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--captions by vitac--
Www.Vitac.Com
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Captions paid for by
Discovery communications
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Narrator: while the pill bottle
Isn't yet passé,
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00:00:53,931 --> 00:00:57,517
We're seeing many medications
Being sold in blister packs --
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00:00:57,517 --> 00:01:00,862
Those cards on which
Each pill is lined up in a row
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And encased
In a packaging bubble.
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To take your medication,
You simply press the blister
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00:01:05,275 --> 00:01:08,793
And push out the pill
Through the breakable backing.
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00:01:12,482 --> 00:01:14,896
Blister packaging
Prevents moisture and air
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00:01:14,896 --> 00:01:17,137
From coming into contact
With the medicine.
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00:01:17,137 --> 00:01:19,724
The package
Is comprised of two layers --
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00:01:19,724 --> 00:01:22,482
Typically, an aluminum foil
Sheet called the lidding
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00:01:22,482 --> 00:01:26,827
And a pvc plastic sheet
With rows of blisters.
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00:01:26,827 --> 00:01:29,724
Once the manufacturer designs
The packaging format,
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00:01:29,724 --> 00:01:31,310
The engineering department
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00:01:31,310 --> 00:01:33,758
Tailor-makes the tools
To produce it.
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00:01:33,758 --> 00:01:36,103
This computer-guided mill
Creates the die
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00:01:36,103 --> 00:01:39,379
That will form the blisters
In the pvc sheet.
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00:01:41,413 --> 00:01:44,793
They mount the die on a machine
Called a thermoformer.
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As the pvc sheet
Enters the machine,
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00:01:47,379 --> 00:01:50,758
An oven heats it up,
Making it soft and malleable.
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00:01:55,379 --> 00:01:57,275
The die then strikes it,
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00:01:57,275 --> 00:01:59,931
Imprinting
The pattern of circles.
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00:01:59,931 --> 00:02:03,000
A split second after
The forming station closes,
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00:02:03,000 --> 00:02:07,206
A blast of air forms the circles
Into raised blisters.
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00:02:07,206 --> 00:02:09,862
Refrigerated plates
Then sandwich the sheet,
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00:02:09,862 --> 00:02:11,896
Setting the new shape.
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00:02:14,103 --> 00:02:16,413
The pills arrive
At the packaging facility
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00:02:16,413 --> 00:02:17,827
In bulk containers.
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00:02:17,827 --> 00:02:21,551
Workers sift off any pill dust
That may have formed,
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00:02:21,551 --> 00:02:25,034
Give the pills
A preliminary inspection,
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00:02:25,034 --> 00:02:27,379
Then load them
Into a large hopper.
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00:02:27,379 --> 00:02:30,517
If they were shipped with
Any moisture-absorption packets,
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00:02:30,517 --> 00:02:33,379
An employee
Now removes and discards them.
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00:02:36,310 --> 00:02:39,586
The hopper
Feeds the packaging machine.
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00:02:39,586 --> 00:02:41,586
The blister sheets move through
Open side up
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00:02:41,586 --> 00:02:43,172
So that the pills fall right in.
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00:02:43,172 --> 00:02:44,931
Rotating brushes and paddles
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00:02:44,931 --> 00:02:47,793
Dispense the pills
Into the passing cavities,
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00:02:47,793 --> 00:02:51,620
Which are designed to fit no
More than one pill per blister.
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00:02:55,517 --> 00:02:58,068
An inspector
Fills any empty blisters
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00:02:58,068 --> 00:03:00,103
While a sophisticated
Vision system
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00:03:00,103 --> 00:03:02,586
Detects
Any broken or chipped pills,
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Flagging them
To be rejected later.
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00:03:09,827 --> 00:03:12,241
The blisters
Enter a seal station,
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00:03:12,241 --> 00:03:14,655
Where they're mated
With the foil lidding.
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00:03:16,724 --> 00:03:18,482
One side of the lidding
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00:03:18,482 --> 00:03:21,517
Is printed beforehand
With product information.
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00:03:21,517 --> 00:03:23,413
To make the printing plate,
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00:03:23,413 --> 00:03:26,965
Technicians mount a blank
Rubber mat on a cylinder.
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00:03:29,034 --> 00:03:31,034
As the cylinder revolves,
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00:03:31,034 --> 00:03:33,724
A powerful laser
Cuts away at the rubber
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00:03:33,724 --> 00:03:35,758
Until the information
To be printed
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00:03:35,758 --> 00:03:37,965
Appears in raised lettering,
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00:03:37,965 --> 00:03:40,172
Just like
A traditional rubber stamp.
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00:03:40,172 --> 00:03:41,862
They transfer this rubber plate
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00:03:41,862 --> 00:03:44,448
To the packaging line's
Printing station,
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00:03:44,448 --> 00:03:46,413
Where the rubber plate
Picks up ink
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00:03:46,413 --> 00:03:48,034
And rolls it onto the lidding.
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00:03:48,034 --> 00:03:49,413
The ink dries
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00:03:49,413 --> 00:03:51,517
By the time the lidding
Reaches the sealing station,
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00:03:51,517 --> 00:03:54,000
Where lidding
And blister sheet meet.
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00:03:57,517 --> 00:04:02,103
The next station simultaneously
Applies pressure and heat.
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00:04:02,103 --> 00:04:04,103
This activates
An adhesive on the lidding,
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00:04:04,103 --> 00:04:05,758
Heat-sealing the sheets
Together.
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00:04:09,620 --> 00:04:12,862
Then, refrigerated plates
Cool the surfaces
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00:04:12,862 --> 00:04:14,724
To set the adhesive.
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00:04:14,724 --> 00:04:17,620
Here a die punches the hole
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00:04:17,620 --> 00:04:19,620
Through which
The blister pack will lock
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00:04:19,620 --> 00:04:22,586
Into a childproof case.
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00:04:22,586 --> 00:04:26,793
Then another die punches the
Individual blister packs apart.
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00:04:26,793 --> 00:04:29,724
Vacuum arms transfer the packs
To a single-file conveyer belt,
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00:04:29,724 --> 00:04:31,724
Dropping any packs
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00:04:31,724 --> 00:04:34,724
Which the vision system
Identified for rejection.
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00:04:36,517 --> 00:04:39,689
This automated arm sets
Childproof cases on a track
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00:04:39,689 --> 00:04:40,965
Moving in parallel
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00:04:40,965 --> 00:04:43,655
To the conveyer
That holds the blister packs.
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00:04:43,655 --> 00:04:45,551
Then a loading arm
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00:04:45,551 --> 00:04:48,551
Slides a blister pack
Into each plastic case,
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00:04:48,551 --> 00:04:51,620
Mating the hole in the pack
To the case's internal lock.
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00:04:54,620 --> 00:04:57,724
Finally, an applicator
Places an adhesive label,
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Bearing all the required
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00:04:59,310 --> 00:05:01,379
Identification
And safety information
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00:05:01,379 --> 00:05:03,931
Onto each passing case.
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00:05:06,655 --> 00:05:10,586
Random samples undergo a series
Of quality-control checks.
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00:05:10,586 --> 00:05:13,137
In this test
For water- and air-tightness,
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00:05:13,137 --> 00:05:16,793
Technicians submerge
The blister pack in blue dye
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00:05:16,793 --> 00:05:18,724
And apply a vacuum.
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00:05:18,724 --> 00:05:20,344
Any dye penetrating the pack
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00:05:20,344 --> 00:05:22,448
Would indicate
A hole in a blister
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00:05:22,448 --> 00:05:25,517
Or a flaw in the seal
Between the plastic and lidding.
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00:05:28,965 --> 00:05:32,068
Should a particular medication
Require extra protection,
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The blister pack can,
For example,
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00:05:34,034 --> 00:05:36,103
Be made of light-resistant
Materials
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Or contain
An extra moisture barrier.
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Narrator: invented in holland
In 1898, the deli slicer
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00:05:55,448 --> 00:05:58,241
Launched a revolution
Behind the meat counter.
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00:05:58,241 --> 00:05:59,931
No longer was it necessary
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00:05:59,931 --> 00:06:03,034
To carve meats and cheeses
Entirely by hand.
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00:06:03,034 --> 00:06:04,689
With a turn of a crank,
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00:06:04,689 --> 00:06:08,103
The deli slicer produced
Precise cuts in a jiffy.
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00:06:13,275 --> 00:06:16,000
The modern deli slicer
Is powered by electricity,
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00:06:16,000 --> 00:06:18,413
With a manual override
For the carriage
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00:06:18,413 --> 00:06:20,793
That delivers food
To a spinning blade.
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00:06:26,965 --> 00:06:29,724
Production begins
With a cast aluminum base.
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00:06:29,724 --> 00:06:31,965
A worker installs
A cam mechanism
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00:06:31,965 --> 00:06:33,586
That is part of a system
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00:06:33,586 --> 00:06:35,931
For adjusting
The thickness of the slice.
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00:06:35,931 --> 00:06:39,620
He threads wiring, connected
To an on/off indicator light,
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00:06:39,620 --> 00:06:42,034
Through holes in the base.
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00:06:42,034 --> 00:06:44,413
Then he screws an index knob
Onto the shaft
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00:06:44,413 --> 00:06:47,068
Protruding from the cam
Mechanism installed earlier.
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00:06:50,068 --> 00:06:53,896
An important warning label
Comes next.
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00:06:53,896 --> 00:06:57,448
Then he seals the gap around
The blade shaft with silicone
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00:06:57,448 --> 00:07:01,517
And removes the excess
With soapy water.
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00:07:01,517 --> 00:07:05,517
Next up is the wiring
For the slicer motor.
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00:07:05,517 --> 00:07:07,931
She clamps the wires together
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00:07:07,931 --> 00:07:10,310
And bolts the clamps to
The inside of the aluminum base.
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00:07:13,172 --> 00:07:17,689
She inserts the on/off switch
And the plastic trim,
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00:07:17,689 --> 00:07:20,551
Then attaches a device
That will slide
121
00:07:20,551 --> 00:07:24,310
To adjust the gap between
The gauge plate and the blade,
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00:07:24,310 --> 00:07:26,862
Thereby controlling
The thickness of the cut.
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00:07:28,931 --> 00:07:31,310
The deli slicer is ready
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00:07:31,310 --> 00:07:33,827
For the slide rod
And carriage sub assembly
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00:07:33,827 --> 00:07:37,137
That will deliver food
To the spinning blade.
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00:07:37,137 --> 00:07:39,482
The carriage will move
Across a track
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00:07:39,482 --> 00:07:43,310
That she now attaches
To the lip of the base.
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00:07:43,310 --> 00:07:48,000
She tests the carriage assembly
To confirm that it's on track.
129
00:07:49,827 --> 00:07:51,241
The next worker
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00:07:51,241 --> 00:07:55,241
Secures the blade motor
To the wiring with bolts.
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00:07:55,241 --> 00:07:59,689
He connects the motor to the
Blade shaft with a drive belt.
132
00:08:01,379 --> 00:08:03,655
Operating the motor
Allows him to observe
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00:08:03,655 --> 00:08:05,931
The drive belt and pulleys
In action,
134
00:08:05,931 --> 00:08:08,344
Confirming that they operate
Smoothly.
135
00:08:10,551 --> 00:08:12,655
Once the gauge plate
Is installed,
136
00:08:12,655 --> 00:08:15,068
They move on
To making the blade.
137
00:08:16,793 --> 00:08:19,793
Computer-guided cutters
Slope the steel surface
138
00:08:19,793 --> 00:08:22,965
And carve a precise bevel
Onto the rim.
139
00:08:25,448 --> 00:08:27,344
It goes from a rough blank
140
00:08:27,344 --> 00:08:31,482
To a precisely shaped blade
In just minutes.
141
00:08:31,482 --> 00:08:34,241
The next worker etches the
Company logo and production date
142
00:08:34,241 --> 00:08:37,379
Into the blade metal.
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00:08:37,379 --> 00:08:39,862
Another lathe
Pre-sharpens the blade
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00:08:39,862 --> 00:08:41,896
To the point where
It could cut through something
145
00:08:41,896 --> 00:08:44,275
As fine as several thousandths
Of an inch.
146
00:08:51,448 --> 00:08:54,000
A worker slides the blade
Onto the drive shaft
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00:08:54,000 --> 00:08:57,034
And secures it in place
With a nut.
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00:09:00,206 --> 00:09:02,793
He now checks the alignment
Of the gauge plate
149
00:09:02,793 --> 00:09:04,896
In relation to the blade.
150
00:09:04,896 --> 00:09:07,586
He turns the thickness mechanism
To close the gap
151
00:09:07,586 --> 00:09:09,344
And checks it again.
152
00:09:09,344 --> 00:09:10,793
With a dial indicator,
153
00:09:10,793 --> 00:09:13,862
He measures the position of
The blade even more precisely.
154
00:09:13,862 --> 00:09:15,206
This tool confirms
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00:09:15,206 --> 00:09:17,620
That the blade is in
The exact position for cutting
156
00:09:17,620 --> 00:09:20,965
And that it won't lose
That position once activated.
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00:09:20,965 --> 00:09:24,172
This deli slicer comes with
Its own sharpening system,
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00:09:24,172 --> 00:09:27,241
A grinding wheel
In protective casing.
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00:09:27,241 --> 00:09:29,448
He mounts the grinder
And activates it
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00:09:29,448 --> 00:09:32,103
To hone the edge
To razor-sharpness.
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00:09:32,103 --> 00:09:35,758
When the blade cuts
Through tissue paper cleanly,
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00:09:35,758 --> 00:09:38,448
It's ready
For real slicing action.
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00:09:40,206 --> 00:09:43,896
A worker screws the arm for the
Sliding tray to the carriage.
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00:09:45,551 --> 00:09:48,241
He uses a spacer disc to
Establish the correct distance
165
00:09:48,241 --> 00:09:51,620
Between the food tray
And the blade.
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00:09:51,620 --> 00:09:54,620
He sets the food tray on the arm
167
00:09:54,620 --> 00:09:57,413
And checks the gap
Between it and the blade.
168
00:09:57,413 --> 00:09:59,724
Once the two
Are correctly aligned,
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00:09:59,724 --> 00:10:01,275
He removes the spacer
170
00:10:01,275 --> 00:10:04,137
And latches the safety guard
To the blade.
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00:10:04,137 --> 00:10:08,241
And now for a test, verifying
That the tray doesn't drag
172
00:10:08,241 --> 00:10:11,000
Or scrape
Against the blade guard.
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00:10:11,000 --> 00:10:15,689
Below, they've installed rods to
Move the carriage on the track.
174
00:10:15,689 --> 00:10:17,758
The system can be
Manually operated
175
00:10:17,758 --> 00:10:19,827
Or driven by a second motor.
176
00:10:19,827 --> 00:10:24,896
Finally, a worker cleans the
Slicing machine until it gleams.
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00:10:24,896 --> 00:10:28,517
At 135 pounds, this deli slicer
Is no lightweight,
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00:10:28,517 --> 00:10:32,724
So they use a crane to lower it
Into the packing box.
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00:10:33,689 --> 00:10:35,172
Hefty and heavy duty,
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00:10:35,172 --> 00:10:37,827
This deli slicer
Should have what it takes
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00:10:37,827 --> 00:10:41,000
To cut it at the meat market.
182
00:10:51,137 --> 00:10:53,551
Narrator: oysters
Are a versatile shellfish.
183
00:10:53,551 --> 00:10:56,413
You can bake them,
Boil them, smoke them,
184
00:10:56,413 --> 00:10:59,137
Or eat them raw
Right from the shell.
185
00:10:59,137 --> 00:11:02,068
Over the years,
Wild oyster stocks have declined
186
00:11:02,068 --> 00:11:04,103
Due to overfishing
And pollution.
187
00:11:04,103 --> 00:11:09,862
So today, 95% of the oysters we
Consume come from oyster farms.
188
00:11:11,448 --> 00:11:13,620
Oysters are filter feeders,
189
00:11:13,620 --> 00:11:16,034
Meaning they draw seawater
Over their gills
190
00:11:16,034 --> 00:11:18,103
To trap and eat
The phytoplankton --
191
00:11:18,103 --> 00:11:21,068
Microscopic aquatic organisms.
192
00:11:21,068 --> 00:11:22,827
An adult oyster can filter
193
00:11:22,827 --> 00:11:25,689
More than five quarts
Of seawater per hour.
194
00:11:25,689 --> 00:11:29,379
Oyster farms are located
In or by the sea
195
00:11:29,379 --> 00:11:32,793
Because the oysters need to feed
Off seawater to survive.
196
00:11:32,793 --> 00:11:35,413
The hatchery keeps the oysters
In upwellers --
197
00:11:35,413 --> 00:11:39,103
Mesh-bottom buckets
Sitting in seawater.
198
00:11:39,103 --> 00:11:41,482
Oysters can reproduce
Once they're six months old.
199
00:11:41,482 --> 00:11:45,896
However, the ideal breeding age
Is between two and 10 years.
200
00:11:45,896 --> 00:11:50,172
At breeding time, workers put
The oysters into breeding trays,
201
00:11:50,172 --> 00:11:53,724
Oscillating the temperature
Between 68° and 86°
202
00:11:53,724 --> 00:11:55,551
To stimulate spawning.
203
00:11:55,551 --> 00:11:59,793
The females squirt out eggs,
The males squirt out semen,
204
00:11:59,793 --> 00:12:03,551
And 16 hours later, the
Fertilized eggs hatch larvae.
205
00:12:05,034 --> 00:12:07,275
Right from birth,
The oysters feed
206
00:12:07,275 --> 00:12:10,482
On a blend of the phytoplankton
They'd eat in the wild.
207
00:12:10,482 --> 00:12:13,827
The hatchery dilutes
This plankton mix in seawater
208
00:12:13,827 --> 00:12:16,206
And pumps it
To the oyster containers.
209
00:12:16,206 --> 00:12:18,758
Marine biologists
Manage the ponds
210
00:12:18,758 --> 00:12:22,827
In which the hatchery
Grows its phytoplankton supply.
211
00:12:22,827 --> 00:12:26,310
The larvae are so tiny,
You can't see them in the water.
212
00:12:26,310 --> 00:12:29,551
They're visible
Only under a microscope.
213
00:12:29,551 --> 00:12:31,137
Right from the time they hatch,
214
00:12:31,137 --> 00:12:33,310
They already have a shell
And can swim.
215
00:12:33,310 --> 00:12:34,655
By about the two-week mark,
216
00:12:34,655 --> 00:12:36,689
They've grown
To the size of a speck,
217
00:12:36,689 --> 00:12:39,379
About 1/64 of an inch long.
218
00:12:39,379 --> 00:12:44,379
However, now they act like
Miniature adults and stay put.
219
00:12:44,379 --> 00:12:47,068
The hatchery keeps them in
Suspension in circulating water
220
00:12:47,068 --> 00:12:50,482
So they have an ample supply
Of food and oxygen.
221
00:12:50,482 --> 00:12:52,172
As they grow,
222
00:12:52,172 --> 00:12:55,206
They're transferred
To progressively larger bottles.
223
00:12:55,206 --> 00:12:57,517
By the time
They're four to six weeks old,
224
00:12:57,517 --> 00:12:59,344
They're ready
To leave the hatchery
225
00:12:59,344 --> 00:13:03,689
And move to the oyster farm.
226
00:13:03,689 --> 00:13:06,000
The farm floats in a harbor.
227
00:13:06,000 --> 00:13:11,034
The baby oysters arriving are
A tiny fraction of an inch long.
228
00:13:11,034 --> 00:13:13,344
They go into upwellers.
229
00:13:13,344 --> 00:13:15,275
Pipes circulate seawater,
230
00:13:15,275 --> 00:13:20,000
And the babies filter-feed
On the natural phytoplankton.
231
00:13:20,000 --> 00:13:21,689
Over the next six weeks or so,
232
00:13:21,689 --> 00:13:25,896
They quadruple in size to about
2/10 of an inch in length.
233
00:13:28,172 --> 00:13:31,000
Workers then pack them
In plastic mesh bags,
234
00:13:31,000 --> 00:13:33,344
Stack the bags on metal racks,
235
00:13:33,344 --> 00:13:36,206
And suspend the racks
In the sea.
236
00:13:36,206 --> 00:13:39,103
The oysters live like that
For three months,
237
00:13:39,103 --> 00:13:42,517
Getting transferred into
Progressively larger mesh bags
238
00:13:42,517 --> 00:13:44,758
As they grow.
239
00:13:44,758 --> 00:13:47,931
Halfway into it,
The oysters are this big --
240
00:13:47,931 --> 00:13:49,931
About 8/10 of an inch long.
241
00:13:49,931 --> 00:13:52,655
By the end of three months,
They're double this size,
242
00:13:52,655 --> 00:13:54,724
Grown up enough to leave home
243
00:13:54,724 --> 00:13:57,310
And venture out
Into the real world.
244
00:13:57,310 --> 00:13:59,620
Workers lay them
On the sea floor
245
00:13:59,620 --> 00:14:03,068
And leave them for six months
To reach harvest size,
246
00:14:03,068 --> 00:14:05,482
Which is determined
Not by length anymore,
247
00:14:05,482 --> 00:14:08,310
But by weight --
Just under three ounces.
248
00:14:08,310 --> 00:14:10,931
To finally harvest the oysters,
249
00:14:10,931 --> 00:14:12,689
They lower
A custom-built machine
250
00:14:12,689 --> 00:14:15,103
That's part dredger,
Part conveyer.
251
00:14:15,103 --> 00:14:17,103
It generates jets of water
252
00:14:17,103 --> 00:14:21,206
That blow the oysters off
The sea bed onto the conveyer.
253
00:14:21,206 --> 00:14:24,586
They travel up
Out of the water into the boat.
254
00:14:29,034 --> 00:14:31,586
That conveyer dumps the oysters
Onto another conveyer
255
00:14:31,586 --> 00:14:33,965
That leads
To the picking station.
256
00:14:36,103 --> 00:14:38,517
There, workers select
The correct size oysters
257
00:14:38,517 --> 00:14:40,586
And put them into baskets.
258
00:14:45,620 --> 00:14:47,482
Whatever
They leave on the conveyer --
259
00:14:47,482 --> 00:14:49,275
Smaller oysters, rocks,
And such --
260
00:14:49,275 --> 00:14:52,862
Continues to the end
And drops back into the water.
261
00:14:55,620 --> 00:14:57,448
Of course,
The harvesting machine misses
262
00:14:57,448 --> 00:14:59,206
Some three-ounce oysters.
263
00:14:59,206 --> 00:15:02,206
Those remain on the seabed
Sometimes for years,
264
00:15:02,206 --> 00:15:06,034
Growing larger like this guy,
Weighing about 2.2 pounds.
265
00:15:07,758 --> 00:15:10,103
Prior to sale,
The harvested oysters
266
00:15:10,103 --> 00:15:13,068
Go through a cleaning process
Called depuration.
267
00:15:13,068 --> 00:15:15,310
For 42 hours, they sit in tanks
268
00:15:15,310 --> 00:15:19,310
Filled with seawater
Sterilized by ultraviolet light.
269
00:15:19,310 --> 00:15:22,103
The oysters draw this
Clean water through their gills.
270
00:15:22,103 --> 00:15:24,724
This flushes out
All the bacteria.
271
00:15:24,724 --> 00:15:27,517
Thanks to
This depuration process,
272
00:15:27,517 --> 00:15:29,827
It's safe to eat raw oysters.
273
00:15:29,827 --> 00:15:32,310
It's taken a good 18 months
274
00:15:32,310 --> 00:15:35,793
To grow from microscopic
Organism to dining delicacy,
275
00:15:35,793 --> 00:15:39,793
Which has a refrigerated
Shelf life of about a week.
276
00:15:50,068 --> 00:15:53,068
Narrator: long before
Satellites and doppler radar,
277
00:15:53,068 --> 00:15:55,965
People relied on weathervanes
For storm tracking --
278
00:15:55,965 --> 00:15:58,586
A folk-art figure
Balanced on an axis
279
00:15:58,586 --> 00:16:02,620
Turns with the wind to indicate
Both its direction and speed.
280
00:16:02,620 --> 00:16:04,586
Though more ornamental
Than practical,
281
00:16:04,586 --> 00:16:06,103
It's still
A great way to find out
282
00:16:06,103 --> 00:16:08,344
What's in the wind,
Weather-wise.
283
00:16:11,827 --> 00:16:14,310
As it swings
With prevailing winds,
284
00:16:14,310 --> 00:16:16,965
A weathervane
Offers important clues.
285
00:16:16,965 --> 00:16:20,482
Northeast winds, for example,
Could mean a storm is brewing.
286
00:16:20,482 --> 00:16:23,172
Learn to read the signs,
And the weathervane offers
287
00:16:23,172 --> 00:16:25,310
Up-to-the-minute
Weather information.
288
00:16:25,310 --> 00:16:27,862
To make a weathervane
The old fashioned way,
289
00:16:27,862 --> 00:16:30,931
A craftsman starts
With a sheet of soft copper.
290
00:16:30,931 --> 00:16:34,517
It can be easily cut,
Bent, and shaped.
291
00:16:34,517 --> 00:16:35,827
Using electric shears,
292
00:16:35,827 --> 00:16:39,655
He slices the copper
To the appropriate size.
293
00:16:39,655 --> 00:16:43,068
Then he clamps it to a steel
Mold of a rooster body and head.
294
00:16:47,034 --> 00:16:49,896
With a rubber mallet, he now
Carefully pounds the copper
295
00:16:49,896 --> 00:16:51,517
Into the crevasses of the mold.
296
00:16:51,517 --> 00:16:54,137
This is a critical
First shaping of the copper,
297
00:16:54,137 --> 00:16:56,965
And he has to hit it with
Just the right amount of force.
298
00:16:56,965 --> 00:17:01,206
If he's too heavy-handed, he
Could break or tear the copper.
299
00:17:01,206 --> 00:17:02,551
Too little force,
300
00:17:02,551 --> 00:17:05,620
And the shape won't properly
Transfer to the metal.
301
00:17:05,620 --> 00:17:08,000
With a basic rooster shape
Now established,
302
00:17:08,000 --> 00:17:09,689
He reaches for an air hammer
303
00:17:09,689 --> 00:17:11,931
That's equipped
With a plastic tip.
304
00:17:11,931 --> 00:17:13,896
It beats the copper
Into the mold
305
00:17:13,896 --> 00:17:16,275
Thousands of times per minute.
306
00:17:18,275 --> 00:17:21,620
This transfers finer details,
Like feathers.
307
00:17:24,758 --> 00:17:26,965
And with its smooth plastic tip,
308
00:17:26,965 --> 00:17:30,206
The air hammer
Inflicts no damage.
309
00:17:30,206 --> 00:17:32,758
It takes less than 20 minutes,
310
00:17:32,758 --> 00:17:36,310
And the rooster comes to life
In copper.
311
00:17:36,310 --> 00:17:38,241
He unlocks the clamps
312
00:17:38,241 --> 00:17:40,965
And removes
The molded copper rooster.
313
00:17:40,965 --> 00:17:42,965
He'll make another one
Just like it
314
00:17:42,965 --> 00:17:44,655
For the other side
Of the weathervane.
315
00:17:44,655 --> 00:17:47,206
This will distribute
Its weight correctly
316
00:17:47,206 --> 00:17:49,862
And make it look good
From all angles.
317
00:17:51,413 --> 00:17:55,000
He then pounds copper into
The shape of the rooster's tail.
318
00:17:55,000 --> 00:17:58,862
It has generous plumage
For just the right balance.
319
00:17:58,862 --> 00:18:03,000
With a band saw, he slices
Around the molded shapes
320
00:18:03,000 --> 00:18:06,758
To remove the excess copper.
321
00:18:06,758 --> 00:18:11,068
This liberates the molded
Rooster from the matrix.
322
00:18:11,068 --> 00:18:13,758
He now trims the rooster
With a set of clippers
323
00:18:13,758 --> 00:18:16,206
To give it a cleaner edge.
324
00:18:19,172 --> 00:18:23,310
Using long clippers, he snips
Copper from inside the beak.
325
00:18:23,310 --> 00:18:25,310
This opens it up.
326
00:18:25,310 --> 00:18:27,310
Once the ragged bits
Have been trimmed,
327
00:18:27,310 --> 00:18:28,482
He's ready to match
328
00:18:28,482 --> 00:18:31,482
The two sides
Of this weathervane rooster.
329
00:18:33,344 --> 00:18:35,689
He secures it in a vise
330
00:18:35,689 --> 00:18:39,689
And cleans the seam
With a solution called flux.
331
00:18:39,689 --> 00:18:44,103
He tacks it with solder and then
Checks the evenness of the seam.
332
00:18:44,103 --> 00:18:46,344
When the two molds
Match perfectly,
333
00:18:46,344 --> 00:18:48,241
He solders the entire seam.
334
00:18:50,931 --> 00:18:54,103
This weather rooster
Is now ready for its tail.
335
00:18:54,103 --> 00:18:57,137
It will give the weathervane
A larger surface on one side,
336
00:18:57,137 --> 00:18:59,758
Offering greater resistance
To the wind.
337
00:18:59,758 --> 00:19:02,586
This will cause
The front of the weathervane
338
00:19:02,586 --> 00:19:04,620
To point into the wind.
339
00:19:04,620 --> 00:19:07,655
He inserts the weathervane axis
340
00:19:07,655 --> 00:19:10,517
Through the rooster's foot,
Into the cavity,
341
00:19:10,517 --> 00:19:14,379
And it emerges
From the back of the neck.
342
00:19:14,379 --> 00:19:18,344
He pounds the top of the shaft
Flush to the surface
343
00:19:18,344 --> 00:19:23,068
And then solders it in place
For a permanent installation.
344
00:19:23,068 --> 00:19:24,724
For some extra pizzazz,
345
00:19:24,724 --> 00:19:28,344
He slides a decorative
Copper ball up the turning rod,
346
00:19:28,344 --> 00:19:30,758
Resting it
Just below the rooster foot.
347
00:19:30,758 --> 00:19:32,827
He secures it with solder.
348
00:19:34,551 --> 00:19:37,689
He now cuts out
The feathered end for an arrow.
349
00:19:37,689 --> 00:19:39,103
It's known as the fletching,
350
00:19:39,103 --> 00:19:41,413
And it will help balance
The weathervane.
351
00:19:43,379 --> 00:19:45,379
He turns the crank of a press
352
00:19:45,379 --> 00:19:48,379
To roll numerous creases
Into the fletching.
353
00:19:48,379 --> 00:19:51,000
The creases mimic feather lines.
354
00:19:54,068 --> 00:19:57,241
He solders the feathered end
To the pointed shaft.
355
00:19:57,241 --> 00:19:59,206
It has a hole for installing it
356
00:19:59,206 --> 00:20:01,620
Onto the weathervane's
Turning rod.
357
00:20:01,620 --> 00:20:04,655
As the weathervane spins
With the prevailing wind,
358
00:20:04,655 --> 00:20:07,344
The arrow will point
In its direction.
359
00:20:07,344 --> 00:20:11,103
A waddle below the beak
And a comb atop his head,
360
00:20:11,103 --> 00:20:14,379
And this rooster
Is ready to rule the roof.
361
00:20:14,379 --> 00:20:17,379
Exposure to the elements
Will weather the copper
362
00:20:17,379 --> 00:20:19,551
And give it a blue-green patina.
363
00:20:19,551 --> 00:20:21,586
For customers who don't
Want to wait a few years
364
00:20:21,586 --> 00:20:23,068
For this to happen,
365
00:20:23,068 --> 00:20:28,379
Instant results can be achieved
By applying a special acid.
366
00:20:28,379 --> 00:20:29,896
Depending on its complexity,
367
00:20:29,896 --> 00:20:33,482
A copper weathervane can take
Up to two days to build.
368
00:20:33,482 --> 00:20:36,620
With luck, it could last
A century or more.
369
00:20:36,620 --> 00:20:37,896
Like the weather,
370
00:20:37,896 --> 00:20:40,448
Predicting a weathervane's
Long-term viability
371
00:20:40,448 --> 00:20:43,068
Is not an exact science.
372
00:20:51,275 --> 00:20:53,758
If you have any comments
About the show
373
00:20:53,758 --> 00:20:56,172
Or if you'd like to suggest
Topics for future shows,
374
00:20:56,172 --> 00:20:58,344
Drop us a line at...
30257
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