Narrator: THE SECRETS OF A WORLD-FAMOUS SNACK ARE REVEALED.
ROBOTS AND HUMANS ARE WORKING IN TANDEM
TO CREATE THIS SOPHISTICATED LUXURY SPORTS CAR.
MODERN TECHNOLOGY IS BRINGING CHARACTERS
FROM A POPULAR ANIME TV SERIES TO LIFE.
AND THIS EUROPEAN MANUFACTURER IS FLUSHING OUT THE COMPETITION
BY PUSHING THE BOUNDARIES OF DESIGN AND ENGINEERING.
THESE GROUNDBREAKING INNOVATIONS ARE ALL TAKING PLACE
INSIDE SOME OF THE MOST INCREDIBLE FACTORIES
ON THE PLANET.
-- Captions by VITAC -- www.vitac.com
CAPTIONS PAID FOR BY DISCOVERY COMMUNICATIONS
LOCATED IN PERRY, GEORGIA, IS THE FRITO-LAY FACTORY,
THE WORLD'S LEADING SUPPLIER OF POTATO CHIPS.
IT'S HERE WHERE THE COMPANY'S FAMOUS CHIP BRANDS, DORITOS,
CHEETOS, FRITOS, AND LAYS
ARE PRODUCED IN OVER 160 FLAVOR VARIETIES.
Russell: POTATO CHIPS ARE MASSIVE, AND LAYS ARE A BIG PLAYER IN THIS.
LAYS HAVE BEEN AROUND FOR ABOUT 80 YEARS.
Narrator: TODAY, FRITO-LAYS IS ONE OF THE MOST RECOGNIZABLE
CHIP BRANDS IN THE WORLD,
CONTROLLING 35% OF THE SNACK CHIP MARKET.
BUT THIS BUSINESS GREW FROM VERY HUMBLE BEGINNINGS.
SO WHO INVENTED THE POTATO CHIP? GOOD QUESTION.
SOME SAY IT WAS A CHEF NAMED GEORGE CRUM
IN NEW YORK STATE IN THE 1850s.
SO WHAT WE DO KNOW IS THAT HERMAN LAY STARTED
PEDALING CHIPS OUT OF HIS MODEL A FORD IN 1931.
SOON HE HAD HIS FIRST FACTORY, AND THE REST IS HISTORY.
Narrator: FOR MORE THAN 20 YEARS,
THE PERRY FACILITY HAS BEEN
A MAJOR PART OF THE COMMUNITY
IN THIS PART OF THE STATE.
AT NEARLY 990,000 SQUARE FEET,
THE FACTORY SITS ON 1,500 ACRES OF LAND.
IT'S ALSO THE FIRST FACILITY IN GEORGIA TO BE AWARDED
A LEAD CERTIFICATION,
RECOGNIZING IT AS AN ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY SITE.
BUT THE KEY TO THIS FACTORY'S SUCCESS
IS NOT ONLY ITS UNIQUE FACILITY,
IT'S ALSO WHAT'S BEING MANUFACTURED INSIDE.
AT FRITO-LAY, QUALITY BEGINS AT THE FARM,
THIS FACTORY IMPORTS POTATOES FROM 120 FARMS
ACROSS 25 DIFFERENT STATES.
JUST LIKE THEIR BUILDING STANDARDS,
QUALITY CONTINUES THROUGHOUT THE MANUFACTURING PROCESS
THROUGH VITAL VISUAL INSPECTIONS,
Maxwell: ALL OUR POTATOES GET A QUALITY CHECK.
WE'RE LOOKING AT APPEARANCE. WE'RE LOOKING AT SIZE.
COLOR, TEMPERATURE, AND WE HAVE SPECIFICATIONS
FOR ALL OF THOSE THINGS,
Narrator: ONCE THEY PASS INSPECTION,
THE POTATOES ARE WASHED AND PEELED
USING SPECIALIZED EQUIPMENT.
HERMAN LAY DEVELOPED THE MECHANICAL POTATO PEELER
JUST UNDER 100 YEARS AGO,
THAT WAS A GAME CHANGER.
LAYS HAVE NEVER LOOKED BACK.
Narrator: ONCE THE POTATOES ARE CLEANED,
THEY MOVE DOWN A BELT TO A SLICING MACHINE.
THE MACHINE'S RAZOR-SHARP BLADES CUT THE POTATOES INTO A VARIETY
OF DIFFERENT THICKNESSES AND SHAPES.
INSIDE THE SLICING MACHINE, THE CENTRIFUGAL FORCE CREATED
BY THE SPINNING DRUMS THROWS THE POTATOES AGAINST THE BLADES,
RAPIDLY SLICING THEM INTO VERY THIN PIECES.
NEXT, THE POTATO SLICES
ARE WASHED TO REMOVE ANY REMAINING STARCH.
THEN DRIED TO REDUCE MOISTURE.
NOW THE CHIPS ARE READY TO BE FRIED.
THE CHIPS ARE FRIED IN CANOLA OIL
IN A TEMP ABOUT 350 DEGREES.
AND THAT PROCESS, AS IT COMES, IT TAKES ABOUT THREE MINUTES
AS IT GOES FROM THE SLICING PROCESS TO THE FRYING PROCESS.
AS THEY GO THROUGH THE FRYING PROCESS,
THIS WOULD BE THE FINISHED PRODUCT.
Narrator: AFTER FRYING, THE CHIPS ARE SALTED,
FLAVORED, AND FED INTO LARGE SORTING CONTAINERS.
EACH CONTAINER AUTOMATICALLY MEASURES OUT THE CHIPS
INTO HALF POUND PORTIONS.
THEN THEY'RE DISTRIBUTED INTO INDIVIDUAL PACKAGES.
AND FRITO-LAY'S SECRET TO KEEPING THE CHIPS FRESH
CAN BE FOUND INSIDE THE BAG.
NITROGEN IS PUMPED INTO THE BAGS FOR TWO REASONS.
IT REDUCES THE AMOUNT OF OXYGEN IN THE BAGS.
AND THAT OXYGEN CAN INCREASE FOOD DECAY.
AND THEN THE SECOND REASON IS IT CREATES A CUSHION.
AND THIS MEANS THAT THE CRISPS AREN'T SMASHED TO SMITHEREENS
BY THE TIME THEY REACH YOU.
Narrator: BACK ON THE ASSEMBLY LINE,
A TECHNICIAN THOROUGHLY INSPECTS THE OUTSIDE OF EACH BAG.
I'M DOING MY QUALITY CHECK IN THE MORNING,
I'M GOING TO CHECK OUT MY BACK SEAL,
MAKE SURE IT'S SOLID.
THE SEAL'S INTEGRITY IS GOOD,
THAT I HAVE A PRICE AND DATE ON HERE,
AND THAT IT'S LEGIBLE.
AND ALSO THAT THE GRAPHICS ARE NOT TWISTED
OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
Narrator: ONCE THE BAGS ARE SEALED, THEY'RE TRANSPORTED
TO THE COMPANY'S 700,000 SQUARE FOOT DISTRIBUTION CENTER.
HERE, MORE THAN 1,250 OPERATORS WORK
WITH SPECIAL PURPOSE EQUIPMENT TO STOCK AND PROCESS ORDERS
FOR RETAILERS ALL OVER THE COUNTRY.
SO THIS WEEK ALONE,
FRITO-LAY NATIONALLY WILL MAKE HALF A MILLION SERVICE CALLS
AND WILL MAKE THOSE SERVICE CALLS OVER 15,000 ROUTES.
MUCH OF THAT PRODUCT WILL GET INTO THE MARKETPLACE
ON OVER THE ROAD VEHICLES AND OUR ENTIRE FLEET OF ASSETS
IS 23,000 IN FRITO-LAY IN THE UNITED STATES.
THE COMPANY HAS ONE OF THE LARGEST PRIVATE VEHICLE FLEETS
IN THE U.S., WHICH IT USES TO TRANSPORT
THE GOODS TO POINTS OF SALE -- GROCERY STORES AND SUPERMARKETS.
Narrator: POTATO CHIPS REPRESENT ONE OF THE MOST POPULAR SNACKS
CONSUMED ACROSS THE GLOBE.
WITH A PROJECTED MARKET VALUE
SET TO REACH $35 BILLION BY 2024,
THERE'S NO QUESTION THAT THIS SALTY SNACK
IS IN HIGH DEMAND IN THE U.S.
AND RECENT STUDIES SUGGEST THE DEMAND FROM EMERGING ECONOMIES
IS ALSO ON THE RISE.
UP UNTIL NOW, POTATO CHIPS HAVE MAINLY BEEN CONSUMED
IN THE RICHER COUNTRIES,
THE SO-CALLED DEVELOPED WORLD OF THE WEST.
BUT THAT IS LIKELY TO CHANGE IN THE FUTURE
AS DEVELOPING COUNTRIES
ARE SEEN AS BEING THE NEXT BIG GROWTH AREA.
Narrator: FOR OVER 75 YEARS,
FRITO-LAY HAS BEEN MANUFACTURING SATISFYING SNACKS
TO PEOPLE AND RETAILERS AROUND THE WORLD.
TODAY, THE PERRY FACILITY PRODUCES OVER 1.7 BILLION
BAGS OF CHIPS A YEAR.
THE WORKFORCE IS DEDICATED TO PRODUCING HIGH-QUALITY SNACKS,
AND IT'S THEIR ABILITY TO MIX PRODUCTIVITY WITH MODERNITY
THAT MAKES THIS FACTORY A SUPER FACTORY.
COMING UP, NEW TECHNOLOGY IS COMBINED
WITH ITALIAN CRAFTSMANSHIP
TO PRODUCE THE WORLD'S MOST DISTINGUISHED SPORTS CAR.
ONE OF THE KEY POINTS FOR US IS LUXURY, BECAUSE LUXURY
MEANS THE HIGHEST STANDARDS OF THE MANUFACTURING.
Narrator: AND LATER, IN JAPAN,
THIS SUPER FACTORY IS OPTIMIZING PRODUCTIVITY
BY UTILIZING THE LATEST AUTOMATED TECHNOLOGIES
TO CREATE TOYS FOR ANIME FANS ALL OVER THE WORLD.
¶¶
Narrator: SURROUNDED BY THE BUSTLING CITY STREETS
OF TURIN, ITALY,
IS A FACTORY PRODUCING A LEGENDARY SPORTS CAR.
FOR OVER A CENTURY, MASERATI HAS BEEN MANUFACTURING
BEAUTIFULLY DESIGNED VEHICLES
EQUIPPED WITH A HIGH PERFORMANCE RACING ENGINE.
NOW IN ITS SIXTH GENERATION, THE QUATTROPORTE
IS MASERATI'S TOP-SELLING VEHICLE
AND IS ONE OF THE MOST LUXURIOUS CARS IN PRODUCTION
ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD.
ONE OF THE KEY POINTS FOR US IS LUXURY,
BECAUSE LUXURY MEANS THE HIGHEST STANDARDS OF MATERIALS,
HIGHEST STANDARDS OF THE MANUFACTURING.
Narrator: LIKE ITS PREDECESSORS.
THE QUATTROPORTE'S DISTINCTIVE SLEEK DESIGN,
HANDCRAFTED INTERIORS, AND POWERFUL RACING ENGINE
ARE WHAT MAKES IT A CUT ABOVE ITS LUXURY SEDAN COMPETITORS.
THE MASERATI BROTHERS SET UP A WORKSHOP
FOR EARLY RACING CARS IN 1914,
AND THEY DOMINATED RACETRACKS FOR THE NEXT 50 YEARS.
IN 1963, THEY UNVEILED THE QUATTROPORTE SPORTS SEDAN,
THE FASTEST FOUR-DOOR CAR IN THE WORLD.
Narrator: THE QUATTROPORTE IS DESIGNED, PRODUCED,
AND ASSEMBLED HERE AT THE TURIN MANUFACTURING HUB
LOCATED IN NORTHERN ITALY,
BUT IT'S NOT THE ONLY VEHICLE MANUFACTURED
AT THIS MASSIVE FACILITY.
IN 1993, FIAT CHRYSLER ACQUIRED MASERATI
AND FOUR YEARS LATER TURNED MANAGEMENT OF MASERATI
OVER TO FERRARI.
A LOT OF THE FAMOUS MANUFACTURERS, ROLLS-ROYCE,
DAIMLER, AND MANY ARE ACTUALLY OWNED BY CONGLOMERATES,
AND THAT'S BECAUSE OF ECONOMIES OF SCALE.
SO MASERATI ARE OWNED BY FIAT CHRYSLER,
AS ARE ALFA ROMEO AND FERRARI.
Narrator: THIS CONSOLIDATION MEANT THAT ALL THREE BRANDS
WOULD BE PRODUCED WITH THE SAME TECHNOLOGY
AND THAT MASERATI SEDANS WOULD NOW BE BUILT
WITH FERRARI RACING ENGINES.
TODAY, MASERATI
IS THE DESIGNATED LUXURY BRAND OF FIAT.
EVERY SINGLE MASERATI IS A WORK OF ART MADE BY PEOPLE.
THIS SUCH CRAFT WORK.
Narrator: TO UPHOLD THE STANDARDS OF THE MASERATI BRAND,
THE ASSEMBLY PROCESS IS DESIGNED TO ELEVATE MODERN TECHNOLOGIES
WITH DECADES OF ITALIAN CRAFTSMANSHIP.
IN MY OPINION, HERE WE HAVE THE PERFECT MARRIAGE
BETWEEN MEN AND AUTOMATION
BECAUSE THERE ARE SOMETHING THAT THE ROBOT CANNOT GIVE.
THE ATTENTION TO EACH SINGLE DETAIL,
AND ONLY A HUMAN BEING CAN DO THAT.
Narrator: HERE, ASSEMBLY STATIONS ARE ERGONOMICALLY DESIGNED
TO ENSURE EVERY PROCESS
IS EASILY ACCESSIBLE FOR THE WORKFORCE.
SO A LOT OF THOUGHT HAS GONE INTO DESIGNING
ERGONOMIC ASSEMBLY LINES
DESIGNED AND STRUCTURED SO THAT WORKERS DON'T STRETCH THEMSELVES
OR TWIST TOO MUCH AND INCUR REPETITIVE STRAIN INJURY.
THE ULTIMATE AMBITION IS TO AVOID PEOPLE
HURTING THEMSELVES AT WORK.
Narrator: MAKING A QUATTROPORTE
BEGINS WITH THE CHASSIS ASSEMBLY.
THE CHASSIS IS BUILT AROUND A RIGID AND SECURE
STEEL SAFETY STOW
MADE WITH STEEL AND ALUMINUM ALLOYS.
THE FRONT OF THE CHASSIS IS BUILT AROUND
AN ALUMINUM CASTING,
WHILE THE BACK IS MADE FROM ROLLED STEEL.
EVERY SINGLE PART OF HOW A VEHICLE PERFORMS
CAN BE ATTRIBUTED TO ITS WEIGHT DISTRIBUTION.
A CAR THAT IS LIGHTER IN WEIGHT IS ACTUALLY MORE FUEL EFFICIENT.
MAGNESIUM IS PARTICULARLY GOOD AT THIS.
IT'S 36% LIGHTER THAN ALUMINUM
AND A WHOPPING 78% LIGHTER THAN STEEL.
LESS FUEL BEING USED MEANS LESS EMISSIONS.
Narrator: AS SOON AS THE CHASSIS ARRIVES ON THE PRODUCTION LINE,
THE TEAM GETS TO WORK ASSEMBLING A CAR AROUND THIS
ONE ESSENTIAL BUILDING BLOCK.
THE SECRET TO PAINTING A MASERATI
IS IN THIS TECHNOLOGICALLY ADVANCED PROCESS.
ONCE ASSEMBLED, THE BODY IS COATED IN A FLUID
THAT PROTECTS IT FROM CORROSION AND OXIDIZATION.
NEXT, THE FRAMEWORK MOVES DOWN THE ASSEMBLY LINE
TOWARDS A DIP TANK.
SUSPENDED BY AN ELECTRICALLY CHARGED CHAIN,
THE BODY IS SUBMERGED INTO A PAINT SOLID MIXTURE
MADE UP OF SOLVENTS, RESIN, AND WATER.
AS THE BODY MOVES INTO THE FLUID,
THE PAINT IS DEPOSITED ONTO THE CAR THROUGH AN ELECTRIC CURRENT.
THIS PROCESS IS CALLED CATAPHORESIS.
AFTER IT'S TREATED, THE BODY IS HEATED
IN A GIANT 130-FOOT OVEN AT 375 DEGREES FOR 30 MINUTES.
THE EXTREME HEAT SOLIDIFIES THE PAINT
TO ENSURE MAXIMUM PERFORMANCE.
ONCE THE PROTECTIVE LAYER HAS HARDENED,
ALL REMAINING CONTAMINANTS ARE REMOVED
USING A NONTRADITIONAL BRUSH MADE OF OSTRICH FEATHERS.
YOU MIGHT WONDER WHY WE USE OSTRICH FEATHERS
WELL, OSTRICH FEATHERS HAVE AN INNATE STATIC CHARGE
NOT FOUND IN OTHER FEATHERS, WHICH MAKES THEM REMARKABLY GOOD
AT PICKING UP VERY FINE PARTICLES OF DUST.
Narrator: NOW IT'S READY TO BE PAINTED.
FIRST, AIR PAINT ATOMIZERS APPLY A CODE OF PRIME.
IT TAKES JUST A FEW MINUTES TO PAINT A TYPICAL MASERATI CAR.
AS THE CAR MOVES DOWN THE ASSEMBLY LINE,
A TOP COAT OF PAINT IS APPLIED.
AN AIR PAINT ATOMIZER USES AERODYNAMIC FORCE
TO PUSH THE PAINT ONTO THE VEHICLE.
THE PAINT PARTICLES SCATTER AROUND
AS THEY BOUNCE OFF THE SURFACE AND INTO THE AIR.
THE RESULT, A PERFECTLY SMOOTH COAT OF PAINT.
NOW A LAYER OF CLEAR LACQUER IS APPLIED
TO GIVE THE CAR AN EXTRA GLOSSY SHEEN.
BEFORE IT'S DELIVERED TO THE ASSEMBLY FLOOR,
TECHNICIANS INSPECT THE FINISH FOR ANY IMPERFECTIONS.
THE VALUES LEARNED OUT ON THE RACETRACK
ARE APPLIED ON THE FACTORY FLOOR.
HERE, AN EMPTY PAINTED SHELL WILL BECOME A MASERATI.
THIS IS THE FIRST OF 24 ASSEMBLY STATIONS,
WHERE THE PURSUIT OF LUXURY MIXES WITH EFFICIENCY.
EACH CAR SPENDS NO LONGER
THAN 37 MINUTES AT EACH STATION.
FROM THE INTERIOR FINISH TO THE LEATHER AND PAINT WORK,
EVERY QUATTROPORTE BUILT IN THIS FACTORY
IS CUSTOMIZED BASED ON THE REQUESTS OF THE CONSUMER.
THIS IS WHAT GIVES MASERATI ITS EXCLUSIVE EDGE.
Meccia: IN TERMS OF CUSTOMIZATION,
I WOULD SAY 100% CUSTOMIZABLE.
MORE THAN 1.5 TRILLION POSSIBLE DIFFERENT COMBINATION.
THAT, OF COURSE, IS TRANSFORMED FROM A COMMERCIAL STANDPOINT,
NOT SO EASY TO MANAGE IN TERMS OF MANUFACTURING,
Narrator: BUT THERE'S STILL MORE TO BE ASSEMBLED
BEFORE THIS LUXURY VEHICLE IS READY TO HIT THE ROAD.
AND TO DO SO, IT'LL TAKE BOTH MAN AND MACHINE
WORKING TOGETHER TO EXECUTE EACH STEP TO PERFECTION.
¶¶
Narrator: LOCATED IN TURIN, ITALY, IS THE MASERATI FACTORY,
THE WORLD'S LEADING MANUFACTURER OF LUXURY SPORTS CARS.
FOR OVER A CENTURY, THIS LEGENDARY COMPANY
HAS BEEN AT THE FOREFRONT OF THE INDUSTRY,
PRODUCING HIGH-PERFORMANCE VEHICLES
BUILT WITH RACING ENGINES.
ON THE ASSEMBLY FLOOR, TECHNICIANS GUIDE THE DASHBOARD
THROUGH A MECHANICAL ASSEMBLY PROCESS,
BUT THIS IS NO ORDINARY DASHBOARD.
IT'S UPHOLSTERED IN FINE LEATHER AND MADE FROM MAGNESIUM,
MAKING IT BOTH STRONG AND LIGHTWEIGHT.
ONCE THE DASHBOARD IS ASSEMBLED, TECHNICIANS CONNECT THE WIRING.
IT'S ESSENTIAL THAT THIS STEP IS ALL DONE BY HAND.
NEXT, A MACHINE INSTALLS THE WINDSHIELD.
SUCTION CUPS LIFT THE GLASS BEFORE APPLYING A SEALANT,
LASER SENSORS MEASURE THE OPENING IN THE BODY
AND PRECISELY SECURE IT INTO PLACE.
THEN THE CAR MOVES FROM THE TRIM LINE ONTO THE CHASSIS LINE.
NOW THE HEART OF THE CAR IS INSTALLED.
THIS INCREDIBLY POWERFUL 350 HORSEPOWER FERRARI ENGINE
CAN GO FROM ZERO TO 60 MILES PER HOUR
IN JUST 5.5 SECONDS.
NEXT, THE BODY OF THE CAR AND ENGINE ARE FITTED TOGETHER.
FIRST, A TEAM BUILDS THE DRIVETRAIN,
WHICH IS MADE UP OF THE ENGINE, GEARBOX,
SHOCK ABSORBERS, FRONT EXHAUST SYSTEM, AND BRAKES.
ALL COMPONENTS ARE PLACED INTO AN ASSEMBLY JIG
THAT TRANSPORTS THE MECHANICAL ELEMENTS
DIRECTLY UNDER THE BODY.
THE DRIVETRAIN IS THEN RAISED INTO POSITION
SO THE TWO SECTIONS CAN BE SECURED WITH BOLTS.
NOW, ANOTHER TEAM INSTALLS THE HEADLIGHTS,
WHEELS, TIRES, AND SEATS.
THE FINAL STAGE CONSISTS OF AN INSPECTION AND A STABILITY TEST.
THEN IT'S OFF TO THE CUSTOMER AND OUT ONTO THE OPEN ROAD.
Meccia: THE LEGEND AND THE BRAND IMAGE OF MASERATI BEGAN
WITH THE WORLD OF RACES, SO MORE THAN ONE CENTURY OF HISTORY.
AND THIS IS WHY MASERATI IS SO VALUABLE.
Narrator: MASERATI IS OFTEN REFERRED TO AS ONE OF THE TOP
LUXURY CAR BRANDS IN HISTORY, AND THE SKILL AND SOPHISTICATION
FOUND INSIDE THEIR PRODUCTION FACILITY
MAKE IT ONE OF THE WORLD'S MOST SPECTACULAR SUPER FACTORIES.
COMING UP, IN JAPAN, CHARACTERS FROM A BELOVED ANIME SERIES
ARE BEING MANUFACTURED FOR THE MASSES.
THE KITS ARE BASED ON A 1970s TV SERIES
CALLED "GUNDAM."
MODEL MAKERS AND ANIME FANS IN JAPAN
AND OTHER PARTS OF ASIA ARE CRAZY ABOUT THEM.
Narrator: AND LATER, THIS FACTORY PRODUCES THE ALMIGHTY
PORCELAIN THRONE
USING A VERY UNIQUE MATERIAL.
IT LOOKS LIKE CHOCOLATE, BUT I WOULDN'T TASTE IT.
¶¶
Narrator: IN TOKYO, THE WORLD'S LARGEST HUMANOID ROBOT IS ON DISPLAY,
MODELED AFTER THE FICTIONAL ROBOTS
FROM THE 1970s SCI-FI FRANCHISE "GUNDAM,"
THIS 65-FOOT-TALL REPLICA HAS BECOME POPULAR
WITH ANIME FANS FROM AROUND THE GLOBE.
BUT IT'S NOT JUST THE GIANT ROBOT STATUE
THAT'S DRAWING IN THE CROWDS.
FOR A MORE INTERACTIVE EXPERIENCE,
FANS HEAD TO THE BANDAI HOBBY CENTER
AND MODELING SUPER FACTORY.
SINCE 1980,
THIS MANUFACTURING FACILITY HAS COMBINED 3-D DESIGN,
CUTTING EDGE TECHNOLOGY, AND SKILLED CRAFTSMANSHIP
TO PRODUCE GUNDAM PLASTIC MODELING KITS.
THE KITS ARE BASED ON A 1970s TV SERIES CALLED "GUNDAM."
MODEL MAKERS AND ANIME FANS IN JAPAN
AND OTHER PARTS OF ASIA ARE CRAZY ABOUT THEM.
BANDAI IS NOW THE SECOND BIGGEST TOY COMPANY IN THE WORLD,
VALUED AT $9.6 BILLION.
Narrator: GUNDAM TOYS ARE CONSTRUCTED FROM PLASTIC FRAMES
THAT CONTAIN INDIVIDUAL PIECES CALLED RUNNERS,
THE INDIVIDUAL PIECES ARE ALL NUMBERED,
SO THE MODEL KITS CAN BE EASILY ASSEMBLED.
THE FIRST STEP IS DESIGNING A CHARACTER.
TODAY, IT'S THE GUNDAM RED FLAME.
¶¶
THE DESIGN IS BROKEN DOWN INTO INDIVIDUAL PARTS
THAT MAKE UP THE MODEL KITS.
BANDAI USES 3-D PRINTING TO CREATE MODELS
FOR OVER 400 DIFFERENT DESIGNS.
THIS STATE-OF-THE-ART TECHNOLOGY
HAS COMPLETELY TRANSFORMED THE TOY INDUSTRY.
3-D PRINTING, MORE COMMONLY TODAY KNOWN AS
ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING,
ACTUALLY BEGAN IN 1986.
THE FIRST PRODUCT TO BE PRINTED
WAS A SMALL PLASTIC CUP USED FOR HOLDING EYEWASH.
TODAY, 3-D PRINTERS USE A RANGE OF MATERIALS
TO PRODUCE THEIR PRODUCTS, FROM RESINS AND PLASTICS
TO CERAMICS AND EVEN ADVANCED METALS.
THE HUGE ADVANTAGE IN 3-D PRINTING
FOR INVENTORS AND ENGINEERS
IS THEY CAN MAKE A ONE-OFF, A SINGLE PRODUCT
THAT WORKS WITHOUT THE VAST CAPITAL EQUIPMENT
INVESTMENTS OF A WHOLE PRODUCTION LINE.
Narrator: NEXT, TECHNICIANS CONFIGURE THE LAYOUT
FOR THE MOLDS BY ARRANGING THE PARTS INTO KITS.
ONCE THE LAYOUT IS FINALIZED AND THE 3-D DATA IS COMPLETED,
THE DESIGN IS SENT TO THE MOLDING TEAM.
THROUGH A FABRICATION PROCESS
CALLED ELECTRICAL DISCHARGE MACHINING,
A LASER CUTS THROUGH A METAL BLOCK,
FORMING IT INTO VARIOUS SHAPES.
ELECTRICAL DISCHARGE MACHINING IS A WAY OF CUTTING METAL
USING ELECTRICITY.
MATERIAL IS REMOVED FROM A METAL BLOCK
BY A SERIES OF RAPIDLY RECURRING CURRENT DISCHARGES.
THE TWO CONDUCTORS ARE SEPARATED BY A LIQUID
AND THE RESULTING SPARKS ERODE THE METAL,
A BIT LIKE CREATING MINI LIGHTNING BOLTS
THAT CREATE INTENSE HEAT WHICH FORM THE DESIRED FINAL SHAPE.
Narrator: NOW THE CONCAVE AND CONVEX METAL SHAPES
ARE CARVED OUT OF THE SOLID BLOCK, THEN TRIMMED.
THIS STEP CAN ONLY BE DONE BY HAND.
TECHNICIANS TRIM THE CORNERS AND MAKE GROOVES.
THE METAL SHAPES ARE CONFIGURED
INTO WHAT WILL BECOME A PLASTIC FRAME.
IF ANY MISTAKE OCCURS DURING SHAPING,
THE ENTIRE MOLD HAS TO BE THROWN OUT.
A CRANE TRANSPORTS THE MOLDS TO AN INJECTION MOLDING MACHINE.
HERE, THE MOLDS ARE LOADED AND CLAMPED WITH ENOUGH FORCE
TO KEEP THEM SECURELY IN PLACE.
THEN POLYSTYRENE PELLETS, A RAW PLASTIC MATERIAL,
IS FED INTO THE MACHINE THROUGH A NETWORK OF TUBES.
PLASTICS, AS WE KNOW AND EXPERIENCE THEM TODAY,
ARE PRIMARILY DERIVED FROM NATURALLY OCCURRING MATERIALS
SUCH AS OIL AND PLANT STARCHES.
BUT ACTUALLY, EARLY PLASTICS WERE DERIVED FROM CELLULOSE,
DIRECTLY TAKEN FROM PLANT FIBERS.
Narrator: ONCE THE PELLETS ARE INJECTED INTO THE MACHINE,
THEY'RE MELTED AND PRESSURIZED.
PLASTIC IS INJECTED INTO THE MOLD VERY QUICKLY.
THE BUILDUP OF PRESSURE PACKS AND HOLDS THE MATERIAL TOGETHER.
INJECTION MOLDING MAY SEEM LIKE A 21st CENTURY
MANUFACTURING TECHNIQUE,
BUT THE PROCESS HAS A LONG HISTORY.
A VERY SIMPLE VERSION OF INJECTION MOLDING
WAS ATTEMPTED AS FAR BACK AS 1872
TO PRODUCE BILLIARD BALLS.
BUT IT REALLY TOOK OFF AFTER WORLD WAR II
WHEN THERE WAS A HUGE DEMAND FOR CHEAP, MASS-PRODUCED PRODUCTS.
INVENTOR JAMES HENDRY DESIGNED A MACHINE
THAT USED A TURNING HEATED SCREW
BOTH TO MELT THE PLASTIC AND TO INJECT THE MOLD.
IT REALLY WAS GROUNDBREAKING BECAUSE TODAY THIS DESIGN
MAKES UP 95% OF ALL INJECTION MOLDING MACHINES.
¶¶
Narrator: THE MOLTEN PLASTIC BEGINS TO COOL
AS SOON AS IT MAKES CONTACT
WITH THE INTERIOR OF THE MOLD.
AS THE PLASTIC COOLS,
IT SOLIDIFIES INTO SHAPE.
TO GUARANTEE EFFICIENCY,
BANDAI UTILIZES THEIR SIGNATURE COOLING PROCESS.
IN ORDER TO SPEED UP THE MANUFACTURING PROCESS,
THE MOLDS ARE CHILLED SO THAT WHEN THE HOT PLASTIC
HITS THE SURFACE OF THE MOLD,
IT COOLS DOWN MORE QUICKLY AND THE OBJECT SETS FASTER.
Narrator: THIS PROCESS INCREASES COOLING PRODUCTIVITY BY 20%.
DOWN THE ASSEMBLY LINE,
INJECTION MOLDING MACHINES OPERATE AROUND THE CLOCK.
NEXT, AUTOMATIC GUIDED VEHICLES TRANSPORT THE BOXES
TO A WAREHOUSE WHERE THEY'RE STORED
UNTIL THEY'RE READY TO BE DISPATCHED.
THE MODELS ARE SHIPPED TO STORES AROUND THE WORLD,
BUT NOWHERE ARE THEY MORE POPULAR THAN HERE IN JAPAN.
IN ITS TOKYO SHOP, BANDAI GIVES GUNDAM ENTHUSIASTS
A HANDS-ON EXPERIENCE
ASSEMBLING SOME OF THEIR FAVORITE ANIME CHARACTERS.
IN THE PROFITABLE BUSINESS OF MODEL MAKING,
THESE TOY ROBOTS ARE SURE TO DOMINATE THE MARKET
FOR LIGHT YEARS TO COME.
AND IT'S ALL THANKS TO THE INDUSTRIAL INFRASTRUCTURE
AND PRECISION CRAFTSMANSHIP
FOUND IN THE BANDAI SUPER FACTORY.
COMING UP, A EUROPEAN MANUFACTURER
IS FLUSHING OUT THE COMPETITION
BY PUSHING THE BOUNDARIES OF DESIGN AND ENGINEERING.
¶¶
Narrator: LOCATED IN STAFFORDSHIRE, ENGLAND,
IS THE ARMITAGE SHANK'S BATH APPLIANCE
AND MANUFACTURING FACILITY.
SINCE 1851, THIS FACTORY HAS BEEN PRODUCING
A WIDE VARIETY OF SANITARY WARE APPLIANCES,
INCLUDING THEIR MOST RENOWNED PRODUCT -- TOILETS.
AND WHAT MAKES THESE TOILETS UNIQUE?
THE MATERIALS THEY'RE MADE WITH.
THE PROCESS STARTS WITH A DELIVERY
OF MORE THAN 165,000 POUNDS OF IMPORTED CLAY.
¶¶
SO, YEAH, SO THIS IS A CHINA CLAY
THAT'S COME IN THIS MORNING.
THIS IS MINED IN CORNWALL.
SO WE'VE GOT TWO TYPES OF CLAY HERE, CHINA CLAY AND BALL CLAY.
THE BALL CLAY GIVES US THE STRENGTH AND VISCOSITY.
AND THEN WE'VE GOT THE CHINA CLAY.
IT'S A BIT MORE CRUMBLY BECAUSE OF THE SET CASTING TIMES.
KAOLIN OR CHINA CLAY, AS IT'S MORE COMMONLY KNOWN,
IS A RARE FORM OF DECOMPOSED GRANITE
THAT HAS A SUPERFINE POWDERY TEXTURE.
ONCE YOU MIX IT WITH BALL CLAY
TO ADD STRENGTH AND PLASTICITY,
IT'S THEN READY TO BE WORKED AND SHAPED
AND CAN BE MOLDED INTO FINE CHINA OR TABLEWARE
OR EVEN TOILETS.
Narrator: TURNING CLAY INTO PORCELAIN STARTS IN THE MIXING BAY.
TWO DIFFERENT TYPES OF CLAY, SAND, AND A FEW CHEMICALS
ARE MIXED TOGETHER WITH WATER.
IT'S ALL MIXED TOGETHER IN THESE 6,000 LITER TANKS
WITH ALL THESE BLUNGERS.
IT'S BASICALLY A GIANT CAKE MIXER
MIXING ALL THE INGREDIENTS TOGETHER TO MAKE LIQUID CLAY,
WHICH IS KNOWN AS SLIP IN THE INDUSTRY.
Narrator: IN EACH MIXING VAT OR BLUNGER, WATER AND CLAY
ARE MIXED TOGETHER FOR 70 MINUTES.
ONCE MIXING IS COMPLETE,
THE LIQUID CLAY IS DISPENSED THROUGH A GIANT FILTER OR SIEVE.
THIS PROCESS REMOVES ANY IMPURITIES.
THE MACHINES IS BASICALLY A VIBRATING TANK,
IT'S FITTED WITH ONE OF THESE MEMBRANES.
AND IT SIFTS THROUGH THERE.
YEAH, I MEAN, THIS IS THE KIND OF STUFF
WE MIGHT GET OUT OF THERE.
SOME COARSE MATERIAL, SOME STONES.
WE DON'T WANT THAT IN THE FINAL PRODUCT.
Narrator: ONCE THE UNWANTED MATERIAL IS SEPARATED,
THE CLAY IS TURNED INTO A SMOOTH PASTE.
IT LOOKS LIKE CHOCOLATE, BUT I WOULDN'T TASTE IT.
Narrator: NEXT, THE LIQUID CLAY IS PUMPED AND DISTRIBUTED
INTO A 265-GALLON HOLDING TANK,
WHERE IT'S MIXED AT A CONSTANT TEMPERATURE.
SO IT'S BEEN MIXED QUITE AGGRESSIVELY.
A LOT OF ENERGY HAS GONE INTO IT.
WE NOW NEED IT TO CALM DOWN, JUST SETTLE DOWN.
IT'S BASICALLY AN AGING PROCESS.
Narrator: TRADITIONAL TOILETS DATE BACK TO 1596,
WHEN SIR JOHN HARRINGTON, AN ENGLISH COURTIER
AND THE GODSON OF QUEEN ELIZABETH I,
DESIGNED THE FIRST FLUSHABLE TOILET.
HIS DEVICE USED A 24-INCH DEEP OVAL BOWL
FED BY WATER FROM A RESERVOIR.
FLUSHING HARRINGTON'S TOILET
REQUIRED NEARLY EIGHT GALLONS OF WATER,
WHILE TODAY'S TOILETS USE LESS THAN ONE GALLON.
THE PROBLEM WITH THE DESIGN IS THAT THE BOWL WASHED
STRAIGHT INTO A CESSPOOL BELOW,
SO THE STENCH OUTWEIGHED THE CONTRAPTION'S CONVENIENCE.
HARRINGTON PROVED THAT A TOILET WITHOUT A SEWER
IS JUST A GIGANTIC CHAMBER POT.
HIS NOVEL IDEA WENT DOWN THE DRAIN.
[ FLUSHING ]
Narrator: AND IN THIS FACTORY,
ARMITAGE SHANKS HAS IMPLEMENTED ANOTHER INNOVATIVE CONCEPT
THAT DRASTICALLY CUTS DOWN ON PRODUCTION TIME.
¶¶
Narrator: FOR MORE THAN 200 YEARS, ARMITAGE SHANKS
HAS BEEN PUSHING THE BOUNDARIES OF DESIGN AND INNOVATION
TO MANUFACTURE CERAMIC SANITARY WARE PRODUCTS.
TODAY AT THIS PRODUCTION FACILITY,
THE USE OF MODERN MATERIALS
IS COMBINED WITH THE LATEST TECHNOLOGY
TO PRODUCE MORE THAN 1,500 TOILETS A DAY.
BACK ON THE PRODUCTION LINE, THE LIQUID CLAY IS READY TO BE
TRANSFORMED INTO THE FAMILIAR TOILET SHAPE.
TRADITIONALLY, THE CASTING PROCESS
REQUIRED THE MATERIAL TO BE POURED BY HAND,
BUT THANKS TO MODERN TECHNOLOGY,
AN INJECTION MOLDING MACHINE PERFORMS THE TASK.
PREVIOUSLY IT WAS PLASTER MOLDS.
SO WE HAD A BIG ROW OF PLASTER MOLDS
THAT PERHAPS LASTED TWO TO THREE WEEKS
THAT HAD TO BE REPLACED.
WE HAD TO HAVE A MOLD-MAKING DEPARTMENT
CONTINUOUSLY MAKING PLASTER MOLDS.
THE THING WITH THE OLD WAY.
IT WAS THE WASTE AND THE MAN HOURS AND MATERIALS
THAT USED TO HAVE TO GO INTO THE PLASTER MOLDS.
THESE REUSABLE MOLDS THAT ARE POROUS RESIN,
WE GET 20,000 TO 30,000 CYCLES OUT OF EACH ONE.
THE USE OF MODERN MATERIALS HAS TRANSFORMED THE PRODUCTION LINE,
IT ENABLES IT TO WORK CONTINUOUSLY 24 HOURS A DAY.
THERE'S NO STOPPING TO REPAIR BROKEN CASTS OR MOLDS.
Narrator: WHEN THE TOILET FIRST COMES OUT OF THE MOLD,
IT'S SOFT AND ALMOST JELLYLIKE.
A TECHNICIAN USES SPONGES AND KNIVES TO SMOOTH DOWN SEAMS,
SHAPE THE RIM, AND CHECK FOR ANY IMPERFECTIONS.
THIS WORK IS SO PRECISE IT MUST BE DONE BY HAND.
ANY TOILET NOT UP TO SNUFF IS RECYCLED.
ONCE THE TOILETS ARE SHAPED TO PERFECTION,
THEY'RE TRANSPORTED DOWN THE ASSEMBLY LINE
TO THE DRYING TUNNEL.
THE TOILETS GO INTO THE 195 DEGREE DRYERS
FOR EIGHT TO 10 HOURS.
TO DRY THIS WARE OUT NATURALLY,
YOU'RE LOOKING AT TWO TO THREE DAYS.
SO THIS TUNNEL DRYER IS AN ESSENTIAL PART OF THE PROCESS.
Narrator: SINCE THE DRYING PROCESS REMOVES MOISTURE,
THE SIZE OF THE TOILET SHRINKS BY 2.5%.
NEXT, EACH TOILET IS INSPECTED FOR ANY REMAINING IMPERFECTIONS,
THEN A TECHNICIAN BLENDS IN THE SEAMS,
REMOVES ANY ROUGH EDGES,
AND MAKES ONE FINAL VISUAL INSPECTION.
NOW THE TOILETS ARE READY FOR GLAZING.
ONCE THE GLAZE IS ON THE PIECE, THERE'S NO GOING BACK.
IT NEEDS TO BE PRISTINE. IT NEEDS TO BE PERFECT.
Narrator: A ROBOTIC ARM SPRAYS FOUR LAYERS OF LIQUID GLAZE
CONTAINING ALUMINUM OXIDE AND SILICA SAND.
IT MAY SOUND OBVIOUS, BUT A TOILET NEEDS TO BE WATERPROOF.
AND IF YOU JUST HAD PORCELAIN AND FIRED IT,
YOU'D HAVE A SURFACE WHICH WAS SLIGHTLY POROUS.
SO YOU NEED TO GLAZE THAT PORCELAIN.
AND ONCE GLAZED, THE LOO ACTUALLY BECOMES
THE CLEAN, HYGIENIC OBJECT WE ALL KNOW AND LOVE.
Narrator: AS A LEADER IN THE INDUSTRY,
ARMITAGE SHANKS HAS COME A LONG WAY
SINCE THE COMPANY WAS FIRST FOUNDED
MORE THAN 200 YEARS AGO.
IN THE LATE 1960s,
THE COMPANY CREATED AN AVOCADO BATH LINE,
WHICH BECAME VERY POPULAR IN COMMERCIAL
AND RESIDENTIAL HOUSEHOLDS AROUND THE WORLD.
HOWEVER, THE RETRO BATHROOM SUITE
DIDN'T STAND THE TEST OF TIME
AND FIZZLED OUT OF PRODUCTION BY THE LATE 1980s.
WE CAN DO ANY COLOR YOU WANT, AS LONG AS IT'S WHITE.
Narrator: FOUNDED IN 1817,
THE COMPANY EMERGED DURING A TIME
WHEN THE LACK OF SANITATION WAS SO BAD IN THE U.K.
THAT LIFE EXPECTANCY WAS ONLY 40 YEARS.
FLUSHING TECHNOLOGY WAS IMPROVED THROUGH THE EFFORTS
OF ALEXANDER CUMMINGS,
WHO INVENTED THE S-BEND PIPE, AND LATER, THOMAS CRAPPER,
WHO IMPROVED UPON CUMMINGS DESIGN, INVENTING THE U-BEND.
THE DIRECT PIPE THAT CONNECTED THE TOILET WITH A SEWER
WOULD FLUSH THE WASTE AWAY,
BUT UNFORTUNATELY IT WOULD ALSO LET SEWER ODORS
PERCOLATE BACK UP,
SO AN AIRTIGHT SEAL HAD TO BE CREATED.
HE MADE A U-BEND IN THE PIPE.
WATER SETTLES AT THE BOTTOM OF THE "U,"
MAKING A SEAL AND STOPPING THE SMELLS FROM COMING BACK UP.
WHEN THE TOILET IS FLUSHED AGAIN,
THE WATER IS REPLENISHED AND THE SEAL REMADE.
Narrator: THANKS TO THE INGENUITY OF THEIR ENGINEERS,
ARMITAGE SHANKS WAS THE FIRST BUSINESS TO CONNECT TOILETS
TO SEWER SYSTEMS,
RAPIDLY IMPROVING PUBLIC SANITATION.
BACK ON THE ASSEMBLY LINE,
THE GLAZED TOILETS ARE READY FOR FIRING.
FIRING IS THE PROCESS OF TURNING CLAY AND GLAZE
INTO LONG-LASTING WATERPROOF PORCELAIN USING EXTREME HEAT.
THE TOILETS ARE PLACED ON A FIREPROOF PALLET
AND HEATED AT 2,192 DEGREES.
Spink: THE FIRING PROCESS ITSELF CAUSES A CHEMICAL REACTION.
THIS CHEMICAL REACTION FUSES THE BODY OF THE CLAY TO THE GLAZE.
Narrator: AFTER 16 HOURS IN THE KILN,
THE PORCELAIN IS FINALLY SOLIDIFIED.
THE TOILETS ARE COOLED FOR EIGHT HOURS.
THEN THEY'RE CHECKED FOR CRACKS.
AND NOW 50 HOURS LATER, HERE WE HAVE IT,
A BEAUTIFUL TOILET READY FOR A LIFETIME OF SERVICE.
IT'S ONE OF THOSE BRAND NAMES
THAT JUST GETS INSIDE OF YOUR HEAD.
WHY? BECAUSE YOU HAVE TIME TO CONTEMPLATE IT ALONE.
ARMITAGE SHANKS HAS BEEN A CHARACTER IN A MOVIE
AND IN A VIDEO GAME,
PLUS THE INSPIRATION FOR SIX POP SONGS,
AND THE TITLE OF A BRITISH PUNK-ROCK BAND.
Narrator: OVER TIME, ARMITAGE SHANKS HAS RISEN
TO THE TOP OF THE INDUSTRY.
TODAY, THE COMPANY CONTINUES TO REVOLUTIONIZE THE BRAND
THROUGH THEIR USE OF MODERN MATERIALS
AND BY IMPLEMENTING THE LATEST MANUFACTURING OPERATIONS
AND TECHNOLOGIES ON THEIR ASSEMBLY LINES.
ALL THESE ELEMENTS COMBINED
MAKE THIS FACTORY A SUPER FACTORY.
[ FLUSHING ]