19x13 - Space Pens, Reef Aquariums, Metal Caskets, Composite Bike Wheels

[bunniefuu]

Narrator: 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.

Narrator: 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 k*ll 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.

Narrator:
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
g*ns 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.

Narrator: 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.

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