1.27 Methods of Processing Materials

Question 1

Describe the method of Laminating

Answer 1

1. Wood strips are cut to size
2. PVA glue is applied evenly to both sides of the wood
3. The wood strips are sandwiched together
4. The wooden veneers are placed between a mould
5. Wood is clamped and left to set
6. Finished part is removed and finished / sanded

Question 2

Describe the Process of Steam Bending

Answer 2

Wood can also be bent by applying steam
1. This technique involves thin strips of wood being heated in a steam box
2. The applied heat and moisture makes the wood pliable enough to easily bend around a former to create a specific shape
3. The time depends on the thickness of the wood

Question 3

Describe the Process of Die Cutting

Answer 3

1. A printed sheet is fed into a platen, directly below the die
   .2. It is then pushed upwards, along with the cardboard, which is hit against blades
2. The blades are cut right through the cardboard, cutting it into the shape of the die
3. After cutting, the sheets are pulled to the next stage where the waste cardboard is removed, leaving a stack of cardboard ready for assembly.

Question 4

Describe the Process Water Jet Cutting

Answer 4

A water jet machine is an industrial tool that can cut materials using a jet of water with sand at high pressure. The force of the water is capable of cutting a range of materials, such as metal, plastic, wood

Question 5

Describe the Process of Laser Cutting

Answer 5

1. The piece being cut is designed on the CAD Software
2. The file is saved as a DXF file
3. The designed part is now loacted on the laser cutter software.
4. The software is set up to indicate what parts are due to be cut/ engraved. The thickness of materials and material selection is also selected on the software.
5. The fume extraction system removes harmful gases released from cutting materials such as acrylic.
6. The completed part is removed- the lid acts as a safety mechanisms- once opened it shuts off

Question 6

Explain the process of 3D Printing

Answer 6

Split into two sections- the drawing file and the printing of the 3D process

1. Drawing File
   -A component of part is created and saved as an STL file.
   -The component ‘slices’ the final model into hundreds of horizontal layers
2. 3D product
   -When the sliced file is uploaded, the printer reads every slice to create the object with hardly any visible signs of the layers of commonly used ABS or PLA.
   -The layers will depend of the settings (quality and shelling) selected by the operator before printing

Question 7

Explain the Dye Sublimation Process

Answer 7

Sublimation printing is the process of sublimation inks onto a surface using a heat press to provide the required combination of heat, time and pressure

-This combination causes the inks to be converted from a solid to a gaseous state enabling them to be permanently transferred onto the surface of the material. It is long lasting and resistant to scratching unlike some other printing methods that merely print onto the surface of the item.