Original subtitles

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

CAPTIONS PAID FOR BY DISCOVERY COMMUNICATIONS

Narrator: THE INDY STEERING WHEEL ISN'T JUST FOR STEERING.

IT'S THE CONTROL CENTER FOR THE RACECAR,

REPLACING THE DASHBOARD.

THIS INCREDIBLE STEERING WHEEL IS ALSO DETACHABLE

TO ALLOW THE DRIVER TO ENTER AND EXIT THE COCKPIT

QUICKLY AND EASILY.

IT'S, QUITE SIMPLY, DESIGNED FOR SPEED.

THE INDY STEERING WHEEL IS A COMPLEX PIECE OF EQUIPMENT

THAT PUTS EVERYTHING AT THE DRIVER'S FINGERTIPS.

IT STARTS WITH A FULL-SCALE DESIGN,

CUSTOMIZED TO THE DRIVER'S RACING STYLE AND PREFERENCES.

THE TECHNICIAN ALIGNS

THE TRADITIONAL RACING STEERING WHEEL WITH THE DRAWING,

AND MARKS IT FOR A COMPLETE REMODEL.

HE CUTS OUT THE LEATHER AND FOAM WRAP

WITHIN THE MARKED LINES

AND SAWS OFF A CHUNK OF THE ALUMINUM FRAME.

HE THEN ACTIVATES A COMPUTERIZED CUTTER

THAT CARVES AWAY A BIG SECTION OF THE STEERING WHEEL HUB.

IT ALSO CUTS HOLES FOR SWITCHES.

WITH THESE CHANGES,

THE STEERING WHEEL IS READY TO ACCOMMODATE A PANEL

WITH OVER TWO DOZEN CONTROLS AND GAUGES.

NEXT, MORE COMPUTERIZED TOOLING

TRANSFORMS A SHEET OF CARBON FIBER

INTO THE STEERING WHEEL'S SWITCH PLATE.

IT CUTS OUT HOLES FOR SCREWS AND SWITCHES,

AND IT CREATES SLOTS FOR THE SHIFT AND CLUTCH PANELS.

THE TOOL THEN ZIGZAGS AROUND THE PERIMETER

TO TRIM THE SWITCH PLATE TO FIT THE MODIFIED STEERING WHEEL.

WITH THE TRIMMINGS REMOVED,

THE SWITCH PLATE IS READY FOR THE WORKING PARTS.

THE NEXT TECHNICIAN PLUGS THE COLOR-CODED SWITCHES

INTO THE HOLES AND LOCKS THEM IN PLACE

WITH NUTS AND ANTI-VIBRATION WASHERS.

THE YELLOW ONE IS A PIT-LANE SPEED LIMITER.

AS THE NAME SUGGESTS,

IT WILL LIMIT THE CAR'S SPEED IN THE PIT LANE.

ONCE ALL THE SWITCHES HAVE BEEN INSTALLED,

HE RUNS WIRES TO THEM AND SOLDERS THE CONNECTIONS.

THIS COMPLETES THE CIRCUITRY.

HE COATS EACH CONNECTION WITH SILICONE SEALANT.

THIS WEATHER-PROOFS THEM AND FURTHER DAMPENS VIBRATIONS.

AND FOR ADDITIONAL PROTECTION,

HE APPLIES GLUE TO THE PLASTIC SHEATHING AROUND THE WIRES.

HE ADDS A RUBBER BOOT TO EACH CONNECTION.

THE BOOT FITS LOOSELY AROUND IT AT FIRST,

BUT, USING A HEAT GUN,

HE SHRINKS THE SPECIALLY FORMULATED RUBBER

TO THE CONNECTION.

THIS MAKES THE BOOT FIT LIKE IT WAS MADE FOR IT.

THE INDY-STEERING-WHEEL SWITCH PLATE

IS NOW READY FOR THE SHIFT PADDLES.

SO NEXT, THE TECHNICIAN SCREWS A SPACER PLATE INTO THE SLOT.

THIS METAL SPACER SLIGHTLY ELEVATES THE PADDLE MECHANISM

TO GIVE IT THE RIGHT AMOUNT OF CLEARANCE.

HE SCREWS THE PADDLE ASSEMBLY TO THE SPACER.

HE INSTALLS THE SECOND SHIFT PADDLE AND TWO CLUTCH PADDLES.

THEN HE INSERTS THE ROTARY SWITCH FOR FUEL MAPPING

AND SECURES IT WITH A WASHER AND NUT.

THIS FUEL-MAPPING SYSTEM WILL ADJUST THE FUEL-AIR MIX

TO BOOST OR DECREASE POWER OUTPUT.

HE ADDS LITTLE DECALS WITH ICONS TO THE COLOR-CODED SWITCHES.

A RADIO-TRANSMISSION ICON MARKS THE COMMUNICATION SWITCH.

HE RETURNS TO THE STEERING WHEEL NOW.

HE ATTACHES A UNIT THAT DISPLAYS RPM

AND OTHER INFORMATION THAT A NORMAL DASH WOULD HAVE.

HE SCREWS IT TO THE EXPOSED ALUMINUM FRAME.

HE'S NOW READY TO MOUNT THE COMPLETED SWITCH PLATE

TO THE STEERING WHEEL.

THREE BOLTS TO THE HUB SECURE THE ASSEMBLY.

HE INSTALLS A SPRING-LOADED MECHANISM

AT THE BACK OF THE STEERING WHEEL

THAT WILL ALLOW THE STEERING WHEEL

TO BE INSTALLED OR REMOVED IN HALF A SECOND.

HE TESTS THE TWO SHIFT PADDLES AND THE TWO CLUTCH PADDLES

AND CONFIRMS THEY OPERATE SMOOTHLY.

FINALLY, HE ATTACHED DENSE PADDING

TO THE STEERING-WHEEL HUB

FOR A SOFT LANDING FOR THE DRIVER'S HEAD

IN THE EVEN OF A CRASH.

THIS INDY STEERING WHEEL COSTS AS MUCH AS A SMALL COMPACT CAR.

BUT FOR THE DRIVER AND CREW,

IT'S WORTH THE INVESTMENT IF IT HELPS WIN THE PRIZE.

Narrator: PEOPLE HAVE BEEN DINING ON EDIBLE GREENS

FOR THOUSANDS OF YEARS.

TRADITIONALLY COLLECTED IN THE WILD,

TODAY, THERE'S NO NEED TO FORAGE FOR THEM

BECAUSE FIELD GREENS ARE CULTIVATED COMMERCIALLY.

THEY'RE MIXED, WASHED, AND PACKAGED

FOR THE CONSUMER'S CONVENIENCE.

IT'S AN EASY DISH TO TOSS TOGETHER.

PACKAGED MIXED GREENS COMBINE MILD-TASTING LEAVES

WITH STRONGER-TASTING ONES

AND CRUNCHY GREENS WITH MORE TENDER ONES.

SO WHEN IT COMES TO TEXTURE AND FLAVOR,

IT'S TRULY A MIXED BAG.

THEY CULTIVATE UP TO 20 DIFFERENT KINDS OF GREENS

ON THIS CALIFORNIA FARM, AND THEY AREN'T ALL GREEN.

SOME ARE RED.

THEY PLANT THE VARIOUS LETTUCES

ACCORDING TO THE RECIPES FOR DIFFERENT PACKAGED SALADS

SO THEY'LL HAVE JUST THE RIGHT COMBINATION.

WITH REGULAR IRRIGATION AND FERTILIZATION,

THE LEAVES FLOURISH.

IT MAKES FOR A STUNNING RED-AND-GREEN DISPLAY

IN THE FIELD.

AFTER 30 TO 45 DAYS,

THESE BABY GREENS ARE READY FOR HARVEST.

A MACHINE WITH A LONG BLADE MOVES ACROSS THE FIELD

AND LITERALLY MOWS THE FIELD GREENS.

THE GREENS FLOW ONTO ONE CONVEYOR

AND TRANSFER TO ANOTHER.

THE BELT IS A METAL-MESH ONE

TO SIFT OUT CONTAMINANTS LIKE SMALL ROCKS AND TWIGS.

AT THE END OF THE SIFTING CONVEYOR,

THE SALAD GREENS FLY OFF AND ONTO ANOTHER BELT.

THIS BELT SERVES THEM UP TO BINS ON A FLATBED TRAILER,

CREATING AN ENORMOUS SALAD IN EACH ONE.

WORKERS COVER THE BINS WITH PLASTIC

AND HAUL THEM TO A NEARBY PROCESSING PLANT.

ON ARRIVAL, THE SALAD GREENS TRANSFER

TO A VACUUM-COOLING CHAMBER TO CHILL.

THE VACUUM CAUSES MOISTURE ON THE GREENS TO EVAPORATE.

AS THE WATER EVAPORATES,

IT ABSORBS HEAT TO LOWER THE TEMPERATURE

AND COOL THE GREENS.

THE SALAD GREENS THEN HEAD INTO AN OPTICAL SORTER.

HERE, COMPUTERIZED CAMERAS AND LASERS

SCAN THE GREENS FOR FLAWS,

LIKE DISCOLORATION AND FOREIGN MATERIAL.

THE OPERATOR HAS PROGRAMMED THE SYSTEM

TO DETECT FLAWS OR CONTAMINANTS.

WHEN THE COMPUTER FINDS ONE,

IT SENDS A SIGNAL TO AN AIR JET THAT EXPELS IT.

SOME GOOD LEAVES GET LOST ALONG THE WAY -- ABOUT 3%.

IT'S CONSIDERED AN ACCEPTABLE LOSS.

THE REJECTS WILL BE COMPOSTED.

OUT OF THE OPTICAL SORTER,

AN EMPLOYEE TOSSES IN THE BITTER GREENS,

LIKE RADICCHIO AND FRISéE.

THIS MOVING SALAD NOW HEADS INTO A THREE-PART WASH SYSTEM.

THE FIRST WASH TANK HAS ROLLING PERFORATED CYLINDERS

THAT KEEP THE GREENS SUBMERGED FOR WASHING.

THEY ALSO PICK UP UNWANTED TINY LEAVES

AND REMOVE THEM FROM THE MIX.

THE SALAD GREENS TRANSFER TO A VIBRATING CONVEYOR

THAT SHAKES OUT THE WATER.

THEN THEY TRAVEL THROUGH A SECOND WASH TANK

AND FINALLY RECEIVE A THIRD WASH FROM OVERHEAD SPRAYERS.

THE WASHED SALAD GREENS

FALL INTO PLASTIC CONTAINERS WITH PERFORATIONS.

THEY'RE ESSENTIALLY VERY LARGE COLANDERS.

THEY TRANSFER EACH COLANDER TO A CENTRIFUGE AND POWER UP.

IT SPINS THE COLANDER,

AND THIS CAUSES THE MOISTURE ON THE GREENS

TO DRAIN THROUGH THERE PERFORATIONS.

THIS LEAVES THEM DRY AND CRISP.

IT IS A LARGE-SCALE VERSION OF THE SALAD SPINNER

MANY PEOPLE HAVE IN THEIR KITCHENS.

THESE FIELD GREENS ARE NOW READY FOR THE PACKAGING LINE.

IT'S AN ENTIRELY MECHANIZED SYSTEM WITH AN ENDLESS APPETITE.

THE GREENS FUNNEL THROUGH A HOPPER AND LAND IN BUCKETS.

THIS IS A WEIGHING OPERATION.

THERE'S A SCALE UNDER EACH BUCKET.

WHEN THE TARGET WEIGHT IS REACHED,

THE BUCKET RELEASES THE GREENS.

THEY SLIDE DOWN CHUTES INTO THE BAGGING MACHINE.

THESE SALAD GREENS ARE STILL LIVING, BREATHING PLANTS.

THE PACKAGING WILL SLOW THEIR RESPIRATION

AND PUT THE AGING PROCESS ON HOLD.

MACHINERY HERMETICALLY SEALS THEM IN PLASTIC

TO GIVE THEM A SHELF LIFE OF 14 DAYS TO 19 DAYS.

AND WITH THAT AVAILABILITY,

THERE'S NO EXCUSE NOT TO EAT YOUR GREENS.

Narrator: WIND TURBINES USE AN UNLIMITED NATURAL RESOURCE,

THE WIND, TO PRODUCE ELECTRICITY

WITHOUT POLLUTING THE ENVIRONMENT.

A TURBINE CONSISTS OF A ROTOR AND A MASSIVE PROPELLER

THAT SPINS IN THE WIND ON TOP OF A HIGH TOWER.

IT DRIVES A BUILT-IN GENERATOR THAT PRODUCES ELECTRICITY.

THE HIGHER UP YOU GO, THE WINDIER IT IS.

SO THE TALLER THE TURBINE,

THE MORE WIND POWER IT HARNESSES.

THEY MAY NOT LOOK IT FROM A DISTANCE,

BUT WIND TURBINES CAN BE AS HIGH AS A 20-STORY BUILDING

WITH ROTOR BLADES HALF A FOOTBALL FIELD LONG.

TO BEGIN CONSTRUCTING THOSE MASSIVE BLADES,

WORKERS PREPARE FIBERGLASS SHEETS,

EACH ONE NUMBERED ACCORDING TO A DETAILED ENGINEERING PLAN.

THEN, FOLLOWING THE PLAN,

WORKERS LAY DOWN SPECIFIC SHEETS IN DESIGNATED LOCATIONS

IN THE BOTTOM HALF OF A BLADE-SHAPED MOLD.

FOR A BLADE TO BE FREE OF DEFECTS,

EACH SHEET MUST LIE PERFECTLY FLAT.

SO, USING A SMOOTHING TOOL,

WORKERS REMOVE AIR BUBBLES AND CREASES.

THE SURFACE OF THE MOLD CAVITY

IS TREATED WITH A NON-STICK COATING.

THIS WILL PREVENT THE BLADE FROM ADHERING TO THE MOLD

WHEN THEY EXTRACT IT.

AFTER PLACING ALL THE SHEETS IN THE BOTTOM HALF OF THE MOLD,

WORKERS CONSTRUCT THE UPPER PART OF THE BLADE

BY LAYING FIBERGLASS SHEETS ON THE TOP HALF OF THE BLADE MOLD.

AGAIN, EVERY SINGLE SHEET IS NUMBERED AND POSITIONED

ACCORDING TO THE BLADE-DESIGN PLAN.

AN AREA OF THE MOLD CAN HAVE FROM FOR TO 120 LAYERED SHEETS

OF VARYING THICKNESS, WEIGHTS, AND WEAVES,

DEPENDING ON HOW STRUCTURALLY STRONG

THAT PART OF THE BLADE HAS TO BE.

TO MAKE SPECIFIC AREAS MORE RIGID,

BETWEEN LAYERS OF FIBERGLASS THEY INSTALL BALSA,

AN EXTREMELY LIGHTWEIGHT WOOD.

CUT CHANNELS ENABLE THE BALSA PANELS

TO FLEX TO THE SHAPE OF THE BLADE.

THE CHANNELS ARE ALSO THE PATHWAYS

THROUGH WHICH THE BONDING AGENT EPOXY WILL FLOW

TO SATURATE THE WOOD AND SURROUNDING FIBERGLASS.

PRECISION IN THE SETUP OF FIBERGLASS AND WOOD IS CRITICAL.

THE PROCESS TAKES A TEAM OF SIX WORKERS 16 HOURS.

THEY CLOSE UP THE MOLD

BY LOWERING THE TOP HALF ONTO THE BOTTOM HALF.

THEN THEY INJECT THE EPOXY.

SIMULTANEOUSLY, WORKERS HEAT THE MOLD TO 158 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT.

THIS AIDS THE CHEMICAL REACTION

BETWEEN THE EPOXY'S TWO COMPONENTS --

A RESIN AND A HARDENER.

AFTER 9½ HOURS, THE EPOXY IS FULLY CURED.

WITH OVERHEAD CRANES,

THEY LIFT AWAY THE TOP HALF OF THE MOLD,

REVEALING A TURBINE BLADE MEASURING UP TO 60 YARDS LONG,

WEIGHING IN AT ABOUT 10 TONS.

USING LIFTING DEVICES POSITIONED AT SPECIFIC LOCATIONS,

THEY SLOWLY EXTRACT THE BLADE FROM THE BOTTOM HALF OF THE MOLD

AND LAY IT ONTO A STAND TO COOL FOR 4½ HOURS.

WORKERS THEN TRANSFER THE BLADE TO A MILL-AND-DRILL MACHINE,

WHICH SHAPES THE OPEN END TO ALIGN WITH THE ROTOR HUB.

THE MACHINE ALSO DRILLS HOLES FOR THE 54 PIN BOLTS

THAT WILL FASTEN THE BLADE TO THE HUB.

NEXT, WORKERS GRIND AWAY THE SEAM OF HARDENED EPOXY

THAT FORMED WHERE THE TWO HALVES OF THE MOLD MET

AND SAND THE SURFACE PERFECTLY SMOOTH.

THEN THEY SPRAY THE BLADE WITH A COAT OF PRIMER,

WHICH THEY LET CURE FOR SIX HOURS.

THEN A COAT OF EPOXY-BASED PAINT,

LETTING THAT CURE FOR ABOUT EIGHT HOURS.

THEN WORKERS INSERT THOSE 54 PIN BOLTS

MADE OF A PARTICULARLY STRONG GRADE OF STEEL

AND TIGHTEN THEM WITH A TORQUE WRENCH.

AFTER THIS, THEY WEIGH EACH BLADE ON A FLOOR SCALE

AND GROUP THREE BLADES OF SIMILAR WEIGHT PER TURBINE

TO ENSURE THE ROTATION WILL BE BALANCED.

THE INSTALL A COVER OVER THE OPENED END OF THE BLADE

TO PREVENT DEBRIS FROM FALLING INSIDE

DURING TRANSPORT TO THE WIND FARM.

UPON ARRIVAL, CREWS BOLT THREE BLADES TO A ROTOR HUB,

THEN HOIST THE ROTOR TO THE TOP OF THE TURBINE TOWER

AND CONNECT IT TO THE NACELLE.

Narrator: THE NACELLE IS THE PART OF A WIND TURBINE

WHICH TRANSFORMS WIND POWER INTO ELECTRICITY.

WITH THE ROTOR MOUNTED TO IT,

THE NACELLE HOUSES A GIANT DRIVETRAIN.

IT MULTIPLIES THE ROTATIONAL SPEED OF THE SPINNING BLADES

THEN TRANSFERS IT TO A MASSIVE GENERATOR,

WHICH PRODUCES ELECTRICITY.

A WIND TURBINE'S ROTOR IS MADE OF THREE BLADES

ATTACHED TO A HUB.

THE HUB ALONE WEIGHS MORE THAN 30 TONS.

IT'S CAST FROM DUCTILE IRON, A STRONG GRADE OF CAST IRON.

AT THE FACTORY, THEY USE A CRANE TO HOIST AND AFFIX

THE HUB CASTING TO AN ASSEMBLY FIXTURE.

THIS FIXTURE HOLDS THE HUB SECURELY IN A SUSPENDED POSITION

WHILE WORKERS MOUNT COMPONENTS TO IT,

STARTING WITH THREE BLADE BEARINGS.

A BLADE BEARING IS A GIANT BALL BEARING

TO WHICH THE BLADE IS ATTACHED.

WHEN IT ROTATES, THE BLADE PITCHES,

MEANING IT CHANGES ANGLE.

BLADES NEED TO BE PITCHED TO BETTER CATCH THE WIND

AND TO SPIN AT OPTIMAL SPEED.

EACH BEARING ATTACHES TO THE HUB WITH 54 HUGE BOLTS.

THE NEXT HUB COMPONENTS -- THREE ACCUMULATORS --

ONE FOR EACH BLADE BEARING.

AN ACCUMULATOR STORES HYDRAULIC OIL UNDER PRESSURE.

THIS OIL MOVES HYDRAULIC CYLINDERS,

WHICH ROTATE THE BLADE BEARING TO PITCH THE BLADE.

WORKERS ASSEMBLE EACH ACCUMULATOR,

MOUNT ITS COVER,

THEN INSTALL IT ON A BLADE BEARING.

ONCE ALL THREE ACCUMULATORS

AND OTHER COMPONENTS ARE INSTALLED,

THE HUB IS FINISHED.

THEY REMOVE IT FROM THE ASSEMBLY FIXTURE

AND PUT A FIBERGLASS COVER OVER EACH BEARING

TO PROTECT THE WORKINGS INSIDE.

MEANWHILE, IN THE SAME FACTORY,

WORKERS ASSEMBLE THE WIND TURBINE'S NACELLE.

FIRST, THEY LAY OUT

THE BOTTOM SECTION OF ITS STEEL HOUSING,

THEN THEY ASSEMBLE THE YAW SYSTEM,

THE KEY COMPONENT THAT ENABLES THE NACELLE AND ROTOR

TO ROTATE 360 DEGREES.

THEY MOUNT A LARGE STATIONARY GEAR

IN THE CENTER OF THE SYSTEM'S MAINFRAME.

THEN, ON THE REVERSE SIDE OF THE MAINFRAME,

THEY INSTALL EIGHT YAW GEARS.

THESE SMALLER GEARS ENGAGE THE LARGE GEAR ON THE OTHER SIDE.

FULLY ASSEMBLED, THE MAINFRAME WEIGHS MORE THAN 22 TONS.

WORKERS HOIST IT WITH A CRANE, THEN INSTALL IT

INTO THE BOTTOM SECTION OF THE NACELLE'S STEEL HOUSING.

THEY CONNECT THE GEARBOX

TO THE REST OF THE NACELLE'S DRIVETRAIN.

IT WORKS LIKE A CAR TRANSMISSION IN REVERSE.

WHILE THE CAR TRANSMISSION TAKES COMBUSTION-PRODUCED ENERGY

AND TURNS IT INTO ROTATION -- THE CAR WHEEL'S TURNING --

THE NACELLE DRIVETRAIN TAKES ROTATION --

THE BLADES SPINNING IN THE WIND --

AND TURNS IT INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY.

THOSE SPINNING BLADES ROTATE

THE DRIVETRAIN'S MASSIVE STEEL SHAFT.

THE OPPOSITE END OF THAT SHAFT CONNECTS TO THE GEARBOX.

THE GEAR'S MULTIPLY THE SPEED OF ROTATION,

ROTATING THE SECOND SHAFT,

WHICH THEY NOW CONNECT TO A GENERATOR,

INSTALLED INSIDE THE NACELLE HOUSING.

THE SECOND SHAFT POWERS THE GENERATOR,

WHICH PRODUCES ELECTRICITY.

AFTER CONNECTING THE DRIVETRAIN TO THE GENERATOR,

WORKERS INSTALL THE TOP SECTION OF THE HOUSING,

AS WELL AS ACCESS DOORS FOR MAINTENANCE WORK.

TECHNICIANS CONDUCT VARIOUS TESTS

TO MAKE SURE EVERYTHING RUNS PROPERLY.

HERE, THEY ARE VERIFYING THE FAN THAT COOLS THE GENERATOR.

THE FINISHED NACELLE LOOKS LIKE A MAMMOTH AA BATTERY.

IT WEIGHS 85 TONS.

NEARLY HALF OF THAT IS THE DRIVETRAIN.

THE PLANT SHIPS BOTH THE NACELLE AND THE HUB

SEPARATELY TO THE WIND FARM BY EITHER TRUCK OR RAIL.

THE BLADES ARE SHIPPED TO THE FARM

FROM ANOTHER FACTORY AND THE TOWER FROM YET ANOTHER.

ONCE ALL THE PARTS ARRIVE ON SITE, ASSEMBLY CAN BEGIN.

CREWS FIRST DIRECT THE TOWER.

THEN THEY HOIST THE NACELLE ALL THE WAY TO THE TOP AND MOUNT IT.

ON THE GROUND, THEY ASSEMBLE THE ROTOR

BY INSTALLING THE BLADES IN THE HUB.

THEN THEY HOIST THE ROTOR TO THE TOP OF THE TOWER

AND MOUNT IT TO THE NACELLE.

AND FROM THAT POINT ON, THE WIND DOES ALL THE WORK.

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