Original subtitles

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

CAPTIONS PAID FOR BY DISCOVERY COMMUNICATIONS

Narrator: TODAY ON "HOW IT'S MADE"...

PASTA DIES.

BLUEBERRIES.

COMPOSTING TOILETS.

AND SURGE ARRESTERS.

INDUSTRIAL PASTA MACHINES PRODUCE NOODLES

BY EXTRUDING DOUGH THROUGH A DIE.

THE DIE HAS HOLES IN IT,

WHICH ARE SHAPED TO PRODUCE A SPECIFIC TYPE OF PASTA.

AS THE DOUGH COMES THROUGH THE HOLES

IN A CONTINUOUS STREAM,

A KNIFE CUTS THE PASTA TO THE CORRECT LENGTH.

THIS INDUSTRIAL PASTA DIE PRODUCES FUSILLI,

UP TO ONE AND A HALF TONS OF IT PER HOUR.

AND THIS IS JUST A MIDSIZE DIE.

THE LARGEST ONES CAN PRODUCE FOUR TONS OF PASTA PER HOUR.

THE DIE BLOCK IS MADE OF A BRONZE-ALUMINUM ALLOY.

A COMPUTER-GUIDED MACHINE DRILLS HOLES FOR INSERTS

THROUGH WHICH THE PASTA DOUGH WILL BE EXTRUDED.

THE FRONT OF THE BLOCK IS THEN CHROME PLATED

TO PROTECT AGAINST THE SHARP KNIFE

THAT CUTS THE EXTRUDED PASTA OFF THE DIE.

THE NEXT STEP IS TO MAKE INSERTS

THAT GO IN THE HOLES IN THE BLOCK.

AN INSERT IS COMPRISED OF MALE AND FEMALE PARTS

AND A NONSTICK PLASTIC LINING.

A COMPUTER-GUIDED MILL CUTS THE LININGS

FROM A PLATE OF NONSTICK PLASTIC.

ANOTHER COMPUTER-GUIDED MILL

MACHINES THE FEMALE PART OF THE INSERTS

IN A MORE THAN QUARTER OF AN INCH-THICK BRASS PLATE.

THEN A WORKER PLACES A LINING IN EACH FEMALE PART.

HE TAPS IT INTO POSITION WITH A MALLET AND PUNCH.

THE PLATE THEN GOES BACK ON THE MILL,

WHICH CUTS AN EXTRUSION SLOT IN THE LINING.

THE SLOT SHAPE DETERMINES THE PASTA SHAPE.

A MILL MACHINES THE MALE PART OF THE INSERTS

IN ANOTHER BRASS PLATE.

A WORKER DETACHES THE MALE PARTS FROM THE PLATE

WITH A PUNCH AND MALLET.

HE DETACHES THE LINED FEMALE PARTS THE SAME WAY.

THEN HE ASSEMBLES THE MALE AND FEMALE PARTS

BY FORCING ONE ONTO THE OTHER WITH THE HELP OF A STEEL PUNCH.

HE FINISHES THE DIE INSERT BY CUTTING OFF THE PROTRUDING

EXCESS PLASTIC WITH A BLADE

SO THAT THE LINING IS FLUSH WITH THE TOP.

THE FACTORY MAKES DIE INSERTS

IN THOUSANDS OF DIFFERENT SHAPES --

SOME STANDARD,

OTHERS IN THE CLIENT'S CUSTOM-MADE PASTA SHAPE.

THIS COMPUTER-GUIDED LATHE MAKES BRASS LOCKING RINGS

WHICH WILL SECURE THE INSERTS IN THE BLOCK.

NOW, FINAL ASSEMBLY BEGINS.

A WORKER PLACES THE BLOCK FACE-DOWN,

AND FROM THE BACK DROPS

AN INSERT TOP-FIRST INTO EACH HOLE.

NEXT, HE PLACES A LOCKING RING IN EACH HOLE.

THEN, WITH A HYDRAULIC PRESS AND PUNCH,

HE FORCES DOWN EACH LOCKING RING TO WITHIN APPROXIMATELY

1 MILLIMETER OF THE INSERT UNDERNEATH.

IN THIS POSITION, THE RING HOLDS THE INSERT IN THE HOLE

BUT DOESN'T PREVENT IT FROM SPINNING WITHIN THE HOLE.

THE NEXT STEP IS TO ADJUST THE INSERTS

TO MAKE THEIR ORIENTATION UNIFORM.

HE INSERTS A PIN INTO EACH INSERT SLOT.

THEN HE ROTATES THE PIN TO ROTATE THE INSERT.

ONCE THE INSERT ORIENTATION IS CORRECT,

HE FORCES THE LOCKING RING

DOWN ALL THE WAY TO IMMOBILIZE THE INSERT.

ONCE HE HAS ALL THE INSERTS ORIENTED THE SAME WAY,

HE SANDS THE CHROME-PLATED FRONT OF THE DIE,

FIRST WITH A MEDIUM-GRIT DISK,

THEN WITH A FINE-GRIT SANDPAPER.

THE DIE SURFACE MUST BE SMOOTH AS SILK FOR THE KNIFE

TO SLICE OFF THE EXTRUDED PASTA CLEANLY.

HE VERIFIES THE WIDTH OF EVERY EXTRUSION SLOT WITH A GAUGE.

THIS ENSURES EVERY PIECE OF PASTA

WILL BE THE CORRECT THICKNESS.

THEN ON THE BACK OF THE FINISHED DIE,

HE STAMPS THE MANUFACTURER'S NAME.

THE DIE IS READY TO BE MOUNTED ON AN INDUSTRIAL MACHINE

THAT EXTRUDES DOUGH INTO PERFECTLY SHAPED,

READY-TO-BOIL PASTA.

Narrator: BLUEBERRIES ARE ONE OF NATURE'S HEALTHIEST FOODS.

THEY'RE LOW IN CALORIES, PACKED WITH VITAMIN C,

AND FULL OF ANTIOXIDANTS.

AND FREEZING BLUEBERRIES DOESN'T COMPROMISE

ANY OF THAT NUTRITIONAL VALUE.

NORTH AND SOUTH AMERICA

GROW MOST OF THE WORLD'S BLUEBERRIES.

THE LENGTH OF THE HARVEST VARIES BY CLIMATE.

IN THE SOUTH, IT SPANS APRIL TO SEPTEMBER.

FURTHER NORTH, MID-JUNE TO MID-AUGUST.

AT THIS STATE-OF-THE-ART BLUEBERRY FARM,

A MECHANICAL HARVESTER

STRADDLES THE ROW OF BLUEBERRY PLANTS

AND SHAKES THE LEAVES WITH VIBRATING FINGERS.

THE BERRIES FALL TO A SLOPED FLOOR BELOW

AND ROLL DOWN INTO SIDE CONVEYOR BELTS.

THE BELTS DUMP THE BERRIES INTO ONBOARD BINS

WHICH TRUCKS TRANSPORT FROM THE FIELD

TO THE ON-SITE PACKING PLANT.

THE PLANT HAS TWO SEPARATE PRODUCTION LINES --

ONE FOR BERRIES TO BE SHIPPED OUT FRESH,

AND THIS ONE FOR BERRIES TO BE SHIPPED OUT FROZEN.

WORKERS EMPTY THE BINS INTO A HOPPER,

WHICH FEEDS THE BERRIES ONTO A CONVEYOR BELT.

A VIBRATING CONVEYOR BELT

THEN FERRIES THE BERRIES UNDER A BLOWER

THAT SUCTIONS UP LOOSE LEAVES AND TWIGS.

THEN THE BLUEBERRIES TUMBLE DOWN A WATERFALL.

STONES AND DEBRIS SETTLE IN THE LEDGES.

THE BERRIES LAND IN A WASH TANK.

MOST OF THE RIPE ONES SINK TO THE BOTTOM

WHILE MOST OF THE UNRIPE ONES FLOAT ON TOP

WHERE WORKERS CAN EASILY SCOOP THEM OUT.

THE BERRIES EXIT THE WASH TANK

WITH FEWER UNRIPE ONES AMONG THEM.

THE MESH BELT VIBRATES TO GENTLY SHAKE OFF WATER.

THEN IT RUNS THE BERRIES

THROUGH THE FIRST OF TWO COLOR SORTERS.

THE MACHINE'S CAMERA IS PRESET TO IGNORE THE COLOR BLUE

AND DETECT ONLY GREEN AND RED.

WHENEVER A GREEN OR RED BERRY PASSES,

THE CAMERA SENDS A SIGNAL TO THE COMPUTER

IDENTIFYING ITS EXACT LOCATION

SO THAT ONE OF THE 136 AIR JETS

BLOWS IT OFF THE BELT TO A COLLECTION TROUGH BELOW.

THE RIPE BLUEBERRIES FLY

OVER THE TOP ONTO A CONVEYOR BELT

THAT TAKES THEM TO THE FREEZER TUNNEL.

THE TEMPERATURE INSIDE IS MINUS 29 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT.

FIVE TO 7 MINUTES LATER,

THE BERRIES EXIT THE TUNNEL FROZEN SOLID.

WORKERS PERFORM A FINAL VISUAL INSPECTION.

AFTER PASSING THROUGH A METAL DETECTOR,

THE BERRIES DROP INTO A PREPROGRAMMED SCALE

THAT WEIGHS OUT THE SPECIFIC QUANTITY BEING PACKAGED.

MEANWHILE, IN AN ON-SITE LAB, GOVERNMENT-TRAINED INSPECTORS

PULL SAMPLES OFF THE LINE EVERY 20 MINUTES FOR GRADING,

WHICH THEY DETERMINE BY ASSESSING FACTORS

SUCH AS COLOR, AROMA, AND DEFECTS.

THE FROZEN BERRIES GO INTO A FREEZER

UNTIL SHIPPED OUT BY FREEZER TRUCK.

THE FRESH BERRY PRODUCTION LINE

IS SIMILAR TO THE FROZEN LINE,

MINUS THE WASH TANK

AND, OF COURSE, THE FREEZE TUNNEL.

HOWEVER, THE COLOR SORTERS ON THIS LINE

ARE EVEN MORE HIGH-TECH.

NOT ONLY ARE THEY SET TO DETECT RED

AND GREEN BERRIES,

BUT THEY ALSO HAVE A FIRMNESS DETECTOR,

WHICH BY BOUNCING EACH BERRY

ON A PAD CAN IDENTIFY BLUE ONES TOO SOFT

TO HAVE AT LEAST A 12-DAY REFRIGERATED SHELF LIFE.

AIR JETS BLOW THOSE SOFT BERRIES OFF THE CONVEYOR

SO THEY CAN BE TRANSFERRED TO THE FROZEN-BERRY LINE.

THE REST CONTINUE TO A FINAL VISUAL INSPECTION.

THE FRESH BERRIES ARE READY FOR PACKAGING.

THIS ELECTRONIC FILL MACHINE

IS PRESET TO WEIGH OUT THE SPECIFIC QUANTITY

THEY'RE PACKAGING,

IN THIS CASE, NEARLY 2-POUND CONTAINERS.

IT DROPS THAT QUANTITY OF BERRIES

INTO AN AWAITING PLASTIC CONTAINER.

THE FINAL STOP ON THE PACKAGING LINE

IS THE FLAT-SEAL MACHINE.

IT APPLIES A PRINTED PLASTIC FILM

TO THE TOP OF THE CONTAINER,

MELTING AND BONDING IT TO THE PERIMETER

WITHOUT A TOUCH OF HEAT.

THE FILM HAS VENTILATION HOLES

BECAUSE FRESH BERRIES REQUIRE AIR.

FROM HERE, THE CONTAINERS

GO OFF TO A REFRIGERATED WAREHOUSE

TO AWAIT SHIPPING TO THE STORE BY REFRIGERATED TRUCK.

AND PROVIDED THEY REMAIN REFRIGERATED,

THE BLUEBERRIES REMAIN FRESH AND JUICY

FOR 10 TO 12 DAYS.

Narrator: THERE'S A NEW JOHN IN TOWN.

COMPOSTING TOILETS ARE THE GREATEST THING

SINCE INDOOR PLUMBING.

IN FACT, THEY DON'T NEED ANY PLUMBING AT ALL.

SO THEY CAN GO WHERE TRADITIONAL TOILETS DO NOT.

THEY ARE LITTLE WASTE TREATMENT MACHINES.

THEY TURN THE UNPLEASANT BUSINESS

OF SEWAGE INTO SOMETHING MORE AGREEABLE --

GARDEN FERTILIZER.

THIS COMPOSTING TOILET WORKS

A BIT OF MAGIC WITH SEWAGE.

IT TRANSFORMS THE SOLIDS INTO COMPOST

AND MAKES THE LIQUIDS DISAPPEAR.

MAKING THESE TOILETS STARTS WITH A COMPOSTING TANK.

A WORKER SPRAYS FIBERGLASS INTO A MOLD OF THE TANK.

THEN HE AND ANOTHER MEMBER OF THE TEAM PRESS OUT AIR

TRAPPED BETWEEN THE FIBERGLASS AND MOLD SURFACE.

ONCE THE PART CURES,

A BLAST OF COMPRESSED AIR LOOSENS IT FROM THE MOLD.

AND HE LIFTS IT OUT.

IT'S A BIT RAGGED AROUND THE RIM.

SO THEY DO A BASIC TRIM.

HE DRILLS HOLES IN THE TANK FOR INSTALLING FITTINGS.

USING A PNEUMATIC CIRCULAR BLADE,

HE SLICES A HOLE FOR THE COMPOST DRAWER.

AND HE GRINDS THE RIM TO PRECISE MEASUREMENTS.

HE SCREWS TWO OVERFLOW FITTINGS

INTO A THREADED HOLE ON THE BACK OF THE TANK.

HE SEALS THE FITTINGS WITH EPOXY

FROM THE OTHER SIDE OF THE TANK WALL.

THIS EPOXY SEAL WILL PREVENT LEAKS.

MOVING DOWN THE LINE,

ANOTHER WORKER SPRAYS ADHESIVE

ON THE BOTTOM OF THE COMPOSTING TANK.

HE PRESSES AN ALUMINUM PANEL TO IT.

THIS PANEL WILL RADIATE HEAT

FROM A HEATING ELEMENT HE INSTALLS OVER IT.

IT WILL HEAT THE EVAPORATION CHAMBER

IN THE TANK TO DISSIPATE LIQUIDS.

HE PLACES FIBERGLASS INSULATION OVER THE HEATER

AND ENCASES IT WITH A MOLDED FIBERGLASS COVER.

HE WIRES THE HEATER AND INSTALLS A THERMOSTAT

THAT WILL REGULATE THE HEAT

AND ALSO SHUT OFF THE SYSTEM

IF THE TEMPERATURE DROPS BELOW OR EXCEEDS THE THRESHOLD.

HE TURNS THE COMPOSTING TOILET TANK RIGHT-SIDE-UP

TO AWAIT FURTHER ASSEMBLY.

MEANWHILE, ANOTHER WORKER ASSEMBLES THE FAN

FOR EXHAUSTING THE EVAPORATED FLUIDS AND ANY ODORS.

HE INSERTS THE MOTOR SHAFT IN A HOLE IN THE FAN DOOR

SO THAT IT PROTRUDES INSIDE.

HE THEN SCREWS THE MOTOR TO THE OUTSIDE OF THE DOOR.

NEXT, HE ASSEMBLES THE CENTRIFUGAL BLOWER

TO THE MOTOR SHAFT.

HE INSTALLS A PLASTIC SHROUD.

IT SURROUNDS THE FAN,

PROTECTING THE BLADES' INTERACTING AIRFLOW.

AT THE NEXT STATION,

A WORKER PREPARES THE DRUM

IN WHICH SOLID WASTE WILL BE CONVERTED TO COMPOST

BY AEROBIC DECOMPOSITION.

HE FASTENS A STAINLESS STEEL SCREEN

TO AN OPENING IN THE DRUM.

LIQUID WASTE WILL DRAIN THROUGH THIS SCREEN

AND INTO THE EVAPORATION CHAMBER.

ONCE EVAPORATED, THE FAN WILL EXPEL IT

THROUGH THE VENT STACK.

HE NOW PLACES THE DRUM IN THE TANK, BEARINGS ELEVATED,

SO IT SITS JUST ABOVE THE EVAPORATION CHAMBER.

HE FITS A PLASTIC TOP TO THE TANK

AND SCREWS THE TWO COMPONENTS TOGETHER.

HE INSERTS A METAL SHAFT WITH GEARS,

ENGAGING THEM WITH GROOVES ON THE OUTSIDE OF THE DRUM.

HE INSERTS THE FAN INTO AN OPENING

AT THE BACK AND SECURES IT.

HE WIRES THE FAN TO THE POWER SOURCE.

HE INSTALLS A COVER TO PROTECT THE WIRING.

AND HE CONNECTS THE SHAFT TO A HANDLE AT THE FRONT.

IT ROTATES THE DRUM TO MIX THE CONTENTS

AND INTRODUCE AIR

SO THAT THE AEROBIC MICROORGANISMS WILL THRIVE.

AFTER ELECTRICAL AND OTHER TESTS,

A WORKER INSTALLS THE DRAWER FOR THE FINISHED COMPOST.

SHE FASTENS THE SEAT TO THE BASE

WITH NYLON NUTS AND BOLTS WITH CAPS.

SHE INSERTS A PLASTIC LINER IN THE BOWL.

AND THIS COMPLETES THE COMPOSTING TOILET.

BY TURNING HUMAN WASTE INTO COMPOST,

THINGS WILL EVENTUALLY END UP SMELLING LIKE ROSES.

Narrator: ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS ARE VULNERABLE TO VOLTAGE SPIKES

FROM LIGHTNING OR SWITCHING SURGES.

SURGE ARRESTERS TAKE OVER

IN THESE HIGH-VOLTAGE SITUATIONS.

WHEN LIGHTNING STRIKES,

SURGE ARRESTERS HANDLE THE FALLOUT.

THEY DIVERT THE ENSUING POWER SURGES TO THE EARTH,

WHERE THEY WON'T CAUSE DAMAGE.

AT THEIR CORE ARE DISCS THAT ACT AS SWITCHES.

THEY TURN ON AND OFF TO DIVERT VOLTAGE SPIKES.

THE DISCS ARE KNOWN AS M.O.V.s,

WHICH IS SHORT FOR METAL OXIDE VARISTORS.

A WORKER LOOPS FIBERGLASS STRAPPING ONTO ALUMINUM ENDCAPS

TO PREPARE THE CASING FOR THE M.O.V.s.

HE PLACES A SPACER ON ONE END OF THE END CAPS.

HE THEN PACKS NUMEROUS M.O.V.s ON TOP,

EQUIPPING THIS ARRESTER TO DIVERT

A 60,000-VOLT POWER SURGE.

HE ADDS MORE SPACERS TO FILL IN ANY GAPS

BECAUSE THE M.O.V. STACK

HAS TO SIT TIGHT WITHIN THE CASING.

WITH THE STACK COMPLETE,

HE LOOPS MORE FIBERGLASS STRAPPING AROUND

THE M.O.V.s TO COMPLETE THE CASING.

HE TORQUES THE SET SCREW TO COMPRESS THE STACK.

THE SET SCREW ALSO PUSHES BACK THE END CAPS.

THIS PULLS THE FIBERGLASS STRAPPING TIGHTER.

HE NOW CLAMPS THE SURGE ARRESTER

ASSEMBLY BETWEEN TWO MANDRELS.

HE TIES A RESIN-REINFORCED THREAD

AROUND THE FIBERGLASS LOOP AT ONE END.

HE LOWERS A GUARD AS A SAFETY PRECAUTION.

THE MANDRELS THEN SPIN THE SURGE ARRESTER MODULE

AS A COMPUTER-PROGRAMMED DISPENSER

WINDS THE THREAD AROUND IT TO STRENGTHEN IT.

IT CREATES GAPS BETWEEN THE WINDINGS.

THIS WILL ALLOW SPARKS AND FUMES

TO ESCAPE IN THE EVENT OF A POWER OVERLOAD.

WITH THE WINDING COMPLETE,

HE CUTS THE END AND TUCKS IT UNDER THE LAST WINDING.

HE HANGS THE MODULE ON A RACK CONVEYER,

WHICH TAKES IT INTO A CHAMBER.

HERE, A TANK FILLED

WITH AN ADHESIVE-PROMOTING SOLUTION RISES UP

AND IMMERSES THE MODULE.

THIS LEAVES A COATING THAT WILL HELP SILICONE RUBBER

HOUSING BOND TO THE MODULE LATER.

HE REMOVES THE HOOK USED

TO HANG THE MODULE ON THE RACK CONVEYER

AND INSTALLS MANDRELS AT BOTH ENDS TO BE USED

AT A LATER STAGE OF PROCESSING.

HE SETS THE MODULE BETWEEN

THE RUNGS OF A CHAIN-DRIVEN CONVEYER.

IT TAKES IT THROUGH AN OVEN SET AT 302 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT.

THIS CURES THE RESIN IN THE THREAD,

CAUSING IT TO HARDEN AROUND THE FIBERGLASS STRAPPING.

IT ALSO PREHEATS THE SURGE ARRESTER MODULE

IN PREPARATION FOR THE NEXT PROCESS --

THE MOLDING OF THE OUTER HOUSING.

USING THE MANDRELS,

HE LOCKS TWO OF THE SURGE ARRESTER MODULES IN A PLATFORM

AND SLIDES IT UNDER A MOLD PRESS.

A LIFT TAKES IT TO THE PRESS.

IT INJECTS SILICONE RUBBER INTO THE MOLD.

AND USING PRESSURE AND HEAT,

IT FORMS INSULATING JACKETS

AROUND THE ARRESTER MODULES.

THE PRIMER COATING ENHANCES THE ADHESION

OF THE SILICONE RUBBER TO THE MODULES.

HE CLIPS OFF UNWANTED BITS OF SILICONE RUBBER

FROM THE MOLDED HOUSING

AND CLEANS UP THE ENDS WITH A WIRE BRUSH.

SURGE ARRESTERS COME IN A RANGE OF VOLTAGE RATINGS

FOR DIFFERENT ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS.

HE NOW LUBRICATES THE THREADED BOLT HOLES IN ONE END.

HE ALIGNS THOSE HOLES

WITH THE ONES ON A TERMINAL CONNECTOR.

HE BOLTS THE CONNECTOR TO THE SURGE ARRESTER.

HE INSTALLS A BASE ON THE OTHER END.

THIS BASE WILL ALLOW THE ARRESTER

TO BE MOUNTED TO THE GROUND

TO SEND EXCESS VOLTAGES TO THE EARTH.

HE NOW PUTS THE SURGE ARRESTER TO THE TEST.

HE CONNECTS ELECTRODES TO THE TERMINAL CONNECTOR

AND TO THE BASE.

HE RUNS DIFFERENT VOLTAGES OF ELECTRICITY

THROUGH THE ARRESTER AND CONFIRMS

THAT IT ADEQUATELY DISCHARGES THEM.

THIS SURGE ARRESTER IS NOW READY TO JOIN OTHERS ON THE GRID,

FORMING A DEFENSE AGAINST LIGHTNING STRIKES

AND POWER SPIKES.