All language subtitles for Incredible.Inventions.Series.1.06of10.The.Flag

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.