Supreme Skills!

Tops aren't just toys. Spinning tops (gyroscopes) help position satellites in space; in machine tools, top-like elements help in the manufacture of precision components. So "Supreme Skills!" tries to advance both fields by pitting the aerospace engineers who developed the control system for the ALOS-2 satellite against master machinists capable of milling and grinding to within 1/10,000 of a millimeter. The challenge: to create a top that will spin the longest on a 2-centimeter-diameter platform.

Contestants must adroitly cut a super-thin panel of wood from a super-large block of wood. The tiniest lapse of control will mean an epic fail. An impossible challenge? We pair a "Supremely Skilled" temple carpenter with an 81-year-old "god" of blade sharpening. What's the result of the carpenter's 75-minute effort with a traditional Japanese handsaw?

In Part 2 of this contest to build super-strong paper cartons, the challenge is to protect a set of notoriously fragile items, including eggs and a wine glass, from the effects of a straight drop, starting at 6 meters off the ground. As in Part 1, the contestants cannot use more than 800 grams of paper. Who will win - the cardboard box specialists or the paperboard wizard with 45 years' experience? The result could revolutionize Japan's logistics industry.

It's wire rope vs. fiber rope, and the one that shreds the other, wins. The tug-of-war offering that conclusion builds up to 6.7 tons of pressure at the moment of climax. Of course wire wins, you think. Not so fast! When dedicated artisans apply their supreme skills to the latest technologies, they can create a unique super-fiber rope with built-in defenses. Of course, wire has its say, too. An extraordinary "idea man" in that field decides to incorporate specially hardened wires with an exceptionally high carbon content. Either side could win!

The challenge this time is to pierce a thick metal plate with a needle that's just 0.5 millimeters in diameter. On one side is a husband-and-wife team led by a veteran craftsman whose precise free-hand microfabrication wins him orders from around the world. On the other is a Japanese manufacturer that has used the latest processing machinery and simulation technology to win 80% of the domestic market for sewing machine needles. Can these teams create needles that will easily pierce metal?

Can a needle just 0.5 millimeters in diameter pierce a thick metal plate? The answer? Yes! Last week, our 2 teams achieved this all-but-impossible task. On one side, a husband-and-wife team led by a craftsman known for his precise free-hand microfabrication. On the other, a young engineer who uses advanced technology, working under pressure from his boss. Now they compete to see who uses the least force to push the needle through. The showdown? A miracle! Who will prevail?

A Supreme Skills first! A team of college students averaging just 18 years of age! Their challenge? To build a bridge using just 500 grams of wood that can bear a full ton of weight! Don't underestimate these kids - they attend an elite school that has won a national design tournament 7 times. Their competitors? Veteran wood artisans who built the strongest wooden bridge in Japan. Student geniuses using the latest engineering theories versus top flight, experienced artisans: who will win!?

A Supreme Skills first! College students and adults in a serious design contest. Their mission? To build a bridge using just 500 grams of wood that can bear a full ton of weight! But, the students exceed the 1-ton target right away! What to do? The rules are quickly revised, with the target weight raised to 2 tons. Meanwhile, the adults counterattack by carefully selecting their wooden materials. Student geniuses using the latest engineering theories versus top flight, experienced artisans: who will win!?

Can a pickup truck be hoisted with a super-thin rope? What if the rope in question is purpose-made by a team of specialists in wire-rope technology supervised by an extraordinary "idea-man"? And what if it's a unique fiber rope, produced by a supervisor with an unyielding commitment to the ideal, working with a production artisan who's all about practical problem-solving? Wire or fiber, these 2 teams are vying to produce an ideal rope, no more than 3mm in diameter but capable of suspending a 700-ton pickup truck. It's an unprecedented challenge!

In the world of manufacturing, the joining of aluminum (a very soft metal) with cemented carbide (a very hard metal) is considered as impossible as it is desirable. If the two could be joined, it might lead to a manufacturing revolution. The two leading methods would be by using screws, or by brazing, a process of melting a filler metal to act as an adhesive. So 2 teams each try one of those methods, and we see which set of joined metals is tougher to pull apart. 2 teams rise to the challenge, displaying fantastic skill. A manufacturing revolution could be here!

In the world of manufacturing, the joining of aluminum (a very soft metal) with cemented carbide (a very hard metal) is considered as impossible as it is desirable. If the two could be joined, it would constitute a manufacturing revolution. The two leading methods would be by using screws, or by brazing, a process of melting a filler metal to act as an adhesive. So 2 teams each try one of those methods, and we see which set of joined metals is tougher to pull apart. The 2 teams rise to the challenge, displaying fantastic skill. This is the showdown!