Narrator: A LOT HAPPENS
WHEN AN INFLATED RUBBER BALL
HITS THE GROUND.
THE RUBBER COMPRESSES
AND QUICKLY SNAPS
BACK TO ITS ROUND SHAPE.
THAT SNAPPING BACK
MAKES THE BALL BOUNCE.
IN ADDITION, THE AIR
INSIDE THE BALL ACTS
AS A TIGHTLY COILED SPRING,
INCREASING THE REBOUND.
♪♪
WHEN AN INFLATED RUBBER BALL
FALLS TO THE GROUND,
IT BOUNCES BACK,
AND PLAYERS CATCH IT
ON THE REBOUND.
THIS TYPE OF BALL IS
AT THE HEART OF MANY GAMES,
FROM BASKETBALL
TO SOCCER TO VOLLEYBALL.
AT THE CORE IS AN INFLATED
RUBBER BLADDER.
MAKING IT STARTS WITH A SHEET
OF NATURAL RUBBER.
THE FACTORY WORKER FOLDS IT
IN A SPECIFIC CONFIGURATION.
HE PLACES A DIE ON TOP
AND ACTIVATES A PRESS
TO FORCE IT THROUGH THE LAYERS,
WHICH CUTS OUT THE SHAPE.
HE NOW HAS THE BLADDER
OF A SPORTS BALL.
HE BRUSHES AN ADHESIVE
AROUND THE HOLE IN THE BLADDER
AND INSERTS A PLUG.
♪♪
ANOTHER WORKER INFLATES
THE RUBBER BLADDER
AS SHE PLACES IT
IN A SPHERICAL CHAMBER.
IT HEATS AND CURES
THE RUBBER FOR 5 MINUTES
AT A TEMPERATURE OF
284 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT.
THE RUBBER BLADDER SPINS
ON A REVOLVING CYLINDER,
CAUSING IT TO TAKE UP
NYLON THREADS.
THE THREADS TWIST AROUND
THE BLADDER AND FORM A LAYER
THAT BOTH STRENGTHENS IT
AND KEEPS IT ROUND.
THE MATERIAL THAT WILL FORM
THE EXTERIOR OF THE BALL
IS MADE USING COLORED SYNTHETIC
RUBBER, NATURAL RUBBER,
MAGNESIUM CARBONATE,
AND MINERAL OIL.
ONCE IT CURES, A WORKER
ROLLS IT INTO THICK SHEETS
AND SLICES IT
TO A SPECIFIC WIDTH.
HE FOLDS IT SEVERAL TIMES.
THIS BLUE RUBBER WILL BE USED
FOR VOLLEYBALLS.
THE FOLDED RUBBER NOW TRAVELS
BETWEEN A SERIES OF ROLLERS.
THEY FLATTEN IT AND PRESS
IT EXTREMELY THIN,
AND IT BECOMES BOTH
LIGHTWEIGHT AND FORMABLE.
♪♪
AN AUTOMATED BLADE SLICES
THE RUBBER INTO SHORTER PIECES.
A METAL PATTERN CUTTER
WILL NOW BE USED
TO CUT THE RUBBER INTO STRIPS,
WHICH WILL FIT TOGETHER
TO FORM THE OUTSIDE OF THE BALL.
THESE PARTICULAR STRIPS
ARE FOR A BASKETBALL.
THE WORKER PLACES THE PATTERN
ON SEVERAL PIECES OF RUBBER.
A PRESS FORCES THE SHARP-EDGED
PATTERN THROUGH THE RUBBER
TO CUT OUT FISH-SHAPED STRIPS
THAT ARE DESIGNED TO FIT
AROUND THE ROUND BLADDER.
♪♪
SHE LINES THE TWO HALVES OF A
BONDING SHAPER WITH THE STRIPS.
♪♪
SHE INSERTS THE BLADDER
AND RE-INFLATES IT.
♪♪
SHE CLOSES THE BONDING
CHAMBER AND ACTIVATES IT.
INSIDE, HEAT AND PRESSURE
CAUSE THE STRIPS
TO STICK TO THE BLADDER.
TO MAKE A MEDICINE BALL,
WHICH IS USED FOR EXERCISING,
A DIFFERENT PATTERN CUTTER
IS USED.
THE FORMING PROCESS IS THE SAME,
BUT THIS BALL HAS A UNIQUE
VISUAL IMPACT
VERY DIFFERENT
FROM THAT OF THE BASKETBALL.
♪♪
BACK AT THE BASKETBALL STATION,
A WORKER APPLIES THE BRAND NAME
TO THE OUTER SKIN IN TWO PLACES.
GLUE HELPS THE DECAL
STICK TO THE RUBBER.
THIS MOLD WILL NOW TRANSFER
A PATTERN ONTO THE RUBBER BALL
WHILE ALSO BAKING
THE LETTERING INTO IT.
ANOTHER WORKER PLACES THE BALL
IN THE MOLD AND PUMPS MORE AIR
INTO THE BLADDER.
HE CLOSES THE LID.
THE MOLD APPLIES HEAT
AND PRESSURE
TO EMBOSS THE PATTERN
ONTO THE RUBBER.
THE LETTERING HAS
PENETRATED THE RUBBER,
AND THE WORKER PEELS
OFF THE DECAL PLASTIC.
ANOTHER WORKER REPLENISHES
THE AIR THAT'S BEEN LOST
TO MAKE THE BALL
COMPLETELY FULL AND ROUND.
THE BALL IS NOW READY
TO RECEIVE ITS STRIPES.
THE WORKER PAINTS BLACK RUBBER
INTO GROOVES
THAT WERE FORMED
DURING EMBOSSING.
THIS RUBBER QUICKLY CURES
TO BECOME PART OF THE BALL.
ANOTHER WORKER INSERTS
A FILL VALVE INTO THE HOLE.
THEN MECHANICAL FISTS
SQUEEZE THE BALL TO DEFLATE IT.
THIS PREPARES IT FOR PACKAGING.
WITH THE VALVE INSIDE,
IT CAN BE EASILY RE-INFLATED
BY THE CUSTOMER.
A WORKER WRAPS IT IN PLASTIC
AND SHIPS IT TO THE RETAILER.
MAKING THIS RUBBER BASKETBALL
HAS ONLY TAKEN
A COUPLE OF HOURS,
BUT IT SHOULD BE ABLE
TO TAKE A LOT OF KNOCKS
AND BOUNCE RIGHT BACK.
