Hey, it’s me, Destin. Welcome back to Smarter Every Day. This [KA-CHUNK, KA CHUNK] [JET ENGINE NOISES] [CHU-KUH, CHU-KUH] [KER-FLOP] [DING!] is at the Kodak Film Factory in Rochester, New York. The fact that we get to film in the plant is amazing. This is how Kodak photography film is made and this is the third of three videos.

In the first video, we looked at the backing and how they make that stuff back there. We learned about films with Estar backing and the incredible engineering involved in taking these plastic pellets and then melting it in a special auger and then extruding it and then stretching it out and cooling it over a continuous process. We also learned about a concept called an accumulator, which is a clever arrangement of pulleys that spread out to collect material inside the production line so that you never have to stop the extrusion from the auger.

In the second video, we took that wide roll that we made and applied a light sensitive coating to it with a laminar flow waterfall. We also learned about the special kettles down in the basement and how everything is happening in the dark. After applying the coatings, they had to go dry it over like a mile of conveyance still happening in the dark. They’re hardly touching this stuff because they’re moving it with air. In fact, they use these nineties era robots to move stuff around. It is a technological marvel.

So at the end of video two, we have this light sensitive film and these big light proof boxes called caskets. We have to figure out how to cut it up so that it’s small enough to put into a camera. This process is called slitting and then we have to put these little holes in it. These little sprocket holes are important for it running through your camera. After that, we have to build this can and put the film in it. Then, we have to put the whole thing in this can and then put it in this box.

Before we start, the most important thing to remember is that the film we’re going to be dealing with today already has that light sensitive coating on it, so we have to keep everything in the dark until that special moment when a shutter is allowed to open [shutter click] and you expose the image. By the way, I’m going to take film photos [click] throughout this process, [click] so we get to see the [click] Kodak process filmed [click] on Kodak film. Very cool.

Anyway, let’s get started. I’m going to introduce you to Patrick. Patrick is a young engineer who’s been spending the last few years since he got out of school learning this entire process. And he’s going to walk us through every step. Now, this process is amazing, but we’re going to start right here at the Slitter and we’re going to go meet Tim. Tim is the operator of the slitter and he can literally do this with his eyes shut. He explains that the film comes in from coating in a wide role form 54 inches in the dark. It comes in to the cover lifter which takes the cover off, which is the casket. The lid is up there and then they go and check the roll and make sure they have the right roll. They hit some buttons and it automatically loads onto the slitter. This will slit 12,000 feet and one of these large caskets holds 12,000 feet. Wow! So, we’re slitting film for the movie industry.

Destin: And it’s about five feet per 35 millimeter roll. Is that right, Did I get that right?

Tim: Yeah.

Destin: That’s right. All right. So this is Patrick. Patrick’s an engineer.

Patrick: Nice to meet ya.

Destin: Doing all right?

Tim: This is the unwind. So we put it on the unwind, thread it up. There’ll be a leader in the machine.

Destin: Is this PET or is this acetate? This is Estar.

Destin: Okay, Estar. Got it.

Tim: Yes. So you’ve got your two banks. You got your even and your odd bank. This is a 35 millimeter slitter only.

Destin: So you have tension on one side on the whole sheet, which is right here. This is a whole sheet going.

Tim: Everything’s got tension.

Destin: Everything’s got tension?

Tim: Yeah. These are pulling tensions. See these spinning?

Destin: They’re spinning right now? Oh wow!

Tim: Yes. Yeah.

Destin: Okay. So is this actually moving leader through right now?

Tim: No.

Destin: Okay.

Patrick: I have clutches underneath those pullers.

Destin: Directional clutches.

Patrick: Yeah.

Destin: Oh, that’s how you maintain tension?

Patrick: Yes.

Destin: Gotcha. Okay, I’m with you. That’s cool. So, you know, Tim, you know everything about this machine

Tim: More than anyone else.

Destin: Yeah? So is Tim, is Tim the guy?

Patrick: He’s the guy.

Destin: So are you an engineer? What’s your title?

Tim: No, I’m just an operator.

Destin: I didn’t mean to offend you by calling you an engineer. So he’s an engineer. So you’re basically teaching him?

Patrick: Yes. Oh, yeah.

Destin: Yeah. That’s how that works, isn’t it? Like every manufacturing job I’ve ever been in, the operators teach the engineers. That’s the way it works. That’s awesome.

Tim: So you’ve got, you know, that’s the even when you got the odd bank over there. So this is basically the the odd bank, they’re all stuck down and then you got your salvage edges going to the

Destin: Recycle?

Tim: Those are just waste.

Destin: And so you go get the silver out of that somewhere.

Tim: Yes. Yeah, I gets taken and sent over there. This is obviously you know your your scrim.

Destin: Okay. And that’s where they knurled that over on the estar line.

Tim: Correct.

Destin: So since this the slitting machine is so big, we can only see it in pieces. This is what we’re looking at as a whole. We get a big roll of film unwinding and being fed into the machine. It goes up and over and down to a series of blades that slit and send half the film to the odd side and half of the film to the even side to be rolled up. The edges are trimmed off and then sent over to a bin so they can be recycled. So up until this process, you know, after we did the photosensitive coating, everybody’s been worried about touching that side. But here it looks like I’ve got a roller. That is it coming in contact here on the other side?

Patrick: Yup, yeah. So we touch the emulsion in this, in this building only, mainly, because it’s actually dried at this point. Right. By the time it gets to us, it’s no longer just a wet, wet emulsion, it’s got some stiffness to it. So we’re, we’re allowed to actually roll and wind on that side.

Destin: So do you have night vision goggles in here?

Tim: Yes.

Destin [with surprise in his voice]: What?!

Tim: I’ve been working in the dark for almost 30 years, so it’s it’s nothing. So, you can actually see fairly decent. I could see him in the dark, but you go over to a K3 Slitter where they do that film there, you know, the 135 that…You know, you can’t see me from me to you.

Destin We are sending out 500 feet rolls from this room. Once the machine starts, the rolls will come in and build up to 12,000 feet. The whole handling system is automated and the rolls will go down the hallway. We have an automated system with tension controls and a web steer in the middle to keep the web centered. The web is moving through the knives and then up to the rewinds. It is then spun up on each side to fill the rolls. Finally, a double sided splice tape is used to stick the 500 feet rolls down. The white markers on it are the adhesive for the tape. Destin: I guess it’s in the dark, so it doesn’t matter.

Tim: Yes. [Film slaps down as arms make contact] So that just separated. All the, everything. [Film crackling from contact] You see what I mean now?

Destin: Yeah.

Tim: All these roles are stuck down.

Destin: Ohh, I see.

Tim: To go to the next operation. If we didn’t do that splice, this is still attached to the roll. So how does it get out of the room?

Destin: So this is like a perforation. So the splice has the ability to rip easily. Is that true?

Tim: It’s double sided. There’s adhesive on both sides. So when it reverses, it rips off the one side.

Destin: Got it. Okay I understand now. So basically, the splice is preemptively getting double sided tape ready to go to close out this roll.

Patrick: Yes.

Destin: Is that right?

Tim: You’re using double sided to close out the roll, yes.

Destin: Got it. Okay, cool. That makes sense. Yeah. So you can see the confusion on my face over there.

Tim: Yes I said it all makes sense once you see it. [Destin giggling] Okay.

Tim: All right. So that’s the same, same thing. We just make sure they’re all stuck down. [Film fluttering]

Destin: And so can I. Can I free will this?

Tim: Sure.

Destin: Okay. So. And I should see it closed out on it. There it is.

Tim: Yeah. They all have them. They all have. All right. Here.

Destin: Yup. Okay. Got them. So some the clutches spent more freely than others.

Tim: Yes.

Destin: Got it. And so now you’re going to automatically have this cart move over there.

Tim: Yeah.

Destin: Okay.

Tim: Normally this cart moves out and this rack goes all the way over to the other side, and then they go out of this room into the tee perf machine.

Destin: Is this how they send back the rolls to you?

Tim: Yes. Yeah. There’s another room next to us. The clock’s all these [D] got it. [T] And then we get them from that room.

Destin: Dude you’re good at this.

Tim [Humbly]: I don’t know.

Destin: That’s pretty cool. Yeah, that’s pretty legit. So you’ve got send these out?

Tim: Yup. [Door Clicks] [Machines spool up] [Air hissing as arms move down] [Click into place, then film flipping over rolls as it moves away] [Sounds of the shafts spinning] [Air hiss as the machine stopped]

Destin: And so it’s going to go over?

Tim: No. That’s where it’s stopping because I’m going to take that N.G. film and throw it out and put them back on. But like I said, normally when you’re in production, those are going out.

Destin: And so this machine is all about managing tension.

Patrick: Yes.

Tim: Yeah, tension is very important for your slit width and everything. You lose tension. That’s going to be film all over the place.

Destin: Wow. Okay. It’s a big deal. That’s awesome, man. This is great.

Tim: All right.

Destin: Sweet. Patrick, walked me a few steps away to where they had a huge assembly, the slitting machine blades. And we had a brief discussion about how it works.

Patrick: So we’ve got an upper and lower set here, in this frame. So we’ve got the upper knives up here.

Destin: Okay, Show me a knife. These are the knives?

Patrick: This is a knife.

Destin: So that’s a that’s a right, a right angle edge right there.

Patrick: Yeah. So there is some geometry science we can’t go into here.

Destin: But it shears right here.

Patrick: Yes, right. So this is a shear cutter.

Destin: So the film runs straight through here.

Patrick: So we kind of use two different processes in this building My grandfather had an interesting trick; he would put on an old, tattered shirt before going to buy a car or something expensive, so that the salesmen wouldn’t make assumptions about what he could afford based on his clothing. Similarly, there is a new way to use VPNs to get different prices on hotel rooms, electronics, and more. Websites track your IP address, so they can change the price based on where they think you are from. For example, Microsoft Office is around 100 USD in the US, but in Colombia it’s 77 USD. Adobe Creative Cloud is 1000 USD in the US, but only 198 USD in Colombia. To try this out, you can go to NordVPN.com/smarter to get a great deal on a two-year plan and four months for free. NordVPN has thousands of servers in 59 countries, so you can access the internet from any of these locations. You can also double VPN with one account and connect up to six devices. Plus, if you don’t like it, you can get your money back with the 30-day money back guarantee. Destin: Really.
Matt: So yeah.
Destin: So this is where you put the core over here?
Matt: Well, to be honest with you, what happens is this door here would be open. As you said, we’re in a dark environment. This door would be open. There’s an arm that will reach into the rack, bring the roll in and automatically load it.
Destin: Okay.
Matt: Then this arm comes down. It puts all the computer information that we need to produce this roll.
Destin: How does how does the arm know the computer information?
Matt: Well it downloads from the actual rack.
Destin: Okay, got it.
Matt: There’s a card on the rack.
Destin: Got it.
Matt: That’ll be read and then its sent into the computer. It’s going to know that it’s a 2000 foot wall, 4000 foot or 6000 foot.
Destin: Okay.
Matt: The customer has different demands and it’s also going to tell it what print to put on there.
Destin: This looks very complicated.
Matt: That’s just the nuts and bolts of it is it’s very complicated. But for an operator’s point of view, it’s really not that difficult.
Destin: Okay.
Matt: There’s only a couple of interactions I actually have with the machine. Everything else is automated.
Destin: Can you show me what they are?
Matt: Yeah. What I’m gonna do. So this is exactly how the roll would have been loaded in under a dark environment. So as an operator, I’m going to take this tape off because we don’t want that. So this chopped it. And what we want is a rounded edge because we don’t want to damage the heart.
Destin: Okay. So a rounded edge and so it’s a very specific
Matt: very specific cut
Destin: Oh, a rounded edge. Yeah, okay, got it.
Matt: We don’t want this going through the heart on the other end.
Destin: Okay.
Matt: Because of the chance when it splices through it will damage the heart.
Destin: So that was a vacuum right there.
Matt: Yeah. Holding it down
Destin: So, so that’s the back side of the film. So you don’t scratch it.
Matt: Exactly.
Destin: So on, on the roll, where’s the photosensitive part? It’s on the inside?
Matt: This is the emulsion. Yes. And this is a support.
Destin: Okay.
Matt: The outside of the support.
Destin: Gotcha.
Matt: So now I’d pull this knife off, there’d be a balance. I’d throw that out.
Destin: Okay.
Matt: And it keeps me from overlapping the film. So I butt that up to the knife. I’m going to reset it now. I take a piece of tape and you want it in the center of the film. You don’t want it being perforated.
Destin: Okay.
Matt: So now I’m going to take this. You don’t want the tape to be perforated because it’ll mess up your punch. It’s very, It could be. Our tape could get stuck on the heart and caused damage. There’s a number of things that could happen.
Destin: Gotcha.
Matt: So now I’ll take the slack out and I’m going to send the film through.
Destin: Where should I be looking right now?
Matt: That’s well all this, you got. This arm moving. The film is going to kick through this end and it’s predetermined to make sure that I get the tape off so this this board comes out the knife will cut the film so that I have all the tape through the machine. Gotcha. And then this would be what we call a scratch test end. Every roll that we run, we’ll have a scratch test end that I would send to the tube system
Destin: uh huh.
Matt: That goes to the quality lab, and the inspector will verify that it meets our standards.
Destin: Got it. So. So what this machine is the scratchiest machine in here?
Matt: Matt: “Normally the door would close.”
Destin: “Got it.”
Matt: “So now I’m going to start the machine.”
Destin: “All right, So.So where should I be looking?”
Matt: “So this is this is where it’s going to wind up.It’s going to unwind from the backend and it’s going to wind up here.”
Destin: “Okay, Sounds good.”
[Machine starts up]
[Air hissing]
Destin: “Got it.”
[Whirrling sounds as it speeds up]
Destin: “That’s really fast Matt.”
Matt: “It runs up to 3000 feet a minute.”
Destin: “That’s really fast.”
Matt: “Yeah.We used to run 100 feet a minute on the old style machine.”
Destin: “So this really increased productivity.”
Matt: “Yeah, Greatly.Greatly.We’ve been doing it this way for about 20 years.25 years”
Destin: “Did you run it on 100 feet per minute system?”
Matt: “I still do, some products.We still have to run that way.”
Destin: “Can you show me where the holes go?”
Matt: “Oh, you mean the perforation?”
Destin: “Where is it? Cutting the hole? Where is it punching the holes?”
Matt: “This right here.And the spinning.So this is the actual punch drum this is the die drum.”
Destin: “Okay.”
Matt: “So as it rotates it’s pushing the perforations”
Destin: “I see it right here.”
Matt: “Yeah.”
Destin: “So those are the little posts punching, punching the holes in the film right here.”
Matt: “Yeah.”
Destin: “Yeah.”
Matt: “And the film that’s ejected goes into the heart and gets vacuumed out.Through this exhaust tube.”
Destin: “So.So if I had a high speed camera, I would see little holes of film going that way.”
Matt: “Yeah.Is this is clear.Yeah.You’d see the vacuum taking them out.”
Destin: “Is there a bucket of those holes somewhere?”
Matt: “Right around the wall I can show you after we’re done.”
Destin: “Okay.”
Matt: “There’s a big bin.”
Destin: “Sounds good.So can you.Can you run this? So we’re done.”
Matt: “Yeah.”
Destin: “We slurped like a spaghetti noodle.We slurped the end of the film up right?”
Matt: “Exactly.”
Destin: “Okay, so that that roll is done.So at this point, how do you take the core off?”
Matt: “Now, if this was actual production I wouldn’t.What would happen is, this arm right here.You see, there’s a core there.”
Destin: “Yeah.”
Matt: “This arm comes down.It takes the empty core, comes back to the retracted position.While that’s going on the manipulator arm is bringing in my next full roll of film.”
Destin: “That’s awesome.”
Matt: “So, yeah, I don’t.I don’t touch anything on this end.”
Destin: “Gotcha.”
Matt: “It’s all automatic.”
Destin: “So what on this machine do you worry about? Is there something that typically messes up?”
Matt: “Uh, not usually.”
Destin: “That’s impressive.”
Matt: “There’s, you might get an unusual occurrence once in a great while, but they’re they’re very reliable.”
Destin: “That’s impressive.So how many of these do you guys have?”
Matt: “We have these two here, and then we have seven on the other side.”
Destin: “Seven on the other side.Yeah, we used to have 28, but because film isn’t quite as popular as it used to be, it’s picking back up.”
Matt: “No, I love it.I love it.”
Destin: “Do you like your job?”
Matt: “Oh, I love it.I love, I started 26 years ago and obviously going through all the changes we’ve gone through, I’m really surprised to still be here.”
Destin: “Yeah.”
Matt: “A lot of us Dude! So that’s how much film we’ve run. That’s amazing. All of it, all those little perforations and that’s silver. There’s silver in that. Exactly. So we recycle it to recover the silver. So once it comes out here, it’s in the light. So this is you just, you just recycle the whole thing. Can I get a picture with you in there, Matt? Oh, sure. [Shutter click] So I’m sure he told you, right? That middle bit that’s actually making the perforations. We call that the heart, right? No, he didn’t tell me that. Okay, So. So so I will say that the operator, Matt, he seemed to not have a big concern about that, which tells me that the engineers are doing their job right. Yeah, there is a lot of technology going into developing that. That system right, 3000 feet a minute. It is not, not slow when you’re perforating at those speeds. There’s a lot of extra things that you have to start thinking about, right? Okay. I mean, when you’re up at 3000 feet a minute, you’re thinking about harmonics now. Yes. Right, vibrations, harmonics, tensions are really important. So we’re actually sneaking through the maintenance shop here because we’ve got a lot of the hearts on display here. And here’s one kind of, kind of cut open. Oh wow Oh yeah. So, the face plate of the machines here and just this little bit is sticking out. Okay. And we’ve got all the hoses and stuff hooked up to the front here for the vacuums. And one reason why we nickname it the heart, because we have an oil mist in here. Okay. And when it’s running, it’s got the nice red oil flowing through it like a heart one. Those are just straight involute teeth, aren’t they? Yep. That’s interesting. So can I sit down in this chair? Yes. And kind of engage with this. This is really, really high precision stuff. Okay, so I’m seeing. So you’ve got set screws here. Yes. That are positioning each individual hole. Yeah. So the lower sets, they’re called the dies. And up at the top is the punches, right. So we’ve got a punch and die operation. Can I turn it? Uhhh, Yes. You think so? Yes. Okay, so. So I grab it here. Okay. That’s a free wheeler, so I should be able to. Yeah. Look at that. Okay, so. So this is just a one to one. Yup. I feel no mechanical interaction whatsoever. Nope, yeah so it’s actually a through hole. So basically here’s my knife. So this hole has to move left and right up and down in order to index with the punch that corresponds with it. And is there, do you know how many there are on the wheel? 96. There’s 96. And so those are paired. Yep. And they’re tuned as a pair. Correct. How long does it take to tune them? Months. Months to tune one heart? Yep. Are you serious? Yes. Well, I have so many things I want to ask you. Um, How is it driven? There’s a big motor out this way. Yep, Yep. So got a serve on the serve on the. Direct drive? Yup. Yeah. That’s incredible. I’m noticing the the slots on the inside. So you have a channel that has a vacuum in it. Yup. So you have maximized your vacuum surface area instead of having little holes, you actually distribute that vacuum over a whole lot of surface area and that is a precisely machined part. Incredibly. So that’s, that’s a monolithic piece, isn’t it? That ring. Uh, every single die there is individual. Every die is individual. But the vacuum chamber is is all one big ring that’s right up there. Right on the drum. Yeah. So so there’s how many how many parts are just in this head. Alright. So you get the die drum which is the, the thing that everything gets bolted to with the vacuum channels. And then you’ve got the a set, a set of die on each side all 96 around. Then you have the vacuum channel all the way around that. Yeah. It is very important to have the right surface finish on the die drum itself. This is because it is in contact with the film. A vacuum is used to extract the perforations which have been punched into the holes of the bottom piece. This vacuum is connected to the center hub and the perforations are pulled up and out. The harmonics come into play if the machine runs too fast and a clump of them get stuck, resulting in a washing machine effect. A microscope is used to look through the die and up at the punch. It is important to be careful when looking at the alignment of the punch to the die as contact is not desirable at 3000 feet per minute. Special tools are used to set the front and back punches and punches have been removed. Fiber lights are used to see what is going on and the vacuum ring is on the backside of the film. This part has 96 sets of four threaded holes and it is expensive. Donovan showed me how they cut the large metal sheets into strips, which will later become cans. I was amazed to see how quickly and accurately he was able to do this. He then explained that every single strip is visually inspected by a human. We then walked around the corner and Donovan showed me a machine that was making the little metal end cap for film canisters. Patrick then showed me how they bend and cut the strips at the same time, and how they apply the velvet to the strips with an adhesive and heaters. The velvet accumulator is used to make sure the velvet is not connected between the strips. It was incredible to see how all these parts come together to make the canisters. Sermin is running the machine, and he shows Destin how it works. The metal strips are velveted, cut and crimped, and then loaded into the machine. The machine rolls the metal into a cylinder, grabs a cap, and then crimps and stakes it. The stacker then brings the cap over and stakes it, and the conveyor takes it off to measure how well it was staked. The lids for the cans move up the conveyor belt, and there are sensors that check if it is oriented correctly. If not, it kicks it out. Then the components come together in one complete package in a 35 millimeter film can. Sermin shows Destin that the end cap happens in the dial, and the lid comes down. Finally, the can is complete with a lid. Patrick then explains the machine to me, and it is so complicated that we would benefit from seeing it work first and then discussing what’s happening. We start by applying a piece of tape to a small plastic spool that will be the center of the film can. The film is then taped to the center spool and then quickly rolled up and cut. The can we made earlier is then slid over the top of the rolled-up film, and then the little end cap is put on to make the whole thing light-tight. After that, the film is sent to the eight-station rotor, which is responsible for indexing and combining all the parts. My name is Rich and I am responsible for the final packaging process. We package 35 millimeter film as it exits the spooler through a tube and into the 3P package line. We run singles, hang tab, packages, five packs, three packs, two packs, and several other options. After it comes out of 3P, each station does something different. When it comes out on the table, an inspector checks it for any damage or expiration date. We then put the proper amount in the box with the label and send it through the taping machine. After that, we stack it on a pallet. We also have metal detectors to make sure the 35 millimeter shell is ferrous. This is a very good check to make sure nothing is missed. [Destin] Everyone here works together. It’s a very good team project. You said you were the youngest guy here, huh? [Op2] Yes. Are you hoping to work your way up? [Op2] Yeah, that’s it. Everyone here keeps saying I’ll be here the next 40 years. [Destin] Nice to meet you. [Op2] Nice to meet you too. [Sermin] 45 Years! [D] 45 years? You’re running away, man! So you got 45 years here? [Op3] 43. Are they good years? [Op3] Yes they wonderful years. You like, like working with everybody here? [Op3] I don’t mind it. [Destin] Yeah? It seems like you got some good folks. It was great to have the opportunity to join Rich and the rest of the team at the Kodak plant in Rochester, New York for a three hour tour. I could tell Rich and the others were like family, with the older generation teaching the younger generation the techniques of American manufacturing. I had the chance to take a picture of the team and it made me feel really good to see the strength of American manufacturing.

Rich was a great help and I’m grateful for his assistance. He gave me detailed explanation around the 35 millimeter process and I’m thankful for that. I hope everyone watching this video will consider going out and shooting some film. If you want to support, you can do that at patreon dot com slash smarter every day, or you can sign up for the email list at Smarter Every Day dot com. That’s it! I’m Destin, wishing you all a good day and getting smarter every day. Bye!