How It's Made – Season 25
Episodes
Grammy Awards, Bicycle Lights, Above-Ground Pools, Foldable Solar Panels
Metal components are cast, assembled, polished and plated to create the gramophone-shaped trophies presented at the Grammy Awards. LED modules, lenses and electronic circuits are fitted into bicycle lights; structural walls, liners and filtration equipment become above-ground pools; and connected photovoltaic cells are laminated onto portable supports to produce foldable solar panels.
LED Stage Lights, Apple Cider, Chemical Tank Trailers, Ornate Stone Floors
High-output LEDs are combined with lenses, cooling systems and electronic controls to produce programmable stage lights. Apples are washed, crushed and pressed into cider; corrosion-resistant tanks are formed, welded and mounted on trailer chassis; and carefully cut pieces of natural stone are arranged, bonded and polished into ornate floors.
Fishing Line, Industrial Mixers, Natural Baking Soda, Tow Trucks
Synthetic material is melted, extruded and stretched into strong, consistently sized fishing line. Stainless-steel vessels, shafts, blades and drive systems are assembled into industrial mixers; mineral feedstock is refined into natural baking soda; and commercial truck chassis are equipped with hydraulic booms, winches and recovery equipment to become tow trucks.
Storage Sheds, Industrial Fans, Parchment Paper, Climbing Walls
Framed wall, roof and floor sections are prepared and assembled into weather-resistant storage sheds. Metal blades are balanced and fitted to motors and protective housings to create industrial fans; paper is treated and coated for use in high-temperature baking; and structural panels are textured, drilled and fitted with removable holds to construct climbing walls.
Precast Concrete Walls, 3D Printers, Telescopic Cranes, Kerosene Lamp Burners
Steel reinforcement is positioned inside reusable moulds before concrete is poured and cured into prefabricated wall panels. Frames, motion systems, print heads and electronics are assembled and calibrated as 3D printers; nested boom sections and hydraulic equipment become telescopic cranes; and formed metal parts are joined with wick-adjustment mechanisms to make kerosene-lamp burners.
Car Headlamps, Directional Drills, Pet Grooming Combs, Stained Glass Restoration
Moulded housings and lenses are fitted with reflectors, lighting elements, seals and adjustment hardware to produce car headlamps. Hydraulic systems, drill rods and steering equipment are installed on directional drilling machines; rows of metal teeth are secured in shaped handles to create pet-grooming combs; and damaged stained-glass panels are documented, dismantled, cleaned, repaired and releaded.
Handcrafted Skis, Septic Tanks, Hydroformed Chassis Parts, Aquarium Windows
Wooden cores are layered with reinforcing materials, bases and edges before being pressed and shaped into handcrafted skis. Tank bodies are moulded or cast and fitted with access openings and internal partitions; high-pressure fluid forces metal blanks into dies to create lightweight chassis parts; and thick transparent panels are cast, machined and polished into aquarium windows.
Zip Line Brakes, Silk Fiber Lamps, Round Balers, Comfort Shoes
Machined braking assemblies are built and tested to slow zip-line riders safely near the end of a run. Silk fibres are layered and bonded over shaped forms to create translucent lamps; pickup reels, belts, rollers and wrapping equipment are assembled into round balers; and supportive uppers, cushioning and shaped soles are joined to produce comfort shoes.
Armored Vehicles, Tension Fabric Buildings, Rowers, Sculpture Enlargements
Vehicle interiors and bodywork are reinforced with ballistic materials and protective glass to create armoured vehicles. Steel frameworks are covered with tightly stretched architectural membranes to form tension-fabric buildings; frames, sliding seats, handles and resistance mechanisms become rowing machines; and small sculptural models are measured and reproduced at monumental scale.
Mountain Bike Suspensions, Surgical Sutures, Grain Dryers, Frying Pans
Precision tubes, springs, dampers and seals are assembled and tested as mountain-bike suspension systems. Fine medical fibres are formed or braided, attached to needles and sterilized as surgical sutures; burners, fans and large enclosures become grain dryers; and metal blanks are pressed or spun into frying pans before handles and surface finishes are applied.
Downhill Ski Bindings, Immersion Parts Washers, Mining Ventilation, Pencil Sharpeners
Moulded and machined components are fitted with springs and release mechanisms to create downhill ski bindings. Tanks, pumps, heaters and cleaning systems are assembled into immersion parts washers; powerful fans and ducting move fresh air through mines; and sharpened steel blades are mounted in precisely formed housings to make pencil sharpeners.
Gingerbread Houses, Livestock Trailers, Bottom Rolling Hangar Doors, Toy Figurines
Sheets of gingerbread dough are cut, baked and joined with icing before receiving elaborate decorations. Reinforced frames, wall panels, gates, ventilation and running gear are assembled into livestock trailers; large structural door sections are fitted with bottom-mounted rollers and drive systems for aircraft hangars; and moulded figurines are trimmed, assembled and painted.
Traffic Signal Poles, Coffee Filters, Chainsaw Mining Machines
Metal tubes and structural sections are formed, welded, protected against corrosion and prepared to support traffic signals. Porous paper is formed, cut, pleated or crimped into disposable coffee filters, while heavy steel frames, drive systems and chains fitted with cutting teeth are assembled into machines that cut through rock and mineral deposits.