Sustainability

Production Methods

Reduce materials used

Reuse standard parts
Recycle at end of life

Non-Renewable Materials:
Finite source from oil, ores and
minerals, e.g metals, plastic.

Ensures producers get

paid a fair price for goods
in disadvantaged areas.

Renewable Materials:
Infinite source grown from plants
or animals, e.g wood, leather.

Forest Stewardship Council

ensure wood has come
from a sustainable forest.

Product Miles:
Miles a product travels in its life
time (Source > Factory > Outlet)

Green Dot Symbol shows

a fee has been paid to
recover packaging.

Amount of carbon
emitted during a
products life time.

Packaging Symbols
Keep
Contents Dry

Description

Cooking
Instructions

Name of Product
(not misleading)
All Ingredients

Batch Production is when a series of identical products

are made together in specific quantities. Once one is
made, another series is made. e.g Bread
Mass Production is when a product goes through stages
of a production line, where each stage is responsible for
a certain part - it is usually cheap. e.g Cars
Continuous Production is when a product is continually
produced over a period of days, weeks etc. The product
is quite cheap and produced 24/7. e.g Soft Drinks
One-Off Production is when only one product is made
at a particular time. Production takes a long time and
the product will be expensive. e.g Sculpture

Reasons for Packaging

Protection - Prevent damage and tampering

Barcode
Fragile, handle
with care

Informing - Information for buyers/user and picture of product

Containing - Keep pieces together

Place this
way up

Transportation - Can be easily stored and packed in bulk for transport

5 a Day
Logo
Estimated
Sign

Best Before
Date

Preservation - Prevent product form deteriorating e.g food

Price

Storage Conditions

Nutritional
Information
Weight

Display - Advertise the product so it is easy to find on the shelf

2D & 3D Designs
Isometric shows all
sides, but not as true
shape with 90 corners.
Horizontal lines drawn
at 30 to base.
Oblique shows the
front face with lines
extending back at 45
to show 3D effect.

Batch Production Tools

Orthographic
have a front, side
and plan view.

Former is used to make sure parts are shaped

to exactly the same shape each time.
Two Point Perspective uses 2
vanishing points, connected
by a horizontal line.

One Point Perspective

shows objects receding
as they get further away
- 1 vanishing point.

Kitemark - British
Standards Institute
Which - Consumer
Advice Service
Lion Mark Safe quality toy

Template allows you to

draw around and mark a
shape onto materials so it
can be cut out.
Mould is a hollow shape used when
casting plastic resin or metal.

Consumer Issues & Safety

Meets European
safety standards

Jig is used to make sure parts are made the same,

without the need for marking out. Can be used to
help the positioning of holes when drilling.

Design Movements & Retro Design

Hazard: A potentially dangerous activity.

Risk: How likely it is for an employee
to be harmed by the hazard.
Risk Assessment:
Identifies hazards and
how the risk can be
minimised.
Legislation: Consumer Safety Act
and Consumer Protection Act

De Stijl was formed in the 1920s in the Netherlands by a

group of architects and artists, led by Theo van
Doesburg. It has a distinctive look consisting of
geometric shapes and only primary colours with black
and white. No curves are allowed. Designs were based
on functionalism with no decoration.
Retro Design are products based on nostalgic views
on the past; they have a traditional design with the
latest technology. There is still a place in the market
where people want to buy it.
VW Beetle

Not suitable for children aged

0 - 3 years e.g choking hazard.

Designing New Products

Continuous Improvement

Market Pull is when consumer market creates a demand for new products.

Process which ensures manufacturers guarantee that their products are

the best they can possibly make them at the required price.

Example: Toyota Aygo - High customer

demand for smaller, greener cars. Using
existing technology to provide small
cars with better fuel economy and less
environmental impact.

Environmental Impacts

Consumer Feedback

Legislation and
Regulations

Styling
Updates

Technology Push is when scientific research and development has led to

creation of new products.
Example: iPhone - Existing products have
developed into Personal Digital Assistants,
using new technology to make it more
than just a simple communication device.

Branding & Advertising

Manufacturing
Improvements

Financial
Savings
Maintenance Issues

New Technology

Quality Systems

Methods of Advertising:

TV / Radio
Internet Ads
Newspapers
Magazines
Telephone Marketing
Flyers through post
Bill boards

Quality Assurance checks systems that make the products,

ensuring consistency and required standards are met.

Draws the attention of potential customers

and persuades them to buy the product, by
informing them of features and functions.
This may create a consumer demand.

Companies have a brand status when they

have built up logos, symbols, colours, values,
catch phrases and feelings with a successful
product. This may create a brand identity that
the public trust - effective form of marketing.

Staff are trained to monitor the equipment and materials

at different stages during the manufacturing process.

Quality Control is a series of checks carried out on a

product as it is made; this guarantees accuracy and
makes sure each product meets a standard.
Checks may include dimensional accuracy (with a
tolerance), material quality, taste, flammability tests.

Human Factors

Using ICT to Design and Manufacture

Anthropometrics are measurements

of the human body.
Ergonomic Products are easy
and comfortable to use.
Exclusive User Groups:
Inclusive Design is suitable for as many
people as possible - it is designed
between the 5th and 95th percentiles.
Exclusive Design is for a specific type
of user group e.g Braille phones,
wheelchairs, baby car seats.

Product Evolution
Factors causing products to evolve over time:
 New Technology available e.g micro-technology
 Social Changes e.g women going to work
 Changing Fashions e.g seasonal colours in textiles
 New Materials Develop e.g smart materials
 Change in Manufacturing e.g automation
Mobile Phone has become
smaller and more advanced due
to improvements in nanotechnology and inventions such
as the internet, which have been
incorporated into the product.

CAD is Computer Aided Design e.g CAM is Computer Aided Manufacture

2D Design, Solid Works software e.g Laser Cutter, 3D Printer, Computer
Numerical Controlled (CNC) Lathe
Advantages of using CAM:
+ More accurate
Disadvantages of using CAM:
+ Reduce labour costs
- Expensive
+ Less human error
- Staff training required
+ Easily repeatable for
- Too much reliance on
identical components
technology - can fail
+ Store data easy (no paper)
+ Faster production

Biomimicry
Where nature inspires a designer, by looking at the way it solves a
problem through evolution, and applying this to a design problem.

Velcro was invented, by looking at

natural burrs on dogs fur and
plants in a field. They had natural
hooks that attach to each other,
and any other type of textile.

Japanese Bullet Train was

designed in style of the nose of a
Kingfisher, because it has an
efficient shape, which reduces
drag, so it travels at high speeds.

Design Movements

Standard Components

Arts and Crafts Movement took a traditional approach, using

craftsmen to make organic decorations e.g William Morris
Art Nouveau took inspiration from nature and believed in
quality goods but accepted mass production e.g Louis C Tiffany
Art Deco takes motifs from natures but uses bolder colours
and materials, often geometric shapes e.g Clarice Cliff

Pre-manufactured pieces, mass produced by specialist manufacturers,

that are widely accepted and used by industries in commercial products.
Advantages:
+ Cheap to buy in
+ Assemble/make products
quicker and easier
+ Maintains consistency and
quality of products

Disadvantages:
- Shortage of specialised
components e.g computer chips
- Producers become dependent
on suppliers and have to check
quality of components

Bauhaus uses simple, minimal and practical designs to

explore new ideas e.g Walter Gropius (German School)
Memphis use bright colours and geometric shapes to
make eccentric and futuristic designs e.g Ettore Sottsass

Metals

LEDs

Hinges

Food Colour

Buttons

Nuts and Bolts

Plastics

Ferrous Metals contain iron (Fe)

Stainless Steel - resistant to water and corrosion e.g cutlery
Mild Steel - ductile, malleable, rusts easily e.g gates, railings
Non-Ferrous Metals dont contain iron
Aluminium - low density, cheap, shiny e.g car bodies
Copper - ductile, resistant to water, conductor e.g pipes, wires
Silver/Gold - resists corrosion, conductor e.g jewellery, circuits
Alloys mixture of metals
Brass - (Zn and Cu) shiny, hard e.g door handles
Finishes:
Anodising - gives aluminium durable finish
Plating - use electrolysis gives shiny chromium surface
Galvanising - dip metal into bath of molten zinc

Zips

Corrosion
Resistant

Thermosetting Plastics cant be reshaped when heated

Expoxy Resin - cast made of resin and hardener e.g PCBs
Urea Formaldehyde - colourless e.g electrical switches, fittings
Phenol Formaldehyde - hard, brittle, heat resistant e.g pan handles
Thermoplastics can be reshaped when heated (recyclable)
Low Density Polyethene - flexible, tough e.g plastic bags, bottles
Polypropene - strong, flexible, robust e.g chairs, buckets
PVC - durable, tough, water resistant e.g raincoat, water pipes
Finishes:
Polishing - buffing machine removes scratches
Powder Coating - spray onto products in oven, which
provides durable, paint-like finish in many colours

Woods
Softwoods from coniferous trees, grow fast all year, cheap
Pine - strong, easy to work with e.g DIY work
Hardwoods from deciduous trees, lose leaves, grow slow, expensive
Beech - light in colour, hard, can be steam bent e.g toys
Oak - strong, easy to work with e.g quality furniture
Ash - easy to work with, can be laminated e.g tool handles
Man-Made Boards veneers or wood fibres glued together
Plywood - strong, durable, water and boil proof e.g boat work
Chipboard - chips glued, cover with laminate e.g shelves
MDF - smooth even surface, easily machined e.g furniture
Finishes:
Oils - improves appearance, protects for outdoor use
Varnishes and Lacquers - seals surface of timber
Stains - enhance colour and show up grain patterns