Exam Preparation

Brian Russell

Patterns over time

86 = A*, 73 = A, 60 = B, 48 = C, 40 = D, 32 = E, 25 = F, 18 = G

Be equipped!

You will need:

• Blue or black pen (take a spare)

• Pencil (take a sharpener)

• Coloured pencils (a range)

• 300mm Rule

• Eraser

Pace yourself

Don’t rush• Read the questions carefully• Spend approximately a minute per mark• Make a separate point for each mark• Consider using bullet points• Question 1 is worth 25% of the paper!

What to design?

• The preliminary material tells us that the context for the designing question is: Packed lunch containers

• If you look back at past questions like this candidates were asked to design mainly using card

• Think about who the user might be - children, adults, such as office workers, athletes etc.

• Think about what might need to be contained – drink, sandwich, yoghurt, fruit etc.

Your problem?

Where to start

Potentially this is a large topic to investigate so concentrate on:

• Paper and card containers

• The use of new materials (alternatives to oil based polymers)

The functions of packaging

• Protect

• Inform

• Contain

• Transport

• Preserve

• Display

I PICT PD

If you can remember these you can write design criteria, explain the purposes or functions of packaging

Best answers?

Purposes/functions Reasons

Transport It will be important to be able to easily transport the food from the shop to where you want to eat

Contain The food will need to be contained and may need to be separated – sweet and savoury for example

Preserve Keeping the food fresh and maintaining the correct temperature will be important

Typically six minutes work

Function 1: Protect

The packaging needs to protect the food from contamination but often needs to protect the user from grease. The outer layer in this case is made from carton board or solid white board. The card needs to be food grade.

Protecting the sandwich

This type of packaging protects, preserves and displays the product. These sandwich wedges are made from sustainable Kraft board with a 100% compostable liner and a window made from cornstarch. They are supplied flat for easy storage and assembly is simple.

Security

To avoid any form of tampering sandwich cartons are sealed so that customers are confident that the product has not been tampered with in any way.

Security• Pret a Manger use colour coded security labels so they can check

and remove stock which has been on the shelf too long. This is helping to protect the consumers from potential bacterial hazards.

Function 2: Inform

• Most lunch packaging is generic and would not contain a great deal of information. Windows are often a feature so that you can see what is inside. Windows are usually made from Cornstarch like the sandwich example shown earlier.

Key information

• Nutritional information is found on some pre-packaged food but you are unlikely to be asked to do anything more than suggest a space on the lunch container.

Symbols

• Informing consumers that the food is suitable for vegetarians or vegans is important to many people. There are a wide range of symbols used for this purpose and some are shown below.

• You are unlikely to be asked to do more than suggest the position of such symbols on your container

Symbols • As lunch packaging is unlikely to be used more than once manufacturers are often eager to inform customers that it can be recycled. Variations of these symbols are often found on this type of packaging• You are unlikely to be asked to do more than suggest the position of such symbols on your container

Symbols

• It is common to see an anti-litter logo printed onto the packaging. The symbol on the right is the more usual Keep Britain Tidy version whereas the one on the left is from the Love Where You Live campaign

• You are unlikely to be asked to do more than suggest the position of such symbols on your container

Symbols

• The FSC logo provides the consumer with a guarantee that the card board has been made from timber which has come from a sustainable source.

• The forest will have been evaluated and certified as being managed according to agreed social, economically viable and environmental standards.

Symbols

The German ‘Green Dot’, has little environmental significance. It only means that the manufacturer has paid a fee towards the packaging recovery system in Germany. On lunch packaging this is usually shown in a single colour

Function 3: Contain

• Food needs to be contained. This is particularly important if the food has strong flavours or is in small pieces. • The most common material used for this type of insert is PET. This tray has been vacuum formed. There are now

alternatives to oil based polymers based on plant starches

Alternatives to plastics

• This container looks as if it is made from normal Kraft board. Many such containers have a plastic lining and therefore are not compostable.

• This version is from sustainably sourced paper board with a water-based coating, made up with leak-proof webbed corners and fold-in flaps to give a secure closure.

Environmentally friendly

• These sandwich wedges are fully compostable, being made from brown Kraft board with a compostable liner and PLA window (made from cornstarch).

• Grease proof lining like the previous example. • They are supplied flat and assembly is very simple.

Kraft board uses unbleached pulp so is more environmentally friendly than solid white board.

Polylactides

• These PLA Sandwich wedges are 100% compostable. • Made from clear PLA renewable plastic which is plant

based. • This is ideal for packaging as it starts to decompose very

soon after use.

Bucket meals

• This approach to packaging lunch has been made famous by KFC. This waxed card solution is only really suitable for food such as pieces of chicken.

• KFC have been heavily criticised because the wood pulp has been found to come from rainforests.

Function 4: Transport

This type of card container is one of the most popular children’s lunch containers and is often printed with decorative graphics. Solid white board is best if printing in full colour

Deli box

• A more adult lunch container simply made from Kraft board with a locking handle. Made from recycled fibres, this is an unbleached board which is a pale brown colour.

Handles

• If the lunch container has a handle you will need to consider anthropometrics

• If you design your box to fit your own hand it would be large enough for younger children

Deli box• A folded deli box, again, made from coated Kraft board.

• Designed to hold wet dishes such as curry, pasta etc.

• The corners are folded, then glued to prevent leaks.

• Locking tabs keep the carton closed

Flat pack

• To save space many food containers are produced to be stored flat and simply opened up into their final form.

Function 5: Preserve

• Pizza boxes are very good examples of lunch containers which are very simple. • They are made from corrugated cardboard which is lightweight, stiff and a good

insulator so the food is preserved at the right temperature. • The layers also do a good job in protecting the consumer from grease.

Temperature issues

• Traditionally manufactured from expanded polystyrene, this type of food container can now be made from a biodegradable bio-plastic such as Ecovio L Foam.

• Foamed materials are great insulators

Aluminium trays

• These trays are sealed using a foil lined card lid and provide a very cheap solution. • Whilst they can be recycled, in practice they are often not separated and just treated

as general waste.

Function 6: Display

• This type of packaging is often displayed in refrigerated display units and rely on the window so the customer can easily see the product inside.

• This window is usually made of cornstarch nowadays as it is compostable.

Display

• Many suppliers brand their packaging. • In the case of McDonalds the designers were asked to

try to persuade the consumers that the products were made from high quality ingredients.

Appealing to the customer

• It will be important that the packed lunch container is appealing to the customer.

• This might be achieved using printing or clear windows.

Nets• Cardboard cartons are made from nets. • These flat shapes are printed, cut, then folded and glued

to create a 3D box.

Your net

• Make sure that you can draw an accurate net which will glue together to make a 3D carton

• This example uses folded corners rather than traditional glue tabs

Practice drawing

• Practice drawing and making both the 2D nets and the 3D cartons

Practice drawing

• This is a very popular net for children’s packed lunch containers. • Practice drawing and making this.

Sandwich wedges

• Practice making sandwich cartons (or wedges)• Try designing and making your own nets

Adding dimensions

Make sure that you know how to accurately show the three main dimensions. Use projection lines then neat arrows which touch the projection lines. Measurements should be in millimetres.

Adding colour

Practice applying colour with coloured pencils. Experiment with tone as this is a simple way to get a good effect.

Offset lithography

• Flat aluminium plates (specially treated)

• Photographically exposed then wrapped around roller

• Exposed parts attract water• Non exposed parts allow ink to stick• Print onto plain roller to reverse

image• Transfers to card or other materials

This is the best process to specify for printing your container if you are using solid white board

Flexographic printing

• Uses a printing plate made of rubber, plastic, or some other flexible material.

• Ink is applied to a raised image on the plate, which transfers the image to the printing

Ink Trough

Impression cylinder

PaperFountain roller

Anilox roller

Printing cylinder

This might be the best process to specify if you are printing simple information onto Kraft board

Die-cutting

Die-cutting is the method cartons are cut out. In the packaging industry the cutter is known as a cutting forme. A rounded blade creases where the carton will be folded.

PlywoodFoam layer

Card to be cut

Blade

Ignore Question 1

• Consider starting at question 2 and completing the rest of the paper before attempting question 1.

• Lots of candidates run out of time because they spend too long on question 1

Materials/components

• Where do materials come from?• Are they renewable/non-renewable?• How are materials classified (grouped)?• What properties do different materials have?• What are components and why are they used? • Stock forms available?• Why materials are combined?• Surface finishes?

Paper and card compulsory

What you need to know:

• Where it comes from

• How it is made

• Properties of different papers/cards

• How products are cut from paper/card

• How is it printed

Renewable Materials

• Can be grown and cropped from plants, trees and animals

Renewable Materials

These include:• Timbers• Paper/cardboard• Cotton• Linen• Silk• Leather• All food products.....

Non-renewable materials

• Dug out of the ground as ores, minerals, oil etc. prior to processing

• Once consumed they are lost forever

Non-renewable materials

These include:• All metals• Most plastics (made from oil)• Stone• Ceramics• Jewels...

Remember...

• No marks are given for generic materials such as “wood”, “metal”, “plastics”, “card” etc.

• Don’t get confused between renewable and being recycled

Combined materials

• Materials are combined to improve the properties or to create a material with enhanced properties

• Don’t write “to make it stronger”. Lycra is added to denim to make the material stretch.

• Your school uniform is likely to be a combined material as is the exam table!

Some combined materials

• Glass fibres and Polyester resin (GRP) used for boat building and sports car bodies

• Melamine formaldehyde and printed paper to create plastic laminates (Formica) for table tops such as your exam desk

• Elastane (Lycra) combined with denim to create jeans which stretch• Polyester and cotton blended together to create fabric (polycotton) which

is more resistant to creasing• Portland cement, sand and pebbles mixed together with water to create

concrete which is very strong in compression• Copper and zinc mixed together (alloyed) to create brass, a metal which

is hard and easily machineable• Aluminium foil bonded to duplex board or solid white board to create a

board with good insulation properties (fast food container lids)

Smart materials

• Smart materials are ones which react and change their properties in response to an input such as electrical current, heat, light etc.

Specs may remind you

• Two different smart materials are sometimes used in spectacles

Photochromic materials

• These materials change colour in response to changes in light.

• Some spectacles have reactive lenses which become darker as the light increases

Shape memory alloys

Shape memory alloys are used in some spectacle frames and these superelastic alloys can be squashed beyond the point other frames would snap and will return to their original shape at room temperature.

Thermochromic materials

• These materials change colour in response to changes in temperature.

• Kettles and baby feeding products are just two applications where it is useful to have a built in thermometer.

The Six “Rs”

• Recycle and reprocess the materials• Re-use materials/components/products for

another purpose• Reduce the amount of energy and resources

used throughout the whole product life cycle• Repair products/design them to be easily

repaired• Rethink our current lifestyles and the way we

design and make• Refuse products which are unnecessary or

wastefully use resources

Prevent wasting materials

• Bags for life• Recycling bins easily available• Reduce packaging• Buy local products to reduce “product miles”

Best choices

• Re-use the product without further processing• Repair the product to return to original standard• Recycle the materials and components

Environmental issues - labelling

A general recycling symbol which means the product can be recycled or it is made from recycled materials. Found mainly on packaging

Environmental issues - labelling

Means that the product cannot be placed in a normal bin and needs specialist recycling facilities. Usually found on electrical products and batteries

Environmental issues - labelling

Provides specific information on the type of plastic material. This example is High Density Polyethylene. Found on some carrier bags, milk crates, buckets etc.

Environmental issues - labelling

Symbols which show specific material information to enable consumers to separate materials for recycling:

Aluminium, steel and glass. In all cases, take to recycling bins.

Carbon Footprint

• A measure of the impact human activities have on the environment in terms of the amount of green house gases produced, measured in units of carbon dioxide

Carbon Footprint

Can you:• Explain the issues which relate to the carbon

footprint of everyday products?• Explain ways of reducing the carbon footprint

of everyday products?

Product miles

How many miles does the product travel?

• Source material to primary processor• Material to factory• Product to distributor• Distributor to retail outlet• Retail outlet to home

How much energy is consumed just through transporting materials, components and products?

Sustainability

• Use resources carefully• Avoid solving your problem if you create

another problem for someone else• Improve your environment – do not damage it

Plant filled air purifiers

Social issues

Environmental:• Product life cycles• Cradle to grave• Circular economy• Throw-away products• Designed obsolescence

Manufacturing in quantity

• Best answers are usually chocolate moulding or pewter casting because there are lots of stages and the work can be shared

Manufacturing in quantity

• Worst answer is laser cutting as there are not enough stages and you only need one person to manufacture the batch

Manufacturing in quantity

If designing a shape for manufacturing in quantity keep it simple. Mould any decoration by designing different layers.

Chocolate - the material to use

Best answers include:

• Melts at a low temperature so easy to mould in school

• Cheap to produce large quantities

• Chocolate is popular so likely to sell well

Pewter - the material to use

Best answers include:

• Melts at a low temperature so easy to mould in school

• Easy to drill, file and polish

• Cheaper than silver but has similar look

Manufacturing in quantity

• Break stages to match the marks

• Uses notes and sketches

• Think about the correct order of work before you start

Break it down into stages

12

3

56

4

7

Health & safety

Consider:

• Your own safety when making

• The user’s safety

Organising manufacturing

• Some jobs, such as filling chocolate moulds, need more workers.

• Some workers may need to do more than one job

Manufacturing in quantity

• If drawing a flowchart, use the correct symbols

• Make sure you show where it is necessary to make checks

Star and stop

The individual task

Where you need to check

Feedback loopif you need to goback a stage to sort out a fault.

Commercial manufacturing

Materials are processed using:• Moulding/casting• Forming• Wastage/separation• Conditioning• Assembling• Finishing

Manufacturing issues

• Preparation of materials

• Industrial manufacturing processes

• Use of labour

• Quality Assurance/Quality Control

• Implications of ICT

• Scales of production

Quality assurance

• It does not just focus on the finished product• Often involves self-checking by workers of their own

quality against agreed standards• Puts more emphasis on prevention of poor quality

rather than checking for poor quality• Establishes quality standards and targets for each

stage of production• Materials and components checked on delivery not at

end of process• System can be used to trace back quality problems to

the stage in production where problem might have occurred.

Quality assurance

• Fitness for purpose (the product should be suitable for the intended purpose)

• Right first time every time (mistakes should be eliminated).

Tolerances

• Acceptable range of difference from standard• Sometimes measured in plus/minus

No product manufactured in quantity can be considered to be perfect in every detail

Quality assurance

• How could you ensure that each of the following products are manufactured to the same quality?

Quality assurance

• Manufacturing methods such as moulds, formers, die-cutting tools ensure that parts are identical.

• Control checks are made at various stages• Samples of the correct standard are given to

the customer• Rigorous testing takes place

Testing

Consider how you would fully test a product• How can this be done without destroying the

product?• How can you ensure that the product is fit for

purpose?

Testing

• Quantitative Testing (measurable)• Qualitative Testing (opinions)• Sensory Testing (opinions)

Testing is done using several difference methods:

Standards

• BSI Kite Marks are awarded to products which satisfy strict standards for safety

• The British Standards Institute are an independent testing organisation

Standards?

• Simply means that the product has been approved for sale in the European Union.

• Meets basic requirements but may not have been tested against specific criteria

• The letters 'CE' on a product are the manufacturer's claim that the product meets the requirements of all relevant European Directives.

Labelling

Key information found on labelling

Includes:• Product name• Description• Safety information• Contents• Storage/maintenance information• Environmental information

Design protection

CCopyright

Registered Design(often used with trade marks)

Trade Mark

Patents

T M

R

P

Product analysis

Make sure you can comment on:• Materials used – their properties• Function – strengths and weaknesses• Human factors – ease of use• Style – aesthetics• Manufacturing - processes used• Target user – who would use?

Product evolution

Why do products change over time?

• New materials

• New manufacturing methods

• New technologies

• Social changes

• Fashions/trends

• Legislation

New materials

• New ways of producing construction materials to make better use of resources

• Environmental impact

Manufacturing changes

Different construction techniques

Advantages and disadvantages of flat pack over traditional making

New technologies

• Not just advances in electronics

• Consider how many clever devices have been made to allow us to make furniture in very

Social changes

• Consider the changes in the way we purchase products• Made to last or changes in fashions/trends?

Legislation/regulation

• New rules to keep you safe• New guidance to save the planet.....

Human factors

• Anthropometrics• Ergonomics• Senses• Colours• Improving comfort• Working triangles• Special groups• Adjustment for different sizes• Specific markets• Access

Anthropometrics

Issues the designers should have considered include:• Size of handle (length and circumference)• Size of buttons• Length of cable....

Anthropometrics is the study of human measurements

5th-95th percentile

• Ignore the extremes • Top 5% and bottom 5% taken out• Consider the rest as a normal range• Be selective – tallest for doors, shortest for

chairs?

Ergonomics

• The position of buttons• Hand grips/texture• Comfort• Weight and balance• Temperature• Length of flex• The angle and size of the handle• Noise• Safety

Ergonomics is generally concerned with how easy and efficient products are to understand and use:

Adjustment

• Cycles

• Car seats

• Office chairs

• Clothing…

Many products need to adjust to different sizes:

Inclusive design

• We are all disabled at some times in our lives• Consider how products need to be changed to make

them accessible to all

Partially sighted

• Large buttons, voice activated dialling, large displays

Hearing impaired

• Variable volume/frequency, induction loop technology, blue tooth, vibrator pads, flashing lights

Disabled Access

• A major factor when designing public transportation systems and buildings

Wheelchairs

• Increased wheel camber, lighter materials electric powered, vertical lift, better seat, wider tyres…

Designing new products

Research methodsMarket researchProduct AnalysisQuestionnairesConsumer trialsModelling and testingMock-ups/prototypesSpecifications (design, product, manufacturing)

Evaluation

S ony

900

920

910

On/Off

Fashion changes

• Arts & Crafts movement• Art Nouveau• Modernism• Art Deco• De Stijl• Bauhaus• The Streamlined Age • Memphis• Post Modernism

The art and design movements of the last century have had major influences of the style of products:

New Products

Can you name a designer?

Can you explain why their products

are successful?

Design Icons

Classic design• Innovative• Often copied

Every now and again designers and manufacturers produce products which are regarded as Design Icons, or Classic Designs. These set new standards for the products that follow.

Retro design

• Modern products based on styling from the past• Keep nostalgic styling but incorporate the latest technology

Legislation/regulation

• Seatbelts and booster seats in cars

• Emissions laws linked to car exhaust systems

• Use of foam in upholstery

• Mobile phone usage whilst driving

• Digital TV signals

• Health & Safety at Work Act.......

Consider some of the recent laws and regulations that have influenced product design:

Technology push

• Research and development in science is a major factor why products change.

• New materials and new technologies are two areas where science has provided the basis for designers to create new products

Market pull

• Environmental concerns• Latest technologies• Price• Exploitation of workers• Fair Trade• Energy costs......

The power of the consumer is forcing continual changes with needs and wants such as:

Continuous improvement

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

Continuous improvement

Key questions:• How can products be made more sustainable?• Can you make links to the 6 “R”s?• Are continuous improvements a good or bad thing for

the environment?

In the written examination these questions allow you to discuss issues and give opinions

Product information

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

• Maintenance schedules

• Assembly instructions

• Handling instructions

• Storage instructions

Product maintenance

Key areas:• Cleaning is most common maintenance task• Checking for wear in parts – replace/adjust• Checking for damage – repair/replace• Electrical safety checks – PAT tests• Lubrication

Product maintenance

Care labels

Key issues:

• Language free

• Match to wide range materials

The power of branding

• Big brands influence the products we buy• How much do we know about their environmental policies?• Do we make informed choices?

Brand identity

• More than just a logo• A brand identity represents the company's

values, services, ideas and personality • Often considered as brand values

Advertising

• Where would be the best places to advertise a new Apple product?

• TV?• Magazines?• Web?• Billboards?

Using ICT to develop products

• Computer Aided Design• Computer Aided Manufacture• Computer Numerical Control

Advantages:• Sharing information• Accuracy• Repeatability• Flexibility (ease of making changes)• Speed……

Computer Aided Design

• Modelling• Simulations• Analysing and testing• Costing....

Computer Aided Manufacture

Modelling and making prototypes• Printers• Vinyl cutters• Milling/engraving machines• Routers• Lathes• Laser-cutters• Embroidery machines• Rapid prototyping

Just in Time

• Shared information systems• Reduced lead times• Less finance tied up in stock• Products are bar-coded

Automation

• Numerous interlinked sub-systems centrally controlled

• Use of robots for repetitive/dangerous tasks• Monitoring/measuring• Logistics

Flexible Manufacturing

• Benefits of one-off production at mass production prices

• Only possible with ICT• Materials handling• Reduced storage costs

Remote manufacturing

• Very common especially in the printing industry

• Maximises savings by manufacturing abroad

Buy a Revision Guide

• Written for this course

• £4.99 each

• Read it

• Use workbook to check

your understanding