24x07 - Wood Windows, Woven Cashmere Fabric, Plastic Recycling Machines, Architectural...

[bunniefuu]

Narrator:
when it comes to windows,

There's a variety of materials
to choose from.

Wood windows are typically
the most expensive option,

But they are also
the most versatile.

They can be constructed
in any style,

Stained any shade,
or painted any color.

Wooden windows
can be custom made

To match the home's
existing windows.

This style is called
a traditional double hung.

Its upper and lower sections

Open independently
of each other.

Manufacturers make windows
from a variety of woods.

This company uses mahogany, a
premium rot-resistant hardwood.

This computer-guided saw

Cuts pieces of wood
to the required length.

The next machine,
called the jointer,

Squares the edges
and smoothes the surfaces.

Now, they mill each piece
to the final shape.

A vacuum holds it steady

While a computer-guided router
works at it from all angles.

The router uses
up to 33 different tools

From its on-board magazine.

This piece will be part
of a curved window.

One tool cuts the basic shape,
another tool profiles,

And the other bores holes
for the dowels.

Twelve different tools later,
this is the final shape.

An assembler
pours glue in the holes...

...then inserts wood dowels.

Their unique shape allows
the glue to surround the dowel,

Maximizing adhesion.

Using the dowels as a guide,

He connects the two vertical
pieces of the window, the rails,

With the horizontal pieces,
the stiles.

This forms the window's sash.

He clamps the sash
in a hydraulic press.

It's calibrated
to join the parts together

With just the right amount
of pressure.

He dries the glue with a
radio-frequency heating device.

They return the piece
to the computer-guided router

For the final milling.

This sideways saw cuts a slot
down each side

For weather stripping.

For double hung windows,

Another tool cuts openings
along the edge.

These openings will hold
weighted cords

That counterbalance the sash.

Then, they put the finished sash
through a sanding machine.

The machine removes tool marks

And preps the surface
for a paint primer.

They install the muntins,

Short pieces inside the sash
that form decorative squares.

First, the horizontal muntins,
then the vertical ones.

Each square will contain
its own pane of glass.

They sand the muntins by hand

To smooth the surface
for finishing.

Then, the sash is sprayed
with a water-based primer.

Once the primer dries, the sash
goes to the glazing department.

This is where they cut
the glass panes to size.

Windows can have single,
double, or triple panes,

Separated by
an aluminum spacer bar.

This is a single-pane window.

The glazer applies
a bead of caulk

To the inner ledge
of the sash...

...then sets the glass on it.

He secures the glass in place
by one of two methods --

Either by driving in tiny, flat
nails called glazing points,

Or by caulking the perimeter

And applying small moldings
called glazing beads.

The glazing beads are fastened
to the sash with small nails.

Once the glass is secure,

The worker removes the
excess caulk, cleans the glass,

And inspects it
for any marks or scratches.

The final step
is to install the hardware.

It varies by window style.

A double-hung window
has a bar lift on the bottom

And a latch that locks
together the two sashes.

You release the latch
to open either one.

Once the sashes are installed,

They can be painted
to match any home's exterior.

Narrator: the art of weaving has
been around since the stone age.

Traditional weavers use
techniques and designs

That reflect
their cultural origins.

Today's fashion industry
has built on this tradition

To produce fine wool garments.

Designers keep a record

Of the fabrics they have created
over the years.

They pin samples in books based
on quality, colors, and patterns

For their customers
to choose from.

This is what cashmere goat hair
looks like

When it arrives
at the wool mill.

Short fibers, called flocks,
go through a carding machine.

This machine opens up the fibers
and mixes colors together.

The carding process
removes impurities

And reduces the fibers
to a flat layer.

The machine combs
and twists the layer of fiber

In preparation for spinning.

The spinner separates the layer
into threads

And winds each one
on bobbins of over 40 pounds.

An operator loads yarn
into a dyeing machine.

The entire fiber-drying process

Takes about two hours
for a reel this size.

Uncarded locks of hair
called wool tops

Are used to make worsted yarn.

A worker feeds the ribbon-like
thread into a blending machine.

The blending process
merges twelve threads

Into one large strip.

The machine re-combs
and twists the blended fibers,

Then spins them
into a single strand.

The coning machine winds
the single thread around a cone

By pulling it through
a tensioning device

With a series of spindles
underneath.

This machine can comb 20 pounds
of wool in about one hour.

Another spinning machine slowly
unwinds worsted-wool bobbins.

It accelerates as the threads
run through a tensioning device

And onto spindles.

Even though
the machine processes

Dozens of bobbins
simultaneously,

This process will last
several hours.

The set of threads that will
make up the woven cloth

Is called the warp.

Hundreds of parallel threads
wind up on this roll,

Called the warping machine.

These rolls can stretch
several miles long.

The warp is now ready
for weaving.

This shuttle loom
holds the warp under tension

While it interweaves
the over and under threads

Using two sets
of weaving needles.

This moving part, the beater,
keeps the fabric under tension

As it comes out of the loom
and onto the cloth beam.

This rapier loom
can weave fabrics

Four or five times faster
than an automatic shuttle loom,

And about 200 times faster
than a hand-operated loom.

The completed fabric
goes to quality control.

A worker performs
a visual check,

Looking for any defects
in the fabric.

If she finds a broken thread,
she repairs it by hand.

Using a sewing needle,

She replaces the broken thread
with a new one.

Once the fabric
passes quality control,

It goes through
a two-hour cleaning process.

Then, the cloth rolls through
a steaming machine

Before accumulating at
the end of the production line.

The finishing process
for a woven cloth

Can take up to a week.

Designers study the fabrics

And choose arrangements
to make a collection.

They mark selected patterns
with codes and cut out samples.

Then they make a sample booklet
of their fabrics

For customers to choose from.

The fabric collection
changes twice a year,

Providing a wide variety
of styles suited to the season.

Narrator: plastic is
a convenient form of packaging,

But can be harmful
to the environment.

Most plastics don't decompose,

So they litter the landscape
forever.

Machines called granulators

Can help ease
this pollution problem.

They grind the plastic waste
into tiny chips

That can then be recycled.

Granulators greatly reduce

The amount of waste
we humans produce.

Instead of throwing plastics
like these milk crates away,

They can be tossed
in a granulator.

They chop the waste
into little pieces,

Which can be used
to make new plastic containers.

Making a granulator starts
with star-shaped rotors

That will hold and rotate
the blades of the granulator.

A worker machines
the center hole of the rotor

So that it will fit
a steel shaft.

Employees slide the shaft
through the center of the rotor.

Multiple rotors are machined and
installed on the steel shaft.

The rotors are
spaced evenly apart.

A member of the team
welds the rotors to the shaft.

These welds will stop the rotors

From sliding out of position
during grinding.

Next, steel blades are exposed
to intense heat for 12 hours.

Once they're red hot,

An employee plunges them
into cooling oil.

This removes stresses
and strengthens the metal.

Next, a grinding wheel
refines the shape of the blade

So it will fit nicely
to the rotors.

It also hones the cutting edge
until it's extremely sharp.

They transfer
the rotor-and-shaft assembly

To a metal cradle.

This rotor system is smaller
than the one assembled earlier.

It also has triangular rotors

Designed to chop up
plastic jugs.

A worker screws six blades
to the rotors.

He then attaches four blades
to the casing,

Placing them at different angles
than the rotating blades.

Together, these blades will
chop plastic very effectively.

But, the gap between the blades
needs to be fine-tuned.

A worker adjusts the gap
to the optimal width.

Now, it's over to
the granulator's lower casing.

A rotating blade shaves
the edges to specification.

The next worker spray paints
the outer-casing parts.

This protects the steel
from rust.

After the paint dries,

They install the blade system
in the outer casing

And add a wire-mesh screen.

The screen acts as a sifter,

Allowing only plastic
small enough for recycling

To travel through the holes.

Now, the upper housing
is lowered onto the blade unit.

A long hinge
is added into the holes

So the plastic granulator
can be opened for maintenance.

They give the blade system a
test spin, and it turns freely.

Another employee assembles
a hopper for the granulator.

He drapes a steel curtain
over the opening

To keep in
any flying plastic chips.

Using a crane, the team lowers
the hopper onto the granulator.

They confirm
that the two components

Are correctly aligned,
and bolt them together.

Next, a 50 horsepower motor is
installed below the blade shaft.

Then, they loop a pulley
from a flywheel

On the blade shaft to the motor.

Now, the workers cover
the pulley system and motor

With the steel housing.

Then, a drawer is installed

To collect the plastic chips
as they fall.

They're now ready
to power up the granulator.

Every machine is tested before
it leaves the factory

To confirm
that it's fully functional.

This plastic granulator
is now ready

To take on the growing problem
of plastic waste.

Narrator: glass lends a sparkle
to any interior.

From a bathroom sink
to a staircase,

Architectural glass is both
functional and artistic.

The glass can be either handmade
or mechanically formed.

It's called architectural glass

Because an architect usually
designs its aesthetic features

And the objects
the glass will be paired with.

This company fuses
multiple sheets of glass,

Each about
a quarter of an inch thick,

To create a finished product
of any thickness.

For example, this
soon-to-be kitchen countertop

Uses 5 sheets of standard glass.

Grabbing one at a time
with handled suction cups,

They gently place it

On a pneumatically operated
cutting table.

They measure and cut
the correct size

Using a square angle
with a diamond tip blade.

Diamonds are the only material
that can cut glass.

This kiln is a specialized oven
for baking glass.

A craftsman sprinkles
white powder

Onto the base of the kiln.

The powder will leave a texture
in the sheet of glass.

Next, he sprinkles
ground-up, colored glass

Across the glass sheet

To give the kitchen countertop
a unique color scheme.

They sandwich the glass
with another sheet of glass,

Repeating this coloring process

With each
of the remaining layers.

Once the last sheet of glass
is put in place,

They clean the top surface.

Now, it's time to close the kiln
and bake the glass.

Inside the kiln, the five layers
fuse into one unit.

At another kiln, a stack
of glass has been fused together

And is ready for the next step.

Workers open the kiln

And carefully transfer the
newly formed glass countertop

Onto a rolling cart.

They take the counter
to the polishing machine.

With stones and water,

The machine
grinds down the edges

Until the layering
is no longer visible.

The finished glass countertop

Is strong enough
to span over nine feet

Without structural support.

And because of
the heating-and-cooling process,

The glass is now scratch-proof
and chip-resistant.

You can even chop food
directly on the surface.

At a different kiln,
they're making a sink.

First, they use
a textured glass stamp

To press a pattern
in the powder.

Then, they place three layers
of glass over the pattern,

Carefully aligning the edges.

After baking,
the three layers are fused

Into one thick circle of glass.

The bottom of the glass

Has taken on the pattern
of the powder,

Leaving a unique look.

This will be
the outside surface of the sink.

They place the glass
over a sink-shaped mold

In a different type of kiln.

Over several hours, the glass
melts into the sink-shaped mold.

Once the glass cools,
they extract what is now a sink.

They carefully measure and
mark where the drain hole goes,

Then they drill the hole
with a diamond bit.

This generates a lot of heat,

So they must continuously
cool the bit with cold water.

Otherwise, the tool
could overheat and jam.

The glass sink is finished.

They use the same technique

To produce glass sinks
in various colors and shapes.

Sometimes, these sinks

Are even integrated
with glass countertops.

Countless other
interior-design components

Can be made
from architectural glass.

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