2.3 Technology and Cultural Changes Flashcards
Socio-Economics
How the society and the economy interact to create particular circumstances.
To understand this enables a designer to recognize the opportunities that exist and to avoid offending people.
How did Bauhaus develop for furniture for mass production?
They were influenced by large-scale wartime adoption of metal tubing as a replacement for wood. The tubing was robust and reliable. The Wassily chair paved the way for industrial furniture-making techniques.
Who is Marcel Breuer and what was his style of design?
Simple design was easy to manufacture. The use of tubular steel in furniture design. Representation of how the inherent strength of elasticity in tubular steel can improve on traditional furniture manufacturing materials and techniques, and facilitate mass production through the utilisation of industrial machinery and modern materials.
Utility product
Targeted shortages of footwear, clothing and other shortages. Designs were strong, simple and ‘fit for purpose’. Developed for newly married couples and people made homeless due to bombing raids.
Describe “Contemporary times”
Fashion and demand for mass-produced furniture and decorative design. Rejection of the drabness of utility items.
What was the COID and what did it do?
The council of industrial design, set up in 1944 was set up to improve the standards of design through training, assessment and information. To improve the countries competitiveness in a post-utility environment. It held the ‘Britain can make it exhibition’ in 1946 and the ‘Festival of Britain’ in 1951 before being succeeded in 1972 by the Design Council.
The development of polymers
Facilitated the incorporation of a range of colours and shapes. An example of this is Robin Day’s PP chair (1963). This increased the variety of products available.
The invention of the Transistor
1940s, lead to a growing demand for mini radios and record players.
Micro-Electrics
Miniature electronic systems facilitated by the development of the integrated circuit board.
Transistors 1960’s, to 1980’s and now
500 -> 1,000,000 -> 10,000,000
Impact of miniature hard drive
high capacity, storage device
Moore’s Law
The number of transistors per square inch on integrated circuits had doubled every year since the integrated circuit was invented, making them more efficient.
Glulam
Several pieces of timber glued together to create composite components for the use in bridges, buildings and other structures
Good strength to weight ratio compared to steel
Ease of forming with low energy cost
Sustainable
Kevlar
Strong and light, 8 times greater than steel wire. Tough and strong due to the density and chemical bonds.
Used in bullet proof vests and aircraft
Pmc
A crafts material that consists of micro particles gold silver and other metals bound together into clay
When they are sintered, the clay dissappears. This is done at 700c and will shrink by 10%
Nanoparticles
Size of 1-100 manometers
Used in cosmetics
Lack of recyclablitly and potential toxicity
Electro hydrauliic forming
Electric shock in liquid forces blank metal sheet to be deformed into an open die with a forming surface, taking the shape of the die.
Physical vapour deposition
Used to produce thin films of material or coating with anodising as an alternative to electroplating
Internet of things
Connection of range of gives to one another over networks such as WiFi and the internet. Massive potential of improving the way that manufacturing works as well as kite mundane domestic tasks. Smart fridges know when there is no food left, it automatically orders something.
Advancements in CAD/CAM
- Standardised file formats (DXF -exchange formats)
- 3D printing
- Compatibility for different software packages
- cloud -> access software anywhere
Companies aware of social responsibilities
Lego wants to get a 100 % renewable energy capacity and a commitment to reach a target of moving towards sustainable raw materials as an alternative to raw based materials by 2030
Military products
Radar, pill cam and epi pen
And indirectly, gps, penicillin, drones and jet engines
Examples of dangerous quarries
Dam burst in the Minas Gerais, Brazil 2015 in an iron ore mine killing several workers and engulfing town in mud
Stressful working environment
Foxconn iPhone factory, workers killed themselves due to stress
Culturally offensive and non offensive products
In uk/USA white means purity and wedding whereas in eastern and Asian cultures it means death and mourning
Inclusive design
Designing for the 5th to 95th percentile
Examples of inclusive design
Wider doors for wheel chairs
Good grip utensils by oxo
Bright yellow handrails on transport
Larger buttons on kettles
Products that could assist with social problems
Itemiser -> swab for illegal drugs
Black box
MRI scans and ct scans
Non-invasive slice view of internal organs medical physics ez pz
Products that help migrants
Ikea foundations flat pack ‘better shelter’
‘Adiff’ by Angela Luna is a clothing line for refugees doubles as a cape and a tent
Hospitainers are hospitals made from shipping containers powered by solar panels
Fair trade
Negotiates with supermarkets to organised a fair wage for products and agrees on a premium to be added to products to be used to make investments to support developmental projects. Products that are fair trade have the fair trade mark.
How many times has the Toyota Corolla been redesigned in the past 50 years
11 times
Advantages of laser beam welding
Wide range of metals
Laser is thin -> less distortion
No further finishing processes
Accurate so thin products can be welded
Dis-Advantages of laser beam welding
High capital cost
Clean environment needed
Additional health and safety considerations
