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?
