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Preparing for the written paper (or 12 tips to success)

1st July 2003

Brian Russell

Chief Examiner

Principal Moderator

GCSE Product Design

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Tip 1 – Be equipped

You will need:

• Blue or black pen (take a spare)• Pencil (take a sharpener)• Coloured pencils (a range)• 300mm Ruler• Eraser

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Tip 2 – Pace yourself

Don’t rush

• Read the questions carefully

• Spend approximately a minute per mark

Don’t waste time

• Don’t use colour until you have completed the written questions

• Improve drawings if time allows

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Tip 3 – Materials/components• Where do materials come from?• How are materials classified (grouped)?• What are components and why are they used?

Know about paper/card:• Where it comes from• How it is made• How products are cut from paper/card

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Making Paper

Trees cut & shredded

Water added

Boiled up to make wood pulp

Chemicals and dyes added

Pulp poured over fine mesh and squeezed between rollers

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Cutting Paper/card

Die-cutting(creasing done with rounded blade)

I Cut – Die Cut

PlywoodFoam layer

Card to be cut

Blade

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Tip 4 - New ProductsWhere do ideas come from?

Nature, geometry, other products…..

Can you name a designer?

Can you explain why their products

are successful?

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Tip 5 – Product evolution

Why do products change over time?

• New materials

• New manufacturing methods

• New technologies

• Social changes

• Fashions/trends

• Legislation

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Continuous improvementManufacturers need to keep improving their products to stay competitive or to meet changing regulation/legislation.• Production staff• Consumer/retailer feedback• Maintenance engineers• Pressure groups (environment)• Financial savings…….

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Tip 6 – PackagingThe purpose of packaging is to:

Protect

Inform

Contain

Transport

Preserve

Display

I PICT PD

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Food packaging• Materials (food grade)

• Composite materials

• Spillage

• Security

• Hygiene

• Insulation

• Legal requirements

• How are they made?

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Graphics

• Clear text

• Simple bold images

• Impact

• Can you explain how the artwork would be done using a computer?

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Labelling

Key information found on labelling

Includes:

• Product name

• Description

• Safety information

• Contents

• Storage/maintenance information

• Environmental information

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Tip 7 – Human factors• Anthropometrics• Ergonomics• Improving comfort• Working triangles• Special groups• Adjustment for different sizes

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Tip 8 – Product maintenance

• Symbols found on a range of products and their packaging/labelling

• Maintenance schedules

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Product maintenance

Care labels

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Tip 9 - Consumer Protection

• BSI Kite Marks

• European Standards

(Conformité Europeenne)

• Trade association standards

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Tip 10 - Manufacturing

• Preparation of materials

• Industrial manufacturing processes

• Use of labour

• Quality Assurance/Quality Control

• Implications of ICT

• Scales of production

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Your own manufacturing

Ensure that you can explain:

• How you would make models and prototypes

• The tools you would use

• Use of quality control

• Manufacturing aids (e.g. jigs)

• Making in quantity

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Commercial manufacturing

Materials are processed using:

• Moulding/casting

• Forming

• Wastage/separation

• Conditioning

• Assembling

• Finishing

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Health & safety

Consider:

• Your own safety when making

• The user’s safety

• Manufacturing processes

• Manufacturing waste

• Risk Assessment

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Tip 11 – CAD/CAM

• Computer Aided Design

• Computer Aided Manufacture

Advantages:

• Sharing information

• Accuracy

• Repeatability

• Flexibility (ease of making changes)

• Speed……

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Computer Aided Manufacture

• Printers

• Vinyl cutters

• Milling/engraving machines

• Routers

• Lathes

• Laser-cutters

• Embroidery machines

• Rapid prototyping

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Inkjet & laser printers

• Used for one-offs/prototypes

• Small print runs

• Large areas

• Direct onto fabrics/carpets

• Transfer printing

• Sublimation printing

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Vinyl cutters• Signs (especially vehicles)

• Graphics on prototypes

• Iron-on vinyl (T shirts)

• Labels for prototypes

• Card nets for prototypes

• Masks for stencilling/sandblasting

• Decoration on ceramics

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Milling/engraving machines• Cutting flat (2D) shapes in rigid

materials

• Engraving copper board for electronics

• Signage name plaques etc.

• Raised forms (3D)

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Routers

• Used mainly on timber (MDF) and rigid foams

• 3 axis – partial 3D

• 4 axis – turns material

to get full 3D

• 5 axis – full 3D,

much better detail

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Lathes

• Work revolves against cutter

• Cylindrical

• Conical

• Spherical

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Laser cutters

• Very accurate cutting for sheet materials

• engraving

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Embroidery Machines

Detailed designs on fabric

• Text & graphics

• Repeat patterns

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Rapid Prototyping

Prototype built up layer by layer –

Stereo lithography

• 3D printing

• 3D layering

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Tip 12 – Buy a Revision Guide

• Written for this course

• Read it

• Use workbook to check

your understanding