26x09 - Industrial Casters, Wedding Cakes, Terahertz Spectrometers, Racing Catamarans

[bunniefuu]

Narrator: 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 g*n.

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.

Narrator:
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.

Narrator:
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.

Narrator:
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.