Ceramic Grills Pneumatic Punchers Water Jet Fountains Hollow Wooden Surfboards
Ceramic is one of the best insulation materials in the world. Grills made with ceramic bodies can bake, roast, smoke, and, of course, grill food. Ceramic grills retain more heat than metal ones, resulting in a juicier, more flavorful meal. Ceramic grills use natural-lump charcoal. Natural charcoal is made by carbonizing wood through a specialized heating process. Cooking with natural charcoal is just like cooking over a campfire. At this factory, they begin by making a slurry. The main ingredients are water, clay, feldspar, and other raw materials. When the slurry is fired at a high temperature, it hardens into ceramic material. Another team assembles the two-part plaster mold to cast the base of the grill. After cleaning off residue from the previous casting, they clamp the parts together. The mold has two funnels. One funnel pumps the slurry into the mold. The other allows air to exit as the slurry fills the gap between the two parts of the mold. They let the slurry set for several hours. The plaster mold absorbs 80% of the water, leaving a firm but damp casting. They remove the top part of the mold and trim off any excess material. They cut out a rectangular hull for the sliding draft door. The door allows cold air to enter the grill. Then a worker uses a vacuum attached to a hoist to remove the heavy grill base from the mold. They repeat this casting process for the other ceramic parts of the grill, including the top called the dome and the fire box, which sits inside the base and holds the charcoal. After each casting, they scrape and sand away the excess material. They roll the cast parts into a dryer to remove the remaining moisture. For the next 30 hours, blowers circulate air that's heated to 180 degrees fahrenheit. After the parts cool, the base and dome undergo a final touch up to perfect their exterior surfaces. Next, the parts are taken to an automated glazing station. A conveyor spins the parts under a shower of ceramic glaze. A worker checks the coverage and sprays a touch up where required. The glaze dries in about 20 seconds. Workers vacuum up the excess... Then temporarily assemble the grill for firing. They place the fire box inside the base, the base plate at the bottom of the fire box, and the dome on top of the base. They fire the grills in a huge kiln for 24 hours. They gradually increase the temperature to more than 2,300 degrees fahrenheit, hold it there for a set time, then gradually cool it down. This firing process triggers a chemical reaction that transforms the clay-based slurry into hard, heat-resistant ceramic. It also turns the glaze on the surface into black glass. After firing, they attach the stainless steel draft door to the base. They spread adhesive on the top edge of the base... And apply a gasket made of heat-resistant material. This creates an air seal between the base and the dome. Then they attach the two parts with a hinge. They insert the fire box and stamp it. Then they glue a gasket around the neck of the dome and install the top vent. They place the cast-iron grate that holds the charcoal and the porcelain-coated cooking grates inside the grill. The cast-iron grate holds the charcoal. The porcelain-coated grate is for cooking. Finally, they install the thermometer. After lighting the charcoal, grillers can adjust the air flow with the draft door and top vent. The draft door and top vent must be fully closed to shut off the grill. This cuts off the air supply and extinguishes the fire. Many factories use punching machines to make the parts they need. Older punching machines consisted of a large press powered by a separate hydraulic or pneumatic system. Today's smaller punching machines contain both of these components in a single device. These punching machines are used in factories that make aluminum window and door frames. A factory worker inserts a strip of extruded aluminum in the machine and presses a foot pedal. The punch strikes the die, making the required cut. They construct the machine out of steel and aluminum, both of which arrive at the factory as solid bars. First they saw the bars into smaller pieces so they can make the machine's various components. They place the aluminum pieces in a computer-guided milling machine. It uses a series of tools to shape the metal into a specific component. This piece is called a punch guide. Its job is to align the punch tool so that it strikes the die correctly. A worker grinds the edges of the part until they're smooth. A different milling machine cuts more resilient parts out of steel bars. It, too, is computer guided and follows technical specifications. This steel component is the punch tool. It strikes through a steel die manufactured the same way. Every machine part undergoes a meticulous quality-control inspection. This computer-guided sensor checks each piece. Once all the parts have passed testing, workers begin assembling. The machine's base houses the air cylinder. They position the die on top of the base and screw it in place. Then they install the punch, carefully centering it over the die. A worker hooks up hoses to the air cylinder. He tests everything to make sure it's properly aligned with the die, then he fastens it with screws. They install the floor of the machine's second level. A machine can hold up to three different dies on three separate levels. They position the second die on the guide pins, then install the ceiling of the second level. They glue the punches to the ceiling. This level has several punches, allowing the machine to make different cuts using the same die. The cuts can be simultaneous or continuous. They install a punch selector which allows users to activate or deactivate each punch. Once installation is complete, they test the alignment of the punches. Then they mount safety covers on the machine. They prevent workers' hands from accidentally getting caught between a punch and die. Next, they make the pneumatic system that powers the machine. First, they attach air hoses to the foot pedal. The operator will step on the pedal to punch out the metal. Then they hook up the other end of the hoses to the compressed air-supply line. Now the pneumatic punching machine is ready to be used at the window-and-door factory. A worker inserts a strip of extruded aluminum into the first die to notch the end, then into the second die to punch three holes to join the window-frame parts. Finally, the third die punches three screw holes on the opposite side. The machine saves time because they don't have to switch dies between each cut. Water is essential to life on earth. We need it to survive, but we also use it for entertainment. Water-jet fountains captivate audiences with incredible displays. Some even use lights to change the appearance of the water's color. These water-jet fountains send spiraling ribbons of color into the air. The effect is magical. Production starts with this cast-bronze part. Computerized tools transform it it into a flange that will be installed on-site. The flange is designed to prevent leaks where the pipe meets the concrete pool. The next part is a stainless-steel faceplate for the fountain. An employee places it on a template, closes a u.v.-light shield, and activates a laser. The laser etches product information into the steel. This branding is permanent and won't wear off. Next, a technician assembles the colored l.e.d. lights. He connects the circuitry to a cable, then slides the bulb and its housing on to the circuitry. He screws a metal ring on to the base to keep the light watertight. He immerses the light in a clear water tank to test it. He switches on a vacuum to suck air out of the tank, simulating underwater pressure. He checks for bubbles around the light, which would indicate a leak. He programs the light for the water show so that different colors flash on cue. The next employee prepares an epoxy sealant. He pours the epoxy into the solenoid controller for the water-fountain jets. It takes two hours to dry. Once solidified, it will protect the components from water damage. Then he assembles the carriage for the fountain jets. He places the carriage on a spring-loaded slide and secures it with long-threaded rods. The worker applies sealant to the ends of the rods and screws on the nuts. He installs a plastic nozzle cup. He secures it to the carriage with a center pin that has a swiveling mechanism. He transfers the carriage assembly to a water-distribution manifold and screws it in place. He tests the carriage and confirms that it slides freely on the springs. Then he runs plastic tubing from the water-distribution manifold to the spouts of the nozzle cups. The worker secures the joints with plastic zip ties. Then he trims the ties using a special gun. He attaches the solenoid controller to the carriage and connects the controller to the various air tubes that lead to the waterspouts. He places the water-jet assembly on the back of a steel mounting plate and secures it with screws. He inserts two l.e.d. lights in specially designed slots, then screws them in place. This water-jet fountain is now complete. He hooks it up to a compressed air source for a dry-bench test. He confirms that the compressed air moves the carriage correctly in the programmed sequence. He also connects the water jet to a mechanical sequencer to verify that it's functional. After it passes the tests, he seals the perimeter of the jet with a rubber gasket and the faceplate. This water-jet fountain is ready for installation. When combined with other fountains, it will put on quite a show. Onlookers will be so engaged, they won't mind getting a little wet. People have been surfing on wooden boards for thousands of years. These early surfboards were heavy because they were made of solid wood. Today, surfers are taking this classic material and giving it a modern twist, creating beautiful, lightweight boards from sustainable resources. When most people think of surfboards, they picture brightly colored boards made of foam and fiberglass. But wooden surfboards are making a not-so-surprising comeback. Every waterborne vessel was originally made from trees because, no matter what, wood floats. They start by gluing two planks of poplar to a strip of oak. Using a template, a craftsman draws the shape he wants for the surfboard. He uses a japanese pull saw to cut the shape out by hand. This is the basic outline of the surfboard. A cnc router quickly and accurately cuts the inner support framework from poplar plywood. The builder sources wood from suppliers who use sustainable forestry practices. Using his pull saw, the craftsman carefully frees the pieces of the support framework. Then he smoothes the edges with a block sander. He begins fitting the pieces together to form the framework. For the spine, the builder uses fast-drying superglue. It bonds powerfully and quickly, allowing him to work fast. After completing the spine, he starts gluing and inserting the ribs. The finished frame resembles the skeleton of a large fish. Once the support structure has dried, the craftsman places it on the bottom skin of the surfboard. He positions it carefully and securely clamps it in place on a purpose-built jig. Then he traces the lines of the frame on to the skin. He measures and marks a set distance from the end of each rib. He squeezes a bead of epoxy-based glue over the network of lines before lifting the frame into position on the skin. He clamps everything down and lets it dry overnight. The sides of the surfboard, called the rails, consist of 12 strips of wood glued and clamped together. The rails take several days to make. After that process is complete, the builder lays a bead of polyurethane glue on the frame and rails. Then he lowers the surfboard's top skin into position and secures it with dozens of clamps. He lets the fully assembled board dry overnight. Now the board is ready for the last phase of production. First, the craftsman shapes and smoothes the wood to give the object its final shape. He trims the excess wood off the sides using the rails as a cutting guide. He rounds the top edges of the board with a small, japanese-made wood plane. The builder also uses a special tool called a saw rasp to finish the edges. He uses a square to make sure the bottom and top are even when shaping the nose and tail. The saw rasp allows him to quickly and efficiently bring the board to its final shape. Next, the craftsman uses a sanding block with increasingly finer grits of sandpaper to create a smooth surface. He signs the bottom of the board with a pencil, then burns it into the wood with a tool called a pyrography pen. He adds a layer of fiberglass and epoxy to give the wood a tough outer shell. Customers can choose to have a fin box with a removable fin or they can opt for a permanent wooden one. Traditional material plus an innovative design results in wooden surfboards that are built to last.