14x04 - Sails/Walnuts/Wheel Immobilizers/Honeycomb Structural Panels

[bunniefuu]

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Narrator:
poorly fitted shoes

Can ruin a runner's day.

They can compromise the runner's
gait and lead to injuries.

It's why custom-made running
shoes have become popular.

Tailored for one specific pair
of feet, they give the runner

The necessary support
to go the distance.

♪♪

Thanks to the use
of synthetic materials,

The running shoe is
more lightweight and flexible

Than ever before.

Customizing these shoes takes
the concept one step further.

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They start by taking a precise


Then the runner steps onto a
device called a pressure plate.

Rubber tipped pins sprout up
around the foot.

This technique creates an exact
outline of the sole,

Including the arch.

Next, a high-pressure water jet

Cuts through synthetic fabric
like a knife.

A computer guides the cuts,

Following the measurements
from the scans.

The cutouts will be used
to make the upper --

That's the part of the shoe
that wraps around

The top of the foot.

A seamstress sews together
the cutouts,

Creating the basic shell of
the running shoe's upper.

Uppers come in a variety
of colors, and when a shoe

Is custom ordered,
the athlete can choose.

After holes for the laces have
been punched into the upper part

Of the running shoe,
the seamstress stitches on

Stripes -- a trademark look
for the company.

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She sews the tongue and a fabric
innersole to the upper,

Using rounded stitching
that will prevent fraying.

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The innersole joins the two
sides of the upper,

And this custom running shoe
is starting to come together.

But this shoe needs shape
and structure

Before it's ready
to pound pavement.

So, the next worker inserts
a plastic replica

Of the athlete's foot, called
a last, into the shoes.

She glues fabric to the heel
of each shoe,

And then pounds and presses it
to ensure the fabric adheres.

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Left to sit for five hours,
the shoes conform to the shape

Of the custom-made lasts.

But if the measurements
are even slightly off,

They'll scrap the shoe
and start again.

It's time for the foam midsoles.

The workers cut the foam
with dies based on

The individual's feet.

The foam is dual density
for maximum performance.

He sands each midsole,
beveling the tips.

This will make
for a smoother landing

When the foot hits the ground.

The outsoles are next.

The worker sculpts these
treaded rubber soles

Along the same lines
as the midsoles,

So they'll fit
together perfectly.

He glues the mid
and outer soles together.

To make sure this job
really sticks,

They squeeze the two soles
together using

A hydraulic press.

In a custom shoe, the athlete
can also choose the tread.

A deeper tread is more
appropriate for trail running,

And a shallower one
will grip pavement better.

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The worker now glues the bottom
of the shoe to the top.

The sole is made a little larger
than the fabric upper,

Which allows her to fold it
around the upper

For a neat finish.

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A machine they call the claw
applies pressure to enhance

The bonding of the sole
to the shoe.

Then they insert a memory foam

Insole which melds
to the shape of the foot.

This insole is also breathable

And has been treated
with an antibacterial agent.

The athlete's name on the heel
is the final personal touch

For these custom running shoes.

They've taken about five days
to make, but they're ready

For a marathon.

♪♪

Narrator:
ever since primitive times,

Humans have been using axes
to chop wood.

The first axes were simple,
sharpened stones,

But when a handle was added
about 35,000 years ago,

It increased the force
that could be applied

With each strike, and that gave
the ax much greater impact.

Today, the ax hasn't lost
its edge.

Despite the proliferation
of mechanized tools,

It offers a low-tech, hands-on
way to get the job done.

A modern ax starts as a cylinder
of high-quality steel.

A ram nudges it
into an induction furnace.

The intense heat makes the steel
white hot and pliable,

Allowing it to be stretched
and shaped.

A powerful press then pounds the

Steel into a series of dies to

Further define the ax profile.

A cutter head trims the edges.

Operators now transfer the ax
to another ram,

Which presses it into a die
to straighten and level it.

Then it's on to a revolving rack

For a half-hour to cool down
and harden,

Just enough
so they can be handled.

A worker loads dozens
of the axes into a tumbler.

They are tossed about
with tiny steel pellets,

And the resulting friction
rubs scale from the surface

Of the steel
and also smoothes the edges.

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Then this worker presses
the back of the ax head

Against a sanding belt
to bevel the edges.

He sands the sides of the
ax head for a smooth finish.

In just seconds, he sharpens
both sides of the cutting edge.

It takes well-honed skills to do
this with such quick precision.

He then polishes the neck
of the ax against a narrower,

Finer-grit sanding belt.

And it's time for a dip
in a special solution,

Heated to 1,500 degrees
fahrenheit.

They then quench the red-hot

Steel in warm oil.

The abrupt temperature change
hardens the metal

So it's tough enough
for any wood-chopping job.

At the next station, a worker
assembles prepunched leather

And plastic rings to build
the ax grip.

She places the black-and-white
plastic rings at each end

Of the leather pad, to give
the grip a customized look.

The rings get progressively
smaller as she tapers the grip

To fit the throat
of the ax handle.

It takes about 36 of the leather
rings and 6 plastic ones

To make one grip.

She transfers the grip pack to
an assembly press...

And inserts the lower part
of the ax,

Which has been lubricated
with bees wax,

Into the grip's center holes.

A hydraulic ram
drives it through.

The lubrication ensures this job
doesn't hit any snags.

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She now flattens metal prongs at
the base of the handle

To secure the grip.

The axes rotate as a long,

Abrasive belt rocks against
the leather.

It sands the grip to make the
layers flush.

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A worker finishes off the job

With a particularly
aggressive sanding.

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His handiwork makes this grip
look really smooth.

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A dip in clear lacquer brings
out the grain of the various

Pieces of leather, and they
appear to merge into one.

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Once the lacquer dries, another
worker polishes the exposed

Steel against a belt
with a very fine grit.

The result is a glossy sheen
that ensures this ax

Will definitely
look good on the job.

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It takes about two days
to make one of these axes,

But they're designed
to last a lifetime.

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Narrator: kart racing is
an international motor sport

That has a huge following,
especially in europe.

The karts look a bit like
miniature formula-one racecars

But have no suspension system.

Kart racing can be even more
exciting than f-1

Because of their small size
and increased maneuverability.

[ Engine revving ]

This italian-made racing kart --

With its one-cylinder,


Reaches speeds
of 110 miles per hour.

An aluminum case houses
all the engine components.

A computer-guided drill

Bores various holes
for installing them.

First in -- the engine's
six steel gears.

Each gear is actually comprised
of several gears.

They thread them onto a shaft.

Then everything goes into
the gear box.

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Behind the gears
goes the gear shifter,

Which the driver operates
with a lever.

Next comes the drive shaft.

It turns a chain
that rotates the axle

On which the rear wheels
are mounted.

On the other side
of the engine case,

They install
the drive-shaft gears.

These ensure the shaft rotates
at a stable and controlled rate.

The red markings help
the technicians align the gears.

The clutch cover
closes up the gear box.

The clutch's main housing,
called the drum,

Contains the clutch disks.

These disks transmit crankshaft
motion to the gear box,

Which turns the drive shaft,
which moves the chain

That rotates the rear wheels.

Thick steel springs grip
and release the clutch disks.

This flap component,
called the lameli pack,

Controls how much fuel
enters the engine.

Stepping on the acceleration
pedal creates a vacuum

That opens the flaps
and sucks in more fuel.

The cylinder houses the piston

That rotates the crank shaft.

This engine head seals
the cylinder in which

The combustion cycle occurs.

The ignition goes on
the left side of the engine.

The engine is now finished
and ready for a bench test.

Technicians use special
instruments to monitor

And calibrate its performance.

The racing kart's chassis
is made of steel tubing.

At the back, they mount bearings
to hold the rear axle.

Then they mount the axle itself
and on it -- brake disks.

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They attach brake calipers
to the chassis.

Under braking, they squeeze
the disks to stop the wheels

From turning.

After measuring again,
to ensure the rear axle is

Perfectly centered, they lock it
into position

In a way that enables it
to rotate, of course.

Now for the steering system.

At the front of the chassis,

Technicians mount a spindle
on each side.

The spindles turn
the kart's front wheels.

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Once technicians fasten
the steering column up top,

They connect tie rods
to the spindles.

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Tie rods transmit the rotation
of the steering column,

Via the spindles,
to the front wheels.

Next, technicians mount
two spring-loaded pedals

In front of the chassis.

The brake system is hydraulic,

Meaning that pressurized fluid
activates the calipers

To grab or release
the brake disks.

Next come the wheel humps
on which the tire rims go.

Then the engine...

Followed by the tires...

And a fiberglass driver's seat,

Which, due to the lack
of suspension,

Lets the driver feel
every inch of the track.

Finally -- the steering wheel
and a data recording device

That tracks everything
from speed and lap time

To tire
and exhaust temperatures.

♪♪

Narrator: animatronics is the
construction of robotic puppets

That move in a lifelike way.

You often see animatronic

Characters in science-fiction
movies,

As well as theme parks
and carnivals.

Please be advised
that this segment contains

Images which may not be suitable
for younger viewers.

♪♪

When it comes to the horror
genre, the more gruesome

The animatronic character,
the better.

Meet crazy kristen.

She starts out
as a hunk of clay.

Her creator sculpts her form
on a vertical table.

Once he finishes her shape,
he switches to finer tools

To craft her gory features.

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He uses water and a sponge to
give her skin realistic texture.

Once the clay is hardened,
they lay crazy kristen

On her back and drown her
in gypsum plaster.

In an hour or so,
the plaster sets,

And they remove the sculpture,
creating a mold

From which they'll produce
multiple crazy kristens.

The mold is quite heavy,
so for easier handling,

They sever the body in two.

Then they'll fill each mold
cavity with liquid latex rubber.

A three-millimeter skin
soon hardens

Against the mold cavity wall.

They suction out
the remaining liquid latex.

Meanwhile, they weld together
a steel skeleton,

A grate for her rib cage,
a strip for her spine,

Chains for her arm bones,
ball bearings for her joints,

And steel reinforced rubber
for her neck.

So far, crazy kristen
has skin and bones.

Now she needs flesh.

They fill each mold cavity with
expanding polyurethane foam.

To control the expansion,
they cover the top

With a plastic sheet
and guide the foam

With their hands.

The lower body doesn't require
an inner support structure

Because it's immobile --

Just steel chains in the legs
to hold them in place.

♪♪

Once the foam hardens,
it's safe to extract

Crazy kristen's body
from the molds.

They trim off excess latex
along the perimeter.

Then sit her upper body
on a large swiveling

Ball bearing mounted
on a vertical metal base.

They insert a pair of rods
through holes in the base.

Each rod is bolted to a plate
sitting on those ball bearing

Joints in her skeleton.

The other end gets welded
to the base.

These cylinders are pneumatic,

Meaning air pressure opens
and closes them,

Making crazy kristen
thrash about.

It's all controlled
by this digital device

They mount
on a guitar amplifier.

It sends electric pulses that
control the pneumatic cylinders.

An actress records the
accompanying shrieks and moans.

[ Screaming ]

They transfer the soundtrack
to the digital control box.

The box triggers
the sound effects,

Along with the movement.

It's time to apply
crazy kristen's makeup.

For her skin colors, they use
a half-and-half mixture

Of house paint
and liquid latex rubber.

For her eyeballs,
they use off-white opaque ink.

Then they airbrush the iris...

And paint in the pupil with the
stick end of a small brush...

A few veins with a red pen...

Airbrushed ink on her
mouthguard...

And finally clear epoxy
over her eyeballs,

To make them glassy.

♪♪

They top her off with a wig,

Mount her lower body
to the base,

Then complete her look
with a straitjacket,

Because crazy kristen's home
is the insane asylum.

♪♪

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