Original subtitles

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

CAPTIONS PAID FOR BY DISCOVERY COMMUNICATIONS

Narrator: COCONUT SHELLS USED TO BE CONSIDERED

AGRICULTURAL WASTE,

BUT TODAY THEY'RE PROCESSED INTO BIOFUEL FOR THE BARBECUE.

IN COUNTRIES LIKE THAILAND,

COMPANIES CONVERT THE SHELLS INTO BRIQUETTES

THAT BURN CLEANLY FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD.

THROWING AWAY THESE SHELLS WOULD BE A REAL WASTE OF ENERGY.

INSTEAD OF ENDING UP AS LANDFILL,

COCONUT SHELLS ARE BEING USED TO FIRE THE GRILL.

PROCESSED INTO BRIQUETTES THAT BURN VIRTUALLY SMOKE-FREE,

THE SHELLS ARE NOW CONSIDERED A RESOURCE INSTEAD OF GARBAGE.

CONVERTING COCONUT SHELLS TO CHARCOAL STARTS

WITH THE PARTIAL-COMBUSTION PROCESS.

INSIDE THESE BRICK IGLOO-STYLE KILNS,

THEY CREATE A BURNING ENVIRONMENT

THAT ALLOWS THE SHELLS TO BE CARBONIZED

BUT DOESN'T REDUCE THEM TO ASH.

THE KILNS ARE PARTIALLY UNDERGROUND.

THE SURROUNDING SOIL HELPS TO SEAL THE FIRE.

THIS KEEPS THE AIR LEVELS DOWN FOR A SLOW, SMOLDERING BURN.

A WORKER BRICKS UP THE KILN DOOR.

AND HE SEALS THESE BRICKS WITH MUD INSTEAD OF CEMENT.

THIS WILL ALLOW THE DOOR TO BE DISMANTLED LATER

WITHOUT RUINING THE BRICKS,

PRESERVING THEM FOR REUSE IN THE NEXT BURN.

FROM THE TOP, HE IGNITES THE FIRE USING SOFT

WAX AS STARTER MATERIAL.

BECAUSE OF THE LIMITED AIR IN THE KILNS,

THE FIRE BURNS OUT AFTER 20 TO 24 HOURS.

A WORKER TAKES THE DOOR APART AND RAKES THE CHARRED REMAINS

OF THE COCONUT SHELLS INTO A BASKET.

THEY HAVE BEEN CONVERTED INTO A RICH CHARCOAL.

HE HEAPS THE BLACKENED SHELLS INTO A PILE.

AND UNDER THE INTENSE SUN, MOISTURE FROM WATER,

USED TO EXTINGUISH ANY HOT SPOTS, EVAPORATES.

THE CHARCOAL DRIES OUT AND BREAKS EASILY.

IT'S NOW READY TO BE PROCESSED INTO BRIQUETTES.

WORKERS LOAD THE CHARCOAL PIECES INTO GRINDERS.

THIS IS DIRTY WORK.

SO THEY PROTECT THEIR FACES WITH SCARVES

AND THEIR HANDS WITH GLOVES.

INSIDE THE GRINDING MACHINES,

ROLLERS PULVERIZE THE CHARCOAL,

REDUCING IT TO A FINE POWDER.

THE POWDER FLOWS INTO BINS BELOW.

A WORKER THEN TRANSFERS THE CHARCOAL POWDER TO A MIXER.

HE ADDS A GENEROUS AMOUNT OF STARCH MADE

FROM THE ROOT OF THE CASSAVA TREE.

TOGETHER WITH WATER, THE STARCH WILL BOND

THE CHARCOAL PARTICLES TOGETHER LIKE GLUE.

THE MIXER WHISKS IT ALL TOGETHER LIKE PASTRY.

THE CONSISTENCY IS RIGHT WHEN THE PARTICLES FORM CLUMPS

WHEN PRESSED TOGETHER.

THE MOISTENED BLEND EXITS THE MIXER AND SPILLS INTO A BIN.

THIS COCONUT SHELL CHARCOAL

IS NOW READY TO BE PRESSED INTO BRIQUETTES.

THE NEXT WORKER LOADS THE CHARCOAL INTO A PRESS.

IT FORCES THE TACKY BLACK POWDER THROUGH A DIE

TO PRESS IT INTO A PERPETUAL HEXAGON

WITH A HOLE IN THE CENTER.

AS THE MACHINE EXTRUDES THE CHARCOAL,

A WORKER CHOPS IT INTO BRIQUETTES

THAT ARE JUST OVER 3 INCHES IN LENGTH.

THESE COCONUT CHARCOAL BRIQUETTES

HAVE NOW TAKEN SHAPE.

BUT THEY'RE NOT YET READY FOR THE GRILL.

THEY'RE SOFT AND MUSHY TO THE TOUCH AND CRUMBLE EASILY.

TO FIRM THEM UP,

THEY PLACE THEM IN STRUCTURES

WITH OPEN FIRES IN THE CENTER.

THEY CLOSE THE DOORS

AND LEAVE THE BRIQUETTES TO BAKE

OVER A PERIOD OF ABOUT 24 HOURS.

THE HEAT FUSES THE CHARCOAL PARTICLES TOGETHER.

AND THE BRIQUETTES HARDEN.

OUT OF THE CURING CHAMBER,

THIS BRIQUETTE IS SOLID TO THE TOUCH AND CLEAN TOO.

IT LEAVES NO SOOTY RESIDUE.

FROM COCONUT SHELLS TO BARBECUE BRIQUETTES,

IT'S BEEN QUITE A TRANSFORMATION.

THIS COCONUT SHELL CHARCOAL IS NOW READY TO SIZZLE.

Narrator: IN MANY DISCIPLINES, YOU HAVE TO TAKE MEASUREMENTS.

SOMETIMES, THOSE MEASUREMENTS ARE SO MINUTE

THEY'RE DIFFICULT OR IMPOSSIBLE FOR THE HUMAN EYE TO DETERMINE.

SO A RULER OR TAPE MEASURE CAN'T HELP.

WHAT YOU NEED INSTEAD IS A PRECISION-MEASURING TOOL

CALLED A DIAL INDICATOR.

ON THIS DIAL INDICATOR,

EACH GRADUATION IS 0.001 INCHES.

A FULL REVOLUTION OF THE HAND MEASURES

100 THOUSANDTHS OF AN INCH.

TO MAKE A KEY COMPONENT, CALLED THE BRIDGE PLATE,

THIS AUTOMATED PUNCH PRESS STAMPS OUT BRASS CIRCLES,

WHICH ARE ABOUT 2 INCHES IN DIAMETER.

WORKERS PLACE EACH BRIDGE PLATE

INTO A MANUAL PUNCH PRESS,

WHICH MAKES LOCATION HOLES

THAT WILL CORRECTLY POSITION THE BRIDGE PLATE

ON THE NEXT PRESS.

THIS PRESS MAKES HOLES FOR MOUNTING SCREWS,

LOCATING PINS, AS WELL AS FOR THREE PRECISION JEWELS,

WHICH REDUCE FRICTION ON MOVING METAL COMPONENTS.

THIS LATHE BEGINS THE PROCESS OF SHAPING A STAINLESS STEEL ROD

INTO THE DIAL INDICATOR'S MAIN MEASURING COMPONENT,

CALLED THE RACK.

UNDER A SHOWER OF CUTTING OIL,

THE MACHINE DRILLS AND THREADS A HOLE ON EACH END

FOR ATTACHING A CONTACT MADE OF PLATED STEEL.

NEXT, THIS MILLING MACHINE CUTS TEETH SPACED

25 THOUSANDTHS OF AN INCH APART.

ONE OF THE DIAL INDICATOR'S GEARS RUNS

ALONG THESE RACK TEETH TO TURN THE HAND

THAT DISPLAYS THE MEASUREMENT.

THIS COMPUTER-GUIDED MACHINE FORMS AN ALUMINUM BAR

INTO ANOTHER KEY COMPONENT,

CALLED THE BRIDGE.

THE BRIDGE HAS HOLES FOR SCREWS

AND LOCATING PINS

THAT ALIGN WITH THOSE IN THE BRIDGE PLATE

SO THAT THE TWO CAN FASTEN,

SANDWICHING THE GEARS IN BETWEEN.

THE BRIDGE ALSO HAS HOLES FOR THREE JEWELS,

WHICH WORKERS INSERT WITH A PUNCH PRESS.

JEWELS ARE DOUGHNUT-SHAPED SYNTHETIC RUBIES

SET IN A BRASS RING.

THEY LINE THE HOLES FOR THE GEARS

AND OTHER MOVING COMPONENTS.

THE JEWEL'S SURFACE IS VERY SMOOTH.

SO IT EASES FRICTION ON THE COMPONENT.

WORKERS CHECK EVERY JEWEL UNDER A MICROSCOPE

TO MAKE SURE IT DIDN'T CRACK WHEN PRESSED INTO THE HOLE.

THE DIAL INDICATOR'S OUTSIDE CASE IS MADE OF ALUMINUM,

SHAPED BY THIS COMPUTER-GUIDED TURNING AND MILLING MACHINE.

WORKERS SPRAY THE CASE WITH POWDERED PAINT

USING AN ELECTRIC CHARGE

TO DRAW THE PARTICLES ONTO THE SURFACE

IN A THOROUGH, EVEN COAT.

THEN, THEY BAKE THE CASE IN AN OVEN FOR 20 MINUTES

TO MAKE THE PAINT FINISH ULTRA DURABLE.

THEY PUT THE CASE ON A MACHINE

THAT PRESSES IN TOP AND BOTTOM STEEL STEMS,

WHICH WILL HOLD THE RACK IN PLACE.

THEY MOUNT A HAIR SPRING ON THE BRIDGE PLATE.

THIS SPRING ALLOWS THE GEAR

TO RETURN TO ITS ORIGINAL POSITION

AFTER MOVING THE RACK UPWARD TO TAKE A MEASUREMENT.

THEY INSERT WHAT'S CALLED A PINION

FOR THE LARGE DIAL HAND IN THE CENTER JEWELED HOLE

AND A SECOND GEAR INTO THE JEWELED HOLE

FOR THE SMALL DIAL HAND.

THEN, THEY ATTACH THE BRIDGE.

NEXT, THEY INSERT THE RACK

INTO THE CASE THROUGH THE STEM

AND SCREW A CONTACT INTO EACH END.

THEN, THEY INSTALL A BRASS SPRING-LOADED RACK GUIDE.

IT PREVENTS THE RACK FROM ROTATING

SO THAT ITS TEETH ALWAYS FACE THE RACK GEAR.

THEY MATE THE CASE WITH THE REST.

THEN THEY PUSH IN THE STEM

WHILE HOLDING THE HAND PINION TO WIND THE GEAR.

THEY INSTALL THE PRINTED ALUMINUM DIAL

ON THE BRIDGE PLATE SIDE

AND MOUNT THE HAND FOR THE SMALL DIAL ON A PINION

PROTRUDING FROM THE TOP OF THE GEAR.

THEY MOUNT THE LARGE DIAL HAND ONTO ITS PINION.

THEY PLACE THE MOVABLE DIAL

INTO A GROOVED RING, CALLED A BEZEL,

AND SNAP THE BEZEL ONTO THE CASE.

WHEN YOU TURN THE BEZEL, THE DIAL MOVES WITH IT.

THE BACK OF THE CASE IS SHAPED WITH A LUG

FOR MOUNTING THE TOOL TO A FIXTURE.

THE MOVABLE DIAL LETS YOU ZERO THE INDICATOR.

YOU LOCK IN THE DIAL POSITION WITH THIS TWIST BOLT.

THE FACTORY TESTS EVERY DIAL INDICATOR

WITH THIS MICROMETER HEAD.

IT PUSHES IN THE RACK TO A SPECIFIC MEASUREMENT.

EVERY TIME THE LARGE HAND ROTATES A FULL REVOLUTION,

INDICATING 100 THOUSANDTHS OF AN INCH,

THE SMALL DIAL HAND CLOCKS ONE GRADUATION.

THIS TEST GUARANTEES NO TOOL LEAVES THE FACTORY

WITHOUT DELIVERING MADE-TO-MEASURE ACCURACY.

Narrator: CUTTING OR SANDING METALS AND OTHER MATERIALS

CAN PRODUCE COMBUSTIBLE AIRBORNE DUST OR FUMES,

WHICH CAN IGNITE OR BE INHALED.

THAT'S WHY IT'S SAFER TO DO THIS WORK

ON A WET DOWNDRAFT TABLE.

THIS MACHINE CAPTURES AND FILTERS HAZARDOUS PARTICLES

FROM THE WORK SPACE.

A POWERFUL BLOWER PULLS THE FLAMMABLE DUST DOWN

THROUGH THE OPENINGS OF THE GRID TABLETOP.

THEN A CONTINUOUS SPRAY OF WATER EXTINGUISHES THE DUST

AND WASHES IT DOWN INTO A RESERVOIR AT THE BOTTOM,

WHERE A FILTER REMOVES IT.

BECAUSE STAINLESS STEEL DOESN'T CORRODE,

THIS COMPUTER-GUIDED LASER CUTS THE COMPONENTS

THAT COME INTO CONTACT WITH WATER

OUT OF STAINLESS STEEL SHEETS.

WORKERS PASS EACH PART THROUGH A WIDE-BELT SANDER

TO SMOOTH OUT ROUGH EDGES LEFT BY THE CUTTING.

WHEN THE PART EXITS THE SANDER,

THEY THOROUGHLY BRUSH OFF THE METAL DUST.

THEN, THEY BEND THE PART INTO THE REQUIRED SHAPE

USING A COMPUTER-GUIDED MACHINE,

CALLED A PRESS BRAKE.

A WELDER THEN FUSES THE PARTS,

CONSTRUCTING THE MACHINE IN SECTIONS.

THIS IS THE TABLE SECTION THAT CONTAINS THE TABLETOP

AND THE WASH-DOWN SYSTEM

THAT PROCESSES THE COMBUSTIBLE DUST.

WORKERS CLEAN ALL THE WELDS WITH A MACHINE

THAT USES A COMBINATION OF CHEMICALS AND ELECTRICITY.

THEY BRUSH ON A PROTECTIVE COATING

TO MAKE THE WELDS CORROSION-RESISTANT.

THEN, THEY WASH THE UNIT WITH SOAP AND WATER.

IN THE RESERVOIR AT THE BOTTOM,

THEY INSTALL THE WATER-INLET FILTER.

WHEN THE BLOWER SUCKS THE DUST UNDER THE TABLETOP,

SPRAY NOZZLES DOUSE IT WITH WATER.

THE DUSTY WATER FLOWS DOWN INTO THE RESERVOIR,

WHERE THIS FILTER TRAPS THE DUST

BEFORE A PUMP SENDS THE WATER BACK UP TO THE SPRAY NOZZLES.

TO ENSURE THAT NO WATER LEAKS OUT,

A WORKER CAULKS THIS ENTIRE SECTION OF THE MACHINE

WITH MARINE-GRADE SEALANT.

ON THE LEFT SIDE, THEY MOUNT THE HOUSING

FOR THE MIST-ELIMINATOR FILTER.

IT CAPTURES WATER DROPLETS FROM THE AIRSTREAM

BEFORE THE BLOWER EXHAUSTS IT.

TO THAT, THEY ATTACH THE BLOWER HOUSING.

IT HAS A SIDE OPENING FOR THE BLOWER

AND A TOP OPENING FOR A SILENCER

THAT MUFFLES THE NOISE OF THE BLOWER EXHAUST.

NOW, THEY INSTALL THE BLOWER.

IT CONSISTS OF AN ELECTRIC MOTOR

TURNING A BLOWER WHEEL.

THE RESULTING CENTRIFUGAL FORCE SUCKS AIR THROUGH THE MACHINE

AND OUT THE EXHAUST.

THEY INSERT THE FILTER INTO ITS HOUSING.

THE FILTER IS POLYESTER, SO IT'S MOLD RESISTANT,

WHICH IS CRITICAL GIVEN THAT IT GETS WET.

NOW, THEY INSTALL THE WATER TREE,

A STAINLESS STEEL WALL WITH BAFFLES

THAT MAKE THE DUSTY WATER CASCADE INTO THE RESERVOIR.

THESE PROBES ENSURE THERE'S ALWAYS THE OPTIMUM AMOUNT

OF WATER CIRCULATING THROUGH THE MACHINE.

THEY SEND AN ALERT TO THE CONTROL PANEL

IF THE WATER LEVEL IN THE RESERVOIR

RISES TOO HIGH OR DROPS TOO LOW.

AFTER INSTALLING A PLUMBING CONNECTION

FOR THE WASH-DOWN SYSTEM,

THEY INSTALL WALLS TO CONTAIN

THE DUST OVER THE WORK SURFACE

AND THE SILENCER OVER THE BLOWER EXHAUST.

THEN, THEY COMPLETE THE ASSEMBLY OF THE WASH-DOWN SYSTEM

BY CONNECTING PIPES WITH SPRAY

NOZZLES TO THE PLUMBING CONNECTION.

FINALLY, WORKERS INSTALL THE TABLETOP,

MADE UP OF TWO STEEL GRATES.

THE BLOWER SUCKS THE DUST THROUGH THE GRATES' OPENINGS.

YOU CAN CUSHION THE TABLETOP WITH A RUBBER GRID MAT.

WHEN YOU PRESS THE START BUTTON ON THE CONTROL PANEL,

THE BLOWER BEGINS DRAWING AIR.

AND THE NOZZLES BEGIN SPRAYING WATER.

THIS DEMONSTRATION WITH THE SMOKE MACHINE

SHOWS THE POWERFUL DOWNDRAFT

THAT GIVES INDUSTRIAL WORKERS A BREATH OF FRESH AIR.

Narrator: TO PLAY MOST WOODWIND INSTRUMENTS,

THE MUSICIAN BLOWS AIR THROUGH A REED MADE OF CANE.

THE REED VIBRATES TO CREATE SOUND,

JUST LIKE THE VOCAL CORDS IN OUR THROAT.

A BASSOON REED IS COMPRISED OF TWO THIN BLADES OF CANE

RATHER THAN ONE, SO IT'S CALLED A DOUBLE REED.

A BASSOON REED HAS TWIN BLADES AT THE TOP

THAT VIBRATE TO PRODUCE SOUND AND A TUBE AT THE BOTTOM

THAT FITS ONTO THE BASSOON'S LEAD PIPE.

THE REED MAKER BEGINS WITH A STALK OF CANE

THAT'S ALMOST AN INCH IN DIAMETER.

WITH A SINGLE STRIKE OF A CYLINDRICAL,

X-SHAPED BLADE,

HE SPLITS IT INTO FOUR EQUAL STRIPS,

THEN USES A GUILLOTINE TO CUT EACH STRIP TO A LENGTH

OF 4 3/4 INCHES.

AFTER SOAKING A STRIP IN WATER

FOR ABOUT 8 HOURS TO SOFTEN THE FIBERS,

HE LATERALLY SLICES OFF ABOUT HALF THE CANE.

THEN, HE PLACES IT IN A PRECISION GOUGER

AND THINS IT TO APPROXIMATELY 0.05 INCHES,

GIVE OR TAKE A FRACTION OF AN INCH.

HE VERIFIES THE THICKNESS WITH A PRECISION-MEASURING TOOL,

CALLED A DIAL INDICATOR.

HE CLAMPS THE CANE IN A REED-SHAPED TEMPLATE

AND TRIMS AWAY THE EXCESS.

THIS GIVES THE CANE A DISTINCT CONTOUR.

HE REMOVES THE OUTER LAYER OF RIGID BARK

AND THINS OUT THE MIDDLE,

WHICH WILL BECOME THE DUAL BLADES OF THE REED.

NEXT, HE CUTS A PATTERN THAT WILL ENABLE THE REED

TO VIBRATE AT THE FREQUENCIES REQUIRED TO PRODUCE

THE BASSOON'S FULL RANGE OF 44 NOTES.

THEN, HE SCORES BOTH ENDS OF THE CANE

TO MAKE THEM FLEXIBLE ENOUGH

TO BE BENT INTO A HALF CIRCLE.

HE FOLDS THE CANE IN HALF AND TIES IT

WITH A PIECE OF BRASS WIRE.

THE FOLD WILL FORM THE DOUBLE BLADES

AT THE TOP OF THE REED.

THE OPPOSITE ENDS,

ONCE BENT INTO MATING HALF CIRCLES,

WILL FORM THE TUBE AT THE BOTTOM.

KEEPING THE CANE WET, HE HEATS A CYLINDRICAL-FORMING MANDREL

OVER THE FLAME OF AN OIL-BURNING LAMP.

THEN, HE WRAPS THE TUBE END TIGHTLY WITH TWINE.

THE HEAT SOFTENS THE CANE'S FIBERS,

MOLDING THEM UNDER PRESSURE FROM THE TIGHTLY WOUND TWINE

TO THE SHAPE OF THE MANDREL.

THIS FORMS THE TWO ADJOINING HALF CIRCLES

INTO A PERFECTLY ROUND TUBE.

AFTER A FEW SECONDS,

HE REMOVES THE FORMING MANDREL

AND UNWRAPS THE TWINE.

HE INSERTS A HOLDING MANDREL OF THE SAME DIAMETER

AND WRAPS IT WITH A RUBBER BAND.

HE PUTS THE REED ASIDE TO DRY FOR ABOUT A WEEK.

THIS SETS THE SHAPE PERMANENTLY.

WHEN HE UNWRAPS AND UNFOLDS THE REED,

HE SANDS THE EDGES OF THE TWO ADJOINING HALF CIRCLES

SO THAT THEY MEET PERFECTLY.

THEN, HE REFOLDS THE REED,

SECURING IT WITH THREE WIRES

SPACED AT SPECIFIC INTERVALS.

THE DISTANCE BETWEEN THE WIRES,

IN CONCERT WITH THE CURVED SHAPE OF THE CANE,

FINALIZES THE CONTOUR OF THE REED,

WHICH DETERMINES HOW IT VIBRATES.

ONE THE WIRES ARE CORRECTLY POSITIONED,

HE WRAPS THE TUBE END OF THE REED

WITH STRONG SYNTHETIC STRING.

THIS WILL CONTAIN THE TUBE DIMENSIONS

WHEN THE REED IS RESOAKED.

HE COATS THE STRING WITH GLUE

TO FURTHER STRENGTHEN THE TUBE.

ONCE THE GLUE DRIES,

HE REAMS THE INSIDE OF THE TUBE

TO FIT PERFECTLY INTO THE BASSOON'S LEAD PIPE.

HE PLACES A RULER AGAINST THE FIRST WIRE

AND MAKES A MARK OF JUST

OVER AN INCH OUT TOWARD THE FOLDED TIP.

THEN, HE CLIPS OFF THE FOLDED TIP.

THE REED NOW HAS DOUBLE BLADES

THAT VIBRATE WHEN A MUSICIAN BLOWS AIR THROUGH THEM.

BECAUSE CANE IS A PLANT, NOT A SYNTHETIC MATERIAL,

THERE ARE SLIGHT NATURAL VARIATIONS FROM REED TO REED.

SO BASSOONISTS MAKE THE LAST MINOR ADJUSTMENTS THEMSELVES

WITH PROFILERS AND OTHER TOOLS

UNTIL THEIR REED VIBRATES BEAUTIFULLY.