Peaked Caps Custom Water Heaters Electric Boats Fencing Foils
Throughout europe in the late 1700s, peaked caps were traditionally worn by industrial workers. Today, they are worn by professionals such as security personnel, members of the military, and police officials that wear uniforms. In the united kingdom, some police officers still wear the classic custodian helmet, but now many officers have chosen to wear the lightweight, comfortable, and practical peaked cap. To make these caps, a hat maker, or a milliner, assembles a number of components using patterns to cut out the required pieces of wool, foam, and plastic. A milliner bends a strip of polypropylene plastic into a circle. She sews the joint with a high-strength thread, creating the hat band that will go around the head. She positions a smaller piece of polypropylene, known as the badge support, and sews it in place. The support will prevent the weight of a police badge from distorting the shape of the hat. These crescent-shaped components are pieces of wool glued to thin, flexible foam. She sews the crescents together, creating a circular piece, which will form the bevel. She uses a specialized, long-arm sewing machine, which has been customized to make hats. The seams are carefully ironed flat to prevent any bulging. If the iron is too hot, the foam will melt. Too cool, and the wool won't flatten. She aligns two strips of 100% wool fabric and sews them together at the ends. This piece will cover the plastic stiffener forming the outer band. To ensure the sizing is correct, the milliner places the wool cover over the stiffener. The stiffener is installed at the end of the production process. Next, the milliner irons the seams of the band covers. She finishes the band covers on a sewing machine known as a flat bed and creates a fold to hold the plastic stiffener and sews the edges together. Then the band cover is sewed to the bevel. While it's difficult to attach two pieces of cloth at different angles, this step creates an even seam that runs 360 degrees. It takes at least six months of training to learn how to make hats. The crown is made from three materials-- a combination of wool and foam, a polyester lining, and a protective-grade p.v.c. layer. Once the three materials have been sewn together, the machinist trims the perimeter of the crown. She marks the side edges and aligns them with the seams on the bevel. Then she sews the crown to the bevel. Having spent a great deal of time perfecting the skills, this milliner makes it look easy. Finally, the components begin to resemble a hat. Using a polypropylene template, the machinist positions and marks two spots on the bevel. She places two small brass rings on a special device and aligns the marks with the device's posts, which cut out two holes through the fabric. Then she places two cup-shaped rings on the posts, and the machine punches them down, forming eyelets for ventilation. Next, the polypropylene stiffener is inserted into the hat. Finally, the hat begins to take on its final shape. The tag containing the hat's size is sewed on hat band. She places a checkered-pattern band on the brim of the hat, called dicing or the sillitoe tartan. The milliner inserts a replica badge through holes in the badge support and secures it with a pin. This is a replica, since we can't show real police badges on tv. Next, the milliner sews the peak onto the band. It took a highly skilled milliner more than half an hour to sew this hat. They might look straightforward, but peaked caps are surprisingly complex. A home water heater stores and heats water in a tank. This is how it works. When you turn on a faucet, hot water flows out of the tank from the top, while cold water flows into the tank from the bottom. Conventional water heaters are fueled by natural gas, electricity, propane, or oil. This company custom-builds several types of water heaters for use with different types of heat sources, such as boilers, heat pumps, and solar panels. Each work order includes a picture outlining the pipe configuration and the connecting valves, along with a list of the water heater's specifications. To make a copper tank, a technician cuts a thick sheet of copper to a specified length. He aligns the end of the sheet to the gradation on the table that corresponds to the tank's circumference. Then he actives the guillotine blade with a foot pedal. A computer-guided machine punches holes for the valves. This water heater requires two valves at each end of the heating coil and one that will connect the water pipe to the tank. The technician inserts the copper sheet into a mechanical roller. The rollers apply pressure, forming the sheet into an open cylinder. One end of the cylinder is clamped into a machine that welds linear seams. The technician inserts the other end of the cylinder through the machine and joins it against the clamped end. The machine is programmed to weld a seam to the length of the connected ends. The technician monitors the welding arm through a u.v. lens to protect his eyes. The machine stops automatically when it reaches the programmed seam length. This process closes the cylinder with a strong, pressure-resistant seam, creating the water-heater tank's structural component. Another technician places the tank's top on a press. The press punches a hole for a threaded pipe fitting. The fitting connects the pipe to the hot water. Using a different press, the technician makes another hole into the cylinder for a threaded fitting. This fitting connects to an electrical element that heats water in conjunction with a boiler. Another technician makes the tank's heating coil by running a straight copper tube through three rollers. The tube is bent under pressure, forming it into a coiled shape. The heat from the boiler, pump, or solar panel flows through the heating coil, heating the water stored in the tank. Since the copper-tube wall is too thin to weld, a technician uses a fusing technique known as brazing. This metal-joining process brazes a flow fitting on one end of the heating coil and a return fitting on the other. Next, the heating coil is placed in the tank. The fittings protrude through a hole at the top and bottom. The technician secures each one with a nut, then tightens the nuts with an impact wrench. Like the dome top, the bottom component's edges are grooved, allowing the tank to fit perfectly into the cylinder base. Once the top and bottom components are installed, the tank goes back to the brazing station for final assembly. A welder brazes the top and bottom components to the cylinder, then he brazes a feed fitting to a hole near the bottom of the tank. This location is where cold water enters the tank to be heated. Next, a technician conducts a quality-control test. He blocks the three fittings, fills the cylinder with air, then submerges the tank in water to check for air bubbles, which would indicate a leak. A stainless-steel water heater is constructed just like a copper heater, except that they don't require any brazing. A robot sprays the tanks with expandable polyurethane foam for insulation. The customer selects the degree of insulation, one to four inches thick. The foam takes just five minutes to cure. As the tank stores hot water, the insulation reduces the amount of heat the tank loses over time. Electrically powered vehicles may seem like a 21st-century phenomenon, but they were actually first invented in the 1880s. During that time, they were very popular, until combustion-engine vehicles became the new normal. Today, these electrically powered alternative-fuel vehicles are making a comeback. This manufacturer produces a wide range of electric boats. Thanks to powerful batteries, some of these vehicles can travel over 35 miles per hour. Craftspeople apply a gel-coat skin to a mold, using a product derived from vinyl. Then they layer on a dry fiberglass fabric and vacuum-bag the entire assembly. The vacuum suction draws in liquid resin, infusing the material. A craftsman marks a dry spot as a test point to monitor and ensure complete saturation. The infusion process takes about two hours. Once complete, the assembly will cure for four to six hours, depending on the general humidity and temperature levels. Once cured, the assembly is removed from the mold. Despite the structure's light weight, this deck is incredibly strong, rigid, and durable. The fiberglass decks and hulls make up the boat's shells. A craftswoman applies a high-strength marine glue to a recessed area of the deck. She installs an anti-skid deck insertion. This material is a composite designed to resemble wood. Unlike real wood, this composite material will last the lifetime of the boat and won't require any additional maintenance. The craftswoman uses a roller to apply pressure evenly across the entire decking surface. This step will eliminate any unwanted air pockets. Next, a mirror-image decking section is applied to the other side. A specialist installs the electrical-wiring harness. To avoid corrosion, marine-grade wiring is stored in a sealed environment under the deck. Since the decking is lightweight, it only takes two people to lift and install it on the hull. The lip of the deck fits snugly into place. The most powerful boat models require lithium-ion batteries. These boats are built with military-grade foam. The density of the foam adds structure, causing the boat to become unsinkable. Using a hoist, technicians install the deck of a large, powerful electric boat. The deck lip slides over the top of the hull. Depending on the boat model, the manufacturer uses either lithium-ion or lead-acid batteries as a power source. A specialist installs a series of marine-grade dc31 lead-acid batteries. At 6 volts, 225 amps, they're similar to batteries used in cars. By contrast, the 7.7-kilowatt lithium-ion batteries pack a charge of 48 volts. The batteries are installed under the seats. To create a watertight seal between the deck to the hull, a craftsman installs a rubber bumper around the perimeter of the boat. Holes have been pre-drilled to avoid cracking when installation is complete. This manufacturer sources their motors from an outside electric-motor company, which also builds motors for cars. The fin, made of aluminum encased in marine-grade rubber, is installed on the bottom of the motor. The propeller attaches to the motor with a zinc nut. Two circuit boards located on board will send instructions to the motor. A waterproof cover is placed on top of the circuit boards for added protection. Locknuts with nylon washers will prevent unnecessary vibrations while the motor is on. With the steering cables installed, the entire unit pivots right and left, allowing the pilot on deck to steer. The powerful motor is equivalent to a 10-horsepower combustion engine, and because it sits in the water, it stays cool and quiet. Finally, a craftswoman places the boat's sun canopy over the framework. This will allow customers to add solar panels for charging the boat. Also, a customer can choose the colors for both their canopies and upholstery. There's no denying that electric boats are the future of fun on the water. Modern fencing is a sport consisting of three disciplines, one of which is foil fencing. While in play, a lightweight foil sword is used to score points. Points can be scored when the tip of a player's sword makes contact onto their opponent's torso. A fencing foil is a piece of equipment that should only be used by trained professionals. This sword doesn't have a sharp edge or pointed tip. It's all about scoring hits. Fencing foils are made out of thin steel bars. The steel is a low-carbon, nickel-rich alloy that's strong yet flexible. An automated saw cuts the bars to a length of 35 inches. The bar will be stretched and shortened as it's transformed. A forge heats and hammers the hilt end to a round shape, leaving the rest of the rod rectangular. Here you can see the difference in the rod's shape. Another forging machine softens the end of the rod and pushes the blade through a series of hammers. This tapers the blade and stretches the steel, doubling it in size. An operator clamps the tapered blade in a jig to hold it straight while the steel cools. Then the operator slices the hilt end to length. The excess steel will be recycled into new swords. Next, the blades are heated in a 932-degree oven. This step removes stresses and makes the metal less brittle. After a second heating, the blades soak in oil to cool and harden. The exposure to intense heat causes a rusty scale to form on the blade, so technicians clean it off. A sword maker clamps the blades in a disc grinder. The grinder carves a fine groove from the hilt to the tip. The groove will house a wire for the electric scoring system. The blade is cleaned to remove any remaining surface imperfections. A spinning belt coated with an abrasive grinds all four sides of the blade. Then the sword is polished using a buffing wheel and polishing compound. You can see the difference this makes in the blade on the right. The craftsman hammers the blade against an anvil to straighten out any kinks. Then he inspects the blade. If needed, the craftsman will make adjustments to the blade with a hammer. Now it's time to work on the hilt end of the blade. Another craftsman locks the end of the blade in a threading die, applies lubricant, and activates the automated system. The system turns the sword in the die, carving out threads. Then the threaded hilt is cut to length. At the next station, a computerized laser engraves the company logo into the steel. After the sensor barrel is installed on the end of the sword and the electrical scoring wire is placed in the groove, the technician applies glue to keep the wire secure. The sword blade is placed in a rack that holds it in a bow-like bend. This step will give the glued wire the flexibility it needs to bend with the rest of the sword while in use. After the blade has cured, a pressure sensor spring is inserted into the barrel and capped with a sensor button. The technician uses screws to hold the components together. To assemble the hilt, the scoring wire is threaded through a hole in the guard so it can easily slide into place. Then the sensor wire is connected to a socket. The wiring assembly is covered with a plastic pad that allows the socket to protrude. Finally, the pistol-grip handle is screwed into the threaded end of the blade. This fencing foil is now ready for testing. The technician plugs the fencing foil into testing equipment, then he places a one-pound weight on the sensor button and checks to see if it responds. And the results are in. This fencing foil is now ready to stand up to its competition.