How It's Made (2001–…): Season 11, Episode 9 - Accordions/Pineapples/Artificial Joints - full transcript
CAPTIONS PAID FOR BY
DISCOVERY COMMUNICATIONS
Narrator: THE DISTINCTIVE SOUND
OF THE ACCORDION
APPEARS IN ALMOST EVERY KIND
OF MUSIC.
THE PIANO-STYLE KEYBOARD
ON THE RIGHT-HAND SIDE
PRODUCES THE MELODY,
WHILE THE BUTTONS ON THE LEFT
PRODUCE THE CHORD ACCOMPANIMENT.
IN BETWEEN ARE BELLOWS
THAT FORCE AIR THROUGH REEDS,
PRODUCING THAT UNMISTAKABLE
ACCORDION SOUND.
[ UP-TEMPO MUSIC PLAYS ]
THE ACCORDION IS A BEAUTIFUL
AND COMPLEX INSTRUMENT.
IT CONTAINS UP TO 10 SETS
OF STEEL REEDS
WITH DIFFERENT PITCHES.
EACH REED SET
GOES INTO A WOODEN BLOCK.
UNDER EVERY SECTION IS
AN OPENING CALLED A TONE HOLE.
THE BELLOWS
DRIVES AIR THROUGH IT,
VIBRATING THE REED ABOVE
TO PRODUCE A MUSICAL NOTE.
THESE LEATHER-AND-PLASTIC PADS
COVER THE SLOTS
ON THE ACCORDION'S
ALUMINUM REED PLATES.
EACH PLATE HOLDS TWO REEDS.
BOTH REEDS PRODUCE
THE SAME NOTE --
ONE WHEN YOU PUSH THE BELLOWS,
THE OTHER WHEN YOU PULL.
THEY NOW APPLY A SPECIAL WAX TO
SECURE THE REEDS TO THE BLOCK.
IF THEY USED GLUE, THEY WOULDN'T
BE ABLE TO REMOVE THE PLATE
SHOULD A REED EVER NEED REPAIR.
EACH REED PLAYED CORRESPONDS
TO A SPECIFIC NOTE OR CHORD.
TO ASSEMBLE THE KEYBOARD,
THEY BEGIN WITH A LEVER MADE OF
FIBERGLASS-REINFORCED PLASTIC.
IT HAS A WOODEN CORE TO GIVE
THE KEYS SUFFICIENT WEIGHT.
A LONG METAL LEVER
GOES INTO THE TOP.
WHEN THE MUSICIAN PRESSES A KEY,
ITS MECHANISM UNBLOCKS
THE CORRESPONDING TONE HOLE,
ALLOWING AIR TO FLOW INSIDE
AND VIBRATE ONE OF THE PLATE'S
TWO REEDS.
NEXT, THEY DRIVE IN THE STEEL
AXLE ON WHICH THE KEYS PIVOT.
THEN THEY APPLY SUCTION
TO A KEYBOARD-SIZE TRAY.
IN IT, THEY LINE UP
THE PLASTIC KEY TOPS.
IN TOP-OF-THE-LINE MODELS,
THE WHITE KEY TOPS
ARE MADE OF CELLULOID.
WITH THE SUCTION
HOLDING THE KEYS DOWN,
IT'S JUST A MATTER
OF FLIPPING THE TRAY
AND CLAMPING IT
ONTO THE KEYBOARD FRAME.
THE TOPS ADHERE TO THE LEVERS,
WHICH HAVE SINCE RECEIVED
A COAT OF GLUE.
AFTER ABOUT AN HOUR,
THE GLUE IS DRY.
THEY CUT THE SUCTION, AND
THE KEYBOARD IS FINGER-READY.
MEANWHILE, THE REED BLOCKS
ARE IN THE HANDS
OF A TUNING SPECIALIST,
WHO PUMPS AIR WITH A FOOT PEDAL
TO VIBRATE THE REEDS
ONE AT A TIME.
HE COMPARES EACH NOTE
TO A REFERENCE TONE
FROM A TUNING APPARATUS
AND FILES THE REEDS GRADUALLY
UNTIL THEIR PITCHES MATCH.
NOW FOR THE BUTTON KEYBOARD.
STARTING WITH THE VALVES,
THEY INSTALL A WOODEN PALLET
OVER EACH TONE HOLE.
TO THAT,
THEY GLUE A STEEL LEVER.
THEN TO THAT,
THEY CONNECT A BRASS RAKE.
WHEN THE RAKE MOVES,
IT PULLS THE LEVER,
WHICH OPENS THE VALVE,
UNBLOCKING THE TONE HOLE.
AIR ENTERS AND VIBRATES
THE REED, PRODUCING THE NOTE.
EACH KEYBOARD BUTTON
OPENS THREE VALVES.
THAT'S WHY PUSHING ONE BUTTON
PRODUCES A THREE-NOTE CHORD.
WITH THE COMPLEX CONNECTIONS
BETWEEN BUTTONS AND REEDS
COMPLETE,
THE REED BLOCKS GO INTO
A CELLULOID-ON-PLYWOOD HOUSING.
IT'LL ATTACH TO THE BELLOWS
MADE OF STRONG PLEATED CARDBOARD
REINFORCED WITH LEATHER
AND METAL CORNER PROTECTORS.
[ CHORDS PLAYING ]
BUT BEFORE PERMANENTLY ATTACHING
THE BELLOWS,
ALL THE REEDS HAVE TO UNDERGO
A FINAL AND VERY EXTENSIVE
TUNING ADJUSTMENT.
[ NOTES PLAYING ]
AN ACCORDION CAN HAVE
UP TO 600 REEDS,
SO THIS METICULOUS REED-BY-REED
TUNING CAN TAKE UP TO 16 HOURS.
[ NOTES PLAYING ]
THEY NOW PIN
THE BELLOWS' WOOD FRAME ENDS
TO THE TREBLE AND BASS HOUSINGS.
THEN THEY CAP EACH HOUSING
WITH A CLOTH-COVERED GRILLE
TO KEEP OUT DUST.
AFTER POLISHING THE ACCORDION
TO A HIGH-GLOSS FINISH,
IT'S TIME FOR A MUSICAL
ROAD TEST IN WHITE GLOVES.
THERE'S NO SENSE
IN LEAVING FINGERPRINTS
ON THAT EXQUISITELY POLISHED
SURFACE.
WITH THE TEST CHECKLIST
COMPLETE,
THE INSPECTOR SIGNS OFF ON IT.
YOU CAN'T SAY THIS JOB'S
ALL WORK AND NO PLAY.
[ UP-TEMPO MUSIC PLAYS ]
Narrator: THE PINEAPPLE
IS NATIVE TO SOUTH AMERICA,
BUT COLONIZATION SPREAD IT
TO OTHER TROPICAL AREAS.
THE LATIN NAME FOR PINEAPPLE
IS "ANANAS,"
WHICH COMES FROM NANA, WHAT
THE NATIVES CALLED THE PLANT.
THE ENGLISH WORD "PINEAPPLE"
CAME FROM THE EUROPEAN EXPLORERS
WHO THOUGHT THAT THIS STRANGE
BUT DELICIOUS FRUIT
LOOKED LIKE A GIANT PINECONE.
PINEAPPLES NEED TEMPERATURES
BETWEEN 73 AND 86 DEGREES
FAHRENHEIT AND FULL SUN.
IT TAKES SEVEN MONTHS
FOR THE PINEAPPLE PLANT
TO PRODUCE A BUNCH OF LITTLE
REDDISH-PURPLE FLOWERS.
AT THIS FIRST BLOOM,
AS IT'S CALLED,
FARMERS SPRAY THE PLANT
WITH ETHYLENE,
A NATURAL GAS THAT STIMULATES
FULL FLOWERING.
AS THAT HAPPENS,
THE STEM OF THE FLOWER BUNCH
GRADUALLY THICKENS
AND BECOMES BULBOUS.
THIS IS THE PINEAPPLE.
FIVE MONTHS AFTER FIRST BLOOM,
A YEAR SINCE THE LAST HARVEST,
A FRESH CROP OF PINEAPPLES
IS RIPE FOR THE PICKING.
BUT NOT BEFORE THE FARM
HAS TESTED SAMPLES
TO MAKE SURE THE SWEETNESS LEVEL
IS JUST RIGHT.
THIS IS PRICKLY BUSINESS, SO
THE WORKERS HAVE TO WEAR GLOVES,
LONG SLEEVES, SAFETY GLASSES,
AND RUBBER BOOTS.
THE PINEAPPLES TRAVEL
FROM THE FIELD TO THE FACTORY
UPSIDE DOWN.
THAT WAY THE CROWN OF LEAVES
BEARS THE WEIGHT OF THE FRUIT
DURING THE BUMPY RIDE.
UPON ARRIVAL AT THE FACTORY,
THE PINEAPPLES GO THROUGH
A 10-STEP CLEANING
IN CHLORINATED WATER.
THIS WASHES AWAY INSECTS
AND FROG EGGS.
FROGS LIKE TO LAY THEIR EGGS
IN PINEAPPLE CROWNS.
A FINAL RINSE WITH CLEAN WATER
REMOVES ANY CHLORINE RESIDUE.
NOW WORKERS CLASSIFY
THE PINEAPPLES
AND CUT OFF MISSHAPEN CROWNS.
A FIRST-CLASS PINEAPPLE
HAS A STRAIGHT CROWN
AND NO MORE
THAN THREE DAMAGED EYES,
THOSE DIAMOND SHAPES
ON THE PEEL.
IF A PINEAPPLE PASSES
THE FIRST-CLASS TEST,
IT'S FIT FOR EXPORT.
SECOND-CLASS SELLS
ON THE DOMESTIC MARKET.
THIRD BECOMES DRIED FRUIT,
AND FOURTH, JUICE.
AT THE DRYING PLANT
FOR THIRD-CLASS PINEAPPLES,
WORKERS FIRST
CHOP OFF THE CROWN,
AND THEN ABOUT TWO INCHES
FROM THE BOTTOM END.
WITH A CORING MACHINE,
THEY REMOVE THE PINEAPPLE'S
HARD CENTER CALLED THE HEART.
KNIFE-WIELDING EMPLOYEES
WORK THEIR MAGIC,
EACH PEELING FIVE TO SEVEN
PINEAPPLES PER MINUTE.
THE COARSE SKIN
DULLS THE BLADES QUICKLY,
SO THEY HAVE TO KEEP SHARPENING
THEIR KNIVES
ABOUT EVERY HALF-HOUR.
THE PEELED PINEAPPLES THEN
MOVE ON TO A SLICING MACHINE,
WHICH PRODUCES SLICES A LITTLE
MORE THAN A HALF-INCH THICK.
THE AVERAGE PINEAPPLE YIELDS
ABOUT SEVEN SLICES.
WORKERS PLACE THE SLICES
ON LARGE TRAYS...
LOAD THE TRAYS ON LARGE RACKS...
THEN ROLL THE RACKS
INTO A GAS OVEN.
THE SLICES BAKE FOR 24 HOURS
BETWEEN 147 AND 151 DEGREES
FAHRENHEIT.
THIS DRIES THEM
ALMOST COMPLETELY.
WHEN THEY COME OUT OF THE OVEN,
THEIR MOISTURE LEVEL IS 6%,
JUST ENOUGH TO ENSURE
THE SLICES ARE CHEWY.
FROM THE OVEN TO PACKAGING.
THESE PRESERVATIVE-FREE
DRIED PINEAPPLE SLICES
STAY FRESH IN THE PACKAGE
FOR 18 MONTHS.
NOW BACK
TO THE PINEAPPLE FACTORY,
WHERE THE FIRST-CLASS FRUITS
PASS UNDER A SHOWER OF HOT WAX.
FANS COOL AND HARDEN THE WAX
INTO A COATING
THAT CREATES AN AIR BARRIER.
THIS SLOWS THE RIPENING PROCESS,
ENSURING THE PINEAPPLES
DON'T OVERRIPEN
BY THE TIME THEY ARRIVE
AT THEIR EXPORT DESTINATION.
LAST STOP IS THE PACKAGING
AND LABELING DEPARTMENT.
WORKERS BOX PINEAPPLES WITH
AND WITHOUT CROWNS SEPARATELY.
THOSE WITH CROWNS
ARE FOR EXPORT.
THE CROWNLESS ONES
GO TO A CANNING FACTORY
TO BE SLICED, DICED, OR CRUSHED.
FROM THE FIELD TO YOUR TABLE,
PINEAPPLES ARE THE FRUIT
OF MANY PEOPLE'S LABORS.
Narrator:
ARTIFICIAL BODY PARTS
USED TO BE THE STUFF
OF SCIENCE FICTION.
NOWADAYS ARTIFICIAL JOINTS,
AT LEAST, ARE ROUTINE.
AN ARTIFICIAL JOINT IS A
PROSTHESIS THAT SURGEONS INSERT
TO REPLACE DISEASED OR WORN-OUT
BONE AND CARTILAGE.
IN NEARLY ALL CASES,
AN ARTIFICIAL JOINT
RELIEVES PAIN AND IMPROVES
THE RANGE OF MOTION.
FROM YOUR KNEES AND HIPS TO YOUR
WRISTS, ELBOW, AND SHOULDERS,
IF YOUR JOINTS GO,
YOU CAN REPLACE THEM.
AN ARTIFICIAL JOINT HAS BOTH
METAL AND PLASTIC COMPONENTS.
THE METAL ACTS AS BONE,
THE PLASTIC IS CARTILAGE.
THIS FACTORY MAKES
THE METAL PARTS THREE WAYS.
IT EITHER CASTS THEM,
FORGES THEM, OR MACHINES THEM.
CASTING IS THE MOST COMPLEX
METHOD.
THE FIRST STEP IS
TO PRESSURE-INJECT MELTED WAX
INTO AN ALUMINUM MOLD.
THIS MAKES A PATTERN,
A WAX REPLICA OF THE METAL PART.
NOW THEY BUILD THE MOLD
FOR CASTING THE PART IN METAL.
WORKERS FUSE A GROUP OF PATTERNS
WITH HOT WAX
TO A HOLDER ALSO MADE OF WAX.
THE PATTERNS WILL SHAPE
THE CAVITY IN THE MOLDS.
THEY SUBMERGE THE PATTERNS
IN A THICK LIQUID CERAMIC
WHICH SOON HARDENS INTO
A FRAGILE SHELL AROUND THE WAX.
THEN THEY SPRINKLE THE SHELL
WITH A MIXTURE
OF TWO MINERALS --
SILICA SAND AND ZIRCON -- TO
BUILD UP A STRENGTHENING CRUST.
THE SHELLS NOW GO INTO A FURNACE
FOR ABOUT TWO HOURS.
THE INTENSE HEAT HARDENS THEM
AND INCINERATES THE WAX INSIDE,
LEAVING A CAVITY
IN THE PATTERN SHAPE.
THE SHELLS ARE NOW MOLDS
STRONG ENOUGH TO WITHSTAND
MOLTEN METAL.
THAT METAL IS COBALT CHROME.
IN THIS CRUCIBLE, THE CHROME
LIQUEFIES IN ABOUT 10 MINUTES.
THEY REMOVE THE MOLDS
FROM THE FURNACE
AND LOCK THEM TO THE TOP OF
ANOTHER ONE ABOVE THE CRUCIBLE.
THEN THEY FLIP IT OVER.
THE MOLTEN METAL FLOWS FROM
THE CRUCIBLE INTO THE MOLDS.
IT SOLIDIFIES
WITHIN TWO MINUTES.
THEN THEY TRANSFER THE HOT MOLDS
TO A COOLING BIN.
COLD AIR FLOWS AROUND THEM
FOR ABOUT TWO HOURS
UNTIL THEY'RE FINALLY COOL
ENOUGH TO HANDLE.
THEN WORKERS MOUNT EACH TREE
ON AN AUTOMATED MACHINE
THAT WORKS LIKE A JACKHAMMER.
EACH MOLD DISINTEGRATES, FREEING
THE CAST-METAL PART INSIDE.
THEY USE A SAW TO SEPARATE
THE PARTS FROM THE TREE,
THEN A GRINDING BELT TO REMOVE
ANY UNNECESSARY METAL
THAT HARDENED IN THE CHANNELS.
NEXT, THEY LASER-ENGRAVE
A UNIQUE SERIAL NUMBER
ON EACH PART
FOR TRACKING PURPOSES.
EVERY PART UNDERGOES
A THOROUGH INSPECTION.
THEY DUST THE PART
WITH FLUORESCENT POWDER,
THEN RINSE IT OFF.
POWDER RESIDUE SETTLES
IN ANY FLAW
AND GLOWS
UNDER ULTRAVIOLET LIGHT.
AFTER INSPECTION,
THEY BUFF EVERY PART
UNTIL THE METAL'S SO SHINY,
YOU CAN SEE A REFLECTION.
ANOTHER METHOD FOR MAKING
METAL PARTS IS FORGING.
THEY USE A TITANIUM ALLOY,
WHICH IS MORE FLEXIBLE
THAN COBALT CHROME,
MAKING IT BETTER SUITED
FOR HIP JOINTS, IN PARTICULAR.
THEY CLEAN THE METAL, THEN HEAT
IT IN A 2,200-DEGREE FURNACE.
THIS 660-TON PRESS
FORMS ONE PIECE AT A TIME
INTO A PRELIMINARY SHAPE.
THEN THEY MOVE IT
TO THE NEXT DIE AND STAMP TWICE
TO REFINE
AND THEN FINALIZE THE SHAPE.
THE LAST STAMPING
ON THE THIRD DIE
TRIMS OFF EXCESS METAL
AND ADDS DETAIL.
THE FORGED PART NOW GOES
INTO A SANDBLASTING CHAMBER
WHICH CLEANS THE METAL AND GIVES
THE SURFACE A MATTE FINISH.
HERE'S WHAT THE PART LOOKS LIKE
BEFORE SANDBLASTING AND AFTER.
NOW A COMPUTER-GUIDED
MILLING MACHINE
SMOOTHS AWAY THE ROUGH EDGE
THAT TRIMMING THE EXCESS METAL
LEFT BEHIND.
THIS REMOVES
ALL BUT THE LAST BIT,
SO THEY GET RID OF THAT
WITH A SANDING BELT.
BUT SANDING LEAVES
METAL RESIDUE BEHIND.
SO THE PARTS NOW GO FOR A BATH
IN A WATER-BASED
CITRIC SOLUTION.
THE METAL SURFACE
HAS TO BE PERFECTLY CLEAN
IN ORDER TO STAMP ON
THE SERIAL NUMBER IN INK.
QUITE A DIFFERENCE
BEFORE CLEANING AND AFTER.
EACH AND EVERY METAL PART,
WHETHER FORGED OR CAST,
GOES TO THE QUALITY CONTROL
DEPARTMENT.
THERE, USING DIGITAL CALIPERS,
AN INSPECTOR CHECKS
ALL THE DIMENSIONS,
THEN EXAMINES THE PART
UNDER A MAGNIFYING GLASS.
SO FAR WE'VE SEEN TWO
OF THE WAYS
THEY MAKE THE METAL PARTS
OF AN ARTIFICIAL JOINT --
CASTING AND FORGING.
THE THIRD METHOD
IS COMING RIGHT UP.
Narrator: THE METAL PORTION
OF AN ARTIFICIAL JOINT
PLAYS THE ROLE OF BONE,
WHILE THE PLASTIC PORTION
MIMICS CARTILAGE.
HOWEVER, THE PLASTIC ISN'T
YOUR RUN-OF-THE-MILL PLASTIC.
IT'S MEDICAL-GRADE POLYETHYLENE,
MEANING IT'S FORMULATED
TO BE LIGHTWEIGHT,
BUT ALSO EXTREMELY DURABLE
SO THAT IT WITHSTANDS YEARS OF
WEAR AND TEAR WITHIN THE BODY.
THE TYPE OF METAL THEY USE
TO MAKE THE BONE PORTION
OF AN ARTIFICIAL JOINT
DEPENDS ON HOW FLEXIBLE
THAT JOINT HAS TO BE.
A KNEE JOINT
REQUIRES LESS ELASTICITY,
SO THEY MOLD IT
OUT OF COBALT CHROME.
A HIP JOINT, ON THE OTHER HAND,
NEEDS TO BE MORE BENDABLE.
SO FOR THAT, THEY USE TITANIUM.
THEY EITHER FORGE THE SHAPE
IN A PRESS
OR MOUNT THE TITANIUM BLOCK
ON A COMPUTER-GUIDED MILL.
UNDER A STEADY SHOWER
OF LUBRICANT,
THE MILL'S 20-ODD
MACHINING TOOLS
CARVE THE BLOCK FROM ALL ANGLES.
AFTER A PRIMARY ROUGH MACHINING,
THE MILL'S PRECISION TOOLS
FINALIZE THE SHAPE.
FROM START TO FINISH,
MACHINING JUST ONE PART
TAKES ABOUT HALF AN HOUR.
NOW A ROBOT TAKES OVER.
IT RUNS THE PART AGAINST
A SERIES OF SANDING BELTS,
THEIR GRITS PROGRESSING
FROM ROUGH TO FINE.
THIS REMOVES MARKS THE MACHINING
TOOLS LEFT ON THE METAL
AND POLISHES THE SURFACE
TO A MIRROR FINISH.
THE ROBOT CAN'T REACH THE EDGES,
SO A WORKER SANDS THEM MANUALLY
AND VERIFIES THE DIMENSIONS.
THEN THE PARTS GO
FOR A THOROUGH CLEANING.
THE FACTORY PUTS RANDOM SAMPLES
THROUGH WEAR TESTING.
THE MACHINES SIMULATE
JOINT MOVEMENT,
COMPLETE WITH FAKE JOINT FLUID.
THE FACTORY SPRAYS SOME PARTS
WITH TITANIUM POWDER
TO HELP BONE TISSUE
TO CLING TO THEM.
THIS MACHINE,
CALLED AN OPTICAL COMPARATOR,
PROJECTS AN IMAGE
OF THE PART'S COATED OUTLINE
AGAINST A TECHNICALLY PERFECT
TEMPLATE.
THE TECHNICIAN MAKES SURE
THE PART AND THE TEMPLATE MATCH.
TO BECOME AN ARTIFICIAL JOINT,
THE METAL BONE NOW NEEDS
ITS PLASTIC CARTILAGE.
THAT REQUIRES
POLYETHYLENE POWDER.
A TECHNICIAN WEIGHS OUT
A SPECIFIC AMOUNT,
PUTS IT IN THE OUTER SLEEVE
OF A MOLD,
THEN INSERTS
THE MOLD'S INNER PIECE.
THE TECHNICIAN LOADS THE MOLD
INTO A PRESS
THAT APPLIES BOTH PRESSURE
AND HEAT --
374 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT.
THE POWDER GETS SQUEEZED
BETWEEN THE MOLD'S TWO PARTS
AND TURNS INTO SOLID PLASTIC.
USING VARIOUS INSTRUMENTS,
THEY MEASURE THE MOLDED PART
TO ENSURE ALL ITS DIMENSIONS
ARE EXACT.
NOW A COMPUTER-GUIDED MACHINING
TOOL CARVES THE GROOVES
INTO WHICH THE METAL PART
WILL SLIDE.
THESE DETAILS ARE FAR TOO
INTRICATE FOR A MOLD TO SHAPE.
THEN SOME FINAL MEASUREMENTS
TO MAKE SURE THE FINISHED PART
ADHERES TO THE ENGINEERING
SPECIFICATIONS.
RANDOM SAMPLES UNDERGO
FATIGUE TESTING
EQUIVALENT TO 10 YEARS OF WEAR.
SOME PLASTIC PARTS ARE JUST TOO
COMPLEX TO BE MOLDED OUTRIGHT,
SO, INSTEAD, THE FACTORY MOLDS
A BLOCK OF PLASTIC,
THEN MACHINES IT.
THE BLOCK SPINS ON A LATHE
AS VARIOUS COMPUTER-GUIDED TOOLS
SHAPE IT.
SAMPLES OF THESE
ALSO UNDERGO WEAR TESTING.
AFTER A SPECIFIC NUMBER
OF MOVEMENTS
OVER A SPECIFIC TIME PERIOD,
TECHNICIANS REMOVE THE PARTS
AND WEIGH THEM.
BY COMPARING
TO THE STARTING WEIGHT,
THEY CAN CALCULATE HOW MUCH
PLASTIC HAS WORN OFF.
THE PACKAGING ROOM
IS WHAT THEY CALL A CLEAN ROOM,
MEANING THE AIR RUNS
THROUGH A FILTER SYSTEM
TO KEEP OUT DUST AND DIRT.
WORKERS PACK THE ARTIFICIAL
JOINTS AGAINST FOAM
TO PROTECT THE METAL SURFACE,
BECAUSE EVEN THE TINIEST SCRATCH
CAN CAUSE PREMATURE WEAR.
AFTER HEAT-SEALING THE PACKAGES,
THE FACTORY SHIPS THEM OFF
TO A STERILIZATION PLANT.
THERE, POWERFUL GAMMA RAYS
PENETRATE
RIGHT THROUGH THE PACKAGING
AND KILL OFF ANY BACTERIA
THAT MIGHT BE LURKING INSIDE.
MAKE NO BONES ABOUT IT,
THESE JOINTS MAY BE ARTIFICIAL,
BUT THE MOVEMENT THEY RESTORE
IS AS REAL AS IT GETS.
IF YOU HAVE ANY COMMENTS
ABOUT THE SHOW,
OR IF YOU'D LIKE TO SUGGEST
TOPICS FOR FUTURE SHOWS,
DROP US A LINE AT...
DISCOVERY COMMUNICATIONS
Narrator: THE DISTINCTIVE SOUND
OF THE ACCORDION
APPEARS IN ALMOST EVERY KIND
OF MUSIC.
THE PIANO-STYLE KEYBOARD
ON THE RIGHT-HAND SIDE
PRODUCES THE MELODY,
WHILE THE BUTTONS ON THE LEFT
PRODUCE THE CHORD ACCOMPANIMENT.
IN BETWEEN ARE BELLOWS
THAT FORCE AIR THROUGH REEDS,
PRODUCING THAT UNMISTAKABLE
ACCORDION SOUND.
[ UP-TEMPO MUSIC PLAYS ]
THE ACCORDION IS A BEAUTIFUL
AND COMPLEX INSTRUMENT.
IT CONTAINS UP TO 10 SETS
OF STEEL REEDS
WITH DIFFERENT PITCHES.
EACH REED SET
GOES INTO A WOODEN BLOCK.
UNDER EVERY SECTION IS
AN OPENING CALLED A TONE HOLE.
THE BELLOWS
DRIVES AIR THROUGH IT,
VIBRATING THE REED ABOVE
TO PRODUCE A MUSICAL NOTE.
THESE LEATHER-AND-PLASTIC PADS
COVER THE SLOTS
ON THE ACCORDION'S
ALUMINUM REED PLATES.
EACH PLATE HOLDS TWO REEDS.
BOTH REEDS PRODUCE
THE SAME NOTE --
ONE WHEN YOU PUSH THE BELLOWS,
THE OTHER WHEN YOU PULL.
THEY NOW APPLY A SPECIAL WAX TO
SECURE THE REEDS TO THE BLOCK.
IF THEY USED GLUE, THEY WOULDN'T
BE ABLE TO REMOVE THE PLATE
SHOULD A REED EVER NEED REPAIR.
EACH REED PLAYED CORRESPONDS
TO A SPECIFIC NOTE OR CHORD.
TO ASSEMBLE THE KEYBOARD,
THEY BEGIN WITH A LEVER MADE OF
FIBERGLASS-REINFORCED PLASTIC.
IT HAS A WOODEN CORE TO GIVE
THE KEYS SUFFICIENT WEIGHT.
A LONG METAL LEVER
GOES INTO THE TOP.
WHEN THE MUSICIAN PRESSES A KEY,
ITS MECHANISM UNBLOCKS
THE CORRESPONDING TONE HOLE,
ALLOWING AIR TO FLOW INSIDE
AND VIBRATE ONE OF THE PLATE'S
TWO REEDS.
NEXT, THEY DRIVE IN THE STEEL
AXLE ON WHICH THE KEYS PIVOT.
THEN THEY APPLY SUCTION
TO A KEYBOARD-SIZE TRAY.
IN IT, THEY LINE UP
THE PLASTIC KEY TOPS.
IN TOP-OF-THE-LINE MODELS,
THE WHITE KEY TOPS
ARE MADE OF CELLULOID.
WITH THE SUCTION
HOLDING THE KEYS DOWN,
IT'S JUST A MATTER
OF FLIPPING THE TRAY
AND CLAMPING IT
ONTO THE KEYBOARD FRAME.
THE TOPS ADHERE TO THE LEVERS,
WHICH HAVE SINCE RECEIVED
A COAT OF GLUE.
AFTER ABOUT AN HOUR,
THE GLUE IS DRY.
THEY CUT THE SUCTION, AND
THE KEYBOARD IS FINGER-READY.
MEANWHILE, THE REED BLOCKS
ARE IN THE HANDS
OF A TUNING SPECIALIST,
WHO PUMPS AIR WITH A FOOT PEDAL
TO VIBRATE THE REEDS
ONE AT A TIME.
HE COMPARES EACH NOTE
TO A REFERENCE TONE
FROM A TUNING APPARATUS
AND FILES THE REEDS GRADUALLY
UNTIL THEIR PITCHES MATCH.
NOW FOR THE BUTTON KEYBOARD.
STARTING WITH THE VALVES,
THEY INSTALL A WOODEN PALLET
OVER EACH TONE HOLE.
TO THAT,
THEY GLUE A STEEL LEVER.
THEN TO THAT,
THEY CONNECT A BRASS RAKE.
WHEN THE RAKE MOVES,
IT PULLS THE LEVER,
WHICH OPENS THE VALVE,
UNBLOCKING THE TONE HOLE.
AIR ENTERS AND VIBRATES
THE REED, PRODUCING THE NOTE.
EACH KEYBOARD BUTTON
OPENS THREE VALVES.
THAT'S WHY PUSHING ONE BUTTON
PRODUCES A THREE-NOTE CHORD.
WITH THE COMPLEX CONNECTIONS
BETWEEN BUTTONS AND REEDS
COMPLETE,
THE REED BLOCKS GO INTO
A CELLULOID-ON-PLYWOOD HOUSING.
IT'LL ATTACH TO THE BELLOWS
MADE OF STRONG PLEATED CARDBOARD
REINFORCED WITH LEATHER
AND METAL CORNER PROTECTORS.
[ CHORDS PLAYING ]
BUT BEFORE PERMANENTLY ATTACHING
THE BELLOWS,
ALL THE REEDS HAVE TO UNDERGO
A FINAL AND VERY EXTENSIVE
TUNING ADJUSTMENT.
[ NOTES PLAYING ]
AN ACCORDION CAN HAVE
UP TO 600 REEDS,
SO THIS METICULOUS REED-BY-REED
TUNING CAN TAKE UP TO 16 HOURS.
[ NOTES PLAYING ]
THEY NOW PIN
THE BELLOWS' WOOD FRAME ENDS
TO THE TREBLE AND BASS HOUSINGS.
THEN THEY CAP EACH HOUSING
WITH A CLOTH-COVERED GRILLE
TO KEEP OUT DUST.
AFTER POLISHING THE ACCORDION
TO A HIGH-GLOSS FINISH,
IT'S TIME FOR A MUSICAL
ROAD TEST IN WHITE GLOVES.
THERE'S NO SENSE
IN LEAVING FINGERPRINTS
ON THAT EXQUISITELY POLISHED
SURFACE.
WITH THE TEST CHECKLIST
COMPLETE,
THE INSPECTOR SIGNS OFF ON IT.
YOU CAN'T SAY THIS JOB'S
ALL WORK AND NO PLAY.
[ UP-TEMPO MUSIC PLAYS ]
Narrator: THE PINEAPPLE
IS NATIVE TO SOUTH AMERICA,
BUT COLONIZATION SPREAD IT
TO OTHER TROPICAL AREAS.
THE LATIN NAME FOR PINEAPPLE
IS "ANANAS,"
WHICH COMES FROM NANA, WHAT
THE NATIVES CALLED THE PLANT.
THE ENGLISH WORD "PINEAPPLE"
CAME FROM THE EUROPEAN EXPLORERS
WHO THOUGHT THAT THIS STRANGE
BUT DELICIOUS FRUIT
LOOKED LIKE A GIANT PINECONE.
PINEAPPLES NEED TEMPERATURES
BETWEEN 73 AND 86 DEGREES
FAHRENHEIT AND FULL SUN.
IT TAKES SEVEN MONTHS
FOR THE PINEAPPLE PLANT
TO PRODUCE A BUNCH OF LITTLE
REDDISH-PURPLE FLOWERS.
AT THIS FIRST BLOOM,
AS IT'S CALLED,
FARMERS SPRAY THE PLANT
WITH ETHYLENE,
A NATURAL GAS THAT STIMULATES
FULL FLOWERING.
AS THAT HAPPENS,
THE STEM OF THE FLOWER BUNCH
GRADUALLY THICKENS
AND BECOMES BULBOUS.
THIS IS THE PINEAPPLE.
FIVE MONTHS AFTER FIRST BLOOM,
A YEAR SINCE THE LAST HARVEST,
A FRESH CROP OF PINEAPPLES
IS RIPE FOR THE PICKING.
BUT NOT BEFORE THE FARM
HAS TESTED SAMPLES
TO MAKE SURE THE SWEETNESS LEVEL
IS JUST RIGHT.
THIS IS PRICKLY BUSINESS, SO
THE WORKERS HAVE TO WEAR GLOVES,
LONG SLEEVES, SAFETY GLASSES,
AND RUBBER BOOTS.
THE PINEAPPLES TRAVEL
FROM THE FIELD TO THE FACTORY
UPSIDE DOWN.
THAT WAY THE CROWN OF LEAVES
BEARS THE WEIGHT OF THE FRUIT
DURING THE BUMPY RIDE.
UPON ARRIVAL AT THE FACTORY,
THE PINEAPPLES GO THROUGH
A 10-STEP CLEANING
IN CHLORINATED WATER.
THIS WASHES AWAY INSECTS
AND FROG EGGS.
FROGS LIKE TO LAY THEIR EGGS
IN PINEAPPLE CROWNS.
A FINAL RINSE WITH CLEAN WATER
REMOVES ANY CHLORINE RESIDUE.
NOW WORKERS CLASSIFY
THE PINEAPPLES
AND CUT OFF MISSHAPEN CROWNS.
A FIRST-CLASS PINEAPPLE
HAS A STRAIGHT CROWN
AND NO MORE
THAN THREE DAMAGED EYES,
THOSE DIAMOND SHAPES
ON THE PEEL.
IF A PINEAPPLE PASSES
THE FIRST-CLASS TEST,
IT'S FIT FOR EXPORT.
SECOND-CLASS SELLS
ON THE DOMESTIC MARKET.
THIRD BECOMES DRIED FRUIT,
AND FOURTH, JUICE.
AT THE DRYING PLANT
FOR THIRD-CLASS PINEAPPLES,
WORKERS FIRST
CHOP OFF THE CROWN,
AND THEN ABOUT TWO INCHES
FROM THE BOTTOM END.
WITH A CORING MACHINE,
THEY REMOVE THE PINEAPPLE'S
HARD CENTER CALLED THE HEART.
KNIFE-WIELDING EMPLOYEES
WORK THEIR MAGIC,
EACH PEELING FIVE TO SEVEN
PINEAPPLES PER MINUTE.
THE COARSE SKIN
DULLS THE BLADES QUICKLY,
SO THEY HAVE TO KEEP SHARPENING
THEIR KNIVES
ABOUT EVERY HALF-HOUR.
THE PEELED PINEAPPLES THEN
MOVE ON TO A SLICING MACHINE,
WHICH PRODUCES SLICES A LITTLE
MORE THAN A HALF-INCH THICK.
THE AVERAGE PINEAPPLE YIELDS
ABOUT SEVEN SLICES.
WORKERS PLACE THE SLICES
ON LARGE TRAYS...
LOAD THE TRAYS ON LARGE RACKS...
THEN ROLL THE RACKS
INTO A GAS OVEN.
THE SLICES BAKE FOR 24 HOURS
BETWEEN 147 AND 151 DEGREES
FAHRENHEIT.
THIS DRIES THEM
ALMOST COMPLETELY.
WHEN THEY COME OUT OF THE OVEN,
THEIR MOISTURE LEVEL IS 6%,
JUST ENOUGH TO ENSURE
THE SLICES ARE CHEWY.
FROM THE OVEN TO PACKAGING.
THESE PRESERVATIVE-FREE
DRIED PINEAPPLE SLICES
STAY FRESH IN THE PACKAGE
FOR 18 MONTHS.
NOW BACK
TO THE PINEAPPLE FACTORY,
WHERE THE FIRST-CLASS FRUITS
PASS UNDER A SHOWER OF HOT WAX.
FANS COOL AND HARDEN THE WAX
INTO A COATING
THAT CREATES AN AIR BARRIER.
THIS SLOWS THE RIPENING PROCESS,
ENSURING THE PINEAPPLES
DON'T OVERRIPEN
BY THE TIME THEY ARRIVE
AT THEIR EXPORT DESTINATION.
LAST STOP IS THE PACKAGING
AND LABELING DEPARTMENT.
WORKERS BOX PINEAPPLES WITH
AND WITHOUT CROWNS SEPARATELY.
THOSE WITH CROWNS
ARE FOR EXPORT.
THE CROWNLESS ONES
GO TO A CANNING FACTORY
TO BE SLICED, DICED, OR CRUSHED.
FROM THE FIELD TO YOUR TABLE,
PINEAPPLES ARE THE FRUIT
OF MANY PEOPLE'S LABORS.
Narrator:
ARTIFICIAL BODY PARTS
USED TO BE THE STUFF
OF SCIENCE FICTION.
NOWADAYS ARTIFICIAL JOINTS,
AT LEAST, ARE ROUTINE.
AN ARTIFICIAL JOINT IS A
PROSTHESIS THAT SURGEONS INSERT
TO REPLACE DISEASED OR WORN-OUT
BONE AND CARTILAGE.
IN NEARLY ALL CASES,
AN ARTIFICIAL JOINT
RELIEVES PAIN AND IMPROVES
THE RANGE OF MOTION.
FROM YOUR KNEES AND HIPS TO YOUR
WRISTS, ELBOW, AND SHOULDERS,
IF YOUR JOINTS GO,
YOU CAN REPLACE THEM.
AN ARTIFICIAL JOINT HAS BOTH
METAL AND PLASTIC COMPONENTS.
THE METAL ACTS AS BONE,
THE PLASTIC IS CARTILAGE.
THIS FACTORY MAKES
THE METAL PARTS THREE WAYS.
IT EITHER CASTS THEM,
FORGES THEM, OR MACHINES THEM.
CASTING IS THE MOST COMPLEX
METHOD.
THE FIRST STEP IS
TO PRESSURE-INJECT MELTED WAX
INTO AN ALUMINUM MOLD.
THIS MAKES A PATTERN,
A WAX REPLICA OF THE METAL PART.
NOW THEY BUILD THE MOLD
FOR CASTING THE PART IN METAL.
WORKERS FUSE A GROUP OF PATTERNS
WITH HOT WAX
TO A HOLDER ALSO MADE OF WAX.
THE PATTERNS WILL SHAPE
THE CAVITY IN THE MOLDS.
THEY SUBMERGE THE PATTERNS
IN A THICK LIQUID CERAMIC
WHICH SOON HARDENS INTO
A FRAGILE SHELL AROUND THE WAX.
THEN THEY SPRINKLE THE SHELL
WITH A MIXTURE
OF TWO MINERALS --
SILICA SAND AND ZIRCON -- TO
BUILD UP A STRENGTHENING CRUST.
THE SHELLS NOW GO INTO A FURNACE
FOR ABOUT TWO HOURS.
THE INTENSE HEAT HARDENS THEM
AND INCINERATES THE WAX INSIDE,
LEAVING A CAVITY
IN THE PATTERN SHAPE.
THE SHELLS ARE NOW MOLDS
STRONG ENOUGH TO WITHSTAND
MOLTEN METAL.
THAT METAL IS COBALT CHROME.
IN THIS CRUCIBLE, THE CHROME
LIQUEFIES IN ABOUT 10 MINUTES.
THEY REMOVE THE MOLDS
FROM THE FURNACE
AND LOCK THEM TO THE TOP OF
ANOTHER ONE ABOVE THE CRUCIBLE.
THEN THEY FLIP IT OVER.
THE MOLTEN METAL FLOWS FROM
THE CRUCIBLE INTO THE MOLDS.
IT SOLIDIFIES
WITHIN TWO MINUTES.
THEN THEY TRANSFER THE HOT MOLDS
TO A COOLING BIN.
COLD AIR FLOWS AROUND THEM
FOR ABOUT TWO HOURS
UNTIL THEY'RE FINALLY COOL
ENOUGH TO HANDLE.
THEN WORKERS MOUNT EACH TREE
ON AN AUTOMATED MACHINE
THAT WORKS LIKE A JACKHAMMER.
EACH MOLD DISINTEGRATES, FREEING
THE CAST-METAL PART INSIDE.
THEY USE A SAW TO SEPARATE
THE PARTS FROM THE TREE,
THEN A GRINDING BELT TO REMOVE
ANY UNNECESSARY METAL
THAT HARDENED IN THE CHANNELS.
NEXT, THEY LASER-ENGRAVE
A UNIQUE SERIAL NUMBER
ON EACH PART
FOR TRACKING PURPOSES.
EVERY PART UNDERGOES
A THOROUGH INSPECTION.
THEY DUST THE PART
WITH FLUORESCENT POWDER,
THEN RINSE IT OFF.
POWDER RESIDUE SETTLES
IN ANY FLAW
AND GLOWS
UNDER ULTRAVIOLET LIGHT.
AFTER INSPECTION,
THEY BUFF EVERY PART
UNTIL THE METAL'S SO SHINY,
YOU CAN SEE A REFLECTION.
ANOTHER METHOD FOR MAKING
METAL PARTS IS FORGING.
THEY USE A TITANIUM ALLOY,
WHICH IS MORE FLEXIBLE
THAN COBALT CHROME,
MAKING IT BETTER SUITED
FOR HIP JOINTS, IN PARTICULAR.
THEY CLEAN THE METAL, THEN HEAT
IT IN A 2,200-DEGREE FURNACE.
THIS 660-TON PRESS
FORMS ONE PIECE AT A TIME
INTO A PRELIMINARY SHAPE.
THEN THEY MOVE IT
TO THE NEXT DIE AND STAMP TWICE
TO REFINE
AND THEN FINALIZE THE SHAPE.
THE LAST STAMPING
ON THE THIRD DIE
TRIMS OFF EXCESS METAL
AND ADDS DETAIL.
THE FORGED PART NOW GOES
INTO A SANDBLASTING CHAMBER
WHICH CLEANS THE METAL AND GIVES
THE SURFACE A MATTE FINISH.
HERE'S WHAT THE PART LOOKS LIKE
BEFORE SANDBLASTING AND AFTER.
NOW A COMPUTER-GUIDED
MILLING MACHINE
SMOOTHS AWAY THE ROUGH EDGE
THAT TRIMMING THE EXCESS METAL
LEFT BEHIND.
THIS REMOVES
ALL BUT THE LAST BIT,
SO THEY GET RID OF THAT
WITH A SANDING BELT.
BUT SANDING LEAVES
METAL RESIDUE BEHIND.
SO THE PARTS NOW GO FOR A BATH
IN A WATER-BASED
CITRIC SOLUTION.
THE METAL SURFACE
HAS TO BE PERFECTLY CLEAN
IN ORDER TO STAMP ON
THE SERIAL NUMBER IN INK.
QUITE A DIFFERENCE
BEFORE CLEANING AND AFTER.
EACH AND EVERY METAL PART,
WHETHER FORGED OR CAST,
GOES TO THE QUALITY CONTROL
DEPARTMENT.
THERE, USING DIGITAL CALIPERS,
AN INSPECTOR CHECKS
ALL THE DIMENSIONS,
THEN EXAMINES THE PART
UNDER A MAGNIFYING GLASS.
SO FAR WE'VE SEEN TWO
OF THE WAYS
THEY MAKE THE METAL PARTS
OF AN ARTIFICIAL JOINT --
CASTING AND FORGING.
THE THIRD METHOD
IS COMING RIGHT UP.
Narrator: THE METAL PORTION
OF AN ARTIFICIAL JOINT
PLAYS THE ROLE OF BONE,
WHILE THE PLASTIC PORTION
MIMICS CARTILAGE.
HOWEVER, THE PLASTIC ISN'T
YOUR RUN-OF-THE-MILL PLASTIC.
IT'S MEDICAL-GRADE POLYETHYLENE,
MEANING IT'S FORMULATED
TO BE LIGHTWEIGHT,
BUT ALSO EXTREMELY DURABLE
SO THAT IT WITHSTANDS YEARS OF
WEAR AND TEAR WITHIN THE BODY.
THE TYPE OF METAL THEY USE
TO MAKE THE BONE PORTION
OF AN ARTIFICIAL JOINT
DEPENDS ON HOW FLEXIBLE
THAT JOINT HAS TO BE.
A KNEE JOINT
REQUIRES LESS ELASTICITY,
SO THEY MOLD IT
OUT OF COBALT CHROME.
A HIP JOINT, ON THE OTHER HAND,
NEEDS TO BE MORE BENDABLE.
SO FOR THAT, THEY USE TITANIUM.
THEY EITHER FORGE THE SHAPE
IN A PRESS
OR MOUNT THE TITANIUM BLOCK
ON A COMPUTER-GUIDED MILL.
UNDER A STEADY SHOWER
OF LUBRICANT,
THE MILL'S 20-ODD
MACHINING TOOLS
CARVE THE BLOCK FROM ALL ANGLES.
AFTER A PRIMARY ROUGH MACHINING,
THE MILL'S PRECISION TOOLS
FINALIZE THE SHAPE.
FROM START TO FINISH,
MACHINING JUST ONE PART
TAKES ABOUT HALF AN HOUR.
NOW A ROBOT TAKES OVER.
IT RUNS THE PART AGAINST
A SERIES OF SANDING BELTS,
THEIR GRITS PROGRESSING
FROM ROUGH TO FINE.
THIS REMOVES MARKS THE MACHINING
TOOLS LEFT ON THE METAL
AND POLISHES THE SURFACE
TO A MIRROR FINISH.
THE ROBOT CAN'T REACH THE EDGES,
SO A WORKER SANDS THEM MANUALLY
AND VERIFIES THE DIMENSIONS.
THEN THE PARTS GO
FOR A THOROUGH CLEANING.
THE FACTORY PUTS RANDOM SAMPLES
THROUGH WEAR TESTING.
THE MACHINES SIMULATE
JOINT MOVEMENT,
COMPLETE WITH FAKE JOINT FLUID.
THE FACTORY SPRAYS SOME PARTS
WITH TITANIUM POWDER
TO HELP BONE TISSUE
TO CLING TO THEM.
THIS MACHINE,
CALLED AN OPTICAL COMPARATOR,
PROJECTS AN IMAGE
OF THE PART'S COATED OUTLINE
AGAINST A TECHNICALLY PERFECT
TEMPLATE.
THE TECHNICIAN MAKES SURE
THE PART AND THE TEMPLATE MATCH.
TO BECOME AN ARTIFICIAL JOINT,
THE METAL BONE NOW NEEDS
ITS PLASTIC CARTILAGE.
THAT REQUIRES
POLYETHYLENE POWDER.
A TECHNICIAN WEIGHS OUT
A SPECIFIC AMOUNT,
PUTS IT IN THE OUTER SLEEVE
OF A MOLD,
THEN INSERTS
THE MOLD'S INNER PIECE.
THE TECHNICIAN LOADS THE MOLD
INTO A PRESS
THAT APPLIES BOTH PRESSURE
AND HEAT --
374 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT.
THE POWDER GETS SQUEEZED
BETWEEN THE MOLD'S TWO PARTS
AND TURNS INTO SOLID PLASTIC.
USING VARIOUS INSTRUMENTS,
THEY MEASURE THE MOLDED PART
TO ENSURE ALL ITS DIMENSIONS
ARE EXACT.
NOW A COMPUTER-GUIDED MACHINING
TOOL CARVES THE GROOVES
INTO WHICH THE METAL PART
WILL SLIDE.
THESE DETAILS ARE FAR TOO
INTRICATE FOR A MOLD TO SHAPE.
THEN SOME FINAL MEASUREMENTS
TO MAKE SURE THE FINISHED PART
ADHERES TO THE ENGINEERING
SPECIFICATIONS.
RANDOM SAMPLES UNDERGO
FATIGUE TESTING
EQUIVALENT TO 10 YEARS OF WEAR.
SOME PLASTIC PARTS ARE JUST TOO
COMPLEX TO BE MOLDED OUTRIGHT,
SO, INSTEAD, THE FACTORY MOLDS
A BLOCK OF PLASTIC,
THEN MACHINES IT.
THE BLOCK SPINS ON A LATHE
AS VARIOUS COMPUTER-GUIDED TOOLS
SHAPE IT.
SAMPLES OF THESE
ALSO UNDERGO WEAR TESTING.
AFTER A SPECIFIC NUMBER
OF MOVEMENTS
OVER A SPECIFIC TIME PERIOD,
TECHNICIANS REMOVE THE PARTS
AND WEIGH THEM.
BY COMPARING
TO THE STARTING WEIGHT,
THEY CAN CALCULATE HOW MUCH
PLASTIC HAS WORN OFF.
THE PACKAGING ROOM
IS WHAT THEY CALL A CLEAN ROOM,
MEANING THE AIR RUNS
THROUGH A FILTER SYSTEM
TO KEEP OUT DUST AND DIRT.
WORKERS PACK THE ARTIFICIAL
JOINTS AGAINST FOAM
TO PROTECT THE METAL SURFACE,
BECAUSE EVEN THE TINIEST SCRATCH
CAN CAUSE PREMATURE WEAR.
AFTER HEAT-SEALING THE PACKAGES,
THE FACTORY SHIPS THEM OFF
TO A STERILIZATION PLANT.
THERE, POWERFUL GAMMA RAYS
PENETRATE
RIGHT THROUGH THE PACKAGING
AND KILL OFF ANY BACTERIA
THAT MIGHT BE LURKING INSIDE.
MAKE NO BONES ABOUT IT,
THESE JOINTS MAY BE ARTIFICIAL,
BUT THE MOVEMENT THEY RESTORE
IS AS REAL AS IT GETS.
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