12x03 - Thermometers/Produce Scales/Aircraft Painting/Luxury Chocolates

[bunniefuu]

Narrator: you can sense the
difference between hot and cold,

But a thermometer
puts a number on it.

The concept is simple --

Heat causes liquid to expand,

Forcing it up a glass column
with a scale attached to it.

Italy's galileo came up
with the idea in 1593.

Incredibly,
these century-old thermometers

Can still tell the temperature.

But modern versions
are a bit more precise.

To make one, they clamp
glass tubing onto a carousel.

As it spins, torches heat
the center of the hollow glass,

While below,
the operator pumps air into it.

This causes the melted glass
to blister.

They break the tubing
at the blister,

Creating two tubes
with funnel-shaped openings.

They anchor a shorter
glass cylinder on a turntable

And suspend one of the
funnel-mouth tubes above it.

The tubes spin in concert
as torches melt them together.

The funnel ensures

That the melting doesn't close
the hollow tube.

Another torch now aims
further down the cylinder.

It seals the end
and shapes it into a ball.

To test a sample
of the production run,

They heat the entire length
of the tubing.

This creates vacuum pressure

So that when they place
the open end in liquid wax,

The tubing sips it up
like a straw.

By watching the liquid ascend,

They confirm that the
thermometer fills as it should

And has the right dimensions.

Next, the glass tubing
swirls on a carousel

As flames and forced air
work together

To form a longer blister.

Again, they break the tubing
at the blister.

This blister creates openings

That allow them
to snake a narrow, hollow wire

Through the tubing,
joining the two sections.

Flames melt and seal the glass
around the wire.

This is called
a glass-to-metal weld,

And it creates
a more flexible thermometer.

They cool the welded glass
and wire on a conveyor.

Next, they turn on a vacuum pump
for several hours

To pull the air out of the wire
and tubing.

This draws
the blue liquid wax up,

But this time,
it's not a test.

The wax is a nontoxic
alternative to mercury

That will expand and contract
with changing temperature.

The thermometers now travel
through chilled alcohol,

Shrinking the blue liquid

Down to the closed end
of the thermometer.

As the tubing turns,

Flames follow the top end
to melt and close it.

A heat g*n below

Then drives the liquid
up the tubing,

And the air pressure
creates a bubble in the end

That was just closed.

This bubble will be the
thermometer's expansion chamber.

They plunge the thermometers
in ice water

To calibrate the bulb liquid
to 32 degrees fahrenheit.

They scratch the glass
at that mark.

Next, the thermometers
warm up in a bath

Set at 200 degrees fahrenheit.

The blue liquid shoots up,
and they make another scratch.

They align the two scratches
in the thermometer

With markings on a printed grid.

The distance between
the two scratches often varies,

So by measuring against
this grid,

They can calibrate
the thermometer.

They then match the thermometer
with the corresponding scale.

They install the top section
of the thermometer in a case

Which can be metal or plastic.

They then choose
the appropriate scale

And slide it between
the glass tubing and case.

They wrap part of the wire
capillary around a joint

And then cap it.

The sensor bulb
of this thermometer will be used

To gauge the temperature
inside industrial piping.

So they protect it
with a metal sleeve

Called a bulb chamber.

A glass window slides easily

Into the grooves of the casing.

A plastic cap
is the finishing touch.

And now these thermometers
are ready to gauge

The highs and lows
of industrial processing,

And they're sure
to measure up to expectations.

Narrator: much of what you buy
in the produce department

Of your supermarket
is sold by weight.

So the store usually hangs
a scale at the end of the aisle

On which you can weigh
your purchase

Before heading off
to the checkout.

This is typically
a type of scale

With fairly simple mechanics.

Internal springs spin a pointer

To the correct weight mark
on a dial.

The weight of produce
hanging in the pan

Pulls on a pair of springs
inside the scale.

They move the various internal
components that turn the pointer

To the corresponding weight mark
on the dial.

To make the scale's frame,

A press stamps a steel plate
five times,

Progressively cutting
and bending it

Into the final frame shape.

A washer goes
into each steel spring.

They turn it up or down
to adjust the spring's tension.

That's how they'll calibrate
the scale later.

The top part of each spring
will bolt to the frame,

And the bottom part
to this slider --

A long metal component
with weight markings.

Next, they attach a component
called a rack

To one end of the slider,

Securing the screw tightly
with thread-locking fluid.

The rack's teeth will mesh with
this pinion gear and turn it.

They install one end
of the pinion into the frame.

Then they screw on
a metal bridge

To support the other end.

They insert the slider

With the rack attached
through the bridge.

Now when you pull on the slider,
the pinion turns.

Next, they attach the springs
to the frame and slider.

Each spring
in this imperial scale

Supports up to 20 pounds,

Making this a 40-pound scale.

When weight
pulls on the springs,

They move the rack,
which turns the pinion,

Which rotates
the scale's pointer.

A press stamps out the dial face
from a steel plate.

After painting it white,

They print on the markings
with a silk-screen press.

They insert a spring

To prevent the rack
from slipping on the pinion.

Then they put the face
over the bridge

So that the pinion protrudes
through a hole in the middle.

A guide helps them align
the face

So that the zero will be
in the right spot.

Then they tighten two screws
to attach the face.

A press stamps the pointer
from a thin sheet of aluminum.

Using a special tool,
they twist the end,

Forming a thin tip
that won't obscure the fine line

To which the pointer's pointing.

Next, a coat of red paint
so the pointer will stand out

Against
the black-and-white face.

Once the paint's dry,

They mallet the pointer
onto the pinion.

Now they hang the pan
on the scale

And turn a little screw
in the slider

To adjust the pointer to zero.

This ensures the scale
will weigh just the produce

Rather than the produce
and the pan.

Now they calibrate the scale.

To do this, they load it
with weights to full capacity,

Which is 40 pounds
for this scale.

If the pointer doesn't indicate


They turn the washer
in each spring

To adjust the resistance.

Then they adjust the pointer
back to zero again.

This is what they call
a double-dial scale,

Meaning it has a face
and pointer on each side.

They install the second dial on
the opposite end of the pinion

So that the two pointers
move in unison.

They close up the space
between the two dials

With a strip of white plastic.

This sash ring, as it's called,

Has grooves for the dials

And for the transparent plastic
cover that goes over them.

Hanging scales can have dials
or digital readouts,

And they come
in a wide range of capacities,

From your common 20-pound,
or 10-kilogram, grocery model,

To heavy-duty 600-pound,
or 272-kilo, scales

Designed to pull their weight
in industry.

Narrator:
the stresses of flight are hard
on an aircraft's paint job.

Ice, rain, and other
environmental factors

Can soon make an aircraft
look travel-weary.

Regular paint jobs
are just the ticket

When it comes
to keeping up appearances.

They also help maintain
the integrity of the airframe.

Problems may lurk beneath
the old paint of an aircraft.

Stripping it off can expose
weaknesses in the aluminum skin.

They brush on
a powerful chemical solution.

The paint bubbles off,

Baring the aluminum and
any small holes or dents in it.

They seal the windows and doors

And wrap sensitive components
like antennas

To protect them during stripping
and pre-painting.

Back to those flaws
on the exposed aluminum.

A production manager

Flags any damage or corrosion
with blue tape.

A technician then mixes
a two-part aerodynamic filler.

He works quickly

Because the compound will harden
in minutes.

He spreads the filler
on the defects

Flagged by
the production manager.

The repair job smoothes
the surface for painting

And makes the airframe
stronger and more aerodynamic.

This aircraft has been primed
and sanded.

Now technicians blow off
all the dust.

They also wipe it down
with adhesive cloths.

This intensive cleaning
is crucial.

The plane
has to be squeaky-clean

Or the paint
won't adhere properly.

Next, they prepare
an additional primer.

They spray it on areas
that need more coverage

And around parts
that will get a lot of wear.

They then mix polyurethane paint

With various catalysts
and activators.

It's a special aircraft blend.

Jets can be jumbo-sized,
of course,

So they often prep and paint
a section at a time,

Sometimes on different days.

They're now working
on the fuselage and tail.

Respirators and full-body gear

Protect them
from the hazardous fumes

As they work from the top
of the aircraft down.

A warm, low-humidity environment
is essential

To allow the paint
to cure properly.

And they'll adjust
the paint formula

To compensate
when conditions aren't optimal.

An aircraft usually gets
two to three coats,

Resulting in
a high-gloss finish.

While it dries,

A technician demonstrates
for our camera

The process of painting stripes
onto an aircraft.

He maps out the paint scheme
with tape,

Then peels away some of it.

He spray-paints
the exposed sections.

He peels off more tape

And then covers
the freshly painted stripes

With protective paper

So he can spray another color
onto the plane.

He pulls back
the final pieces of tape,

And this job passes
with flying colors.

They do some final detail work

To make sure the lines
are clean and crisp.

After all, appearances count

In the high-flying world
of international travel.

Even very tiny imperfections
won't be tolerated.

Using fine-grit sandpaper,
they make them disappear.

It can take four weeks
and 1,800 person-hours

To repaint a large jet.

And when it comes to price,
the sky's the limit.

The least expensive jobs cost
tens of thousands of dollars.

So the customer
has the final say.

The handshake means

This plane is ready to model
its new look on the runway.

Narrator:
bite into a luxury chocolate,

And you'll get a taste of one
of the finer things in life.

Each one tastes different
from the next,

And it's that element
of surprise

That keeps us
coming back for more.

Of course you could consult
the index on the box,

But that would spoil the fun.

Ever since chocolate
was discovered,

People have had
a craving for it.

Today's luxury chocolates
take our addiction

To a whole new level.

They add marshmallow cream
and lots of pure butter

To a mix of sugar and corn syrup

To whip up
some buttercream chocolates.

Water, vanilla,
and a special yeast enzyme

Complete the recipe.

The enzyme will enhance
the creaminess.

They tuck the buttercream
between ridged rollers,

Which shape it
into creamy columns.

A wire slices them
into bite-sized morsels.

They tamp the buttercreams
to a uniform height.

Chocolate oozes up through
the slats of this conveyor

To coat the bottoms
of the creams.

Then it's on
to a cool surface to solidify.

Next, the creams travel through
two curtains of chocolate

While being coated
on the bottoms again.

A worker uses her fingers
to make a symbol on the top.

It's a clue as to what's inside.

A trip through a


Hardens the chocolate,
and it's a feast for the eyes.

You can look, but don't taste.

These chocolates
are headed to the stockroom.

Now production
takes a sweet turn

As they cook up
a caramel filling.

They add sugar and salt
to water,

Followed by corn syrup
and a lot of heavy cream.

They fire up the burner
and turn on the mixer.

They add butter to enhance
the flavor.

As the mix
comes to a bubbling boil,

It caramelizes.

Then they k*ll the heat.

Otherwise, the next ingredient,
pure vanilla, would evaporate.

They apply a nonstick substance
to a big pan,

Then pour the caramel into it.

They leave it to set overnight.

The next day, they divide
the caramel slab into squares.

They feed the caramel squares

Into a device
with circular knives.

It's called a g*ng cutter,

And it slices the squares
into strips.

They turn
the sliced square sideways,

And it goes
through the g*ng cutter again

To create caramel cubes.

They dust the caramels
with starch

So they won't stick
to each other

As they go through
the chocolate-coating system.

And that's how they get
the caramel in the chocolate.

To make
cordial-cherry chocolates,

They load the cherries
into a revolving pan.

They add sugar crystals,
and as the cherries roll around,

They get an even coating.

Along with the sugar,

These cherries have been coated
with a special enzyme.

It will turn the sugar to liquid
over the next 10 days

For a juicer cherry taste.

The enzyme effect

Is why the cherries get
an extra coating of chocolate.

It creates a solid shell
that contains the sugary liquid.

And now they're ready
for cherry-picking chocoholics.

Each box of chocolates contains


Since they make
three to four flavors a day,

It can take up to a week

To produce one of these
luxury assortments.

Of course, they'll be devoured
in no time at all.

For the customer,
it's one sweet deal.

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