2.3 Technology and Cultural Changes Flashcards
socio-economic influences: pre-ww1 (characteristics)
- most furniture handmade
- natural materials (wood)
- build to last (once in a lifetime purchase)
- expensive
- luxurious
socio-economic influences: post ww1 (characteristics)
- rise of mass manufacture (increase in industry)
- use of metal tubing (replace wood)
- bauhaus movement:
- unite art & industrial design
- encourage experimentations
- eg wassily chair
socio-economic influences: ww2 utility furniture (characteristics)
- shortage of resources (food & materials) lead to rationing
- timber shortage for furniture worsened by property lost to bombing
- furniture rationing > committee set up > resources used in optimised manner
- very simple products
- strong, no decor
- traditional methods & materials
- influenced by William morris
socio-economic influences: post ww2 (characteristics)
- development of polymers (new moulding techniques, PP chair released)
- american designers: more streamlined products
- British disliked American design > form Council of Industrial Design (avoid getting left behind)
- development of transistor > miniaturised radios & audio equipment
- wider variety of furniture
- development of knock down furniture
- affordable
- easy for consumers to replace when fashions change
> rise of consumerism
micro-electronics (definition)
miniature electronic devices and systems facilitated by the development of the integrated circuit (IC)
benefits of transistors vs vacuum tubes (3)
- much smaller allowing elopement of ICs, smaller = more compact tech
- so small billions can be used on a single device- improved tech (eg medical scanners)
- more reliable & less likely to break
Moore’s Law
the number of transistors in an integrated circuit (IC) will double approx. every 2 years
key benefits of the internet (3)
- easier communication between countries & continents, available to public
- greater ease of access to information & more info available
- info more accurate & regularly updated
how have microelectronics influence manufacturing processes?
- allow for automation
- eg CNC, robotics
> allowed for mass & continuous production = more products & more profit - allow for rapid prototyping > faster development of products
PRODUCT LIFECYCLE
1. introduction
- product first released
- few sales
- little profit
- range of marketing
PRODUCT LIFECYCLE
2. growth
- product becomes more popular
- sales increase
- market share increases
- cost of development met
PRODUCT LIFECYCLE
3. maturity
- most people who want it, own it
- company must consider how to keep market share (eg re-release, product extension)
PRODUCT LIFECYCLE
4. decline
- sales drop, profit decreases
- eventual cost of manufacture means product no longer profitable
- product withdrawn from market
PRODUCT LIFECYCLE
5. product extension
- company releases new product under established brand name (eg iPhone, coke)
- profit increases
advancements in CAD/CAM:
standardised file format
- eg .stl (3D), .dxf (2D)
- connect CAD/CAM processes for a wide range of software & hardware
advancements in CAD/CAM:
3D printing
- models can be printed from CAD files
- materials include resins & thermoplastics
- facilitate short timescale testing of a series of design iterations that can be used to get feedback
advancements in CAD/CAM:
extensible markup language (MXL)
- improved file compatibility for a growing number of different software packages
advancements in CAD/CAM:
FEA & CFD
- simulate impact of decisions being made at the design stage to make improvements
- saves time, materials & money on testing physical prototypes
advancements in CAD/CAM:
cloud based CAD/CAM software packages
- accessible from any computer
- improves designers’ productivity & independence
- facilitates growth of mass customisation
advancements in CAD/CAM:
VR systems incorporating 3D headsets & haptic (sensory) feedback
- realistic appraisal of virtual designs in their intended environment
- additional CAD tools
rapid prototyping (summary of benefits) (5)
- 3D block models can be created directly from 3D CAD models
- can print with a wide range of materials (incl resin & thermosetting polymers)
- CAD models can be tested before printing
- can be replicated many times after feedback
- range of iterations of the product, much shorter timespan than handmade models
social, moral & ethical issues (summary)
- issues that affect a significant number of people
- moral & ethical: people’s beliefs, what they think of as right & wrong
- designers have some responsibility with these- not cause offence/social faux pas with designs
- issues different in different cultures
- eg environment, health, poverty, discrimination, unemployment
Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) (definition)
- a self-regulatory scheme which provides companies with a framework their social & ethical responsibility in the best way
- not mandatory
- eg Lego- commit to 100% renewable energy & sustainable raw materials by 2030
- eg Disney- encourage volunteering & provide disaster aid
benefits of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) (7)
- encourages innovation
- reduces costs
- brings employees together
- economically efficient
- socially equitable
- environmentally sustainable development
- still ensures economic growth & development
social benefits from military technology (examples)
- PillCam- internal medical imaging (originally for missile tech)
- Radar- safe air travel (developed WW2)
- EpiPen- automatically injecting syringe (developed to protect against nerve agents & chemical weapons)
- GPS (US defence system)
- penicillin (wide use during WW1)
- nylon & synthetic materials (dev WW2)
sustainability (definition)
reducing the impact of products & activities etc on the natural environment
sustainable strategies implemented by companies (4)
- sustainability review before project start
- source materials locally (eg Grown in Britain campaign)
- use responsible managed resources (eg FSC)
- operate under Ethical Trading Initiative
MODERN METHODS OF MANUFACTURE
electrohydraulic forming
(summary)
- method of forming complex sheet metal parts
- uses single-sided former
- forms using a shockwave from electric spark in tank of water
- trad. equivalent: press forming, deep drawing
MODERN METHODS OF MANUFACTURE
electrohydraulic forming
(advantages) (6)
- only needs single sided former
- can produce deep, complex, finely detailed shapes
- range of materials & thicknesses
- single stage process
- very fast
- material evenly distributed
MODERN METHODS OF MANUFACTURE
electrohydraulic forming
(disadvantages) (4)
- must be done in a vacuum
- high set up cost
- only works for smaller shapes
- water must be regularly replaced
MODERN METHODS OF MANUFACTURE
advanced 3D printing of metals
(summary)
- aka direct metal laser sintering (DMLS)
- laser used to fuse (sinter) metal particles together layer by layer
- good for making one-off parts/prototypes
- trad. equivalent is casting
MODERN METHODS OF MANUFACTURE
advanced 3D printing of metals
(advantages) (3)
- creates strong & lightweight parts
- can achieve complex shapes not possible with casting (eg undercutting, internal voids)
- no need to purchase & store highly expensive dies
MODERN METHODS OF MANUFACTURE
advanced 3D printing of metals
(disadvantages) (5)
- high set up cost
- slower than tradition manufacture methods
- limited number of materials
- poor surface finish
- max size dictated by size of print bed
MODERN METHODS OF MANUFACTURE
fibre injection moulding
(summary)
- reinforced fibre roving (slightly twisted stands of continuous reel) incorporated with polymer being moulded
- very similar to trad. injection moulding
- trad. equivalent would be lay up process
- many parts can be made with this process instead of casting (eg aluminium parts for cars, bikes, etc)
MODERN METHODS OF MANUFACTURE
fibre injection moulding
(advantages) (4)
- parts are strong, stiff & lightweight
- much cheaper & quicker to mould than metal alternatives
- some polyamides (nylons) can be electroplated to achieve aesthetically pleasing finish)
- more sustainable- use carbon fibre cut offs & waste
MODERN METHODS OF MANUFACTURE
fibre injection moulding
(disadvantages) (4)
- high set up cost
- increased brittleness
- costly for small runs
- not suitable for small components
MODERN METHODS OF MANUFACTURE
laser beam welding
(summary)
- laser beam used to heat up very small areas of the metal to weld 2 surfaces together
- trad. equivalent is MIG/TIG welding
MODERN METHODS OF MANUFACTURE
laser beam welding
(advantages) (6)
- laser beam is very precise so can heat up very small areas of the metal meaning less distortion
- can weld dissimilar materials
- weld smooth enough not to require additional finishing
- more accurate
- no need for filler rods
- small, thin components can be welded
MODERN METHODS OF MANUFACTURE
laser beam welding
(disadvantages) (3)
- high cost
- requires clean environment to protect optics
- health & safety- lasers highly dangerous
MODERN METHODS OF MANUFACTURE
physical vapour deposition
(summary)
- produces thin film of material/coats products with finishing surface
- alternative to electroplating
- used for: semi-conductor components, food packaging, machine tool cutting tips, decorative products, phone waterproofing
- base material is heated until it vapourises
- then passes through a vacuum to condense of target material
MODERN METHODS OF MANUFACTURE
physical vapour deposition
(advantages) (3)
- can get into very small gaps & coat small components (unlike electroplating/normal films)
- very durable
- environmentally friendly- happens in a vacuum, no toxic gases produced
MODERN METHODS OF MANUFACTURE
physical vapour deposition
(disadvantages) (3)
- difficult to coat undercuts
- high cost
- requires vacuum which uses a lot of power
glulam
- laminated timber (much thicker than plywood) accurately planed & glued together
- strong, corrosion resistant, stable
- laminate eliminated natural defects
- alternative to steel & concrete:
> more economical
> better strength to weight ratio
> easy to form & shape with low energy cost - always made from sustainable forests
- used as structural material (bridges, buildings, etc)
kevlar
- aromatic polyamide (polymer with ring-like molecules connected in long chains)
- extremely tough, very high tensile strength
- woven into material- lightweight & strong
- uses: bullet proof vests, puncture resistant tyres, aeronautical applications
precious metal clay
- microscopic particles of precious metals brought together in pliable medium
- shaped into jewellery etc
- once shaped undergoes sintering process (temperature raised unit medium burned off & metal particles fuse together)
- can be made very quickly (only needs to be heated for a short amount of time)
- can be used in craft kits at home
- thinks approx 10%
nanomaterials
- materials which are 1-100 nanometers in size
- used as additives in cosmetics etc
- used in sports equipment to improve tensile strength, stiffness etc
- research being done into nanoelectronics- much smaller but greater capacity than microelectronics
- used to coat materials to add/improve properties
> samsung- graphene prolong battery life - graphene = 2D form of carbon, honey comb structure
- when rolled into tube: high tensile strength, hardness, heat resistance, electrical conductivity
- nanotubes very thin & hollow- can be used in medicine eg delivering drugs
- non-recyclable
- some potentially toxic
migration (definition)
- the movement of people from place to place
- particularly due to push & pull factors (eg conflict, lack of resources, better job opportunities, promise of a better life, etc)
- example of programs to help migrants: BetterShelter (IKEA), SunWater
impact of migration on infrastructure
- large communities of displaced people often set up with little infrastructure due to lack of infrastructure & resources for sudden increase in population
- infrastructure in places people migrate from stagnates
fairtrade (definition)
- organisation which promotes the fair & ethical treatment of farmers & workers, ensuring workers are treated well & farmers paid properly. Also helps prevent exploitation & child labour
inclusive design (definition)
- products which are designed to be be easy to use for as many people as possible without having to adapt or change them
crowdfunding (definition)
- people can pledge/donate money to fund projects, usually online
open design (definition)
- designs free from intellectual property rights
- allows anyone to use and modify the design for free
Trevor Baylis wind-up radio
- powered by clockwork, not batteries
- accessible to people in places where batteries too expensive/not available
- accessible access to news & important broadcasts
- other windup products developed (eg torches)- more accessible technology
