How It's Made

The programme explores the manufacturing processes used to create holograms, produce printed packaging and can tinned sweetcorn, detailing each step from raw material to finished product. It also examines how the methods for these three industries have evolved and become more sophisticated over time.

The programme is an episode that examines three seemingly unrelated manufacturing sectors – hologram creation, package printing and the production of tinned sweetcorn. It presents each industry as a case study, showing how specialised techniques turn raw materials into the finished products we see on shelves or in displays. In the core of the episode, viewers are taken through the step‑by‑step processes that underpin each of these items. The narrative follows the journey from initial design to the final output, highlighting the technical stages involved in generating holographic images, applying graphics to packaging and canning sweetcorn. Throughout, the show points out how each method has been refined and altered as technology and consumer demands have shifted. When it comes to holograms, the episode outlines the transition from early optical tricks to modern laser‑based recording, noting the increasing precision and speed that newer equipment provides. It also details how advances in materials and software have broadened the range of applications, from security features to artistic displays. The segment on package printing and tinned sweetcorn follows a similar pattern, tracing the move from manual, labour‑intensive procedures to highly automated, computer‑controlled systems. It explains how improvements in ink formulation, printing presses and canning lines have boosted efficiency, consistency and shelf‑life, illustrating the broader trend of continual evolution across all three manufacturing realms.