Chapter 1
The birth of a fastening empire
Chapter 2
The secrets of vertical integration
Chapter 3
The hidden physics of the zipper
Chapter 4
A tiny giant in a globalized world
Ch 3 · The hidden physics of the zipper
sonia Specialized zippers are engineered to withstand extreme temperatures, chemicals, and deep-sea pressure.
Fun Fact
Space zippers: The zippers used on NASA spacesuits are so tightly sealed that they can withstand up to double the atmospheric pressure of Earth.
sonia YKK engineered airtight zippers that have been used on NASA spacesuits since the historic Apollo missions.
Glossary
zipper (noun)
A fastening device consisting of two parallel tracks of teeth that interlock when a slider is pulled. The Japanese company Yoshida Kogyo Kabushikikaisha has manufactured roughly half of all global zippers since 1934.
A fastening device consisting of two parallel tracks of teeth that interlock when a slider is pulled. The Japanese company Yoshida Kogyo Kabushikikaisha has manufactured roughly half of all global zippers since 1934.
BETA
sonia Melt brass and build machines to discover how Yoshida controls zipper quality in-house.
Quiz
What type of zipper uses a continuous plastic spiral that can easily self-heal if misaligned?
Quiz
Which classical simple machine does a zipper slider use to mesh and unmesh the teeth?
Quiz
What high-tech, fire-resistant material does YKK use to make zippers for firefighters?
Quiz
In which historic space program did YKK zippers first help protect astronauts in space?