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Anodizing aluminum and titanium explained and demonstrated in less than five minutes (video)
Many of us use gadgets that sport gleamingly refined, anodized aluminum or titanium cases -- but have you ever wondered exactly how the process works? Bill Hammack, at it again after explaining to us how the CCD, LCDs, and hard drives work, breaks it down (pun intended) for us -- in less than five minutes. He talks about, and even shows us how the surface of titanium is meticulously rusted using electro-chemicals to grow an oxide layer, changing the color based on its thickness. He follows that up with some commentary on how a similar reaction gobbles up and transforms aluminum, creating a much thicker, porous oxide layer that can be filled with any color dye. So, just to be clear: controlled corrosion is good for your Mac, border control -- maybe not so much. You can watch the video right after the break.
How anodizing aluminum finishes Apple's products
The beautiful anodized aluminum finish on many Apple products keeps them from corrosion, provides a hard and (mostly) scratch resistant surface, and even -- in the case of the iPod nano and shuffle -- a beautiful color tint. But have you ever wondered about the process of anodizing? To give yourself an edge the next time you're trying to impress someone, watch the short video at the end of this post and learn everything you've ever wanted to know about anodizing aluminum. In the video, Bill Hammack the Engineer Guy provides a succinct description of how oxidizing aluminum (basically making it "rust", although that term specifically describes oxides of iron) can provide a hard protective layer and be dyed to provide coloration. Yes, Apple could produce multicolored MacBook Airs if they wished, all with a tough and scratch-free finish. Enjoy the show, and the next time you pick up one of your favorite Apple products, thank an engineer. And be sure to wear your safety glasses, OK?
The mysteries of the CCD revealed (video)
Sure, we've explained to you why sensor size matters in a digital camera, but maybe you need to take it back a bit. Maybe, you're not entirely sure how those sensors work in the first place. Well, Bill Hammack, better known as The Engineer Guy, is here to help. After breaking down LCDs and hard drives for your amusement and education, Bill has turned his attention to the CCD. The charge-coupled device is the heart and soul of many a digital camera, turning incoming photons into a charge that the impressively complex processor inside can convert into an image. What makes the CCD so impressive is it's rather ingenious solutions to problems such as interference (no wires, just a shift register) and color reproduction (pixel-sized filters and a hue-flattening algorithm). For more, check out the video after the break.
The under-appreciated hard drive gets torn apart and explained (video)
We don't know about you, but we generally don't give much thought to our hard drives or how they work. And that's a shame because, as you'll find out in the video after the break, they're veritable miracles of modern science. Bill Hammack, also known as Engineer Guy, takes us on a detailed tour of the inner workings of the ubiquitous hard disk drive -- from the Lorentz Force driven arm, to the head that floats a mere 10nm above the layered cobalt platters thanks to the wonders of aerodynamics. Maybe after this lesson in modern magnetic storage from Mr. Hammack you'll appreciate how much more there is to storing your collection of Mission of Burma b-sides than simply printing ones and zeros on a shiny, spinning thing.
LCD technology torn down and explained in the most lucid and accessible terms yet (video)
Look, we know you know all about LED backlights, light diffusion, subpixels, and the things that turn them on, but not everybody does. The humble LCD you're most likely reading this on still retains a level of mystery about the nitty gritty details of how it works for the vast majority of its users, so here's a terrific video breakdown of both its component parts and method of operation. Bill Hammack, a self-appointed Engineer Guy, takes us from the LED arrays that provide the light for most current LCDs, through all the filters and diffusers designed to make that light uniform, and into the ways thin film transistors make it possible for us to show moving color images of cats diving into boxes on such displays. It's exciting, deeply nerdy stuff, and it awaits your audience after the break.
