Welding

S13, E16: Since its discovery in the 19th Century, modern welding has allowed us to 'dream big.' Whether via electricity, flammable gases, sonic waves, or sometimes just raw explosive power, welding creates powerful bonds between metal unmatched by any other joining process. A science first conjured amid the fiery ovens of ancient blacksmiths; today more than 50% of all US Products require some form of it. We'll explain how sound waves create bulletproof welds for contemporary body armor; explore the technologies behind robotic welding systems; and witness the knee-rattling impact of an Explosion Weld, the most powerful method of all. From high atop emerging 60 story towers on the Las Vegas strip to oil platforms hundreds of feet below the ocean's surface, we'll reveal how Welders forge the backbone of civilization.