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25x06 - Car Headlamps, Directional Drills, Pet Grooming Combs, Stained Glass Restoration

Episode transcripts for the TV show, "How It's Made". Aired: July 6, 2005.*
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Television series that documents how various everyday products are made.

25x06 - Car Headlamps, Directional Drills, Pet Grooming Combs, Stained Glass Restoration

Post by bunniefuu »

Narrator: headlights aren't
just functional.

They're often
the first design feature

That catches the eye
of a potential buyer.

Unlike the metal
and glass versions of the past,

Today's headlights
are made of durable plastics

That can be creatively molded
into a multitude of shapes.

In addition to the main beam,
this pickup truck headlight has

An integrated amber turn signal
and daytime running light.

Most of the headlight's
components

Are made
of injection molded plastic.

The machine melts plastic
pellets into a gooey liquid,

Then shoots it into a mold
for the specific part.

The headlight lenses are made
of clear polycarbonate,

A strong plastic

That's resistant
to extreme heat and cold.

The molding process
stresses the plastic.

To relieve that stress,

They put the lens
into an annealing oven

For 20 minutes.

When the lens comes out,

They wipe it down
with an anti static cloth

And inspect the surface
meticulously.

Next, a robot sprays the lens
with a protective coating.

This will prevent scratches,

Chips, or yellowing from
exposure to ultraviolet rays.

They run the lens through
a tunnel oven to cure it.

This component is the reflector
for the headlight's main beam.

It's made of
fiberglass reinforced polyester.

They sand away
any excess material,

Then hand wash the part
with soap and water

To remove any polyester residue
left by the sanding.

Then, they put the reflector
into a machine

Similar to a dishwasher.

A robot sprays
on a coat of primer.

It goes on clear,

But turns yellow
after it cures in an oven.

Now comes the process that makes
the reflector reflective.

Inside an aluminizing chamber,

A fixture rotates the reflector

On its own axis as well
as around copper electrodes

At the center of the machine.

An electrical charge
to the copper electrodes

Generates heat,
which vaporizes an aluminum wire

That's wrapped around a spiral
tungsten filament.

The aluminum becomes a mist

That deposits evenly across
the surface of the reflector.

Now they assemble the headlight,

Beginning with the housing.

It's made of injected molded
polypropylene.

After installing the reflector
for the daytime running light,

They attach the main beam
reflector.

They include pivots
and adjusting screws

So that the beam level
can be customized.

They screw in the reflector
for the turn signal.

It's made of aluminized plastic.

Then, a robot applies a sealant
which prevents water, dust,

And insects
from penetrating the housing.

They place the assembly
in a lens binding machine.

Then,
they insert the main beam lens,

Which has already been joined

To the turn signal
and daytime running lights.

The top
of the binding machine descends,

Securing these assemblies
to each other with screws.

Next,
they screw in a halogen bulb

For the main beam reflector.

The bulb has two filaments
for a high and low beam.

Then, they add halogen bulbs
for the turn signal

And daytime running lights.

The last step is to level
the main beam reflector.

This leveling machine tells them
which adjustable screws

To turn to tilt the reflector
into the correct position.

This is the manufacturer's
default setting.

Auto makers can change this
before installing the headlights

In their vehicles.

This model hooks up to wiring
coming from the pickup truck.

Some headlights
have built in wiring

That connects to the vehicle.

It's easy to change a burnt
out bulb in both designs.

You simply lift the hood
of the vehicle

To access the bulb from the rear
of the headlight housing.

Narrator: when work crews
need to lay pipes or cables,

They use a directional drill

To bore a horizontal hole
underground.

It enters the ground
at an angle,

Drills underneath the surface
horizontally,

Then exits at an angle
on the other end.

A directional drill enters the
ground at an 18 degree angle.

Once it reaches the desired
depth, it drills horizontally.

The machine can attach
several onboard drill rods

For increased drilling distance.

Most of the machine's parts
are made of steel,

Cut to the required shape
by a computer guided laser.

Workers use a press brake
to bend certain parts.

This is part
of the drill's undercarriage,

The frame
on which everything else sits.

After they bend this part,

They weld it to other parts
to build the engine mount.

They weld the engine mount to
the rest of the undercarriage.

Once the undercarriage
is complete,

They clean the steel
with a chemical

To maximize the adhesion
of the industrial grade primer

And paint.

Once the paint dries,

They install a rubber track
on each side.

Tires leave ruts in the ground,

So tracks work better.

The track loops around a rail
and sprocket at the back.

Workers mount the sprocket on
a hydraulically powered motor,

Then align the sprocket teeth
with the track.

When the motor runs,

The sprocket rotates,
driving the track.

They apply thread locking fluid

To the bolts that secure
the sprocket to the motor.

This ensures the sprocket
won't loosen.

Then, they install
a track tensioning spring

And tighten it
with a pneumatic wrench.

Next, the steel hydraulic tank.

It holds the hydraulic oil

For the machine's 23
different hydraulic functions.

Now the water pump.

It lubricates the drill rod

With water to help
it move through the ground.

It also cleans the machine
after each drilling job.

They install the pivot mechanism

That opens and closes
the engine hood.

Now that the hydraulic tank,

Water pump,
and hood pivot are in place,

They begin installing
the machine's diesel engine.

It's similar
to a tractor engine.

They connect its wiring
to the operator console

And several other components
on the machine.

The operator console
consists of the driver seat,

Dashboard lcd display,
and joystick controls.

Next, they join the rack

Containing all the drilling
components to the undercarriage.

They install
two plastic tanks ...

White for water, black for fuel.

Then, the onboard computer
that runs the engine

And drilling components.

They also install control valves
for the hydraulic lines.

They mount the rod box,

Which holds 40 drill rods,

Each measuring 2 inches
in diameter

By 10 feet in length.

Larger models have
longer and wider drill rods.

They connect the ventilated
plastic hood to the hood pivot

They installed earlier.

They close the hood
over the engine,

Then apply make
and model number decals.

This directional drilling
machine is now fully built

And ready for testing.

As the rack tilts down
at the front,

Hydraulically powered outrigger
feet at the back descend,

Raising the machine
into the drill position.

Giant augurs at the front
keep the machine on the ground.

The rack's gearbox
is powered by a hydraulic motor.

It rotates the drill rod

While the carriage moves the rod
through the ground.

When the job's done,
the carriage moves back,

Retracting the rod.

With all its rods
joined together,

This small machine
can drill almost 400 feet.

Narrator: pet grooming combs

Are specifically designed
for animal fur.

They can get down to the roots

To detangle, loosen,
and remove dead hair.

A good grooming comb

Is essential
to the primping process.

It's believed that the pets
of british and french nobility

Were the first to be regularly
groomed centuries ago.

Today, a lot of pets
receive the royal treatment.

At this factory,

Pet combs start with bundles
of long brass bars.

A computer guided saw slices
them into 6 inch pieces.

Each piece will be transformed
into a comb body.

An employee inserts six
of the brass pieces into a vice

And tightens the clamps.

A computerized drill

Carves dimples into the ends
of each of the blanks.

This is called a predrill.

The drill returns
to each dimple,

Producing precisely cut holes
to join the comb body

To a handle.

Next, a computerized drill
bores into the brass pieces,

Creating small holes
for the comb's teeth.

The spacing of the holes varies

Depending on the type
of comb being made.

Combs with tightly spaced teeth
are used for finer fur.

The combs are now ready
for teeth.

An employee inserts
three comb bodies in a fixture,

Then grabs a handful
of steel pins

And pops them into the holes,
one by one.

These steel teeth aren't sharp.

They've been blunted
to avoid hurting the animal

During combing.

She gently taps the steel teeth

With a hammer to force
them further into the holes.

She brushes off
any residual shavings

From the earlier drilling.

Then, she places the combs
on a demagnetizer.

It erases any magnetic fields
in the steel teeth

That could compromise
the chrome plating finish

They will soon receive.

Next, a punch sets the steel
teeth in their final position.

At another station,

A device cuts extruded aluminum
into shorter pieces.

These pieces of aluminum
will be the pet comb handles.

Their contoured shape
is designed for easy gripping.

A worker clamps one
of the handles in a fixture.

It holds the handle steady as he
drills rivet holes in both ends.

The fixture also
helps locate the holes

Through lined channels
called bushings.

By drilling
through the bushings,

He produces accurate rivet holes
every time.

In the meantime,
the comb assembly

Has been plated
with a rust resistant nickel

And chrome finish.

It's ready to be joined
to the handle.

An employee aligns the holes
in the comb

With the holes in the handle,

And places them in a riveter.

The tool flattens the rivets
against the handle

On both sides.

Then, she dabs adhesive
around the open ends

Of the handle
and inserts plastic caps.

She hammers the caps down.

The glue sets quickly,
creating a strong seal.

After about a half hour of work,

This pet grooming comb
is now complete.

It should last for many years.

There will, no doubt,
be many tangles ahead,

But this comb
will pull through them.

And, in the end, fido will look
and feel a whole lot better.

Narrator: stained glass windows add
beauty and light to places of worship.

Over time, exposure
to the elements and pollution

Can cause the glass,
metal framework,

And glazing to deteriorate.

Restoration ensures the survival
of these sacred works of art

For future generations.

They are incredible picture
windows.

Each stained glass panel
depicts a religious scene.

But it is a fragile art,

And often, only a restoration
can ensure its survival.

It starts with a thorough
evaluation.

An assessor
photographs the window.

She examines every part
as well as measures the panes

And connecting lead strips
known as cames.

She numbers the parts
and loads information

About their condition
into a computer.

These cames are in bad shape,

So they'll need to
completely disassemble the panel

And rebuild it.

First, they make a rubbing.

A member of the team

Places a large sheet of paper
over the back of the window.

He rubs a wax crayon
over the raised led strips

To transfer the pattern

Of the panes.

After testing the condition
of the paint on the panes,

He submerges the glass in
a non acidic cleaning solution,

And leaves it overnight.

This softens the glazing cement
between the lead strips

So the window
can be easily disassembled.

He clips off the lead strips.

He extracts the glass
and cleans off the glazing

Using a straight edged razor.

He gently scrubs off residue
with a soft bristle brush,

And wipes the glass clean.

He pieces together the glass
panes within the paper pattern.

Most of the panes
are in good condition

And can be preserved.

But one is fractured

And held together
with special conservation tape.

They'll need to replace it.

A craftsperson traces
the outline of the cracked piece

Onto a new piece of glass.

She scores the new glass, giving
the outline a wide margin.

She snaps the glass
along the score line,

Then cuts the glass
along the tracing lines.

She compares the pieces
to confirm

They have the same silhouette.

She copies the designs
onto the new pane

And mixes a matte paint
that matches the one

On the broken pane.

She then shades the designs
on the new pane

With the matte paint.

She dabs it with a brush
to create fine,

Crisscrossed lines.

Then, she switches to a brush

With shorter and stiffer
bristles.

She removes some of the paint,
following the designs

On the pane.

This creates highlights.

She fires the glass
in a hot kiln,

And then lowers the temperature
to anneal it.

This process
reduces brittleness.

Switch compares the replicated
pane to the broken one.

She joins all the stained glass
panes using new lead cames.

She taps the panes gently
with a rubber mallet

To fit them snugly
into the grooves of the cames.

This lead matrix will both unify
the numerous panes

And create visual interest
with bold strokes.

Using
an electric soldering iron,

She melts tin and lead solder

Where the channeled lead strips
intersect.

These solder joints hold the
window's lead skeleton together.

Another team member
applies glazing cement

Across the front and back
of the stained glass panel.

The cement
provides waterproofing

And added strength.

He sprinkles calcium carbonate
onto the wet cement.

It's known as whiting.

The whiting soaks up excess oil
in the glaze.

As he brushes it off, it
cleans and polishes the panel.

He trims the cement
around the lead strips

To give them a clean edge.

Finally, he vacuums up
the glazing residue.

With the restoration complete,

He props the stained glass panel
against a backlight.

It shines like new
when illuminated.

It's taken about a week

To restore
this stained glass window.

It should last another century

Or more, providing plenty
of opportunities

For spiritual reflection.

If you have any comments
about the show,

Or if you'd like to suggest
topics for future shows,

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