Wooden Utensils Transport Refrigeration Units Moccasins Electronic Impact Drills
Wooden utensils may date back to prehistoric times, yet today, they're a popular cutlery option for the modern dinner table. Typically a high-end product, handcrafted by artisans, wooden forks, knives, and spoons appeal to people who are drawn to the organic beauty and warmth of wood. Traditional in material but modern in design, each of these wooden utensils is meticulously handcrafted from a single piece of maple. Maple is dense, so it doesn't develop cracks which can harbor bacteria. It takes up to 28 steps to make a utensil. First, a worker planes a maple plank to a specific thickness. Then, they cut it into blocks the length of the utensil-- in this case, a fork. The worker places each block on a curved template and traces the curve, which matches the arc of the fork's handle. With a band saw, they cut along the trace line. The center of the curve runs parallel to the grain of the wood. This makes the handle and tines of the fork stronger than if the curve would run perpendicular to the grain. They clamp the block to another template and profile the curve on a machine called a wood molder. Then, with a band saw, following the curve, the worker cuts the block into strips 1/4 of an inch thick. The curve is quite pronounced to give the fork an elegant line. They clamp up to ten strips at a time onto this woodworking machine. Then, they start her up. Routers descend, and guided by computer software, simultaneously carve the strips into forks. After seven minutes, each curved strip, while nowhere near the finished shape, does have a defined handle and four tines. A strong squeeze snaps off the excess wood. Only small nubs of excess wood remain, which a worker now removes by running the fork against a sanding belt. From this point on comes finer detail work that can be done only by hand. Starting on a balloon sander, a worker adds or releases air-- adjusting the inflation pressure-- to produce a soft surface against which to sand a curved utensil and a hard surface against which to sand a flat one. Once they've refined the back of the fork, a worker manually sands the area that motorized sanders can't reach-- first beveling the tines to sharp points... Then sanding in between the tines. It's important to keep the tines thick so they won't wear out with use. Next, the worker sands the entire fork with a fine-grit sandpaper to remove any faint ridges left by the balloon sander. They finish with an ultra-fine sanding to make the fork feel silky smooth. Now that the fork has its final shape, the worker stamps the company's logo into each handle. To ensure the top of the fork remains smooth, they soak it in hot water. This draws up the wood's short fibers so they can then be sanded down. The final step is an intricate, hand-applied finishing process-- three coats of a proprietary mixture of food-safe plant oils, waxes, and lemon. Lemon works like a solvent, diluting the mixture, so that it penetrates deep into the pores of the wood. After the last coat dries, a worker manually polishes the surface with an ultra-fine abrasive pad, sweeps off any dust, then lets the finish cure for 28 days. The finish brings out the grain and color of the wood. It also protects against food stains, abrasion, and moisture over the lifetime of the utensil. Wooden cutlery doesn't just look different, it sounds different-- no ting of metal utensils on dishes as you eat. When dining a la wood, the only thing you'll hear is conversation. The invention of transport refrigeration units in the 1940s changed our food-consumption patterns forever. Suddenly, florida oranges were available in snowy regions and frozen food could be delivered far and wide. Previously, ice had been used to preserve perishables so the trucks couldn't go far. Transport refrigeration units are designed for the long haul. When trucks are parked, they can be plugged into an electrical outlet to keep the cargo cool. Production starts with this computerized punch cutter. It cuts holes and slots in steel panels that will be used for the housing of the compressor and condenser. A worker then serves up the panels to a bending machine. It folds them so they can be assembled to each other to form the refrigeration unit's housing. An automated machine bends copper pipe to form it into tubing for refrigerant. Each bend changes the direction of the pipe. It's an alternative to using fittings for this job. It means fewer seams, reducing the risk of leaks. A worker then joins the pipe to create the evaporator coil in which liquid refrigerant is converted to gas to draw heat from the area to be cooled. Once the evaporator coil is complete and he's installed additional copper pipes for defrosting, a worker assembles it to the housing. The fan panel completes the evaporator. During operation, it will blow cool air into the truck trailer. The unit can be set to refrigerate or freeze, depending on the trailer contents. A technician puts together the unit that goes on the outside of the truck. It compresses and then condenses the refrigerant during the cooling cycle. She secures the compressor and the copper pipes to the steel housing. She places a motor in the housing beside the compressor. Using a rubber belt, the technician links the motor pulley to the compressor pulley. She completes the connections for the inlet and outlet pipes. The condenser is next. It transforms refrigerant vapor back to liquid. Using more copper pipe, the technician links the condenser to the compressor. She connects a pipe to a little steel vessel that will hold liquid refrigerant not in circulation. The technician installs a filter unit on the outside wall and links the refrigerant pipe network to it. The mesh filter inside will catch dirt in the refrigerant gas and will trap any lingering humidity. Back to the compressor now, the technician installs a second motor. This one will keep the refrigeration system working even when the truck is shut off. All the trucker will need to do is plug the power cable into an electrical outlet. She attaches a pressure sensor to the pipe. The technician melts metal filler into the joint where the discharge pipe links to the condenser. This seals the connection. The electronics for the control panel are next. The technician screws the metal board that holds them to the housing. Then, she makes all the electrical connections. Now, a safety test. Another technician connects the compressor and condenser unit to a vacuum and activates it. It suctions out air in the system. He then injects nitrogen gas and traces of refrigerant. If the gas escapes, it will indicate a leak in the system. To find escaping gas, he uses a special leak detector. It sucks in tiny amounts of air and analyzes it for the refrigerant. This enables him to pinpoint exactly where any problem might be. Another technician powers up the unit and confirms that the control panel is working and that the compressor motors are fully operational. They fill the system with nitrogen gas. It's a temporary measure to protect it from oxidation during shipping. The on-site installer will replace the nitrogen with refrigerant. It has taken approximately an hour to manufacture this transport refrigeration unit. When it comes to keeping food chilled or frozen, it should deliver for many years to come. The indigenous people of north america invented moccasins to protect their feet from harsh weather conditions and to provide spiritual protection in the form of symbols stitched into the leather to evoke sacred places and things. The idea was to protect both the soles of the feet and the soul. Today, moccasins are mass-produced. Factories make their own versions of this traditional footwear. This one generates up to 100 pairs of moccasin slippers a day. Production starts with rabbit-fur pelts that are a by-product of the european rabbit-meat industry. The furrier places a plastic template over the pelt. He draws lines through the slats of the template. This outlines stripes to be used to trim the moccasins. Using a razor blade, he cuts out the fur strips and sets them aside. One pelt will provide enough trim for two pairs of moccasins. Using dies made of sharp steel, the furrier cuts out the suede leather parts. A hydraulic press, as known as a clicker, drives the dies through through the leather to punch out the pieces. The largest one will be used for the bottom and sides of the moccasins. It's called the foot. The other parts are a sole to reinforce the bottom and the vamp, which is the upper part of the slipper. Next, the furrier cuts out pieces of thick polyester fleece which will be used to create plush liners. He arranges the moccasin components in the correct sequence for sewing. This is called a layout, and it helps the sewing process go faster. The furrier presses an adhesive-back size label to the bottom of the foot part. The sewing machine operator stitches the sole of the foot through to its fleece liner. She also sews the label to the leather to fasten it more securely. She folds the back sides up, inside-out, and sews them together to form the heel of the moccasin. The worker trims the fleece that protrudes from the seam. She then folds the heel right side out. Now that the foot and sole have been joined and the heel formed, the worker turns her attention to the vamp. She sews beaded designs into this moccasins' upper. These geometric designs are a nod to the past, but their purpose is purely ornamental, not spiritual. After lining the beaded vamp with fleece, the worker stitches a leather strip around the edges, creating a border known as a welt. The welt gives the vamp a more attractive finish. To sew the vamp to the rest of the moccasin, she uses a special sewing machine. It pleats the top of the foot to fit the vamp as it stitches. The moccasins are now structurally complete, and they're ready for the fur trim. The worker stitches the rabbit-fur strips together to create one long strip that will fit to the moccasin. The length of the strip will vary depending on the size of the moccasin. She makes an initial chain stitch and then doubles back to lock the stitch down, in order to prevent it from unraveling. She aligns the fur trim with the collar of the moccasin and sews it to it. After stitching, the worker leaves the fur tucked down into the moccasin. This makes it easier to apply glue around the top of the moccasin, so that when the fur is folded up and over it, it stays in place. With that, this modern-day version of traditional indigenous footwear is ready for its first steps. An impact drill is a power tool that's tough enough to bore through hard materials, such as brick, stone, and concrete. It can also drive screws into softer materials like wood. An electronic impact drill has the added feature of a switch that amps up the drill speed if the job requires it. An impact drill is comprised of the drive unit, the back part with the electric motor, and the gear unit-- the front part containing the motor-rotated spindle that turns the drill bit. To make the housing for the gear unit, the factory furnace melts down solid aluminum. Then, an automated casting machine injects it at high pressure into a mold with six housing-shaped cavities. Once the machine cools the mold to re-solidify the aluminum, a robot removes the hot housings and submerges them in water to cool them. The robot then places the housings in an automated stamping press, which cuts off the connecting metal, separating the housings. A computer-guided milling machine finalizes the shape of each housing and forms a collar for attaching a second handle that provides extra control when drilling through hard materials. Elsewhere in the factory, a computer-guided turning lathe shapes a solid steel bar into the drill spindle. Back to the gear housing now, a worker positions it next to a spindle assembly fixture. She lines up a grooved wheel, called a ratchet wheel, over the housing and inserts another one into the spindle fixture. Then, she puts the spindle through this second ratchet wheel and inserts the first ratchet wheel into the housing with a press. The worker inserts the spindle with its wheel into the housing. This makes the two ratchet wheels, so that they'll move up and down against each other when the spindle rotates. After installing a seal and retaining clip, she completes the gear unit by installing the gears that rotate the spindle. An automated injection-molding machine, meanwhile, produces the plastic housing for the electric motor. The machine makes two housings at a time. The motor is made up of a stationary component called a stator and a rotating component called a rotor. A worker inserts the stator into the housing, pushes it down into position with a press, then secures it with screws. He mounts the electronic unit that lets you regulate the speed of the spindle. After installing a flange, the worker inserts the rotor and presses it into position. The rotor has a fan attached to cool the running motor. He connects the electronic unit to the motor. Now, everything comes together. Using an assembly guide, a worker positions half of the drill's plastic handle then wires the motor to the switch that's connected to the electronic unit. Moving the switch increases or decreases the drilling speed. Next, she takes the drill's power cable, applies a device that prevents the cable from kinking, then screws the cable to the switch. The worker closes it all up by affixing the other half of the plastic handle. This completes the assembly of the back part of the impact drill known as the drive unit. A worker places the gear unit onto the drive unit. An automated machine screws them together. Every impact drill this factory produces undergoes performance testing and a critical safety test. If the tool passes inspection, the spindle gets awarded its chuck. The chuck is the component that holds the drill bit. A computer-guided laser engraver marks the model number and all the technical data on the motor housing. Then, workers pack the electronic impact drill along with a second handle and accessories into a sturdy plastic carrying case. With this tool in your kit, you've got license to drill.