in the tree, the harvester secures the tubes in place.", "Having swapped empty tubes for full ones, he brings the sap he's collected to an outdoor stove.", "The harvester prepares a basket covered with several layers of gauze to filter the liquid.", "He then slowly and carefully pours the sap through the filters, into the wok below.", "The harvesting stage is complete.", "Production now begins.", "The filtered sap now boils away in the wok for approximately 45 minutes as it thickens into a sugar.", "The worker takes advantage of the hot oven fire to sterilize his bamboo tubes.", "He turns them upside-down, one by one, over small holes in the oven.", "The worker must harvest twice a day.", "If he doesn't, the cuts will heal over too much.", "And he'll be forced to wait for a specific period of time before making additional cuts in order to prevent damage to the tree.", "The boiling process thickens the sap.", "And the worker must stir it frequently to keep it from sticking.", "After roughly 30 minutes, the sap begins to turn white.", "The tubes are now thoroughly sterilized.", "And the worker can remove them and let them cool.", "The bubbling sap has now been reduced to a thick substance.", "The worker removes the pan from the heat source.", "It's ready for the next phase on its path to becoming sugar.", "Although it's often referred to as palm sugar, it's also known as jaggery.", "The worker now uses a custom-made whisking tool to thoroughly mix the jaggery.", "Shaped like a large spring, the whisk helps cool the sugar while mixing it.", "He continues mixing the jaggery until it thickens and cools to a paste-like consistency.", "At this point, the jaggery is too thick for the whisk.", "So the worker continues mixing it with a simple stick.", "Finally, the sugar cools and dries to a thick, flaky texture, ready to be packaged and shipped around the world.", "It has taken nearly a gallon of palmyra palm sap to create roughly 2 1/4 pounds of this highly nutritious alternative sweetener.", "The first yachts were simple, sturdy vessels used to take explorers on voyages of discovery.", "Today's yachts are floating vacation homes.", "Equipped with every convenience, the luxuries increase with the scale of the vessel.", "Modern yachts are the ultimate way to explore the coastline.", "If you can afford one of these, you're living the dream.", "This motor yacht offers all the comforts of home on the water.", "Making this mid-sized yacht starts with a mold for the hull.", "The team sprays a gel-coat paint onto the entire inner surface of the mold.", "This paint will transfer to the hull during molding.", "They layer fiberglass strips around a p.v.c foam core and create a series of distribution channels for resin.", "The crew now drapes an enormous sheet of clear plastic over the materials in the mold and seals the edges with tape.", "The crew leaves a lot of slack in the plastic to conform to the mold's deep recesses.", "A vacuum hose suctions out the air beneath the plastic.", "The crew then connects plastic tubing to the ports in the distribution channels.", "All this plastic tubing leads to one place-- the vacuum pump.", "The vacuum pulls resin through the network of tubing, into the ports and through the distribution channels.", "The resin saturates the fiberglass strips that surround the p.v.c. foam core.", "The vacuum sucks the layers into a tight sandwich and pulls out more air and excess resin.", "A worker pulls the plastic away from dry spots so the resin flows into these areas.", "The resin cures, and the fiberglass layers harden.", "The next day, the team removes the plastic sheet from the molded part.", "They pull off the resin distribution channels and the ports.", "A crane lifts the newly molded hull out of the mold.", "The gel coat has adhered to it, giving it a glossy finish.", "The crane transfers the hull to a wooden cradle.", "Next, they create the yacht's deck.", "The crew covers some areas of the mold in plastic to protect them from the first gel coat in a 2-toned paint job.", "After the first color goes on, they gel-coat the areas that had been covered in plastic.", "This two-toned paint job is done for aesthetic reasons.", "But it also color-codes the areas that have a nonskid texture.", "Like the hull, the crew makes the deck mainly from fiberglass.", "A worker cuts out the strips in different sizes.", "The fabrics have various thicknesses and weaves, all geared to the deck's structural requirements.", "He numbers the pieces to designate their placement in the mold.", "And the worker stacks them sequentially.", "After arranging some of the fiberglass strips in the mold, the crew builds up the deck in certain areas using pieces of balsa wood.", "Balsa wood is extremely lightweight.", "But it will add strength when laminated into the fiberglass sandwich.", "The strategic placement of the balsa wood in high-traffic areas creates a solid core that will hold up to heavy use.", "A worker lays more fiberglass strips, encapsulating the balsa wood.", "They'll laminate the layers with resin the way they did with the hull.", "The crew also makes the roof structure the same way.", "A boat builder applies putty to the fiberglass to even out any irregularities.", "And after grinding the hardened putty smooth, they spread polishing compound on all the yacht's body parts.", "The worker buffs the fiberglass until the glossy surface gleams even more.", "Using a router, the crew cuts out holes for lights, portholes and other features.", "An inspector taps the fiberglass to check for air voids that would compromise the yacht's structural integrity.", "He confirms that everything is shipshape.", "Production now moves to the yacht's interior.", "We'll have the inside information coming up.", "A motor yacht is a home away from home.", "It's usually equipped with a full kitchen, one or more bathrooms, and luxurious common areas called salons.", "Everything is designed to fit into the limited space below deck.", "The waters may get rough.", "But in the yacht's private quarters, the living is easy.", "With the bulkheads now in place, the hull is ready for furnishings and fittings.", "A computerized router cuts american cherry wood to a set of exact measurements.", "This particular piece will be part of a storage locker.", "At another station, a craftsman glues a dozen cherry strips together for a valence.", "These laminated strips will be easier to bend to the desired shape than a thick board.", "He wraps them in wax paper to prevent the glue from seeping out during bending.", "The team places the laminated strips between the two parts of a bending jig.", "They clamp the jig to close it tightly.", "The adhesive sets overnight.", "And the wood hardens to the curved shape of the bending jig.", "The woodworker now clamps the valence to the workbench to steady it as he trims the edges.", "He positions a template on the valence and follows it with a router to cut out a hole for an air-conditioning vent.", "Yes.", "The yacht will be equipped with air conditioning.", "The woodworker inserts the custom wooden vent in the hole.", "Turning now to the salon's coffee table, a router cuts holes in the cherry wood while bristles keep the dust down.", "A worker applies glue and inserts pieces of maple into the cutouts.", "He lightly hammers the pieces to drive them further into the holes.", "Then, it's into an automated sander.", "It sands the inlaid wood flush to the cherry tabletop.", "A crew now brushes varnish onto all the wood pieces.", "The varnish enhances the wood grain.", "And it protects the surface.", "After the varnish dries, another worker polishes the wood to a high sheen.", "A worker then screws pedestal hardware into the back of each table to prepare them for installation in the yacht.", "The hull has been equipped with the two diesel engines at the back.", "A worker now assembles the clothing locker in the guest stateroom.", "And in the master stateroom, construction on the en suite bathroom is underway.", "The worker screws the toilet in place and connects the water and waste hoses.", "They roughen a utility room for a washer and dryer at the back of the yacht, next to the mechanical systems.", "The crew situates the propellers in the molded niches in the bottom of the hull.", "And the technician connects them to swiveling mechanisms called pods.", "He hooks up a pump that will replace the lubricating oil when needed, so there'll be no need to pull it into port for oil changes.", "The technician installs intake systems that will suction lake or ocean water into the hull to cool the diesel engines.", "The other mechanics include the air-conditioning system, water heater and a generator.", "And now, the big moment.", "Using a crane, the crew lowers the yacht's deck and pilothouse onto the hull.", "This deck assembly weighs 3 tons.", "Looks like it's a good fit.", "Using crowbars, the team pulls the rim, also known as the flange of the deck, over the hull.", "They drill threaded holes through the fiberglass flange and the hull and screw bolts into those holes to connect the two.", "Special adhesive has been applied to these bolts to keep water from penetrating the vessel.", "Here's the view inside.", "The cherry paneling in the pilothouse seamlessly matches the paneling in the living quarters.", "The builders complete the furnishings, giving the cabin the look and feel of luxury.", "They install a high-end galley kitchen.", "And this yacht is complete.", "After 6 months of work, let the good times begin." ]

{ "things": [ "Lacrosse Sticks", "Frozen Fish Products", "Flashlights", "Paintbrushes" ] }

[ "Today on \"how it's made\"...", "Lacrosse sticks...", "Frozen fish products...", "Flashlights...", "And paintbrushes.", "Lacrosse is north america's oldest sport.", "It was back in the 1400s that native people got the ball rolling, playing with a distinctive netted stick.", "French missionaries decided the stick resembled the stafflike crosier, or cross, carried by bishops.", "And so the game became lacrosse.", "Lacrosse has never been more popular than it is today.", "To make a lacrosse stick, they split a hickory log down the middle.", "This tree was cut in the fall when the sap is out, so it's easier to work with.", "They continue subdividing the log into eight pieces.", "Each piece then goes through a band saw, which trims it to a width of 2 1/2 inches.", "Hickory is the wood of choice because it's tough and can withstand the high-impact game of lacrosse.", "But to work with it, they need to soften it up, so they steam the sticks for 45 minutes.", "Then a craftsman places the hickory stick in a jig.", "In this steamy state, the wood is completely flexible.", "He easily curls one end around a form by hand.", "He loops wire around it so it will hold its crooklike shape while the wood dries for one month.", "At the end of that month, he puts the other end of the stick in a steamy jig and bends it back just below the crook.", "This is called the back bend.", "He sets it on a rack to dry and harden.", "This is the basic form, and as you can see, it resembles the bishop's crosier, the one that inspired the name of the game.", "After two weeks of drying, the stick is ready to be carved.", "Using a drawknife, he shaves the bark from the stick.", "Then he sculpts it thinner, following the bends of the stick.", "The carver is an artisan who has the experience and skill to do this job well, which is important because the stick must be approved by the toughest judge, the player.", "Next they drill holes in the curve of the stick-- 21 in total.", "Then they give it a heavy sanding.", "The surface has to be absolutely smooth so the player won't get any splinters.", "Then, using a rag, they rub linseed oil into the stick to keep the wood from getting too dry.", "The brand name goes on.", "And now it's time for the weaver to build the sidewall of the net.", "In the old days, they used rawhide for this, but today they weave with nylon string.", "He interlaces it with leather runners that have been threaded through the holes at the back bend.", "He brushes polyurethane on the completed side web to stiffen it.", "Next he attaches the other end of the leather runners to the top of the crook.", "The player will be able to change the depth of the netted pocket to his or her preference.", "He interlaces the leather runner weave with the nylon sidewall...", "And then pulls the woven pocket over a post to give it some shape.", "He loops the ends of the leather runners in a half hitch and snips off the excess.", "Every detail of this lacrosse stick has been handcrafted.", "It's a process that's taken three months.", "And now let the games begin.", "Since prehistoric times, the innuit have used quick-freezing to preserve fish.", "They threw their catch onto the arctic ice to instantly freeze it.", "It wasn't until the early 20th century that the rest of the world discovered that this was better than slow freezing.", "It's a case of progress moving at a glacial pace.", "Fish that's rapidly frozen right on the ship is more flavorful and retains its texture.", "This is minced cod frozen solid.", "It underwent quick-freezing in china and was shipped in this frozen state all the way to this nova scotia facility where it will be turned into fish sticks.", "A worker loads the fish blocks into a machine.", "A powerful ram forces the blocks through knives, which slice them into logs that are about 19 inches in length.", "Workers load the logs vertically into slots.", "Below, more knives slice the logs into sticks.", "They get 85 fish sticks from one log.", "They check for breaks as the sticks move to the next station.", "At another production line, they dump quick-frozen haddock fillets into a big, steel hopper.", "It funnels them to a flighted conveyor.", "The conveyor meters the fillets and drops each bunch onto a vibrating table.", "The vibrations separate the fillets as they move into lanes...", "And shuffle down to an inspection station where flaws can be easily spotted.", "Now it's time for a hot shower.", "It lasts just a second.", "The hot water melts the fillets' protective glaze but doesn't thaw the fish itself.", "Deglazing allows the coating mixture to stick to the fish.", "The fish sticks are now traveling through a curtain of batter made of flour, water, and spices.", "The excess collects in a pan below and coats the bottoms of the fish sticks.", "Back on the haddock production line, they're loading a toasted wheat blend into a machine called a breader.", "It creates a thick shower of crumbs below that evenly coats the fillets as they journey through.", "Then the breaded, frozen fillets head for the fryer.", "The fish sticks go through a fryer, too, for 28 seconds, just long enough to cook the outside coating, but the fish remains frozen on the inside.", "With the coating baked on, the fish sticks and fillets are now en route to the freezers.", "Meanwhile, over on a third production line, they dump oil and red peppers into a high-speed mixer.", "They add some parsley for seasoning, then hand-stir it while it steam-cooks.", "The red-pepper sauce cascades from an applicator, saturating these frozen tilapia fillets.", "This coating sticks without being fried, so the tilapia fillets head straight for the spiraling freezer.", "The fish sticks and breaded haddock fillets are in similar freezers.", "After 45 minutes, the haddock slides down a chute which weighs it to portion it out.", "Heated jaws seal the bagged haddock fillets.", "An oscillating feeder deposits the fish sticks into boxes.", "One last inspection and they're ready for retail.", "They vacuum-pack the tilapia fillets, and this meal is sealed.", "And now there's plenty of fish to fry, depending on where your tastes lie.", "The flashlight can illuminate any situation, but the first version, invented in the late 19th century, wasn't all that efficient.", "It produced only flashes of light, so it was named \"flashlight\".", "The flashlight shows us the way when things look dim.", "To make a military flashlight, they place an aluminum bar in a computerized lathe.", "Blades go to work and shape it into a flashlight body.", "As a drill hollows out the bar, coolant flushes over it to prevent the metal from expanding as the tooling heats things up.", "This blade cuts threads on the outside so they can screw on a flashlight lens cap later.", "A gripper now pulls out the tube so tools can work on the back half.", "A blade slims that section down and then carves the cross weave onto it.", "This heavy texture will make the flashlight easier to grip.", "Next they drill a hole in the flashlight's tail stud.", "It's an attachment for the wrist strap.", "After the flashlight body has taken shape, they give it a black, protective coating.", "Next, using tons of force, a machine injects hot plastic into a mold, which forms the lens for the flashlight.", "They place the lens in a jig and unscrew the mold core.", "The core has formed threads in the lens so it can be screwed onto the flashlight body later.", "They use another injection mold to make plastic flashlight bodies.", "The plastic flashlights are for more general use than the aluminum ones.", "For custom orders, they stamp a logo onto the flashlight using a hot-foil press.", "Next they insert light-emitting diodes into a circuit board.", "The diodes are electronic lamps that are very bright and can be used instead of traditional incandescent bulbs.", "They solder the diodes' lead wires to a circuit board and then trim them with snippers.", "The diodes are now secured and connected to the circuit board.", "For bigger flashlights, they use a lot of diodes-- up to 60 of them for this flashlight that's being made for search-and-rescue work.", "Next a stamping press shapes the bronze battery contacts.", "An ultrasonic welder bonds them to a plastic plate.", "Then they solder a wire from the diodes to the contacts.", "The lamp part of the flashlight is now built.", "Now they insert springs into the aluminum flashlight bodies.", "They load the batteries, and the springs hold them in place.", "They slide the lamp assembly into the flashlight cavity and screw the lens on.", "This aluminum flashlight has just been put together in a flash.", "They move on to the plastic flashlight.", "The battery contact and spring assembly goes in, followed by the batteries.", "The light-emitting diode lamp is next.", "They screw the lens onto the lamp.", "The plastic glare shield is the final touch.", "And now these flashlights are ready to shine.", "If you've got a paint job to do, the right type of brush can make all the difference.", "When you opt for latex paint, it's best to use a paintbrush with synthetic bristles.", "They're typically made of nylon or polyester.", "If you're painting with oil-based paint, you can use either a synthetic brush or one with bristles made of natural animal hair.", "For natural bristles, this factory uses pig hair imported from china that arrives in bundles sorted by length.", "Each paintbrush contains up to five different lengths.", "This bristle structure makes the brush sufficiently stiff.", "All five lengths go into a specially designed mixing machine.", "First it combs the bristles, straightening them out and removing any curved hairs.", "Then it spreads the bristles flat and mixes the lengths together.", "Now a worker takes a handful of bristles from the mixer and pats them on a vibrating table.", "Like human hairs, animal hairs have a root and a tip.", "The vibrations make all the butt ends line up flat.", "Each handful goes into a storage box until it's time to install the bristles in the ferrule, the steel band that goes around the paintbrush.", "This machine makes the ferrules.", "It shapes a thin steel strip that's 1.1 to 1.6 inches wide.", "Rollers imprint beads to make the strip more rigid and a herringbone pattern that is purely cosmetic.", "Then a blade cuts the strip into pieces that are long enough to wrap around the brush.", "The machine bends each piece around a forming horn, then joins the ends in a strong lock seam.", "Hammers flatten the seam, and the ferrule is finished.", "Back to the bristles now.", "A brush-making machine will join them to the ferrules.", "Workers load the mixed batches of bristles into one of the machine's feeders and the ferrules into the other.", "The machine picks up the required amount of bristles.", "Transfer jaws grab the tips and insert them in a ferrule.", "A vibrating device called a patter pushes the bristles in straight.", "A continuous strip of cardboard feeds the next part of the equipment.", "The machine parts the bristles, cuts off, and slots in a piece of cardboard.", "This centerpiece, as it's called, creates a well inside the brush head to help hold the paint.", "The machine then pulls the bristles out to the proper length, leaving about a quarter inch inside the ferrule.", "Once the brush heads come off the machine, workers pick out the loose bristles.", "The lightweight paintbrush handles are made of plastic pellets.", "A vacuum loader sucks the material up to a molding machine which melts the pellets at about 400 degrees fahrenheit.", "The machine then injects the molten plastic into handle-shaped molds.", "Five minutes later, the machine ejects the handles from the molds.", "Workers attach 30 handles at a time to sticks and hang them across paint vats, then lower the handles into the paint slowly to avoid creating air bubbles.", "The first coat is a primer.", "After a half-hour, the handles are ready for the next coat.", "This time, the vat contains colored paint.", "It dries to a matte finish in 30 minutes.", "The third vat contains clear lacquer.", "This coat protects the paint and makes the surface glossy.", "Now it's time to glue the bristles to the ferrules with strong epoxy glue.", "It seeps down into the bristle base.", "Workers now load the finished brush heads and handles into an assembly machine.", "The machine inserts a handle into each brush head, shooting two or three nails into each side to secure it.", "Finally, a printing machine stamps the company name onto one side of each handle.", "Paintbrushes come in a wide range of widths and thicknesses, providing different strokes for different folks." ]

{ "things": [ "Slate Tiles", "Hot Dog Carts", "Garage Door Openers", "Bicycle Seats" ] }

[ "Today, on \"how it's made\"...", "History suggests slate may have first been mined in the roman era, although the earliest confirmed records date back to the early 1700s.", "Slate tiles were used for general building construction and are still used today for practical and aesthetic purposes.", "These pieces of floor slate appear to be right from the quarry, but they're part of an 18-piece puzzle that's cut the same way every time.", "These pieces of wall slate are much thinner and are used for paneling.", "Uncut sheets of slate in a variety of thicknesses come straight from the quarry.", "After the slate sheets are stacked on a forklift, a worker carefully drives them to another part of the storage yard.", "He sets them down gently.", "Another worker splits the sheets of slate using a pneumatic zip gun.", "It's a delicate process.", "Once he splits the slate sheets, the worker inspects the lines in the pieces of slate and looks for cracks.", "Then, he carries the sheet to a gauging machine.", "He checks the thickness of the sheet to make sure it won't cause jams on the cutting table.", "This multiblade cutting table slices a sheet of slate into a series of strips.", "It's covered with recycled water.", "This lubricates the cutting process, cools the slate and cutting blades, and removes unwanted dust and particles.", "A conveyor slowly moves the slate sheet forward.", "A total of 18 diamond blades slice the sheet of slate into strips.", "These strips of slate will be used for wall paneling.", "This cutting table can cut several sheets of slate at the same time.", "Once the cutting process is complete, a worker inspects the strips of slate and sorts them according to thickness and width.", "Next, he piles some of them in preparation for splitting.", "He cracks thicker strips of slate using a stone splitter with a hardened steel blade.", "He makes sure they're thin enough to be used for wall paneling.", "Once the pieces of slate reach their final thickness, a worker places them in boxes, ready for installation.", "A worker inspects a sheet of slate that will be used for flooring.", "The thickness of slate flooring must be constant.", "He places a sheet on a conveyor.", "It takes the slate through a gauging machine, where its surface will be made perfectly even.", "Using two diamond grinding wheels, the gauging machine shaves off any pieces of stone that exceed a preset thickness.", "After several minutes of shaving, the slate sheet emerges from the gauging machine.", "An employee checks the sheet to make sure it's smooth.", "First, he checks the underside of the eventual floor tiles.", "Then, he checks the top side, the stone face that will be displayed.", "The worker places the smooth, flat piece of slate on a cutting frame.", "The computerized cutting machine cuts 18 pieces of slate according to a preset pattern.", "A high-velocity water jet cuts the stone at three times the speed of sound.", "The water is pure, filtered several times.", "The first time the slabs move through the machine, it cuts pieces 1 to 9, and the second time through, it cuts pieces 10 to 18.", "The worker snaps off excess trim and stacks the cut pieces of slate according to their numbers.", "All the number ones are identical to each other, as are each of the other numbers in the 18-piece pattern.", "Repeated on a floor, the 18-piece pattern appears natural.", "This nonporous slate comes in different textures and colors, and can also be used in bathrooms or roofing.", "The first hot dog carts were rolled out in new york city in the mid-19th century.", "They were simple push carts with small charcoal stoves and served sausages on buns.", "Those sandwiches became known as hot dogs.", "A modern hot dog cart is a kitchen on wheels.", "Equipped with a water tank and sink, a steamer and grill, and a cooler, it's made to serve the public.", "And they're sometimes designed to stand out in a crowd.", "To make this hot dog cart, they start with molds for the hot dog-shaped body.", "A worker brushes a nonstick coating into the first mold.", "It will allow the completed part to be easily removed.", "He places fiberglass one sheet at time in the mold.", "He brushes a generous amount of epoxy resin onto each piece.", "The fiberglass starts to solidify very quickly, but he leaves it to set overnight for a complete cure.", "They assemble the two halves of the hot dog-shaped body and apply bonding to the seams.", "A colorful paint job completes the look.", "Next, computerized tools cut holes in a sheet of food-grade steel.", "These holes will accommodate the sink, faucets, and other parts.", "Then, the cooler door takes shape.", "Using a press, the worker bends up the edge of a piece of steel that's been cut to size.", "He transfers the part to another break press.", "This one is computerized.", "It folds back the bend to give the door a strong, smooth edge.", "He repeats this process on two other sides.", "He then clamps a continuous hinge to the only unfolded edge, and he welds and rivets the hinge to it.", "Work now begins on the chassis of the hot dog cart.", "A worker welds heavy wall steel tubing to create a rugged framework.", "After painting it, he bolts the wheel axle to brackets on the sides.", "He tightens the bolts to an exact torque using a pneumatic wrench.", "He screws taillights to the bumper.", "The lights are surrounded by metal brackets to protect them from being damaged by customers waiting in line.", "The brackets also serve as a mounting plate.", "The team now transfers the fiberglass cart body to the chassis.", "They drill large holes to vent gas fumes and smaller screw holes to secure the body to the chassis.", "They line the cart with a molded fiberglass and styrofoam unit.", "It has compartments for the water tank and food cooler, and it also serves as an insulating layer.", "They install the steel food preparation surface, which has been equipped with a sink and faucets.", "A member of the team tightens a crimp ring around the hoses to supply water to the sink faucets.", "He runs a gas line to the steamer's burners and lowers the steamer into place on the cart.", "He assembles a barbecue to the other side of the cart, and this gives customers a grilled option for their hot dogs.", "They hinge the cooler door to the front of the cart.", "Once closed, the door seals the insulated chamber to keep hot dogs, sausages, and sodas on ice.", "The team presses bold graphics to the fiberglass shell and peels off the paper liner.", "And with that, this hot dog cart is ready to hit the street, just in time for lunch.", "Decades ago, people had to get out of the car when arriving home in order to open the garage door.", "Today, it's routine to open and close your garage door at the push of a button, either on a wall-mounted pad or on a remote control.", "A garage door opener's motor drives either a belt, a chain, or a screw rod, like these models.", "In turn, they move a carriage connected to the garage door.", "At this factory, the production line starts and ends at the same place.", "They take one completed garage door opener off the line, then start a new one by attaching a power cord to the unit's steel chassis.", "Then, they place the chassis onto a traveling assembly fixture and plug in the power cord to prep the unit for testing later.", "They place the unit's plastic housing next to the chassis, then snap in the plastic safety cover.", "This goes over the direct current motor, the equivalent of 1 1/4 horsepower.", "They attach an optical encoder to the motor.", "The encoder is a sensor which reads the door's position so that the motor knows when to stop moving the carriage.", "They place the motor against the safety cover, then screw it in place.", "In the housing, they install the motion sensor.", "It turns on the opener's light as soon as you walk into the garage or when the garage door opens.", "Next are the switches for programming the remote control and for setting the travel limits.", "These are the points to which the opener must move the door to fully open and close it.", "They then install the circuit board, routing the antenna for the remote control receiver to the outside.", "They plug in the motion sensor cable, then wire and plug in the connector for the light bulbs and fasten the board in place with screws.", "They attach the electrical ground wire to the chassis, connect the power cable, and then, the optical encoder to the circuit board.", "With all the internal components installed now, they affix the housing to the chassis.", "This completes the brain of the garage door opener, called the operator unit.", "An automated testing machine now checks all the functions, simulating the load of the garage door.", "It also checks the light bulb sockets and the connection ports on the circuit board for the safety beams.", "The beams stop and reverse the closing door if they detect any object in its path.", "Once the operator unit passes inspect, it comes full circle to the end, which is also the start, of the production line.", "A plastic lens to enclose the light bulbs, and the unit comes off the line.", "The carriage rail is milled from galvanized steel.", "It has slots for locking in plastic liners which hold the screw rod.", "To produce the screw rod, the factory machines a solid bar of steel to the required dimensions and profile.", "Then, with high-pressure rollers, it forms threads in it.", "Workers insert the screw rod into the liners in the rail.", "For the retail market, rather than produce one long rail and screw rod, the factory makes three shorter connecting sections that fit into a smaller package.", "This machine lubricates the screw rod with grease.", "It helps it rotate smoothly in the rail liner when the opener's motor is running.", "When the screw rod turns, teeth on the base of the carriage interlock with the threads, moving the carriage along the rail.", "Workers first install the carriage base at the factory.", "Then, they pack all the garage door opener components for shipping, starting with the rail sections and the operator unit.", "Last to go in are the wall-mounted control pad, the remote controls, and the safety beams, which you install on each side of the garage door opening.", "When you install the garage door opener, you insert the screw rod into the motor's drive shaft.", "Then, you assemble the rest of the carriage, connecting it to an arm which attaches to the garage door.", "Motor runs, screw rod turns, carriage moves, and your garage door opens or closes.", "The bicycle is the most efficient mode of transport ever invented.", "Ninety-nine percent of the effort put into turning a pedal is transferred to movement, so the lighter the bike, the better.", "Using cutting-edge materials, a high-performance seat can weigh as little as five ounces.", "This company made a special seat for a past tour de france winner.", "In fact, half the cyclists on the prestigious pro tour racing circuit use their seats.", "The design process begins with the simplest tools-- pencils and paper.", "Designers sketch out a few basic ideas.", "Specialists then transform the sketched ideas into 3-d digital images.", "The manufacturers machine-model those images into a prototype.", "After testing, they begin the manufacturing process.", "A worker places a base, or shell, on the upper segment of a mold.", "This company makes their shells from a variety of carbon fiber materials.", "Polyurethane pours into the other section of the mold.", "This is the part of the mold that will give the seat its shape.", "When the mold closes, it cooks at a mere 104 degrees fahrenheit.", "A chemical reaction takes place inside the mold, which causes the polyurethane to expand.", "Five minutes later, an operator removes the seats from the molds.", "Here, we see what the shells look like before and after.", "A worker removes excess polyurethane from the edges with a knife.", "While the polyurethane cures, workers prepare the cover material.", "The material is a proprietary microfiber specially made for this company.", "Not only does this material need to be flexible, waterproof, and comfortable, it has to be incredibly durable.", "Once they've cut the material into strips, the workers stack them on a stamping press.", "A die has been custom made to match the design of the seat.", "The stamping press descends with enough force to cut through multiple layers.", "It's now time to join the three panels of material that make up the seat cover.", "This facility has two different methods for attaching the pieces to each other.", "In this case, a skilled worker carefully stitches the material together.", "A different method of joining the panels involves a process called thermal welding.", "An operator skives, or thins, the edges by shaving them so that there won't be a bump where they overlap.", "Double-sided tape will hold the material together.", "A special tape dispenser applies the tape to the skived edges.", "A worker positions the panels, carefully overlapping the edges.", "A vacuum system removes air from between the top and bottom sections of the press, holding the panels in position and ensuring there will be no bubbles at the seams.", "The press then heats the material up to 280 degrees fahrenheit, ensuring that the adhesive bonds the panels together.", "The design of the shell for this seat has several slots in it to help create the right combination of flexibility and rigidity.", "A laser machine cuts stripes in the cover fabric to create a graphic element that reflects this design feature.", "Workers glue silver material under the stripes to highlight them, then brush glue all over the underside of the cover.", "Mounting the cover on the seat requires two operators.", "They place the cover glue side down on the seat, ensuring that it's positioned perfectly and that there are no air pockets.", "They work the cover into a small recess that runs around the perimeter of the base.", "They will then trim off the excess material with a utility knife.", "The amount of skilled manual craftsmanship required to build these seats is a key feature of their quality, but the company also relies on state-of-the-art technology.", "Bicycle seats sit on a framework called a rail.", "This facility makes rails from both carbon fiber and metal alloys, and it tests each one with a dynamometer.", "Workers put glue in the attachment points on the bottom of the seat to ensure that it passes a stringent safety test.", "A customized machine bends the seat to fit into the rail.", "The seat will then be bent back in the other direction to return it to its original shape.", "The seat is now finished.", "Fusing state-of-the-art technology with skilled craftsmanship, this company makes 520,000 bicycle seats every year." ]

{ "things": [ "Straight Razors", "Black Pudding", "Steering Wheels", "Inorganic Pigments" ] }

[ "In a world dominated by high-tech gadgetry, the low-tech straight razor still gets a lot of face time.", "It can be reused endlessly, and it has a traditional appeal, one that actually dates back to ancient egypt, when there were straight razors made of solid gold.", "Shaving with an unguarded super-sharp knife has always been for the tough guys.", "To use it, a man needs a steady hand and steely concentration.", "Production begins with steel cylinders heated in a furnace until they're soft and malleable.", "A forging hammer then pounds the cylinders into dies to shape them.", "A punch cutter trims the edges and cuts the shape into two blades.", "From a steel rod to a flat, razor shape in just a few steps.", "The straight razors are then fed to another die one at a time.", "A wade forces the razor into the die, a process which both improves the shape and condenses the metal to strengthen it.", "Next, a worker dips a rack of about 50 blades in graphite powder, followed by molten lead.", "The lead adds more strength to the steel.", "He knocks off the lead, which slides off easily because of the graphite undercoat.", "The razor blades catch fire as he immerses them in oil to cool them.", "He transfers the blades to a sieve and tosses saw dust into it.", "The saw dust soaks up the oil and graphite residue.", "Then he shakes the sieve to sift it out.", "After a hardening treatment, it's into an oven to bake slowly.", "This gets rid of brittleness and relieves internal stresses.", "A technician then scrutinizes the razor to confirm that it's straight.", "If it's not, he hammers it straighter.", "Another worker grinds the blade, angling it down to the cutting edge using a series of abrasive wheels.", "He tests the edge against a thick metal band.", "It needs to be as thin as aluminum foil and strong, yet flexible.", "The next worker brushes asphalt lacquer onto the blade and upper part of the handle, or tang.", "This coating prepares the surface for laser-etching.", "It allows the computerized laser beam to cut cleanly into the metal with no bleeding around the edges...", "So the trademark insignia and art look crisp.", "She paints a little more lacquer around the etching to prepare the blade for the next step-- gold-plating.", "She dips the blade in a mix of water and gold and runs a current of electricity through the mix.", "This causes the gold to gravitate to the exposed, un-lacquered section of the blade and adhere to it.", "The lacquer has served its purpose, and she now cleans it off in a chemical bath to reveal the now-glossy, two-toned blade.", "Next, she sandwiches the tang of the razor blade between two plastic parts of the handle, using a long pin to hold everything together.", "She then shortens the pin, caps it, and hammers the cap down to secure it.", "She now tests the installation.", "The next worker grinds the entire blade against a slightly concave abrasive wheel, further sharpening it while maintaining the slope profile.", "She then hones the cutting edge against a wet stone, tests it against a cow horn, and then hones it again.", "This last step makes the edge razor-sharp.", "She immerses the blades in chalk, which absorbs moisture to prevent rusting.", "She now strokes the cutting edge against a leather strap.", "This is called stropping.", "It gives the blade its final polish.", "And now she removes a single artificial hair from a bundle and confirms that this straight razor is sharp enough to slice it in two.", "It takes a total of 80 different steps to manufacture a straight razor.", "We've just shown you the highlights.", "Properly maintained, a straight razor should last for decades.", "It's common to many european cultures.", "The french call it \"boudin noir\".", "The spanish call it \"morcilla\".", "The italians call it \"sanguinaccio\".", "And in the united kingdom, they call it \"black pudding\".", "What is it?", "A savory dish made from pigs' blood and other ingredients.", "In england, ireland, scotland, and wales, black pudding is typically served sliced and fried as part of a traditional breakfast.", "Its roots are in ancient times, when people wouldn't waste any part of a slaughtered animal, not even its blood.", "Black pudding also contains several dry ingredients-- barley...", "Allspice...", "Dried onions...", "Spices and other seasonings...", "And wheat flour.", "The pigs' blood is also in dried form.", "They begin by filling cotton bags with barley and submerging them in boiling water overnight.", "The bags are porous, so the barley absorbs the water, swelling and softening as it cooks.", "Once the barley is ready, they drain the water out of the cook tank...", "Then cut open the bags and empty the cooked barley into a tub.", "The barley and other dry ingredients will make up about a third of the pudding mix.", "Another third is the pigs' blood; and the last third, meat fat.", "They boil pork fat in a cook tank for two hours.", "Then they strain out the water and transfer the fat to a tub.", "In another cook tank, they boil smoked-bacon fat for two hours.", "Then they scoop out and strain that fat and drop it into a bin, as well.", "The scraps of meat clinging to the pieces of fat will give the black pudding extra flavor.", "Next, workers empty the two bins of fat into a mincer.", "Then they take dried onions and hydrate them with stock from the smoked-bacon cook tank.", "This produces gravy.", "They pour this gravy, along with the cooked barley, into the mincer.", "Next, they add the flour and mince some more.", "And then the dried pigs' blood.", "Besides turning the ingredients a rich color, the blood makes black pudding a rich source of iron and protein.", "They mince the ingredients until the mixture is smooth.", "Then they transfer it to the stuffing line.", "A worker pumps a specific quantity into a nylon casing, then staples each end of the casing closed.", "This is the 7 1/2 pound retail size.", "The factory also packages larger formats for restaurants, delicatessens, and caterers.", "From the stuffing line, the black puddings go into a steam cooker.", "Once their internal temperature reaches 185 degrees fahrenheit, which takes about two hours, they come out of the oven.", "They're textured now like a dense chocolate pudding.", "After cooling overnight, each black pudding goes into a printed plastic bag.", "A vacuum machine sucks out all the air, and heat seals the package.", "This improves the product's shelf life.", "From there, the puddings drop into a tank of hot water.", "This shrinks the plastic package tightly around the casing.", "Even within the same country, black pudding recipes vary by region.", "This smooth-textured pudding is typical of eastern scotland.", "In western scotland, they use oatmeal instead of barley, and, in northern england, they use big, usually visible, chunks of fat, both producing a black pudding that's coarser in texture but equally delicious.", "The earliest automobiles used a tiller for steering.", "That's a lever attached to a rudder.", "The first steering wheel appeared in 1894, in a car built by the panhard company of france.", "Today, the steering wheel is a multitasking component, integrating control switches and the driver's-side air bag.", "A car steering wheel looks simple enough-- a stylish ring with a horn in the middle and switches to operate the cruise control and other functions.", "Yet despite this simplicity, a steering-wheel design undergoes years of development and testing for safety, durability, appearance, and function.", "The manufacturing process begins with the armature, the internal support structure.", "It's made of either aluminum or magnesium-- strong yet lightweight metals.", "The factory's die-casting system injects the hot, molten metal into an armature-shaped mold.", "Once the metal solidifies, the machine ejects the casting from the mold.", "The metal is still hot.", "So a robot arm moves the cast armature to a cooling area, where cold air blows on it.", "They remove the excess metal left over from the casting process in one strike with a trimming die.", "And with that, the armature is finished, and the steering-wheel assembly can begin.", "First, a robot installs four rivets, the contact points for the horn system.", "When you press to honk the horn, the rivets complete an electrical circuit, enabling the horn to sound.", "Next, a computer-guided engraver marks a lot number for quality-control tracking.", "This demonstration shows the basis of the next step.", "When mixed together, these two polyurethane chemicals react to each other and produce an expanding foam.", "By guiding this expansion within the confines of a mold, one can make this dense foam assume a specific shape, such as that of a steering wheel.", "The process is called reaction injection molding.", "They coat the mold cavity with a release agent to prevent sticking, place the armature inside, then inject the polyurethane chemicals.", "The chemicals react, and the foam instantly expands within the mold cavity, encasing the armature.", "Prior to injection, they also sprayed the mold cavity with protective paint.", "It tints the foam the required color-- in this case, black.", "It also protects the foam against wear and u.v. damage.", "The injection-molding process leaves excess polyurethane on the steering wheel.", "So the next step is to trim it off.", "With the steering-wheel structure complete, it's now time to install the components.", "These switches control the features operable from the steering wheel.", "Workers assemble them into housings called finishers.", "The finishers are molded out of plastic resin, then coated with metallic paint for a high-end look.", "The switch wiring has already been assembled into a unit called a wire harness.", "They connect the harness to the switches and install it onto the steering wheel.", "Then they check that everything functions properly.", "And if it does, they mark the assembly to show that it passes this stage of quality control.", "After applying a bar-code sticker, they route the wiring through the steering wheel to prepare it for final assembly on the automaker's assembly line.", "Next, they install spring mechanisms.", "These support the air-bag module, enabling it to move in and out when you sound the horn.", "Then they attach the horn plate, to which the carmaker will later attach the driver's-side air-bag module.", "They take the ground wire and the wire harness and position it...", "Then flip the steering wheel and secure the switch finishers to the exposed back of the armature.", "Then they install a back cover made of plastic resin, the color matching the rest of the steering wheel.", "A robot arm equipped with a camera performs a thorough quality-control inspection.", "While the basics are the same, features vary from model to model.", "Higher-end steering wheels are wrapped in leather and often have extra switch controls for the audio system and for hands-free use of a cellphone.", "People have always used color as a means of expression.", "Prehistoric man created paint from a mix of dirt and animal fat or spit.", "Over the centuries, pigment production has become a lot more sophisticated.", "Chemical manufacturing produces synthetic mineral pigments to add color to the products in our world.", "From pavers to paint to plastic and cosmetics, this is where the color comes from-- synthetic mineral pigments.", "They start with a salt recycled from the steel industry.", "In this case, it's iron sulfate, which has a bluish-green hue.", "They add warm water, and they're ready for the next ingredient-- high-quality scrap.", "It's another source of iron, and it's about to be recycled into pigment.", "Crane claws transfer it to the mix.", "Chemicals are added.", "Every so often, a technician scrutinizes a sample of the yellow slurry.", "If he decides the color or thickness aren't quite right, adjustments will be made.", "The slurry now flows over a perforated metal drum with a filter cloth stretched across it.", "As a spray of water rinses off the salt, the fluid in the yellow slurry is sucked through the filter cloth and into the drum, leaving a more concentrated pigment on the surface, called filter cake.", "The filter cake falls in chunks onto a screw conveyor and ends up at the top of a towering spray dryer.", "Inside, machinery presses the highly concentrated pigment through the holes of a rotating disk.", "This causes a spray of droplets that, when exposed to hot air, dries into pigment particles.", "This yellow pigment is now ready to be mixed into an emulsion paint for coloring wallpaper.", "A generous amount can produce a bolder shade.", "A little less, and it's more mellow yellow.", "To make black pigment, they start with cast-iron filings, another form of automotive scrap.", "This magnetic crane transfers the filings for production, and, again, it will take a chemical reaction to produce the pigment slurry.", "The chemical reaction also generates energy that's recovered and used in the manufacturing process.", "They wash and thicken the black slurry on a revolving drum, just like they did for the yellow pigment, but this thick paste won't just be used to make black pigment.", "It will also be used to make red.", "For the dramatic conversion to red, the paste flows directly into a kiln, where it's baked until dry.", "They introduce air and increase the temperature to more than 1,500 degrees fahrenheit, making the black particle turn red.", "They transfer the red pigment to a drum, where they mix the pigment and adjust the color properties.", "They then grind it to a finer consistency.", "Once the pigment is packaged in paper bags, it's ready for transport or warehousing.", "Like sugar, pigment comes in both a powdered and granulated form.", "This demonstration shows the difference between the two.", "The powdered pigment is more clumpy and doesn't flow from the open end of the beaker.", "By contrast, the granular pigments are tiny micro beads that flow freely, which makes it desirable for users who want to mix and meter pigments more easily.", "To test how the pigment would color brick, they mix red pigment with a concrete substitute and compared the result to the standard to confirm that they match up.", "But sometimes they need a real concrete example of a pigment's color tone.", "So they add a small amount to a mixer full of aggregate-- water and cement.", "The mixer rotates, and once the ingredients are thoroughly blended, they open the lid to reveal the red brick paste.", "They scoop it up for transfer to a brick-forming machine...", "And then fill brick forms with the paste.", "They activate a plunger that tamps it down to compact it into the forms, producing bricks.", "Red, black, or yellow, these pigments are sure to make things more colorful." ]

{ "things": [ "Electric Vehicle Charging Stations", "Grappa", "Lunar Rover Replicas" ] }

[ "Today on \"how it's made\"...", "Cars powered by electricity were being developed as early as the 1820s.", "In recent years, legislative initiatives improved batteries, and accessible methods of recharging have made electric vehicles more popular.", "Charging stations provide electricity to customers with electric vehicles.", "It's simply a matter of swiping an access card across the reader, verifying the customer's account, and then plugging the charging station connector into the vehicle.", "The charging station provides electricity to the charger in the vehicle.", "It can take one to six hours before it's fully recharged.", "The blinking light stops, charging is under way.", "A laser cutter automatically slices through oxidized aluminum sheets.", "In a matter of minutes, the pre-programmed cuts are complete.", "A worker carefully removes the cut pieces of aluminum.", "Unused pieces will be recycled.", "Another worker bends the aluminum on a bending post.", "He places the aluminum piece in a bending machine.", "Then, he positions the bent piece in a pre-programmed robotic welding machine.", "It automatically and quickly welds the pieces of aluminum together.", "The worker polishes the welded joints using a soft cloth to make certain they're smooth to the touch.", "Polishing away rough edges makes the finished face plate safe for use by customers.", "A worker assembles the painted face plate and the head of the charging station.", "He screws the face plate to the head and attaches the user interface protection, which is made of tempered glass.", "He places a flexible strip of light-emitting diodes around the perimeter of the light diffuser.", "Different colored lights tell the customer whether the station is available and whether vehicle charging is under way.", "He then places the protector cap containing the light strip and the antenna on the head of the charging station.", "Next, he connects the various components housed in the head of the charging station.", "These include circuit boards, the antenna connection, digital display, and card reader.", "He inserts the control circuit board, which has the central processing unit, the antenna interface, digital display, and card reader on the other side.", "He uses a flat cable to connect the 40 small connectors of the control-printed circuit board to the power-printed circuit board.", "He inserts it into the head of the charging station, on top of the control-printed circuit board.", "He finishes attaching the quick connecters.", "A worker seals the edges of the charging station head with rubber stripping to protect the components inside from the elements outside.", "He positions the aluminum back plate on the charging station head, and once that's in place, he attaches the charging cable assembly to the connector module.", "The worker slips the charging cable wires into the frame of the connector module and securely tightens them.", "Then, he positions the connector module door against the frame that holds it in place.", "He attaches them securely to each other, using quick-connect connecters, he attaches part of the plug that links the charging station to the vehicle.", "To make sure everything is working properly, the worker tests the door sensor and the door locking system.", "His test confirms the sensor is functioning, and the door locks correctly.", "He now attaches the connector module to the head of the charging station.", "Then, he places the head of the charging station onto its pedestal base.", "Whether it's being removed or attached to a vehicle, one safety feature is that the connector is never energized when being handled by a customer.", "Once the charge is complete, the vehicle is ready to roll.", "Grappa is an italian brandy, traditionally an after dinner drink.", "It's made from pomace, what's left of grapes after they've been pressed to make wine.", "Distilleries ferment the pomace to convert the sugars into alcohol, then distill it to transform the alcohol and other compounds into grappa.", "Traditional grappa is colorless.", "It can also be aged in wooden barrels to produce different varieties, with a specific color, taste, and aroma.", "You can't make grappa without someone first making wine, because wine-making leftovers are the sole ingredient.", "In italy, the wine harvest begins in late summer or early fall, depending on the weather and region of the country.", "The harvested grapes go directly from the vineyard to the winery.", "There, the first machine pulls them off the stocks, which are later composted into fertilizer for farms and nurseries.", "The destocked grapes enter a cylindrical press.", "They're crushed against the walls with an airbag-like device to extract the juice and pulp for making wine.", "What's left behind in the press, once the juice and pulp drain out, are the skins, seeds, some residual juice, and pulp.", "This is called pomace.", "The winery sells it to distilleries that produce grappa.", "This small artisanal distillery produces premium quality grappa by using only pomace from grapes pressed that very same day.", "The pomace goes into temperature controlled fermentation tanks as soon as it arrives.", "Large industrial distilleries operate differently, typically warehousing pomace prior to processing, sometimes for months.", "This delay produces high levels of potentially toxic methanol, which the distillery then has to remove using an additional procedure.", "The distillers monitor ph and alcohol levels to determine when the conversion of sugars to alcohol is complete.", "The process takes from three days to a week, depending on the variety of grape and other factors, such as the outdoor temperature.", "When the pomace is ready, they transfer it to wood-clad copper stills.", "They heat the stills with steam, bringing the pomace to the boiling point, which transforms the alcohol and other compounds into steam.", "This alcohol steam inside the still rises to the top and exits through a side hole.", "It travels through copper pipes and other equipment, ultimately to a condensation system, which cools the steam back to liquid.", "This liquid is grappa.", "As it exits distillation, the master distiller meticulously monitors the temperature and alcohol level.", "She discards the initial and final flows, capturing only the perfectly pure mid flow, referred to as the heart of the grappa.", "Its alcohol level at this point is 70% to 77%.", "Certain varieties now go to the cellar, into small wooden barrels to age.", "Over time, both the grappa and the wooden barrels exchange compounds, which influence taste, aroma, and color.", "For example, a barrel made of cherry wood will produce different characteristics than one made of oak.", "The distilleries' experts analyze and taste samples following distillation and throughout the aging period.", "Depending on the variety, this can range from just one year to more than 20 years.", "Whether the grappa is aged or not, prior to bottling, they filter and dilute it with the mineralized water.", "This lowers the alcohol content from an average of 77% after distillation to the target level of 41% to 50%.", "They seal the bottles with stoppers made of food-safe synthetic materials rather than traditional corks.", "Natural cork contains certain organic compounds, which can alter the flavor, aroma, and color of the grappa.", "They seal the stopper with shrink wrap plastic.", "An unbroken seal assures the buyer that the bottle has not been previously opened.", "Then the bottles pass through a labeling station.", "The grappa is ready to be poured as an after-dinner drink or enjoyed on its own.", "As the italians say, \"salut\"!", "On july 26, 1971, the apollo 15 space module touched down on the moon, and astronauts emerged with a new vehicle, the lunar rover.", "They took it for a test drive.", "It handled well on the rough surface of the moon, so they could venture further from the landing sight and really explore.", "The lunar rover was no ordinary four wheeler.", "Millions of dollars of research went into this one-horsepower wonder, which became known as the moon buggy.", "Today, craftsmen build replicas for space museums and to use as movie props.", "The team starts with a substantial suspension system, designed to smooth the ride over the moon's rocky terrain.", "They then install a steering plate at the front.", "They attach actuators, which are mechanisms that assist in steering.", "They connect the actuator drive bars to the steering plate.", "Together, the steering plate and actuators give the lunar rover an incredibly tight turning radius of 10 feet.", "They screw support brackets for the actuators to the corners of the chassis.", "They then connect the actuators to them.", "They use steel and aluminum bolts and parts.", "However, on the original moon buggy, many parts were made of titanium, because it lightened the load carried into space.", "Titanium is expensive and unnecessary for this replica.", "The fenders are next.", "They are extra large to protect astronauts from lunar dust kicked up by the rover.", "They insert a locking mechanism in a slit at the end of the drive shaft and slide the wheel hub onto the shaft.", "They turn the hub to lock it in place.", "They're now ready for the wheels.", "In the atmospheric vacuum of the moon, air-filled rubber tires were out of the question, so the original rover had wire-mesh tires.", "To mimic the look, they've wrapped a wire lattice around rubber tires.", "The team secures the wheel to the hub with a plastic and aluminum cap that's equipped with locking pins.", "They give it a spin and install the other three wheels.", "Next, a technician assembles the instrument panel.", "He inserts various switches and gauges into their slots...", "Including this system reset switch.", "It's used to bring the displays back to zero prior to an expedition.", "He closes a two piece collar around the bottom of the switch.", "He locks it in place with a top cap.", "He then flips the panel around and tightens the nut on the back part of the switch.", "With the system reset switch now attached, the instrument panel is complete.", "He places it in the housing.", "He installs metal bars around the switches to keep them from being accidentally tripped.", "He assembles the steering handle, which is a t-shaped joystick, next to the instrument panel.", "They now transfer the steering and instrument panel assembly to the vehicle.", "They fasten the actuator switches to the steering housing, and then clip the wiring harness to the floor of the lunar rover.", "They cover the bottom of the rover with flame-resistant material.", "They lower the electrical control panel and battery into the chassis and connect them.", "The original rover had two small batteries, but the mechanics of this replica have had an update.", "Stay tuned for more, as this lunar rover replication mission continues.", "The original lunar rover weighed just 460 pounds, or 77 pounds in moon weight.", "It could carry a load of over twice that.", "At minimal gravity and an atmospheric vacuum, it was the only way to travel on the surface of the moon in 1971.", "The production of this lunar rover replica continues with the fabrication of a brake disk.", "The technician carefully measures the dimensions and draws them onto a sheet of plastic-covered aluminum.", "He drills a large hole for the main drive shaft and four screw holes.", "He then cuts out the disk, following the penciled lines.", "He smoothes the rough edges using a fine grit abrasive belt.", "He sands off the plastic liner, and abrades the aluminum surface to a satiny sheen.", "The brake disk is now ready for assembly to the lunar rover.", "He attaches it to the main drive shaft, and lowers the assembly into the vehicle.", "He bolts the disk to the chassis, where it will serve as a friction surface for the brake pads.", "He installs those next.", "He connects it to a spring mechanism for engaging the disk brake.", "He tests the drive shaft and disk brake and confirms that they're both in working order.", "He loops the roller chain around the sprocket gear for the rear wheel drive, and the teeth intermesh.", "He drives pins through the links to join the ends, closing the loop.", "This drive chain is powered by an electric motor.", "It's another mechanical modification.", "On the original rover, there was a small motor for every wheel and no drive chain.", "The lawn-chair-like seats are next.", "They cover the shocks and battery at the front with an aluminum hood.", "They also install a cover over the mechanics at the back.", "It doubles as a rack for geological excavation tools.", "They attach the umbrella antenna to the rover.", "It was used to beam pictures and data to earth.", "Next, an aluminum cylinder spins in a lathe, as cutting tools transform it into a camera mount.", "They also create a bracket for a communications antenna.", "It's quite a transformation.", "Using the bracket, a member of the crew now erects the communications antenna.", "He then installs the mount for the film camera.", "Next, using a sheer press, he lops off a piece of an aluminum sheet.", "He switches to a hand tool and cuts out a geometric shape with flaps.", "He folds up the flaps using a brake press, creating a box to cover the main battery.", "After the seams have been welded, he wraps the cover in mylar, which is a strong plastic film.", "The wrap is an extra layer of protection against wind-borne particles, known as mircrometeoroids.", "They also wrap the camera and other parts of the rover with mylar.", "This replica of the apollo lunar rover is complete and ready for display." ]

{ "things": [ "Firefighter Boots", "Garden Tools", "Automated Machines", "Gypsum Board" ] }

[ "Today on \"how it's made,\" firefighter boots...", "Garden tools...", "Automated machines...", "And gypsum board.", "Firefighters need boots they can pull on lightning fast to get to the blaze as quickly as possible.", "Those boots have to be fire-resistant and waterproof.", "They have to provide good grip for climbing ladders and be sturdy enough not to puncture when stepping through sharp debris.", "Firefighter boots start out as a chunky block of rubber.", "The first step is to put the block through a mill.", "It passes through the rollers over and over again until it gradually flattens and thins out.", "Workers then add chemicals-- anywhere from 15 to 35 different types-- depending on the model of boot they're making.", "The rubber formulation is what makes the boot fire-resistant.", "Once the rubber is smooth and malleable, about the consistency of modeling dough, they form it into sheets from which they'll cut the various pieces that make up the boot.", "They feed this sheet through rollers that imprint vertical lines on the rubber.", "They'll cut the sheet along these lines to make the strips that run down the back of the boot.", "From another sheet of rubber, using a handheld die, they cut one layer of the multilayered sole.", "They run an extra-thick sheet of rubber through rollers that imprint a tread pattern.", "Then workers cut out the bottom soles.", "They mark the boot size on the bottom.", "Using yellow rubber, they cut out the boot's toe-cap covers.", "The boot's leg has a stiff lining to prevent it from wobbling.", "Workers cut it from a rubber-backed cotton fabric following a pattern.", "Once all the pieces are cut, workers can assemble the boot on a form.", "They start with the lining, wrapping it around the front and gluing it closed at the back.", "Then they glue on the insole.", "For this model, it's made of rubber-backed felt.", "They secure the lining seam and seal it with one of those rubber strips we saw earlier.", "Now the van-- a piece of felt reinforced with a thin layer of rubber.", "This gives the boot strength.", "Next, a toe-cap sponge made of rubber compounds.", "When they cure the boot, the sponge will inflate and hold the steel toe cap in place.", "To protect the firefighter's feet when walking through sharp debris, they add a steel arch and a steel sole.", "Next, an adhesive-backed toe-cap cover.", "Then a felt sole to protect the firefighter's foot against heat.", "It has a steel arch for stability, useful when the firefighter needs to climb a ladder.", "After applying a rubber heel-reinforcement, they cover the lower part of the boot with yellow foam for insulation.", "They secure it using a strip of rubber.", "Now they finish the bottom of the boot in black rubber.", "They reinforce the back and sides in yellow rubber...", "And finish them off in black rubber.", "Next comes the yellow toe cap...", "Then a rubber pad to protect the front of the boot when it rubs against the rungs of the ladder.", "Now the bottom sole.", "They use a press to seal it in place.", "Rubber bonds to rubber under pressure.", "They apply a rubber trim around the bottom using a small roller to press it in place.", "Workers then press all the seams to ensure they're well-adhered.", "Then it's into a vacuum machine for about four seconds to create an airtight bond.", "Finally, the boots go into a giant oven that heats them to 280-degrees fahrenheit.", "An hour and 45 minutes later, the rubber is cured and hardened and all the pieces have fused together.", "These boots are ready to take the heat.", "Anyone with a green thumb knows that it takes both skill and patience to make a garden flourish.", "It also helps to have the proper tools on hand.", "An avid gardener's arsenal can contain everything from shears, trimmers, and pruners to rakes, hoes, and spades.", "The handles of these garden tools are made of white ash, a sturdy wood that can withstand the force of shoveling, digging, or raking.", "These dried-ash dowels measure two to seven feet long, depending on the tool being made.", "They first enter what's called the chucking line, where specially designed, automated machines shape them into handles.", "The first operation rounds the dowels to the required diameter-- about two inches, depending on the tool.", "The next operation cuts the dowels to the required length and profiles their ends.", "Two chucking heads, one on each side, carve the ends simultaneously.", "One shapes the bottom of the handle to fit the tool's blade.", "Certain blades go over the wooden handle, while others go into it.", "For inserted blades, another chucking head hollows out the handle.", "Meanwhile, the chucking head on the other side rounds off the top of the handle.", "The finished handles spin against a sanding belt as they exit the chucking line.", "This smoothes the surface of the wood, preparing the handles for a coat of protective varnish.", "High-end shovels and spades have what's called a steel d-grip-- a steel handle grip with a wooden insert.", "An automated lathe first shapes a piece of ash to the right length and profile.", "Then an automated drill pierces a hole.", "To make the sides of the grip, workers begin with two precut pieces of steel called blanks.", "They place them in a manually operated press that shapes them in a two-step process.", "They use the heat of a strong electrical current to melt the steel and fuse the pieces together.", "This is called resistance welding.", "Next, they feed a steel rivet through the sides and wooden insert...", "And fasten everything together.", "Elsewhere in the factory, a heated forming machine stamps out the steel blanks the workers will shape into blades.", "A robotic arm loads the blanks into an oven.", "In just four minutes, the oven heats the steel to over 1,800-degrees fahrenheit.", "This intense heat makes the metal malleable.", "Workers then take out and shape one blank at a time.", "They only have a few seconds to form the steel before it cools off.", "The first press forms the blade-- in this case a shovel and a partial socket.", "Then the second press closes the socket.", "They quickly submerge the blade in lukewarm water to cool the metal down.", "By now, the steel is extremely brittle, so the blades go into what's called a tempering furnace for 15 minutes.", "This alters the metal's internal structure, restoring its strength.", "The steel d-grip has been cleaned and painted.", "Workers insert the wooden handle and nail the parts together.", "On the other end, they attach the blade, which, by now, has been varnished to prevent corrosion.", "After drilling a hole through both the metal and the wood, they fasten the blade using a rivet if it's a high-end tool, a nail if it's a budget model.", "These hot-off-the-press garden tools are finally ready to put in a hard day's work.", "A couple of centuries after the industrial revolution, mass production met automation-- a match made not in heaven but in high technology.", "In this special segment, \"how it's made\" honors the automated machine with this \"moving\" tribute.", "It's called \"gypsum board\" or \"drywall,\" and chances are your walls and ceilings are made of it.", "Years ago, it replaced plaster as the wall material of choice.", "Workers just mount the sheets onto wood framing, plaster the joints, then sand and paint.", "Gypsum is a natural mineral.", "Since ancient times, it has been mined to produce gypsum plaster.", "In fact, there's gypsum plaster in egypt's pyramids.", "In 1894, a man by the name of augustine sackett patented a board made of gypsum, which he called \"plasterboard\".", "But it didn't become the norm in construction until the building boom that followed world war ii, when busy contractors abandoned plaster in favor of this faster and cheaper way to build walls.", "The process of making gypsum board begins at the quarry, where crews mine the gypsum, a soft rock.", "The loaders dump their haul into what's called an apron.", "The apron channels the gypsum onto a conveyor, breaking up the big chunks along the way.", "From there, it's sent to a giant rotating drum.", "Within 8 minutes, this hot-air rock dryer removes 5% to 10% of the moisture, turning the gypsum white.", "Next stop, a gas-fired silo, called a kettle.", "It cooks the gypsum at 300 degrees fahrenheit, until most of the remaining moisture evaporates.", "The kettle is fed by a mill that grinds the lumpy rock into what's called \"stucco,\" a fine powder the consistency of wheat flour.", "In a mixing tank, workers combine water with several powdered chemicals and minerals and a chemical soap.", "The dry additives give the board the required structure, while the soap creates air bubbles to make the board lighter.", "In a separate machine, they mix the stucco with an accelerator to make the gypsum set faster.", "Now they combine the two separate batches, creating a mixture called a slurry.", "It looks like thick, white soup.", "Now they'll form it into gypsum board, which is basically a slurry sandwich.", "The bread is this thick, heavyweight paper.", "As the roll unwinds, \"creaser wheels,\" as they're called, score a line about one inch toward the middle from both edges.", "Then a machine evenly spreads the slurry, like a sandwich filling, between the top and bottom sheets of paper.", "Then the paper-folding operation begins, most of which is a company secret and off-limits to our cameras.", "They fold the edges along the scorelines, the bottom edges upward and the top ones downward, gluing them over the bottom ones to trap the slurry inside.", "Drops of water smooth out any ridges, ensuring a smooth and even fold.", "Forming plates then shape the folded edges into straight sides.", "An optical sensor checks the depth of the board's recess.", "The recess is where you put the joint tape to connect one board to the next when you're building a wall.", "The forming station spews out 1,000 continuous feet of gypsum board.", "A cutter now chops that megaboard into whatever size they're producing in this run.", "As the boards exit the cutter, automated prongs flip them recess-side up.", "The recess side will be the wall surface, and they don't want to risk damaging it on the rollers that lead to the drying station.", "This gas-fired hot-air dryer is kind of like a multilevel parking garage.", "It's almost 500 feet long and has 8 decks.", "The factory can cure hundreds of boards at a time.", "It takes 40 minutes to move through the dryer's 4 temperature zones, which start at 660 degrees fahrenheit and get progressively cooler, to 300 degrees.", "The boards are sold in pairs, so the machinery stacks them in twos, then tapes them together.", "The tape bears the brand name, as well as the size and thickness of the board.", "Standard lengths range from 8 to 14 feet, and the most common thicknesses are 1/2 inch and 5/8 inch.", "The tape also tells the consumer what type of gypsum board it is.", "There's a standard drywall for building walls in homes.", "There's a moisture-resistant version for humid areas, such as bathrooms, and there's fire-resistant gypsum board, usually required by law for commercial buildings." ]

{ "things": [ "Artist Brushes", "DEF Tank Heaters", "Game Tables", "Art Glass Wall Sconces" ] }

[ "An artist's paint brush can have synthetic bristles or natural ones made of animal hair.", "Which type to use is really a matter of the artist's preference.", "However, painters often tend to use a natural brush for watercolors, a synthetic brush for acrylics, and either type for oils.", "These natural-hair paintbrushes are made of red sable, which is tail hair from a species of weasel.", "Red sable is renowned for its softness and for spreading paint thinly and evenly.", "An experienced head-maker performs the initial steps of making the head of the paintbrush.", "She unrolls and straightens out a bundle of red sable, then separates enough hairs for one brush of this size.", "She inserts the hairs into a metal band, called a ferrule, made of nickel-plated brass.", "She feels how they fit in the ferrule.", "If the fit's too tight, she removes some hairs.", "If it's too loose, she adds some.", "Brushes of different shapes require different tensions.", "The head-maker takes the correct brass mold for the brush shape she's making and inserts the hairs all the way down into the mold cavity.", "She ties the roots of the hairs together with a string...", "Then removes them from the mold.", "She inserts the brush head back into the ferrule...", "Then removes the string.", "Next, using a template, she adjusts what's called the length-out of the brush head.", "Length-out is how far the hairs protrude from the end of the ferrule.", "After removing stray hairs, she aligns the end of the ferrule with the edge of the nearly 1-inch-long template and pulls out or pushes in the hairs until their tips align with the opposite edge of the template.", "She completes her specialized work by suspending the assembled brush head from a rack.", "Another worker now fills a syringe with epoxy glue, then, with the syringe, fills the ferrule with enough glue to submerge the hairs.", "Once the glue has dried overnight, another worker taps the brush head against a strip of adhesive tape to remove any short hairs that didn't adhere.", "She dips the hairs into a solution of starch and water and works the solution into all the hairs by massaging the head on a towel.", "The starch allows the hairs to be trained to a permanent shape.", "She makes this particular pointed shape by spinning the head, then smoothing the hairs with her fingers.", "The starch dries overnight, locking in the shape.", "To make the paintbrush handle, a worker inserts birch dowels in a pegboard, then mounts the board upside-down on a dipping machine.", "This machine submerges the dowels in black lacquer paint.", "After one day of drying time, there is a second dip, partway this time, in silver paint.", "The machine has markings to indicate how deep to dip the dowels for each color.", "After another day of drying time, there is a third dip, this time partway in black paint.", "This creates a black handle with a silver stripe.", "Once the last coat of black paint dries, a worker uses a pad printer to stamp lettering on the handle with quick-dry silver ink.", "One stamp simultaneously applies the manufacturer's name, the brush-hair material, the size of the brush, and the series number.", "A worker glues the brush head onto the handle.", "Then the worker sets the brush aside for a couple of hours until the glue partially dries to a tacky state because the next step, crimping, would crack the fully dried, hardened glue.", "The worker inserts the ferrule into a crimping machine, which has been loaded with the dye that's the correct diameter for this brush handle.", "The machine crimps the ferrule tightly to the handle, attaching it permanently.", "Once that glue hardens, the paintbrush is finally ready.", "From this point onward, it's in the artist's hands.", "A diesel exhaust fluid, or d.e.f., tank heater, is a device which prevents diesel exhaust fluid from freezing.", "Diesel exhaust fluid is a solution sprayed into the exhaust system of a vehicle with a diesel engine to break down dangerous polluting chemicals the tailpipe would otherwise emit.", "Once the outdoor temperature dips to the diesel exhaust fluid's freezing point, the vehicle's computer automatically starts up this heater installed inside the d.e.f. holding tank.", "The heater warms the tank by cycling hot radiator fluid though its tubing.", "At the factory, workers form the heater tube out of lengths of stainless-steel tube.", "A computer-guided saw cuts a tube to the length required for the heater size they're producing.", "Cars have smaller d.e.f. heaters.", "Trucks and construction equipment have larger ones.", "A worker programs a robotic bender to bend the cut tube to the required shape.", "These bends are so complex that no traditional manually operated bending machine would be able to do them this accurately.", "The heater sits right inside the d.e.f. holding tank.", "That's why manufacturers use stainless steel rather than ordinary steel for this tubing.", "Stainless steel better resists the corrosiveness of the d.e.f. fluid.", "At the next station, a worker inserts the bent tube into the tank heater sensor unit.", "The tube fits through openings in the sensor unit's header.", "When connected by a cable to the vehicle's computer, the sensor unit detects the level, temperature, and quality of the d.e.f. next, the worker puts the tubing in a punch press, which shapes the ends.", "He puts those shaped ends in a bender, which curves them.", "Another tube made the same way siphons d.e.f. from the holding tank to a device that sprays the fluid on the exhaust stream.", "He installs a rubber o-ring onto this siphon tube and applies lubricant.", "He installs the tube into the header, and the o-ring fits into a notch.", "The worker then installs a bracket at the base of the heater, riveting it to the tubing.", "The bracket holds a rubber grommet that secures the heater in place inside the d.e.f. tank.", "Further up, he rivets on a second bracket to stabilize the sensor tube that runs down the center of the sensor unit.", "This prevents the tube from rattling.", "Then he installs the return tube, which feeds any excess unsprayed d.e.f. back to the holding tank.", "Retaining brackets apply pressure to all the o-rings, sealing the tube connections against leaks.", "He flips the heater over to attach the drain tube, which is the bottom half of the return tube.", "He caps all the tubes to keep them clean until the heater is installed in the vehicle.", "He attaches a nylon filter to the siphon tube, securing it in place with the retaining clip.", "As the siphon tube draws the d.e.f. from the holding tank toward the sprayer, the filter removes contaminants such as sand.", "Finally, this rubber grommet snaps into the bracket at the base of the heater.", "The grommet fits over a raised bump on the tank floor, holding the unit securely in place.", "Once connected to the vehicle's computer, the heater keeps the diesel exhaust fluid from freezing, no matter how cold the weather.", "In the 17th and 18th centuries, most wealthy people in europe and america had at least one finely crafted game table in the drawing room for cards and conversation after dinner.", "Today, game tables aren't just for the wealthy but for anyone who enjoys this fun and functional furniture.", "This modern game table does double duty.", "Flip the game top over, and it becomes a dining table.", "When it comes to space-saving, this table's a game changer.", "A saw carves kiln-dried maple boards into thick strips, helped by a laser scanner so the saw can make clean and judicious cuts.", "An equipment operator scrutinizes the strips for knots and other defects and marks them with orange chalk.", "Another scanner detects the orange marks, enabling a saw to cut around the defects as it chops the strips into shorter lengths.", "The next worker dips one side of the strips in polyvinyl acetate, a super strong glue.", "The next worker arranges the strips in a specific order, alternating the grain to balance the wood's expansion and contraction forces.", "He clamps them tightly together and allows the glue to set.", "Workers sand the top and bottom and trim the sides to produce one of the rim segments.", "A computerized router now moves from one segment to the next as it carves slots for poker chips and drinks.", "It then drills holes in the sides for the wooden dowels that will be used to join the eight table segments.", "The segments are now ready for assembly.", "A worker pipes high-strength adhesive in grooves along the edges and into the dowel holes.", "He inserts the dowels in the holes in one side of each segment.", "He arranges the segments in a circular pattern and inserts the dowels in the corresponding holes.", "He pulls the eight rim segments tightly together with a strap clamp and leaves the glued configuration to cure overnight.", "This permanently bonds the table rim segments.", "The next day, a computerized router rounds the outside of the rim.", "It also trims the inside of the rim and forms a channel for the insertion of the center of the game table.", "The game table rim is now complete.", "With the rim now game side down, the next member of the team pipes more of the super adhesive into the inner channel.", "He inserts the dining-table surface.", "This maple center has been precision-cut to fit into the groove in the rim.", "Using a rubber mallet, he taps the tabletop to entrench it more firmly in the groove.", "He flips the tabletop back to the game side and installs 16 screws on an angle to tighten the top to the rim.", "The screws serve as a clamp system to hold the table center in place as the glue cures.", "With the center now bonded to the rim, a worker sprays a base color and then a wood stain onto both sides.", "This highlights the character of the wood and gives it a warm tone.", "A worker then applies two coats of a urethane varnish and sands the finish between the coats.", "Then, workers assemble a pedestal base...", "And install a piece of laminate in a stained maple frame.", "This creates a storage compartment under the tabletop, as well as providing a foundation for the tabletop to sit on.", "The team transfers the pedestal base to the table foundation.", "They bolt them together, which creates the support structure for the tabletop.", "Back to the game tabletop, a worker installs a cloth-covered padded insert.", "This will serve as a smooth and cushy surface for card playing.", "And with that, workers finally transfer the game tabletop to the base.", "The games can now begin.", "The first sconces were candleholders attached to the wall by extending brackets to keep the flame a safe distance away.", "With the invention of electricity, sconces could be mounted flush to walls.", "This opened up new design possibilities, among them, art glass wall sconces.", "Art glass wall sconces can be used to both decorate and illuminate.", "Turning on these lights makes a design statement.", "At this factory, workers craft every sconce by hand.", "The process starts with scrap glass from a window manufacturer.", "The craftsperson measures the glass and scores it with a cutting wheel.", "Using special pliers, she applies pressure to fracture the glass along the score line.", "She manually completes the break.", "She cuts a large pane and a smaller one.", "She sets the large one aside and tapes the small one over a detailed sketch of artwork.", "She traces the lines of the sketch onto the clear glass using liquefied dark enamel, creating thick lines to mimic the look of lead veins in stained glass.", "Once the lines dry and harden a bit, she paints the designated colors within them.", "Each area of the sketch has a letter that corresponds to a particular color of enamel.", "She centers the painted pane on the clear larger one to feature the artwork more prominently.", "Then she transfers the two panes to an electrically-fired kiln.", "It will gradually heat the glass to over 1,400 degrees fahrenheit and then cool it over a period of 10 hours.", "This prevents fracturing as the heat fuses the two panes together and bakes the artwork into the glass.", "The baking also deepens the enamel colors.", "Next, a mixer blends clay to a pudding-like consistency.", "An employee pours the clay into plaster molds for the sconce's casing.", "The clay begins to firm up along the inside walls of the mold.", "He pours out the clay that's still liquefied.", "Now a putty-like consistency, he trims the excess at the top.", "He sets the mold on its side and opens it to reveal the newly shaped sconce casing.", "It cures overnight.", "The next day, the part is still soft but can withstand sanding.", "The worker thins the rim and smooths the outside.", "With a sharp knife, he cuts an opening for the art glass pane, first scoring the still-fragile clay and then making deeper cuts.", "He removes the clay cutout.", "Using a different knife, he now sculpts a chiseled profile along the edges that will eventually frame the art glass pane.", "He cuts a hole for the light socket and another one to mount the fixture to an electrical junction box.", "The clay casing now spends eight hours in a kiln, exposed to a temperature of over 1,800 degrees fahrenheit.", "This transforms the clay into a durable glass-like ceramic.", "He brushes a colored glaze on the outside of the ceramic, leaving the inside white to reflect the light forward.", "He bakes the ceramic in another kiln for six hours, and this fuses the glaze to it.", "The final finish is glossy, and the color is intrinsic to the ceramic.", "The worker now installs the light socket in one of the holes in the sconce casing and pulls the wiring through the back.", "He slides a brass washer over the wires at the back, followed by a second washer that's connected to a ground wire.", "He secures the washers and the wires to the back of the sconce with a nut.", "He screws a bulb into the socket.", "It's now ready for the art glass pane.", "He pipes adhesive onto the sides of the pane.", "Picking it up from the unglued ends, he moves the pane into place in the ceramic frame of the sconce window.", "He clips the pane to the ceramics around using clothespins and leaves the sconce overnight for the adhesive to cure.", "The next day, the art glass sconce is ready to shine, and after installation, the lighting is on the wall." ]

{ "things": [ "Kelp Caviar", "Luxury Sailboats", "Dental Crowns", "High" ] }

[ "Caviar is made by processing the unfertilized eggs of certain species of fish.", "For those who love the taste but not the price, there's simulated caviar made of kelp, a type of seaweed.", "A fraction of the cost, it looks, smells, and tastes similar to the real thing.", "Unlike fish caviar, the source of kelp caviar is a plant, so it's fat-free, cholesterol-free, and has zero calories.", "This company makes its kelp caviar plain, which is vegetarian, as well as in several flavors.", "Kelp is chock-full of vitamins and minerals and is especially rich in iodine.", "Being a marine plant, it's quite different from land plants in that its consistency is gelatinous, which makes it ideal for producing little rubbery balls that resemble fish eggs.", "At the kelp caviar factory, they begin production with kelp that's been dried naturally, then ground into a fine powder.", "The other ingredients are salt, citric acid, and, if they're making a flavored variety, natural flavoring in liquid form.", "They add the ingredients one at a time to water.", "The mixer blends them thoroughly for about an hour, producing a thick, gelatinous liquid.", "They transfer the mixture into a pot connected to an extrusion machine.", "The machine pumps the mixture through what looks like a showerhead, only instead of outputting a steady stream, it squeezes out droplets, producing tiny kelp balls called pearls, which look exactly like fish eggs.", "The pearls drop into a coagulation solution.", "Besides providing a soft landing, this solution helps hold the pearls' shape.", "The pearls roll down a chute into waiting containers.", "The water drains out the bottom.", "Workers empty the containers into large colanders.", "Then they rinse and strain the pearls to ensure they're all a certain minimum size.", "Pearls that are too small simply fall through the colander's holes.", "They weigh out a specific quantity and mix in an all-natural stabilizer required to maintain the pearls' texture and round shape.", "The factory's quality-control lab tests a sample from the batch to make sure the ph level is just right.", "Careful ph control, coupled with pasteurization, is why this product doesn't require any preservatives.", "At the packaging station, workers fill glass jars, then twist a tin lid onto each one.", "Then the jars go into a pasteurization machine.", "It heats the caviar to a high temperature for a specific period of time, which kills off any bacteria.", "This ensures a two-year shelf life without refrigeration.", "Once opened, the product stays fresh in the fridge for three months.", "After printing each lid with a lot number for tracking purposes, all that's left to do is dress the jar in a cardboard label.", "Kelp caviar contains no artificial colors or flavors.", "Unlike certain types of caviar, it doesn't bleed color to the surrounding food, even when baked.", "And while real caviar is typically either black sturgeon roe or red salmon roe, kelp caviar comes in additional flavors, such as truffle, cognac, and wasabi.", "Luxury sailboats evoke thoughts of freedom and sunsets on the ocean, but in the factory, it's all about hard work, because luxury sailboats are still mostly made by hand.", "Just a few hundred units are produced every year, each boat requiring up to 3,000 hours of work.", "Sailboats have come a long way since they were first used on the nile river some 6,000 years ago.", "These luxury sailboats are designed using computer-aided design software, which allows the engineers to optimize the hull shape for stability and speed before actually building the boat.", "They build the hull from fiberglass, which comes as knitted fabric and as mats of random strands pressed together.", "These two layers are hybridized to form a light but very strong material.", "Huge molds are used to build the hull of this 45-foot boat.", "Workers unroll the fiberglass and spray it with resin.", "Then they unroll the next layer of fiberglass, which overlaps the previous one, making for a very strong construction.", "The resin hardens as it cures.", "Boat parts are so large and heavy that they must be moved with cranes.", "This part is called the transom.", "It will be attached to the hull with fiberglass while it and the hull are still in the molds, creating what's called a monaco construction.", "This hull surface will receive the structural grid, which will support the engine, mast, fuel tank, and water tanks.", "Meanwhile, carpenters fashion the wood components.", "This door is made of solid teak, a durable hardwood that doesn't rot.", "The wood parts are then put into a curing oven at 122 degrees fahrenheit.", "Air is circulated to cure the varnish in about 11 minutes.", "Bright lights also help cure the varnish.", "It's time to put the divisions in place.", "The hull liner has slots designed to receive the various wood components.", "Each part is fitted twice-- first to check the fit, then permanently with high-strength adhesive.", "It's time to install the engine.", "With its 54 horsepower, the boat can cruise at 8 knots, even when the wind isn't blowing.", "This stainless-steel structure serves to reinforce the rudder.", "It's attached with epoxy glue.", "After closing the rudder mold, they insert a paper cone to completely fill the rudder with urethane foam.", "The foam expands as it cures.", "They finish by carefully sanding the edges of the rudder, which is now attached underneath the hull.", "To build the boat's deck, molds for the top and bottom parts must be aligned.", "High-strength bonding material is applied at specific spots.", "The two molds are carefully fitted together.", "When the parts are perfectly joined, the mold is removed.", "The deck is now ready to be fitted on the boat.", "Workers carefully line everything up.", "Luxury sailboats have enough space for many rooms and can be customized with appliances and electronics that suit the customer's needs and tastes.", "All that's needed now is a dip in the test pool for a check of the engine, generator, and other mechanical systems.", "After about three months of hard work, the boat is now ready to set sail for offshore adventures.", "Dental work dates back to ancient egypt, when people used animal teeth and pieces of bone to replace their own teeth.", "It couldn't have been pretty, but today, high-tech dental crowns can transform damaged teeth into pearly whites that look just like all the rest.", "A dental crown starts with a plaster impression of the mouth.", "It goes to a laboratory, where they cut it into segments to isolate the tooth in need of restoration.", "They scan it into a computer and send the dimensions electronically to the factory.", "There, machinery pumps liquid plaster into molds to create cylinders called blanks.", "The plaster blanks take about 10 minutes to harden, then move on to cure for an additional 12 hours.", "At the next station, a robot installs a blank in a milling machine.", "A computerized cutting tool sculpts the blank, guided by the scanned data of the plaster replica.", "It makes a duplicate that's 20% to 30% larger to allow for material shrinkage later in production.", "Next, a device dips the plaster tooth in liquid ceramic, which hardens into a nonstick glaze.", "The next robot orients the tooth, along with several others, in a circular holder, ready for the next phase of production.", "Nozzles funnel ceramic powder into molds arranged in a matching circular configuration.", "A robot then inserts the tooth replicas in the corresponding molds.", "A worker stacks several of the mold platters and threads them together with a metal rod.", "He transfers the rack of mold platters to the next worker, who plunges it into a water-filled chamber.", "He closes the lid and activates a pressurizing system.", "As the liquid pressurizes, it compresses the ceramic powder, solidifying it.", "This process takes just 10 minutes.", "Another automated tool now chisels away the excess ceramic, following the profile of the plaster tooth replica that's still inside.", "This creates the ceramic shell of the dental crown, called the coping.", "It's removed from the plaster replica, thanks to the nonstick glaze.", "Baking the coping at a very high temperature toughens the ceramic.", "It also shrinks the crown shell to the final size.", "They carve a plastic copy of the tooth, using the same data scanned into the computer earlier.", "They use this plastic replica to test the fit of the ceramic one.", "A technician inspects the ceramic for chips or cracks, then packages it for shipping.", "This tooth-like shell is now on its way to the laboratory, where it will get the finishing touches that will transform it into a crown.", "When it arrives at the lab, a technician paints several layers of porcelain onto it.", "The color will change to a more-realistic hue once they fire it in a special furnace.", "The furnace pumps out air or other gases that would hinder the transfer of heat as it bakes the porcelain to a very dense consistency.", "After all the layers have been applied, a technician textures the surface with a sharp tool.", "Then, she sculpts it to give it tooth-like contours.", "Finally, she brushes on a clear ceramic glaze, which mimics the look of tooth enamel.", "Ceramic crowns like these take about five days to make.", "They'll look and function just like any other tooth, and no one need ever know the secret behind that beautiful smile.", "High-performance engines are technology-packed marvels that are the result of exacting design, modern engineering, and a constant need for innovation.", "Producing them requires the skills of many highly trained technicians.", "It's the lucky few that will get to enjoy the performance and thrills these engines can provide.", "Under the hood of this car is the latest in a long line of performance engines, legendary as much for their power as their looks.", "Each generation of engine delivers an increase in power and a reduction in weight, meaning today's engines consume less fuel and produce less co2.", "At the heart of every engine is the engine block.", "It begins with a set of molds cast from a mixture of special sand and resin.", "Technicians glue the mold parts together.", "Using a hand file, they make final adjustments by sculpting the sand mold down to the finest detail.", "An automated machine releases molten aluminum into the mold.", "After a cooling period, the machine releases the part from the mold.", "They must remove all of the sand, which formed the hollow spaces inside the engine.", "They spray-wash the cylinder head to clear away any remaining debris.", "Technicians now begin to pre-assemble the cylinder head and intake manifold.", "Every part of the engine, such as this cylinder head, is made from aluminum-- expensive but lightweight.", "Here, robots immerse valve guides in liquid hydrogen.", "This causes them to contract so they can be easily inserted into the cylinder heads.", "As the valve guides warm up, they expand slightly, which holds them in place permanently.", "One set of valves lets fuel into the cylinder.", "The other lets exhaust out.", "With a blast of pressurized air, workers verify that the manifold's air-intake passages have been properly formed.", "Using a specially made tool, they verify the exact dimension of each valve.", "They visually inspect each cylinder head for debris and minor faults.", "If it passes, a worker tags it with an i.d. plate.", "Here technicians insert the valves into position, then test their movement.", "Next, they machine the crankshaft down to its final specifications, and the entire assembly is positioned in the engine block.", "A technician lubricates the cylinder liners...", "Then inserts them into the cylinders.", "They tap the liners into position with a rubber mallet.", "Then, using a bit of lubricant, they insert the pistons and connecting rods into each cylinder.", "With the aid of an automatic torque gun, technicians secure the connecting rods to the crankshaft, then verify the crankshaft spacing.", "Next, workers position and bolt in the valve cover.", "Then they install the air-intake manifold on top of the engine and attach the fuel-injection system.", "They hook up the finished engine to a machine called a dynamometer, which measures every aspect of engine performance down to the smallest detail.", "And now for the ultimate test-- the road test." ]

{ "things": [ "Air Filters", "Billiard Cues", "Ice Sculptures", "Suits" ] }

[ "Today on \"how it's made\"...", "Air filters...", "Billiard cues...", "Ice sculptures...", "And suits.", "Pollutants in the air can make it tough for you to breathe and function.", "But pollutants can also affect your car's performance.", "It's the reason an air filter is standard equipment on internal combustion engines.", "The filter keeps dirt and particles out of the engine so it runs smoothly and gives good mileage.", "Trapping dust and grime is a dirty job, and it takes its toll.", "Air filters get clogged and have to be replaced regularly.", "So we need a steady supply.", "To make an air filter, an automated spool unwinds thick paper and feeds it between two rollers.", "Bumps on the rollers press indentations into the paper.", "The short, vertical ones are spacers to help air flow through the filter.", "The long, horizontal lines are the pre-fold creases.", "The rollers fold the paper along those lines as they push it out the other side.", "An automated counter keeps track of the folds, because each filter needs to have approximately 75 pleats.", "Now a conveyor belt moves the paper to a circular blade.", "A steel bar holds the paper pack down while the blade slides on a motorized rail, slicing the paper at the correct number of folds.", "The paper pack rolls down the conveyor belt, heading to the next station.", "In the meantime, a robotic arm sprays liquid wax onto the aluminum molds that will be used to shape the tops and bottoms of the filters.", "The carousel turns, positioning another set for spraying.", "The wax will ensure that nothing sticks to the molds during the next steps.", "Now chrome-plated steel screens fall into a positioning tray.", "A robot picks them up with magnets two at a time.", "It places them on the bottom mold for the filter.", "A platen, or plate, bearing two top molds flips forward on the carousel.", "The carousel turns, and remember the paper packs?", "A worker places one in each of those two top molds.", "Now a robot dispenses a liquid polyurethane mixture around the screen in the bottom mold.", "Then the automated platen flips back so that the top molds with the paper packs face down.", "An air cylinder pushes a platen holding the bottom molds up to meet the top ones, and heat triggers this chemical reaction.", "The polyurethane swells and covers the screen and the paper pack, forming a solid, flexible plastic layer.", "A robot with grippers peels the new air filter out of the mold and sets it on a cooling rack.", "Because of the wax sprayed onto the molds, the robots don't have to work hard to pull the air filters out.", "Like well-greased cookie sheets, nothing gets stuck to the bottom.", "After they're cool, the rack tips up, and the air filters tumble down a slide to a worker who collects each one.", "With a band saw, she trims the excess polyurethane, or flash, from the rim.", "Now all that's left is the packaging.", "On another assembly line, a robot prepares to make a radial seal type of filter.", "It sprays the no-stick wax onto the brims of molds that look like inverted top hats.", "A small wheel turns and delivers the molds to a larger assembly wheel.", "Another robot picks up plastic caps and places them inside the molds.", "Then a pneumatic pusher raises the caps, and nozzles dispense a hot glue bead onto their edges.", "Another pneumatic pusher tool forces round packs of pleated paper out of cylindrical holders and into the molds.", "The big wheel keeps on turning, positioning the molds to receive more packs, or tubes, of filter paper.", "The wheel pushes the paper-filled molds onto a conveyor belt.", "And down the line, a robot pumps a polyurethane mix into the bottom mold for the filter.", "A worker presses the paper-filled top mold onto it.", "Heat triggers the chemical reaction that expands the polyurethane, encasing the bottom of the filter paper and forming a gasket that will fit snugly near an engine intake.", "The radial air filter is now completely assembled, and it's taken just 20 minutes.", "The filters are ready to work under the hood of today's automobiles.", "The game of billiards has been popular for several hundred years, dating back as early as the 15th century.", "Then players used a mace to strike the ball.", "When the mace's large head made it tough to shoot along the rail, players started using its slimmer tail end.", "This led to the invention of the cue stick so players didn't have to worry about switching back and forth.", "Pick a cue, but be selective, because choosing a stick that feels right for you pays off when you're behind the eight ball.", "To make the butt, or bottom section, of a cue, they start with a block of expensive bird's-eye maple.", "The wood spins on a lathe.", "A doughnut-shaped blade moves on rails and cuts around the circumference, turning the block into a cylinder.", "As it cuts, the shavings are vacuumed away.", "Now a square-tipped steel cutter carves into one end of the wood.", "It makes a groove that will be used to attach the butt's forearm to its lower part.", "He slides a black plastic ring around the rim and glues it down.", "It's decorative, but it will also give the cue some stability.", "Next, he brushes glue on top of it to attach another ring, this one made of a nickel/silver alloy.", "He screws the forearm into the lower part of the butt.", "Glue oozes out of the joint as the screws tighten.", "The forearm is now bonded to the lower part of the cue, making one butt piece.", "Then they employ a vertical cnc lathe.", "Computerized cutters move up on rails, precisely tapering each butt piece to the desired diameter.", "After that, another computerized tool called a cnc inlay cutter chisels geometric designs into the cue's forearm.", "The same type of cutter carves matching designs from ebony wood.", "A worker removes the ebony cutouts and inspects them.", "He handles them cautiously because the thin strips of wood are fragile and break easily.", "With a stick, he slathers a thick epoxy mixture into the cue stick's carved-out design.", "The ingredients of this high-strength glue are a trade secret.", "Next, he presses one of the ebony cutouts into the glue-filled cavity.", "He fits a synthetic ivory cutout inside of the ebony one, pressing it down into the glue with big tweezers.", "He continues to build the design with another piece of ebony.", "These intricate inlays give the cue some attitude.", "A cue stick's good looks can affect a player's mind-set and give him or her a competitive edge.", "This glue may look a bit messy now, but when it dries, the ample amounts will keep the inlay tight, preventing air and moisture from getting in and doing damage.", "He inserts little pieces of synthetic stone as a final touch...", "And then presses all the pieces down with a wood dowel.", "Next, a computerized drill bores a hole in the exact center of the joint section.", "A second drilling makes a thread inside the hole.", "He screws a steel joint pin dappled with glue into the thread created by the drill, twisting it tightly with a special tool.", "When the joint is fully entrenched, he unscrews the tool.", "And now the butt can be screwed to the shaft for the game and then taken apart for transport.", "An automated paint gun sprays clear varnish onto the cue sticks.", "A motorized stamping machine inks the logo onto the cue's butt piece.", "And a worker applies glue as the cue stick turns on a lathe.", "This is in preparation for the wrap.", "Then the turning cue pulls linen thread from a spool, wrapping itself with the lower section with glue on it.", "This linen wrap will make the cue easier to grip and will absorb moisture.", "They roll the cue stick up against a high-speed cloth buffing wheel to give it a shine.", "Now these cue sticks are ready for some serious competition in the pool hall.", "Ice sculptures can make quite an impression at a party or social engagement.", "Before they melt, their beauty can be seen and admired.", "Mass production of ice sculptures is now possible with new machines and tools.", "And the market for ice sculptures is expanding.", "It's a curtain of ice, and it's in demand for big events.", "They string beads of ice on plastic-coated aircraft cable.", "As it melts, it creates a waterfall effect.", "It's guaranteed to make an impression.", "But just how do they get this ice to be crystal clear?", "They start by tucking a plastic liner into a big tank.", "They pipe filtered water into it.", "Then a worker places a measuring bar with a dipstick across the tank.", "The dipstick is set at 10 inches.", "That's how thick the block of ice needs to be.", "He clamps electric submersible pumps on each end of the tank and positions them underwater at a 45-degree angle.", "These pumps are key.", "They keep the water moving, forcing bubbles and impurities to the top while clear water below freezes.", "He shuts the lid to allow the water to freeze.", "24 hours into it, he'll remove one of the pumps.", "Three days later, he probes the ice under the watery surface with a pick.", "It needs to be level, so he checks the entire ice surface with a measuring bar.", "Next, he siphons off the excess water with a wet vacuum.", "He'll take off a couple of buckets full.", "Then he attaches a lifting bar to brackets on each end of the tank and lifts the 300-pound ice block with a chain hoist.", "Now he peels away the plastic liner and inspects.", "The ice has to be absolutely perfect-- no clouds, cracks, or impurities.", "Because water expands when it freezes, the block is a bit too thick, so they slice off the excess ice with an electric band saw, trimming it back to the desired 10-inch mark.", "The steel blade cuts cleanly and evenly.", "He slides the extra pieces of ice into a heated pit, where they'll melt and be recycled back into the system.", "Before the ice is carved, they put the design on paper.", "The artist is sketching a liquor luge-- two vodka bottles made of ice, through which drinks will flow.", "Now its time to cut the ice.", "The block turns on a special lathe.", "Then they propel an electric router across the spinning block.", "The sharp edges of the router cut into the ice.", "A guide wheel above the router follows a plastic outline of a bottle so it cuts precisely to the design.", "All this is done in the freezer.", "The temperature in here is just over 17 degrees fahrenheit.", "Now the vodka bottle is starting to take shape.", "It takes about four minutes for this machine to carve it.", "This task couldn't be performed as quickly or precisely by hand.", "After the carving, the worker brushes off the ice shavings.", "Then its time for the blowtorch.", "It melts the frost so the ice looks like glass, through which you can clearly see the label and plastic tubing that have been frozen inside.", "Now we have the finished vodka luge, which will be used to serve drinks at parties.", "The barman pours the drinks through a funnel at the top, and the drink chills all the way down to the martini glass.", "If a fish fountain is more your style, this is how it's done, the old-fashioned way.", "The sculptor, armed with a chainsaw, shapes the ice following a cardboard template.", "She smoothes the ice with an electrically powered disk grinder, then cuts in detail by using a die grinder with a triangular bit.", "She dusts off the snow...", "And then polishes the ice with a blast from the blowtorch.", "Now, that's a work of art.", "In today's world, suits are common, allowing both men and women to dress the part for any situation-- everyday work or a special occasion.", "While men and women may wear different parts of a suit, the basics of the suit have been unaltered for over a century-- a jacket and trousers or skirt.", "It's a look that's never out of style.", "Every suit begins with a design on paper.", "The style is precisely sketched.", "It's a creative process but also highly technical.", "He plans the entire outfit, right down to the last stitch.", "No detail is left to chance here.", "They feed the design data to this computerized cutting machine.", "The blade slices through fabric placed under paper.", "And because it's computerized, it's very precise, producing pieces that will fit together like a puzzle.", "This is how they used to cut the fabric-- by hand.", "It was more time-consuming, and the margin for error was much greater.", "Now it's time to reinforce the fabric.", "She places fusing tape made of fabric onto a sleeve piece and then sends it to a heat chamber with rollers that will bond the tape to the material, giving it strength.", "Next, it's over to the sewing machine.", "A worker lines up two sleeve layers, and it's hands-free from here.", "A rail powered by compressed air descends and guides the fabric under the needle.", "A computer controls the sewing.", "This frees up the operator to continuously feed the machine.", "This is an automatic pocket welt machine.", "She places the front of a jacket under a clamp and puts the welt fabric in the clamp and a pocket flap at the side.", "The clamp automatically slides the fabrics to needles that sew the welt and flap onto the jacket.", "Then two tiny knives emerge and cut the pocket open.", "The result-- a precisely made pocket completely by automation.", "The only human involvement is to feed the machine and then collect the finished product.", "Now over at another station, an operator irons fusible tape onto the open seams.", "This stabilizes them and gives them a crisp finish.", "A worker places the front of the jacket on a headless mannequin called a buck.", "A hot metal press moves in, and the pressing reshapes the jacket to the contours of the buck.", "Now she puts a sleeveless jacket on another buck and tucks a shoulder pad underneath.", "She presses a pedal to activate the machine, and the hot presses lower, melting the glue on the shoulder pad, which fuses it to the jacket.", "Now to steam the fabric.", "Another jacket is on another mannequin.", "And a worker clamps down the sleeves.", "A big steam bag made of porous vinyl swings in, wafting steam onto the front of the jacket.", "At the same time, hoses pipe steam into the porous mannequin cavity, so this jacket gets a steam press from both sides.", "This machine is a collar master.", "She folds the collar into the correct position and lowers a big fabric-covered metal press onto the collar to iron down the fold.", "It's time for the auto-jig machine.", "It's making an extension piece to the second button for a pant waistband.", "This is the piece that goes over the second button on the waistband of dress pants.", "It sews and cuts two layers of fabric that are held in a jig and then feeds the excess fabric to a vacuum tube for disposal.", "Now it's time to define a crease in a pair of trousers.", "An operator slides a pair of pants, inside out, onto a double rail.", "Then using a device similar to a caulking gun, she pipes a silicone-based liquid along the crease line.", "The liquid is a perma-crease mixture, which will give the crease some staying power.", "There's also a nib on the end of this gun which sharpens the crease.", "All that stitching and steaming seems to have gone without a hitch.", "But the designer still needs to inspect the work to see if it measures up to his original concept.", "If adjustments have to be made, he marks the spots.", "That's because how it fits can be just as important as how it looks." ]

{ "things": [ "Inflatable Safety Devices", "Braille Typewriters", "Carbon" ] }

[ "Today on \"how it's made\"...", "Inflatable safety devices...", "Braille typewriters...", "And carbon-fiber cellos.", "They're designed to keep your head above water.", "Inflatable safety devices activate in seconds to buoy you up and keep you afloat until help arrives.", "You'll find these survival devices on airplanes and boats.", "Even when they're not inflated, they provide piece of mind that you'll be safe while on the water.", "To make a life vest, a computer-controlled knife cuts a pattern in urethane-coated nylon.", "Heat from the blade makes some pieces stick together, so a worker peels them apart.", "The shiny side is the waterproof coating.", "It'll be on the inside of the life vest.", "They place the front of the vest on a vacuum table to hold it down.", "Then they silk-screen the amount of carbon dioxide needed for inflation onto the fabric.", "Next, they pull an oral inflation tube through a precut hole...", "And then place the assembly under a radio-frequency press.", "It emits energy that heat-seals the tube to the fabric.", "They fasten the back and front vest pieces on pegs to align them.", "She slides the table with the vest pieces under a big radio-frequency press.", "Again, electromagnetic energy bonds the plastic pieces.", "This vest has been put together without a single stitch.", "The cylinder that contains the carbon dioxide has been installed.", "It holds about one ounce of the gas under pressure, which will instantly inflate the vest with one tug on a tab.", "It also activates automatically when immersed in water.", "A little tablet inside dissolves, triggering a spring that punctures the cylinder.", "Pull the cord on this pack, and you'll have an instant lifeboat, complete with a roof.", "To make one, the computerized blade cuts shapes out of rubberized fabric, while a plastic film helps hold it in place.", "They brush on a rubber adhesive to seal the boat's joints and press rubber tape over the glue.", "They remove air bubbles.", "It will take several days for the bonding to be complete.", "They apply the same rubber adhesive to all the inflation valves and pressure tubes.", "To help activate the glue, they wipe it with a damp rag, then insert a valve through a hole in one of the raft's air chambers.", "They apply more glue to the outside around the valve and secure it with a ring called a doubler.", "It really is the glue that holds everything together.", "They apply more rubber adhesive onto the lower inflated chamber.", "Then they stretch a sheet of rubber flooring over it.", "They smooth down the edges, again, to remove air bubbles.", "They run rubberized tape around the rim.", "It will protect it and also act as a hinge between the floor and the upper air chamber, which will go on next.", "In preparation for that, they measure to align all the inflation valves.", "Then they pull the upper air chamber, the walls of the raft, on top of the floor and lower chamber.", "They line up the valves but hold off on connecting them.", "Next, they pump regular air into the upper chamber to test the shape and function.", "A plastic strip has been keeping the glued surfaces from contacting.", "They pull it out and push down to initiate contact.", "Before they pack up the raft, they take stock of the survival kit.", "There's the first-aid package...", "Miniflares...", "Food rations...", "A pocketknife...", "And bags of water.", "There are enough supplies to keep you safe and fed while you wait for help to arrive.", "A braille typewriter types raised dots using the braille system.", "It's based on six dots arranged in a rectangle, three dots high by two dots across.", "This is called the braille cell.", "Different configurations of dots within this cell represent different letters of the alphabet, numbers, and punctuation marks.", "A braille typewriter has a spacebar in the middle and six keys, one for each dot of the braille cell.", "Pressing a key makes a pointed steel rod, called a stylus, type a raised dot.", "To build a braillewriter, they first position the six styli one by one in a carriage with steel spacers in between.", "The spacers ensure the styli move freely.", "A cover plate seals the back of the carriage, and what's called a stripper plate closes the top.", "The plate has six holes in the configuration of the braille cell.", "When you press a key, the corresponding stylus protrudes and strikes the paper against a dot-shaped eye, creating a raised dot.", "They screw the die to the carriage top but don't install it in the machine just yet.", "This is how the carriage and die will meet once it's in place.", "They start connecting the components which move the various styli.", "The first part is a steel cam rod.", "One end of it has a little eyelet called a lug.", "They put a pin in it, then slip that pin through holes in the prongs of a metal strip called a link.", "Later, they'll connect the other end of the link to a lever attached to a key.", "The braillewriter's other components are made of cast aluminum.", "The left end plate covers the left side of the machine.", "To that, they connect the carriage tube, the cylinder on which the carriage rides, and the feed roller, the mechanism you turn to feed a sheet of paper into the typewriter, then what they call the rear support, an assembly of cam rods and links.", "They slide the carriage onto the carriage tube.", "Next, they install the drum.", "The feed tube transfers the paper to the drum.", "The drum winds it into the machine, positioning it for typing.", "Then the rack bar.", "Each tooth in it is the width of a braille cell, ensuring the carriage advances the correct distance between letters.", "Next, they install the chain assembly, which advances the carriage.", "They close off the other side of the machine with the right end plate.", "Now they can finish the process of connecting the parts that move the styli.", "So far, each cam rod connects to a link.", "Now they connect each link to a cam lever, then each lever to a key.", "Here's how it all works.", "You press a key...", "It triggers the cam lever to turn the cam rod...", "And push up on the stylus.", "The stylus strikes the paper against the die yet to be installed, producing a raised dot.", "There's still one more paper-feed component to install-- the pressure roller.", "It holds the sheet of paper against the feed tube.", "Now they screw the die to the carriage top and install that on a support beam.", "Then they position this assembly over the stripper plate at the top of the carriage.", "They check and adjust the paper hold tension.", "The back plate has slots for the two levers that adjust the margins.", "The apron goes below the keys, the front plate above them.", "Then the last component, the carriage lever.", "When you type to the end of a line, you push this lever to the left to return to the left margin.", "You also push a key on the far left to advance the paper to the next line.", "Typing on a braillewriter is an embossing process, so you have to use thick paper.", "You push single keys and combinations of keys to produce different configurations of dots, each signifying different letters of the alphabet.", "This cello is made of carbon fibers instead of traditional wood.", "Enthusiasts believe this newer carbon version has a more powerful sound than the wooden instrument.", "It still has that characteristic sweetness, but it's more likely to be heard in the orchestral din.", "And, after all, every musician wants to be heard.", "The carbon cello was the idea of a boston symphony cellist who noticed waves resonate loudly against carbon-fiber boats.", "They cut the top piece of the cello out of fabric that's woven with carbon strands.", "This material is stronger than steel, yet electric shears easily cut through it.", "A worker cuts out numerous top cello pieces and then sets them aside while he works on another section of the instrument.", "He brushes special resin onto a fiberglass mold of the cello's back, ribs, and neck.", "The mold has been prewaxed to keep the resin from sticking to it.", "The idea is to saturate this big piece of carbon fabric with the resin as he tucks it into the curves of the mold.", "He smoothes it down to get rid of any bubbles that could affect the cello's tone.", "He brushes more resin onto the other side of the fabric, making sure it gets into all the crevices.", "He sponges away any surplus and then layers more fabric and resin as he builds a laminated carbon-fiber shape.", "He covers the layers with nylon-like material and trims the edges of the carbon fabric.", "Next, he places perforated plastic on the nylon and piles absorbent batting on top of that.", "He installs a vacuum pump and drapes a big plastic vacuum bag over everything...", "Then activates the vacuum.", "It sucks out the air and any excess resin.", "The perforated plastic controls the amount, and the batting absorbs it.", "While it's still under vacuum, they put the whole thing in an oven to bake the carbon-fiber layers together.", "After they peel away the batting and plastic, it comes out looking like this.", "The plies have fused together, and the shell has a sleek look to it.", "They laminate the cello's top piece in a mold and bake it until it's also hard.", "Using a band saw, they trim off the ragged edges and sand them for a smooth finish.", "Now they clamp the cello top piece onto a fixture that has stencils on the back.", "With a router, they cut out the stencil shape.", "The sound will eventually emanate from these f-holes, as they're called.", "They attach the company's label with glue to the inside of the cello's back section.", "Then they glue around the top inner rim of the cello.", "They tape the back tightly in place while it hardens.", "Next, they glue the laminated carbon fingerboard to the neck of the cello.", "They drill holes into the pegbox and insert the pegs which are used to tighten the strings.", "Soon, this cello will be more than just a shell.", "Coming up, we reveal its inner workings.", "The story of this cello has many layers.", "They're all carbon, and now the layers have hardened into the shape of a concert instrument.", "At this point, you can't make music with it, though, because they have yet to construct the inner workings, a process that is another demonstration of fine craftsmanship.", "The cello frames need a bit of bodywork.", "They rough them up with sandpaper...", "Then spray on a polyurethane clear coat to protect the surface.", "Then it's over to the string specialist, called a luthier.", "He sets a roughly cut wooden bridge on top of the cello and takes measure of the position.", "The placement of this bridge needs to be exact because its job is to elevate the strings and transfer their vibrations to the instrument.", "If its position is a bit off, the cello's sound will also be a bit off.", "Using a grease pencil, he maps out the position of the bridge between the f-holes, then sets it aside.", "Now he slips the wooden sound post into one of the f-holes and wedges it between the front and back of the cello.", "The sound post is crucial.", "It will strengthen the cello and couple the strings' vibrations between the front and back of the instrument.", "This is delicate and highly skilled work.", "He measures to determine if the sound post is on the mark.", "If it's off by even a fraction of an inch, he adjusts it a bit more.", "Afterwards, he double-checks the bridge's positioning.", "Then, with a red grease pencil, he colors over the spots where the feet of the bridge are to sit.", "He presses the bridge's feet into the grease marks, and this makes red smears on the feet.", "The smears tell him where to shave the wood so that it will fit perfectly on the top of the cello.", "The bridge doesn't get glued down.", "It's held in place only by the pressure of the strings.", "Next, he makes pencil marks on both tips of a measuring stick.", "He leans the stick against the bridge at the same angle as the strings that will run over it.", "He then transfers the pencil marks from the stick to the top of the bridge.", "He rounds off the marks by penciling around a template.", "And then he carves the bridge down to size.", "He planes it down to make it thinner.", "With a file, he cuts grooves to cradle the strings.", "Now he moves to the bottom of the instrument and slides a spike called an end pin into a precut hole.", "The end pin will rest on the floor, steadying the cello.", "He lassos the end pin with plastic rope, which is attached to the tailpiece, and he rests the tailpiece on the belly of the cello.", "He pulls the steel strings from the pegs and hooks them onto the tailpiece.", "Like most classical string instruments, the cello has four strings.", "Now he slides the strings into the grooves on the bridge.", "He turns the pegs to tighten the strings.", "The strings push down on the bridge, holding it in place.", "He tunes the cello, and now it's ready for a real performance." ]

{ "things": [ "Leather Overnight Bags", "Horse Exercisers", "Air Hockey Tables", "Copper Sculptures" ] }

[ "Today on \"how it's made\"...", "Leather overnight bags...", "Horse exercisers...", "Air hockey tables...", "And copper sculptures.", "Whether heading across the country or taking a weekend getaway, people love to travel.", "Regardless of the destination, it's impossible to leave home without luggage.", "Luggage is made from all kinds of materials, including wood, metal, plastic, hi-tech polycarbonates, and leather.", "Not all leather overnight bags are created equal.", "This dark brown bag was constructed with the capacity to hold water.", "The process starts with full-grain hides, chrome-tanned by an outside facility.", "Chrome-tanning is an effective treatment which allows the leather to become more water resistant.", "This bag is constructed from a single piece of leather, making it more durable and water-tight.", "First, a leather worker uses a template to cut out the shape of the bag.", "He uses the machine to shave the edges off the piece of leather in a process called sciving, which prepares the leather for folding and sewing.", "Using a hole punch, another craftsman taps the series of openings for riveting on buckles and other attachments.", "The holes will prevent the opening from ripping.", "Next, a leather worker uses a template to mark where he'll apply a strip of glue to the top edge.", "He attaches a polyester strip to the bottom edge of the glue and spreads more glue on top of the polyester.", "Then he folds and hammers the top portion of the leather over onto the polyester strip.", "Once complete, the leather worker trims the edges of the polyester.", "The leather is then placed into a machine known as a clicker, to stamp out the bag straps and other leather components.", "The clicker works by applying 25 tons of pressure to custom-made dyes.", "The shoulder pad is one of 22 pieces of leather that will complete the bag.", "A craftsperson glues a foam rectangle between two layers of leather.", "This type of glue won't bubble in hot temperatures.", "Chrome-tanned hide is tough stuff, so manufacturers use a heated stamp to brand the leather with their logo.", "A leather worker uses a sewing machine to piece together multiple parts of the leather.", "The stitching perforations weakens the leather, so for added strength, the craftsman uses a heavy gauge continuous-filament polyester thread.", "Next, a craftsman attaches the buckles.", "He places one steel rivet in each buckle piece and secures it into place.", "He leaves the remaining rivets out to accommodate the sewing machine, which will reinforce the attachment.", "The buckles are made of high strength 316 stainless steel.", "A craftsman attaches a piece of plastic to reinforce the handle and prevent the leather from becoming misshapen over time.", "Once he's glued in pieces of plastic to each handle opening, the leather worker finishes all the seams.", "This type of continuous-filament polyester thread is the same kind that is used to sew parachutes together.", "Next, a craftswoman cleans the completed bag and applies a generous amount of leather milk to condition the leather.", "The leather milk is made of all-natural, non-toxic ingredients.", "The craftswoman uses a torch to singe off any stray hairs before the strap is attached to a set of upper or lower d-rings.", "This first little bag can now be worn as a backpack or a shoulder bag.", "Stylish and durable, this leather overnight bag is built to hold your stuff while you travel to any destination.", "Horses need regular exercise to stay healthy and fit.", "This innovative mechanical exerciser provides horses with a safe way to stay active on their own, especially if they spend long periods of time in their stalls.", "The rotating panels of this exerciser give horses the push they need to get moving.", "An operator regulates the speed of the panel, which controls the pace of the workout.", "Making this horse exerciser starts with a computer-generated design.", "This one is for a six-horse exerciser.", "Once designing is complete, production can begin.", "First, a sheet of mile-carbon steel uncoils into a rolling slitting machine.", "Circular blades above and below slice the steel sheet into strips.", "Most of the strips will be made into structural tubing.", "One of the strips enters a 300-foot-long machine with many rollers.", "The rollers shape the strip from flat to round.", "More rollers shape the material.", "As an induction coil energized by a radio-frequency electric current wields it together.", "A blade shaves the excess steel from the wielded steam.", "Meanwhile another tubing sheers the tubing against a set of guy clamping blocks, cutting it to the specified length.", "Finally, the tubing exits the cutting operation.", "A technician wields both plates to the tubing and adds a cable-stabilizer bar.", "The completed part will serve as one of the arms that link the center shaft to the revolving panels.", "Another machinist builds the panels for the exerciser's inner and outer walls.", "To do so, he arranges tubing horizontally and inserts a vertical support bar.", "He wields a framework to the tubing to hold the panel structure together.", "He adds a steel shield to the lower part.", "The shield will prevent sand from being forced out of the exerciser track by the horses' hooves.", "Once construction is complete, the technician stacks the assembled panels together.", "Next, an overhead monorail transports the panels to the powder-coating station.", "Using an applicator, a technician applies a powder coat to the revolving panels.", "The powder coat provides an anti-corrosive protective finish.", "A team clamps one of the structural panels in a machine with powerful mechanical arms.", "The arms bend the panel to a specified curvature.", "All the structural panels are bent to the same angle, so that when looked, they'll form a round pen.", "Using a press brake, a technician makes two strategic bends in a flat sheet of steel, which creates a flared three-walled part.", "Another machinist fits two of these parts together to create a structure known as the tree.", "Then he wields connectors to the tree for the cables and tubular arms.", "A loop is wielded on top for handling purposes.", "Then the tree is given a powder-coat finish to match the rest of the horse-exerciser machine.", "Using a hoist, a technician lowers the drive shaft onto the motor and shakes the framework to bring the connection into alignment.", "Then the assembly is tested to confirm the motor turns the shaft.", "Steel panels fit to the framework to enclose the motor and protect it from the elements.", "He attaches a door, so the motor can be accessed for maintenance.", "Now complete, the parts are ready for shipping.", "On-site assembly takes about nine hours, but it's well worth the wait when the horses get to test it out.", "Halfway through the test, the operator reverses the direction of the machine to ensure all of the horses' muscles are being exercised accordingly, proving that running around in circles can be a good thing.", "Air hockey was developed in the late '60s and early '70s by a group of american billiard engineers.", "When in play, the puck floats on a thin cushion of air, propelled by players on each end.", "With no friction, the puck moves fast, making air hockey a high-speed game.", "In a game of air hockey, the puck levitates ever so slightly, made possible by a constant flow of air flowing through perforations in the playfield.", "The playfield is made from a laminated composite material that's been printed with air hockey graphics.", "A computerized drill cuts into three playfields at once in the same consistent pattern.", "The size of the holes are a little larger than pin holes, creating over 4,600 perforations in each air hockey playfield.", "An automated tool carves grooves in a sheet of medium density fiber board.", "The board will serve as a base for the playfield.", "Air will circulate in the grooves and exit through the playfield holes.", "Next, sawdust is blasted out of the grooves.", "The grooves' fiberboard moves through a glue applicator.", "The rubber roller coats the top of the board with a small amount of glue, so it doesn't seep into the grooves.", "As the board exits, technicians move the board onto a stack.", "Once the board is in the correct position, the laminate is applied and aligned with the grooves in the fiber board.", "A cardboard cover is placed on the laminate for protection as the stack moves through a press.", "The weight of the press squeezes the stack together, ensuring adhesion as the glue cures.", "Meanwhile, a craftswoman applies stick-on graphics onto the side apron boards.", "She opens a pre-cut slot for a coin door and exposes a hole for a bolt.", "She cuts open a slot for maintenance access and removes the panel that will serve as a door.", "She numbers the door and the side apron piece, so she can match them up later during installation.", "After applying art work to the end panels, another technician assembles curved corner parts and links mental brackets to the side apron parts.", "He installs a bracket for a puck deflector in the center of the end panel and screws down the corner connectors.", "He sets the end panels in an upside-down possession on the work surface and attaches the side boards to the corner connectors.", "This completes the table apron.", "A locked door is installed in the plywood floor.", "This will serve as an interior storage compartment.", "Next, a craftsman installs the coin door and secures it into place.", "He mounts wire speakers that projects sound effects to a computerized optical system that tracks the puck's movements.", "Once the structure is fitted with wooden panels, the game's flashing lights and sensor activators are installed.", "At another station, a team flips a playfield over to work on the back.", "One technician attaches a board above the open grooves, creating a chamber for airflow.", "The motor and fan are installed over the small opening.", "This system will blow air into the grooves and the playfield perforations.", "The playfield is turned over and lowered onto the table structure.", "Next, aluminum bumpers are attached to the table's border as a barrier for the puck during play.", "A technician installs goal puck deflectors on the ends and screws in metal plates over the deflector cups.", "He installs a lock on each goal compartment so no one can steal the puck.", "Finally, the air hockey table assembly is complete.", "Let the games begin.", "Artisans have worked with copper for years.", "The metal is soft enough to easily cut, shape, and emboss.", "Unless sealed, copper's bright, shiny surface naturally tarnishes over time, producing a warm, aged finish, referred to as patina.", "These intricate copper sculptures are the work of an artist with a quirky imagination.", "This style of work is designed to rotate on rods as lawn art or weather vanes.", "When a customer commissions a sculpture, the artist draws the sculpture on cardstock, a thick type of paper.", "When planning a spinning sculpture like this griffin, the artist sketches the side view.", "Using a pair of scissors, he cuts off the excess cardstock.", "Then he uses smaller scissors to cut precisely along the lines of his drawing.", "Now the artist has a pattern to work with.", "He lays the pattern on a sheet of copper, tapes it down, and traces it with a fine-point pen to get a crisp line.", "The tracing must be precise for the sculpture's components to line up properly.", "He repeats this step on a second sheet of copper, since the sculpture will be two-sided.", "He cuts along the line with metal sheers.", "First, he cuts away the excess copper and then does the detailed cutting.", "He cuts out pieces for the left and right side of the sculpture.", "The artist draws an eye on the back of the right-side head.", "With a round-head hammer, he taps a piece of stainless-steel wire on the line to create an eyelid.", "He uses tools designed for stamping leather.", "He recesses the head, so that on the reverse side, the front of the sculpture, the head will appear raised.", "This technique brings dimension and texture to what was originally a flat piece of copper.", "The artist hammers the back of the wing to gradually contour and texture the feathers.", "He uses different tools to create finer effects such as veining.", "This age-old technique of hammering a malleable metal from the reverse side to create a design in relief is called repoussé, french for \"pushed back\".", "The artist heats a part with a torch and applies zinc chloride flux to the parameter.", "This caustic solution cleans the copper, removing impurities that would prevent solder from adhering.", "Then he uses a blowtorch to melt silver-based solder onto the copper, around the parameter of the part.", "This step is called pre-soldering, as the sculpture will be fully soldered later.", "He pre-solders the back of the pieces that will be attached to matching pieces.", "Then he heats the front surface to bring out a rainbow of colors.", "Next, he aligns the matching parts and heats them with a torch.", "This melts the solder along the parameter, fusing the pieces together.", "In areas where the sides are too far apart to be fused, he solders a small copper patch to fit over the gap.", "He flattens all the seams with fine grinding tools until they appear seamless.", "He repeats this process for each section of the sculpture.", "Once all the sections are assembled, he solders them to each other.", "The wing fits into a thin channel he hammered into the body of the sculpture.", "He melts the solder in the channel to produce a neat and even seam.", "To display the copper sculpture or use it as a weather vane, the artist solders a ball bearing inside a copper tube, then attaches the tube to the bottom of the sculpture.", "The tube slides over a rod, so it can be set in the ground or mounted on the roof." ]

{ "things": [ "Exercise Bikes", "Cornish Pasties", "Pasta Makers", "Slate Products" ] }

[ "Exercise bikes can provide a great cardio workout.", "Their tension settings are equivalent to the gears on a road bike.", "Cyclists can adjust the tension to control the intensity of their workout, all while staying in one place.", "Riding an exercise bike can help burn calories, increase strength, and reach fitness goals.", "They start by making the bike frame, which includes the handlebars, saddle post, and flywheel housing.", "An employee places all the parts in a welding fixture.", "The welding system is computerized.", "The fixture moves the parts into position and a robot accurately welds the joints of the frame.", "It takes 20 welds to link all the parts of the bike frame.", "At the next station, a machine shapes the handlebars and saddle post to the correct profile.", "Then, a worker polishes the welds with a wire brush.", "Next, they apply a black plastic finish to the metal.", "This process is called powder coating.", "An employee applies a metallic decal of the company name to the powder-coated frame.", "He inserts the bearing for the pedal crank axle and gently taps it into place with a hammer.", "He attaches a circuit board to the base.", "It will control the resistance of the flywheel.", "He threads the wiring through the hollow frame and out the handlebar post.", "He drills holes in the saddle-bar tubing, then, he installs the post and adjustable locking screw.", "He installs a temporary clamping lever on the flywheel framework, which will be used to tension the transmission build.", "He installs the bike saddle.", "Then, he uses a hydraulic system to press an axle and bearing into the center of the flywheel.", "He places a product-name decal on the flywheel.", "The cast-iron flywheel is the heart of the bike.", "At about 40 pounds, it's heavy enough to stabilize the bike during the stationary ride.", "He loops the transmission belt around the flywheel axle, then mounts the flywheel to the framework.", "He installs magnetic brakes and wires them to a bike computer.", "The brakes allow the rider to control the resistance during the ride.", "He connects the pulley disk to the front of the bike.", "Then, he loops the other end of the transmission belt around the pulley disk.", "He uses a clamping lever to pull the belt tight.", "He strums it and measures the sound to confirm the tension is right.", "The next worker removes the clamp and places the bike in a test station.", "It spins the flywheel and applies resistance.", "A computer analyzes the bike's performance.", "Another employee wires the switches for increasing and decreasing resistance.", "She tucks the wiring inside the handlebars.", "She attaches switches to the outside for easy access during the ride.", "She folds the lower half of the resistance wiring up and installs the wiring sleeve in between the handlebars.", "She screws the bracket to the handlebar housing, then, she connects the wires to the ride computer and attaches it to the bracket.", "She opens the computer and plugs the main power cable into the back.", "Then, she reinstalls the computer's back panel.", "This completes the handlebar assembly.", "The next worker encases the transmission belt and electrical parts in a plastic housing.", "He attaches the pedals to the axle.", "Then, he places plastic caps on the ends and hammers them into place.", "He packages the bike and handlebar assembly separately.", "This exercise bike is now ready to ride.", "It may be stationary, but, when it comes to fitness, this bike should help riders go the distance.", "A pasty is a common british meal consisting of meat and vegetables wrapped in a pastry.", "Historically, the cornish pasty was served as a convenient meal for miners in the cornwall area of the united kingdom.", "The crimped edge served as a handle, allowing workers to enjoy their food without contaminating it with their dirty hands.", "The cornish pasty is the national dish of cornwall in the uk.", "Its signature crimped edge, along with other characteristics, are culturally and commercially protected.", "Under european union regulations, only pasties made the traditional way in cornwall can be sold as cornish pasties.", "The traditional recipe begins with pastry dough.", "Workers combine lard and margarine with salt and flour.", "They mix these ingredients at low speeds so they don't overheat the fats.", "The solid fats break up gradually and combine with the flour and salt to form a bread-crumb-like texture.", "After about five minutes, they add water.", "Then, they resume mixing, until the dough reaches the right consistency.", "They let the dough rest for about an hour.", "This relaxes the gluten in the flour, preventing the dough from shrinking when it bakes.", "They put it in an extruder, which feeds it down an automated forming line.", "At the first station, the dough passes through several rollers, which progressively flatten it into a sheet.", "They add flour to the dough, so it doesn't stick to the rollers.", "The flattened dough finally exits the first station.", "The next station uses revolving cutters to slice the dough into 5-ounce disks.", "The excess dough is collected and reworked into the next batch.", "Flattening and cutting the dough heats it up, so they put it in a refrigerator for about an hour, to restore its elasticity.", "Meanwhile, they prepare the pasties' vegetable filling.", "Workers load washed potatoes into an industrial peeler.", "It spins them inside an abrasive metal drum to remove the skins.", "Then, the potatoes go through a dicer, which cuts them to a specific size.", "The dicer deposits the potatoes in water, to remove any excess starch.", "Workers combine the potatoes with diced rutabaga and onion in a vegetable mixer.", "They add melted butter, to help caramelize the onions.", "They also add salt, pepper, and a blend of other seasonings.", "They run the mixer for about two minutes.", "Then, the vegetable filling joins the other components on the production line.", "Workers place the dough on a moving belt with the front edge of each disk on a white line.", "This position ensures that the depositor's nozzles drop the filling onto the right spot.", "Next, workers place fresh, lean skirt steak on top of the vegetables.", "The steak is cut from the forequarter of prime beef.", "According to european union regulations, 12.5% of a cornish pasty must be beef.", "This company's pasties exceed that, containing at least 17.5%.", "Highly skilled workers close the cornish pasty with the signature crimped edge.", "They fold the dough in half, form 19 to 22 even crimps along the back of the pasty, then, neatly tuck the end.", "This must be done with both precision and speed.", "It takes these expert crimpers about 20 seconds per pasty.", "Workers collect the pasties and make a small incision, to vent some moisture as the bake.", "The remaining juices will infuse the vegetables, producing a flavorful gravy.", "The factory immediately cools the finished cornish pasties to about 65° fahrenheit.", "This keeps the raw ingredients fresh during packaging.", "Pasties are stored and shipped frozen, then glazed and baked onsite.", "After 45 to 50 minutes in the oven, these traditional cornish pasties are ready to serve.", "Fresh pasta is made from a moist egg and flour dough that's mixed, kneaded, and rolled into a sheet.", "Then, the dough is cut into soft noodles, ravioli, or other shapes, using a pasta maker.", "This italian-made industrial pasta maker is designed for restaurants and smaller pasta suppliers.", "The machine is only five feet wide, but it's still capable of mixing the dough and pressing it into a variety of pasta shapes.", "The machine can turn dough into ravioli or assorted types of long and short pasta.", "The machine's three stations-- the extruder, the ravioli maker, and the pasta cutter-- are constructed from stainless-steel parts.", "A computer-guided punch press makes the required holes and slots.", "Workers insert pieces into a press to bend them to the required shape.", "This is a cover for one of the machine's components.", "Once all the pieces are ready, workers weld them together.", "The machine's pasta cutter uses stainless-steel cutting rollers to slice the pasta.", "Each roller starts out as a stainless-steal rod.", "A computer-guided mill carves grooves into it.", "The groove width determines the width of the pasta.", "The pasta cutter contains four pairs of rollers that cut the pasta to different widths: 2-millimeter-wide taglionlini, 4-millimeter-wide fettuccine, 8-millimeter-wide tagliatelle, and 12-millimeter-wide pappardelle.", "Rollers are available in additional sizes.", "Workers install four corresponding pairs of steel combs underneath the rollers.", "The combs gently scrape the dough out of the grooves to eject the cut pasta.", "Next, workers install the gears that turn the rollers.", "The gears engage one another, so that the rollers revolve at the same speed.", "This ensures that the cutter operates smoothly and quietly.", "The motor turns the larger main gear, which moves the others.", "They mount protective covers.", "This critical safety feature prevents users' fingers from getting caught in the rollers.", "At the base of the cutter, they mount a smooth laminating roller.", "This roller thins the dough sheet before the cutting rollers slice it.", "They install the electrically powered motor that turns the main gear.", "Then, the handle that moves the laminating roller.", "Here, they've removed the protective covers to demonstrate how the cutting rollers operate.", "Next, they build the extruder.", "They mount a blade in the dough mixer and connect it to an electric motor.", "The extrusion tube is located directly below the dough mixer.", "The dough is pushed through a bronze die in the extrusion tube.", "The dies can be changed to make different types of pasta.", "One die makes a flat sheet of dough, for cutting long pasta or making ravioli.", "Other dies can be used to make short pasta, such as fusilli or rotini.", "The machine's third station is the motorized ravioli maker.", "It also has interchangeable dies, to make different shapes of ravioli.", "Now, this machine is ready to make pasta.", "First, they pour in the dough ingredients and mix for 15 minutes.", "Then, they pull a lever to feed the dough through the extruder.", "This is the die that makes a dough sheet for the long pasta cutter or ravioli maker.", "They cut the dough off the extruder and put it through the cutter's laminating roller to thin it.", "Then, they feed it through the rollers in one of the cutting slots.", "To make ravioli, they extrude two narrow sheets and put them through the ravioli maker.", "A tube injects the filling between the sheets before the die crimps them together.", "A cooling system built into the extruder prevents the dough from heating up as it's forced through the die.", "This keeps the pasta fresh for a long time.", "Slate was originally used to make roof shingles, as well as floor and wall tiles, but, now, this metamorphic rock is used all over the house.", "Artisans are using slate to create everyday items, including tableware, address plaques, and garden accessories.", "These cornish slate products use traditional building materials in nontraditional ways.", "In cornwall, they have been mining slate for hundreds of years.", "Some of the craftsman's slate is old roof or floor tile retrieved from the demolition sites.", "Other projects require new slate, fresh from the quarry.", "The craftsman selects and older piece from a cheese board.", "He evaluates the color, as well as the thickness and shape.", "Older slate is weathered and has more colors running through it.", "He scrapes the loose slate off the surface, working carefully to avoid fracturing the stone's thin layers.", "He sweeps off the scrapings.", "He scrubs the slate tile with a chemical cleaning solution and rinses off the residue.", "The slate dries in minutes.", "As the water evaporates, the color changes dramatically from dark gray to light gray with a bluish hue.", "He measures the slate for cutting and scores it lightly with a sharp tool.", "He places a template for the handle within the scored boundaries and marks it for drilling.", "Then, he cuts the slate with a slate guillotine.", "It's a double-bladed tool similar to a paper cutter.", "He leaves a margin for trimming.", "He breaks off the margin by tapping it with a special slater's tool and checks the edges, to confirm that they're neat.", "Then, he redefines the markings for the handle holds.", "The craftsman drills holes through the slate for the handles.", "Then, he changes the drill bit to cut a sloped profile into the holes.", "This will allow the screws to sit flush against the slate.", "He brushes the edges, to get rid of loose chips, and refines the ends with a razor blade.", "The craftsman washes the slate one more time.", "The glues four small silicone knobs onto the base.", "The knobs act as legs, so the cheese plate can be set on any surface.", "He applies two coats of food-safe sealer to the slate.", "Each coat takes a day to dry.", "Then, he installs the stainless-steel handles.", "This slate cheese board is now ready to hold a few snacks.", "From an old roof tile to a nice piece of tableware.", "It's quite a transformation.", "Next, the craftsman slices a block of new slate with a wet saw.", "New slate comes in thicker chunks.", "It can be used to make signage.", "He uses eight different grades of diamond abrasive pads to polish the surface until it's completely flat.", "Then, he uses a computerized graphic cutter to make a stencil out of vinyl.", "He places the stencil over the slate and sandblasts it with a special compound.", "The process creates rough grooves in the slate.", "The grooves will allow paint to adhere to the stone.", "Another employee uses the stencil to apply paint to the slate.", "She allows each coat of the paint to dry before brushing on the next.", "She applies four coats in total.", "When she's finished, she peels off the vinyl.", "This custom slate sign is ready of face the street.", "It takes four days to craft, seal, and paint the sign.", "Now that it's complete, the sign is sure to make a rock-solid impression." ]

{ "things": [ "Holograms", "Package Printing", "Skin Culture", "Canned Corn" ] }

[ "Today on \"how it's made\"...", "Holograms-- projections for the future...", "Package printing-- how to make an impression...", "Skin culture-- it definitely grows on you...", "And canned corn-- we hope you're all ears.", "Holograms aren't just beautiful and fascinating.", "They have a certain high-tech mystique about them.", "Well, stay tuned to have the mystery revealed.", "Holograms are simply layered variations of an image, each one causing light to reflect in a different way.", "A hologram is a 3-dimensional photograph produced by the interference of two laser beams.", "A laser emits light-- this light ray.", "The color of the light varies according to the wavelength.", "A shutter, when activated, either blocks the light ray or lets it pass through.", "Here the beam splits in two at a 90-degree angle.", "The interference of the two beams is clearly visible on this screen.", "It has very defined fringes.", "The beams need great stability because the pattern of interference projected on the screen is extremely sensitive to minute vibrations.", "A light tap on the table can easily spoil it completely.", "The team will create a hologram from this sculpture made of modeling clay.", "The sculpture is positioned on a support with a magnetic base that adheres to the metallic table.", "Then they place a glass in front of the object.", "Here's the exact point where the light beam passes.", "The table has to be perfectly stable, so it's made of a 2.4-ton block of steel, which rests on 18 air tubes.", "The table and laser are thus well-insulated from all vibrations.", "The beam splitter separates the beam in two, directing one behind the object and the other in front of it.", "One part of the beam heads toward the front of the sculpture.", "The beam first passes through an objective lens that diffuses the light.", "Then it's reflected by a parabolic mirror, which prevents it from losing too much of its intensity.", "As in photography, film is required.", "This holographic film is attached to a glass plate with adhesive tape.", "Then another glass plate is added so that the film will not move.", "A vibration of 1/10 of the laser's wavelength is tolerable.", "The laser is turned on.", "The intensity of its light ray reaches about 250 milliwatts.", "The normal exposure time of the model to the beam is about one second, but some holograms made with a pulsed laser are exposed to the light for 12 nanoseconds, an infinitely short period of time.", "Here we see the reference beam coming from the parabolic mirror.", "And here we see it from another angle.", "As in photography, the film has to be developed.", "These trays contain different chemical solutions and the developer.", "First the film is soaked in the developer for two minutes.", "This solution blackens the silver salts that have reacted to the light.", "Then the film is soaked in a solution called bleach to completely eliminate the silver salts that blackened it.", "Now the film is rinsed.", "This step is used to eliminate the acids in the emulsion and so as not to contaminate the next solution.", "The film gently becomes transparent.", "It's then rinsed in clear water.", "And it's soaked for one minute in a wetting agent which eliminates all water spots.", "The film is then dried, and it reveals its secrets, and here's the hologram created from the sculpture.", "A hologram really creates a 3-dimensional illusion.", "Some holograms can be animated.", "They are generated from a series of still holograms.", "Depending on the complexity of the project, a hologram can be produced from between one and five hours.", "Your average product packaging is crammed with so much information, it's hard to see the artistry behind the instructions and ingredients.", "An incredible amount of thought goes into making packaging that's unique, instantly identifiable, and attractive to the consumer.", "All consumer products are packaged, and the making of these packages starts with the burning of an aluminum plate like this one.", "This animation illustrates the burning process-- the transfer of an image onto an aluminum plate.", "The plate is placed onto a cylinder, and, using a laser, the burning begins.", "The image appears in six minutes.", "This plate will make the printing impressions on packages.", "The laser that did the burning has to be perfectly calibrated using this test plate.", "The plate is now ready to make impressions via the offset method.", "Printing involves ink, and it requires selecting the right one.", "If the desired color does not exist, it has to be made up from a mix of various other colors.", "An ink trial is done with a spatula, and, using this small manual press, color ink tests are done.", "The ink is spread onto paper and the color compared with the one called for by the customer.", "If the two match, the presses can be started up.", "This is a 6-color offset process printing press with a 28x43-inch capacity.", "The press is fed by a suction and friction process devouring 8,000 sheets an hour.", "Now the printing plate is placed onto the press cylinder.", "This plate will contact inking rollers of the ink reservoir.", "To prevent it from drying, ink viscosity is maintained with this oscillator.", "The press starts up and reaches a production rate of 8,000 impressions in 60 minutes.", "The press comprises individual color printing units.", "The paper sheet passes from one unit to another, receiving a new color at each step.", "Here they register the colors-- that is, the quality of the superimposition of the different colors.", "The final step is the folding and gluing of the boxes.", "This grooved plate makes folding-point marks on the carton.", "And this machine does the cutting, the embossing, and stripping of the sheets at a rate of 6,000 an hour.", "The cutting die cuts the carton sheets and, together with the grooved plate, makes the folding joints.", "This sheet is slid behind the cutting die to equalize the cutting of the sheets.", "This enormous pile of 3,000 sheets is ready to be cut.", "The embossing press feeder handles between 6,000 and 8,000 sheets an hour.", "Rollers guide the sheets in the direction of the press.", "And here the sheets are embossed by the machine.", "The precision of the embossing is then verified.", "Next comes the cutting of the sheets.", "They cut 8,000 an hour.", "The cutting unit strips and removes the unnecessary pieces, and the carton scraps are sucked up for eventual recycling.", "The scraps can also be cut away manually using a hammer.", "The carton end pieces are sent off for recycling.", "All that remains is the assembly of the packages.", "This high-speed gluing unit can make up to 30,000 to 40,000 per hour.", "Gluing begins with the folding of sheets following the folding marks.", "The sides of the formed box are then glued together.", "An average of between five to eight steps are needed to fabricate a packaging box.", "Every day this plant produces between 1 and 2 million boxes, requiring almost 4,000 tons of cardboard annually.", "For people who've suffered severe burns there's hope.", "They can be treated with skin grafts using human skin that's been cultured in a lab.", "Patients who receive these grafts tend to develop less scarring and usually heal in a fraction of the time.", "Culturing of skin allows us to save many lives.", "To grow skin, epidermis cells have to be isolated and made to multiply.", "It all begins with the removal of a small skin sample.", "The 10 million cells in this piece are enough to make a culture.", "The skin soaks in a medium containing penicillin and gentamicin, antibiotics which protect it from bacterial infection.", "Now a piece of skin is cut and delicately sectioned on a petri dish with a scalpel.", "The fat is gently detached from the dermis since it will not be needed in the culturing.", "The skin is cut into thin strips because thermolysin, the enzyme that separates the dermis from the epidermis, acts more efficiently on the small surfaces.", "Then an enzyme destroys the links uniting the dermis and the epidermis cells.", "This procedure is carried out in this incubator over three hours at a temperature of 98.6 degrees, or body temperature.", "Once incubation is over, the petri dish is removed from the incubator.", "Only the epidermis cells, also called \"keratinocytes,\" are retained.", "The epidermis is detached from the dermis with great precision.", "Now the strips are placed in a trypsination unit.", "Trypsin, an enzyme, will destroy the links uniting the epidermis cells in order to isolate them.", "This operation signals the cells to multiply now that they're in a favorable medium.", "In order to increase the effectiveness of trypsin, the trypsination unit is placed on an agitator.", "The cells do not have to remain in extended contact with the trypsin.", "They're inhibited with a medium containing serum.", "Then the liquid containing the cells in suspension is drawn off.", "Now the liquid is centrifuged to obtain two fractions.", "The base fraction containing the desired cells is at the bottom of the tube, while the upper floating fraction containing the trypsin has to be removed.", "This upper fraction is drawn off with a vacuum system.", "In order to eliminate all traces of trypsin, the culture medium is added to the base fraction, and the whole is put back into suspension.", "Now the cells from the small skin sample have to be counted before being centrifuged a second time.", "The cells are counted by hand using a microscope or with this apparatus.", "The exact number of cells obtained during the extraction via a biopsy is determined as well as the number of cells that will have to be seeded for maximum growth.", "The bottom portion of keratinocytes is divided in these flasks containing a culture medium whose composition resembles that of blood.", "The cells will multiply over a week in these flasks, placed in an oven at 98.6 degrees and at 8% oxygen.", "The medium in which the cells are immersed is changed every two days.", "In less than a week, the cells have almost covered the entire surface of the flask.", "They can now be trypsinated anew and thus reseed some 50 flasks, which in turn will be placed in the oven for about one week.", "Skin strips carpet the inner surface of the flask.", "They are then detached with a spatula.", "The flasks are cut in two with a heating unit resembling a soldering iron.", "To make handling easier, gauze is placed on the skin strips, whose thickness is less than 1/10 of a millimeter.", "The graft is placed on the wound.", "Clamps and the gauze will be removed after 10 days.", "A patient can be skin-grafted in less than two weeks.", "When it comes to vegetables, there's nothing like fresh corn on the cob.", "But when that's not available, corn is also great right out of the can, and anyone with an appetite for feats of engineering will appreciate the whirlwind journey from cob to can.", "Throughout man's history, food preserving has included smoking, freezing, drying, and salting.", "In the early 19th century, nicolas appert built a factory to preserve foods in hermetically sealed glass jars and to sterilize them by boiling.", "But glass was breakable, and so in 1810, an englishman named durand invented the tin can, first used by the military, and soldiers, it seems, first developed a handy can opener.", "The corn that's canned is harvested from mid-august until mid-october.", "Canning is done very quickly.", "Less than four hours pass between harvesting and canning procedures so as to conserve much of the nutritional value of the product to be sold.", "The unloading of many trucks of this size will be needed for the 150,000 tons of corn that are canned here annually.", "The cobs are transported into the plant on this conveyor.", "They will first have to pass through a kernel remover.", "Equipped with several counter-rotating cylinders, this unit removes the leaves and the silk which surround the cob.", "With only a few seconds, the cob is completely stripped of its covering.", "Once cleaned, the cobs fall into this chute en route to the next processing step.", "Here they're lined up, ready to be handled by the kernel remover.", "The kernels are removed from the cobs by going through the machine where knives remove the kernels in a fraction of a second.", "Each of these units remove 1.5 tons of kernels per hour.", "Twice a day the machines are stopped to inspect the blades, to clean, and sharpen them.", "The corn kernels fall into the middle while the cobs themselves are moved to the sides.", "Both kernels and cobs move along on their separate ways in the process.", "The kernels are entered into this rotating drum, which removes any particles larger than the kernels.", "Nothing is wasted in the processing.", "Corn residues, leaves, and cobs will all be used later as animal feed.", "Now the kernels fall into a mix composed of water and of a fluid that's obtained when cutting the corn kernels.", "This liquid mix allows for the transporting of the kernels without damaging them.", "Next the kernels flow along this belt and are placed on this conveyor toward the following processing step.", "Bleaching is done in this huge cylinder.", "A worm screw brings the bleached kernels to the surface.", "A visual inspection verifies the quality of the kernels.", "All that remains is to pack them into these leakproof cans.", "Thousands of cans of every size are carried to the filling department.", "Filling the cans is done from this rotating filling machine.", "This filling machine can handle 300 to 450 cans a minute.", "The kernels that fall to the side are gathered up later in this cylinder and returned to the filling line.", "Here a brine solution composed of water, salt, and sugar is added.", "Covers are securely attached onto the containers, but the canning is not yet finished because they have to proceed with some very important tests.", "They perform tests in this laboratory that assure the quality of the product.", "First they check the watertightness of the cans.", "They also control the filling weight and the quality of the kernels.", "Meanwhile, cans continue winding their way through the plant.", "One step remains-- sterilization.", "Sterilization takes place in this oven at 250 degrees and lasts between 4 to 6 minutes.", "This is a crucial step because it guarantees that the product is reliable and that it will remain so for 18 months.", "Now they taste samples of the product to determine that it conforms to quality standards.", "Cans are labeled as customers' orders are filled.", "In this facility, they produce an amazing total of 43 million cans of corn." ]

{ "things": [ "Suits of Armor", "Street Light Poles", "Bent Hardwood", "Membrane Switches" ] }

[ "Today on \"how it's made\"...", "Suits of armor...", "Street-light bulbs...", "Bent hardwood...", "And membrane switches.", "If you're the type of guy who finds wearing a tie uncomfortable, try sporting a suit of armor.", "Armor reached its peak during the battle-filled 15th century.", "Initially, it was made of chain mail, tiny rings of metal linked together.", "Then, for greater protection, knights began wearing plate armor, suits made from large pieces of steel.", "Today, armorers make this obsolete battle gear mostly for historical re-enactment buffs.", "This workshop specializes in custom-made suits of armor.", "The armorer has to take 45 different measurements just to prepare the pattern.", "He traces each pattern piece on a steel sheet that's about 1/16 of an inch thick.", "Then he cuts along the trace line with a band saw.", "This is the breastplate, which covers the chest and abdomen.", "Now he begins to shape the piece using an automatic hammer.", "There's no mold or template to guide him.", "He works strictly by eye.", "Now that he has the basic shape, he refines it using a manual hammer.", "He strikes the metal against an upright log, a bag of lead beads cushioning the blows.", "This prevents the metal from deforming.", "A few lighter blows without cushioning in select spots to finalize the shape.", "Until now, he's been hammering the inside of the breastplate.", "Now he works the outside.", "He smoothes the metal surface, a process known as planishing.", "Now, using a different automatic hammerhead, he stretches out the breastplate's bottom edge to form a rim angling outward.", "He places the piece on an anvil, then, using a manual hammer, planishes the rim.", "When you wear this heavy metal breastplate, the rim takes some of the weight off your shoulders by distributing it over your hips.", "The armorer checks the shape, then makes any necessary adjustments.", "Now, using several different hammers again, he works his way around the rest of the breastplate, gradually rolling the edge onto itself to form a rounded lip.", "Rolling the metal onto itself to form the lip reinforces the perimeter of the breastplate, and the rounded edge prevents the sharp metal from cutting the skin.", "The breastplate is now ready for the finishing touches.", "First, the armorer smoothes the surface with medium-grit sandpaper...", "Then with fine-grit sandpaper...", "Then-- the last step-- with fine-grit paper and a polishing compound.", "Some breastplates have an articulated styling.", "For this model, the armorer uses three brass rivets to attach the sections.", "He fastens them loosely to enable the pieces to move.", "Then, using rivets again, he attaches leather straps.", "A suit of armor is made up of about 20 different components, such as the front and back shin guards called grieves...", "Armor-and-leather gloves called gauntlets...", "Shoulder pieces called pauldrons...", "And, of course, the helmet and visor.", "A knight would don a suit of armor from the bottom up, otherwise the weight of the top components would have him keeling over, half-dressed.", "In the middle ages, a suit of armor cost as much as a small farm.", "It was a prized luxury only the nobility could afford.", "Being a modern-day knight in shining armor doesn't come cheap, either.", "A base-model suit costs about $3,000, an elaborate one up to $20,000.", "We take well-lit streets for granted, but there was a time when venturing out at night meant traveling in complete darkness.", "In 1814, the first gas lights lit up the streets of london, england.", "The first electric streetlights illuminated a public square in cleveland, ohio, in 1879.", "These streetlight poles are made of what's called composite, a combination of fiberglass and epoxy resin.", "Epoxy resin is a gooey, liquid plastic mixed with a hardener.", "The factory constructs each pole on a mandrel, a long, tapered metal cylinder.", "Workers first lubricate the surface.", "Then they take what's called a fiberglass filament, a string composed of 2,200 tiny fiberglass strands.", "They'll wind dozens of filaments around the mandrel to create the pole, but first, the filaments go through a bath of epoxy resin.", "This resin is moldable and, once it's heat-cured, maintains its shape.", "Once the filaments come out of the bath, a machine called a filament winder wraps them around the rotating mandrel.", "The speed of rotation in relation to the speed of the winder is critical because it dictates the angles of the fibers.", "The lower the angle, the more that part of the pole will be able to withstand the wind and provide constant, stable lighting.", "When a pole bends in the wind, the light appears to flicker.", "The number of filament layers depends on the design of each specific pole, and that's determined by a couple of factors.", "First, the type of light fixture the pole will hold-- the bigger the fixture, the stiffer the pole has to be.", "The other factor is wind.", "The windier the location, the stronger the pole has to be.", "Once the winding's done, the mandrel moves on to the curing station.", "They pump pressurized steam into the hollow inside of the mandrel.", "The heat kick-starts the hardener in the epoxy resin.", "This solidifies the resin and cures it.", "The mandrel rotates so that the pole cures evenly.", "Curing time depends on the length of the pole and how many filaments it's made of.", "To help extract the pole, they pump cold water through the mandrel.", "This makes the steel mandrel contract, loosening the pole.", "Remember how workers lubricated the surface of the mandrel before winding the filaments?", "Because of that, the pole just slides off.", "The pole now moves on to the finishing stages.", "First, an automated sander works the surface.", "The customer can order from a choice of surface textures, from smooth to rough.", "Sanding takes just a few minutes.", "Now a saw makes a neat cut at the top of the pole where the metal tenon will go.", "A tenon is the component that'll hold the light fixture to the pole.", "This particular model has an arched mounting arm.", "The composite has cooled a bit since curing, so they reheat it to make it flexible.", "After a bending machine makes the curve, they spray cold water inside to cool the material.", "This registers the curve in the resin's memory, setting the bent shape.", "Now they cut out the hand hole, the opening through which the electrician will connect the underground wire to the fixture wiring.", "Workers then spray the pole with urethane paint.", "The paint acts like sunscreen, protecting the composite from damaging ultraviolet rays.", "This grommet hole will connect to the underground pipe that contains the electrical wires.", "After installing a cover over the hand hole, it's time to assemble the parts-- the underground pipe to the pole...", "And the pole to the tenon and light fixture.", "Many products have rounded components made of solid hardwood.", "Often, the companies that make these products hire factories that specialize in wood-bending to prepare these components for them.", "Bending wood may sound simple, but it isn't.", "It takes a lot of preparation and skill to bend wood without cracking it.", "The best type of wood to bend is hardwood.", "Its fibers react better to heat and moisture than softwood fibers do and, therefore, curve nicely.", "If you bend softwood, it wrinkles.", "The wood first goes into an outdoor dryer to bring its humidity level down to between 15% and 20%.", "This prevents the wood from expanding and contracting after it's bent.", "This air-drying process takes up to a week.", "Once the wood is dry, a powerful trimmer saws the pieces to the required length, an edger to the required width.", "Now that the wood pieces are the right dimensions, they go into what's called a steaming box.", "This superficially rehumidifies them so that they become somewhat flexible.", "This takes from 10 to 45 minutes, depending on the type of wood and its thickness.", "This humidity will later evaporate out of the wood.", "Now the pieces go into a press, sandwiched between two forms in the shape of the curve to be made.", "The press applies both pressure and heat-- pressure to bend the wood, heat generated by a high-voltage electric current to cure it, setting the new shape.", "How long the pieces stay in the press depends again on the species and dimensions.", "Generally, it takes from 20 minutes to an hour.", "Making this particular type of curve is called crown bending.", "Workers measure each piece against the template to ensure the curve is just right.", "The factory uses the same process to bend these pieces into a different shape.", "It's critical to use just the right amount of heat and pressure-- too high a temperature would burn the wood.", "Too much force would crack it.", "These straight pieces of wood will become the rounded backs of windsor-style chairs, which is why this type of bending is called windsor bending.", "Workers humidify the wood in the steaming box but will shape the pieces using a pressure-only process.", "They mount what's called a bending mold onto a hydraulic press.", "This machine uses just pressure to bend the wood around the mold.", "No heat this time to immediately set the shape.", "Instead, once the press curves the pieces, workers hook up a chain to temporarily hold the shape.", "Then they transfer the bent pieces to a heated indoor dryer.", "The drying process takes between two days and two weeks, depending, as before, on the type of wood and the dimensions.", "Once the wood dries out, the curve is permanent.", "There are many wooden products that require bent components-- this wheel for a horse-drawn carriage, for example.", "Back to the windsor chairs, now.", "A dowel machine rounds off the bent pieces.", "Before shipping the pieces out, workers run them through a sander.", "This prepares them for the furniture factories, who will varnish or stain them.", "Upon receiving these chairbacks, the furniture factories will assembled them to the straight parts of the windsor chairs.", "The term \"membrane switches\" probably means nothing to you, but chances are you use them or at least see them in use daily.", "Membrane switches are those soft touch-pad buttons on the controls of many electrical and electronic devices-- for example, the buttons on a microwave oven or on a cash register.", "The surface of the appliance's control panel is called the graphic overlay.", "It's a sheet of plastic on which they print the design of the control buttons.", "Each button has a membrane switch underneath it.", "To make this graphic overlay, they first laser-print a sheet of acetate film with the design-- as many copies as will fit.", "They lay the film on a polyester screen coated with a light-sensitive chemical.", "Then, using this machine, they expose the screen to 2,000 watts of ultraviolet light for up to six minutes.", "The light hardens the chemical on the parts of the screen that aren't shielded by the design on the acetate.", "This blocks the screen's minute holes everywhere except in the design.", "Workers remove the acetate film and rinse off the shielded chemical that didn't harden.", "Now they have a screen stencil of the design they're going to print.", "Workers dry off the screen and install it on a printing press.", "A squeegee drags the ink across the screen, pushing it down through the open holes, printing the design onto the overlay plastic.", "Ultraviolet lamps cure the ink in a matter of seconds.", "Each color of the design goes on separately.", "That means that there isn't one printing screen for the entire graphic overlay, but rather a separate screen for each color.", "Meanwhile, on another screen printing press, they print the circuitry layout onto transparent plastic.", "The ink contains silver, which conducts electricity.", "This circuitry layout will go behind the graphic overlay.", "Again, they print several at a time.", "Once the printing's done, it's time to assemble the layers that make up the membrane switch.", "First, the circuit layer goes onto an adhesive sheet.", "A roller insures a solid, airtight bond.", "This spacer sheet will separate the overlay and circuit layer to prevent contact between the two from being continuous.", "Over each circuit goes a dome made of nickel-plated stainless steel.", "This forms an electrical contact over the circuit that must be forcibly pressed in order to activate the circuit.", "They adhere a polyester sheet to hold the domes in place for now.", "After cutting out each circuitry layout and each graphic overlay, they expose the adhesive backing on the overlay and stick it to the circuit layer.", "The membrane switches are now complete.", "This control panel is for a hospital bed.", "Some membrane switches have a light-emitting diode, or l.e.d., a tiny colored light that goes on when you press the switch to confirm contact.", "The factory's robotic machines deposit two drops of epoxy paste on the circuit layer wherever an l.e.d. will go.", "The paste contains silver-- again, to conduct the current.", "A robot then picks up the l.e.d.s and deposits them on the drops of paste.", "The robot then puts a dome on each circuit, creating an electrical contact.", "The red light you see is a camera checking the positioning.", "Testing equipment runs a current through the circuitry to make sure that everything works.", "Then a drop of transparent sealant goes over each l.e.d. the sealant hardens under ultraviolet light, holding everything solidly in place.", "Now workers remove the panel from the automated line and plug it in.", "Lighting up all the l.e.d.s helps them position the graphic overlay properly.", "This control panel is for a wall oven.", "No l.e.d.s on this model.", "And instead of a dome behind each button, they print an electrical contact using the same conductive silver ink they use to print all the circuitry.", "After rolling on the graphic overlay, they peel off the protective plastic, then flip the control panel upside down and snap it into its cover." ]

{ "things": [ "External Hard Drives", "Frozen Shrimp", "Thai Rice Boxes", "Paper Towels" ] }

[ "In the digital world, like the real one, it helps to have extra storage space.", "An external hard drive stores data separate from a computer to expand storage capacity.", "It also preserves memory.", "So in the event that the computer drive crashes, all is not lost.", "50 years ago, external hard drives were the size of refrigerators.", "Today, they squeeze a lot more memory into drives the size of chocolate bars.", "On the hard-drive assembly line, there's not a speck of dust.", "An air-filtering system sucks particles out of the air to keep them from contaminating the drive and compromising its function.", "Production starts with the motor base.", "An employee installs a voice-coil magnet.", "It's one of two that will move the drive heads to write information on rotating disks.", "They're called voice coils because they operate on the same principle as loudspeakers.", "Next, a robot places one of the hard-drive disks in the motor base.", "A camera snaps a photo to send information to guide the robot so it positions the disk exactly.", "Another robot places a round, metal spacer at the center of the disk-- again, relying on the camera's eye for guidance.", "It sets a second disk on top of the spacer.", "This is a two-disk hard drive, but a drive can have several, depending on the amount of storage needed.", "A robot locks the disks into place with a stainless-steel clamp.", "This next part is a plastic ramp.", "The ramp is a place to park the disk-drive heads when they're not engaged in reading and writing data.", "Those tiny heads have been preassembled to one end of the head arm.", "They attach the other end of the arm to the lower voice coil in the base and then situate the second voice coil above it.", "To maintain its squeaky-clean interior, a robot inserts a thin cotton filter.", "This filter will capture dust particles in the event that some infiltrate the hard drive.", "A robot now places a metal cover on the other side of the drive.", "Another robot then screws the cover to the motor base.", "With the inner workings now encased, the hard drive can be moved out of the air-filtered section of the factory.", "A worker collects the hard-drive assemblies and slots them into a tote box.", "Once a circuit board has been added, they transfer the hard drives to a test chamber.", "Behind the closed door of the chamber, a robot swings into action.", "It plucks a hard drive from the tote box and plugs it into a test cell to confirm that it's functional.", "Outside, employees go about their daily business, as the robot methodically tests each hard drive in the tote boxes.", "Once a tote of drives is confirmed to be operational, the chamber ejects them and a worker then does a visual inspection of each one.", "She looks for scratches or other damage that could hinder its function.", "There's another slightly different system for testing.", "In this one, the employee places each drive on a conveyor that delivers it to a robot tester.", "Having two tester systems ensures that if one goes down, they still have another one to carry on.", "After all, like humans, robots are not infallible.", "At the packing station now, there's one last visual inspection.", "The employee scans the drive's serial number so its production can be traced in the event of a problem later.", "She then seals it in plastic.", "This hard drive is now ready to accept data and ensure that someone doesn't totally lose it if their computer drive crashes.", "People have been noshing on shrimp since the beginning of time, but it hasn't always been an easy catch.", "Wild stocks declined in the 20th century.", "Shrimp farms emerged to supply what nature couldn't.", "Factories process the harvest, ensuring an abundance of ready-to-eat shrimp for the freezer.", "Jumbo shrimp have long been big on the cocktail circuit.", "Today, it comes prepped and frozen, complete with cocktail sauce.", "Just unwrap and thaw.", "Shrimp cocktail is one of the many ready-to-eat dishes prepared at this factory in thailand.", "Fresh from the farm, the shrimp undergoes a quick cold-water rinse.", "It then rides a perforated conveyor.", "Rinse water drains through the holes in the conveyor to keep the shrimp from becoming soggy.", "Still cool from the icy bath, the curly crustaceans spill off the conveyor into plastic baskets.", "They weigh each basket and then transfer the shrimp to a larger tub.", "To keep the chill on, they add crushed ice between loads.", "A temperature of 50 degrees fahrenheit or less must be maintained throughout processing, or quality will suffer.", "It's now time for the inevitable-- the deheading.", "Using a metal tool that's like an open thimble, workers pull the heads off the shrimp with a few quick tugs.", "The deheading line is a long and busy one.", "The headless shrimp now travel to sizing rollers.", "The space between the rollers is narrow at first and wider further down.", "As the rollers spin, smaller shrimp fall through first, and the larger ones continue on to fall through further down.", "They accumulate in different piles on conveyors below.", "This separates the shrimp into five size categories.", "Out of the sorter, an employee samples the shrimp's temperature to confirm that it remains adequately chilled.", "Deheaded and sorted by size, these shrimp are now ready to come out of their shells.", "On the shelling line, some workers cut the tails off and others leave them on, because there's a market for both.", "After they peel away the shell, they cut out the digestive tract that runs along the back.", "It's often referred to as the vein because it looks like one.", "Workers on this line peel and devein 800 shrimp an hour.", "The shrimp then goes to different prep zones.", "At this one, an employee dips tail-on shrimp into an egg mixture and then dredges them in rice flour.", "He sends them down the line to the next worker.", "He rolls the floured shrimp in rice paper.", "As you can see, there's a bit of trick to this.", "He moistens the edges of the rice paper to seal the wrap.", "The result is a spring-roll appetizer that can be frozen until it's ready to be cooked and served.", "In another area, a worker prepares a breaded recipe-- again, using shrimp with the tail still on.", "This is finger food and, with the tails on the shrimp, will be easier to grip.", "He soaks it in seasonings and coats it in breadcrumbs.", "Then he dips it in egg batter and breads it again.", "The second coating of crumbs will give the shrimp extra crunch when fried.", "The tray is now full, and so it's over to the fry belt.", "After a quick trip through hot oil, the breaded shrimp is perfectly fried.", "All the shrimp, including this raw product, take a blustery ride through a freezer.", "Spread evenly across the conveyor, they freeze individually rather than in big, icy clumps.", "So you don't have to thaw a whole bunch to get a few shrimp.", "The frozen shrimp falls into weigh stations.", "At the correct amount, the bottom opens to release them.", "An ice glaze will protect them from freezer burn.", "These frozen-shrimp products are ready to leave the factory.", "From the freezer to the oven to your taste buds.", "With all the prep work done at the factory, these frozen-shrimp products are quite a treat.", "Rice is an integral part of the asian diet, so it's not surprising to find special storage vessels for it.", "In thailand, the traditional container is a rice box-- a covered jar handwoven from bamboo and often beautifully decorated.", "They're also produced as decorative items for export.", "Thai rice boxes started out as an ordinary household container for cooked, sticky rice.", "Today, they're sought-after handicrafts, produced in a range of sizes for storage of all kinds or simply for decoration.", "Each box is handcrafted from start to finish.", "The artisan begins with thin strips of bamboo.", "He splits the strips with his fingernail to make them the width required for the box size he's weaving.", "He lines up the first few strips on the floor and holds them steady with his foot as he weaves strips crosswise through them in an under-one, over-two sequence.", "He continues weaving this pattern until he produces a square that's large enough to form the base of the box.", "He sprays the base with water to soften up the bamboo.", "This prevents the strips from breaking when he now bends them upward to begin weaving the sides of the box.", "Once he's completed the sides, he begins weaving the box's neck, pulling the strips laterally in a circular direction.", "He alternates, folding one strip upward, one strip downward.", "He trims the downward strips, then inserts the ends through the woven sides.", "Next, pulling the strips through the middle, he fits a bamboo ring over the outside of the neck, then another along the inside of the neck, locking the remaining upward strips in between.", "This immobilizes the strips, eliminating any need for nails or glue.", "It also adds rigidity, reinforcing the neck's round shape.", "A quick trim of the remaining strips, and the box is fully constructed.", "He then makes a lid using the same materials and technique.", "Next, artisans coat the outside of the box and lid with a mixture of chalk, glue, and sawdust.", "They let the coating dry in the sun for a day or two, until the surface becomes hard and smooth like clay.", "Now an artist gets to work, first applying two base coats of acrylic paint.", "Once the base coats are dry, she places the box on a turntable and applies a coat of the background color.", "Once that dries, she begins outlining the design.", "Then she fills in the design.", "Once that's dry, the fine details.", "It's here that you see the artistry emerge.", "Once the artwork has dried, they encircle the neck with a band of rattan, then with strips of rattan, tie the box to a wooden stand.", "At the base of each corner, they weave the rattan strips into a decorative pattern.", "Not only is this rice box entirely handmade...", "The artisans never use templates, never take measurements.", "They do it all by eye.", "The inside of the box remains bare.", "The idea is to see the bamboo and how skillfully it's woven.", "It's a natural, nontoxic surface, against which it's safe to store rice.", "Paper towels were invented in the u.s. in the 1920s.", "The idea of a one-use, disposable paper cloth for cleaning and drying proved popular.", "And by 1931, paper towels were being mass-marketed.", "Today, a paper towel roll is such a staple in the kitchen that an attractive holder for it is a must.", "A paper towel always comes in handy to soak up a spill, clean a surface, or simply dry wet hands.", "The embossed pattern is not just decoration-- it actually makes the paper towel more absorbent by creating liquid-suctioning empty spaces in between the towel's two layers, called plies.", "This brand is made from 100% recycled fibers, primarily white paper obtained from office waste.", "The paper goes into a large machine called the pulper, which breaks it up into fibers, then blends those fibers with water to produce a mushy substance called pulp.", "A built-in filter removes all the non-paper materials, such as plastic windows from envelopes and staples.", "The next machine removes the ink by injecting the pulp with air.", "The ink detaches from the pulp fibers and clings to the air bubbles, which rise to the top and drain off.", "The pulp goes through a press, which, with a series of rollers, squeezes out the water.", "A screw conveyor then breaks up the pulp and moves it to the next station, which whitens it with a peroxide-based bleaching agent, then rinses it thoroughly with clean water.", "Next, and this is off limits to the camera for competitive reasons, they apply a chemical wet-strength agent, then form it into a sheet of paper nearly eight feet wide.", "The wet-strength agent, as the term suggests, keeps the paper towel intact when wet.", "Without this fortifying treatment, paper towels would be as fragile as toilet paper.", "After forming the paper, the machine winds it up into giant rolls.", "These rolls will feed the converting line, the automated stations which transform the paper into paper towels.", "Two rolls feed the line simultaneously, each providing one ply of the two-ply paper towel.", "But before the plies hit the converting line, the factory's quality-control lab analyzes samples in both the wet and dry state.", "The testing machine pulls both ends of the sample until it tears, measuring whether the paper meets strength specifications.", "On the converting line, one ply travels under an embossing roller, which presses a textured design onto the paper.", "Another roller then applies a thin coat of glue onto the raised portions of the pattern.", "The next station lays the embossed and glued ply on top of the second still-flat ply.", "Then a fine-tooth knife cuts the perforated lines, which will separate the individual sheets on the paper towel roll.", "The next machine winds 100 sheets around a cardboard tube.", "That's the length of one paper towel roll.", "A machine called the accumulator transports these logs, as they're called, to the cutting station...", "Where every 10 inches, a rotating circular saw slices through four logs simultaneously.", "This divides each log into a dozen finished paper towel rolls.", "The next station groups the rolls for packaging either by 6 or by 12.", "The packaging machine encases the group rolls in printed plastic...", "Then heat-seals the wrapping closed.", "Paper towel consumption is highest in north america, where factories produce 50 trillion rolls per year." ]

{ "things": [ "Heather Gems", "Instant Film", "Beet Sugar", "Electric Roadsters" ] }

[ "Manufactured gemstones are typically designed to imitate genuine mined gemstones.", "Not these-- they're made from heather, a hardy flowering plant which grows wild across scotland.", "For centuries, scots used heather to thatch roofs, stuff mattresses, and even brew ale.", "This scottish company turns heather into gemstone material for jewelry and other gift items.", "Heathergems, as they're called, have veinlike patterns created randomly by the plants' stems.", "Therefore, no two gems can be identical.", "When the handpicked heather arrives at the factory, its green foliage still clings to the upper part of the stems.", "After cutting the plants into lengths of about 10 inches, workers load them into a sandblasting machine.", "The drum rotates for about half an hour while tiny iron pellets blast the heather inside.", "The pellets chip away the bark and remove the foliage.", "The heather comes out of the machine as bare, dried-out, delicate wood.", "Workers form 1 1/2-pound bundles and place them in a vacuum-die chamber for two whole days.", "First, the vacuum draws out the air in the stems to clear the way for the die to penetrate.", "Then, again under pressure, the stems slowly absorb the dye.", "This vacuum method is far more effective than dipping or soaking the stems in vats of dye because the color penetrates deeply into the heather wood rather than merely sitting on the surface.", "They open the bundles and make new ones of the same weight, this time combining colors.", "It's important to combine thicker stems with thinner ones to create contrasting lines in the gem pattern.", "Next, they soak each bundle in epoxy resin for two or three minutes, ensuring the stems are well saturated.", "Then they place the bundles on racks to allow the excess resin to drain off.", "They load four bundles between the top and bottom halves of a mold.", "A press then slowly closes the mold, applying 88 tons of pressure for about a minute.", "They clamp the mold closed and remove it from the press.", "Then they put the mold into an oven for an hour to cure the resin.", "They open the mold and remove what is now a rock-hard, resin-bonded block of heather wood.", "They put the block on a band saw and trim off the rough edges.", "They cut slices between 4/10 and 5/10 of an inch thick, depending on what shape gem they'll be making.", "After gluing each slice onto a plastic backing, a robotic cutting machine guided by a computer cuts the gem shapes.", "Then workers simply pop the gems off the plastic backing.", "This domed oval shape is called a cabochon.", "The finishing team smoothes and polishes each gem on a belt sander, then applies four or five coats of clear lacquer.", "Lacquering draws out the colors while sealing and protecting the wood.", "Finally, they glue each gem onto the jewelry or gift item.", "Sometimes they dye the heather just a single color.", "This still produces a striking gem, because the dye penetrates the wood with different intensities, creating contrasting shades.", "The signature feature is the unique veining produced by the heather encased within, each and every gemstone truly capturing the natural beauty of the scottish highlands.", "Invented in the middle of the 20th century, instant film made photographic images materialize almost magically.", "The picture appeared in minutes.", "No more waiting for days for film to be processed.", "Today it's a digital world, but instant film is still getting plenty of exposure.", "With instant film, you can watch an image develop before your very eyes-- no film lab or digital printer necessary.", "Just say, \"cheese,\" and wait to see what develops.", "Many decades after its invention, instant photo development still seems like a neat trick.", "Making the magic happen is a many-layered process, one that involves multiple materials and chemicals.", "Production begins with the film negative.", "It takes place in the dark to prevent pre-exposure.", "The technician dons night-vision goggles, allowing him to monitor plastic film as it unwinds into a coating machine.", "Inside, various dyes and chemicals will transform the film into a negative.", "They switch the lights back on briefly for our camera.", "The film travels up and down towards the coating machine.", "It's a system that prevents any slackening in the feed.", "The coating is also done in the dark, so this worker demonstrates the process for our camera on a small research machine.", "Liquid photo chemicals and dyes flow onto the surface of the plastic film.", "He spreads the liquids across the film for an even application.", "This is all done mechanically inside the real coating machine.", "Once coated, the film will head into the dryer.", "The various coatings will dry in separate layers without intermingling.", "Here's a test tube lineup of the liquid components of the negative.", "The colorful ones are dyes, and the white ones are other chemicals.", "They apply black backing to the negative to block light, again preventing pre-exposure.", "The trip through the dryer is 87 yards long.", "Hot air dries the chemicals on the surface of the film.", "Once again, it all happens in the dark to protect the light-sensitive film.", "Coiled up and packed into lighttight drums, the color-negative material is now on its way to a second factory to be assembled into the instant film pack.", "Upon arrival, they thread the negative onto a machine, along with other materials for the film pack.", "They include a plastic base material called the mask and the positive paper that receives the photographic image from the negative.", "The various materials are steered toward assembly stations by a system of rollers.", "Here's a lineup of the various materials to be assembled.", "That's the mask on the far left and the negative in the middle.", "The negative heads towards a series of hot presses.", "One press laminates a plastic spacer called the rail to the negative.", "Another lamination head applies the mask to the positive sheet that will receive the image.", "On a different machine, equipment folds a kind of foil pouch and injects it with film developer.", "Here's an inside look at the pouch.", "The blue liquid is the developer.", "Encased in the foil-lined envelope, it will stay fresh until needed.", "Back on the main assembly machine, another hot press laminates the developer pouch to the other film materials.", "This completes the film sandwich, and it heads into another station to be sliced into photo-sized pieces.", "The photo frames ride a wheel with a counter that divides them into stacks of eight.", "Meanwhile, robot arms deposit a rectangular spring on a battery.", "Then they position the eight pictures on the spring-battery assembly, followed by a light-blocking cover.", "The stack then moves forward to be squeezed into a plastic cassette.", "A suction type of device now picks up a cardboard box and transfers it to the end of the film-pack line.", "Another device captures the film pack as it comes off the line and places it in the cardboard box.", "Once folded closed, the box of instant film rides the carousel to a scale.", "A quick weighing confirms there's enough film in the box, so it's ready to ship.", "The assembly of this instant film pack has taken roughly three minutes.", "Now those instant memories are just a few clicks away.", "A common assumption is that all white sugar is derived from sugar cane, but 30% of the world's white-sugar supply comes from the sugar beet.", "While sugarcane grows only in tropical climates, the hardier sugar beet can be cultivated in cooler regions and in poorer soil.", "It takes about 7 beets to produce a little more than 2 pounds of sugar.", "The by-products of processing, molasses and beet pulp, are used for animal feed.", "The processing of sugar beets yields various grades of sugar.", "The lower ones are reprocessed to become white sugar.", "Farmers plant beet seeds in the spring and harvest the mature crop in the fall.", "Mechanical harvesters attack six rows at a time.", "They rip the plant out of the ground, chop off the leaves and crown, leaving just the bulbous root.", "A beet root typically weighs about 2 pounds.", "17% to 18% of that is sucrose, which is sugar.", "A loader transfers the harvested beets into trucks.", "The loader's sieve removes about a third of the soil along the way.", "When the trucks arrive at the sugar factory, they unload the beets, soil and stones included, onto a conveyer belt, which transports them to a washing station.", "First they head into a revolving drum, where, under a shower of water, the beets rub against each other, dislodging the soil.", "The water flow floats the beets, which then exit the drum.", "The stones stay behind, collected in separator buckets along the edge.", "A screw conveyer moves the beets to a transfer system, which brings them inside the factory to be processed into sugar.", "Inside, slicing machines cut the incoming beets into cassettes, strips about the shape of french fries but smaller.", "The cassettes travel on a conveyer belt into a large tank of hot water, where they soak for a few minutes.", "This gets their cell membranes to begin opening, clearing the way for the sucrose to exit during the next operation, in which the cassettes are pumped to the bottom of a 22-yard-high extraction tower.", "A rotating shaft within the tower transports them slowly upward against the downward flow of hot water.", "This draws out the sucrose, producing a sugary water called raw juice.", "The next step is to purify this raw juice.", "In a giant kiln, they burn limestone with coke to produce the chemical compound calcium hydroxide, also called lime milk.", "They add it, in several stages, to the raw juice.", "Meanwhile, they press the sucrose-stripped cassettes into pulp to sell as animal feed.", "They add carbon dioxide to the lime milk-and-juice mixture.", "This absorbs 1/3 of the juice's impurities, enabling a filtration system to remove them.", "The raw juice exits as a golden sugar solution called thin juice.", "The thin juice then enters a 6-step evaporation process, which reduces it to a thick syrup-like juice.", "From there, they pump it into a 4-phase crystallization system.", "In phase 1, they heat and add seed crystals, tiny, identical-sized sugar crystals made separately using a complex cooling and evaporating process.", "As the water in the juice evaporates, about half of the sucrose crystallizes, growing the seed crystals.", "Then a centrifuge machine separates the crystals, called refined sugar, from the remaining syrup.", "The syrup goes through this crystallization-centrifuge process three more times, producing a lesser grade of sugar each time.", "The factory dissolves and recrystallizes the lowest two grades.", "The highest grades of sugar go into dryers, on the way, passing through a screening machine which separates any crystals which are too large.", "The factory dissolves these crystals, then puts the sugary liquid through the crystallization process again.", "So, in the end, there are two grades of beet sugar which go into silos, where they're stored until it's time to package them for sale as refined sugar and white sugar.", "The electric car ruled the road early in the 20th century, and then the technology was surpassed by gas.", "Today the concept is cruising towards a comeback, its resurgence fueled by concerns about pollution from gas-powered vehicles and by worries about overdependence on foreign oil.", "This sassy-looking sports car is leading the charge for change.", "Just plug it into any electrical outlet, and after a few hours, it has enough juice for a drive through the countryside or for quite a few jaunts around town.", "With no tailpipe, there are no direct emissions, and if the power generated by the electrical plant is clean, everyone breathes a little easier.", "But with a price tag in the 6-figure range, this eco-friendly roadster is a luxury product.", "Production begins with the first half of the gear box.", "A worker bolts a brass fitting to the center and then attaches plastic tubing to it.", "The tubing will deliver lubricant to the transmission's bearings.", "He inserts those bearings into slots in the gearbox and presses them into place using a hydraulic tool.", "He drips thread-locking compound into screw holes and installs a device for locking the transmission.", "It's called the parking pawl.", "He applies more adhesive to screws and threads them through the pawl to the gearbox.", "Using a calibrated torque wrench, he tightens them to a precise setting.", "The transmission is single speed with four gears, which they install in the other half of the gearbox.", "These are helical gears.", "Their teeth are cut at an angle for gradual engagement and smooth operation.", "They're now ready for the rotor and the stator.", "Both are electromagnets, and together they'll be the electric motor's driving force.", "They insert the rotor into the stator, where their two electromagnetic fields will interact to create torque, transforming electrical energy into mechanical energy.", "They hoist the rotor-and-stator assembly onto the gearbox and bolt them together.", "They attach cables for wiring the motor to the power-electronics module later.", "It's a crucial part that processes and regulates the flow of battery power to the motor.", "This completes the electric-motor drivetrain.", "They lower the drivetrain into the back of the preassembled car body.", "They position the motor mounts over slots in the steel subframe.", "And once in place, they bolt the drivetrain to the chassis.", "Now, under the car, they pull back the rear suspension temporarily to attach the drive axle to the gearbox.", "The axle is equipped with a rubber-encased joint that allows a rear wheel to react to bumps independently, without reverberation to the other.", "The battery is next.", "Seen here in a display model of the power train, the metal pack contains more than 6,800 lithium-ion cells and delivers 215 kilowatts of power, enough juice to enable this electric car to accelerate to 60 miles an hour in under 4 seconds.", "Machinery now lowers the car onto the battery, positioning it in the front of the gearbox and just behind the car seats.", "They jack up the battery for a precision fit.", "They connect wiring for low-voltage systems, like the lights and fans.", "And now the brains of the electric car-- the power-electronics module.", "They install it on top of the motor and battery and wire it to both.", "With all the wires connected, the module is equipped to convert dc power from the battery to the ac power.", "It will then supply that current to the motor as the driver steps on the accelerator.", "With the vacuum system, they drain air from the battery and pump in liquid coolant.", "Coolant continuously flows through the battery to maintain an even temperature throughout.", "The body panels are made of durable, lightweight carbon fiber.", "And with the computer software updated and the car now completely assembled, it's time for a test run.", "As this sports car accelerates, there's no throaty roar.", "Unlike a gas-powered engine, the electric motor takes off quietly and quickly." ]

{ "things": [ "Residential Water Heaters", "Air Bags", "Jelly Beans", "Ice Resurfacers" ] }

[ "Today on \"how it's made\"...", "Residential water heaters...", "Air bags...", "Jelly beans...", "And ice resurfacers.", "The residential water heater was invented back in 1889, and the basic concept still applies today.", "It heats water, usually with natural gas, propane, or electricity, then keeps it continuously hot so that you always have a supply ready for the bathroom, kitchen, or anywhere else you need it.", "Water heaters may look plain, but there's a lot going on inside.", "To make one, a hydraulic press transforms a round, steel blank into a dome shape.", "This dome will form the base of a gas-heated tank, and it will hold the burner.", "Next, rollers behind and above curl a sheet of steel around a cylinder.", "This forms the inner-tank shape.", "A seam-welder device then pinches the two ends of the tank shape together and welds them.", "In the next step, a worker positions the tank body under a projection-welder.", "He selects a threaded fitting, places it on the tank, and lowers the welder.", "This projection-welder uses 10,000 volts of electricity to fuse fittings to the tank body.", "It also welds fittings to the top of the tank.", "Valves and other parts will be screwed into these fittings later.", "Next, a press applies over 27 tons of force to fit a top onto the tank.", "Then they spray liquid enamel inside of the spinning tank.", "It will be baked in at 1,650 fahrenheit for 45 minutes to prevent rusting.", "Now it's back to the bottom of the tank.", "A worker inserts a flue tube in a hole in the center, and an automated welder joins it to the tank base.", "The flue will vent gases from the burner.", "After anti-rust enamel coating is baked onto the base and flue, they lower the tank body onto it.", "Next, robotic welding arms work both ends of the tank.", "One welds the base to it, the other bonds the flue to the top.", "Now the pressure test.", "They pump air into the tank and then pour water over the outside.", "If water bubbles on the tank, it means air is escaping and there's a leak that needs to be fixed.", "Here they install elements in an electric water heater...", "And they hook up a thermostat and the wires that run to it.", "Now it's time to make the tank's outer shell, or jacket.", "An operator slides a painted-steel shape onto a mandrel so that it becomes cylindrical.", "A lockformer then moves along a rail, folding and pressing the seam together.", "Next, a rollformer crimps the top and bottom edges so that lids can be easily installed.", "Here they drape a plastic apron over a tank...", "And then slide on its jacket, or tank shell, with just the electric components exposed.", "They screw a steel cover over them.", "Here's a demonstration of what's next.", "A chemical reaction causes polyurethane foam to expand in seconds.", "They inject this expanding foam into the plastic apron that's now between the tank and outer shell.", "The foam will insulate the tank.", "Now they finish installing the wiring on this electric heater...", "And then do an inspection.", "It makes the grade.", "On gas heaters, they slide a burner into the dome-shaped base and then connect the burner tubes to the gas valve.", "They attach some wiring that controls the burner ignition...", "And then hook it up to the gas line for a test run.", "That inner glow is the burner at work.", "They light a torch on the flame and pass it over the valve to check for little gas leaks.", "It didn't ignite, so there aren't any.", "It gets the seal of approval, and now it's up to the consumer to test the water when it's installed.", "The air bag was invented in the 1960s, but it actually didn't catch on until several years later.", "By the 1980s, automakers were installing them in most vehicles.", "Air bags deploy when sensors detect a sudden deceleration and inflate them, giving vehicle occupants the protection they need.", "This side-curtain air bag inflates in less than .", "020 of a second.", "Blink, and you'll miss it.", "Air bags don't have any seams because they're woven in one piece.", "Big, computerized looms weave at a blurring speed-- 600 revolutions per minute.", "They're called air-jet lacquered looms.", "They lift and lower each nylon yarn to make an intricate one-piece fabric.", "Up to 10,700 yarns could be used to make the material.", "If even one of the thousands of yarns break, an electrical sensor will detect it and shut the loom down.", "It's a step to ensure quality control.", "Despite this rapid weaving action, the loom produces just over 26 feet of fabric an hour.", "That's because it's very dense fabric.", "That density will allow the air bag to stand up to the force of deployment.", "Now the woven fabric goes through an inspection station.", "As automated rollers wind it up, a worker examines it.", "If it's acceptable, he signs it off.", "Next, it's on to the scouring station.", "Here a machine unwinds the air-bag fabric as rollers guide it towards a wash-and-dry system that's 118 feet long.", "The rollers draw the air-bag material through a number of big wash tanks to ensure a thorough cleaning.", "Then a series of hot rollers dry and press the fabric.", "The freshly laundered air-bag material moves through the coating machine.", "A hose pumps liquid silicone onto the fabric, and a scraper overhead distributes it.", "As a worker scoops some up, you can see that it's as thick as molasses.", "The silicone seals the air-bag fabric.", "But it's wet and sticky and needs to dry, so it passes through a series of ovens heated to about 370 degrees fahrenheit.", "As it dries, the silicone cures to the fabric.", "Now a computer-guided laser cuts the material with the precision and speed that no human could ever replicate.", "Black lines woven into the fabric assist the laser as it cuts the air-bag design.", "At any point in time, it's cutting multiple air bags out of the fabric.", "When the job is done, the conveyor belt moves the air bags forward.", "And now they're scrutinized by humans.", "A worker pulls the one-piece air bag across a template and examines it to make sure the dimensions match.", "Then it's sent over to the sewing station.", "Although the air bags have been seamlessly woven, attachment and reinforcements still need to sewn on.", "The stitching is computer-controlled.", "A worker feeds the fabric to the sewing machine and then simply presses a button.", "The machine stitches together the tabs that will connect the air bag to the inside of the vehicle frame just above the side window.", "Here it sews a tether onto the bag.", "This strip of fabric will also be used to hold the air bag in place.", "Now it's time to test a sample air bag from the production run.", "And, yes, it works perfectly.", "The jelly bean is a colorful treat.", "But, unfortunately, no one is sure exactly when the jelly bean was invented or how.", "It's believed that the jelly center dates back to biblical times as a candy called turkish delight.", "Many centuries later, the outer shell was added, thus making the jelly bean we know today.", "The jelly bean is very popular.", "Billions are sold at easter alone.", "To make jelly beans, they heat liquid sugar in a big kettle to 347 degrees fahrenheit.", "They add glucose, which is a more concentrated sugar, and then starch.", "An agitating device mixes it all together...", "While elsewhere in the factory, starch spills out of a drum onto big trays.", "A leveler moves back and forth to even out the starch on the trays.", "The trays then move forward, and a brush knocks off the excess starch.", "It will be recycled.", "A molding board now presses down into the starch.", "It makes 756 jelly-bean impressions in the starch in each tray.", "The impressions in the starch will serve as molds for the jelly-bean centers.", "Nozzles inject the sugar-and-starch mix cooked in the kettle into the starch molds.", "This system can make almost a million jelly-bean centers an hour.", "Next, the conveyor belt takes the jelly-bean centers to the drying room, where they stay for 24 hours.", "This solidifies them.", "They become chewier.", "Arms flip the trays of dried candy centers in starch and dump them into a big drum that will separate them.", "When the trays flip back, they're refilled with starch, and the molding process begins again.", "Meanwhile, the dried jelly-bean centers, now separated from the starch, tumble out of the drum onto a wire-mesh conveyor system.", "It transports them to a steam belt, which dampens them.", "This readies them for the next step-- sugarcoating.", "The jelly-bean centers go into a sander drum that tosses them around while nozzles spray them with sugar.", "In another part of the factory, liquid sugar flows out of a kettle into a tub.", "A worker adds blue food coloring to the syrup, and then he blends it in.", "This mix is called engrossing syrup.", "He adds the engrossing syrup, along with some flavoring, to the jelly-bean centers as they tumble around in a tilted, spinning pan.", "After they turn a very sticky blue, the worker dumps some sugar into the pan.", "This process is repeated four times in order to build up a coating around the gummy center.", "The next day, when the beans have hardened, they add hot syrup to the mix and toss the beans around again.", "This polishes the jelly beans.", "There's a lot of sweet stuff here-- 124,000 jelly beans in each pan.", "Now he adds a little wax.", "And as the pan spins, the beans rub against each other, distributing the wax.", "This adds gloss to the polish.", "Then the pan stops spinning, and the jelly beans air dry for 24 hours to allow the glaze to set.", "It's the finishing touch.", "After 3 1/2 days, this big batch of jelly beans is ready.", "They move in a multi-colored mass along a series of conveyors.", "They fall into a scale system that portions them out for specific bag sizes.", "Then a trap door opens, and they drop down a chute to the packaging department.", "Once they're in the bag, the jelly beans are ready to sweeten your day.", "In just minutes, an ice resurfacer can smooth the surface of an ice-skating or hockey rink.", "Before it was invented in 1949, it took several workers over an hour to resurface the ice using scrapers, squeegees, and hoses.", "Today, these machines provide quick, uniform results.", "If you ice-skate, you're thankful for this machine.", "It smooths the ice in just a few turns around the rink.", "To make an ice resurfacer, they weld together steel pieces to build the mainframe.", "The frame has to be very strong because it will support everything from the engine to the water tank.", "It's a load of almost 3 tons.", "Sparks fly as they grind smooth the areas where parts will be mounted.", "The sparks are actually steel fragments being sanded off.", "Next, they weld support braces with holes in them to the center of the water tank.", "These are called baffles, and the holes will allow the water to flow into both ends of the tank.", "Now they slide a piece of spiraling steel, which is auger flighting, on one end of a pipe.", "And they slip a piece that twists in the opposite direction on the other end of it.", "They weld a u-shaped paddle to the pipe between the two steel spirals, or flightings.", "The paddle is a critical part.", "The flightings will feed ice shavings to it, and the paddle will then toss them to a bin mounted above a water tank to be disposed of later.", "Next, the worker clamps the flighting to a hydraulic cylinder.", "He turns a lever, and hydraulic energy pulls the clamp, drawing the auger flighting snugly to the pipe.", "As the clamp holds the flighting in position, he welds it to the pipe.", "Now they're solidly sealed together.", "Next, another worker places a long steel blade on a magnetic table.", "The magnets hold it down while a grinding machine moves over it, sharpening the edge.", "Because the grinding generates heat, the machine also floods the blade with water.", "This cools it down so the steel stays hard.", "Now, using a crane, they lower an engine onto the frame that we saw welded together earlier.", "Then they slide the rear drive shaft into place and bolt it down using a pneumatic wrench.", "The tires for an ice resurfacer will need some serious traction.", "Each tire gets 92 of these metal studs.", "They drop the studs into a revolving feeder.", "The studs funnel down a tube to the stud gun, ensuring that it never runs out of ammunition.", "The road these tires travel will be nothing but a sheet of ice, and these studs should allow them to stay the course.", "Next, using a crane, they transfer the water tank to the center of the frame.", "The snow bin, which will hold the scraped ice, is next.", "They place it on pivot points at the front.", "Then workers slide the blade into place.", "The bolt it tightly, working from the center outward.", "The workers are shielded from the very sharp blade by a plastic sleeve that sheathes the edge.", "When the blade is secure, they remove the plastic.", "Now it's time to give the ice resurfacer a test run.", "The steel flightings twist towards the paddle at the center, as they should.", "Here's a close-up of that razor-sharp blade that will shave the ice.", "A rectangular scraper slides over the flightings, preventing snow from building up and clogging the system.", "This ice resurfacer is now ready for the rink, and it's sure to smooth the ice for years to come." ]

{ "things": [ "Rolled Wafers", "Wood Pellets", "Class & Championship Rings" ] }

[ "At some point many centuries ago, the thin, communion-style wafer took a delicious twist with the creation of the rolled wafer cookie.", "The exact origin of this tubular treat isn't known, but it has been traced back to syrian christian pastry makers during the middle ages.", "Long and elegant, the rolled wafer is one classy cookie.", "It's crispy on the outside and creamy at the core for a sweet fusion of flavor and texture.", "It could be served as a garnish for the main dessert or on its own.", "It is, of course, a matter of taste.", "Ingredients for the rolled wafer include flour, sugar, cocoa powder, whey powder, milk powder, and dark chocolate.", "There are 20 ingredients in total.", "They load each one into a separate bin.", "The bins all funnel into one of two big mixers one floor below.", "One mixer blends the wafer batter, and the other prepares the cream filling.", "A central computer controls the flow from the bins to the mixers.", "It measures and releases the ingredients to follow the recipe exactly.", "The computer also assigns a lot number to each batch, so if there's a problem with the product, they'll be able to track the source and fix it.", "Down below, in the wafer mixer, the batter is looking pretty smooth.", "They're aiming for a consistency that's similar to pancake batter.", "A worker scoops up some to check it.", "Too runny or too thick, and the wafer won't have the right crunch.", "The batch is just right.", "The wafer batter now flows onto four metal plates that spread it onto an immense rotating wheel, creating four very thin ribbons of batter.", "Gas flames heat the wheel to 300 degrees fahrenheit to toast the batter strips.", "At this high temperature, the toasted pastry has yet to crisp up.", "It's soft and flexible, which means it's ready to roll.", "Coming off the wheel, the wafer pastry winds around a revolving mandrill and quickly cools, generating a continuous wafer roll.", "The chocolate hazelnut cream filling is looking delicious by now, and machinery pumps it through a hole in the wafer-forming mandrill.", "As the wafer takes shape, the mandrill pumps the cream into it.", "This mechanized system is faster than hand-rolling, and the wafers it generates are more uniform.", "The long, rolled wafer now spins off the mandrill and heads into a tunnel.", "Inside, a little ax swings down to chop it into wafer-sized pieces.", "The rolled wafer exits onto a slide and makes a gentle landing onto a conveyor.", "The cream inside the cookie is still fluid, and the pastry itself is still somewhat pliable.", "The next stage of production will solidify everything.", "It's a trip through a cooling tunnel.", "On this stage of the journey, the various components of the rolled wafer crystallize to their final form, and they emerge crispy enough to be handled by the employees.", "They identify any damaged wafers and discard them as they arrange the cookies for packaging.", "This means compartmentalizing them in groups on a slotted conveyor.", "After that, the little stacks of rolled wafers travel through a curtain of plastic.", "Machinery cuts and heat-seals the wrapping in this completely automated packaging system.", "The plastic will keep the wafers fresh, but it won't protect them from breakage.", "That's the job of the metal can.", "After an ink-jet-like device prints the freshness code on the bottom, the cans ride a magnetized wheel which flips them to an upright position.", "A worker then fills each can with the plastic-encased wafers and puts a lid on the top.", "Modern manufacturing has revolutionized the making of these rolled wafers.", "Once individually rolled and baked by hand, machinery now does most of the work, producing more than 100,000 rolled wafers per hour.", "But, of course, the taste is still all about tradition.", "Unlike a conventional wood stove that burns firewood, a pellet stove uses wood pellets as fuel.", "Made from lumber byproducts such as sawdust and wood chips, which would otherwise end up as waste, pellets burn more efficiently and more cleanly than wood and produce very little air pollution.", "A pellet stove has an on-board storage container called a hopper that holds, depending on the model, up to 80 pounds of wood pellets.", "Several computer chips monitor the stove's heating performance, dictating the rate at which the hopper automatically feeds pellets into the stove's firepot.", "The heat output is manually adjustable or can be controlled by a thermostat.", "Wood pellets burn far more cleanly than logs, and the fire is smoke-free.", "Wood pellets are made from a variety of raw materials-- sawdust, wood chips, wood shavings, small logs, even scraps of wood left over from furniture and other manufacturing.", "These different types of lumber byproducts first have to be reduced to the same size and consistency.", "Therefore, the first stop is a huge grinding machine.", "Inside, mammoth steel hammers pulverize the raw material to uniform pieces.", "The raw material contains about 45% moisture, so it goes into a dryer to reduce the moisture level to between 11% and 12%.", "So what was rough, raw material has now been ground to a finer state and dried.", "But it's still not fine enough, so it goes into a mill, which processes it further until it's roughly the size of rice grains.", "A feed pipe transfers what is now wood fiber to a row of presses.", "These are the machines which make the pellets.", "The moisture content of the fiber is critical.", "If it's too wet, the pellet presses risk clogging up.", "That's why each pellet press has a readout displaying the fiber moisture level.", "As an added measure, the factory draws fiber samples and sends them to the quality-control lab for analysis.", "It's essential for the stability of the pellets that the moisture be at the ideal level.", "Excess moisture would eventually evaporate, breaking the pellets apart.", "So to analyze the moisture content, the lab technicians weigh a sample, heat it to a high temperature to evaporate the moisture...", "Then re-weigh.", "The analyzer is programmed to translate the weight loss into a reading of moisture content.", "The pellet press is a large drum with perforated rollers inside.", "The holes are pellet-width-- 2/10 of an inch in diameter.", "As the drum rotates, the rollers apply pressure.", "This compresses the fiber by 400% and extrudes it outward through the holes.", "A knife slices the extruding fiber at programmed intervals, cutting it into lengths of about 1 2/10 inches.", "The compression generates heat, which draws out the tree sap still contained in the wood fiber.", "This sap, called lignin, acts as an adhesive, locking it in the pellet shape.", "The journey from raw material to pellet is now complete.", "The pellets, however, are still quite warm and sticky, so they clump together.", "The solution-- about 15 minutes in a cooler.", "As the room-temperature air blows through the pellets, cooling and drying the tacky lignin, the pellets separate from each other.", "Some of the processed raw material ends up in too fine a state to become pellets.", "So as the pellets exit the cooler, a vibrating screen filters out this sawdust-like material, which incidentally doesn't go to waste.", "The factory uses it to fuel the dryer.", "The pellets, meanwhile, proceed to packaging.", "It's a continuous system.", "The machine feeds printed, plastic film around a cylindrical tube, forming the shape of the bag.", "Then it drops in 40 pounds of pellets and seals the top of the bag, simultaneously forming the bottom of the next one.", "Wood-pellet stoves are fast becoming a popular means of home heating, and because pellets cost significantly less than most other types of fuel, wood-pellet systems are an emerging option for commercial and industrial heating.", "A ring celebrating a special achievement makes a cherished, lifelong keepsake, whether it's a class ring to commemorate graduation from high school or a championship ring for the players on a winning sports team.", "As the years go by, this special piece of jewelry keeps the memories close at hand.", "Championship rings are entirely custom-made.", "They typically feature the team name and logo, along with the year of the big win.", "They can also have personalized touches, such as the player's name or jersey number.", "Class rings, on the other hand, come in several ready-made designs presented in a catalog.", "Graduates order their favorite style, then personalize their ring by choosing options, such as symbols, gemstones, and engraved lettering.", "For each style, a jewelry designer first sketches the ring's base-- the overall shape of the ring minus the decorative elements.", "Then an industrial designer transforms the sketch into a three-dimensional computer drawing.", "The ring's decorative components go through the same process-- the jewelry designer's color drawing adapted to 3-d software that guides a computer-operated milling machine.", "The machine transforms two blocks of aluminum into a two-part mold for each of the flat, detailed components of the ring, meaning all the parts except for the base.", "A steady flow of lubricant washes away the shards of metal the machine cuts away.", "Bit by bit, the mold assumes very intricate detail of the ring design.", "Once it's finished, they coat the cavity with a powder that prevents the wax they're about to inject from sticking.", "Then they load the mold into an injection device.", "It shoots in hot, liquid wax at high pressure, filling all the minute nooks and crannies of the intricately detailed cavity.", "Seconds later, they extract a wax model of, in this case, the elaborate top of a championship ring.", "To make a wax model of the ring's base, they use a flexible rubber mold because it would be too difficult to extract the three-dimensional shape from a metal mold.", "They inject the wax at low pressure, as a rubber mold can't withstand high-pressure injection, nor is it necessary when the base has no intricate details.", "The next step is to assemble the wax models of two of the ring's components, connecting the parts with joining wax applied using a fine-tipped soldering iron.", "It's at this stage that they also size the ring for the customer, either cutting out a section of the shank to downsize or adding to the shank to enlarge.", "Next, they begin building a wax structure on which to mount the wax models for several rings they'll be casting simultaneously.", "They solder a small stem to each model...", "Then connect each stem to a large wax rod.", "When they're done, they have a treelike structure holding all the wax models.", "They solder this structure to a rubber base, then slip a metal flask over it.", "Next, they mix up some plaster, blending it for a good half-hour under a vacuum to remove all the air bubbles.", "Then they inject the plaster into the flask, engulfing the wax models and supporting structure inside.", "Over the next 12 hours, the plaster hardens into a shell around the wax.", "Next, 12 hours in a hot oven.", "This burns out the wax components, leaving behind a cavity in the shell shaped precisely like them.", "Now it's just a matter of melting down the metal for the final casting.", "The technique of using a wax model to create a mold is known as the lost wax process.", "This company uses the plaster shell as a mold to cast rings in three types of metal-- gold, sterling silver, and stainless steel.", "Regardless of the metal, the ring-making process is the same.", "In just minutes, the induction furnace has heated the metal-- in this case gold-- to the required molten state.", "They carefully pour it into the plaster shell.", "Gold flows down channels and into cavities left when the wax burnt out.", "Once the gold cools and solidifies, they submerge the shell in cool water.", "This instantly dissolves the hot plaster, releasing the cast piece.", "Everything that was once modeled in wax is now replicated in gold.", "They cut the ring components off the structure, then re-melt the structure to reuse the gold.", "There's still a remnant of the structure on each ring component, so they grind it off.", "Next, using a grinding tool so small that it fits through the ring, they smooth the inside surface.", "Then they stamp in the company name, along with the internationally recognized code identifying the metal, such as 10k for 10-karat gold.", "To smooth the ring's outer surface, they use a grinding wheel which has splits in its abrasive disks.", "The split produces a see-through view, as the disks spin at high speed.", "With the entire surface now smooth, the ring is ready for polishing.", "They apply some polishing compound, then, using another split wheel, shine it up.", "Next, the top of the ring goes to the stone-setting department, where, using a fine rotary tool, a specialist contours each setting to fit the gemstone's pointed base.", "Then he sets each gemstone...", "Forcing down the four surrounding prongs onto the edge of the stone.", "Next, he sets tiny diamonds.", "He presses each one into place, then pushes the surrounding metal inward to hold the stone down.", "The top of the ring complete, they now solder it to the base.", "Using an airbrush, they apply a fine mist of black paint, then wipe it off.", "This leaves behind a black background highlighting the ring's details.", "Now they apply some polishing compound to a cloth buffing wheel and polish the ring to a high-gloss shine.", "They clean the ring thoroughly in repeated ultrasonic baths.", "Ultrasound waves traveling through the water dislodge all traces of polishing compound and other residues.", "A few blasts of pressurized steam, and the ring is completely dry.", "Certain rings also have enamel decoration.", "Enamel is liquid glass.", "It goes on like paint, then has to be baked in an oven for 30 minutes.", "Finally, a computer-guided engraving machine inscribes any name or personal message customers request be written on or inside their rings.", "The tradition of the class ring dates back to the 1800s.", "Championship rings, a wearable trophy of sorts, are a more recent custom.", "Both make a proud and triumphant fashion statement." ]

{ "things": [ "Sleeper Rigs", "Pecans", "Steel Pulleys", "Acetate Eyewear" ] }

[ "Truck drivers spend a lot of time on the road, so their sleeper rigs become a home away from home.", "Equipped with a refrigerator, tv, and microwave, a sleeper rig is more than a place to bunk down for the night.", "It can also be a trucker's living space when it's time to pull over.", "Due to the convenience of sleeper rigs, truckers don't need to pull into a hotel once they've put in their hours.", "Instead, they simply pull over since they're hauling their own sleeping accommodations.", "This factory builds custom rigs based on drivers' preferences.", "Production starts by installing the steel frame rails for the vehicle's frame, or chassis.", "First, machinists place the rails in an upside down position and wire it for indicator lights and other electrical components.", "They run hoses for the air brakes and to deliver fuel to the engine.", "They link the two frame rails with cross members...", "And bolt an engine support rail to the front of the framework.", "A crane moves the chassis down the line, while a second crane carries three wheel axles over to the first crane.", "Technicians guide the axles into position as they're lowered onto the frame.", "The team bolts the axles to the chassis.", "A rollover crane flips the chassis and places it on a pedestal that will move it down the line.", "Next, the fifth wheel hitch is installed.", "That's used to connect the truck to the trailer.", "The team secures the hitch with clamping bolts to ensure it's securely in place.", "The engine and transmission are now connected to the chassis.", "The team installs the diesel fuel tank.", "Metal straps are wrapped around the tank, and brackets are fastened to the center of the chassis.", "Machinists mount the tires and wheels onto the axles in pairs.", "This dual wheel system has a greater load-carrying capacity than a single wheel.", "Using a multi-spindled torque tool, a technician tightens all the lug nuts and writes identifying information on the wheel.", "Now it's over to the industrial robots.", "These machines assemble the cab and the sleeper and rivet the walls of the structures to frames.", "With speed and precision, the industrial robots install the roof and pipe sealant on top of the cab frame.", "A crane lowers the roof onto the cab and bolts the structure together.", "Meanwhile, other industrial robots paint the cab, sleeper, and hood.", "The color is usually a custom choice, as are the size and amenities of the sleeper.", "A team slides the dashboard subassembly into the cab.", "They bolt the dashboard to the cab and connect the components to the rest of the truck.", "This is an inside look at the sleeper cab, which has been wired for lights and heat.", "Technicians install the cabinetry.", "Other features inside the sleeper cab include cabinets equipped with a radio, charger outlets, cup holders, fold-up bunk beds, and mini fridge.", "Once all interior components are installed, the team connects the sleeper to the cab.", "Then they bolt the two pieces together.", "The cab and sleeper assembly is now ready to be mounted to the chassis.", "A crane lowers it into place.", "The team secures the hood to the front rail.", "The hood contains a mechanism that will allow it to open and close with ease and lock in an open position.", "Next, the assembled truck heads to the wheel alignment station.", "There, an inspector monitors alignment readouts from lasers and 3-d cameras.", "This information lets them know the wheel's positioning on the axle.", "Based on the data, he loosens the bolts that hold the axles to the wheels and turns the axle to make any additional adjustments.", "Once all the technical modifications have been made, technicians lock a kingpin into the fifth wheel hitch and turn the wheels to confirm that everything is secure.", "This truck is now ready to hit the road and get to work.", "Pecans grow on trees that are native to south central north america.", "In fact, \"pecan\" is an algonquin word that means \"a nut that takes a stone to crack\".", "Today, computerized shelling machines do that job for you.", "Pecans add flavor and crunch to any recipe.", "They can also be a satisfying treat on their own.", "But manufacturing pecans is an entirely different nut to crack.", "At harvest time, the husks that contain the nuts start to open.", "At this orchard, a machine grabs the tree trunks and shakes the nuts to the ground.", "Once on the ground, a sweeper moves the pecans away from the trees and into a row.", "It also blows away some of the lighter debris.", "A harvester with paddle wheels collects the pecans.", "Once on the harvester, the pecans ride chain conveyors as vacuums remove and discard debris then the pecans are transferred to a cleaning plant.", "The pecans are unloaded into a pit, and a conveyor takes them inside.", "The pecans funnel into a slotted drum and tumble around.", "The drum sorts the dehusked pecans from those that have retained their husks.", "In this enclosed machine, spinning wire brushes remove more of the husks.", "Blowers release the lighter husks into a big bin to be disposed of later.", "After more processing, pictures of the nuts are taken with cameras.", "A computer monitors the pictures for any husks still attached to the pecans.", "If any are identified, the computer activates a blower to remove them.", "With the husks removed, harvesters sort out any of the pecans that are cracked or split open.", "At this point, the pecans contains about 12% moisture, which is high enough to cause deterioration.", "So harvesters leave the pecans to dry for 24 hours, to lower their moisture content to 4%.", "Once drying is complete, the pecans are transferred to the shelling plant, where they are plunged into a chlorine-and-water bath.", "This both cleans them and rehydrates them.", "Without sufficient moisture, the pecans will break into bits during cracking, and the objective is to extract intact halves for retail.", "The pecans are rinsed in water at a temperature of 180 degrees fahrenheit.", "This step removes chlorine residue, sanitizes the pecans, and raises the moisture content to 7.5%.", "Now it's time to get cracking with the completely automated process.", "Inside the sheller, pistons hit each end of a nut simultaneously, cracking it cleanly.", "The deshelled pecans travel across a vibrating sifter that sorts them by size.", "Then the pecans fall in front of an electronic system, which releases a blast of air that removes any lingering shell pieces.", "A second sifting system removes any additional small pecan bits.", "These pecans will be processed into candy bars and commercial pastries.", "The electronic sorter has removed most of the shells, but not all of them.", "Technicians visually scan the pecans and pick out the remaining shells.", "The pecans continue along the conveyor and fall into cardboard boxes at the end of the line.", "To prepare a toasted pecan snack food, salt and butter are added to the nuts.", "Then the nuts are cooked and mixed in a roaster.", "In packaging, technicians pour the pecans into measuring jugs, then empty them into plastic bags.", "Hot jaws seal the tops of the bags to keep the pecans fresh and extend their shelf life.", "Ready for retail, consumers won't have any trouble cracking these pecans.", "They can go straight to snacking.", "A belt and pulley system is a simple type of machine.", "Two or more pulleys rotate, moving a belt wrapped around them, transferring mechanical power.", "Torque, speed, direction, and other factors can be altered by using pulleys of varying diameters and designs.", "Split pulleys drive a belt, while idler pulleys apply tension or change its direction.", "Both are manufactured from steel coil, the industrial term for steel that's delivered to the factory in a roll.", "The width and thickness of the steel varies, depending on the size of the pulley being made and the load it will carry.", "To make split pulleys, the coil enters a stamping press, which punches out discs.", "Each disc, called a blank, will become one pulley.", "The scrap pieces go back to the steel mill to be recycled.", "Each blank has a hole in the center.", "This particular blank has three drain holes.", "A magnetic arm picks up one blank at a time and loads it into an automated splitting machine.", "As the blank rotates, a circular knife cuts the border around the blank to a specific depth, splitting the edge of the blank.", "On the opposite side, another tool spreads the split edge, forming a groove.", "The machine doesn't remove any steel.", "Rather, it forms the groove to a specific shape by redistributing the existing metal.", "A welder places the split pulley into a welding machine, then inserts a machined steel hub in the center hole.", "The machine welds the hub to the pulley in about 20 seconds.", "An idler pulley is made from two halves rather than from a single blank like the split pulley.", "To make each half, the steel coil goes through a press in which a dye with multiple stations stamps the metal to the required shape, then cuts it from the coil.", "Separate conveyors feed the two stamped halves to an assembly carousel.", "One half runs through a small press which stamps dimples on the surface, then loads it onto the carousel's first station.", "The carousel then rotates to the next station, which inserts a radial ball bearing in the center hole.", "The next station places a stamp without dimples.", "A press squeezes the parts together until the dimples touch the non-dimpled half.", "A magnetic arm transfers the pulley to a track, leading to a projection welder.", "The welder applies an electric current to the dimples, melting the two halves together at the contact points.", "A robotic arm positions the pulley on the next station, which presses a bore adapter into the center of the bearing.", "This adapter enables the pulley to be installed with a smaller bolt.", "The thickness of the bore adapter also acts as a spacer to align the center of the pulley with the belt path.", "Next, the samples are tested for weld strength.", "A hydraulic jaw clamps one half of the pulley while another jaw pulls the other half apart.", "The welds must remain intact to pass the test.", "Split pulleys undergo a weld strength test on the hub.", "A hot chemical bath removes traces of lubricating oil left by the machining equipment.", "A thorough rinse with an anticorrosion chemical prevents the steel from rusting and preps the surface for painting.", "Once the pulleys are dry, a technician loads them onto the paint line, masking the center with a plug.", "Inside the automated paint tunnel, three spray guns fully coat the top, middle, and bottom of the spinning pulley with a water-based enamel paint.", "Then the pulley passes through a tunnel oven, which heat cures the paint in about four minutes.", "The pulley, upon exiting the oven, goes directly into the shipping box, and an unpainted pulley takes its place on the line.", "The factory sends select pulleys to an outside facility to be plated with zinc rather than painted.", "Zinc plating better protects the steel when exposed to corrosive environments.", "Looking for a new pair of glasses?", "If so, you might want to look into durable, lightweight, and flexible acetate frames.", "Acetate is a high-quality plastic made from cotton or wood fibers.", "It can be produced in an endless array of colors, color combinations, and finishes.", "This eyewear is made of cellulose acetate, a transparent plastic made from cotton fibers combined with plasticizers and binders.", "The acetate arrives as a thick sheet.", "A computer-guided mill cuts a slab for the front of the frame and two pieces for the temples.", "The cuts are carefully calculated to ensure any color variations will be in the same location on every frame.", "This machine heats the frame front slab and applies a mold to form the bridge bump, the part of the frame that bulges out over the nose.", "The machine drops the slab into cold water.", "Once the slab has cooled, this computer-guided machine shapes it into a frame front.", "Using 16 different tools operating from five different angles, the machine carves out the eyeholes and makes grooves in them to hold the lenses, then carves the outer shape.", "An artisan refines the shape and smoothes the surface by hand, using files and custom-made tools.", "Then the acetate parts are placed in a tumbler with hardwood pegs and polishing compounds.", "The acetate is smoothed and polished by gentle abrasion.", "A tiny pocket is carved on each side of the frame front for the hinge.", "Next, the machine heats the hinge with an electric current and places it in the pocket.", "The heat melts the acetate, securely setting the hinge.", "The brand logo features a pyramid comprised of 21 dots.", "This computer-guided precision drill bores 21 tiny holes into the tip of the temple.", "A craftsman fills them with translucent epoxy.", "Once the epoxy dries, the craftsman removes the excess epoxy with a fine sanding disc.", "This requires applying just the correct amount of pressure.", "Otherwise, the acetate can get damaged.", "Custom-designed equipment tapers each temple to an ergonomic shape.", "The temple is thicker at the hinge for strength, thinner around the back of the ear for comfort, and thickest at the end, creating weight at the back to offset pressure on the bridge of the nose.", "Next, a craftsman heats the temple to soften the acetate.", "The temple is loaded into a wire-shooting machine, along with a hinged nickel silver wire.", "The machine shoots the wire through the core of the temple.", "The temple is now adjustable and attachable to the frame front hinge.", "A craftsman carefully removes excess acetate with a razor blade.", "Then he smoothes out the acetate around the hinge with a heat press.", "Finally, he covers the hinge with a glue cap.", "This will shield it from damage throughout the remainder of the production process.", "A laser engraves the logo, model name, color, and size information on the inside of the temple.", "Now the glasses are ready to be assembled.", "A craftsman cuts matching angles on the temples and frame front.", "He joins the temple and frame front hinges with a nylon-coated screw.", "The coating tightens the parts together and helps the temples fold and unfold smoothly.", "A craftsman hand files the angles so there's no gap between temples and frame front.", "Each frame is hand-polished with progressively finer buffing wheels and different polishing compounds.", "Optical frames are shipped out with temporary plastic lenses, which an optician replaces with the customer's prescription lenses.", "This mechanical machine cuts the plastic to the shape of the frame's eyeholes, following a model lens.", "The temporary lenses have a bevel on their edge, which fits into the lens groove of the frame.", "From start to finish, it takes two weeks to create a single pair of frames.", "The process takes over 70 different production steps, more than half of which are performed manually." ]

{ "things": [ "Fiberglass Boats", "Clothes Dryers", "Bubble Gum", "Fireworks" ] }

[ "Today on \"how it's made\"...", "Fiberglass boats...", "Clothes driers...", "Bubble gum...", "And fireworks.", "They're sleek, they're fast, and they're fun.", "Fiberglass boats can jump waves and turn on a dime.", "The fiberglass body is low-maintenance and durable, so these watercraft don't deteriorate the way wooden boats can.", "A computerized saw cuts out the wood pieces they'll use to build the mold for the fiberglass boat.", "It takes a team of artisans about 15 months to design and build the mold.", "They first construct the frame.", "Then they construct the shape out of fiberglass.", "The mold must be perfect in order to cast a boat that's free of faults and defects, so they painstakingly work on the mold's finish in particular, coating it in a special high-resistance paint that will withstand about eight years of castings.", "Once they finish the mold, they can begin casting the fiberglass boat.", "The equipment feeds just the right ratio of fiberglass to plastic resin.", "Fiberglass is glass in the form of very fine, flexible fibers.", "They may look fragile, but those fibers are stronger than steel, and they won't burn, stretch, or rot, so they make perfect boat-building material.", "Workers make sure they roll the fiberglass into every nook and cranny.", "This is critical because if they don't apply the fiberglass thoroughly, the boat will have structural defects.", "As heat within the fiberglass builds up, it hardens.", "Next, they roll on a material called roving.", "It reinforces the fiberglass and makes it more rigid.", "They also install wood in the areas where they'll later mount equipment.", "They coat the wood with fiberglass to protect it from moisture.", "After about an hour, it's time to extract the casting from the mold.", "They use a lever system to lift out the hull.", "They cut out holes for the mechanics.", "Then they install the boat's deck.", "They install the motor and the electrical wiring for the mechanics and plumbing.", "The boat truly takes shape in the final assembly.", "They put together the upper part of the boat, called the shell, and the inside, called the liner.", "They install the furniture...", "Certain components are installed by hand, such as the dashboard.", "Last stop, quality control-- a series of tests to ensure that all the mechanics function well and that the boat is absolutely watertight.", "Finally, a wrapping is added to protect the boat during shipping.", "Electric cars are cheaper to run than gasoline-powered cars.", "Just plug them in to recharge.", "No fill-up required.", "But they cost 40% more to buy, which offsets the savings.", "Battery technology will have to improve and come down in price before electric cars can truly take off.", "Clothes dryers were invented in europe in the early 1800s.", "The lady of the house would put the clothes in a metal barrel with holes in it, then turn it by hand over the fire.", "The first electric dryers were invented around 1915.", "Most of the parts are made from steel just 3/100 of an inch thick.", "The factory receives it from the supplier in giant rolls.", "They go onto a machine that cuts sheets about 3 feet long.", "Using those sheets, industrial presses stamp out various dryer parts.", "These are motor supports.", "And this is the back panel of the drum, the rotating compartment that holds the clothes.", "Note those small holes.", "We'll come back to them shortly.", "To form the side of the drum, the machine bends a sheet of prepainted steel into a circular shape.", "When a clothes dryer operates, it sucks in outside air through a hole at the front.", "The air passes through the heating element and goes into the drum, entering through those little holes you saw a few moments ago located in the back panel.", "Once the automated machines have finished shaping the drum, they form a groove on its outside surface.", "This groove is for the motorized belt that drives the drum.", "Next, they put the drum on another machine that screws three baffles in place.", "Baffles are those thick plastic wings located inside the drum.", "They're what throw the clothes around as it rotates.", "Back on the automated line, the drum's front rim goes on.", "They manually assemble the drum's back panel.", "Then a machine installs it.", "Next comes the exhaust duct.", "Hot, moist air exits the drum through a series of holes and a large slot in the dryer door.", "The air gets channeled downward through the lint screen, then goes through a duct at the front of the dryer to the fan.", "The fan blows the air out this exhaust duct at the back of the dryer.", "The dryer's heating element works much like the element in a toaster, except it consumes a lot more power-- up to 6,000 watts.", "The factory receives the steel and ceramic heating coils ready-made.", "Workers simply position them on a sheet of galvanized steel.", "They also install a temperature sensor that shuts off power should something go wrong and cause the dryer to overheat.", "In the finishing department, they coat the dryer with powdered paint that's heat- and shock-resistant.", "Then they assemble the bottom and back of the appliance.", "They install the motor that drives both the belt and the fan.", "Then the exhaust duct goes in.", "Automated machines prepare the electrical wiring.", "They paint and cut the wires...", "Then install a terminal on each end.", "Workers wire the dryers...", "Then install the drum.", "They close up the sides...", "Screw on the door, then wire up the control panel.", "It's connected to a series of gears and switches that control the dryer cycles.", "The model and serial-number sticker marks the last stop on the assembly line.", "Chewing gum dates back to the ancient greeks, who chewed resin from trees.", "Modern chewing gum was patented in the u.s. in 1869 by-- believe it or not-- a dentist.", "In 1928, another american invented bubble gum.", "Bubble gum comes in gumballs of all colors and sizes, but for blowing bubbles, nothing beats the chewy, gooey pink stuff in the twist wrap.", "It all starts with a gum base, the stuff that makes gum chewy.", "Traditionally, the base came from tree resin.", "Today it's synthetic-- made of plastics and rubbers.", "They pour the gum base into a mixer, then add color and flavoring.", "As it begins mixing, they pour in glucose syrup, a sweetener.", "Because it's liquid, it helps keep the gum base soft.", "Next, they add dextrose, a powdered sweetener.", "They blend the ingredients for about 20 minutes.", "The stirring action builds up heat, which melts everything together.", "The mixture is ready when it reaches the consistency of bread dough.", "They transfer it by cart to a machine called the pre-extruder.", "The machine squeezes the mixture through a narrow opening, like squeezing toothpaste from the tube.", "This transforms the big, bulky wad into thin, manageable strips that can then go through the extruders.", "The extruders squeeze each strip down to the actual width of a piece of bubble gum.", "It comes out as one long, continuous stream, to be cut into bite-size pieces later on.", "This extrusion process heats up the gum.", "If they were to cut and wrap it now, it would stick to the wrapper, so the next stop is a cooling chamber.", "The gum goes in for 15 minutes at temperatures between 37 and 45 degrees fahrenheit.", "When the bubble gum comes out, it's cooled down enough for what they call the \"cut and wrap\".", "One machine does both jobs in a fraction of a second.", "Watch the action in slow motion.", "As the continuous stream of gum enters on one end, the machine cuts it into bite-size pieces, pushes each piece into a wax-paper wrapper, then twists both ends of the wrapper closed.", "Here's the slow-motion replay from a different angle.", "The machine processes 900 pieces of bubble gum per minute.", "Last stop-- packaging.", "The bubble gum moves onto a scale that automatically weighs out the right amount per tub.", "They seal the tub with plastic to make it airtight.", "This keeps the bubble gum fresh.", "Ever wonder why bubble gum is pink?", "It's because that's the only color walter diemer had on hand when he invented this treat back in 1928.", "Since then, the color just stuck.", "What's a 4th of july celebration without fireworks-- brilliant colors exploding in the air, the oohs and ahhs they elicit on the ground?", "Fireworks are so high-tech these days, it's easy to forget they're not a modern invention.", "Historians believe gunpowder, the explosive ingredient in fireworks, was invented in china around 1000 a.d. it's said that in a famous battle, the chinese emperor illuminated the sky with it, scaring away the enemy.", "During the renaissance, the europeans invented the type of fireworks we know today.", "Modern pyrotechnicians use computers to ignite fireworks from a safe distance and to synchronize their bursts with music.", "Assembling explosives into fireworks is the job of the pyrotechnician.", "Even the tiniest spark of static electricity could set them off, so antistatic gloves are a must.", "A firework is made up of separate compartments within a shell.", "The burning fuse explodes one compartment at a time, creating those staggered bursts in the sky.", "The pyrotechnician first glues the main fuse into the bottom of the shell.", "The glue is naturally colorless.", "It's dyed blue so he can tell exactly where he's applying it.", "He puts the bottom aside to work on the second compartment of this 2-compartment firework.", "He starts by spooning a powdered explosive into the center.", "Then he caps it.", "Here he's working on two fireworks at a time.", "Next step-- a brown cardboard shock absorber to shield this compartment from the first compartment explosion.", "Then a corrugated cardboard disk and a plastic spacer.", "It'll take the fuse 1 1/2 seconds to burn through these two components, creating a slight delay between the first explosion and the second.", "Gluing the second compartment together is tricky.", "If it's too tight, it'll stifle the explosion, but it has to be tight enough to withstand the delay.", "With the second compartment done, it's time to prepare the first.", "He glues a sleeve onto a case, then fills it with hundreds of stars.", "Stars are what create the flashes of color.", "They're carefully measured explosives mixed with coloring agents such as magnesium for white, copper salts for blue, and charcoal for orange.", "The pyrotechnician must handle them gingerly, or they could detonate.", "Next, he adds comets, another type of exploding decoration.", "He tops it off with gunpowder.", "Finally, he glues the two compartments together, filling the remaining space with the same combination of ingredients.", "Once the shell is full, he glues on the cover, and the tighter, the better.", "The more pressure that builds up, the bigger and more spectacular the explosion.", "Next, he wraps the fireworks in craft paper.", "The label uses international color codes to indicate the size of the shell.", "The lift charge-- a gunpowder bag with a long, fast-action fuse-- goes at the base of the shell.", "That's what'll send the firework into the sky.", "When they light the main fuse at the top, it simultaneously lights two secondary fuses-- the time-delay fuse inside the shell, running through the compartments of explosives and that long fuse running along the outside down to the lift charge at the base.", "Once the lift charge ignites, heat and gas build up inside the launch tube until they explode, propelling the firework close to 1,000 feet skyward.", "Let the light show begin." ]

{ "things": [ "Coconut Shell Charcoal", "Dial Indicators", "Wet Downdraft Tables", "Bassoon Reeds" ] }

[ "Coconut shells used to be considered agricultural waste, but today they're processed into biofuel for the barbecue.", "In countries like thailand, companies convert the shells into briquettes that burn cleanly for an extended period.", "Throwing away these shells would be a real waste of energy.", "Instead of ending up as landfill, coconut shells are being used to fire the grill.", "Processed into briquettes that burn virtually smoke-free, the shells are now considered a resource instead of garbage.", "Converting coconut shells to charcoal starts with the partial-combustion process.", "Inside these brick igloo-style kilns, they create a burning environment that allows the shells to be carbonized but doesn't reduce them to ash.", "The kilns are partially underground.", "The surrounding soil helps to seal the fire.", "This keeps the air levels down for a slow, smoldering burn.", "A worker bricks up the kiln door.", "And he seals these bricks with mud instead of cement.", "This will allow the door to be dismantled later without ruining the bricks, preserving them for reuse in the next burn.", "From the top, he ignites the fire using soft wax as starter material.", "Because of the limited air in the kilns, the fire burns out after 20 to 24 hours.", "A worker takes the door apart and rakes the charred remains of the coconut shells into a basket.", "They have been converted into a rich charcoal.", "He heaps the blackened shells into a pile.", "And under the intense sun, moisture from water, used to extinguish any hot spots, evaporates.", "The charcoal dries out and breaks easily.", "It's now ready to be processed into briquettes.", "Workers load the charcoal pieces into grinders.", "This is dirty work.", "So they protect their faces with scarves and their hands with gloves.", "Inside the grinding machines, rollers pulverize the charcoal, reducing it to a fine powder.", "The powder flows into bins below.", "A worker then transfers the charcoal powder to a mixer.", "He adds a generous amount of starch made from the root of the cassava tree.", "Together with water, the starch will bond the charcoal particles together like glue.", "The mixer whisks it all together like pastry.", "The consistency is right when the particles form clumps when pressed together.", "The moistened blend exits the mixer and spills into a bin.", "This coconut shell charcoal is now ready to be pressed into briquettes.", "The next worker loads the charcoal into a press.", "It forces the tacky black powder through a die to press it into a perpetual hexagon with a hole in the center.", "As the machine extrudes the charcoal, a worker chops it into briquettes that are just over 3 inches in length.", "These coconut charcoal briquettes have now taken shape.", "But they're not yet ready for the grill.", "They're soft and mushy to the touch and crumble easily.", "To firm them up, they place them in structures with open fires in the center.", "They close the doors and leave the briquettes to bake over a period of about 24 hours.", "The heat fuses the charcoal particles together.", "And the briquettes harden.", "Out of the curing chamber, this briquette is solid to the touch and clean too.", "It leaves no sooty residue.", "From coconut shells to barbecue briquettes, it's been quite a transformation.", "This coconut shell charcoal is now ready to sizzle.", "In many disciplines, you have to take measurements.", "Sometimes, those measurements are so minute they're difficult or impossible for the human eye to determine.", "So a ruler or tape measure can't help.", "What you need instead is a precision-measuring tool called a dial indicator.", "On this dial indicator, each graduation is 0.001 inches.", "A full revolution of the hand measures 100 thousandths of an inch.", "To make a key component, called the bridge plate, this automated punch press stamps out brass circles, which are about 2 inches in diameter.", "Workers place each bridge plate into a manual punch press, which makes location holes that will correctly position the bridge plate on the next press.", "This press makes holes for mounting screws, locating pins, as well as for three precision jewels, which reduce friction on moving metal components.", "This lathe begins the process of shaping a stainless steel rod into the dial indicator's main measuring component, called the rack.", "Under a shower of cutting oil, the machine drills and threads a hole on each end for attaching a contact made of plated steel.", "Next, this milling machine cuts teeth spaced 25 thousandths of an inch apart.", "One of the dial indicator's gears runs along these rack teeth to turn the hand that displays the measurement.", "This computer-guided machine forms an aluminum bar into another key component, called the bridge.", "The bridge has holes for screws and locating pins that align with those in the bridge plate so that the two can fasten, sandwiching the gears in between.", "The bridge also has holes for three jewels, which workers insert with a punch press.", "Jewels are doughnut-shaped synthetic rubies set in a brass ring.", "They line the holes for the gears and other moving components.", "The jewel's surface is very smooth.", "So it eases friction on the component.", "Workers check every jewel under a microscope to make sure it didn't crack when pressed into the hole.", "The dial indicator's outside case is made of aluminum, shaped by this computer-guided turning and milling machine.", "Workers spray the case with powdered paint using an electric charge to draw the particles onto the surface in a thorough, even coat.", "Then, they bake the case in an oven for 20 minutes to make the paint finish ultra durable.", "They put the case on a machine that presses in top and bottom steel stems, which will hold the rack in place.", "They mount a hair spring on the bridge plate.", "This spring allows the gear to return to its original position after moving the rack upward to take a measurement.", "They insert what's called a pinion for the large dial hand in the center jeweled hole and a second gear into the jeweled hole for the small dial hand.", "Then, they attach the bridge.", "Next, they insert the rack into the case through the stem and screw a contact into each end.", "Then, they install a brass spring-loaded rack guide.", "It prevents the rack from rotating so that its teeth always face the rack gear.", "They mate the case with the rest.", "Then they push in the stem while holding the hand pinion to wind the gear.", "They install the printed aluminum dial on the bridge plate side and mount the hand for the small dial on a pinion protruding from the top of the gear.", "They mount the large dial hand onto its pinion.", "They place the movable dial into a grooved ring, called a bezel, and snap the bezel onto the case.", "When you turn the bezel, the dial moves with it.", "The back of the case is shaped with a lug for mounting the tool to a fixture.", "The movable dial lets you zero the indicator.", "You lock in the dial position with this twist bolt.", "The factory tests every dial indicator with this micrometer head.", "It pushes in the rack to a specific measurement.", "Every time the large hand rotates a full revolution, indicating 100 thousandths of an inch, the small dial hand clocks one graduation.", "This test guarantees no tool leaves the factory without delivering made-to-measure accuracy.", "Cutting or sanding metals and other materials can produce combustible airborne dust or fumes, which can ignite or be inhaled.", "That's why it's safer to do this work on a wet downdraft table.", "This machine captures and filters hazardous particles from the work space.", "A powerful blower pulls the flammable dust down through the openings of the grid tabletop.", "Then a continuous spray of water extinguishes the dust and washes it down into a reservoir at the bottom, where a filter removes it.", "Because stainless steel doesn't corrode, this computer-guided laser cuts the components that come into contact with water out of stainless steel sheets.", "Workers pass each part through a wide-belt sander to smooth out rough edges left by the cutting.", "When the part exits the sander, they thoroughly brush off the metal dust.", "Then, they bend the part into the required shape using a computer-guided machine, called a press brake.", "A welder then fuses the parts, constructing the machine in sections.", "This is the table section that contains the tabletop and the wash-down system that processes the combustible dust.", "Workers clean all the welds with a machine that uses a combination of chemicals and electricity.", "They brush on a protective coating to make the welds corrosion-resistant.", "Then, they wash the unit with soap and water.", "In the reservoir at the bottom, they install the water-inlet filter.", "When the blower sucks the dust under the tabletop, spray nozzles douse it with water.", "The dusty water flows down into the reservoir, where this filter traps the dust before a pump sends the water back up to the spray nozzles.", "To ensure that no water leaks out, a worker caulks this entire section of the machine with marine-grade sealant.", "On the left side, they mount the housing for the mist-eliminator filter.", "It captures water droplets from the airstream before the blower exhausts it.", "To that, they attach the blower housing.", "It has a side opening for the blower and a top opening for a silencer that muffles the noise of the blower exhaust.", "Now, they install the blower.", "It consists of an electric motor turning a blower wheel.", "The resulting centrifugal force sucks air through the machine and out the exhaust.", "They insert the filter into its housing.", "The filter is polyester, so it's mold resistant, which is critical given that it gets wet.", "Now, they install the water tree, a stainless steel wall with baffles that make the dusty water cascade into the reservoir.", "These probes ensure there's always the optimum amount of water circulating through the machine.", "They send an alert to the control panel if the water level in the reservoir rises too high or drops too low.", "After installing a plumbing connection for the wash-down system, they install walls to contain the dust over the work surface and the silencer over the blower exhaust.", "Then, they complete the assembly of the wash-down system by connecting pipes with spray nozzles to the plumbing connection.", "Finally, workers install the tabletop, made up of two steel grates.", "The blower sucks the dust through the grates' openings.", "You can cushion the tabletop with a rubber grid mat.", "When you press the start button on the control panel, the blower begins drawing air.", "And the nozzles begin spraying water.", "This demonstration with the smoke machine shows the powerful downdraft that gives industrial workers a breath of fresh air.", "To play most woodwind instruments, the musician blows air through a reed made of cane.", "The reed vibrates to create sound, just like the vocal cords in our throat.", "A bassoon reed is comprised of two thin blades of cane rather than one, so it's called a double reed.", "a bassoon reed has twin blades at the top that vibrate to produce sound and a tube at the bottom that fits onto the bassoon's lead pipe.", "The reed maker begins with a stalk of cane that's almost an inch in diameter.", "With a single strike of a cylindrical, x-shaped blade, he splits it into four equal strips, then uses a guillotine to cut each strip to a length of 4 3/4 inches.", "After soaking a strip in water for about 8 hours to soften the fibers, he laterally slices off about half the cane.", "Then, he places it in a precision gouger and thins it to approximately 0.05 inches, give or take a fraction of an inch.", "He verifies the thickness with a precision-measuring tool, called a dial indicator.", "He clamps the cane in a reed-shaped template and trims away the excess.", "This gives the cane a distinct contour.", "He removes the outer layer of rigid bark and thins out the middle, which will become the dual blades of the reed.", "Next, he cuts a pattern that will enable the reed to vibrate at the frequencies required to produce the bassoon's full range of 44 notes.", "Then, he scores both ends of the cane to make them flexible enough to be bent into a half circle.", "He folds the cane in half and ties it with a piece of brass wire.", "The fold will form the double blades at the top of the reed.", "The opposite ends, once bent into mating half circles, will form the tube at the bottom.", "Keeping the cane wet, he heats a cylindrical-forming mandrel over the flame of an oil-burning lamp.", "Then, he wraps the tube end tightly with twine.", "The heat softens the cane's fibers, molding them under pressure from the tightly wound twine to the shape of the mandrel.", "This forms the two adjoining half circles into a perfectly round tube.", "After a few seconds, he removes the forming mandrel and unwraps the twine.", "He inserts a holding mandrel of the same diameter and wraps it with a rubber band.", "He puts the reed aside to dry for about a week.", "This sets the shape permanently.", "When he unwraps and unfolds the reed, he sands the edges of the two adjoining half circles so that they meet perfectly.", "Then, he refolds the reed, securing it with three wires spaced at specific intervals.", "The distance between the wires, in concert with the curved shape of the cane, finalizes the contour of the reed, which determines how it vibrates.", "One the wires are correctly positioned, he wraps the tube end of the reed with strong synthetic string.", "This will contain the tube dimensions when the reed is resoaked.", "He coats the string with glue to further strengthen the tube.", "Once the glue dries, he reams the inside of the tube to fit perfectly into the bassoon's lead pipe.", "He places a ruler against the first wire and makes a mark of just over an inch out toward the folded tip.", "Then, he clips off the folded tip.", "The reed now has double blades that vibrate when a musician blows air through them.", "because cane is a plant, not a synthetic material, there are slight natural variations from reed to reed.", "So bassoonists make the last minor adjustments themselves with profilers and other tools until their reed vibrates beautifully." ]

{ "things": [ "Thai Barbecues", "Diving Masks & Fins", "Bassoons" ] }

[ "The word barbecue seems to originate in haiti where indigenous people developed a method of cooking meat outdoors over a wooden structure long before columbus arrived.", "Nobody knows exactly when humans started grilling.", "But it's safe to assume that we've been cooking outdoors longer than indoors.", "In thailand, many homes and restaurants have a popular kind of barbecue.", "It's a small portable charcoal burner.", "This new, more efficient design has become increasingly popular both in thailand and abroad.", "Workers start by adding the raw materials to a mixer, beginning with clay.", "They add a fiber derived from ground-up rice husks.", "This fiber reinforces the clay, giving it added strength and helping to prevent the finished product from cracking at high temperatures.", "The correct mixture is two parts clay to one part husk.", "Once the mixer thoroughly blends the materials, it extrudes the resulting compound in a thick ribbon, ready for the next phase of production.", "A worker rolls the clay in a small quantity of a third material also derived from rice.", "This is rice husk ash.", "And adding it to the clay helps prevent mold growth.", "A craftsman places the clay inside a specially shaped mold, which sits on a potter's wheel.", "As the wheel turns the mold, the craftsman works with a metal arm and handheld tools to spread and shape the clay.", "He then removes the fully formed clay pot.", "Having marked out three locations on the rim of the pot, a craftsman now adds some husk ask to a handheld mold to prevent sticking.", "He then packs the mold with clay before pressing it into the pot's rim and inner surface.", "He smoothes the clay around them, integrating them into the pot.", "These three elements will form raised supports for cooking pots, woks and kettles.", "At this stage, the pot has air dried enough to safely remove it from the mold.", "The craftsman now uses a handheld tool to define and finish the edges of the rim and supports.", "He then uses a metal, rectangular template to mark and cut out a small vent for air intake at the base of the pot.", "An artisan prepares a small disk of clay for a different stage of production.", "He uses a cylindrical metal tool to cut a series of 62 holes in the disk, creating a honeycomb pattern that will allow the passage of air.", "He uses a small beveled wooden tool to help smooth the edges of the holes.", "When the pots are fully formed, workers transfer them to the walk-in oven.", "Once there are a total of 500 pots and honeycombs inside, it's time to fire up the oven.", "The pots spend 8 hours in the oven at nearly 2,200 degrees fahrenheit.", "The firing process gives the gray clay a reddish tinge.", "To assemble the barbecues, a worker starts by creating a layer of rice husk between the clay pot and the zinc bucket.", "This insulates the metal from the barbecue's heat.", "He cuts out the rectangular vent that will allow air to flow into the bottom of the barbecue and help fuel the fire.", "He adds soil to the gap between the pot and the bucket to further insulate the exterior metal from the interior heat.", "The craftsman now seals all the gaps in the barbecue with mortar in order to keep the husk and soil firmly in place.", "The honeycomb disk fits perfectly into the bottom of the pot.", "It will hold charcoal up above the vent hole, allowing air to flow up through it, fueling the fire, while permitting ash to fall down into the cavity below.", "A worker carefully mortars the disk in place.", "This barbecue is a low-tech but highly effective outdoor stove, useful whenever it's too hot to cook inside.", "If you're scuba diving, free diving or snorkeling, you need a mask to maintain a layer of air between your eyes and the water.", "Without that barrier, your eyes can't focus under water.", "Fins are another diving must-have to let you push away more water when you kick and give you stronger propulsion.", "Diving fins consist of a foot pocket and a blade.", "The blade has side arms running down its length.", "These strengthen the blade and amplify the forward thrust a kicking foot generates.", "The parts are made of thermoplastic.", "To make the fin blade, the manufacturers mix clear thermoplastic granules with a specific portion of color dye granules and drop them into the feed tank of an injection molding machine.", "The factory uses certain types of thermoplastic when making fins with a stiff blade and other types when making more flexible models.", "The machine heats the granules until they melt then injects the liquefied thermoplastic into a blade-shaped mold.", "The plastic quickly cools and solidifies.", "Then the mold opens.", "And extractors eject the blade.", "A robot grasps the blade with suction and removes it from the mold.", "As the robot lifts the blade out of the machine, the mold closes again to receive another injection to make the next blade.", "The robot deposits the blade onto a conveyer belt which transports it through a cold-air tunnel.", "This cools the thermoplastic enough to enable the upcoming component materials to properly adhere to the blade.", "The next robot picks up the cooled blade and moves it to another injection molding machine, which performs a process known as over printing, molding on additional parts until the fin is completed.", "The robot first removes the previous completed fin fresh out of the over printing injection mold.", "This machine melted down granules of thermoplastic rubber, a more flexible material, and simultaneously injection molded the side arms and the foot pocket onto the blade.", "Once the robot pulls off this completed fin, it loads the new blade into the mold.", "As the mold closes for the next injection, the robot deposits the finished fin into a conveyer belt.", "The over printing process also applied the manufacturer's name and some decorative elements.", "By changing the molds on the injection machines and using different types and colors of thermoplastic materials, the factory produces a wide range of fin models.", "A diving mask is made up of a flexible silicone facial skirt attached to a rigid frame with lenses.", "The skirt, which this injection molding machine produces from liquid silicone, seals the frame to the face, preventing water infiltration.", "While thermoplastic must be melted before injection, then cooled to a solid state, silicone must be injected combined with a hardening agent then heated to a solid state.", "The frame is made the same way as the fins but using a more rigid type of thermoplastic.", "A worker begins assembling the mask by threading a silicone head strap through the frame's buckles.", "They attach the silicone skirt, first pressing the nose portion into the bridge of the frame.", "Then the worker connects the eye area.", "The frame is designed to enable the silicone skirt to slot right in.", "Next, the lenses, which are made of tempered glass.", "While they're highly resistant, they don't withstand frontal impact.", "So the diver shouldn't plunge into the water face first.", "The final step is to clip in rigid thermoplastic lens retainers and clamp each one securely to the lens and frame.", "The mask is now ready for a final inspection to make sure no water will seep in when you wear it.", "Just like fins, there's a wide range of diving mask models designed to see through different types of underwater exploration.", "The bassoon was developed in france in the 17th century.", "It was a bass woodwind instrument like no other before it.", "It extended the range downward by a whole tone.", "This was a woodwind instrument that could hold its own against the bass strings.", "You could hear the difference.", "In the bassoon, the pipe is doubled up into a tight u for an instrument that has the necessary length to produce the low notes but is not unwieldy.", "To make a bassoon, they use bosnian maple.", "It's a dense wood stable enough to prevent vibrations.", "A cutting tool takes off the corners of the wood block as it begins to shape it into the end part of the bassoon, the bell joint.", "Using a reaming tool, they drill a cone-shaped air column into the bell joint.", "The next automated cutting tool trims the circumference and forms a rim on the end.", "From a rough piece of wood to a contoured pipe, this bell joint has taken shape.", "At another station, a bassoon technician drills angled finger holes into the wing or tenor joint.", "Then he files the ends of metal tubes to shape them to an angle that matches that of the finger holes.", "The technician also files down the outside of the tubes and carves grooves into them.", "He applications epoxy glue to the grooves and installs the tubes in the finger holes.", "The glue seals the tubes to the finger holes.", "The technician checks for light around the tube installations.", "That would indicate an improper seal.", "The next member of the team stains the bell joint to enhance the wood grain.", "She applies the same finish to every part of the bassoon.", "There are four joints that can be disassembled to fit into a carrying case.", "She also brushes a special lacquer over the stain.", "This lacquer is believed to effect the instrument's tone, giving it a round resonance.", "After a light sanding, the parts are buffed to restore the shine.", "The other craftsman now drills tone holes into the long joint.", "He drills a groove for the musician to slide his or her finger down to the c key.", "He relies on this metal template to correctly place the tone holes and the holes for the key posts.", "Over to the next station, a technician drills threads into the key holes.", "He injects oil into the holes throughout the drilling process.", "This provides lubrication to the drill to prevent splintering of the wood.", "He clamps a key post in a special gripping tool to hold it firmly as he files it to the correct length.", "The technician screws the key post into the threaded hole.", "Once it's installed, he removes the gripping tool.", "Using a long drill aimed laterally, he carves holes into the sides of the key posts.", "The technician installs a key by fitting a hinge tube into the holes in the post.", "He confirms that the pad cup on the end covers the tone hole completely.", "Satisfied with the positioning, he unpins the key and solders the hinge tube to it.", "When the solder solidifies, he files down the bulge.", "Silver plating gives it a uniform finish.", "A technician then glues the back of a piece of cork sized to fit the rim of the bassoon's long joint.", "He wraps the cork around the rim.", "And he files it to make the seam disappear.", "He then sands it smooth.", "Cork provides a flexible link between the instrument joints.", "It will tolerate the expansion and contraction of the wood due to temperature changes.", "A computer-controlled laser etches product information onto the instrument's wing and boot joints.", "The technician equips the end of the bell joint with a decorative plastic ring.", "It's an alternative to ivory, which is in short supply.", "Stay tuned for more as they prepare this bassoon for a life of performance.", "The bassoon is often called the clown of the orchestra because of its ability to produce impish and almost comical sounds.", "It also deepens the symphonic sound with its rich, mellow tones.", "It may be the clown, but the bassoon makes a serious contribution to the orchestral ensemble.", "A bassoon craftsman glues a silver-plated collar to the end of the bell joint that attaches to the long joint.", "The collar reinforces the wood.", "And it also gives this end of the bell joint a finished look.", "He uses a block of wood to absorb the impact of the blows as he hammers the glued collar snugly in the recess in the bell joint.", "Production now moves back to the bassoon's keys, as another craftsman polishes the silver to a mirror finish.", "Each bassoon has between 38 and 46 keys, depending on the model.", "Finishing these keys is the most intense part of the bassoon-making process.", "The technician glues padding to the key cups, spatulas and levers.", "The padding will muffle the clicks of the keys so they don't rise above the music.", "They use different materials, depending on the length of the keys.", "Longer keys make more noise.", "So they receive thick cork padding.", "The technician files the edges of the pads to make them flush to the key parts.", "The shorter keys receive the thinner rubber pads.", "Again, filing gets rid of the extra material around the edges.", "On the spatula of this medium-length key, the technician installs a felt pad.", "Felt is thicker than rubber but thinner than cork.", "As you can see, applying pads to the bassoon's keys is a real science.", "With that job done, he moves onto the next step, attaching the rubber rollers that enable the musician to play faster.", "The technician inserts screws in the hollow of the rollers to secure them to the keys.", "And he screws them tightly in place.", "He then fastens flat springs to some keys so they'll spring back once played.", "The next technician melts wax into the key caps that will close the tone holes of the bassoon.", "And while the wax is still molten, she inserts a felt and cardboard pad covered with goat leather.", "She secures the key to the long joint.", "The wax has hardened a bit by now.", "So she heats it up again using a torch.", "This softens it so she can manipulate the pad so it sits perfectly in the cup.", "The technician props up the end of the key with a piece of cork.", "And this stops the key from moving until the wax solidifies.", "They install the boot joint keys the same way.", "Inside the boot joint are two parallel pipes made of hard rubber.", "The bassoon technician places a seal on the end of the joint.", "He installs a silver-plated u-shape tube over it.", "And this creates a turning point for air.", "He caps it to prevent air from escaping.", "The technician attaches a hand rest to the boot joint.", "He fastens a long clip to the instrument for the bassoon strap.", "It's adjustable for different shoulder positions.", "The steel bocal or crook connects the reed to the bassoon.", "All the parts should now fit together perfectly.", "The technician attaches the four joints.", "He inserts the wing joints into one of the boot's joint holes.", "He installs the long joint in the other.", "He locks the wing and long joints together with a little mechanism.", "The technician then connects the bell joint to the long joint.", "He places the bocal in its socket atop the wing joint.", "He then checks the bocal's vent key to confirm that it opens and closes correctly.", "And now a professional musician tests the bassoon and tunes it.", "With his okay, the bassoon leaves the factory ready to join the orchestra." ]

{ "things": [ "Millefiori Glass Paperweights", "Road Salt", "Nutcrackers", "Car Doors" ] }

[ "\"millefiori\" is italian for \"a thousand flowers\".", "It's also an elaborate glass-making technique developed in 15th-century italy in which pattern-colored glass rods are cut, grouped to form floral shapes, arranged into intricate patterns, then encased in clear crystal.", "If a picture's worth a thousand words, these thousand-flower paperweights speak for themselves.", "Two canadian artists craft these millefiori masterpieces just as the renowned glass makers of murano, italy, did centuries ago.", "A mix containing silica sand, soda ash, and lime is heated to 2,400 degrees fahrenheit, melting it into lead-free liquid crystal.", "With a molten-crystal post, they pick up a densely colored bar of glass.", "They roll and shape the white color bar while stabilizing the post with cold water.", "Then with a torch, they preheat an aluminum mold of a flower or other motif.", "Preheating the mold helps the glass flow into it more easily and assume the shape in greater detail.", "Once they've molded the colored glass, they return to the furnace to encase it in molten crystal.", "Then they repeatedly heat and shape the crystal with tools and with steam on a wad of wet newspaper until the crystal encases the flower-shaped color evenly.", "After reheating, they put some molten crystal on the end of another rod and grab the free end of the crystal-encased color.", "They wait until the glass cools to a specific consistency.", "Then they begin to pull.", "They slowly stretch the glass into a thin and even rod, careful not to twist it, as that would distort the flower shape of the colored glass inside.", "This produces what's called a murrini cane-- a clear crystal rod with a colored, flower-shaped center.", "Once the murrini solidifies, they nip it into manageable lengths.", "Then they take murrini of different colors and designs, cut them into short rods, and bundle them into a pattern called a complex murrini.", "They preheat the complex murrini in a kiln to prevent shock-induced cracking.", "They now pick it up with a hot crystal post and, after removing the bundling wires, heat and work the group of glass rods into one.", "They now stretch this complex murrini into what's known as complex murrini cane.", "Once the cane stabilizes, they cut it into yardlong lengths, then cool them gradually in a kiln to relieve any stresses in the glass.", "Then they slice the lengths into pieces 2/10 of an inch-- the size required for the millefiori paperweights.", "Now, using complex murrini pieces of different colors and patterns, they assemble the paperweight design, placing a unique, hand-constructed murrini in the center.", "This one is a trillium.", "Next, they encircle the setup with a heat-resistant graphite ring.", "This holds the pieces in position.", "After a final adjustment, the artists preheat a white, lace-patterned glass base they prepared earlier.", "This base will serve as a blank canvas for the colorful paperweight pattern.", "They push the molten crystal onto the base.", "The ring contains it to the base's diameter.", "Then they reheat the base, making it smooth and free of air pockets, preheat the complex murrini setup, and stick the base onto it.", "Like before, the ring contains the spread.", "Another overall reheating softens the glass and fully fuses all the components.", "This fills crevices and smoothes the surface.", "Now they return to the furnace to encase this paperweight core in molten crystal.", "Using standard glass-making techniques, they work the crystal to a bulbous shape.", "Then on the bottom, they form a break-off point.", "A sharp tap on the rod cracks the glass at that point, separating it from the rod.", "They heat the break-off point and insert a piece of cane bearing the artist's initials.", "After a 12-hour controlled cooling in the kiln, they grind the base level.", "Then they polish away the scratches left by the grinding wheel.", "After a thorough inspection, these magnificent millefiori paperweights are ready to be shipped to art-glass collectors worldwide.", "When the road ahead is a sheet of ice, rock salt can make the problem melt away.", "Salt lowers the melting point of water to thaw ice and also prevents its formation.", "Salt was first used to de-ice highways and walkways in the 1930s, but it was only in the 1960s that its use spread.", "Unprocessed rock salt actually looks like the ice it will eventually be used to melt.", "This salt comes from huge crystalline caverns a thousand feet below the earth's surface along the canada/u.s. border.", "That's 2/10 of a mile underground.", "These massive deposits were formed hundreds of millions of years ago when saltwater lakes dried up.", "The clarity of this rock salt is a sign of its purity.", "This mineral is 98% sodium chloride, or salt.", "They extract it in chunks from the rock's face by using explosives and drilling.", "Then a loader scoops up the broken pieces of salt.", "This is called a low-profile loader.", "It has a shorter height to fit into tight spaces underground.", "It transfers the salt to the primary crusher.", "This crusher is a spiked cylinder that spins to break the salt into pieces small enough to be moved on a conveyor.", "The conveyor takes the salt to a production elevator known as a skip.", "It takes just a minute and a half for the skip to lift its heavy load aboveground and up a tower.", "When it stops, the bottom opens to empty the salty cargo.", "The salt funnels into two chutes and lands on vibrating screens.", "These screens are essentially big automated salt shakers.", "As they pulsate, they shake out the smaller bits, while larger chunks move on to be crushed again.", "Then it's on to more shaking sifters.", "These screen out the very fine particles, and what's left will be used as de-icing salt.", "There are several sifters in this room.", "They also sift out particles that are about 4/10 of an inch in size to be used as water-softening product.", "And for this purpose, the darker bits are seen as undesirable, so they remove those with something called an optical sorter.", "The optical sorter bounces light off the salt particles, and a computer reads the reflection to determine if they're light or dark.", "Jets of compressed air then target the dark bits and blast them downward, while the white particles continue forward.", "A closer look confirms that the optical sorter has done its job effectively.", "The salt meant for water softening is pure white, while a few darker speckles is acceptable for road salt.", "Outside in the holding area, the salt accumulates in piles that look like huge snow drifts.", "If the winter is harsh, road crews will use it as fast as it piles up.", "When it comes to bulk purchasing, orders don't come much bigger than this.", "Highway maintenance departments buy de-icing salt by the truckload and create their own stockpiles to be prepared for stormy weather.", "But individual consumers, of course, buy de-icing salt by the bag.", "In the packaging department, automated trays relay plastic bags to grippers overhead, and the system moves them forward.", "Suctioning robot arms pry each bag open.", "A puff of air inflates the bag, while a nozzle pipes measured amounts of the de-icing salt into the bag.", "Once the bag is full, the system moves it forward again, and not a grain of salt is spilled.", "Finally, a heat sealer melts the plastic to close the package.", "It's taken about an hour for this rock salt to be mined, crushed, sifted, and packaged.", "And now they're ready to take it to the street.", "The first nutcrackers were plain, purely functional devices.", "By the 15th century, european woodcarvers began crafting beautiful nutcrackers shaped like animals and people.", "German artisans became known for their majestic nutcracker kings and soldiers, just like the one in tchaikovsky's famous ballet.", "This german company has been crafting character nutcrackers since 1928.", "Like porcelain figurines, these nutcrackers sell as limited-edition collectibles.", "At hundreds of dollars each, people don't actually use them for the intended purpose.", "But they can and do perform the job.", "You simply manipulate a lever to open, then close the mouth to crack the nutshell.", "On the factory floor, they use a multiblade circular saw to cut all the body parts out of linden wood.", "Linden is ideal because it's lightweight, easy to carve, and its color is pale enough to mimic skin.", "These blocks are on their way to becoming nutcracker torsos.", "First, they go through a planer.", "It trims the four sides of each block, forming an octagonal shape...", "From square to octagonal and next to round.", "But first, workers use a circular saw to cut the blocks into torso-length pieces.", "A conveyor feeds the pieces one by one into an automatic, multi-station lathe.", "The first station rounds out the octagon, then forms the basic torso shape.", "The second station finalizes the shape.", "Then the next four stations sand the wood smooth so that the wood stain they'll apply later on will penetrate well and evenly.", "Then the torsos go three at a time into a vertical router.", "It cuts a notch in each one for the lever that opens and closes the nutcracker's mouth.", "Next stop is a drilling machine, which simultaneously drills all the holes required to attach the body parts, as well as the lever's axle.", "Now they dress the torso in a coat, which they create simply by staining the wood a dark color.", "Once the stain dries, they spray on two coats of semigloss lacquer.", "Every nutcracker stands on a wooden base, under which they burn the company's logo.", "It's a mark of authenticity for collectors.", "The automatic lathe also shapes the other body parts, including the head.", "Workers attach a nose, then, using a router, cut holes for the eyes.", "Then they lightly spray on a touch of red paint to simulate a sun-kissed nose and rosy cheeks.", "Then, with a steady hand, they paint the whites of the eyes...", "And the eyebrows.", "Once the paint dries, they apply some glue to the center of each eye, then affix an iris and pupil made of enameled tin.", "Now they align the head with the torso and screw the parts together.", "After decorating the coat with buttons and a buckle, they glue a strip of rabbit-fur hair to the head...", "A rabbit-fur beard to camouflage the notch for the lever, then they mount the torso onto the legs, which wear painted-on boots and stand on the base.", "Then this nutcracker percussionist gets his drum, along with arms and drumsticks.", "They top him off with a hat made of spray-painted wood.", "Most of the nutcracker's parts join together with wooden dowels.", "A large dowel running across the notch in the torso is the axle on which the lever rotates.", "This extensive cast of nutcracker characters comes in various sizes, and you can even special-order a life-sized version.", "Car doors have come a long way over the last century.", "They're lighter for improved fuel efficiency and stronger to better withstand the force of an impact.", "They also contain a lot of electronic gadgetry, like speakers and power windows, all of which enhance the daily commute.", "A car door is one of the first things many people reach for as they start their day, so let's unlock the mystery of how it's made.", "It all starts with carbon steel, an alloy that's strong, yet malleable.", "Machinery uncoils and straightens it.", "A large blade slices it to the desired length, producing sheets called blanks.", "Then it's over to a powerful press.", "This particular one is a trial press, which offers a better view of the process than the one on the production line.", "The press forces the blank into a die, giving it the basic shape of two car doors.", "It's a design that's been engineered for both aerodynamics and strength.", "Back on the production line, the main press is churning out car doors.", "An automated device with fingers then grips the newly shaped steel and transfers it to a punch cutter.", "It separates the two doors and trims the excess metal from the edges.", "With the outer door panels now complete, a handler inspects them for bumps, dents, or scratches.", "He approves only those that are absolutely flawless.", "The next worker arranges the window frame, a reinforcing plate for the hinge, and the inner door panel, all on a special clamping fixture.", "Its fingers grip the parts to hold them in position as the fixture rotates and two robots move in to weld them together.", "At the next station, the worker arranges steel bars and tubes on a robotic platform.", "They add strength to the door so it will better withstand any impact.", "He places the inner door panel over the bars and tubes.", "The robotic platform angles the parts for welding.", "Another robot applies adhesive to the rim of the outer door panel.", "More robots dab adhesive at strategic locations.", "Those dabs match up to the tubes and bars on the inner panel as they mate it to the outer one.", "A special press then folds the lip of the outer panel over the inner one.", "This hemming gives the assembled car door a neater edge.", "With the inner and outer panels now joined, the car door undergoes rustproofing, paint, and other protective treatments.", "Now, over on the assembly line, a worker fits the handle into its niche and bolts it to the door from the other side.", "Chrome trim is clipped into place.", "Moving down the line, a worker installs a small, fixed window in the groove of the frame.", "He uses a plastic protector to prevent scratches as he slides the larger window into its slot in the door and links it to a power-lifting mechanism inside.", "He separates the two windows with a metal divider.", "At the next station, this car door gets an automated side-view mirror.", "They're now ready for the inner panel and its workings.", "The employee wires the panel to the door and snaps it into place.", "He tests the power windows, and they close to a tight seal, indicating a successful installation.", "A special elevator now lowers the completed car doors 6 1/2 yards to the next station.", "A worker unloads each door with the help of a pneumatic arm.", "This device shoulders the weight of the part and correctly positions the door for installation.", "He drives bolts into hinges to attach the door to the car.", "On the door side, the heavy-duty reinforcement plate surrounds the hinges and supports them.", "The whole weight of the door will hang on this plate as it swings open and shut.", "With all the panels installed, it's time for the final adjustments.", "They call this finessing.", "They examine each panel to confirm that it's flush to the rest of the car body, and they tweak the installation job where needed.", "Finally, they're satisfied the assembly is airtight, so it's time to close the door on this production." ]

{ "things": [ "Carbon Fiber Bicycles", "Blood Products", "Forged Chandeliers", "Ballpoint Pens" ] }

[ "Carbon fibers are minute hairs of almost pure carbon.", "They may be tiny, but they're three times stronger and four times lighter than steel.", "Weaving them together and bonding them with plastic resin, then molding this material into a bike frame creates one lean, mean peddling machine.", "This company builds custom-made carbon fiber bicycles for professional athletes and serious amateurs.", "The first step is to take detailed measurements-- height, weight, and limb length, as well as shoulder width for handlebar spacing, inseam for the seat placement, and even shoe size for the positioning the pedals, relative to the front wheel.", "Computer software translates these data into a geometric diagram of a customized bike frame.", "A cutting machine slices out carbon fiber shapes that will become the frame components.", "The bicycle frame is made up of nine parts.", "They make each one with an aluminum mold and a latex balloon called a bladder.", "They wrap the bladder with a layer of carbon fiber.", "The fibers in the material all run in one direction.", "So to add strength, they apply several layers in a specific crisscross pattern.", "After coating the mold cavity with a release agent to prevent sticking, they place the wrapped bladder inside, then install an inflation cap.", "They place the mold in a specialized heat press, hook up pressurized gas, then insert a temperature and pressure monitor.", "The inflated bladder forces the carbon fiber to take the shape of the mold cavity.", "After about 20 minutes, they extract the molded part, then begin the refining process.", "First, they sand off any release-agent residue.", "Then they machine the part to exact specifications for a precision fit with its connecting parts.", "Following the geometric diagram, they assemble the bicycle frame like a puzzle.", "Once they're sure everything fits together properly, they disassemble the pieces, then coat the connectors with superstrong aerospace adhesive.", "They reassemble the parts, then cure the glue in an oven for about a half-hour.", "The bicycle frame now goes onto an inspection table.", "A technician uses digital measuring equipment to ensure the alignment is perfect.", "The next step is to install test wheels and check that they rotate perfectly straight.", "Back to the frame.", "They remove any excess glue that oozed out when they slid the part together and give the frame an overall sanding.", "The surface must be perfectly smooth before they can paint it.", "They do all the painting by hand with spray guns.", "First, they coat the frame in a primer and sealer.", "Then they use a series of adhesive stencils to apply the paint colors one at a time.", "They spray on a coat of clear automotive lacquer.", "This protects the paint against u.v. light and chipping.", "Next, using this tap, they remove paint that dried inside the threads and the base of the frame, where the gear mechanisms screw on.", "They repeat this procedure at the head of the frame, where the handlebars attach.", "Now it's just a matter of installing the specific components that the customer ordered.", "The carbon fiber frame delivers maximum strength and stiffness with minimal weight.", "It's the key to the bicycle's high-end performance.", "The average person has 5 1/3 quarts of blood running through their veins.", "Out of this blood come three products that can save lives-- red blood cells that carry oxygen, platelets that help stop bleeding, and plasma, a protein-rich liquid that helps us fight infection.", "Hospitals need all blood types to help them save lives.", "One day, your life could depend on donated blood.", "In this setup, an automated machine collects the donor's blood and separates it according to which blood product they need.", "The collection machine draws whole blood from a donor's arm and separates out the mixed plasma and platelets, which is the color of straw.", "In every setup, some blood is diverted into a pouch for testing.", "In this method, they're collecting whole blood that will be separated at the lab.", "A worker then draws blood from the pouch for testing at the lab.", "Meanwhile, the machine mixes the whole blood with an anticoagulant so it won't clot in the bag.", "The donors' blood samples then go to the lab, where they determine the blood type and test for infectious diseases.", "This high-volume, high-quality blood-testing machine is unique to the blood-banking world.", "Fully automated, it helps ensure the safety of the blood supply by testing donor samples for things like hepatitis b, c, and h.i.v. in eight hours, it runs five different blood tests on 1,000 donations without human intervention.", "Between each of these tests, it sterilizes every single probe in a wash solution.", "Another machine determines the blood type, of which there are eight.", "They scan the donor's collection bag and document what products they will produce from the blood.", "Then they weigh it.", "Overnight, gravity causes the blood to separate into its three components, so a worker re-mixes it, preparing it for machine separation.", "She then packs the blood in the bags for the other components into what's called a liner.", "She makes sure the liners are balanced and will put a rubber weight inside when she needs to.", "Balancing the liners keeps the centrifuge machine spinning properly at 4,000 rpm, as it separates the blood into layers.", "She then hooks up the unit of separated blood to an automated extractor and, once again, matches the unit with the donor.", "The extractor fills a bag with just red blood cells.", "As the machine fills the bag, it leaves behind a mixture of blood and platelets in the original container.", "As it extracts these red blood cells and leaves behind a portion of blood and platelets, it also fills another container with pure plasma.", "An incubator keeps the processed platelets well-mixed.", "They only have five days to use these platelets.", "However, they freeze plasma and can use it for 12 months.", "Finally, they filter out the white blood cells from the red blood cells, using what's called a leukoreduction filter.", "They also introduce an additive solution into the red blood cells and mix it all together.", "The additive helps the red blood cells survive for 42 days, both inside a fridge and during transportation to the hospitals.", "Today most forged chandeliers are wired for electricity.", "We've replaced the candles used in earlier times with decorative bulbs and lampshades.", "But a forged chandelier still relies on traditional blacksmithing techniques and the hand assembly of components used in modern lighting fixtures.", "To build this two-tiered chandelier, the artisan begins by making the twist-basket shape.", "First, he cuts lengths of steel bar with this shearing machine.", "He arranges six of those bars in a bundle, held firmly together by this welding fixture.", "He welds the bars together, leaving a hole in the center, through which the wires will pass.", "A worker puts the bundle into a forge that softens the steel at more than 1,800 degrees fahrenheit.", "She then mounts the softened bundle in a twisting machine, securing it tightly in place.", "She turns the wheel, spiraling the bars together.", "She then reverses the wheel, causing the center of the bundle to pop out, creating the twist-basket design.", "She makes sure the shape is symmetrical.", "Then she verifies its length in a gauge.", "Next, they clean the basket with tiny steel beads in a process called bead blasting.", "Here, they make the j-shaped arms used for the upper tier of the chandelier from metal tubing, which they shape in this rotary bending machine.", "With the same machine, they also make the s-shaped arms used for the lower tier of the chandelier.", "All the arms are hollow, which will allow wires to pass through them.", "A vibrating ceramic medium then polishes all the components that make up the chandelier to give them a smooth finish.", "Using a mounting fixture, a worker places the polished upper arms in what's called a distributor.", "He welds the arms to the distributor, which both supports them and gives them the proper alignment.", "He welds the lower arms to another distributor.", "Next, he welds metal tubing onto each end of the twist basket.", "This tubing makes it possible to connect all the decorative components.", "A worker then attaches those decorative components, which includes a loop to hang the chandelier and an end cap that attaches to the distributor.", "She completes what is called the center core by tightening everything in place.", "Then they spray the upper and the lower arms, as well as the center cores, with powder coating, a finely ground plastic about the consistency of talcum powder.", "The center cores and arms then go into an oven, where heat cures and bonds the powder coating, giving the parts a hard finish.", "A worker then connects the upper and lower tiers by fitting the distributors together.", "This hides the wiring connections.", "He secures the center core to the distributors using a decorative finial ball.", "He then puts candle sleeves on to hide the light-bulb sockets and wires.", "The twist-basket chandelier is now ready to brighten your day.", "Forged chandeliers help establish the mood of a room.", "They come in various styles, from classic to ultramodern, and their designs are limited only by an artist's imagination.", "In a world where inexpensive, disposable ballpoint pens are the norm, there are still discriminating people who prefer using a deluxe writing instrument.", "A fancy, high-quality ballpoint pen is as stylish as it is functional.", "It's often paired with a matching pencil in an elegant gift set.", "Silver plated, alligator leather, chain mail, rose gold with crystals-- pen casing designs are endless.", "This model is decorated with lacquer made from the resin of a particular tree that grows only in china.", "They apply it using a special brush made of human hair.", "Coating the recessed areas of a brass pen casing creates the effect of black stripes running the length of the pen.", "Once the resin dries, they wash the pen several times.", "Then, with a cotton wheel and some polishing compound, they buff the lacquer to a high-gloss shine.", "Here's another model with an etched design.", "A computer-guided machine engraves the fine, intricate pattern with a diamond chisel.", "The casing is brass, but they'll plate it in a precious metal such as gold, platinum, or rhodium.", "Every pen, regardless of design, has a brass or sheet-steel clip that coordinates with the rest of the pen.", "They position the clip on a press, and it applies just enough pressure to push tiny pegs into holes in the cap.", "The factory tests every clip for tension resistance.", "It has to stretch to a certain extent, then return to its original shape.", "The pen's tip is made of brass plated in silver, gold, or rhodium.", "This machine drills the hole through which the retractable ballpoint will protrude.", "This machine injects ink inside the pen cartridges, which are made of brass.", "It then caps the writing end with the tip containing a tiny stainless-steel ball.", "As the pen writes, the ball transfers ink to the paper.", "The machine then flips the cartridge in the opposite direction and shoots some grease through the other end.", "This seals the ink inside.", "Now the filled cartridges go for a ride on a centrifuge machine, which pushes the ink down toward the ballpoint.", "This machine runs random samples through a quality-control test for ink flow, ensuring each cartridge outputs 8 kilometers of quality writing.", "A twist mechanism at the top extends and retracts the cartridge writing tip through the pen tip.", "The factory tests the mechanism on each and every model thousands of times.", "Now onto another model-- this one decorated in chain mail.", "Workers cut the material to pen length, then fasten it around the brass pen casing.", "After several washes in water and solvent-free detergent, followed by several rinses, they precision-glue the tip and cap to the casing.", "Then they insert the cartridge, along with a spring to provide resistance when the ballpoint presses against the paper.", "Finally, they cap the top with either a push-button mechanism like this one or a twist mechanism as we saw before.", "Before packaging, every single pen undergoes one last quality-control check under magnification to be absolutely certain that even if your spelling is poor, your writing will be great." ]

{ "things": [ "Mortars and Pestles", "Bowling Lane Conditioners", "Crematories", "Wood Playsets" ] }

[ "Today on \"how it's made\"...", "Together, the mortar and pestle form some of the oldest and most useful of humanity's inventions.", "Their image adorns many pharmacology symbols because pharmacists have been using them to prepare medicine for centuries.", "But it's with food that this simple tool is most closely associated.", "The basic principle is simple enough-- put the object you want to crush in a bowl, then take a stick and grind it down.", "But not all mortars and pestles are alike.", "For one thing, the material used can make all the difference.", "Wooden and ceramics work well.", "But for many, nothing beats stone.", "Granite provides a tough, non-porous surface.", "A craftsman prepares to carve.", "He starts by using a masonry compass and a liquid called chinese ink to draw the mortar's inner and outer circumference.", "He can easily remove the ink if there are any errors.", "He roughs out the shape with a hammer and chisel.", "He then works with a grinder which is equipped with an extremely hard diamond-tipped blade, making it possible to cut through solid stone.", "Once's he's defined the outside edge, he begins to work the inner bowl, carving out the perimeter before cutting a grid.", "He turns again to his hammers and chisels to remove material from the inside of the mortar.", "He uses the grinder to cut the last chunks and fine-tune the surface, giving it the smooth, consistent shape of a bowl.", "He uses a square to transfer a mark to the bottom of the stone.", "He marks the based with his compass.", "The circumference of the base must be slightly smaller than the top.", "He quickly roughs out the base with one of his chisels.", "Then it's back to the grinder, which he uses to clean up the circumference and begin making a series of angle cuts into the sides.", "With hammer and chisel, he knocks off the pieces left between the angle cuts.", "Thanks to years of experience, he makes it look easy.", "With the grinder, he works away at all of the surfaces, smoothing them to a consistent finish.", "One wrong move with this tool could mean being forced to start over, but this is a highly skilled artisan.", "More than 10 years of training make it possible for him to work with unhesitating speed and assurance, completing a finished mortar in less than an hour and a half.", "But, of course, there's something missing.", "A mortar isn't much good without a pestle.", "Once again working with the confident swiftness of an expert, the artisan uses his grinder to hone a chunk of granite down to the shape of a well-balanced pestle.", "Wide and blunt on one end and narrow enough to easily grasp on the other, the stone is perfectly calibrated to do its job.", "In the days before power tools, it would have taken a craftsman a full day to carve a mortar and pestle.", "But a carved mortar and pestle isn't necessarily a finished one.", "Here, a painter adds the final touches.", "Using a small brush and special varnish, he paints a lotus flower design on the lip of the mortar.", "He leaves the bowl itself untouched so that no food products will mix with the varnish when crushed.", "He then varnishes the exterior of the mortar.", "The varnishing process is purely decorative.", "Hard stone like granite needs no protective coating to help it endure.", "After all, some granite has been around for millions of years.", "It takes just 15 to 20 minutes for the varnish to dry.", "And with that, the mortar is completely finished.", "The lotus flower design isn't the only one available.", "This facility produces a wide range of mortars and pestles.", "These mortars and pestles may be attractive.", "But their appearance is secondary to their function.", "There are few tools in a kitchen more durable or more useful than a good mortar and pestle.", "In the early days of bowling, shellac-based conditioners were applied to wooden lanes to protect the surface.", "Today, robotic machines apply conditioners in different patterns to mainly synthetic lanes, easier ones for the average bowler and more challenging ones for tournament players.", "At most bowling alleys, lane cleaning and condition are done automatically by roaming robots.", "They apply different conditioners in specific patterns.", "The pattern selections are made by league organizers.", "It's all about ensuring consistent scoring.", "Computerized tools with different bits produce many of the robot's parts.", "Here, they carve a block of aluminum into a mounting part for a handle.", "This is the blank before and after.", "An employee assembles two of the mounting parts to a handle.", "He secures them with heavy duty bolts, ensuring that these pressure points will hold up to the job of lifting the 370-pound robotic machine.", "He attaches one handle to each of the two side panels.", "He installs a sprocket sensor system on one of the side panels.", "This sprocket sensor will detect where the robot is and communicate that information to is computer.", "He links it to the front wheel with a second sprocket chain, and closes the loop with a master link.", "He now lowers the oil buffer brush assembly into the machine.", "He inserts the main drive more and then secures it to an aluminum partition with the shaft protruding through the other side.", "He then wraps the drive chain around the sprockets of the shaft.", "He loops a rubber belt in front of the buffer brush and connects it to the oil applicator.", "The applicator will slide on the belt, dispensing small amounts of conditioner.", "He installs whisker sensors to the front on each side.", "When these whiskers brush the sides of the lane, they'll send a signal to the computer, which will then direct the robot to move more to the center.", "The conditioning solution tanks have been equipped with metering pumps and pressure gauges.", "He bolts the assembly to the rear wall of the machine.", "He pops in the rechargeable battery and connects it to the motor.", "The machine is ready for the computerized system that runs it.", "This system includes the control panel.", "He installs it in the center of the machine, just above the battery.", "He then runs the hose from the conditioning tank over to the applicator and connects it.", "Moving to the front, another employee unwinds fabric from one roller and attaches the end to the next.", "This is part of the cleaning system.", "The cloth will scrub the bowling lane after the robot sprays a cleaning solution onto it.", "A suctioning squeegee will vacuum up dirt and leftover cleaner and deposit them in this recovery tank.", "He then plugs the wiring harness into the computer at the back of the control panel.", "It's time for a dry run.", "With no cleaner or conditioner in the system yet, the technician powers up the robot and puts it through its paces.", "He confirms that every part is in good working order.", "He adds cleaning solution to the tank, and it's time prepare the lane conditioners.", "They mix the mineral oil-based conditioners in big blenders.", "There are nine different recipes, with up to 16 ingredients in each one.", "They test each mixture extensively.", "They measure the viscosity because it can affect how the conditioner flows on the lane.", "And they evaluate the surface tension.", "That's its ability to bond to the lane.", "With the conditioners approved, it's time to test the robot in special quality control lanes.", "During 50 trips down the lanes, a technician evaluates the robot's performance.", "He inspects its turning radius and the effectiveness of the sensors.", "He also scrutinizes the cleaning and conditioning job.", "Satisfied that the conditioning robot works well on its own, he approves it for shipping.", "This bowling lane conditioner should be a real game changer and ensure that the path to victory is a well-oiled one.", "A crematory is a machine used to cremate bodies swiftly and safely.", "Even though the cremated remains are commonly referred to as ashes, they're actually bone fragments.", "The family may choose to inter them, preserve them in an urn, or scatter them in a meaningful place.", "This pet crematory has three small chambers.", "The human version has a single chamber large enough to accommodate a casket.", "Inside, flames from a gas burner engulf the deceased, and the burning body releases fluids and gases which flow to a secondary chamber in the back, where another burner incinerates them.", "The crematory's frame is made of ultra-strong tubular steel, because the structure must withstand expansion and contraction, as the chamber heats up to more than 1,800 degrees fahrenheit during cremation, then cools down afterward.", "Once workers have cut steel tubing to the lengths required, they place the pieces in a jig, which configures them correctly for assembly.", "After ensuring the tubes are flush, workers clamp them to the jig to prevent them from shifting out of position.", "Then they weld the tubes together, assembling then connecting the multiple sections of the frame.", "Next, thick sheets of steel for the crematory's floor and walls.", "Workers clamp the sheets in position, then fuse them to the frame with just over 5-inch long welds on the outside and full-length welds along the inside seams to completely seal the unit.", "They weld steel airlines for oxygenating the the fire in the chambers.", "Now, workers begin insulating the chambers to shield the steel structure from the intense heat.", "First, they apply adhesive-backed steel pins to the steel walls and affix insulation boards made of heat-resistant ceramic fibers.", "They secure the boards to the pins with steel disks.", "Workers nail in a second layer of insulation.", "These stiffer boards are made of a higher concentration of ceramic fibers, making them even more heat resistant than the first layer.", "After insulating the top of the machine the same way, they install an exhaust chimney above the secondary chamber, then a motorized fan that blows air through a long shaft.", "The shaft functions as an air supply highway, with exit pipes going to the airlines and to the gas burners in the chambers.", "Workers apply two coats of high temperature paint to the machine's steel exterior.", "And then it's time to line the chambers with a third and final layer of insulation.", "This insulation material is refractory brick.", "The term \"refractory\" means \"heat resistant\".", "The bricks are made of a ceramic material called alumina silica, and can withstand temperatures as high as 2,900 degrees, fahrenheit.", "The three layers of insulation absorb the intense heat of the cremation process, which can take 1 to 2 hours, depending on the weight of the body.", "They protect the machine's steel structure so that it doesn't degrade and weaken.", "Once the mortar dries, workers pour the floor and ceiling, then hang the machine's steel door, which operates on a hydraulically powered chain and sprocket.", "The door is lined with insulated refractory brick, which, unlike the chamber brick, reflects rather than absorbs heat.", "This prevents the door from getting too hot to handle.", "The final step is to wire the chamber heat sensors and other electronics to the electrical panel.", "The cremation is automated.", "Some machines have gauges and indicator lights which enable the operator to monitor combustion and adjust fuel and airflow as required.", "Other machines have a computer, which runs, monitors, and regulates the process from start to finish.", "The crematory incinerates all but 5% of the body.", "What remains are bone fragments, which are then ground into a powder and returned in a container to the family.", "Computer game systems may be the rage, but kids still love to play the old fashioned way-- outside, in the fresh air, on a playset.", "And today's playsets are quite often elaborate, with a slew of apparatuses that provide a lot more exercise than a game controller does.", "Many playsets are modular systems, which let you choose the components and configuration.", "This set combines forts, ladders, monkey bars, a climbing wall, swings, rope, and a slide.", "The wood is redwood, a species that's safe for little hands because it's splinter-free.", "It's also naturally weather resistant, so it doesn't need to be treated with chemicals to prevent rotting.", "Workers first cut out any knots and defects.", "Then they saw the wood to the lengths required for different parts.", "They load several of the same part onto a computer-guided router.", "These are the sides for several ladder kits.", "The router cuts slots for the ladder's wooden steps and drills holes for the bolts that attach the ladders to their respective playset.", "Worker's manually sand every piece of wood that goes into a playset so that the entire surface is smooth for little hands and knees.", "When pieces need to be shaped a certain way, workers run them through this machine.", "It's called a wood molder.", "Inside, it has four spindles with rotary knives that trim the wood on all sides to specific pre-set dimensions and shape.", "A wood molder can make relatively complex cuts to make decorative crown moldings.", "However, for these playsets, the molder primarily curves edges and shapes adjoining components to fit together like puzzle pieces.", "Here's what a piece looks like before and after it's put through the wood molder for sizing and to round the corners.", "Several wood components also go through this piece of equipment, called the double-end cut-off machine.", "As the name implies, it saws off a preset amount of wood on each end to standardize length and smooth the surface.", "The playset's structure has angled braces in the corners for extra reinforcement.", "To make these braces, workers notch the wood pieces on this machine.", "Then they round the edges with a router and sand the surface.", "Once all the wood parts are shaped and sanded, workers put them on a conveyor belt, which ferries them through a machine called a vacuum coater.", "It saturates the part with a non-toxic, water-based reddish stain, then suctions off the excess.", "Workers staple an identification label on every part.", "Then they bundle together all the parts for the module-- this is the ladder kit-- and put them through a plastic banding machine to tie them together.", "The bander works by feeding a continuous plastic strap off a spool.", "When the operator steps on a foot pedal, the machine shoots the strap tightly around the bundle, then cuts and heat seals the ends.", "Swing, slides, and climbing wall footings are made of molded polyethylene, a flexible and durable type of plastic.", "To assemble this baby swing, workers bend it to shape and clamp it in an assembly fixture.", "Then, one side at a time, they position the galvanized steel hardware and insert the rivets that will fasten it.", "They transfer this assembly to a vice, then drive in the rivets with an air-powered impact gun.", "The swing hangs on plastic-coated steel chains.", "This module is what they call the split ladder.", "It combines a wood step ladder with a more challenging chain ladder.", "Plastic-coated steel pipes at the top and bottom link the two.", "The galvanized steel chain ladder is coated with plastic to make it softer to the touch.", "They complete the unit with a wooden side rail, then place the split ladder on a large vertical press, which forces the parts tightly together.", "The unit will be further secured with bolts, once assembled to the playset, along with a selection of additional climbing, dangling, sliding, and swinging options for active little monkeys." ]

{ "things": [ "Top & Bowler Hats", "Solar Water Heaters", "Sticky Buns", "Electrostatic Speakers" ] }

[ "Top hats and bowler hats both originated in england.", "The top hat emerged in the late 1700s as a daring new style, radically higher than the flat 3-cornered hat men wore at the time.", "Then the bowler was invented around 1850, as a lower alternative to the top hat.", "Today, even women wear bowlers.", "Top hats remain, by and large, a masculine fashion statement, reserved for formal occasions, although magicians are still known to use them to produce rabbits.", "At the hat factory, workers spray a fine mist of water on hoods, pre-cut hat forms made of 100% wool felt.", "After the moisture penetrates overnight, they steam them for about two minutes.", "The moisture and heat deactivate a chemical stiffener in the felt, making the material malleable.", "Then they place the hood in an aluminum top-hat mold, which applies heat and pressure simultaneously.", "They place a string in a groove along the perimeter and pull.", "This rolls back the edge of the felt to form a rim.", "Then they trim off the excess felt.", "After about 90 seconds of molding at approximately 230 degrees fahrenheit, they remove the string and open her up.", "The top hat is now dry and fully shaped.", "However, the felt is still malleable.", "So, to re-activate the stiffener and lock in the shape, they set the hat aside for about 30 seconds to cool.", "To make a bowler hat, the process up to that point is identical, but with a bowler-shaped mold.", "For both hat styles, it takes two sets of hands to pull the hood taut over the bottom part of the mold, to avoid creating pleats or creases.", "There's a separate mold not just for each hat style, but for each size of each style.", "After the bowler comes off the mold and cools, they give it a second, more precise trimming.", "Both styles are finished the same way.", "First a seamstress takes a wide ribbon, folds it over the edge of the hat, and sews it down on both sides, encasing the edge.", "Another seamstress uses a gold-leaf stamping machine to apply the traditional british milliner's crest and \"made in england\" to the hat's lining.", "The lining fabric is a silk/satin blend.", "She sews the stamped top piece to the side piece.", "The machine automatically pleats at regular intervals, so the lining will lie flat against the hat's crown.", "Bowler hats are more rigid than top hats, so they require an extra application of stiffener inside the crown.", "Once the stiffener dries thoroughly, which takes the better part of a day, the hat is ready to receive its elegant lining.", "They attach it with hot glue, which dries almost instantly.", "Next they cut a strip of leather to the hat size and sew the ends together with a decorative zigzag stitch.", "The leather has been specially treated to prevent mildew build-up resulting from perspiration.", "They sew this leather band to the inside of the hat, at the base of the crown, covering the edge of the lining.", "Not only does this produce a neat and classy finish, the leather band also makes the hat more comfortable to wear by cushioning the forehead.", "Now it's time to finish the outside of the hat.", "First they hot-glue a cotton ribbon around the base of the crown.", "Next they glue on a matching bow.", "The grand finale is a small silk/satin bow on the interior leather band, then below that, the manufacturer's label.", "A few taps with the sticky side of adhesive tape easily removes lint, dust, and wayward strands of hot glue.", "These elegant toppers and bowlers are the product of several experienced, skilled craftspeople.", "Hats off to them.", "Domestic water heaters traditionally run on electricity, natural gas, or oil, for which you have to pay and which have an environmental impact.", "A newer alternative is a solar-energy system.", "It warms water with the heat of the sun, a resource that's not only renewable but free of charge.", "Solar panels absorb the sun's energy, heating water, which a pump circulates in a closed loop to a heat exchanger.", "The exchanger then transfers the incoming heat to the potable water in the household tank.", "Inside the solar panels are copper strips electroplated with tin, which absorb the sun's heat.", "The copper surface must be pristine for the plating to adhere.", "Therefore, the first operation is a 3-stage cleaning process.", "Tin doesn't adhere directly to copper, so they first electroplate with nickel, then plate the nickel with tin.", "The plating is brittle, so to protect it, the next station sprays on a thin coat of liquid glass.", "The strip then passes through an infrared oven that hardens the glass into a durable protective shield.", "As the strip exits the oven, a fiber-optic instrument measures reflectivity.", "The less reflective the surface, the better it absorbs heat.", "From there, the strip enters the welding machine that fuses it to copper tubing entering from another feeder.", "A nozzle sprays cold water onto the mated components, still hot from the welding process.", "They're wound onto a giant reel.", "The reel feeds a forming machine, which uses heavy steel rollers to press ridges into the strip.", "This increases the surface area, meaning it compacts more heat-absorbing metal into a given length of strip.", "Next, the machine cuts this continuous fin tube, as it's now called, into the standard-length pieces required to construct the solar panel's internal piping.", "Then, a piece at a time, it slices 7/10 of an inch off each end so the tubing protrudes.", "Each solar panel contains 10 fin tubes that connect on either side to a header.", "To make each header, workers slide an inch-wide copper tube onto a mandrel.", "Then they punch 10 holes in the tube, one for each fin tube.", "They fit the protruding ends of the fin tubes into these holes and weld the connections.", "The finished assembly is called an absorber plate.", "It's the key component of the solar panel.", "The fins absorb the sun's heat and warm the water circulating through the tubes, down to the heat exchanger.", "They pressure-test the absorber by submerging it in water and injecting air through the tubes.", "Any bubbles in the water would indicate a leak to be repaired.", "Now they cover the headers with a decorative trim and lay the manifold into the solar panel's insulated aluminum housing.", "The front is a sheet of tempered glass that allows sunlight to reach the fins inside.", "After putting caps on the headers to protect them during transport, they apply the manufacturer's label.", "The solar panel is finished.", "Now for the other end of the system-- the heat exchanger.", "Its tank is made of welded stainless steel.", "It has connections for the heat-exchanger pipes running to and from the water heater, as well as for the pipes running the circulating water to and from the solar panels.", "Workers install the heat-exchanger unit in the tank, then test it for leaks by filling the tank with water, injecting air through the pipes, and looking for bubbles.", "If the unit passes the leak test, they drain the water, close the top of the tank, and center it in an a.b.s. plastic jacket.", "Then they inject expanding foam insulation into the void between the tank and jacket.", "How does it all work?", "The potable cold water in the home's water heater circulates through the loop inside the exchanger.", "It absorbs the heat brought in from the solar panels, via a completely separate set of pipes.", "The potable hot water then exits the exchanger and returns to the water tank.", "Eat one of these, and you'll be sure to find yourself in a sticky situation.", "But no worries-- it's all ooey-gooey fun.", "A sticky bun is all about messy eating.", "Consuming one is a lip-smacking, finger-licking experience-- no utensils required.", "Sticky buns are sometimes called schnecken, due to their german origins.", "\"schnecken\" is the german word for snails, which the cinnamon swirl on top resembles.", "They start with all-purpose flour, then blend in a pre-mix of sugar, salt, and baking powder.", "Cream cheese and butter come next.", "These fats are just the right consistency for an automated dough hook to efficiently work them into the dry ingredients.", "An employee then pours milk into the blender.", "It binds the ingredients, turning the mix into biscuit dough.", "The dough needs to stay cool for food-safety reasons, so they monitor the temperature.", "The next worker loads the dough into an extruder that squeezes it into a wide, flat strip called the dough band.", "The dough band rides a conveyor that slopes down to a narrow channel.", "As it enters, the dough folds over from the sides, creating two layers.", "A roller squeezes the layers thinner.", "A device called the fanner now zigzags back and forth to layer the dough, ribbon-style.", "The layers pile up six deep.", "And because they were originally two layers, there are now 12 in total.", "Metal rollers press the pack down and thin it substantially until it's about 2/10 of an inch thick.", "Next up is the sticky-bun filling, called cinnamon schmear.", "It starts with blocks of butter and lots of ground cinnamon.", "They add brown sugar instead of white.", "It has an intense molasses flavor and is stickier than white sugar.", "Canola oil loosens and homogenizes the ingredients, transforming the mix into the sugary cinnamon paste known as the schmear.", "This cinnamon schmear is the consistency of cake frosting, so it can be easily pumped over to the dough.", "A series of nozzles deposit dollops of the cinnamon schmear onto the sticky-bun dough.", "The dough travels under a long blade that spreads the cinnamon schmear evenly.", "A device called a plow then lifts the outside edges and folds them over.", "Rollers press down the curled edges to tighten them.", "Each tightly curled edge will now become the center of a sticky-bun roll.", "Angled rollers called rollwinders pick up the curled edges of the dough and fold it into two parallel cinnamon rolls.", "A guillotine blade slices the parallel rolls into buns, creating sets of two.", "Meanwhile, the sweet and sticky topping is bubbling away in a big kettle.", "It's made of honey, brown sugar, and butter.", "This topping actually goes on the bottom of the baking tray.", "They pump it into the container and then toss in pecans to give it some crunch.", "Putting the topping on the bottom of the baking tray means, of course, that these sticky buns are to be baked upside down, once purchased by the consumer.", "It's a strategic baking technique.", "Cooked upside down, the sticky topping will saturate the buns for added moisture.", "And by not exposing the topping to direct heat, it won't burn as it caramelizes into a sugary glaze.", "The sticky buns now head into a tunnel chilled by liquid nitrogen for a very fast freeze.", "After about four minutes, the buns emerge frozen solid, with the freshness locked in.", "The sticky buns then ride another conveyor to the wrapping station.", "Here, machinery quickly seals plastic film around each box of buns, after which it's into an oven to heat-shrink the plastic.", "It all happens in seconds, giving the frozen buns no time to thaw.", "It has taken hours of prep work at the factory, but these frozen sticky buns are ready for baking.", "All the cook has to do is pop the tray in the oven, and the buns will be ready in 20 minutes.", "No need to get your hands sticky by making them from scratch.", "Electrostatic speakers added a whole new vibe to the home-music scene.", "Unlike traditional box speakers, electrostatic speakers are usually tall and skinny.", "And instead of using an electromagnet to produce sound, they rely on conductive layers of plastic and metal.", "Electrostatic speakers generate rich audio in the high- and mid-frequency range, but they lack the thumping bass needed for full sound reproduction.", "To compensate, most are now equipped with a woofer.", "To make the woofer, a computer-driven router cuts out cabinetry parts from veneered mdf.", "The router carves long grooves.", "They'll be used to fold it into the woofer box.", "It also cuts out holes for a speaker cone and hardware.", "A worker glues and drills screws into the bottom of the cabinetry for installing the speaker feet.", "He trims the excess from the edges of the cabinetry panel.", "He beads high-strength glue along the joints and folds the grooved panel to create the cabinet box.", "The glue is stronger than screws and acts as a kind of cement to hold the cabinet together.", "He sands the wood veneer at the joints for a seamless look.", "And now it's into the spray booth for the finishing touch-- a dark, glossy varnish that accentuates the wood grain.", "Once the paint dries, a technician pads the inside with a poly-cotton baffle to reduce resonance.", "He then installs the crossover unit.", "It splits the audio signal to send low notes to the woofer and the rest to the electrostatic panel.", "Next up is the power supply and a step-up transformer for boosting the amplifier signal.", "He attaches the assembly to the interior wall of the woofer.", "He now wires the speaker cone to the crossover unit.", "He inserts the cone in the slot machined for it, and it's a perfect fit.", "He boosts the bass with the built-in amplifier.", "He wires it to the crossover and pops it into the back of the woofer box.", "This woofer is now ready to be paired up with its electrostatic mate.", "They make the electrostatic speaker from two perforated metal panels.", "A technician applies a charge to them to check for thin spots.", "Next she bends each one to a 30-degree curve.", "This will allow sound to be more widely dispersed in a room.", "She presses heavy-duty double-sided tape on to the edges and applies rigid plastic strips, called spars, crosswise.", "They stiffen the panels to withstand electrostatic forces.", "She now unfurls thin but super-tough plastic and stretches it to a precise tension.", "This plastic is the speaker diaphragm.", "It's been impregnated with a conductive coating to respond to an electrical charge.", "She positions one of the perforated panels under the diaphragm.", "And with the backing of the adhesive tape removed, she jacks up the table to press the panel to the plastic.", "She attaches wiring that will deliver the charge to the diaphragm and make it vibrate.", "She applies more double-sided tape to the other side of the diaphragm and peels off the backing.", "Workers position the second speaker panel on the diaphragm and align its fine mesh with that of the panel below.", "They place the speaker sandwich in a metal capsule to vacuum-press it together.", "They then frame the speaker with an aluminum border and add a strut to the middle for reinforcement.", "And now it's time for the electrostatic speaker to be joined to the woofer.", "The tall, slim electrostatic speaker will deliver the high and mid frequencies.", "The short, boxy woofer will thump out the bass.", "Then it's into the test booth to confirm that the speaker has the correct range.", "The technician runs an audio-tone sweep and checks for any dropouts in the frequency.", "Using a special tool, he verifies that the sound waves of the speaker set are in sync, a process called phasing.", "He then places the speaker in a padded room to test a full range of tones.", "a computer analyzes the tones.", "Once it passes all the tests, this electrostatic speaker links up with the rest of the sound system.", "It's now ready for its audience." ]

{ "things": [ "Turntables", "Steam Engines", "Playground Equipment", "Non" ] }

[ "As the music industry went digital, the turntable seemed destined for the scrap heap.", "But this analog technology defied predictions and survived.", "With a sound that's arguably fuller and more natural than compressed digital formats, this retro technology is attracting new fans.", "In an age when media players are digitized and pocket-sized, the turntable plays on.", "The use of high-tech composites like carbon fiber puts a modern spin on this technology, bringing the record player into the 21st century.", "[ classical music plays] production starts with a thick square of cast acrylic.", "The technician drills a hole in the center.", "It will be a reference point as he transforms this square into the turntable platter.", "A computerized tool cuts a circle shape out of the square.", "The disc then spins while another computer-guided tool enlarges the center hole to size it for the platter's main bearing.", "The next tool precisely cuts the surface of the disc to give it the correct angle.", "Computerized tools transform this small aluminum disc into the counterweight's main component.", "The counterweight balances the tone arm to keep the stylus in the groove of an l.p. they slope the surface and cut holes for attachments and for installing the part.", "Finally, they cut a triangle out of the circle.", "This takes the part to its final shape and weight...", "From a flat disc to a precisely crafted counterweight.", "Next, the platform for the tone arm takes shape.", "It's designed to cradle all the parts at the end of the tone arm, including a cylindrical housing for a spring mechanism and an egg-shaped housing containing a bearing.", "A technician now assembles the tone arm, beginning with a tapered tube made of carbon fiber.", "It's a high-tech composite that's extremely stiff, so there should be no structural weakness in this crucial part.", "The technician threads a preassembled wiring loom through the arm tube.", "It's special wire for high-frequency transfer.", "These wires have been encased in copper to keep out ambient radiation that would interfere with the tone arm's operation.", "The carbon-fiber tube also acts as a radiation shield.", "He mixes epoxy resin that he then dabs around the inner rim of the bearing housing, which has by now been equipped with the bearing.", "He inserts the tone arm tube into the housing.", "The tube adheres to the glue-coated rim, but before it totally bonds, the technician scrutinizes the alignment.", "He makes adjustments if needed, and then he'll clamp the assembly to allow the glue to cure.", "With the turntable tone arm now upright, he solders the wires that are protruding from the joint to external wiring for the amplifier.", "And once all the connections have been made, he inserts the wires into the metal joint.", "Ensconced in this joint, the connections are well-protected and can't be pulled apart.", "He equips the main counterweight component with two thick steel beams for balance.", "He slides the counterweight onto a third beam, which has been installed in the egg-shaped housing.", "This completes the turntable tone arm.", "Next, they encase the electric motor in its metal housing.", "And they build the record deck.", "They mount the motor to the two-tiered deck, designed to absorb any vibration.", "The aluminum sub-chassis is next.", "They link it to the motor with a drive belt, then they give the belt-drive system a test spin to confirm that it runs smoothly.", "They now install the acrylic platter, felt mat, and tone arm.", "With this turntable now fully assembled, it's time for the vinyl test.", "The record spins, and the stylus traces the grooves.", "The analog sound fills the room...", "Proving this technology stands the test of time.", "[ classical music plays] the first modern steam engine was invented in england in the early 1700s, helping launch the industrial revolution.", "Today there's a return to steam power.", "Due to its different configuration and combustion process, a steam engine produces less pollution than a regular internal-combustion engine.", "This steam engine burns fuel in an external combustion chamber.", "The resulting heat turns water into pressurized steam that enters the cylinders, pushing pistons, turning a crankshaft that powers the drive train.", "Because this engine doesn't burn fuel inside the cylinders like a traditional car engine, it can run on any type or mixture of fuels with fewer emissions.", "The circular engine block is made of aluminum.", "Technicians install studs to hold six stainless-steel cylinders.", "Due to the constant exposure to steam, all engine parts are made of rustproof materials.", "The technicians insert a piston into each cylinder.", "The piston is aluminum with a heat-resistant carbon cap and glider to isolate it from the cylinder wall.", "They connect the piston rods to the crankshaft in the center with a specially designed component called a spider bearing.", "This bearing is designed to modify the piston stroke, producing a smoother rotation of the crankshaft and more power to the engine.", "Unlike a traditional car engine, with cylinders arranged in line, these cylinders are in a radial configuration and therefore equidistant from the center.", "This prevents the engine from warping under high temperatures.", "They place a counterbalance over their spider bearing to further smooth the motion of the crankshaft.", "Now they install a pushrod over each cylinder.", "It operates a valve, which lets steam enter the cylinder and move the piston.", "They insert the base of each pushrod into a guide ring...", "Then attach the cylinder heads, each of which houses a steam-entry valve.", "They insert the pushrod into the valve.", "Then, to complete the engine assembly, they install the cam, which pushes the pushrods as the shaft spins.", "The factory hooks up every completed engine for a couple of rounds of performance testing.", "First, a trial run using air pressure to check for leaks and to verify that all components operate correctly.", "If everything's fine, then they repeat the process with steam pressure.", "This type of steam engine can power many types of machines, from cars, trucks, and boats, to electric generators as we see here.", "In a vehicle, it doesn't require a transmission because it produces so much rotational power.", "Now for the heat exchanger, the component which turns water into engine-powering steam.", "Technicians use a motorized wheel to wind 20 feet of stainless-steel tubing into a coil.", "They bind the coil with steel thread, putting a stitch in between each tube to create a minute gap.", "That way, when fuel burns in the combustion chamber, the heat can travel over and in between the tubes, heating the water inside faster and more efficiently than if the heat would contact only the coils' top and bottom surfaces.", "The result-- superheated steam in just five seconds.", "They stack six of these coils, one to feed steam to each cylinder.", "This nest of tubes form the engine's primary heat exchanger.", "They test it using any number of fuels, even waste fuels which would otherwise be discarded, such as used motor oil and used vegetable oil from restaurant fryers.", "Virtually anything that burns will do the job.", "The fuel combusts at low pressure, not at high pressure as in a gas or diesel engine.", "That means burning fossil fuels to make steam produces far fewer greenhouse gases, and most hydrocarbons burn off completely within the sealed combustion chamber.", "You never have to refill or top off the water because a condenser cools the steam back into water, which then recirculates.", "Water is not only the working fluid-- it also acts as the engine lubricant, so the steam engine doesn't require motor oil.", "Besides fuel combustion, this modern steam engine can run off other heat sources, such as solar heat and exhaust heat from furnaces or engines.", "There was a time when the playground equipment in the local park or schoolyard was pretty basic stuff-- a set of swings, a slide, maybe a see-saw or two.", "Today's playground equipment is far more varied, imaginative, and colorful, designed to stimulate children's minds as well as exercise their bodies.", "Slide down, climb on, wriggle through.", "There's no end to how kids can frolic on modular play structures or on this bubble-belly dinosaur.", "To make the dinosaur's neck and legs, an automated band saw cuts long steel tubes to specific lengths.", "The tube for the neck is 5 1/2 feet long.", "Workers curve it in a bending press.", "A level helps them get it just right.", "Next, they weld on two steel plates.", "These will support plastic seats on which kiddies can sit.", "Workers also weld on bars for attaching the neck to the body.", "They weld anchoring tabs and supporting bars to the four steel-tube legs.", "Workers sandblast the legs and neck with stainless-steel grit.", "The sandblasting gun shoots the grit at a speed of 435 miles an hour.", "This roughens the surface, enabling paint to better adhere.", "After applying an undercoat of gray primer, workers spray on a coat of plastic-based paint.", "The paint is then baked on, which maximizes its durability.", "Meanwhile, a computer-guided engraving machine carves an educational design into a panel made of triple-layered polyethylene plastic.", "Panels like this block the open sides of playground equipment, preventing children from falling through.", "To construct the dinosaur's bubble-shaped body, workers bolt together two half-spheres made of molded polyethylene plastic.", "They position the bubble body on the legs...", "Then bolt them together from the inside.", "They bolt the neck to the body.", "The neck has since been outfitted with plastic seats and the dino's plastic head.", "They finish off the dinosaur with a metal label bearing product information.", "This factory produces several components for its modular play structures, such as a climbing net made of galvanized steel cable.", "The hard cable is padded in polyurethane.", "Workers use hydraulic scissors to cut the required lengths of cable...", "Then a cable stripper to slice off a little more than an inch of polyurethane from the ends of certain cables.", "Workers then cap each exposed end with a sleeved aluminum ring.", "They crimp the sleeve with a 44-ton press.", "The rings will be bolted to the play structure's frame and anchoring system.", "Finally, workers assemble the cables into a grid, locking each intersection with a plastic connector.", "To ensure they won't rust from exposure to the elements, the connectors' central screw and corner rivets are made of stainless steel.", "On the modular play structure, the children walk on a platform.", "It's constructed from thick steel sheets, perforated by a robotic laser cutter.", "After bending the sheet in a press to the required shape-- this is the corner section of the platform-- workers heat it in an oven...", "Then submerge it in a vat of polyvinyl, which instantly adheres to the hot metal.", "They build up a good coat-- about a 10th of an inch thick-- then let the excess drip off.", "They blast the entire piece with an airgun.", "This clears the holes and produces a textured, anti-slip surface.", "Since playground equipment remains outdoors, all the paints and plastics are u.v.-treated to resist fading.", "Besides being durable, the equipment is designed to meet all required safety standards so that parents can have peace of mind while their children have fun.", "Food just slides off nonstick cookware's remarkably slippery surface.", "In 1938, an american chemist was experimenting with refrigeration gases.", "A waxy substance formed.", "Years later, when bonded to cookware, it gained a nonstick reputation.", "When it's time to fry, using a nonstick pan averts a messy situation.", "The nonstick coating is one of the slipperiest solid materials on earth.", "Called polytetrafluoroethylene, the name is a bit of a mouthful, but the appeal is simple.", "Food won't get stuck on this nonstick surface.", "To make the aluminum pan, they use 70% raw material and 30% leftovers from prior production of pots and pans.", "They fire it to a molten state and filter it to remove contaminants.", "The liquid aluminum flows into vertical rectangular molds.", "A jacket of water around the molds cools the aluminum to take it from a liquid to a solid.", "A crane extracts the cast slabs.", "They're heading to a heating chamber to soften the slabs.", "This will allow the metal to be shaped and formed.", "A saw slices the slabs in two and trims the ends.", "More blades scrape the top and bottom to remove impurities.", "A conveyor repeatedly feeds the shorter slabs to heated rollers.", "Guides at the side maintain the width, while the rollers compress the aluminum, taking the thickness down to about .", "2 of an inch.", "The rolling also elongates the slab substantially.", "It starts out at 6 1/2 feet long, and after a few minutes of rolling, it's been stretched to well over 100 yards.", "Pizza-cutter-style blades trim the edges of the aluminum sheet.", "Another roller winds the aluminum into a big coil.", "They then unwind it and squeeze the aluminum to flatten it.", "Machinery now pulls the long aluminum sheet forward to a 132-ton punch press.", "This powerful press forces the metal around a frying-pan-shaped die and then punches out the shape.", "The freshly formed aluminum frying pan falls onto a conveyor below.", "The leftover aluminum will be used to make new frying pans.", "The pans now ride a conveyor through a washing station, where they're cleaned and then treated with sodium hydroxide.", "This opens the pores of the metal to allow an enamel coating to stick to the outside and the nonstick finish to adhere to the inside.", "A worker inspects the pans and places them upside-down on spray fixtures.", "It's a tight fit to shield the inside from the enamel spray that comes next.", "The pans spin on the fixtures and twirl by the spray nozzles for an even application of enamel to the exterior of the pans.", "A clear, glossy coat follows.", "The frying pans transfer to a dryer conveyor.", "The hot air pulls out water from the enamel coating, and the color goes from gray to chalky white.", "An automated squeegee silk-screens the company's name and other information onto the pan bottoms.", "They now enter a long curing oven heated to 1,040 degrees fahrenheit.", "The cure toughens the enamel, deepens the color so it turns gray again, and it adds gloss.", "A suctioning device picks up the pan and turns it around for the inside coatings.", "A sprayer applies a special primer that will make the nonstick coating adhere to the pan.", "It then applies the nonstick coating.", "The pans receive two layers of this nonstick synthetic substance.", "The suctioning device releases the pan, and it lands upside down.", "Then the pans journey through the oven again to cure the nonstick finish at around 800 degrees fahrenheit.", "On exit, water rains down to cool the pans and rinse off any contaminants.", "Then they go through an infrared-light chamber to dry off.", "From a plain shell to a pan with an enamel finish on the outside and a nonstick coating on the inside, the transformation has taken just one hour.", "A worker now aims a laser and aligns it with lettering on the bottom, allowing him to punch holes in a precise location on the side of the pan.", "He slides pins into the holes and slots them through holes in the handle fitting.", "Using a ram, he flattens the pins to rivet the handle to the pan.", "Now, no matter what's cooking, cleanup should go smoothly." ]

{ "things": [ "Decorative Sombreros", "Salad Dressings & Marinades", "Cap Guns", "Regenerative Medicine" ] }

[ "The sombrero is a traditional mexican hat with a large brim that's designed to cast a wide shadow over the face and shoulders.", "Everyday sombreros are made of straw, but mariachi bands and other folkloric performers wear fancier ones made of velvet, wool, or felt, with elaborate decorations.", "These fancy sombreros are produced primarily as decorative tourist souvenirs.", "Artisans construct and decorate each one entirely by hand.", "They start by positioning a sun-shaped cutting die at the center of a large sheet of thick paper.", "As the press closes, the die slices through, making a hole.", "Next, they sandwich the sheet between two fiery hot sombrero-shaped forms.", "These mold the paper to the shape of the hat's brim.", "Then they trim off the excess and stitch the perimeter to reinforce the edge.", "Now they soak the brim in a gelatin solution and lay it out in the sun to dry to stiffen the paper.", "Next, they fold a sheet of paper and die-cut another shape.", "They sew the far ends together to form a circle.", "This will form the top of the sombrero, called the cup.", "They spread glue along the base, where it attaches to the brim.", "They also apply glue to a paper circle.", "Then they place the cup on the same hot form they use to mold the brim.", "After shaping the cup, they reinforce the top with the paper circle.", "The sombrero is now fully constructed.", "The next step is to cover it in fabric.", "They coat the surface with glue, then, section by section, adhere pieces of velvet or felt.", "They start with the cup.", "The fabric has been pre-cut and sewn to the correct shape.", "The next section is the brim's underside.", "They trim off the excess fabric with a razor blade...", "And cut away the fabric over the cup.", "Next, a piece to cover the top of the brim.", "Throughout the fabric-application process, he's careful to pull the material taut and smooth it down.", "A final trimming, and the sombrero is fully covered.", "Elsewhere in the factory, automated machines weave spools of polypropylene string and metallic plastic string into colorful trim.", "Artisans in the decoration department cut out paper motifs and cover them in trim.", "Then, they make colorful appliqués by sewing the motifs and sequins onto velvet-covered paper shapes.", "They glue these appliqués onto the sombrero.", "Finally, they glue trim where the appliqué edges and hat surface meet.", "This holds the edges down and finishes them off nicely.", "On pricier sombreros, all the decorations are sewn by hand-- no glued-on appliqués.", "The artisans complete every sombrero with the fabric lining in the cup, then an under-the-chin drawstring, handy for wearing or hanging this mexican memento.", "Supermarket shelves are stocked with a vast selection of tasty, ready-made salad dressings and marinades.", "Dressing adds instant pizzazz to the salad, whereas marinade flavors and tenderizes raw food by slow penetration over a few hours prior to cooking.", "Salad dressings can be cream- or mayonnaise-based or oil-and-vinegar-based.", "This particular line of dressings and marinades is made entirely of certified organic ingredients.", "It's also gluten-free and sugar-free for those with celiac disease or diabetes.", "While the salad dressing's base stays much the same, the seasoning ingredients vary to create different flavors, such as the one we're about to see being made-- sun-dried tomato and garlic vinaigrette.", "On the production floor, they start by heating water, then adding tomato paste.", "Next, they add dried basil.", "They pour all ingredients directly into the vortex created by the mixing blade to ensure thorough blending.", "Next, they add sun-dried tomatoes...", "Minced garlic...", "And salt.", "After 15 more minutes of mixing, they add soybean oil and extra virgin olive oil, both expeller-pressed, meaning extracted from the source naturally using a mechanical press and not the conventional chemical process.", "The last ingredient is gluten-free red wine vinegar.", "Whereas the oils provide both taste and texture, this vinegar produces a full-bodied flavor.", "Cooking another 20 minutes or so on high heat stabilizes the product, giving unopened dressing a shelf life of up to a year.", "On the bottling line, a machine called the inverter flips the empty glass bottles upside down.", "Then, from underneath, an air nozzle shoots in a blast of filtered air.", "This loosens any dust or dirt particles inside the bottle, enabling a vacuum to then suction them out.", "Another inverter flips the bottles right side up again as they enter the filling machine.", "Exiting the filler, the bottles pass through a machine which dispenses plastic caps, then, with a row of spinning disks, twists them on.", "Finally, a tamper-proof seal and labels.", "The marinade-production process is much the same, but with different ingredients, of course.", "This batch is sesame teriyaki flavor, of which a key component is gluten-free tamari, a japanese soy sauce made without wheat.", "Again, the process begins by heating water in a cook kettle.", "They pump in tamari...", "Pour in salt...", "Then powdered ginger.", "Next, minced garlic and sesame seeds.", "Then, agave nectar, a natural sweetener that's low-glycemic.", "They add pureed ginger...", "Then, expeller-press soybean oil mixed with xanthan gum, a natural thickener.", "About 20 minutes' cooking on high heat, and this sesame teriyaki marinade is ready for bottling.", "Like before, the glass bottles undergo a vacuum cleaning en route to the filler.", "There, pistons suck up the marinade like a syringe, then inject it into the bottles.", "The filled bottles go through the capper, then travel on a conveyor belt to the next machine, which slips a plastic neckband over each cap.", "A shot of hot steam shrinks the neckband tightly around the cap, creating a tamper seal.", "Finally, the labeling machine applies glue to the back of a paper label, then wraps it around the passing bottle.", "Besides flavoring and tenderizing raw food before cooking, you can also pour marinade over meat, fish, or vegetables while cooking, a surefire way to let the gourmet out of the bottle.", "A cap gun is a toy revolver which, when you pull its trigger, makes an explosive sound like a gunshot and emits a small puff of smoke.", "The caps-- tiny dots of gunpowder on either a plastic ring or a strip of paper inserted in the gun-- produce these realistic effects.", "Cowboy-style cap guns were the rage in the 1950s and '60s during the golden age of westerns.", "This small american factory uses the molds the major toy companies of the day discarded when they stopped making cap guns long ago.", "Caps are little dots of gunpowder about 1/16 of an inch in diameter, sandwiched between two strips of paper.", "Pulling the trigger releases a hammer, which strikes the cap, exploding it.", "This injection-molding machine makes the grips, the faces of the gun handle.", "It shoots hot liquid plastic into 10 grip molds simultaneously.", "The plastic cools and solidifies in just seconds.", "The color and design of grips vary by model.", "The ones on this rancher-style cap gun feature a steer's head.", "The rest of the gun is made of cast zinc.", "Workers load a zinc bar into a smelting pot heated to about 750 degrees fahrenheit.", "The bar melts within a couple of minutes.", "The molten zinc travels through heated pipes to a plunger, which injects the zinc into a gun-parts mold.", "The zinc takes just 10 seconds to cool and harden.", "Then it's just a matter of separating the parts.", "The gun's main body, which contains the right side of the barrel...", "The loading gate, which covers the cap box...", "The cylinder...", "The left side of the barrel...", "And toy bullets which load into the cartridge but don't shoot out of the gun.", "The trigger and hammer are cast in a separate mold.", "Every piece has flashing, excess metal that forms in the gap between the two halves of the mold.", "After removing as much as they can with pliers, workers file down the rest.", "Some flashing is quite thick, so they use a sander to remove it.", "Workers rinse the smooth parts in acid to clean the surface, then electroplate them with zinc.", "They dip the parts in a clear liquid coating to make the mat surface shiny.", "Now assembly can begin.", "First, they install the spring which opens the loading gate.", "They take the left side of the barrel, add the latch that holds the loading gate closed and the spring which puts tension on that latch.", "Then the cylinder, and, finally, the guiding disk which turns the cylinder when you squeeze the trigger.", "They screw all that to the main body, which contains the right side of the barrel.", "Next, they insert an orange plastic safety tip into the end of the barrel.", "Laws require this to prevent cap guns from being mistaken for real firearms.", "They hook the loading-gate spring to the gate's latch to hold it closed.", "Then, they install the hammer spring...", "And hammer.", "Two brass grommets secure the cylinder-turning arm and the pusher which feeds the caps one by one out of the cap box into striking position.", "The trigger spring keeps tension on both the cap pusher and the trigger.", "Next, they install the loading gate.", "After hooking up additional springs, workers attach the top part of the hammer spring to the holding pin on the hammer...", "Then, the bottom part of the hammer spring to the holding pin on the frame.", "Finally, the plastic grips-- one for each side of the handle.", "Being cast from vintage molds, these cap guns feature intricate scrollwork, a degree of craftsmanship rarely seen in toys nowadays-- something perhaps better appreciated by the parents of the wild west cowboys than by the pint-sized gunslingers themselves.", "When parts of the human body break down or are damaged, options are limited.", "Scientists are working on providing replacement parts on demand, like fingers, ears, and bladders.", "Laboratory-engineered bladders have already been successfully implanted in humans.", "The stuff of science fiction may soon be a reality.", "They begin with a mold, a finger mold on the right and an ear on the left.", "These molds could be made of synthetic polymers or natural materials such as collagen.", "Scientists will grow real cells on the molds.", "To obtain those cells, a scientists first extracts a small piece of cartilage, which is a type of connective tissue in the body.", "She chops it into little bits.", "She transfers the minced cartilage to a test tube partially filled with a special enzyme.", "This enzyme dissolves tissue, leaving only the cartilage cells.", "She then places the test tube in a centrifuge for a high-speed spin.", "This causes the cartilage cells to separate from the enzyme solution and settle on the bottom.", "She siphons off the liquid, and the tiny cells remain in the test tube.", "Next, she adds a red liquid.", "It's a culture medium.", "It will act as a fertilizer to stimulate cell growth.", "Transferred to a petri dish, she swishes the mix to dispense the cells.", "Then it's into an incubator warmed to 98.6 degrees fahrenheit, body temperature.", "It's the perfect environment to spur more cell growth.", "Meanwhile, a computer-controlled machine builds the mold of the ear.", "It layers synthetic polymer to produce an authentic-looking shape.", "This process takes about five hours.", "In the meantime, the microscopic cells have multiplied 20 times.", "The scientist drips them onto the completed mold, where they continue to grow.", "In the future, cell-covered ear molds could be implanted under a patient's skin.", "Cartilage would form, and the body would accept the part as its own.", "Other scientists are working on growing blood vessels and heart valves.", "They start by extracting a type of stem cell from human blood.", "The researcher first fills a test tube with the clear, high-density solution.", "He adds diluted blood to the clear solution.", "Almost instantly, the different components of the blood begin to separate.", "The heavier red blood cells plummet and the lighter stem cells rise to the top of the test tube.", "A spin in the centrifuge leaves the components visibly separated, allowing scientists to retrieve the desired cells.", "They'll convert them to endothelial cells, which line the inside of blood vessels and heart valves.", "In the meantime, they construct the blood-vessel mold.", "The scientist adds solvent to liquid collagen, causing it to instantly dissolve.", "He adds little white beads.", "They're synthetic polymers.", "And they liquefy over a period of about an hour.", "They spray the collagen concoction onto a rod that spins as a carriage moves it to and fro for even coverage.", "The collagen-and-polymer mixture quickly solidifies around the rod.", "The scientist slides off the now-hardened biomaterial.", "He now has a mold for shaping a human blood vessel.", "He coats the mold with the microscopic endothelial cells, which, by now, have grown and multiplied.", "He then pumps fluid through it to simulate blood flow.", "This conditions the cells to go with the flow and collectively operate as a real blood vessel.", "To grow a heart valve, they don't actually build a mold-- they use a real valve from a pig.", "The scientist plunges the pig valve into a container filled with a mild detergent.", "It goes into a machine that shakes it up.", "The agitation helps scrub off the cells, leaving only the valve skeleton.", "He saturates the valve skeleton with human cells, where they grow and thrive.", "The research team then pumps fluid through the valve, just like they did with the blood vessel.", "This trains the cells to do the work they would need to do in the human body.", "Even dr.", "Frankenstein would be impressed." ]

{ "things": [ "Retractable Ballpoint Pens", "Solar Salt", "Tubas" ] }

[ "The ballpoint pen was designed as the answer to the fountain pen's many annoyances-- the hassle of having to manually refill the barrel with ink that dried slowly and often smudged.", "The ballpoint has a tiny steel ball in its tip that applies quick-drying ink from a ready-made cartridge.", "When the ink cartridge inside these retractable pens runs out, you simply replace it with a new one.", "Working from the initial design, the pen factory makes molds for all the pens' plastic components.", "The injection molder first shoots hot liquid plastic into molds for the barrel's rigid core, then into other molds for its soft rubber grip.", "The tubes for the ink cartridges are also made of plastic.", "Machinery aligns them in the same direction, then prints on the company name, model number, and tip size.", "Here, a filling machine injects 0.8 grams of ink through the tip.", "To prevent the ink from evaporating, it plugs the other end with 0.1 grams of silicone paste.", "Meanwhile, high-precision machines progressively shape the pen's tip out of stainless-steel blanks.", "The equipment drills a 1-millimeter channel through the blank, then, in quick succession, fashions the tip into a cone, cuts five tiny ink-flow channels in the ball socket, and seats a 1-millimeter-diameter stainless-steel ball in the center.", "Another machine then inserts a finished tip in each ink-filled tube.", "A scanner then checks the length and the ball of each cartridge.", "This magnification shows the width of the five ink-flow channels next to a human hair.", "Random samples undergo an air-pressure test to check the ball's position and movement.", "Anything less than perfect will clog the pen.", "They close off the end of the cartridge with a plastic cap.", "The cartridge is now going to a centrifuge, which forces the ink to the tip, eliminating any air bubbles that would obstruct ink flow.", "Every cartridge passes through this writing-test machine.", "That blue light is a sensor that triggers the machine to reject any defective cartridge.", "The components now come together in the assembly department.", "The machine assembles the clip, sleeve, and barrel.", "The clip is made of chrome-plated spring steel, a strong metal that regains its shape when flexed.", "The machine then flips the assembly over to receive the internal components.", "First, the pen's two-part push-button mechanism.", "Part one-- the plastic push button.", "Part two-- a device called a rotor.", "Which each click, it rotates the refill 45 degrees so the tip wears evenly.", "The ink cartridge goes in tip-side up, the plug on the back fitting into the rotor.", "This device forces spring-steel wire through a coiling block.", "This produces a tiny spring that provides resistance to the push-button mechanism.", "A grabber places the spring over the cartridge tip.", "Now they close up the pen by adjoining the barrel's bottom part.", "The machine screws the two parts together to a specific tightness.", "The final assembly machine tests the push-button mechanism to ensure it retracts the tip properly.", "This also prepares the pens for packaging, as they go into the boxes with tips retracted.", "The factory subjects random samples to endurance testing.", "This device clicks the push button 100,000 times.", "Only then does a printer put the logo on the barrel.", "This company's engineering of its ink-flow channels and tip delivers on average 2.5 miles of writing per cartridge.", "Salt comes from three sources-- salt mines, land that at one time was seabed, and from oceans and saltwater lakes.", "Factories extract salt from water by evaporation, either mechanically or naturally by letting the sun work its magic and produce what's called solar salt.", "This large hunk of salt crystals comes from great salt lake in utah.", "At full water level, the lake is seven times saltier than the ocean.", "Harvesters scoop up salt from shallow crystallization ponds and load it into trucks.", "It's the end result of a two-year evaporation cycle, which has seen the lake water, called brine, slowly give off its moisture in a series of concentrating ponds.", "What remains is a bed of salt crystals about 12 inches deep.", "The truck dumps its cargo onto the factory's conveyor system.", "First stop is a rinsing station to remove contaminants such as algae and dust.", "Using freshwater would dissolve the salt, so they flush the crystals with lake brine.", "Next, hot-air dryers remove the moisture and salt dust within about 3.5 minutes.", "The salt crystals then roll across a series of sorting screens with progressively smaller openings.", "This classifies the salt crystals into three grades-- coarse, medium, and fine.", "Each grade goes onto a separate conveyor that transports it to a designated storage bin.", "The factory uses medium-grade salt to make pellets for water-softening equipment.", "This press compresses the crystals into pellet shapes along with certain additives to help the water-softening equipment perform better.", "Some municipal water supplies have a high mineral content.", "This hard water makes soap difficult to lather and leaves stains on sinks, bathtubs, and toilets.", "Salt triggers a chemical reaction that dissolves the problem minerals.", "The factory packages water-softening solar salt in bags, as well.", "It also produces a variety of other solar-salt products such as swimming-pool salt, road salt for melting ice in the winter, and, of course, culinary salt.", "The factory's automated packaging equipment fills both paper and plastic bags.", "This company also sells solar salt to several industries for use as an ingredient in products such as detergent.", "There's also the agricultural market.", "Farmers buy blocks of solar salt plain or enriched with minerals as a nutrient for their cattle.", "The factory produces different salt and mineral formulations, each dyed a different color for easy identification.", "To produce salt for cattle, the machinery drops 50 pounds at a time into a block-shaped mold.", "A press applies 750 tons of pressure, binding the crystals into a block.", "The farmer simply sets out blocks among the cattle, and the animals lick away to get their dose of sodium.", "A label identifies the type of salt block.", "This one contains iodine to prevent a thyroid disorder called goiter, a tasty and therapeutic bovine snack courtesy of a saltwater lake and sunshine.", "The tuba is the largest instrument in the brass family and the one with the lowest pitch.", "Famous orchestral composers from stravinsky to gershwin have included significant parts for tuba in some of their best-known works.", "Some composers have even written full concertos for tuba.", "Tubas are made of brass, sometimes silver- or gold-plated.", "The instrument consists of valves and tubing, ending in a flared bell.", "The bell flare begins as a brass disk 22 inches in diameter.", "They use a range of tools and various mandrels to work the brass into a preliminary bell-flare shape.", "They use sandpaper to remove any marks left by the tools, then cut a hole in the center.", "To make the conical tail that leads to the bell flare, they bend and hammer a thin brass sheet around a tail-shaped mandrel.", "To join the seam, they cut notches along one edge, then hammer them over the other edge.", "The artisan then melts filler metal over the seam with a high-temperature gas torch, a process known as braising.", "Then they use a wooden mallet to round out the shape.", "They use a pressure roller to flatten out the mallet dents and further refine the surface.", "After notching the wider end of the tail, they assemble it to the bell flare.", "They dab on flux, a chemical that prepares the surface for braising, then tack the parts together.", "They hammer down the notches and braise the seam all around.", "This assembly, now called the bell, goes back on the lathe.", "Using a belt sander, they flatten all the seams flush with the surface.", "On another mandrel, with lubricant assisting the process, they finalize the bell's shape.", "Now they trim the edge to the correct diameter...", "Bend it back a bit...", "Polish the perimeter with the sanding head, then use a special tool to roll the edge over itself.", "This forms what's called the bell bead, a lip that reinforces the bell and gives this end of the instrument a finished look.", "A computer-guided engraving machine puts the company logo and model number on the bell.", "Each of the tuba's 100 or so tubes must be bent into a specific shape.", "The first step is to fill them with hot liquid pitch, which hardens as it cools.", "This keeps the tubes from collapsing as they're bent.", "After bending, the tubes go into an oven to melt out the pitch.", "Certain bent tubes are enlarged in a machine called a hydraulic blowout press.", "It pumps oil into it at high pressure.", "This blows the tube walls outward against the dye, forcing it to assume the new shape.", "Certain bent tubes are conical, others, cylindrical.", "The cylindrical ones go through what's called a ball-out operation.", "This machine forces steel balls of the proper diameter through the tube.", "This enlarges any spots that are too narrow.", "Before bending, certain tubes have to go through a drawing machine for resizing.", "With lubricant easing the way, it draws the tube between an inner mandrel and an outer washer.", "This forms the tube to the correct diameters and wall thickness, while also stretching it lengthwise.", "Coming up next, we'll see where this tube fits in the finished instrument.", "Tubas come in different versions.", "A b-flat tuba, for example, is nearly 18 feet long, whereas an f tuba is about 11.5 feet long.", "Tubas have anywhere from three to six valves.", "Pressing different valve combinations produces different notes.", "To build the valve section, they insert parts called knuckles into the valve cases.", "Spacers hold the valve cases the proper distance apart, while this alignment plate positions the cases in the correct configuration.", "Next, they insert connectors to later link the valve section to the rest of the instrument.", "After braising the parts together, they run a cutter through the valve cases to hollow them out.", "Here, you can see what the case interiors look like before cutting and after.", "Now they begin soldering on the valve section's tubing, working from the valve cases outward.", "The tuba's frame section is made up of several u-shaped parts.", "Workers assemble them with connecting rings.", "They insert a support brace inside this frame piece...", "Then position tabs onto which they'll later mount the valve section.", "They clamp the tabs in place, then solder them on.", "Then they attach the bell section to the frame.", "Before adding the valve section, they give a preliminary buffing to what they've assembled so far.", "They brush some liquid polishing compound into the places that they couldn't access with the wheel and buff those areas with a rag.", "Then a final overall buffing until the brass reflects like a mirror.", "Meanwhile, the valve-section assembly continues.", "First, they close off the bottom of each valve case with a screw-on cap...", "Then drop in a spring to provide resistance for the valve piston.", "Then the piston.", "A felt to cushion it, a top cap, another cushioning felt, and, finally, the finger button.", "A little oil ensures all the buttons move smoothly.", "The felts inside prevent the pistons from making a clanging sound as they move up and down.", "Now for the tuba's tuning slides.", "A coat of grease helps them move in and out to increase or decrease the overall length of the tubing.", "Shortening tunes the instrument higher.", "Lengthening tunes it lower.", "Now they screw the finished valve section to the assembled frame and bell sections and insert the main tuning slide.", "Finally, the tuba's mouthpipe, made not of brass like the rest, but of nickel silver.", "They spray the entire instrument with cleaning solution to remove any grease residue and fingerprints.", "Prior to assembly, each section was cleaned and coated with a clear lacquer to ensure the tuba will always look as good as it sounds." ]

{ "things": [ "Sulkies", "Bagpipes", "Yule Logs", "Fishing Lures" ] }

[ "Today on \"how it's made\"...", "Sulkies...", "Bagpipes...", "Yule logs...", "And fishing lures.", "In the sport of harness racing, the horse, known as a standardbred, pulls its driver in a sulky.", "A sulky is a cart on two wheels that attaches to each side of the horse's harness.", "It has to be sturdy enough to withstand the rough ride, but it also has to be lightweight so that it won't slow the horse down.", "Step one in sulky production is to cut an aluminum tube 1 1/2 inches in diameter for the frame.", "Most of the parts are aluminum because it's a lightweight metal.", "Using a manually operated tube bender, workers shape the angles of the sulky's shaft, the piece that attaches to the harness.", "Now they weld together the eight aluminum parts that make up the sulky's frame.", "All this welding takes approximately 2 1/2 hours.", "Once that's done, they insert the shaft into the bridge on which the driver sits, making sure they align with each other.", "Next come the clamps-- 3-inch-long steel pieces with a hole on each end.", "They fasten certain non-welded parts of the sulky together.", "Each clamp starts off straight.", "A worker mounts it on a machine called the bender, then pulls the lever almost 360 degrees to curve it.", "Next a tool called a multipress drill fashions the aluminum flange-- the part of the wheel hub to which the spokes attach.", "The multipress has six bits.", "It rotates three times to drill a total of 18 holes.", "The flange has another nine holes to remove weight and six smaller holes to which a plastic wheel protector will later attach.", "Now they position the flange on the aluminum hub and hammer it on snugly.", "They do this using a tool called a punch to avoid leaving impact marks.", "Next, a sleeve goes inside the hub, and the bearing goes in between the two.", "Again, with the help of a punch, they knock on the bearing snugly.", "Finally, they install a cap to prevent dust from getting in and causing damage.", "The hub is now complete, and it took only about five minutes to assemble.", "Now they attach aluminum spokes, 18 of them on each side of the wheel.", "Every spoke attaches to the flange on one end and to an aluminum rim on the other.", "Workers hand-tighten a nipple on the rim end of each spoke.", "The nipples are made of brass because it resists rust quite well.", "It's essential to tighten all the nipples equally to ensure the wheel will be properly aligned.", "After tightening them further with the screwdriver, on goes some rim tape, then the tube and tire.", "They pump up the tube with up to 78 pounds of air.", "Then they install a plastic protector disc.", "This prevents competing horses from putting their hooves through the spokes.", "Meanwhile, the sulky has been sandblasted, painted, and decorated.", "Now it's time to put stirrups on the shafts.", "These aluminum and stainless-steel fittings on the end of the shafts are what attach the sulky to the horse's harness.", "Should the harness break, a backup safety strap on each shaft keeps the sulky attached to the horse.", "Now they fasten a padded leather seat to an aluminum plate mounted on the bridge.", "On each side, they attach the wheel to the bridge with a simple axle.", "Even though these look like bicycle wheels, they're stronger and far more durable.", "Next, they assemble what's called the tree-- the rigid stainless-steel structure that goes on the horse's back.", "The outer part is made of plastic.", "They stitch velcro to the underside.", "To that, they attach a nylon-covered foam padding that protects the horse's back from irritation.", "The finished harness with all its hooks and turrets weighs 10 pounds.", "It's taken 20 hours to make.", "This is what's called a quick-hitch fitting.", "It hooks on to the fitting on the end of each shaft, tying the sulky to the horse's harness.", "A sulky takes 40 hours to assemble.", "It weighs between just 50 and 60 pounds.", "Harness racing is one of the few sports where being a lightweight is key to a good track record.", "The bagpipe is one of the oldest instruments.", "To play it, you blow into a pipe attached to a leather or synthetic bag, then press on the bag to force the air out through other pipes to create sound.", "You transform this sound into a melody using finger holes on a reeded pipe called a chanter.", "they start by carving an 8-inch-long block of wood, rounding it to a diameter of a little more than 1 1/2 inches.", "It's part of a drone-- one of three on the bagpipe that create bass and tenor harmonies.", "They drill a hole that will later become an air channel.", "Using a lathe and a plastic template as a guide, a craftsman spins the wood to carve it, a process called turning.", "The lathe has a stationary carbide-tip cutter strong and precise enough to cut this hard african blackwood.", "It's a very heavy and dry wood, perfect for turning.", "For more intricate, decorative cuts, he uses a handheld device called a combing tool.", "Next, he uses what's called a parting-off tool to make additional decorative grooves.", "He measures these grooves using a caliper to ensure they meet the specifications of the design.", "The craftsman drills a hole to create what's called a projecting mount.", "It's made of imitation ivory, and at 2 inches in diameter, it fits on the drone like a washer.", "But it's just for decoration-- one of seven on the bagpipe.", "He adds a metal component called a slide, also for decoration.", "Next, he turns what's called a blowpipe.", "This one's made of plastic to withstand moisture from saliva.", "Traditionalists prefer blowpipes made of wood.", "He adds a mouthpiece.", "It retracts by almost eight inches, depending on the player's height.", "The player blows into the mouthpiece to inflate the bag.", "A small metal tube between two plastic blades forms the chanter reed.", "When air strikes it, the reed vibrates inside the chanter-- a pipe at the bottom of the instrument that has eight finger holes for notes and two for pitch adjustment.", "To secure it, the craftsman wraps the reed with hemp string and winds teflon tape over the string for an airtight seal.", "Then a brass wire called a bridle to control the shape of the reed.", "Narrowing the opening produces a higher-pitched sound.", "The craftsman ties hemp string to create traction between the drone segments, holding them together.", "Hemp string is especially durable, yet easily replaced if damaged.", "Here's the completed tenor drone.", "Next, the craftsman inserts what's called a stock through the zippered opening of the pipe bag.", "The pipe bag's made of a synthetic, breathable material.", "The five stocks fit through a rubber collar in the bag, attaching to the three drones, the chanter, and the blowpipe.", "The craftsman inserts the chanter through a sleeve in the bottom of the pipe bag.", "He secures it with string, tightening it around the bag.", "He closes the zipper to form an airtight seal.", "Next, he places the pipe bag into a decorative velveteen bag cover.", "He inserts the stocks through holes trimmed with wool or silk fringe.", "A rubber valve prevents the player's air from coming back up through the blowpipe, channeling it through the chanter instead.", "Another part, called a drone reed, acts like a plastic tongue.", "It vibrates over a long hole to create the bagpipe's humming sound.", "The craftsman inserts the drone reed into the drone and then into its stock.", "Wool cords keep the drones in place while the player plays.", "Finally, the craftsman fits the chanter reed into the chanter, then slides it into its stock.", "A bagpiper must have a strong set of lungs because some songs can run for 20 minutes.", "Now that'slong-winded.", "a yule log is a traditional dessert for reveillant, the christmas-eve meal that follows midnight mass in france and other french-speaking countries.", "It's a rolled sponge cake covered in chocolate frosting and decorated to look like a tree log.", "It's supposed to represent a real yule log, the burning of which was once a popular christmas ritual.", "This company uses vanilla or chocolate ice cream instead of frosting.", "The cake itself is chocolate sponge cake.", "Workers start by making chocolate cake batter in a machine called a liquefier.", "They add flavoring, exactly what is a trade secret, and liquid eggs...", "Binding agents...", "Butter oil...", "Sugar...", "Flour...", "And cocoa.", "After mixing the batter for 20 minutes, a machine called the cake depositor pumps it into a 13-gallon vat.", "The cake depositor distributes the batter evenly through nozzles spaced 3 1/2 inches apart.", "Then it spreads the batter onto brown craft paper that's a little more than three feet wide.", "The paper's waxed so the cake won't stick after baking.", "The machine funnels the batter into an even layer that's 1/4 of an inch thick and 36 inches wide.", "Workers make between 8,000 to 10,000 yule logs daily, depending on the size.", "After baking for seven minutes at 500 degrees fahrenheit, a conveyor moves the cake out of the oven at six feet per minute.", "Next, a circular saw separates the cake right down the middle.", "Every 17 seconds, another blade, appropriately called a guillotine, drops down, slicing the cake into smaller segments.", "A machine pours strawberry jam onto a thick layer of ice cream.", "This creates three layers, including the cake slab underneath.", "The factory goes through more than 4,000 pounds of jam and 3,000 gallons of ice cream per 8-hour shift.", "A worker gently separates the cake slabs, leaving about three inches of excess ice cream and jam, which is thrown away.", "She then separates the cake from the craft paper by folding the cake onto itself once, then rolling the cake, ice cream, and jam layers together.", "Watch closely and you'll see that she doesn't touch the cake, only the paper.", "She wears rubber gloves to prevent her hands from sticking to the paper.", "The worker rolls the cake into a machine called a slicer.", "It cuts the cake into three 8-inch-long segments called logs.", "The slicer deposits the logs into plastic trays.", "Another machine now decorates with ice cream.", "It covers the surface as well as the ends.", "The ice cream decorations are lace and floral designs.", "Now for the embellishments.", "Workers place two candied maraschino cherries on each log.", "Then a machine drizzles on bits of maple sugar as another worker cuts the connecting ice cream, separating the logs.", "This factory uses maple sugar bits instead of nuts on its logs out of concern for allergies.", "Next, a plastic poinsettia on each log.", "Then, a plastic \"joyeuses fêtes,\" which is french for \"happy holidays\".", "A conveyor belt moves the logs through a machine called a co2 tunnel.", "Inside, sprayers blast the logs with a mist that instantly freezes them.", "This mist is carbon dioxide refrigerated to minus 185 degrees fahrenheit.", "Five minutes in the co2 tunnel superfreezes the outer layer so workers can handle it easily.", "A wrapping machine covers the logs in a clear plastic film.", "Then another machine simultaneously cuts and heat-seals the plastic, enclosing the logs in bags.", "Finally, a worker packs the bags into boxes for shipping.", "The factory stores the boxes in its warehouse freezers at minus 95 degrees fahrenheit.", "Then, as christmas approaches, these holiday desserts go out to the stores, where they sell for $5 to $8 each.", "If you take your fishing seriously, chances are you're hooked on lures.", "If worm bait is like hamburger, then lures are like filet mignon.", "They attract fish by either mimicking the food they like-- impersonating a minnow, for example-- or by reflecting light.", "Lures come in many shapes and sizes.", "They can measure up to a foot long and weigh as much as 3/4 of a pound.", "They're usually made of brass.", "This model is from a brass sheet that's less than 3/100 of an inch thick.", "It goes into a press that's outfitted with a series of dies to progressively cut and shape the lures, turning out 2,000 of them per hour.", "This looks like one fast operation, but it's really four consecutive steps.", "The first die stamps the company name and lure model number, punches a slot down the middle, and punctures a hole on each end.", "The second die scores the outline.", "The third cuts it out.", "The fourth and final die forms the piece into a spoon shape, which is why this type of lure is called a spoon.", "This shape makes it move in the water like a small fish.", "That blue object at the bottom right is an air jet.", "It blows the lures coming off the press into a collection bin.", "Lures vary in size, shape, and texture, and plating them in different metals creates reflective effects in the water.", "All these factors determine the type of fish the lures attract.", "The metal-plating process is called electroplating because electricity is the key to it all.", "Workers wire up the lures, submerge them in an acid solution, then run a negative current through them.", "They run a positive current to the plating metal, in this case, copper nuggets.", "The acid dissolves the copper into particles laced with a positive charge.", "This draws them to the negative-charged lures, which they coat in an even layer of copper.", "After a thorough rinse, the racks go into the next tank for nickel-plating, then another rinse and into another tank for silver-plating-- the final finish.", "Silver-plating requires undercoats of copper and nickel.", "To prevent the silver from tarnishing, workers coat the lures in clear lacquer, using the same plating process.", "Lures plated in 24-karat gold don't need lacquering because gold doesn't tarnish.", "Now for the cosmetics.", "One way to decorate the lure is by what's called pad printing.", "An automated machine applies ink to a metal plate with a design etched into it.", "A silicone pad stamps the plate, picking up the design, then stamps the lure, transferring it.", "This is a 2-color design, so there are two pads at work.", "It's quick-dry ink, so the colors don't smudge.", "Another way to decorate lures is to apply decals.", "They adhere with waterproof glue that's specially designed for the fishing industry.", "After decorating, workers attach a 3-pronged hook-- a treble hook-- to a split ring.", "That's the ring at both ends of the lure to which the fishing line and the hook will be attached.", "Some models have decorated hooks, known as dressed hooks.", "The idea is to add a color accent to make the lure look more like the fishes' prey.", "To do this, they first wind a nylon thread around the shaft of the hook, then trim off the loose end.", "Next, they lay together two different-colored hackles.", "Hackles are the filaments of a rooster's neck feathers.", "They wrap them around the shaft of the hook on top of the nylon thread.", "The different-colored feathers blend together.", "The filaments project from the head of the hook to disguise it.", "Workers wrap them with more nylon thread to secure them in place.", "Here, a decal is applied to a different style of lure called a spinner because it spins like a disco ball, reflecting light to attract a fish.", "The final step is to attach the hook to the lure.", "Depending on its complexity and number of platings, a lure takes between 45 minutes and two hours to make.", "That's a lot of specialized time and effort for fish bait that's nothing short of alluring." ]

{ "things": [ "Metal Golf Clubs", "Waffles", "Custom Wires and Cables", "Train Wheels" ] }

[ "Golfers use different types of clubs for different types of shots-- woods for long-distance shots off a tee, putters to gently roll the ball into the cup, and irons for everything in between.", "That's why in golf, choosing the right club for the shot is a key part of game strategy.", "The heads of these golf clubs are made from aerospace-grade stainless steel.", "To produce them, the factory begins with a wax replica of the clubhead.", "To make this wax pattern, as it's called, they inject hot wax into a mold.", "They extract the pattern and snip off the bulk of the excess wax.", "Using hot wax as an adhesive, a robot joins several patterns to other wax parts in the shape of gates and runners, the term for the channels that guide molten metal into the casting mold.", "Then the robot dips these patterns into liquid ceramic material four times, with a shower of silica sand in between each coat.", "The ceramic and sand harden, forming a shell around the wax patterns.", "Then the factory melts out the wax.", "The shell is now a mold with which to cast the metal clubheads.", "On the casting floor, a furnace heats steel bars to 3,000 degrees fahrenheit-- well beyond the melting point.", "Meanwhile, another furnace heats the molds to 1,800 degrees fahrenheit.", "This burns out any remaining wax.", "It also fires the ceramic, making it strong enough to withstand molten metal.", "The pouring technique is critical.", "The metal must flow at a consistent rate to prevent the formation of air bubbles.", "After five hours, a pneumatic hammer breaks apart the mold.", "Workers saw off the gates and runners, separating the clubheads.", "Then they grind off the last remnants of the gates and runners.", "A turntable runs the clubheads through a sandblaster, which gives the metal a particular finish.", "Next, they stick on a metal badge bearing the club's model name.", "They apply a dot of automotive paint.", "The color identifies the angle of the club.", "There are 12 different angles.", "Now they line the neck of the clubhead with epoxy, then coat the end of the shaft with epoxy and slip it into the neck.", "A pneumatic hammer pushes the shaft in as as far as it can go.", "The shaft is made of either extruded steel or carbon fiber.", "Now it's time to work on the shaft.", "First, they cut it to the right length, depending on the model.", "Then they put the shaft on a spindle and wrap the top 10 inches in double-sided tape to hold the club's rubber grip.", "They lubricate the tape and the inside of the grip before sliding the grip over the shaft.", "A laser line helps them align the grip in the right position.", "This is critical, because the grip is the golfer's guide to correct hand positioning, which is essential to a good swing.", "Next, a computer reads the lie, the term for the clubhead's angle relative to the ground.", "Then it reads the loft-- the term for the angle of the clubhead's face.", "The computer then tells the technician what adjustments to make.", "Once he's made the adjustments, the computer reanalyzes the new loft and lie to ensure they're perfect.", "Finally, the golf club goes for a weigh-in.", "The scale shows that this club needs another 18 grams to bring it up to spec, so they affix an 18-gram weight made of thermoplastic and metal.", "Actually, it weighs slightly less than 18 grams, because they factor in the weight of the epoxy glue.", "It's this type of precision that ensure these golf clubs fit the quality specifications to a \"t\".", "The waffle started out in the middle ages as a flat wafer made not from wheat flour, but from oats or barley.", "As its popularity spread throughout europe, many variations of shape and recipe developed.", "The introduction of leavening ingredients gave rise to the fluffy honeycomb breakfast cake we know today.", "The introduction of frozen waffles in the 1950s marked the dawn of a new era for these breakfast batter cakes.", "Making your morning waffles was suddenly a snap.", "All the big prep work takes place at the big factory.", "They add flavorings like berries to a flour-based waffle mix, and then turn to the liquid ingredients-- water, canola oil, and liquid cane sugar.", "They pour them into a big tank and mix thoroughly.", "Then they're ready to thicken it into a batter with a flour-based waffle premix.", "It also includes baking powder, which reacts with water to cause pockets of carbon dioxide to form for a leavening affect that will continue during baking.", "After adding more berries, this batter is complete, and there's enough in this one tank to produce 3,600 waffles.", "Hot waffle irons move past a sprayer for a misting with a nonstick coating.", "Down the line, an automated pump deposits measured amounts of batter onto each grid plate.", "The top grid plates encase the batter.", "This production line is computerized, which ensures the plates are filled quickly and without any spills.", "As they move towards the oven, the waffle irons rotate, allowing the batter to reach all the crevices inside.", "They now move through a long gas oven.", "It takes about two minutes for them to cook.", "They emerge from the oven piping-hot, where a machine called a picking drum removes them from the irons.", "As the picking drum revolves, needles grab the waffles and pull them off the hot grid plates.", "The picking drum transports the waffles up to another level.", "The needles retract, transferring to a series of conveyors.", "At the other side of the factory, the waffles enter a blast freezer.", "The temperature inside is minus 19 degrees fahrenheit.", "Fans blow frigid air onto the waffles as they spiral through the freezer.", "It takes just 20 minutes to freeze and preserve these freshly baked waffles.", "The frozen waffles now merge into lanes to be sorted for stacking.", "A kind of trap-door system releases them three at a time to grippers that move them onto a conveyor.", "The conveyor lane narrows, which forces the waffle stacks into a single row.", "A sensor-activated gate releases the stacks two at a time to the packaging station.", "It takes just a second for the two stacks of frozen waffles to be wrapped and sealed in a tight cellophane package.", "Then it's into a metal detector.", "To demonstrate how it works, we place a quarter on one of the packages.", "The system senses it immediately, and a blower blasts the package off the conveyor.", "Suctioning fingers now pick up the outer paperboard box and open it as they place it on the conveyor.", "A ram then shoves the wrapped waffles into the box.", "Incredibly, they churn out more than 8,600 waffles an hour at this factory, catering to different tastes and dietary requirements, and that merits a toast.", "Much of today's high-tech equipment requires specialty wires and cables, from stage lighting to medical devices to robotics.", "Wires and cables have to be custom designed and expertly manufactured to perform in a specific way and withstand various environmental conditions.", "Cables can be designed to withstand high temperatures or perform special functions such as sensing ph levels or proximity to objects.", "At the heart of a cable are electrical wires called conductors.", "A conductor begins as a bare copper wire.", "This extrusion machine coats it in plastic.", "Chilled water solidifies the plastic around the wire as insulation.", "This isolates each wire from its neighbors.", "Every conductor passes through a machine called a spark tester.", "It runs current through the conductor to ensure the insulation is flawless.", "If there's even the smallest break in the insulation, the machine will sound the alarm and locate the spot.", "The conductor then enters a machine called a cabler.", "It unrolls spools of insulated conductors and unites them with other components to form the cable's inner workings.", "At the center of this particular cable is a twisted pair of insulated conductors.", "Around them go color-coated insulated conductors and fillers to fill in the gaps between the conductors, giving the cable a smooth, cylindrical shape.", "Here the fillers are strands of polypropylene foam.", "An orientation plate aligns the components in the proper configuration as they enter the cable-assembly die.", "The components exit the die with the fillers wound around the insulated conductors, which wrap around the central wire.", "The next machine, called a taping head, wraps binder tape around the cable.", "This tape holds everything tightly in position so that the assembled components don't unravel.", "This is a different type of cable assembly machine.", "Like before, all the insulated conductors unroll from their reels and travel through the holes of an orientation plate.", "Dies divide the six conductors of this cable into three groups of two, twisting the conductors of each pair together.", "The machine then wraps each twisted pair in a shield made of aluminum-coated polyester.", "Shielding eliminates what's known as cross talk-- signals interfering with each other.", "The next die joins additional wires that don't need to be shielded to the shielded ones.", "Then everything gets twisted into one cable.", "Then a final twisting, seen here in slow motion.", "The actual speed is 1,000 revolutions per minute.", "The next machine wraps tissue paper around the cable.", "Then an extruder applies a jacket made of a plastic and rubber compound.", "The tissue paper acts as a separator, preventing the jacket from sticking to the cable inside.", "Sometimes, instead of tissue paper, the cable runs through a bath of talc.", "Talc is a mineral that absorbs heat, so just like tissue paper, it prevents the jacket from sticking.", "Once again, as the cable exits the extruder, chilled water solidifies the molten material into a jacket.", "A wheel with raised lettering imprints the manufacturer's name and technical specifications into the jacket.", "Certain jacketed cables need a braided shield to eliminate electrical interference.", "This machine has 48 carrier spools, each of which holds 10 wires made of tin-plated copper.", "As they jacketed cable moves upward through the machine, the spools move in a programmed pattern, weaving the shield around the cable.", "From there, a last trip through the extruder for a final thermoplastic jacket...", "And the custom-made cable is ready to be connected and powered up.", "Train wheels are used on railcars around the world.", "Passenger trains rely on them to transport people.", "Freight cars depend on them for hauling products.", "And the locomotives that pull these trains and freight cars count on them to keep people and products moving smoothly.", "This company has been making train wheels and axles for over 150 years.", "To start, an electric furnace melts recycled steel at about 2,900 degrees fahrenheit.", "A gigantic bucket then transfers the liquid metal into what's called a mold pit.", "Inside the pit, the metal fills eight holes from the bottom up, creating steel ingots 20-feet-long.", "A band saw cuts the cooled ingots into sections called wheel molts.", "Each molt weighs about 1,000 pounds.", "To prepare the molts for forming into train wheels, automated machinery loads them into one door of this rotary furnace...", "And they exit the other side at around 2,400 degrees fahrenheit.", "A machine then places the molts into a high-pressure water-descaling unit that removes the outermost layer of metal.", "A press then squashes each molt like a marshmallow with 9,000 tons of pressure, forging it into the rough shape of a train wheel.", "The train wheel is 30 inches in diameter when a robot removes it from the press and delivers it to a rolling mill.", "The mill squeezes and shapes the wheel until it expands to 36 inches in diameter, a 20% increase.", "The train wheel then enters a final shaping press that punches out the hole where the axle will go.", "All excess material goes back to the melt shop for recycling.", "After heat treatment, a machine sprays the outside of the wheel with cold water, which hardens the steel.", "Next, they machine the rim of the wheel and the axle hole.", "A worker then ensures they meet all specifications.", "Identified and labeled, the wheels are now ready for the axles.", "Axles start off as steel ingots that a manipulator feeds into a rotary forging machine.", "The machine rotates and hammers the piece, gradually shaping the hot metal into an axle.", "The manipulator and the forging machine work as a team, ultimately shaping the axle to the required diameter and length.", "The axles then go through a heat-treating process.", "Next, they machine the entire axle, removing all excess material, and prepare it to accept the train wheel.", "Here, a wheel mounting press fits a wheel onto each end of the axle.", "A worker lubricates the axle and attaches a bearing.", "He then bolts on the end cap and secures it using a torque wrench.", "A crimper tool locks the bolts in place.", "Finally, the mounted wheel set rolls off the assembly line, ready to install under a rail car." ]