Narrator: AROUND THE WORLD, THE RACE TO WIN WARS
AND EXPLORE THE UNIVERSE HAS CREATED
SOME OF THE MOST INCREDIBLE PRODUCTS EVER DESIGNED
AND WE USE THEM EVERY DAY,
UNAWARE OF THEIR AMAZING ORIGINS.
ON "INCREDIBLE INVENTIONS"...
THE FLAG, A SIMPLE PIECE OF CLOTH WITH HUGE HISTORIC
AND SYMBOLIC SIGNIFICANCE.
THE HOVERCRAFT, A TRANSPORTATION MARVEL
THAT SEEMS TO DEFY THE LAWS OF PHYSICS.
AND EXERCISE EQUIPMENT, INTRODUCED BY THE GREEKS,
STILL KEEPING US FIT TODAY.
WE REVEAL THE AMAZING HISTORY
AND ENGINEERING BEHIND THESE "INCREDIBLE INVENTIONS."
♪♪
-- Captions by VITAC -- www.vitac.com
CAPTIONS PAID FOR BY DISCOVERY COMMUNICATIONS
Narrator: THE FLAG, A SYMBOL OF NATIONAL PRIDE,
FANFARE AND RECOGNITION.
FLAGS ARE FLOWN EVERYWHERE,
FROM SPORTS STADIUMS
TO GOVERNMENT BUILDINGS ALL ACROSS THE WORLD.
WE'RE ALL FAMILIAR WITH THESE COLORFUL BANNERS,
BUT JUST HOW MANY OF US KNOW ABOUT THEIR MILITARY ORIGINS?
Man: IF YOU LOOK AT FLAGS BEING USED IN WAR,
YOU GOT TO GO ALL THE WAY BACK TO THE ANCIENT TIMES.
TO THE ROMAN STANDARDS AND THEIR EAGLES.
THEY'RE RALLYING POINTS THAT HAD THE IDENTIFICATION
OF THEIR LEGION.
WHEN YOU FOLLOW IT THROUGH, THE SAXONS AT HASTINGS,
THEY HAD THEIR STANDARD WAYS TO SHOW WHERE HAROLD WAS.
STILL TO THIS DAY, IN THE ARMY,
WE HAVE THE COLORS OF THE REGIMENT,
AND THEY ARE A RALLYING POINT, THE PRIDE OF YOUR REGIMENT,
THE PRIDE OF YOUR ARMY.
Narrator: IT'S A PRIDE THAT HAS BEEN TESTED
THROUGHOUT HISTORY IN COUNTLESS BLOOD-SOAKED BATTLES,
INCLUDING THE BATTLE OF BOSWORTH FIELD IN 1485,
WHEN MEDIEVAL LORD CHENEY IS KILLED
BY THE INFAMOUS KING RICHARD III
WHILE DEFENDING THE FLAG OF HIS MASTER, HENRY TUDOR.
IN 1879, LIEUTENANTS COGHILL
AND MELVILL LOSE THEIR LIVES
GALLANTLY TRYING TO DENY THE VICTORIOUS
ZULUS THEIR REGIMENT'S COLORS
AT THE BATTLE OF ISANDLWANA.
FLAGS ARE EVEN MORE IMPORTANT AT SEA
WHERE HUGE BATTLE ENSIGNS IDENTIFY EACH SIDE'S SHIPS
AMONGST THE CLOUDS OF GUNPOWDER SMOKE.
Hicks: ONE OF THE MOST INTERESTING PARTS OF FLAGS
IN WARFARE IS THE NAVY,
WHERE ALSO THEY COULD BE USED IN SUBTERFUGE.
YOU WANT TO GET CLOSE TO THE ENEMY,
RUN UP ONE OF THEIR FLAGS.
BUT, OF COURSE, WHEN YOU GO ENGAGE THEM IN COMBAT,
YOU MUST RUN YOUR OWN FLAG UP.
OTHERWISE, IT'S BAD FORM.
Narrator: SAILING UNDER A FALSE FLAG
IS STILL AN ACCEPTED TACTIC
IN MODERN NAVAL WARFARE.
AND IT'S AT SEA WHERE FLAGS ARE FIRST USED
AS AN EARLY FORM OF PSYCHOLOGICAL WARFARE.
THE PIRATES' NOTORIOUS SKULL AND CROSSBONES,
KNOWN AS "THE JOLLY ROGER."
INDIVIDUAL GROUPS ALSO HAVE THE NEED FOR EASY IDENTIFICATION
AS MUCH AS ANY REGULAR ARMY.
REVOLUTIONS, FOR EXAMPLE, ARE BY THEIR VERY NATURE,
FAST-MOVING AND CHAOTIC.
AFTER THE PARISIAN MILITIA STARTS
WEARING HASTILY-ASSEMBLED RED AND BLUE CLOTHS IN THEIR HATS
DURING THE STORMING OF THE BASTILLE
IN THE FRENCH REVOLUTION OF 1789.
THE WHITE AND GOLD ROYAL STANDARD OF KING LOUIS XVI
IS CAST ASIDE IN FAVOR
OF THE VICTORIOUS TRI-COLOR OF RED,
WHITE AND BLUE,
A DESIGN WHICH STILL FILLS FRENCHMEN
WITH PRIDE TO THIS DAY.
THEN, TAKE THE MODERN FLAG OF MOZAMBIQUE.
IT CARRIES NOT JUST TRADITIONAL BANDS OF COLOR,
BUT ALSO THE IMAGE OF AN AK-47 ASSAULT RIFLE,
SIGNIFYING ITS STRUGGLE FOR INDEPENDENCE.
SO, A PIECE OF CLOTH BORN ON THE BLOODY BATTLEFIELDS
OF HISTORY CONTINUES TO REPRESENT NATIONS
AND ORGANIZATIONS AROUND THE WORLD TODAY.
THE FLAG -- TRULY AN INCREDIBLE INVENTION.
J.W. PLANT & CO., LIMITED,
IS A FOURTH-GENERATION FAMILY BUSINESS
AND HAVE BEEN MAKING FLAGS IN LEEDS, ENGLAND, SINCE 1908.
♪♪
THE FLAG DESIGN --
IN THIS CASE, THE SCOTTISH STANDARD FLAG --
IS LOADED INTO THE DESIGN SOFTWARE.
THE SPECIFIC COLORS ARE ASSIGNED AND CHECKED
AGAINST THE DESIGN.
THE DESIGN IS THEN SENT TO A LARGE-FORMAT INKJET PRINTER
WHERE IT IS PRINTED DIRECTLY ONTO THE FABRIC.
THE PRINTER PRINTS ROUGHLY 1 YARD IN 1 1/2 MINUTES.
IN THE U.K., WE TEND TO MANUFACTURE
MOST OF OUR FLAGS OUT OF POLYESTER-DERIVED FABRICS.
IT'S GOT VERY GOOD WEAR PROPERTIES, IT'S WASHABLE,
AND IT KEEPS THE SUBTLETIES OF LOTS OF THE OLDER MATERIALS.
Narrator: THE PRINTED DESIGN IS THEN FED THROUGH
A HEATING OVEN IN ORDER TO DRY AND BOND THE INKS
INTO THE FABRIC.
THE TEMPERATURE OF THE OVEN
IS APPROXIMATELY 400 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT.
THE PRINTED FABRIC IS PINNED AND STITCHED
ONTO A BACKING CLOTH
AROUND THE EDGES OF THE DESIGN,
SANDWICHING ANOTHER PIECE OF CLOTH IN BETWEEN,
WHICH WILL FORM THE MAIN BACKGROUND COLOR OF THE FLAG.
WASTE MATERIAL IS THEN CUT AWAY
FROM THE EDGE OF THE STITCHED DESIGN
TO FORM A RELIEF PATTERN.
THE OUTER EDGE OF THE BACKING CLOTH IS ALSO TRIMMED OFF.
♪♪
A SECOND PANEL IS PREPARED THE SAME WAY,
CREATING THE REVERSE SIDE OF THE FLAG WHEN IT'S COMPLETE.
NEXT, THE EDGES OF THE FLAG
ARE MEASURED AND MARKED FOR HEMMING.
THE FLAG IS THEN HEMMED ALL THE WAY AROUND THE EDGE
USING TWO ROWS OF BONDED, NYLON-THREAD STITCHES.
THERE ARE EIGHT TO TEN STITCHES PER EDGE.
A TASSEL BORDER IS CAREFULLY SEWN ON AROUND
THE EDGE OF THE FLAG.
NEXT, THE REVERSE SIDE PANEL
OF THE FLAG IS PINNED INTO POSITION.
THE PANEL IS THEN HEMMED
AND SEWN ONTO THE REVERSE SIDE
OF THE FLAG, COMPLETING THE PROCESS.
SO, THERE YOU HAVE IT.
THE FLAG, USED FOR IDENTIFICATION
AROUND THE WORLD FOR OVER 5,000 YEARS.
NOW, THAT'S A TRIED AND TESTED INCREDIBLE INVENTION.
WHILE FLAGS HAVE FLOWN IN BATTLES THROUGHOUT HISTORY,
OUR NEXT INCREDIBLE INVENTION
IS A FRICTION-FREE,
GRAVITY-DEFYING MARVEL.
Narrator: OUR NEXT INCREDIBLE INVENTION
TRAVELS FRICTION-FREE
AND IS ABLE TO TRAVEL AT SPEEDS
AND TO PLACES THAT BOATS,
TRUCKS AND CARS SIMPLY CANNOT.
THIS INCREDIBLE MACHINE IS CAPABLE OF TRAVELING
OVER A WIDE VARIETY OF SURFACES.
IT'S CALLED THE HOVERCRAFT.
BECAUSE IT CAN CARRY LARGE CARGO LOADS
AND IT'S ABLE TO LAND ON 3/4 OF THE WORLD'S COASTLINES,
THE HOVERCRAFT HAS BEEN
SUCCESSFULLY ADOPTED BY THE MILITARY.
HOVERCRAFTS CAN COVER MANY TERRAINS --
WATER, MUD FLATS, SANDY BEACHES.
IT CAN GO OVER OBSTACLES, GENERALLY OF A FEW FEET HIGH,
IT CAN CROSS A GULLY OF ABOUT 4 FEET
AND STILL MAINTAIN THE SKIRTS AND MOVE FORWARD.
SO IT HAS LOTS OF APPLICATIONS WHERE THE GROUND TERRAIN
SIMPLY ISN'T GOOD ENOUGH,
OR THERE IS NO INFRASTRUCTURE.
Narrator: THE HOVERCRAFT'S VERSATILITY COMES FROM
ITS ABILITY TO FLY JUST INCHES ABOVE THE TERRAIN'S SURFACE.
SO, WHAT IS THE MAGIC
BEHIND THE HOVERCRAFT'S ABILITY TO FLY?
THE HOVERCRAFT IS MADE UP OF A BODY, POWERFUL ENGINE,
FANS, RUDDERS AND A FLEXIBLE RUBBER SKIRT.
THE ABILITY TO HOVER COMES FROM A LARGE,
CENTRALLY-MOUNTED FAN
THAT BLOWS AN ENORMOUS AMOUNT OF AIR UNDER THE CRAFT.
AS THE RUBBER SKIRT CREATES A SEAL WITH THE SURFACE
BENEATH THE CRAFT, IT BEGINS TO INFLATE.
THE SKIRT SIZE DICTATES HOW HIGH ABOVE
THE SURFACE A HOVERCRAFT WILL RISE,
WITH EXCESS AIR ESCAPING FROM THE SKIRT
ONCE IT HAS REACHED ITS CAPACITY.
THE FLEXIBLE SKIRT ALSO HAS THE ABILITY
TO BEND AROUND OBSTACLES ON WATER AND LAND.
WITH THE HOVERCRAFT SITTING ON A FRICTIONLESS CUSHION OF AIR,
THE REAR FANS CAN THEN BE USED TO PROPEL THE CRAFT FORWARD,
WITH REAR RUDDERS PROVIDING THE STEERING
BY CHANNELING THIS BACKWARDS-BLOWN AIR
FROM SIDE TO SIDE.
THE EARLIEST HOVERCRAFT DESIGN GOES ALL THE WAY
BACK TO THE 1870s
WHEN A BRITISH SHIP BUILDER,
SIR JOHN ISAAC THORNYCROFT PATENTS A DESIGN
FOR AN AIR-CUSHIONED SHIP.
HOWEVER, HIS DESIGN CAN'T BE MANUFACTURED
SINCE A POWERFUL ENOUGH ENGINE
HAS NOT YET BEEN DEVELOPED.
A VISIONARY OF HIS TIME,
SIR JOHN ISAAC THORNYCROFT DREAMS
OF A SHIP THAT DOESN'T REQUIRE HUGE FORCE
OR POWER TO ACHIEVE GREAT SPEED.
IT WAS, HOWEVER, NOT UNTIL THE 1950s
THAT THE AIR-CUSHIONED SHIP DESIGNS
ARE PICKED UP AGAIN BY CHRISTOPHER COCKERELL,
A BRITISH MECHANICAL ENGINEER.
WHILE STUDYING THE RING OF AIR FLOW
WHEN HIGH-PRESSURE AIR
IS BLOWN INTO THE AREA BETWEEN TWO TIN CANS,
COCKERELL REALIZES THAT THE SHEET
OF FAST-MOVING AIR PRESENTS A TYPE OF PHYSICAL BARRIER
TO THE AIR ON EITHER SIDE OF IT.
HE CALLS THIS EFFECT "MOMENTUM CURTAIN."
HE DECIDES THAT THIS EFFECT
CAN BE USED TO TRAP THE AIR INSIDE A BARRIER.
THIS MEANS THAT WITH A SMALL AMOUNT OF ACTIVE AIR FLOW,
IT IS POSSIBLE TO PRODUCE LIFT.
WITH HIS REVOLUTIONARY DESIGN,
COCKERELL HAS CREATED THE MODERN HOVERCRAFT.
THE HOVERCRAFT BECOMES A COMMERCIAL VEHICLE
WHEN THE SRN1 SUCCESSFULLY CROSSES
THE ENGLISH CHANNEL IN 1959.
Man: THE FIRST DEMONSTRATION
OF THE HOVERCRAFT WITH CHRISTOPHER COCKERELL
WAS ACROSS THE CHANNEL BETWEEN DOVER AND CALAIS,
AND HE SHOWED THAT IT COULD WORK AS A VIABLE PRODUCT.
HE REALIZED THEN THAT THE SKIRT THAT HE HAD
NEEDED TO BE MORE FLEXIBLE BECAUSE IT HAD PROBLEMS
THAT DEAL WITH WAVES THAT ARE ABOUT A FOOT --
THAT'S 30 CENTIMETERS HIGH --
AND REALIZED HE CAN'T CAUSE PROBLEMS 'CAUSE IT WON'T.
IT NEEDS TO PERMANENTLY BE ABLE
TO PARTIALLY COLLAPSE AND THEN REFORM.
SO, ONLY A FEW YEARS LATER,
HE HAD A PRODUCT THAT WOULD WORK WITH
6- OR 7-FOOT-HIGH WAVES, AND COULD CROSS THE CHANNEL
AND BECOME A VIABLE COMMERCIAL PRODUCT.
Narrator: BECAUSE OF ITS SUCCESS AS A COMMERCIAL VEHICLE,
THE U.S. ARMY DECIDES TO USE IT
IN A TRIAL DURING THE VIETNAM WAR IN THE 1960s.
SOON MILITARY FORCES AROUND THE GLOBE FOLLOW SUIT.
TODAY, THIS VISIONARY CREATION IS USED BY ARMIES
AND FOR PASSENGER AND CARGO TRANSPORT,
BUT ALSO FOR RESCUE OPERATIONS AND SPORTING EVENTS.
A VEHICLE THAT CAN TRAVEL QUICKLY ON LAND,
ICE AND WATER IS DEFINITELY AN INCREDIBLE INVENTION.
WHEN WE RETURN, WE SHOW YOU
HOW TO BUILD YOUR VERY OWN FANTASTIC,
FLYING MACHINE ON "INCREDIBLE INVENTIONS."
Narrator: SIR CHRISTOPHER COCKERELL'S CREATION
MAY SEEM LIKE A SWIRLING,
COMPLICATED SYSTEM OF EXPENSIVE AND POWERFUL ENGINES,
BUT WE'RE GONNA SHOW YOU HOW TO MAKE
YOUR VERY OWN HOVERCRAFT FROM A FEW EVERYDAY ITEMS.
WE'VE COME TO THE "INCREDIBLE INVENTIONS" AIRCRAFT HANGAR
TO BUILD OUR OWN FANTASTIC FLYER.
TO START, YOUR MATERIALS.
YOU'LL NEED WOOD, SCREWS,
STRING, A MARKER, SPRAY ADHESIVE,
STAPLER, A SHOWER CURTAIN,
AND THAT FIRM DIY-ING FAVORITE -- DUCT TAPE.
TO BEGIN, WE WILL NEED TO CUT A LARGE,
CIRCULAR DISC FROM A PIECE OF WOOD.
TAP A SCREW ONTO THE CENTER OF YOUR WOOD
AND USE A MARKER PEN AND A PIECE OF STRING
TO DRAW THE CIRCUMFERENCE OF YOUR DISC.
NEXT, CAREFULLY CUT OUT YOUR WOODEN SHAPE WITH A JIGSAW.
AT ONE END OF YOUR DISC,
DRAW AND CUT A HOLE TO FIT SNUGLY AROUND THE POWER SOURCE
FOR YOUR PERSONAL HOVERCRAFT.
MORE ON THAT LATER.
NOW, FOR THE SKIRT.
TAKE YOUR SHOWER CURTAIN AND PLACE
IT UNDERNEATH THE ROUND BOARD
AND THEN PULL IT OVER THE TOP OF THE WOOD
AND CAREFULLY STAPLE THE MATERIAL
TO THE TOP OF THE DISC.
CUT OFF THE EXCESS TO LEAVE YOU WITH A NEAT FINISH.
GO ALONG THE EDGE OF THE SHOWER CURTAIN WITH THE DUCT TAPE
TO CREATE AN AIRTIGHT SEAL.
NOW, FLIP THE CRAFT OVER AND ADMIRE YOUR HANDIWORK.
WE ACTUALLY NEED SOME OF THE AIR TO ESCAPE FROM THE SKIRT,
SO MARK AND CUT SIX HOLES,
EQUALLY SPACED INTO THE SHOWER CURTAIN
AND USE MORE DUCT TAPE TO REINFORCE THE HOLES' EDGES.
DON'T FORGET TO ADD AN ADDITIONAL SMALL,
ROUND PIECE OF DUCT-TAPED WOOD
TO PROTECT THE UNDERSIDE OF THE CRAFT.
YOU'RE ALMOST READY. WE JUST NEED POWER.
STEP 4 -- THE BIGGEST INDUSTRIAL-SIZED
LEAF BLOWER MONEY CAN BUY.
SNUGLY FIX THE LEAF BLOWER INTO OUR PRECUT HOLE
AND WE ARE READY FOR BLASTOFF,
OR SHOULD THAT BE HOVEROFF?
WITH AN ADDITIONAL WOODEN RING TO REINFORCE THE TOP,
OUR COCKERELL-INSPIRED CRAFT IS COMPLETE.
BUT WILL IT ACTUALLY WORK?
WITH THE LEAF BLOWER PROVIDING THE WIND POWER
AND OUR PRODUCTION TEAM FOR FORWARD MOTION,
OUR TESTER HAS ACTUALLY CREATED HIS OWN PERSONAL HOVERCRAFT.
SO, THE ANSWER IS YES.
FLYING AROUND THE HANGAR ON A CUSHION OF AIR,
WE HAVE A REVOLUTIONARY,
LOW-COST TRANSPORTATION METHOD UP AND RUNNING.
AND IS IT READY FOR THE RIGORS OF CROSS-COUNTRY TRAVEL?
MM, PERHAPS NOT.
FROM THE TIME OF THE ANCIENT GREEKS TO THE MODERN DAY,
MEN AND WOMEN HAVE BEEN ON
A NEVER-ENDING QUEST FOR FITNESS,
HEALTH AND BEAUTY.
THAT QUEST HAS LED US TO DEVELOP GROUND-BREAKING
WORKOUT PROGRAMS, NUTRITION PLANS
AND EQUIPMENT THAT ALLOWS US TO STAY FIT, STRONG AND HEALTHY.
♪♪
CARDIOVASCULAR EXERCISE IS AN EXCELLENT WAY
TO INCREASE YOUR VITALITY,
TO REDUCE FAT AND BURN FAT,
TO MANAGE STRESS,
TO LOWER CHOLESTEROL, TO REDUCE YOUR BLOOD PRESSURE.
AND, IN MANY CASES,
IT'S A GREAT TREATMENT FOR THE AVOIDANCE
OF OR MANAGEMENT OF DIABETES.
Narrator: IT IS SAID THE BIRTH OF WESTERN CIVILIZATION
TOOK PLACE IN ANCIENT GREECE.
DEMOCRACY, DEBATE AND THE DRAMATIC ARTS
ARE JUST SOME OF THE GIFTS
THESE EXTRAORDINARY PEOPLE GAVE TO THE WORLD.
THE GREEKS ALSO CREATE THE ANCIENT GAMES
WHERE A GROUP OF YOUNG MEN COMPETE,
SOMETIMES NAKED,
IN ORDER TO ENCOURAGE AESTHETIC
APPRECIATION OF THE MALE BODY
AND AS A TRIBUTE TO THE GODS.
THE GREEKS INVENT SEVERAL TOOLS TO HELP THEIR ATHLETES.
THESE INCLUDE BARBELLS MADE OUT OF STONE AND WOOD,
AND PULL-UP BARS.
SINCE THEN, DIFFERENT CIVILIZATIONS
SEE HOW SIMILAR EQUIPMENT BENEFITS
THEIR MILITARY FORCES.
AND WHEN IT CAME TO PREPARE MEN
FOR THE GREATEST ADVENTURE OF ALL,
THE JOURNEY INTO SPACE,
NASA BUILT UPON THE ANCIENT GREEK FITNESS
TECHNIQUES TO PREPARE THEIR ASTRONAUTS TO COMBAT
THE EFFECTS OF ZERO-GRAVITY.
AFTER THE BREAK, WE LOOK AT HOW THESE TECHNIQUES
HAVE BEEN ADAPTED FOR SPACE TRAVEL
AND SEE HOW MODERN GYM EQUIPMENT IS MANUFACTURED.
Narrator: EXERCISE EQUIPMENT MAY BE
AN EFFICIENT WAY TO STAY IN SHAPE ON EARTH,
BUT IT'S JUST AS IMPORTANT FOR ASTRONAUTS IN SPACE.
CRAZY YOU SAY? BUT HERE'S WHY --
Woman: WHEN YOU'RE IN SPACE,
YOU DON'T HAVE ANY GRAVITY PRESENT,
AND THEREFORE, YOUR MUSCLE
AND YOUR BONE DENSITY REDUCES OVER TIME,
AS IT'S NOT WORKING AGAINST ANY RESISTANCE.
SO, AS WE'RE ON EARTH, WHEN WE'RE EVEN WALKING AROUND,
LET ALONE DOING EXERCISE,
WE'RE WORKING AGAINST GRAVITY,
AND THAT HELPS TO PRODUCE OUR MUSCLE BULK AND STRENGTH
AND ALSO OUR BONE DENSITY.
WHEN YOU'RE IN SPACE, YOU DON'T HAVE THAT RESISTANCE,
AND EVEN DOING EXERCISE IN SPACE,
YOU STILL YOUR MUSCLE BULK
AND YOUR BONE DENSITY OVER TIME
TO ABOUT 0.4 PERCENT, 1 PERCENT,
EVERY MONTH THAT YOU'RE IN SPACE.
SO, IT'S VERY IMPORTANT FOR ASTRONAUTS TO DO EXERCISE
IN SPACE TO HELP REDUCE THAT.
Narrator: TODAY, EXERCISE EQUIPMENT
IS NOT JUST LIMITED TO THE SIMPLE BARBELL.
THERE IS A WIDE VARIETY OF COMPUTER-CONTROLLED TREADMILLS
AND RUNNING MACHINES THAT CAN AID YOUR WORKOUT.
AN EXAMPLE OF THIS HIGH-TECH FITNESS
GADGETRY IS THE PRECOR'S EFX ELLIPTICAL TRAINER,
WHICH IS MADE IN THEIR AMERICAN FACTORY
IN WASHINGTON STATE.
AT THE HEART OF THE ELLIPTICAL IS A SYSTEM OF CIRCULAR PULLEYS
WHICH ARE WORKED BY THE USER'S MOVEMENTS.
THE SUBASSEMBLY OF THESE UNITS IS THE FIRST STAGE
IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE MACHINE.
TO BEGIN, THE PULLEY SHAFT AND PILLOW-BLOCK BEARINGS,
WHICH CONNECT THE SHAFT TO THE DRIVE UNIT
THAT ALLOW IT TO SPIN, ARE ASSEMBLED.
THE BEARING AND THE PULLEY
ARE THEN ALIGNED TO THE DRIVE FRAME AND SECURED.
THEN, THE CRANK ARMS ARE FITTED.
LATER IN THE PRODUCTION PROCESS,
THESE WILL BE ATTACHED TO THE STAIR ARMS.
NEXT, AS THE EFX IS ELECTRONICALLY CONTROLLED,
A GENERATOR IS INSTALLED ONTO THE PULLEY
AND THE BELTS ARE ALIGNED
BEFORE BEING THOROUGHLY TESTED BY HAND AND MACHINE
TO MAKE SURE THE TENSION IS CORRECT.
A RESISTOR THAT REGULATES THE POWER TO THE MACHINE
IS SECURED TO THE UNIT
BEFORE BEING TAKEN TO A CART
SO IT'S READY FOR THE NEXT STAGE OF ASSEMBLY.
THE MAIN EFX FRAME HAS PREVIOUSLY BEEN WELDED TOGETHER.
AN OPERATOR ATTACHED THE FEET
AND TAKES IT TO THE PRODUCTION LINE.
THE NEW DRIVE IS FIXED ONTO THE FRAME
AND A SECOND OPERATOR LACES
ALL THE ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS TOGETHER
FOR THE GENERATOR AND THE BATTERY
WHILE THE OUTER COVERS ARE ALSO FITTED.
THE STEPS OF THE ELLIPTICAL CAN BE INCLINED
TO CREATE A TOUGHER WORKOUT FOR THE USER.
AND FURTHER DOWN THE LINE,
THE LIFT MOTOR AND BATTERY
THAT POWER THIS FUNCTIONALITY ARE FIXED ONTO THE FRAME.
NEXT, THE EFX IS FITTED WITH ITS HIGH-TECH DISPLAY
AND HEART-MONITORING FEATURES.
A NEW, WELDED DISPLAY UNIT IS TAKEN FROM THE LINE
AND THE INTERNAL WIRING FOR THE DISPLAY
IS THREADED INSIDE.
THE UNIT IS THEN PASSED ON FOR THE HEART-RATE MONITORS
TO BE FITTED AND TESTED BEFORE BEING WRAPPED
AND ADDED TO THE MACHINE LATER.
IT IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF EVERYONE
WHO PUTS THIS PRODUCT TOGETHER
TO HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE EFFICIENCY
AND THE QUALITY THAT GOES INTO THE BUILD.
OUR ENGINEERS WORK REALLY, REALLY HARD TO WORK
WITH THEIR COUNTERPART ON THE MANUFACTURING FLOOR,
THE MANUFACTURING ENGINEER,
TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'LL DO
WHATEVER WE NEED TO DO ON THE ASSEMBLY LINE,
BUT THAT THIS THING FLOWS SMOOTHLY
DOWN THE ASSEMBLY LINE.
Narrator: BACK AT THE EFX FRAME, TWO OPERATORS ATTACH THE RAMP
WHICH PROVIDES THE INCLINE FEATURE
FOR THE TRAINER ONTO THE UNIT.
THE RAMP IS CONNECTED TO THE LIFT MOTOR
BY A LONG, METAL-THREADED BAR
AND THEN THE STAIR ARMS ARE INSTALLED INTO THE RAMP
AND ALSO CONNECTED TO THE CRANK ARMS
AT THE REAR OF THE MACHINE.
BEFORE THE EFX IS COMPLETED,
THE UNIT'S ACCESSORIES KIT
IS GATHERED AND TAKEN INTO THE PRECOR TESTING BOOTH
WHERE THE TRAINER'S FEATURES ARE INSPECTED.
ONCE THE NEW EFX MACHINE HAS PASSED INSPECTION,
IT IS RELEASED AND IS FINALLY READY FOR PACKAGING.
ALL THE KEY COMPONENTS ARE WRAPPED BEFORE
BEING SECURELY FASTENED ONTO A PALLET.
IT IS THEN TAKEN OFF THE LOT
AND ALL THE REMAINING ACCESSORIES
ARE ALSO ADDED, FASTENED TO THE PALLET
AND BOXED, READY FOR DELIVERY.
INVENTED BY THE ANCIENT GREEKS,
USED BY THE MILITARY AND NASA,
AND NOW BEING EXPERTLY BUILT FOR USE IN YOUR HOME.
MODERN EXERCISE EQUIPMENT --
TRULY AN "INCREDIBLE INVENTION."
SO, THERE YOU HAVE IT --
A GLANCE THROUGH THE HIDDEN HISTORY
AND SUPER SCIENCE OF SOME AMAZING PRODUCTS
THAT YOU USE EVERY DAY.
THE FLAG, THE HOVERCRAFT AND EXERCISE EQUIPMENT.
THEY MAY SEEM COMMON AND ORDINARY.
HOWEVER, THESE PRODUCTS HELP CHANGE THE WORLD,
ONE INCREDIBLE INVENTION AT A TIME.