27x01 - CNC Assembly Machines, Lemon Tarts, Miniature w*r Figures

[bunniefuu]

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

Automated machines
changed manufacturing forever

When they began
assembling parts.

Cnc assembly machines have taken
automation to the next level.

Cnc is an acronym
for computer numerical control.

The machine is automated
by a computer

Rather than by mechanics.

♪♪

To design
a cnc assembly machine,

Engineers first
analyze the sequence

Of tasks required
to assemble the product.

They then match each task

To a pre-designed
processing engine.

The processing engines
are linked together

In a custom assembly sequence.

Each engine is programmed

To control
its computer-guided motors,

Which perform
the precise motions

Required to execute a task.

The cnc machine's engines

Are mounted
on a sturdy base frame.

To construct it,

Workers cut steel tubes
to the required lengths.

They grind a joint
in each piece...

...then weld the pieces together

By melting steel welding wire
into the joints.

They bolt a steel tabletop
onto the base frame.

It has cutouts for each engine.

It's been ground perfectly flat.

So the engines will be level
with each other.

Meanwhile,
an electrical technician

Is assembling the machine's
main control cabinet.

It contains one industrial
computer for each engine.

A cnc machine has engines

For performing rotary movements,
linear movements,

And for picking up
and placing parts.

The motors inside each engine
have their own computers.

They're programmed
to perform movements

At specific speeds and forces.

Once the main control cabinet
is assembled,

Workers bolt it
to the base frame.

Then they install steel bases
for the engines.

Some cnc machines
require robotic arms.

A computer-guided
milling machine

Cuts rectangular bars
of aluminum,

Shaping them
into robotic arm components.

This precision-measuring device

Ensures each milled part
meets strict specifications.

After the aluminum components

Receive
an anti-corrosion coating,

Workers assemble them
into a robotic arm.

These self-lubricating
sleeve bearings

Give the arm
the ability to rotate.

They add a second assembled arm
to create a pair

That works together
to perform an assigned task.

Each arm is controlled
by its own motor,

Which follows the commands
of the engine's computer.

This coupling securely
connects each robotic arm

To the shaft of its motor.

Each engine on the machine
can have up to eight motors.

The motors can operate
independently or in unison.

This engine has robotic arms
that can pick up, hold,

And release parts.

To test the completed machine,

A high-speed video camera

Captures images
at 1,000 frames per second.

The quality control team
slows down the video to analyze

And fine-tune the accuracy
and efficiency of every motion.

Just a few simple taps
on the operator's touch screen

Can adjust the arm
to move a millisecond faster.

Or a millimeter further.

Cnc machines can assemble
small products at high speed.

They also provide something

Traditional assembly
equipment can't --

Flexibility.

A single machine can be
reprogrammed multiple times

For assembling
different products.

Narrator:
when life gives you lemons,

Why bother making lemonade

When you can indulge
in a luscious lemon tart?

Not too sour, not too sweet,

A lemon tart
is a delectable dessert

That you can make yourself.

Or even better,
leave it to the baking pros

And buy ready-made.

♪♪

This thaw-and-serve lemon tart
has a shortbread shell

And creamy lemon filling
topped with buttercream.

Each batch of dough produced
in this industrial mixer

Yields 449 tart shells.

The first step is to lightly
blend margarine, sugar,

And salt for 2 or 3 minutes.

Next, add pasteurized eggs

And mix for about 2 minutes
at slow speed.

Fast mixing makes the dough
too tight, causing it to crack.

They add white flour
while continuing to mix slowly

Until the ingredients
are well-blended.

Once the dough is ready, workers

Put it through what is actually
a hamburger forming machine.

It extrudes 1/4-pound
dough patties.

Workers place them in the middle

Of a nonstick aluminum tart pan
three at a time.

They mount the pan on a press,
covering it with plastic.

A die strikes the pan,

Fl*ttening and spreading
the dough evenly.

The pans go into the oven,

Where they rotate
for 23 to 24 minutes

At 350 degrees fahrenheit.

The dough bakes
into a shortbread tart shell.

Lemon juice and lemon oil

Are the key ingredients
in the creamy filling.

First, workers melt margarine
on a stove...

...then mix in sugar,

Lemon powder...

...and food starch
to thicken the mix.

They blend for 2 minutes,
then add eggs.

After another 5 to 8 minutes
of mixing,

They pour in boiled
lemon juice and lemon oil.

Boiling these acidic ingredients
prevents the fats from curdling.

The filling is ready.

So they move the bowl
from the mixer

Over to the depositing line.

A pump transfers the contents
to a hopper feeding a depositor.

The depositor is pre-set

To squirt 22 ounces
of lemon filling in each tart.

The filled tarts
go into the oven for 11 minutes.

The lemon tarts
come out of the oven,

Cool at room temperature
for 2 to 3 hours,

Then go into a freezer
overnight.

The next day, workers
remove the frozen tarts

From the pans.

They gently remove
any specks of browning,

Then spray on a light layer
of glaze made from apricots.

This adds a hint of sweetness.

The glaze also prevents
the filling from cracking

When it's thawed for serving.

Next, they put the tart
in an automated cake slicer.

The turntable rotates

As the tart
is cut into 12 slices

With papers
in between each one.

This is for restaurants

Who serve the dessert
by the slice.

Workers embellish each slice

With a flower
made of buttercream,

A decadent mixture of butter,
egg whites, and sugar.

They complete each flower

With a dot of lemon filling
in the center.

This lemon tart is finished.

They wrap it
in a cardboard cake band

Printed with the brand name.

They seal the tart
in plastic film,

Insert it into a retail box,

And ship it frozen
to a store or restaurant.

To serve this tasty dessert,

You simply defrost
at room temperature

For about a half hour.

Narrator: toy soldiers
aren't just for children.

They're a hobby for grown-ups
that dates back over a century.

The science-fiction novelist
h.g. Wells

Published the first set of rules

For toy solider w*r games
in 1913.

♪♪

The game is on.

It's time to rally the troops.

These mini soldiers are made
of either metal or plastic

And hand-painted
by the game players.

No detail is overlooked
in making these w*r figures

True to the historical period
of the game.

Players move the figures
around tabletop scenery

Like chessmen on a chess board.

And like chess,
this is a game of strategy.

It's a way to engage
in the tactical elements of w*r

Without the violence
of a real battle.

Making miniature w*r figurines

Starts with the construction
of a model.

With only one hand
and his prosthesis,

A modeler expertly bends
tin copper wire

Into a framework for the model.

Each soldier needs to be


So he shapes and trims the wire
accordingly.

Once he completes
the wire skeleton,

He sticks the leg prongs
into a cork.

This enables him to get
a firm grip on the skeleton

As he builds up the figure
with epoxy putty.

He sculpts a base layer
using a dental tool

That's usually used
for scraping plaque.

After the base layer cures,

He builds up the chest
and calf areas.

After more curing time,
he sculpts the soldier's tunic.

Using a tool with a fine point,

He pits the surface to simulate
medieval chain mail armor.

With skillful artistry,

The miniature soldier
takes shape.

He inserts a wire
into a drilled shoulder socket

And applies putty
to create a muscular effect.

He builds up the sleeve and
pierces it all the way around

To continue
the chain mail effect.

He carves the rounded rim
of the hat.

This small-scale soldier
is in fighting form.

He's used to make a mold
for tin soldiers

That will look just like him.

Meanwhile,
another member of the team

Sculpts epoxy putty models
that are three times larger.

These models are used

To mass-produce
plastic w*r figures.

Going large first
and then scaling down

Is the only way
to transfer all the details.

As he carves hair details

Into the head
of this french cavalry figure,

He's careful to not leave
any protruding bits.

Otherwise, plastic could snag
on molds made from them,

Jeopardizing the production
of the plastic versions.

With curing time between layers,

It takes about a week to sculpt
this french cavalry model.

They're ready to make molds

From the smaller scale
models now.

The mold maker
arranges the epoxy models

On a silicone rubber disk.

He presses each one
into the rubber.

The ends leave little dents.

He removes the model
and slices it into the rubber

With a surgical scalpel,

Cutting holes where the figures
have left the indentations.

He removes the silicone cutouts,

Then carves a narrow channel
to connect the two slots.

He inserts the model
into the niche.

He repeats this process
with the other soldiers

On the disk,

Then places the disk
in a preheated steel vessel.

He puts a lid on the vessel

And transfers it
to a vulcanizing press.

In the press, heated plates
squeeze it using pressure.

This softens the rubber inside,

Melting around the figures,
picking up the contours.

This transfers the disk
into a mold.

Coming up next, the miniatures

Emerge from the mold shell
battle-ready.

Narrator:
in the age of video games,

Tabletop w*r games
still have plenty of fans.

The challenge begins
with the acquisition

Of small armies of miniatures.

Players hand-paint the soldiers

And build elaborate backdrops
with scenery.

Then the games begin.

♪♪

As production continues,

The mold-maker carves channels
into the silicone disk.

He links the channels
to the impressions

Of miniature soldiers
and military machinery

That have been created
by the models.

The channels allow molten metal
to flow into the impressions

In order to cast copies.

In the storeroom,

There are thousands
of silicone molds,

Each depicting
different characters and props.

When the order comes in,

An apprentice
makes the selection.

Next, an operator puts the mold
in a casting machine.

As the mold spins
in the machine,

He adds molten tin
through an opening in the lid.

The spinning
throws the liquid tin

Into the mold crevices.

After the casting solidifies
and cools,

He extracts
the little tin soldiers.

These tin w*r figures
are on their way

To the gaming front lines.

Making plastic w*r figures
starts with an epoxy resin

For a pattern.

They add a hardener
and blend the batch

To the consistency
of pancake batter.

They transfer it
to a larger bucket

And place it
in a vacuum chamber,

Which pulls out the air.

In the process,
the epoxy swells.

Once the epoxy mixture deflates,

A team brushes it
onto sculpted military models

Arranged in a steel box.

After filling all the crevices,
they dispense more epoxy.

A chute ensures a gentle flow,

Preventing the buildup
of more bubbles.

They repeat this on the other
side of the models

To create a two-part pattern.

Once the epoxy hardens,

They mill the outside
of the pattern

To pre-determined measurements.

An employee then opens it
and discards the models.

He inspects the impressions
they've left.

They use this pattern to make
a smaller-scale mold from steel.

Using an automated saw,
they carve smaller pieces

From a block
of nickel chrome steel.

An automated milling tool
machines the smaller blocks

So the two of them
will fit together

To create one mold set.

A carriage shunts the block
back and forth

Between an abrasive wheel

To grind the surface
to precise measurements.

A mold-maker
follows the impressions

In the epoxy pattern
with a stylus,

Which moves
a needle-like cutter.

The cutter etches a template
into the steel block

That's three times smaller

Than the one
in the epoxy pattern.

Using a wand that generates
high-frequency vibrations,

He polishes the etchings
in the steel mold.

It's a gentle polish

That doesn't damage any of
the etching in the mold block.

They drill channels in the steel

To allow plastic to flow
to the impressions.

They also insert
water-cooling pipes.

They're ready to mass-produce
plastic w*r figures.

The machine melts plastic

And injects it under pressure
into the mold set.

The plastic hardens,
and the machine

Ejects the little soldiers
connected by runners.

This particular production
includes miniature r*fles

And other
military paraphernalia.

They pack the plastic soldiers,
their horses, and their g*ns

Into boxes for retail

Along with instructions
for painting.

♪♪

After painting,
the plastic soldiers

And their tin comrades
are in tip-top military form

And ready for battle.

There will be casualties.

But of course,
it's all just for fun.

These miniature w*r figures
are survivors.

They will live on
to fight many more battles.