Original subtitles

Narrator: AN AIRBOAT IS A FLAT-BOTTOMED VESSEL

WITH A HUGE PROPELLER AT THE BACK.

ALL OF THE BOAT'S MECHANICS ARE ABOVE THE WATER LINE,

AND JUST A BIT OF THE HULL RESTS BELOW.

THIS MAKES THE AIRBOAT THE PREFERRED MODE OF TRANSPORT

THROUGH SHALLOW WATER, PARTICULARLY MARSHES AND SWAMPS.

TO STEER AN AIRBOAT,

LARGE VERTICAL RUDDERS DIRECT THE PROPELLERS' AIRFLOW.

AT FULL SPEED, AN AIRBOAT CAN HIT 62 MILES PER HOUR.

THE BOAT'S HULL IS MADE OF ALUMINUM

THAT'S ABOUT 2/10 OF AN INCH THICK.

WORKERS STIFFEN THE HULL'S BOTTOM PLATE

WITH ALUMINUM "T" BARS POSITIONED 7 INCHES APART.

AFTER THEY CLAMP THE "T" BARS,

A JIG DESCENDS TO HOLD EVERYTHING STEADY

AS WORKERS WELD ON THE STRIPS.

NEXT, THEY WELD ON ALUMINUM SHEETS

TO FORM THE SIDES OF THE HULL.

AT THE FRONT, THEY PUSH THE BOTTOM UP FOR WELDING,

GIVING THE BOAT A CURVED BOW.

THEY COMPLETE THE HULL

BY WELDING ON A SHEET ACROSS THE BACK TO FORM THE TRANSOM.

TO THAT, THEY WELD A SPLASH PLATE

THAT PREVENTS WATER FROM COMING OVER THE EDGE

INTO THE BACK OF THE BOAT.

NEXT, THEY WELD VARIOUS PARTS TO THE FRONT OF THE BOAT

TO REINFORCE IT STRUCTURALLY

AND TO CREATE A COVERED STORAGE AREA.

ONCE THAT'S DONE,

THEY SCREW A THICK SHEET OF HIGH-RESISTANCE POLYMER

TO THE BOTTOM OF THE HULL.

SHOULD THE BOAT SCRAPE AGAINST A ROCK,

THIS LAYER WILL SHIELD THE HULL FROM DAMAGE.

ONCE THAT'S SECURED,

THEY PAINT THE INSIDE OF THE BOAT

WITH A BLEND OF EPOXY AND PAINT.

THIS FORMS A LAYER OF WHAT THEY CALL "WEBBING."

ON THE OUTSIDE OF THE BOAT,

THEY APPLY A COAT OF PRIMER

FOLLOWED BY TWO COATS OF DURABLE MARINE PAINT.

MEANWHILE, OTHERS HAVE CONSTRUCTED

AND PAINTED THE BOAT'S ABOVE-WATER STRUCTURE

OUT OF STEEL OR ALUMINUM TUBES.

THE RIGGING, AS THE STRUCTURE'S CALLED,

SUPPORTS THE MECHANICS, TWO FIBERGLASS SEATS,

AND THE INSTRUMENT PANEL.

THEY MOUNT A BELT-DRIVEN REDUCTION UNIT

TO THE BOAT'S GASOLINE ENGINE.

THIS UNIT REDUCES THE PROPELLER SPEED

IN CONJUNCTION WITH A PREASSEMBLED SET OF GEARS.

WITHOUT IT, THE PROPELLER WOULD TURN

AT THE SAME RATE AS THE ENGINE.

THIS WOULD EXCEED THE PROPELLER'S OPERATING LIMITS

AND DESTROY IT.

THE ENGINE IS NOW READY

TO TAKE ITS PLACE AT THE REAR OF THE RIGGING.

HEAVY-DUTY BOLTS SECURE IT.

UNDER THE ENGINE GOES A 50-GALLON FUEL TANK --

AT THE VERY BACK, AN ALUMINUM RADIATOR.

THEN THEY BOLT THE RIGGING TO THE HULL'S "T" BARS.

NEXT COMES A FLOOR PANEL AND A 3-PASSENGER BENCH SEAT

WITH A STORAGE COMPARTMENT UNDERNEATH.

THE BOAT'S EXHAUST SYSTEM

CONSISTS OF STAINLESS-STEEL PIPE,

WHICH ATTACHES WITH BAND CLAMPS

TO A HEADER COMING OFF THE ENGINE.

THE OTHER END LEADS TO A STAINLESS-STEEL MUFFLER.

FROM THAT, AN EXHAUST PIPE RUNS OUT THE REAR OF THE BOAT.

NEXT, THEY MOUNT THE PROPELLER GUARD,

A STAINLESS-STEEL SAFETY CAGE

THAT SURROUNDS THE ENGINE AND PROPELLER.

THE THREE PROPELLER BLADES ARE MADE OF CARBON FIBER.

ALUMINUM RUDDERS STEER THE BOAT

BY DIRECTING THE PROPELLERS' AIRFLOW.

CABLES OR RODS CONNECT THE RUDDERS TO A CONTROL STICK.

SMALLER AIRBOATS, LIKE THIS ONE,

ARE IDEAL FOR HUNTING AND FISHING.

THERE ARE ALSO MUCH LARGER PLEASURE MODELS

THAT CAN CARRY 18 OR MORE PASSENGERS ON EXCURSIONS.

Narrator: HISTORIANS BELIEVE

CONSUMPTION OF THIS COMMON VEGETABLE

DATES BACK TO PREHISTORIC TIMES, WHEN IT GREW IN THE WILD.

MAN EVENTUALLY LEARNED TO CULTIVATE ONIONS,

AND THIS STRONG-TASTING PLANT BULB

BECAME A FOOD STAPLE OF MANY ANCIENT CIVILIZATIONS

THROUGHOUT THE WORLD.

IN ANCIENT EGYPT, THE ONION WAS AN OBJECT OF WORSHIP,

THE INNER STRUCTURE OF CONCENTRIC RINGS

SYMBOLIZING THE ETERNAL CIRCLE OF LIFE.

TODAY MECHANICAL HARVESTERS PULL THE BULBS OUT OF THE GROUND

AND LAY THEM OUT IN ROWS.

AFTER DRYING FOR A DAY OR TWO,

A TRACTOR COLLECTS THEM INTO LARGE BASKETS FOR STORAGE.

TO PREVENT SPOILAGE,

THE ONIONS ARE STORED AT BETWEEN 34 AND 36 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT.

WHEN THEY ARRIVE FROM THE FIELD,

THEIR FIRST STOP IS A COOLING TUNNEL

FROM WHICH POWERFUL FANS REMOVE THE HEAT.

THE VEGETABLES TAKE ABOUT FIVE HOURS

TO COOL DOWN TO THE STORAGE TEMPERATURE.

THE GROWER SEPARATES THE ONIONS ACCORDING TO VARIETY AND SIZE,

THEN EITHER BAGS THEM FOR SALE WHOLE

OR SELLS THEM TO A PROCESSING PLANT.

AT THE PROCESSING PLANT,

WORKERS LOAD THE ONIONS ON A CONVEYER

THAT LEADS TO THE PEELING AND CUTTING STATIONS.

A CUTTER CHOPS OFF EACH BULB'S TOP AND TAIL SIMULTANEOUSLY.

IT ALSO SCORES THE SKIN TO PREP IT FOR PEELING.

THE ONIONS THEN MOVE INTO A CUSTOM-DESIGNED PEELING MACHINE.

IT USES A COMBINATION OF AIR AND WATER PRESSURE

TO BLOW OFF THE SKIN.

THE ONIONS THEN ROLL OFF THE PEELER

AND PASS BEFORE QUALITY-CONTROL WORKERS

WHO SWIFTLY CUT AWAY BRUISES AND ANY OTHER IMPERFECTIONS

AS WELL AS ANYTHING THE CUTTER AND PEELER MIGHT HAVE MISSED.

THE NEXT MACHINE RINSES THE ONIONS

WITH COLD, OZONATED WATER THAT KILLS BACTERIA.

THEN THE ONIONS PASS THROUGH A METAL DETECTOR,

JUST AS A PRECAUTIONARY MEASURE.

AT THIS POINT, THERE'S A FORK IN THE PROCESSING ROAD.

ONE DIRECTION LEADS TO SLICING, THE OTHER TO DICING.

ON THE SLICING LINE,

WORKERS LOAD THE ONIONS INTO TUBES

THAT FEED SLICING BLADES.

THESE BLADES ARE ADJUSTABLE TO OUTPUT SLICES

ANYWHERE FROM 1 1/2 TO 25 MILLIMETERS THICK.

WORKERS GATHER UP THE COMPLETE SLICES

AND FILL 5-POUND PLASTIC TRAYS.

A CONVEYER MOVES THE TRAYS THROUGH A MACHINE

THAT SEALS THEM WITH PLASTIC FILM.

THE FILM HAS MICROPERFORATIONS

DESIGNED TO ALLOW IN JUST THE RIGHT AMOUNT OF OXYGEN

TO KEEP THE ONIONS FRESH.

ON THE DICING LINE, MEANWHILE,

THE ONIONS COLLIDE HEAD-ON WITH A ROTARY BLADE

THAT CHOPS THEM TO BITS

RANGING FROM 3 TO 25 MILLIMETERS IN DIAMETER.

THE DICED ONIONS THEN GO FOR A BATH IN COLD WATER.

CHOPPING AN ONION RELEASES JUICE FROM ITS TISSUE,

PAVING THE WAY FOR BACTERIA TO GROW.

THIS COLD-WATER TREATMENT REVERSES THE DAMAGE,

RESTORING SHELF LIFE.

NEXT, AN ESCALATOR TRANSPORTS THEM

FROM A SPIN DRYER TO THE PACKAGING DEPARTMENT.

THERE AN AUTOMATIC SCALE

PORTIONS OUT THE SPECIFIC WEIGHT THEY'RE PACKAGING

IN THIS PRODUCTION RUN.

WHEN THE TARGET WEIGHT IS REACHED,

A TRAPDOOR SWINGS OPEN,

DROPPING THE PORTION INTO THE WAITING PACKAGE.

RESTAURANTS BUY THEIR DICED ONIONS IN JUMBO-SIZED BAGS.

THE FILLING MACHINE

AUTOMATICALLY FORMS PLASTIC INTO A BAG,

ADDS A ZIPPER CLOSURE, THEN SEALS THE BAG.

FOR GROCERY STORES,

THE FACTORY PACKAGES SMALLER QUANTITIES

OF BOTH DICED AND SLICED ONIONS IN PLASTIC CONTAINERS.

KEPT IN THE FRIDGE, THEY REMAIN FRESH

FOR AT LEAST A COUPLE OF WEEKS.

FOR BUSY COOKS, IT'S A CONVENIENT, NO-TEARS TIME-SAVER.

Narrator: BUILDING COMPLEX SHAPES OUT OF METAL

TYPICALLY REQUIRES WEEKS OF MANUFACTURING,

USING TAILOR-MADE CASTS OR PRECISE MACHINING TECHNIQUES.

BUT 3-D METAL PRINTERS ARE FASTER AND CHEAPER.

THEY BUILD OBJECTS

FROM SUCCESSIVE LAYERS OF METAL POWDER,

WHICH ARE THEN FUSED TOGETHER AT HIGH TEMPERATURES.

3-D METAL PRINTING MAKES IT EASY

TO MANUFACTURE COMPLEX METAL SHAPES

USING A FULLY AUTOMATED PROCESS.

EVERY ITEM STARTS WITH A COMPUTER MODEL OF THE OBJECT.

THIS IS THE BUILD BOX IN WHICH THE OBJECT WILL BE CREATED.

A TECHNICIAN PLUGS IN ELECTRIC HEATERS

AND POURS SUPERFINE STAINLESS-STEEL POWDER

INTO THE BOX.

THE HEAT WILL KEEP THE METAL POWDER FROM CLUMPING.

HE PUSHES THE BOX INTO THE MACHINE,

THEN FILLS THE FEED BOX WITH MORE STAINLESS-STEEL POWDER,

WHICH WILL BE NEEDED LATER IN THE PROCESS.

THE MACHINE SPREADS THE FIRST LAYER

OF STAINLESS-STEEL POWDER IN THE BUILD BOX.

TUBES CARRY A BINDING SUBSTANCE TO THE MACHINE'S PRINTHEAD.

THIS BINDER ACTS LIKE A WEAK GLUE

AND IS INJECTED IN VERY NARROW JETS BY THE PRINTHEAD.

AS THE PRINTHEAD MOVES BACK AND FORTH

OVER THE STAINLESS-STEEL POWDER BED,

IT DEPOSITS BINDER AT THE EXACT LOCATIONS

SPECIFIED BY THE COMPUTER.

AS SOON AS THE PRINTHEAD

HAS FINISHED PRINTING A FULL SLICE OF THE OBJECT,

POWERFUL OVERHEAD HEATERS ENSURE THE LAYER IS COMPLETELY DRY.

A ROLLER APPLIES A NEW LAYER OF POWDER

A FRACTION OF A MILLIMETER THICK.

THEN THE PRINTHEAD ADDS A NEW LAYER OF BINDER.

THIS BUILDS THE OBJECT FROM THE BOTTOM UP.

THE PRINTING PROCESS TAKES SEVERAL HOURS.

ONCE THE LAYERING IS DONE,

THEY PUT THE BUILD BOX IN A CURING OVEN

HEATED TO 350 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT FOR 24 HOURS.

THIS WILL EVAPORATE ALL THE MOISTURE AND HARDEN THE BINDER.

THEY VACUUM OUT THE LOOSE POWDER,

AND THE PIECE EMERGES,

ITS STAINLESS-STEEL PARTICLES

LIGHTLY HELD TOGETHER BY THE BINDER.

THEY GENTLY BLOW AIR TO DISLODGE ANY EXCESS POWDER.

AT THIS POINT, THE OBJECT IS VERY POROUS

AND CONTAINS ABOUT 40% AIR.

IT IS SO FRAGILE

THAT IT CAN EASILY BE CRUSHED WITH BARE HANDS.

USING MORE STAINLESS-STEEL POWDER,

THEY PREPARE ANOTHER BOX

IN WHICH THE PIECE WILL BE INFUSED WITH BRONZE.

THEY'RE MAKING A SUPPORT STRUCTURE

ON WHICH TO REST THE PIECES

DURING THE NEXT PHASE OF THE PROCESS.

THEY CAREFULLY FILL THE BOX WITH ALUMINA OXIDE GRIT,

WHICH WILL SUPPORT THE PIECES DURING THE INFUSION PROCESS.

THIS DAM PREVENTS THE GRIT FROM LEAKING OUT.

NOW THEY POUR IN BRONZE POWDER.

THE PIECE IS THEN HEATED IN A FURNACE

AT MORE THAN 2,000 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT FOR 24 HOURS.

THIS MELTS THE BRONZE,

WHICH THEN GETS SUCKED UP INTO THE PIECE

LIKE WATER BY A SPONGE.

INFUSED WITH BRONZE, THE PIECE IS NOW SOLID METAL.

THEY KNOCK OFF THE BASE WITH A HAMMER.

IT'S TAKEN JUST A FEW DAYS

TO BUILD THIS INTRICATELY DESIGNED PIECE OF HARDWARE.

IT CAN NOW BE POLISHED, GOLD-PLATED,

OR PAINTED TO MATCH ANY DECOR.

WHETHER THEY BUILD SOPHISTICATED DOOR HANDLES

OR FANCY SCULPTURES,

3-D METAL PRINTERS WORK FASTER THAN CONVENTIONAL METHODS

AT JUST A FRACTION OF THE COST.

Narrator: TO CREATE CLASSIC, ELEGANT STYLE

IN A KITCHEN OR BATHROOM,

DECORATORS TYPICALLY USE TRADITIONAL MATERIALS

SUCH AS WOOD AND MARBLE.

CURVED CABINETS CAN HEIGHTEN THAT EFFECT.

BUT THEIR UNIQUE STYLE COMES AT A HIGHER PRICE

BECAUSE, FOR THE MOST PART, THESE ELEGANT DOORS

MUST BE CUSTOM-ORDERED AND HANDMADE.

MOST CABINET DOORS PRODUCED BY THIS FACTORY ARE CUSTOM-MADE.

THEY TYPICALLY START OUT AS A SKETCH,

WHICH THE FACTORY TRANSFORMS INTO A TECHNICAL DRAWING.

THEY THEN USE THAT DRAWING

TO PROGRAM THE AUTOMATED WOODWORKING MACHINES.

AFTER CUTTING ALL THE PIECES OF WOOD THEY'LL NEED,

THEY RUN EACH ONE THROUGH A PLANER.

IT SIMULTANEOUSLY SMOOTHES BOTH THE TOP AND BOTTOM SURFACES.

A CABINET DOOR CONSISTS OF A CENTER PANEL

SURROUNDED BY A FRAME.

THIS MACHINE, CALLED A MOLDER,

CARVES THE FRAME'S TWO VERTICAL PIECES

AND CUTS A GROOVE ON ONE EDGE

INTO WHICH THE CENTER PANEL WILL FIT.

TO CONSTRUCT THAT CENTER PANEL,

A WORKER FEEDS PLANKS THROUGH A WOOD SHAPER

THAT BEVELS THEIR EDGES.

THE ANGLE OF THE BEVEL IS SUCH

THAT WHEN THE PIECES LINE UP SIDE BY SIDE,

THEY'LL FORM A CURVE.

AFTER TRIMMING THE PIECES TO THE LENGTH OF THE CENTER PANEL,

ANOTHER WORKER RUNS THEM THROUGH A GLUE APPLICATOR,

WHICH COATS THE BEVELED EDGES IN ADHESIVE.

THEN SHE LINES UP THE PIECES IN AN ASSEMBLY FIXTURE

THAT'S BEEN ADJUSTED TO THE CENTER PANEL'S WIDTH AND RADIUS.

ONCE EVERYTHING'S POSITIONED,

SHE APPLIES CLAMPS WHICH FORCE THE PIECES TIGHTLY TOGETHER.

THE GLUE SETS IN 20 MINUTES.

ONCE THE GLUE CURES TO FULL STRENGTH,

THE PIECE GOES ONTO A COMPUTER-GUIDED ROUTER.

IT ROUNDS BOTH SIDES OF THE PANEL

FOR A SMOOTH, SEAMLESS LOOK.

THIS PARTICULAR DOOR HAS A CONCAVE CURVE.

OTHERS CAN HAVE A CONVEX CURVE OR A CROSSBOW CURVE,

WHICH IS "S"-SHAPED.

THE SAME ROUTER NOW AUTOMATICALLY SWITCHES

TO A DIFFERENT TYPE OF TOOL AND PROFILES THE PANEL'S EDGES.

IT ALSO CARVES A TONGUE

THAT FITS INTO THE GROOVE IN THE FRAME PIECES.

THE SAME MACHINE CAN THEN LOAD ANOTHER TOOL

TO ENGRAVE A CUSTOM MOTIF

OR MONOGRAM IF THE CUSTOMER DESIRES.

NEXT, A COMPUTER-GUIDED SANDER SMOOTHES OUT THE PANEL,

PREPARING THE WOOD FOR STAIN OR PAINT LATER ON.

MAKING THE FRAME'S HORIZONTAL PIECES

IS MORE COMPLEX THAN MAKING THE VERTICAL ONES

BECAUSE THE TOP AND BOTTOM

HAVE TO CURVE JUST LIKE THE CENTER PANEL.

WORKERS COAT THIN SLICES OF WOOD WITH HEAT-ACTIVATED GLUE,

THEN STACK THEM OVER A CURVED FORM IN A PRESS.

THE PRESS SQUEEZES THE SLICES TIGHTLY TOGETHER.

THEN A HIGH-FREQUENCY ELECTRICAL CURRENT GENERATES INTENSE HEAT,

TRIGGERING THE ADHESIVE.

THE BONDED SLICES EXIT THE PRESS

LOOKING LIKE A SOLID, CURVED PIECE OF WOOD.

ONCE THE GLUE HAS SET,

A COMPUTER-GUIDED ROUTER CARVES IT TO THE SAME DECORATIVE STYLE

AS THE VERTICAL PIECES.

IT ALSO MITERS THE CORNERS

SO THE HORIZONTAL AND VERTICAL FRAME PIECES

WILL FIT TOGETHER SEAMLESSLY.

ALL THAT'S LEFT TO DO IS GLUE THE FRAME TO THE PANEL.

THE TONGUE RUNNING ALONG THE PANEL'S PERIMETER

FITS NEATLY INTO THE GROOVE OF EACH FRAME PIECE.

WORKERS NOW CLAMP EVERYTHING TOGETHER

AND LET THE GLUE SET FOR A HALF-HOUR.

THEN THE CABINET DOOR GOES OFF FOR PAINTING OR STAINING.

THIS FACTORY PRODUCES CURVED CABINETS

IN 10 DIFFERENT TYPES OF WOOD

AND DOZENS OF COLORS AND FINISHES,

OPENING THE DOOR TO ENDLESS DESIGN POSSIBILITIES.

--Captions by VITAC-- www.vitac.com

CAPTIONS PAID FOR BY DISCOVERY COMMUNICATIONS

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