Narrator: egyptian pharaohs
were likely the first
To have molds made of their
bodies and the images cast.
Today,
anyone can have this done.
The experts have it down
to a fine art.
It's called life casting,
or body molding,
And it's in demand
because every body is different.
Need a body double?
Life casting creates replicas
of body parts
That can be used as personal
mementos or movie props.
They start by applying
cold cream to the body part.
The cream will serve
as a release agent,
Allowing the mold
to be removed whole.
This orange goop
is the molding material.
It's a seaweed-based substance
called alginate.
It's the same stuff the dentist
uses to take molds of teeth,
But it's formulated
to set more slowly.
The life caster
spreads the alginate liberally
Onto this young actor's
clenched fist and arm.
Alginate cures
in five or six minutes,
So there's no time to waste.
He works at a steady pace.
He applies wet plaster bandages
to the alginate.
The bandages adhere
and form a stiff shell
Similar to a cast
for a broken limb.
The cast-like shell
supports the alginate
As it cures to the shape
of the boy's fist
To produce a mold of it.
When cured, the alginate has
a firm yet rubbery consistency.
It takes a few tugs
to pull off the mold,
But the rubbery nature
of the alginate
Means it can be done
without cracking or crumpling.
The casting material
is durable dental plaster.
He pours it into the mold.
He tips out a bit
to get rid of bubbles
That have accumulated
on the surface.
It's hands off now
as the plaster cures
Because a chemical reaction
makes it dangerously hot.
A half-hour later,
the plaster is cooled
And hardened into the shape
of the boy's fist.
The plaster has picked up
all the little details,
Including
the tiniest of creases.
He picks out bits of alginate
lodged in the creases.
He defines the fingernails
And cleans up a few pits
and bubbles.
This is the actor's real hand,
and this is the replica.
Next, they make a mold
of the actor's face.
They apply cream to his hair
To prevent it from
becoming stuck in the alginate.
The team completely coats
his face, ears, and upper chest
With blue alginate.
It must be hard not to wince,
But he can't budge in order
to create a good impression.
They leave the back of his head
uncovered for an open mold
And create two small holes
for breathing.
They layer the plaster bandages
over the alginate
To give structure to the mold.
It also makes him
look mummified.
After several minutes,
the mold has solidified.
The team removes it
from the subject.
Now that his features have been
successfully transferred
To the alginate,
he can breathe easy.
The life caster
trims excess alginate,
Then wraps fabric
around the mold
To build a kind of wall
to contain spills
As he fills it with plaster.
The plaster casting
may not be the final one.
Depending
on the client's wishes,
They may make a mold
from this bust
And then cast the image
in a more flesh-like material
Like silicone, foam, or rubber.
The plaster is cured
and the wait is over.
It's time to peel off the layers
and find the face within.
It's a bit like
he's removing an intricate mask.
The face behind it
is instantly recognizable.
He cleans out the eyes
and nose...
...and scrubs
the entire plaster face.
Here's the actor
and his plaster doppelganger.
They'll use it
to create a silicone version,
And once it's painted
and given hair,
It will be ready for the movies.
Narrator: in contrast
to a big, traditional hood,
Which is separate
from the stove,
A downdraft system vents smoke,
steam, and cooking odors
Without being conspicuous.
The ventilation unit
is actually part of the cooktop,
And that opens up a lot
of kitchen-design possibilities.
Invented in the 1960s,
The downdraft cooktop
can solve some design dilemmas.
Installed in a center island,
it offers a clear line of view
Where a traditional hood
would block it.
Production starts
with the burner box.
They'll make three
from this steel sheet.
A computer guides tools
As they cut holes and notches
in the steel.
It also roughs out
the shape of the boxes
And makes slots for the
downdraft ventilation intake.
After the sheets have been cut
into individual units,
A worker serves them up
to a computerized brake press.
The computer controls the stops
That position the sheet
to be bent at the correct angle.
This transforms the steel sheet
into a box.
They're now ready to build the
downdraft ventilation system.
The worker
inserts the fan blower and motor
Into an assembly fixture.
He then places a metal part,
known as the plenum, over it.
The plenum is the intake duct.
He places a mesh guard
over the opening
Through which steam
and cooking fumes will flow.
He secures everything
with four nuts and studs.
He caps the nuts with
rubber plugs to seal the gaps.
He now transfers the fan
and duct assembly
To another fixture.
It allows him to correctly
position the burner box
On the ventilation system.
He plugs the blower motor
into a junction box.
He places a metal frame
around the plenum
And screws it in place to secure
the plenum to the burner box.
Next,
he assembles the knob switches
That turn the burners on
and off.
He adds rubber insulators to
keep water out of the switches.
He covers them
with a metal plate
With holes
for the knob shafts to protrude.
He installs the lighting system
That indicates whether
the burners are on or off.
Next, an employee
slots the switch system
Into the ceramic cooktop
through the back.
He inserts
the radiant heating elements
Into the holes in the cooktop.
The elements are different sizes
to accommodate different pots,
And they have different
heating capacities.
He wires the switches
to the elements,
And he ties them
to the main power cord.
Another worker screws
the elements to a metal bracket
That's glued to the underside
of the ceramic cooktop,
And he completes
the wiring work.
The ceramic cooktop is complete
And ready to be joined to
the downdraft ventilation unit.
He aligns the hole in the center
with the intake duct.
He feeds the wires
from the cooktop
Through holes in the burner box
to the junction box.
He screws the junction box
to the bottom of the burner box.
He pulls the main power harness
through a hole in the burner box
And secures it to the box
with a metal bracket and screws.
He adjusts the ceramic cooktop,
Which moved out of alignment
a bit during the wiring,
And then equips the cooktop
with knobs
Which fit snugly
to the protruding pins.
And it's over to a test station.
The operator connects a computer
to the downdraft cooktop.
She turns the knobs,
And the computer measures the
power consumed by the elements.
Some elements are the same size
but different wattages.
The test confirms
That the elements
are in the correct slots
And that all burners
are operational.
It's taken 25 minutes to
assemble this downdraft cooktop.
The downdraft ventilation unit
Will get rid of moisture
and odors discreetly.
It's now time
to turn up the heat
With no worries
about the fallout.
Narrator:
if you've got varicose veins,
Leg fatigue, ankle swelling,
or other circulation disorders,
Your doctor may prescribe
compression hosiery,
Pressured stockings
that squeeze your legs
Primarily at the ankle
And, to a lesser extent,
in other areas
To help the blood in your veins
travel back to the heart.
They don't look like
ugly old-lady stockings anymore.
Today's compression hosiery
comes in a range of colors
And pantyhose, thigh-high,
and knee-high versions.
The doctor prescribes the
compression strength you need.
That's the pressure at the ankle
in millimeters mercury,
The same measuring unit
used in blood-pressure readings.
The hosiery is knitted
Out of stretchy spandex
and nylon yarns.
The computerized
knitting machine
Interlocks yarn strands
vertically and horizontally.
This two-direction knit gives
the stocking a two-way stretch.
However, it's
the horizontal yarn in the knit
That provides the doctor's
strength prescription.
They program
the knitting machine
To produce a run of a specific
size and prescription.
It automatically varies
the stitch and yarn tension
To apply 100% of the prescribed
pressure at the ankle,
And 30% at the thigh.
Stronger pressure
at the bottom point
Forces blood upward
toward the heart.
The machine
outputs stocking-length tubes,
Which sewers skillfully
transform into the final shape.
The first sewer
turns the tube inside out
And stitches the toe closed.
Then she stretches
those stitches
To flatten the seam so it'll be
comfortable on the foot.
If they're making pantyhose,
another sewer slits that tube
Partway down
the inside of the leg
So it can be joined
to another leg.
The next sewer takes a leg
And stitches it
to a triangular cotton gusset,
Which forms the crotch
of the pantyhose.
These are maternity hose,
So she also sews in
a stretchy stomach panel.
Then she sews a big
u-shaped seam at the front,
Joining the second leg
to the other parts.
Whether it's
a multiple-component pantyhose
Or a simple single thigh-high
or knee-high stocking,
The production steps
from this point on are the same.
Workers slide each stocking
onto a heated aluminum leg form
In the size they're producing
in this run.
Laser lines show
exactly where to align the heel
And other parts on the form.
Then, one by one,
The forms enter
a pressurized steam chamber
For about four seconds.
This quick steam treatment
is enough
To permanently lock
the form's shape into the nylon.
The form then enters a dryer,
Where it stops
for about 15 seconds.
The hot forced air evaporates
the steam-infused moisture.
When the stocking
finally comes off the form,
It's dry and leg-shaped.
Workers now group the stockings
into 10-pair stacks,
Put each stack
inside a specific color bag
To identify its style and size,
Then load the bags
in this high-tech dye machine.
They key in the program
which automatically controls
Every aspect
of dyeing the stockings
From water levels and
temperature to dye injection.
For one hour, the machine
washes the stockings.
Then, over the next five hours,
it dyes them,
Adding chemicals
to make the water acidic,
Which draws the dye
like a sponge
Permanently
into the yarn fibers.
The compression stockings knit,
sewn, shaped, and dyed
Are now ready
to be inspected and packaged.
The factory pulls a set number
of random samples per day
From the production line
And tests them
on this extension machine.
It stretches the hose
to test the tensile strength,
And it measures the compression
At the different points
of the leg.
Every single pair of stockings
Undergoes a visual inspection
prior to packaging.
Then the packager neatly folds
it around a cardboard insert,
Slips it inside
an adhesive-sealed plastic bag,
And inserts it
into the retail box.
Compression stockings are
classified as a medical device.
The sealed bag
assures the customer
That the stockings
are a brand-new, unused pair,
And therefore, hygienic.
Narrator:
looking to drive motorcycle
Without ever having to stop
for a fill-up, change the oil,
Top off the fluids,
Or repair a transmission,
clutch, and cooling system?
And do you want a quiet motor
That doesn't contribute
to air pollution?
Then an electric motorcycle
May be just the set of wheels
you're looking for.
An electric motorcycle
lends a whole new meaning
To the term "plug and play.&Quot;
You charge the bike's battery
by plugging in
To a standard 120-volt
household electrical outlet.
A full charge takes eight hours,
but you can buy an add-on device
To cut that charging time
in half.
The bike's journey begins
on a sketch pad.
An industrial designer
draws an artistic conception,
Creating the aesthetics
such as lines and colors
As well as the ergonomics, such
as seat and mirror positioning.
The designer
transforms the sketches
Into a computer model
To which engineers
then add the mechanics.
The motorcycle's battery
contains four cell boxes.
To link all the cell boxes, they
install two interconnect boards.
Then, into each board,
They plug the connectors
from two cell boxes.
They use lots of grease
to waterproof the battery
And protect it against corrosion
caused by road salt or sea air.
Next, they plug wires coming
from the two interconnect boards
Into a circuit board.
This circuit board
is the battery's brain.
It regulates the voltages
of the individual cells
To prevent overheating.
Then the charging components.
Technicians now close up
the fully assembled battery
With protective covers and
run it through a function test.
The test simulates
the discharge of the battery
That happens
when you ride the bike,
Then the recharge that occurs
when you plug in.
All the cell voltages
must balance in the process.
The motorcycle frame
is made of high-strength,
Lightweight,
aircraft-grade aluminum.
At the tail end,
they install the controller,
The link between the battery
and the throttle,
Which controls the electricity
flow to the motor.
They mount
the suspension system,
An aluminum swingarm
That attaches
to the rear wheel on one end
And to the frame on the other
Via a spring-shaped
shock absorber,
Which expands
and contracts to dampen bounce
As the wheel moves up and down
over bumps in the road.
They mount the motor.
The battery's electrical current
Rotates the motor
via the controller,
Which turns the drive belt,
spinning the bike's rear wheel.
This belt's maintenance-free
Because it's made
of high-strength rubber,
Further reinforced
with the material used
To make bulletproof vests.
They install
the upper triple clamp,
Which carries the dash, horn,
turn signals,
And ignition switch.
Then the handlebars.
There are several components
already mounted to them,
Including the front brake lever,
the throttle,
And control switches.
Then technicians
slide the battery into the frame
And connect it to the motor
and controller.
This motorcycle
has no transmission, no gears,
No clutch, no cooling system
to maintain or repair.
The motor's fins adequately
dissipate heat buildup.
Next, two aluminum forks
to hold the front wheel axle.
Workers position them
inside the upper triple clamp
And a second triple clamp
lower down.
But they don't install
the front wheel just yet.
They first mount the rear wheel.
It has a rubber tire,
Hydraulic brakes
activated by a foot lever,
And a sprocket
for the drive belt.
They place the drive belt
around the sprocket.
Now, when the motor runs,
the rear wheel turns.
After mounting the front wheel,
They install
the bike's plastic body parts.
There's a storage area
Where gas motorcycles
would have their fuel tank.
There are four chargers
located underneath the battery.
Their wiring culminates
in a single port
In which you plug a cable
to recharge.
Every motorcycle
this factory produces
Undergoes an extensive indoor
road test on a dynamometer,
A driving simulator
That assesses the performance
of every component.
Although very quiet,
The bike's as powerful as a
midsize, gasoline-run motorcycle
And can reach speeds
of up to 100 miles per hour.
When the battery
needs a quick recharge,
You can pull over
At a roadside electric-vehicle
charging station
And fill her up
in less than an hour.
If you have any comments
about the show
Or you'd like to suggest topics
for future shows,
Drop us a line at...
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