25x03 - Fishing Line, Industrial Mixers, Natural Baking Soda, Tow Trucks

[bunniefuu]

Narrator:
today on "how it's made"...

Early fishing lines were made
of vines and braided horsehair.

But today, fishermen
rely on braided synthetics

To reel in their catch.

With a higher tensile strength
than steel,

These lines are unlikely to snap
when they hook the big one.

This fishing line may be thin,

But that doesn't mean
it's not strong.

It's made of a synthetic called

Ultra high molecular weight
polyethylene.

This same synthetic is used
in milk jugs, water pipes,

And even bulletproof vests.

To make these fishing lines,

Numerous microfibers are braided
into a single, tight cord.

An employee starts by threading
fibers through needles.

She pulls the needles
through spring loaded devices.

The devices keep the fibers

At an even tension as they
unwind onto small bobbins.

These bobbins are designed
to fit in the braiding machines.

The machines are called
maypole braiders

Because the spools spin
like dancers around a maypole.

As they spin,

They weave the strands
into a tight braid.

There are 4,500
braiding machines in operation

At this factory.

Producing a tight braid
is slow work.

It takes about 10 days

To braid a 7,500 foot section
of fishing line.

Big spools overhead

Slowly revolve to take up
the braided polyethylene line.

At the same time,

A worker fills a metal tank
with hot water...

And adds yellow dye to it.

A pump at the bottom of the tank

Keeps the water moving
to evenly distribute the dye.

He stirs it a bit while
he inspects the mixing job.

They heat and pressurize the dye

In a tank
filled with fishing line.

The dye penetrates all of the
strands for an even dye job.

These fishing lines
go through a different process.

They unwind
through metal eyelets

Into a tray
of yellow silicone resin.

This proprietary resin makes
the line abrasion resistant.

It will be less likely to break
if dragged across a surface

Like a rock.

Next, the line
travels through an oven

To cure the resin.

It travels over a series
of tensioning rollers

As it exits.

Then, the line
goes through an abrasive eyelet,

Which removes
external contaminants.

Finally, it's rolled up
by a spool.

Now it's over to a test station.

A technician clamps a piece
of fishing line

In a testing apparatus.

It pulls the fishing line
from both ends until it breaks.

A gauge measures
the line's breaking point.

It snaps at 118 pounds
of pressure,

Exceeding requirements.

With the test piece
of fishing line approved,

An automated system

Now transfers the line
to retail sized spools.

It loads about 450 feet
of line onto each one.

A worker applies a label
with product details

And packages it
in a cardboard box.

It takes about 17 days
to braid, color,

And process a single spool
of synthetic fishing line.

Strong but very thin,

It can be cast
and reeled in with ease.

If the fish take the bait, they
may not be able to get away.

Narrator: the applications
for industrial grade mixers

Are limitless.

From construction and recycling

To food processing
and medical supplies,

Mixers chop, crush, and blend

Any combination
of dry and wet materials

Into a variety
of products or compounds.

This mixer consists of a bin
called a u trough

And an agitator.

It's controlled
by an interface module

With simple start
and stop buttons.

The agitator shaft
is the main component.

Its arms and paddles turn
at a speed

Of 10 to 50 rotations
per minute.

A discharge valve
underneath the u trough

Controls the unloading
of the mixture.

First, a hydraulic 40 ton press
roll forms a carbon steel sheet.

The sheet rolls back and forth
under the press

Until it takes a "u" shape.

An overhead crane brings
the sheet over to the end plate

For welding.

A worker spot welds the sheet
to the end plate.

Then, he makes a continuous weld
on the end plate

Along the inside
and outside of the sheet.

A high definition plasma
cutter burns paddle shapes

Into a stainless steel plate.

The extreme heat of the plasma

Cuts right through the steel,

Making very precise lines
and angles.

Then, the paddles
go to a forming press.

The 150 ton press
pushes the plate down on a die.

Steel is a formable metal,

So it can bend
without cracking or breaking.

A slight curvature
in the paddles

Will maximize the lifting
and scooping effect

Of the agitator.

A machinist turns the agitator
main shaft.

It takes a very hard
and resistant material

To machine
such a massive steel shaft.

This tungsten carbide insert
can resist high temperatures

And maintain
a sharp cutting edge.

The machinist
measures the diameter.

He cuts a groove into the end
of the shaft

Using a stagger tooth
side mill cutter.

This groove, called a keyseat,

Is designed
to lock the agitator

To the mixer's drive gearbox.

Machining of the agitator
requires extreme precision.

The shaft must fit
into the drive gearbox

And match its drive key slot.

A worker assembles arms
and paddles to an agitator shaft

Mounted inside a u trough.

He bolts the arms
onto the shaft.

He tightens the nuts
with a pneumatic torque driver

And assembles paddles
to the arms.

Both the paddles
and arms are angled.

Machine slots in the paddles
allow clearance adjustment.

Next, a worker rotates
the assembled shaft and arms

To check the clearance

Between the paddles
and u trough walls.

A welder creates a solid
stainless steel agitator shaft

For a larger mixer.

He welds the base of the arms
to the shaft

And grinds down
the welding profile

To obtain a uniform shape.

Welded agitators are often used
in food processing

Because they
make cleaning easier.

Now, workers attach an electric
motor to the mixer.

They mount the drive assembly
on the agitator shaft.

A taper bushing centers
the drive gearbox on the shaft.

Fasteners secure the bushing
in place,

Locking the agitator
shaft into the drive.

A worker installs a safety grate
on top of the mixer

And closes the covers.

Then, he installs
air pressure regulators.

These supply air
to the main shaft seals.

Air purge seals prevent
product loss or contamination.

Air lines connect
the pressure regulators

To both ends
of the main shaft agitator.

The mixer fits on a support
frame for easy access

To the discharge valve.

It's equipped
with clamps, safety latches,

And a control panel,

Which includes
an emergency stop button.

Narrator: baking soda
is a white crystalline powder.

When added to dough,

It reacts with the acidic
ingredients to form bubbles,

Giving cakes and cookies
a light and fluffy structure.

It's also used
in livestock feed,

Fire extinguishers,
and detergents.

Baking soda is also known
as sodium bicarbonate.

It can be produced
through a chemical process,

Or it can be mined
from the ground.

Large mineral deposits
exist in northwest colorado,

Left behind as lakes evaporated
millions of years ago.

Mine operators
dissolve the sodium bicarbonate

Underground using hot brine.

The brine is a mix
of the minerals and water

Left over from prior processing.

They pipe
the higher concentration brine

To a processing facility
about a mile away.

The brine collects
in a holding tank outside

And flows through pipes
into the facility as needed.

Inside, a technician
tests the liquid

And confirms that the level of
sodium bicarbonate is adequate.

Then, the brine
flows through several tanks,

Where heat exchangers
gradually cool it.

This causes
the sodium bicarbonate brine

To crystallize, making
the granules larger and heavier.

The crystals sink
to the bottom of the last tank.

This forms a mixture
of brine and crystals.

They pump this mixture into
a device called a hydroclone.

The hydroclone spins out
the brine through the center.

The crystals gravitate
to the sides

And sink to the bottom.

This creates
a sodium bicarbonate slurry.

It has a meringue like
consistency.

The slurry is about 40% sodium
bicarbonate at this point.

A lot of water has been removed,

But there's still
work to be done.

As the dewatering continues,

The system recaptures
spent liquid

And pipes it back into the mine
to dissolve more minerals.

The slurry goes for another
spin, this time in a centrifuge.

It wrings out more water,

Transforming the slurry
into something called wet cake.

Wet cake is


Next, the wet cake travels
to a mixer

That blends dry sodium
bicarbonate powder into it.

The dry powder brings
the moisture content down to 3%.

Next, the wet cake makes a quick
trip through this dryer

To remove
the remaining moisture,

Leaving pure baking soda.

The baking soda now

Shakes through three tiers
of vibrating screens.

The crystals are sorted by size,

Producing
several different grades.

From brine to powder,
it's been quite a journey.

It's time to determine

How this naturally mined
baking soda measures up.

A technician dissolves some
of the baking soda in water.

He adds an acid to neutralize
the sodium bicarbonate.

This allows him
to measure its purity.

He also places the different
grades of baking soda

In a screening device.

It vibrates to shake the
granules through perforations,

Verifying that the crystals have
been correctly graded by size.

With the lab's approval,

This baking soda
is ready for the marketplace.

A robotic arm picks up the bag

And transfers it to a fill
station with a scale below.

The scale signals

When there's 55 pounds
of baking soda in a bag,

Prompting the fill nozzle
to shut off.

These 55 pound bags will be sold
to commercial bakeries

And companies that use large
amounts of baking soda daily.

It will no doubt
rise to the occasion.

Narrator: when an 18 wheeler
has an accident

Or construction equipment
breaks down,

You need to call in the big g*ns
to haul it away for repair.

Large tow trucks are equipped
with specialized tools

To recover
and transport massive vehicles.

This tow truck
can haul a vehicle

As large as a semitruck.

The towing apparatus
is called the underlift.

This is one of four outriggers.

These legs stabilize
the tow truck

When the using
the recovery boom.

This extendible boom is equipped
with dual wire ropes and hooks

To retrieve a vehicle
that's gone off the road.

These hydraulically powered
towing and recovery machines

Are made up of 2,500 parts
cut from steel sheets.

The parts are cut
by one of two types

Of computer guided machines ...

A high pressure water jet
cutter,

As we're seeing here,

Or a laser cutter.

Workers position the parts
in an assembly fixture...

Then tack weld them together.

Tack welding is an initial
welding in select spots,

Just to hold the parts
together

Until a robot
does the final welding.

Next, workers
sandblast the welded component.

This preps the surface
for painting.

They apply one coat
of epoxy primer...

Then one coat of polyurethane
automotive paint.

The paint dries
in about two hours

And fully cures
in about two days.

Workers hook up all of the
hydraulically powered components

To this testing machine.

If everything
functions properly,

Workers connect permanent
hydraulic lines.

To assemble the recovery boom,

They install hydraulic cylinders
that will move it up and down,

A winch that winds and unwinds
the thick wire ropes,

And an enormous ring gear

That enables the boom
to rotate 360 degrees.

Then,
they attach the extendible boom.

It's secured
with massive steel pins.

Workers also attach he underlift
at the back

And the four stabilizing
outriggers underneath.

This completes the towing
and recovery unit.

Now they attach it
to a prebuilt truck.

Steel mounting plates
are bolted to the truck's frame.

The towing and recovery unit
is then welded to those plates.

Workers bolt aluminum tool
cabinets

To the side
of the truck's frame.

Inside the cabinet,
they make the wiring connections

For the emergency lights
and other electrical components.

They install the electronic
control panel

That the driver uses
to operate everything.

The control panel monitors
oil temperature,

Hydraulic pressure,
and other important indicators.

They also install a set
of control handles

To give the driver
the option of manual operation.

Once everything is hooked up,

They perform a quality
control inspection.

This factory
makes several models,

Ranging from a light duty
tow truck...

...to one like this, designed
to haul the heaviest trucks

And machinery.

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