Chapter 5 Flashcards
Name the 6 factors that influence material choice
Cost & Availability, Aesthetics, Sustainability, Social Footprint, Properties & Characteristics, Functional Performance
What might a designer consider in terms of the functional performance of a material?
Strength, durability, transparency, frictional grip, hardness, toughness, weight
What is the difference between hardness and toughness?
Hardness is resistance to wear/surface deformation, toughness is resistance to sudden impacts
What are the main factors of aesthetics to be considered?
Colour, form, feel, shape, touch & style
How might the choice of material impact the cost of a product?
People may be willing to pay more for it, stock forms may cause more waste, a new/rare material will be more expensive, bulk buying, may be difficult to work with
What are the 3 types of outsourcing?
Onshore, nearshore and offshore (global)
What are the benefits of outsourcing?
Cost efficient, businesses can focus on what they’re good at, access to specialists, global reach, enhanced productivity/efficiency, access to more stuff (JIT easier)
What are the negatives of outsourcing?
Dependant on suppliers (could mess up JIT), communication issues can occur, loss of work for local producers, larger producers may have power over smaller ones
What are mechanical properties?
How the material reacts to forces on it. These include strength, flexibility, fatigue limit and elasticity.
What are chemical properties?
How the material reacts & changes when in contact with other substances. These include hygroscopy (water absorption), corrosion resistance and reactivity.
What are physical properties?
The handling characteristics. These include density, conductivity, melting point, flammability and optical & acoustic properties.
What are manufacturing properties?
Processing properties; required for the material to change into a required shape. These include formability, machinability and fusibility (how easily it melts).
What social factors may need to be considered when choosing materials?
-Working conditions
-Maintaining traditional & local materials
-Inclusive design
-Emissions
What cultural factors may need to be considered when choosing materials?
-May remove local/cultural resource related to community traditions
-May cause offence when inappropriately culturally appropriated
