17x08 - Custom Steering Wheels/Aerospace Fuel Lines/Apple Pies/Household Radiators

[bunniefuu]

Narrator: what do you do
when you're the proud owner

Of an ultra-luxurious
vintage automobile

That has
an original steering wheel

That's several miles short
of being as elegant as the car?

You order yourself a handsome
custom-made steering wheel

Designer to match
the vehicle's deluxe interior.

From the plain, original
steering wheel

To a deluxe edition
befitting a vintage automobile,

Custom-matched to its woodwork
and leather interior.

They start
by skinning the original wheel,

A steel ring covered in black
plastic with some leather trim.

After slicing and chiseling off
the covering,

They file the ring clean

Because they'll be reusing it
for the new wheel.

However, they'll encase it
within two plywood rings

To beef up
the width and thickness

And to create a substrate on
which to glue the wood veneer.

Using a jigsaw and bandsaw,

They cut
a front ring and a back ring

Out of european birch plywood.

Then they mill the profile,

Including a groove inside
for the metal ring.

Once the shape is finalized,
they sand the surface smooth

To prep it
to receive the wood veneer.

Veneer is made
from a piece of wood

Sliced into ultra-thin sheets
called leaves.

For each steering wheel,

They take
four consecutively cut leaves

So that their wood-grain pattern
is nearly identical.

For each plywood ring,
they take two of those leaves

And tape them mirror-image
to each other.

They insert adhesive
where the taped edges meet

And let it dry overnight.

Then they lay the ring pattern
onto the veneer,

Trace, and cut out the shape.

Next, they notch the veneer ring

So that it can fold
over the ring's edges.

After coating the plywood ring
with glue,

They center the veneer
and tape down the edges.

Next, they add
a layer of protective plastic

Followed by rubber cushioning.

These will protect the veneer
surface in the next machine --

A vacuum press.

Powerful suction draws the bag
tightly around the materials.

This locks the veneer
onto the plywood substrate,

Forcing out any air
in between them

Which would hinder
full adhesion.

Each plywood ring
is now veneered

And ready to encase
the metal ring

Of the original steering wheel.

The workers apply glue

To the underside of both rings,
into the groove.

Then they assemble
the two veneered rings

Over the metal one.

They set clamps all around and
leave the glue to dry overnight.

The next day,
they remove the clamps

And put the steering wheel
in an oven for about eight hours

To cure the glue.

Once the steering wheel cools,

They file away excess glue
that seeped out the seam,

Then sand the entire surface
silky smooth.

They protect the delicate veneer
with eight coats of resin,

Cured in the oven
for optimal durability.

They then polish the surface
with a series of compounds

To produce a glossy finish

Which highlights
the richness of the wood grain.

The perimeter of the
steering wheel now completed,

They cover the spokes and hub
with fine leather,

First gluing the pieces...

Then hand-stitching them.

They put back the original
steering wheel's hub,

Which they had removed
before the makeover.

Then the finishing touch --
a veneered horn button.

After all, when you're
driving a luxury car,

You might just
want to toot your own horn.

Narrator: be they airplanes,
satellites, or rockets,

Aerospace vehicles
all have one thing in common

Besides their capacity to fly.

Their internal construction

Includes several assemblies
of tubes and ducts

Through which materials

Such as fuel, air,
oil, and hydraulic fluid move.

Aerospace
tube-and-duct assemblies

Are typically made of highly
durable, lightweight materials,

Such as aluminum and titanium.

The choice of material
depends on the application,

For example,
whether the finished component

Must be able to resist high heat
or withstand high pressure.

These aluminum tubes
are on their way

To becoming a fuel line
for a boeing 737.

The operator immobilizes a tube
with clamps,

Then saws it
to the length required.

This leaves burrs --
sharp shards -- on the cut edge,

So they insert the tube
into a deburring machine.

Here's what the tube looks like
before deburring and after.

They squirt
some lubricant inside,

Then slide the tube

Onto the mandrill
of a computer-guided bender.

As the machine forms the tube
to the required shape,

The mandrill
provides counter-pressure,

Preventing the tube walls
from collapsing inward.

They'll repeat this process

With all the tubes which make up
the fuel-line assembly.

They clamp each part
into a fixture,

Then pass a laser-measuring
device over it.

With utmost precision,

The laser
analyses the dimensions

From five different angles

To ensure the part
meets technical specifications.

Next, workers submerge the part

In hot water and cleaning
solution, then rinse twice.

This washes away
the lubricant and any dirt.

Now the high-tech precision work
can begin.

A robotic laser-cutting system
finalizes the shape

And cuts all the required
holes and slots.

Just a bit of pressure, and
the cut pieces easily pop out.

Meanwhile, a stereolithography
machine makes the fixtures,

Which will position the various
parts of the fuel line together

For welding.

A computer-guided laser beam

Repeatedly flashes
the shape of the fixtures

Onto liquid ceramic.

Each flash solidifies

A 250th-of-an-inch-thick layer
of the liquid.

Thousands
of hardened layers later,

The weld fixtures
are fully formed.

Welders use
these ceramic fixtures

To correctly assembly the
connecting fuel-line components.

Once everything's precisely
in position, the welding begins.

For aircraft safety,

It's critical that every
fuel line be leak-free.

To test for leaks, they fill it
with nitrogen at high pressure,

Submerge it in a water tank,
then watch closely for bubbles,

Which would indicate
nitrogen escaping.

They use nitrogen
rather than air

Because its molecules
are smaller,

Making it possible
to detect smaller leaks.

After this,

They heat-treat the fuel line
to harden the metal

And apply
an anti-corrosion coating.

They wrap the fuel line

With high-heat-resistant
foam insulation

Secured with high-heat-resistant
polyester tape.

This insulation
prevents fuel from freezing

In cold temperatures.

It also blocks heat

Coming from other components
of the aircraft,

Keeping the fuel
at a safe working temperature.

After a final inspection,

The fuel line is ready
to be shipped to the customer.

It leaves the factory
with a few un-insulated spaces

For installation clamps.

These areas will get insulated

After the fuel line is mounted
in the aircraft.

Narrator: the apple pie
is a mouth-watering treat.

This pie's popularity has been
centuries in the making.

It dates back
to the 14th century,

When countries like
england, denmark, and sweden

Developed
slightly different versions,

All leaving fans
hungry for more.

Today, apple pie
is mass-produced to meet demand.

So you can throw away
your rolling pin

And let the folks at the factory
do all the work.

To make the filling,
they empty loads of apple slices

Into a huge steam-heated kettle.

These apples
are a firm and tart type

And have been organically grown.

They add honey and apple juice,

And the apple slices
simmer in the liquids

While mixing blades
gently blend the ingredients.

And with the slices
now partially cooked,

They spice up the mix with
a generous dash of cinnamon.

To thicken it
to a syrupy sweetness,

They add tapioca flour.

The blades fold
the dry ingredients into the mix

As the apple slices
continue to cook.

The fruit softens
and releases juices.

The liquids thicken
to a syrupy consistency.

When the apple slices
are lightly browned,

This filling mix is done.

These browned and syrupy slices

Are now prepared
and ready for the pastry shell.

The shell starts with
chilled premium-grade butter.

It's the creamiest.

Organic
and 100% whole-wheat flour

Is the next ingredient in
this high-fiber pastry recipe.

They pour
a measured amount of honey

Into the pastry mix
to sweeten it.

They add ice-cold water.

It's cold to keep the butter
from melting too quickly,

And that means
the crust will turn out flaky.

Inside the pastry mixer,

A dough hook blends and kneads
the ingredients

Until they congeal into dough.

The dough is moist,
but not too wet and sticky.

Inside an apparatus
called a sheeter,

A mechanized roller
presses the dough into sheets.

A worker drapes a sheet of dough

Over groupings
of four paper pie plates,

Which then move forward
on a carousel.

Meanwhile, overhead,
that syrupy apple filling

Funnels into a device
called a depositor.

The depositor pumps the filling
into the uncooked pie crusts

As they circle around
on the loop conveyor.

This automated system

Fills every second grouping
of crusts right on cue.

Now full of sweet fruit,

A worker tops them
with more dough,

Giving the pies the upper crust.

Like a big, revolving
cookie-cutter,

A rolling die punch-cuts
the dough around the pie plates,

Separating them,

Trimming and crimping the edges
all in one action.

Pedestal lifts hoist the pies,

And a worker transfers them
to the next conveyor.

They finish one group of pies
and then start another,

For a continuous cycle
of pie production.

The pies now
head into the baking zone.

Here, workers arrange the pies
on baking sheets.

They slice holes
in the top crusts

To vent steam and prevent
fruit juices from overflowing.

They stack
the pie-laden baking sheets

On racks in a convection oven.

The racks spin
for a more even baking job.

They send one apple pie
from each batch

To the quality assurance
department.

Here, the inspector
takes in the aromas

From the freshly baked pie.

She examines its form

And compares it
to an existing perfect pie.

Slicing it confirms
that the crust is flaky.

But does it have
that melt-in-your-mouth flavor?

There's only one way
to verify that.

If the quality assurance people
approve the pie,

Then the whole batch
moves forward.

They flash-freeze the pies,
then seal them in cellophane.

Suctioning arms
open cardboard containers,

And a worker slides in the pies.

Rollers close
the pre-glued flaps.

They produce
more than 2,100 apple pies

Every hour at this factory.

Once the job is done, there
are big decisions to be made --

Like one scoop or two?

One slice or the whole pie?

Perhaps it's best just to dig in
and decide later.

Narrator: invented
in 19th century america,

The radiator brought warmth
to people's lives.

It made central heating
possible.

Before that,
several fireplaces and stoves

Were needed to warm a home.

But with a radiator
in every room,

One boiler
could heat an entire house.

While the traditional
cast-iron radiator

Is still a source of warmth,

It now competes
with modern steel versions.

These steel radiators are
lighter and heat a room faster.

They also come
in a range of styles

And can make
a colorful design statement.

Production begins with a series
of powerful punch presses.

They punch holes
in steel plates,

And they shape the parts
by pressing the metal onto dies.

These punched and pressed parts
are called half pieces.

They'll be used
to make radiator headers,

The connector part

That interlinks
the tubular heating elements.

The half pieces
exit the punch-press station

And slide into the clutch
of a robotic device.

It brings two half pieces
together in perfect alignment

And delivers them
to an automated welder,

Which joins them at the seam.

The process is usually shielded
by a protective cover,

But it's been lifted
to allow our camera to video it.

Next, a press
pares down the bulging seam.

This is called deburring.

With perfect timing,
a robot then moves in

And transfers the assembly
to a grinding station.

Here, it rotates
between two sanding belts

To smooth the seam
to a flawless finish.

A circular saw
spins towards the part

And slices it in the center
to create two radiator headers.

These radiator headers
are now complete.

A gripper with rounded claws

Transfers six steel tubes
to a welder.

The welder
fuses the tubes to the headers,

And while the welding
is being done,

Another feeder robot ensures
a steady supply of headers.

There's one header
for two tubes,

So three radiator modules

Are coming together
simultaneously.

Sharp, pinscher-like knives
sheer down the protruding welds

So they're flush
to the rest of the parts.

The welded modules then chaff
against two grinding belts.

The process smoothes the seams
substantially.

But this grinding misses the
spaces between the steel tubes,

So a smaller sander
tucks into that location,

Making the weld smooth
all the way around.

Now a test.

They immerse
a four-element module in water

And pump air into it.

No bubbles in the water mean no
leaks, and production continues.

They now build the radiator
section by section.

They layer the modules and weld
them together at the headers.

This sectional approach

Allows them to assemble
radiators of virtually any size.

Each radiator is custom-ordered

To fit into a specific space and
to meet a specific heating need.

Of course,
the larger the radiator,

The more heat it delivers.

Here's an inside look
at a steel radiator header.

With the radiator now complete,

They repeat the test
done earlier

And confirm
that it's completely leak-proof.

They now run an electrical
charge through the radiator,

As they immerse it in a primer.

The charge causes the primer
to cling to the metal.

Once baked on, it will
protect it from corrosion.

This household radiator
is ready for a coat of paint.

The customer
selects the color beforehand

To suit the home's interior
design and his personal taste.

They bake on the finish,

And once it cools,
they wrap up the job.

These radiators
are now homeward bound.

Fueled by a furnace,

Hot water will move through them
in a continuous loop,

And they'll exude warmth.

That's why
the radiator continues to be

A nice thing to come home to.