Original subtitles

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

CAPTIONS PAID FOR BY DISCOVERY COMMUNICATIONS

Narrator: THE FIRST ARMORED CAR

WAS DEVELOPED IN THE LATE 19th CENTURY.

FIRST USED AS SCOUTING VEHICLES,

THEY QUICKLY BECAME A SOURCE OF PROTECTION IN MODERN WARFARE.

TODAY, PRIVATE ARMORED VEHICLES ARE MADE FOR CELEBRITIES,

C.E.O.s, AND GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS.

THIS ARMORED S.U.V. LOOKS LIKE AN ORDINARY CAR,

BUT IT'S REINFORCED WITH BULLETPROOF STEEL

AND HAS TRANSPARENT ARMOR WINDOWS.

A DESIGNER INTEGRATES ARMORED PARTS

INTO THE ORIGINAL DESIGN OF THE CAR USING A 3D CAD SYSTEM.

A C.N.C. PRECISION LASER CUTTER

SHAPES THE ARMORED PARTS OUT OF A BALLISTIC STEEL SHEET.

A MECHANIC TESTS THE STEEL'S BALLISTIC RESISTANCE

USING A HIGH-POWER RIFLE.

HE MAKES SURE THE ARMOR

MEETS INTERNATIONAL BALLISTIC IMPACT STANDARDS.

A MECHANIC STARTS

BY REMOVING THE INSIDE COVERS AND LINERS OF THE CAR,

STRIPPING IT DOWN TO THE CHASSIS FRAME.

NOW THE MECHANICS CAN INSTALL THE ARMOR.

THEY WELD BULLETPROOF STEEL SHEETS TO THE CHASSIS FRAME.

THEY REINFORCE THE CAR FLOOR

WITH BLAST-ABSORBENT STEEL SHEETS

AND INSTALL BALLISTIC ARMORED STEEL

TO COVER THE INTERIOR CABIN WALLS.

A MECHANIC NOW USES AN ELECTRIC GRINDER

TO REMOVE THE STANDARD-STEEL PANELS FROM THE DOOR.

ARMORED STEEL PLATES DESIGNED TO FIT TO THE CHASSIS

ARE WELDED IN PLACE.

AT THE END OF THE PROCESS,

THE VEHICLE IS ARMORED FROM TOP TO BOTTOM.

THE ARMOR ADDS AROUND TWO TONS OF WEIGHT TO THE VEHICLE,

DEPENDING ON THE MODEL,

SO EACH VEHICLE IS EQUIPPED WITH AN ADAPTED SUSPENSION SYSTEM.

A WELDER ASSEMBLES A FUEL-TANK CASING USING BALLISTIC STEEL.

HE ARRANGES THE METAL TO FORM A PROTECTIVE SHELL AROUND THE TANK

THEN WELDS THE PIECES TOGETHER.

ANOTHER WORKER APPLIES ELECTROSTATIC, ANTI-RUST,

AND FLAME-RETARDANT PAINT,

DESIGNED TO PREVENT THE TANK FROM EXPLODING

IF EXPOSED TO OPEN FLAMES.

A WELDER ATTACHES THE FUEL PAN TO THE BULLETPROOF CASING.

HE USES A MIG TORCH TO TACK-WELD THE PAN ONTO THE ARMORED STEEL.

THE C.N.C.-DESIGNED CASING FITS PERFECTLY AROUND THE TANK.

MECHANICS NOW REASSEMBLE THE INTERIOR FITTING,

AIR-CONDITIONING SYSTEM,

AND ELECTRICAL WIRING RUNNING THROUGH THE ROOF.

ANOTHER WORKER REATTACHES THE ORIGINAL PANELS

TO THE ARMORED DOOR FRAME

AND PUTS THE DOOR-LOCK AND WINDOW CONTROLS BACK IN PLACE.

THEY COVER THE BLAST-ABSORBENT STEEL WITH FLOOR MATS,

THEN THEY BRING IN THE REAR BULKHEAD DOOR,

WHICH IS UPHOLSTERED TO MATCH THE ORIGINAL INTERIOR.

THE BULLETPROOF DOOR CAN BE USED AS AN EMERGENCY ESCAPE HATCH.

IT OPENS HORIZONTALLY

BECAUSE THE DOOR IS TOO HEAVY FOR HATCH LIFTS TO SUPPORT.

NOW THEY INSTALL THE WINDSHIELD.

IT'S MADE OF TRANSPARENT ARMORED GLASS.

THE THICKNESS OF THE GLASS

DEPENDS ON THE BALLISTIC STANDARD THE CAR NEEDS TO MEET.

HE INSTALLS RUNFLAT DEVICES MADE OF COMPOSITE PLASTIC

INSIDE THE WHEELS.

THIS ALLOWS THE CAR TO KEEP ROLLING ON A FLAT TIRE

FOR 40 TO 50 MILES

AT A SPEED OF UP TO 50 MILES PER HOUR.

A MECHANIC TIGHTENS THE DEVICE AROUND THE RIM

BEFORE A ROBOTIC ARM ATTACHES THE TIRE TO THE WHEEL.

HE LABELS THE REINFORCED WHEEL

WITH THE SPECIFICATIONS OF THE RUNFLAT DEVICE

AND MOUNTS IT BACK ON THE CAR.

A KEEN OBSERVER MAY SEE THE OVERLAP

BETWEEN THE EDGE OF THE DOORFRAME AND THE MAIN CHASSIS

OR NOTICE THE UNUSUAL THICKNESS OF THE WINDOWS,

BUT THE DESIGN OF THESE CARS

MAKES THEM LOOK PERFECTLY NORMAL TO MOST PEOPLE,

EVEN THOUGH THEY ARE AS PROTECTED AS ARMORED TANKS.

Narrator: A TENSION FABRIC BUILDING

COMBINES THE BENEFITS OF A TENT AND A BUILDING

INTO A SINGLE STRUCTURE.

IT HAS A STRONG, LOAD-RESISTANT ROOF

AND A STURDY STEEL STRUCTURE

BUT CAN BE QUICKLY DISMANTLED AND RECONSTRUCTED

AT A NEW LOCATION.

YOU OFTEN SEE TENSION FABRIC BUILDINGS

ON FARMS OR AT PUBLIC WORKS YARDS.

THEY'RE OFTEN USED TO STORE EQUIPMENT

AND BULK MATERIALS LIKE GRAVEL OR ROAD SALT.

TENSION FABRIC BUILDINGS CAN ALSO HOUSE SMALL FACTORIES.

THE FABRIC COVER IS HIGH-DENSITY POLYETHYLENE,

A MATERIAL KNOWN FOR ITS EXCEPTIONAL STRENGTH.

IT CAN WITHSTAND STRONG WINDS AND HEAVY SNOW ACCUMULATION.

FOLLOWING THE ENGINEER'S PLAN,

WORKERS CUT THE REQUIRED SHEETS OF FABRIC.

THEN, THE ASSEMBLY PROCESS BEGINS.

THEY FLATTEN AND TAPE DOWN THE FIRST SHEET TO IMMOBILIZE IT

THEN OVERLAP THE SECOND SHEET BY TWO INCHES.

THEY TAPE DOWN THAT SHEET TO KEEP IT IN POSITION.

THEN, WITH A HOT-AIR WELDER, THEY MELT THE OVERLAPPING EDGES

AND PRESS THEM TOGETHER WITH HEAVY WHEELS.

THIS FUSES THE EDGES INTO A STRONG SEAM.

WORKERS USE THIS SAME PROCESS TO WELD ON TENSION POCKETS

TWO FEET IN FROM THE BOTTOM AND SIDES.

EACH POCKET WILL CONTAIN A STEEL OR PVC TUBE

HOLDING NYLON STRAPS.

THE STRAPS ARE SPACED 2 TO 10 FEET APART,

DEPENDING ON THE BUILDING SIZE.

THEY APPLY TENSION

TO FASTEN THE FABRIC DOWN OVER THE STEEL STRUCTURE.

THE ASSEMBLED SHEETS FORM A SINGLE COVER

THAT GOES OVER THE SIDES AND ROOF OF THE BUILDING.

SEPARATE COVERS ARE MADE FOR THE FRONT AND BACK WALLS.

THE COVERS OF LARGER BUILDINGS ARE MADE DIFFERENTLY.

WORKERS CONNECT MULTIPLE COVERS WITH A KETER SYSTEM.

KETER IS AN ULTRA-STRONG PVC OR NYLON ROPE.

AN AUTOMATED HOT-AIR WELDER

FOLDS THE EDGES OF EACH COVER OVER THE KETER.

THE FABRIC-SEALED ROPE EDGE

WILL SLIDE SNUGLY INTO AN ALUMINUM CHANNEL

IN THE BUILDING'S ROOF STRUCTURE.

WHEN THE COVER IS FINISHED,

WORKERS FAN-FOLD IT...

...THEN ROLL IT UP FOR TRANSPORT TO THE INSTALLATION SITE.

FOR THE BUILDING'S STEEL STRUCTURE,

THE FACTORY ORDERS STEEL TUBING

AND CUTS PIECES TO THE REQUIRED LENGTHS.

THE STEEL IS COATED WITH ZINC TO PREVENT CORROSION.

WORKS PUT THE TUBES INTO A PRESS

TO FLATTEN THE ENDS INTO CONNECTABLE SURFACES.

AT THE SAME TIME, THE PRESS PUNCHES HOLES FOR BOLTS.

FOR BUILDINGS WITH A ROUNDED TOP,

WORKS BEND TUBES FOR THE TRUSSES,

A MAIN COMPONENT OF THE ROOF FRAMING.

THE OPERATOR PROGRAMS IN THE REQUIRED RADIUS,

AND THE MACHINE AUTOMATICALLY ADJUSTS THE DIES

TO CURVE THE TUBE ACCORDINGLY.

WORKERS THEN PLACE THE PARTS FOR EACH TRUSS SEGMENT

IN AN ASSEMBLY JIG TO PREPARE FOR WELDING.

THEY TACK-WELD THE PARTS TOGETHER

SO THEY COME OFF THE JIG AS A SINGLE UNIT.

AT THE NEXT STATION, WORKERS FINISH THE WELDING.

THIS TRUSS SEGMENT WILL CONNECT WITH SIX OTHERS,

FORMING A 200-FOOT TRUSS RUNNING THE FULL WIDTH OF THE BUILDING.

TO KEEP UP WITH THE HIGH DEMAND, ROBOTS DO ALL THE WELDING

FOR THIS FACTORY'S MOST-POPULAR MODELS.

WELDING REMOVES THE GALVANIZATION,

WHICH KEEPS THE STEEL CORROSION-RESISTANT,

SO THE LAST STEP IS TO SPRAY ZINC-RICH PAINT ON THE WELDS

TO RESTORE THAT PROTECTION.

A TENSION FABRIC BUILDING

TYPICALLY TAKES A TEAM OF FOUR JUST A FEW DAYS TO SET UP.

IT CAN BE CUSTOMIZED

TO ATTACH TO DIFFERENT TYPES OF FOUNDATIONS

AND BE DESIGNED WITH WINDOWS AND GARAGE DOORS.

Narrator: ROWING MACHINES WERE INVENTED IN THE LATE 1800s.

THESE EARLY VERSIONS WERE RUDIMENTARY

BUT HELPED COMPETITIVE ROWERS TRAIN IN THE OFF-SEASON.

AS TECHNOLOGY IMPROVED,

ROWING MACHINES GAINED A MUCH WIDER APPEAL.

TODAY'S MACHINES OFFER A REALISTIC ROWING EXPERIENCE

WITHOUT PUTTING AN OAR IN THE WATER.

WHEN THE WEATHER IS BAD,

A ROWING MACHINE CAN BRING THE WORKOUT INDOORS.

TO MAKE A ROWER, A COMPUTERIZED TOOL

PUNCHES ASSEMBLY HOLES IN HIGH-CARBON STEEL.

THEN, A LASER CARVES OUT THE PARTS AROUND THE HOLES.

THESE PARTS WILL BE USED TO CREATE THE HOUSING

FOR THE ROWER'S FLYWHEEL AND BRAKES.

THEY FOLD THE EDGES USING A BENCH PRESS, MAKING NEAT FLAPS.

NEXT UP IS THE MAIN TUBE FOR THE ROWER.

ALL THE OTHER COMPONENTS WILL ATTACH TO THIS PART.

A PUNCH CUTS ASSEMBLY HOLES INTO THE STEEL TUBE.

THEN, AN EMPLOYEE PLACES THE TUBE IN A WELDING FIXTURE.

HE POSITIONS THE STAND OF THE SEAT FRAME AT ONE END.

A ROBOT WELDS THE STAND TO THE TUBE

AND WELDS MOUNTS FOR THE SEAT RAIL.

THEY APPLY A POWDER-COAT FINISH TO THE ASSEMBLY,

MAKING IT CORROSION-RESISTANT.

AN EMPLOYEE PLACES THE FLYWHEEL HOUSING PARTS IN A FIXTURE

AND ACTIVATES AN AUTOMATED WELDER,

WHICH FUSES THEM TOGETHER AT THE SEAMS.

THEY POWDER-COAT THIS ASSEMBLY, TOO.

PLASTIC WHEELS WITH METAL BEARINGS

ALLOW THE SEAT TO SLIDE ON THE RAILS.

A WORKER SCREWS FOUR WHEELS

TO THE CARRIER PLATE UNDER THE ROWER SEAT.

NOW AN EMPLOYEE APPLIES A DECAL WITH THE COMPANY NAME

TO THE MAIN TUBE.

HE INSERTS A PULLEY IN A NOTCH AT THE END OF THE TUBE.

NEXT, HE SETS THE CHROME SEAT RAIL ON THE MOUNTS

AND SECURES IT WITH SCREWS.

HE ATTACHES THE ENDS OF THE CHROME RAIL

TO EYELETS ON THE STAND.

HE SCREWS PLASTIC FEET TO THE BOTTOM OF THE STAND.

AT ANOTHER STATION,

A WORKER PLACES A BEARING IN THE CENTER OF THE FLYWHEEL

AND USES A PRESS TO SECURE IT.

NEXT, HE PULLS A BLACK, PLASTIC CORD THROUGH A SPOOL

AND KNOTS IT AT THE END.

HE ALSO PULLS A WHITE, RUBBERIZED CORD THROUGH,

THEN MOUNTS THE SPOOL TO A SHAFT IN THE FLYWHEEL.

HE LOCKS THE SPOOL TO THE SHAFT WITH A SPECIAL STEEL RING

AND WINDS THE BLACK CORD AROUND THE SPOOL.

HE PUTS THE FLYWHEEL IN THE STEEL HOUSING

AND SCREWS IT IN PLACE.

USING A HOOKED TOOL,

HE GRABS A SPRING LINKED TO THE MAGNETIC BRAKING SYSTEM.

HE FASTENS THIS END OF THE SPRING

TO A HOLE IN THE FLYWHEEL HOUSING.

A TEAM NOW THREADS THE WHITE PULL CORD THROUGH THE MAIN TUBE

AND USES THE PULLEY AT THE END TO LOOP IT BACK.

A PIECE OF METAL CABLE ATTACHED THE END OF THE PULL CORD

MAKES IT EASIER TO SNAKE THE CORD THROUGH THE TUBE.

NOW A WORKER UNWINDS SOME OF THE BLACK CORD.

HE THREADS IT THROUGH A GUIDE ON THE FLYWHEEL HOUSING

AND ATTACHES IT TO THE HANDLEBAR,

ALSO KNOWN AS THE OAR.

HE PUSHES CAPS INTO THE ENDS OF THE HANDLEBAR,

THEN RESTS IT ON TOP OF THE FLYWHEEL HOUSING.

ANOTHER EMPLOYEE BUILDS A PROTECTIVE OUTER STRUCTURE

AROUND THE FLYWHEEL STEEL HOUSING

USING MOLDED PLASTIC PARTS.

HE INSTALLS A PORT FOR THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

THAT POWERS THE WORKOUT COMPUTER.

THE TOP PART OF THE CASING CONTAINS THE COMPUTER.

THE COMPUTER MEASURES ROW STROKES AND CALORIES BURNED.

AFTER MAKING ALL THE NECESSARY CONNECTIONS,

HE SCREWS IT IN PLACE.

A PLASTIC CRADLE SUPPORTS THE ASSEMBLY.

IT SNAPS INTO PLACE.

ONCE THE SEAT IS ATTACHED,

THIS ROWING MACHINE IS READY FOR A WORKOUT.

Narrator: UNTIL RECENTLY, IF A SCULPTOR WANTED TO CREATE A LARGE STATUE,

THEY HAD TO MAKE THEIR MODEL BY HAND,

BUT NOW AN ARTIST

CAN MAKE A SMALL-SCALE REPLICA OF THEIR STATUE

AND HAVE A LARGE COPY MADE IN FOAM.

THE ARTIST CAN THEN USE THIS MODEL

TO MAKE THEIR FULL-SIZE SCULPTURE,

SAVING THEM A LOT OF TIME AND MONEY.

A FULL-SIZE SCULPTURE STARTS OUT AS A SMALL CLAY MODEL.

THE ARTIST USES THE CLAY MODEL

TO MAKE A MOLD OUT OF WAX, PLASTER, OR RESIN.

THE ARTIST THEN SENDS THE COPY, CALLED A MAQUETTE

TO A SPECIALIST, WHO PRODUCES A FOAM ENLARGEMENT

TO BE USED AS A MODEL TO CAST THE FULL-SIZE SCULPTURE.

THE SPECIALIST PLACES THE MAQUETTE ON A TURNTABLE.

HE SPINS IT AT AN EVENT PACE WHILE SCANNING IT.

THE SCANNER'S FIVE CAMERAS

TAKE CONTINUOUS HIGH-RESOLUTION PHOTOS

AND UPLOAD THEM TO A COMPUTER.

THE COMPUTER THEN CONVERTS THESE PHOTOS INTO A 3D IMAGE.

HE SCANS THE MAQUETTE SEVERAL TIMES

TO MAKE SURE HE CAPTURES EVERY DETAIL.

THEN, HE COMBINES THE PICTURES TOGETHER

AND DIVIDES THE SCULPTURE INTO SECTIONS.

HE USES ANOTHER PROGRAM

TO CALCULATE THE SCALE OF ENLARGEMENT.

THIS HELPS HIM DETERMINE

HOW MANY AND WHAT SIZE BLOCKS OF FOAM HE NEEDS

TO PRODUCE EACH SECTION.

HE USES A DENSE FOAM WITH A FINE GRAIN

CALLED EXTRUDED POLYSTYRENE.

HE SECURES THE FOAM WITH TAPE,

THEN USES A COMPUTER-GUIDED ROUTER

TO CARVE THE ENLARGED SECTIONS OF THE SCULPTURE.

THE LARGER AND MORE DETAILED THE PART,

THE LONGER THIS PROCESS TAKES.

FOR EXAMPLE, THIS HALF OF THE DOG'S HEAD TOOK 45 MINUTES,

WHILE CARVING HALF A LEG WOULD TAKE JUST EIGHT MINUTES.

HE USES A HOT-WIRE MACHINE

TO SLICE THROUGH THE BLOCK AND FREE THE CARVED PART.

THE SPECIALIST REMOVES EXCESS FOAM WITH A SANDING BLOCK.

HE MAKES SURE ADJACENT SECTIONS LINE UP PROPERLY,

THEN TAPES THEM TOGETHER.

HE SCRAPES OFF THE SEAM WITH A HORSE-GROOMING COMB,

THEN SANDS IT DOWN.

NEXT, HE MEASURES THE SECTIONS

SO HE CAN CUT A STEEL PIPE TO THE CORRECT LENGTH.

THE STEEL PIPE IS USED AS A STIFFENER

TO MAKE THE SECTIONS MORE RIGID.

IT ALSO CONNECTS ADJACENT SECTIONS TOGETHER.

HE USES A STANDARD PIPE BENDER

TO MATCH THE STIFFENERS TO THE SECTIONS THEY'RE GOING INTO.

TO EMBED THE STIFFENER IN THE DOG'S LEG,

HE FIRST TRACES IT ON ONE SIDE OF THE LEG,

THEN HE CARVES OUT A TROUGH

TO THE DEPTH OF THE STIFFENER'S DIAMETER.

HE CLEANS OUT THE LOOSE FOAM WITH A NARROW BRUSH.

HE CHECKS TO MAKE SURE THE STIFFENER WILL FIT.

THEN, HE APPLIES AN ADHESIVE DESIGNED ESPECIALLY FOR FOAM

AND INSERTS THE STIFFENER.

HE PLACES THE OTHER HALF OF THE LEG ON TOP,

ENCASING THE STIFFENER.

HE LEAVES ABOUT SIX INCHES STICKING OUT OF THE LEG.

HE INSERTS THE PROTRUDING STEEL ROD

INTO A HOLE DRILLED IN THE ENLARGEMENT.

ONCE HE HAS ASSEMBLED ALL THE SECTIONS,

HE TAPES THEM TOGETHER TO CHECK THEIR ALIGNMENT.

THE COMPLETED SCULPTURE ENLARGEMENT

IS ABOUT FOUR TIMES BIGGER THAN THE ORIGINAL MAQUETTE.

IT'S NOW READY TO BE SENT BACK TO THE SCULPTOR,

WHERE HE OR SHE WILL COVER IT WITH CLAY

AND ADD FINE DETAILS THAT CAN'T BE REPRODUCED IN FOAM.

ONCE THIS IS DONE,

THE SCULPTOR SENDS THE CLAY MODEL TO A MOLD MAKER,

WHO CASTS A MOLD AND SENDS IT TO A METAL FOUNDRY

TO CREATE THE FINAL SCULPTURE.

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