General Flashcards
What is a characteristic of an ergonomic product?
Comfortable to use, adjustable
Define recycling
Using waste material when creating another product
What are the 6 R’s?
Recycle
Repair
Reduce
Reuse
Refuse
Rethink
What is repair
Fixing a faulty product
What is reduce
Decreasing use of resources such as packaging
What is refuse
Not purchasing products because of concerns, boycotting
What is reuse
Repurposing products which are no longer functional
What is rethink
Questioning why things are a certain way to make products more effective/efficient
Define manual system
-give an example
Needs a user to input and make decisions
-keyboard, mouse
Define semi-automatic system
-give an example
Triggered by user but main functions are automatic
-vending machine
Define automatic system
-give an example
Once started, continues without a user
-automatic doors
Define scale of production
-what are the 4 types?
Amount of product being manufactured
-one off, batch, mass, continuous
What is a microcontroller?
An integrated circuit chip which controls devices
Define enterprise
Ability to identify a business opportunity, develop it and make it commercially successful
Define technology push
Development of new tech/products driven by advancements in technology rather than market demand
Define market pull
Development of new tech/products driven by customer demand rather than advancements in technology
Define crowdfunding
Small amounts of money donated by many individuals to kickstart a small enterprise’s idea
Define cooperative
An enterprise owned and run by its members to give them a greater voice
Define virtual marketing
-give an example
Use of social media, websites, email and digital marketing to promote a product or service
-sponsorship, adverts, paid for marketing
What is fairtrade?
Providing better wages and ethical working conditions for workers in developing countries while keeping a sustainable price
Define raw
Not yet processed
Define planned obsolescence
The planned failure of a product or service
Define planned permanence
Designed to be durable
Define sustainability
Meeting current needs without compromising the needs of future generations
What is a prototype?
A test before the final product
What is anthropometric data?
Study of the human body and its movement, including measurements
Define ergonomics
Application of anthropometric data to create a better product and improve user experience
Give 2 examples of CAD
Photoshop, onshape etc.
Give 2 examples of CAM
Laser cutter, 3D printer, CNC machine etc.
What does CAD stand for?
-what does CAM stand for?
Computer aided design
-computer aided manufacturing
What are 2 pros of CAD?
-view design from different angles
-test for weaknesses (stress test)
-see various materials/colours
-easy to share work
What are 3 cons of CAD?
-skilled designers required
-computers can crash and lose progress
-software can be expensive
What are 2 pros of CAM?
-very accurate
-more efficient
-can run constantly without breaks
-great for mass/continuous production
What are 3 cons of CAM?
-expensive to set up
-prolonged downtime for maintenance
-can randomly fail
What is a CNC machine?
-what does CNC stand for?
Works by coordinates in a 2D/3D space (x/y/z)
-computer numerically controlled
What are 2 pros of microcontrollers?
Smaller, cheaper, efficient
What are 3 cons of microcontrollers?
Hard to fix, complex, require programming
What are 2 pros of crowdfunding?
-generate more money, faster
-company has more support
What is a con of crowdfunding?
Company can get sued if doesnt successfully deliver an anticipated product
What is ACCESSFM short for?
-aesthetics
-cost
-customer
-environment
-size
-safety
-function
-material
What is automation?
Use of tech to perform tasks without human intervention
What are robots?
Programmable machines capable of automating tasks, often to perform complex or repetitive actions with precision and efficiency
What are 2 characteristics of automation?
-increased efficiency
-consistency and precision
-reduced human labour
-cost effective in long term
Give 3 examples of automation
-robotic arms
-CNC machines
-automated warehouses
What is robotics?
Design, construction and operation of robots
What are 2 characteristics of robots?
-programmable
-sensing, feedback (sensors allow interaction with environment and to adjust actions accordingly)
-precision and repeatability
Give 4 examples of robots
-industrial robots
-drones
-humanoid robots
-medical robots
In an isometric drawing, at what angle are horizontal edges drawn at?
30 degrees
Give 2 reasons why a manufacturer would switch to CAM
-increase efficiency in manufacturing
-spend less on worker wages
-decrease chance of worker error
Give 4 non-renewable energy sources
-coal
-oil
-natural gas
-nuclear
Describe how coal is used to produce energy
Coal is burnt, evaporating water which spins a turbine, producing electricity
What is an advantage and disadvantage of using coal to produce energy?
Advantages)
-abundant resource
-reliable
-produces a lot of energy
Disadvantage)
-contributes to global warming as produces carbon dioxide
-mining causes damage to natural land
Describe how oil is used for energy
Used as fuel (or turned to plastic)
What is an advantage and disadvantage of using oil to produce energy?
Advantages)
-small amounts can produce a lot of energy
-easy to store and transport
Disadvantages)
-significant pollution when burnt
-impacts water and land when disposed of
How is shale gas obtained?
Fracking (cracking open large underground rocks)
What is natural gas used for?
Heating, cooking
What is an advantage and disadvantage of using natural gas to create energy?
Advantages)
-emits less CO2 than oil or coal
-UK has shale gas deposits
Disadvantages)
-highly flammable
-extraction causes water pollution
How is nuclear fusion used to create energy?
Steam spins a turbine, producing electricity
What is an advantage and disadvantage of using nuclear fusion to create energy?
Advantages)
-produces huge amounts of energy from little uranium
-no harmful gases released
-more efficient than fossil fuels
Disadvantages)
-power stations extremely expensive
-uranium disposal is difficult and expensive
Give 5 types of renewable energy
-wind
-solar
-tidal
-hydroelectric
-biomass
Give an advantage and disadvantage of using wind to create energy
Advantages)
-sustainable
-low cost of running turbines
Disadvantages)
-unreliable
-turbines expensive to construct
Give an advantage and disadvantage of using solar panels to create energy
Advantages)
-clean and renewable
-reduce household energy bills
Disadvantages)
-expensive to install
-unreliable during winter and cloud coverage
Give an advantage and disadvantage of using tides to produce energy
Advantages)
-clean and renewable
-power plants last a long time
Disadvantages)
-construction of tidal barrages is expensive
-unknown environmental impact
Give an advantage and disadvantage of using hydroelectric sources to produce energy
Advantages)
-renewable
-energy can be produced at selected times
-no pollution
Disadvantages)
-dam construction is expensive
-damages surrounding environment
Describe how biomass is used to produce energy
Plants grown and burnt in a furnace to produce heat such as rapeseed or willow
Give an advantage and disadvantage of using biomass to produce energy
Advantages)
-renewable
-CO2 released can be reused by growing plants
-plants grown quickly to ensure good supply
Disadvantages)
-causes pollution
-uses lots of land
-floods valleys, damages surrounding environment
What are the 2 main types of batteries?
Single use, rechargeable
What are single use batteries sometimes referred to as?
Primary types
What type of batteries are alkaline batteries?
Single use batteries
What do button cell batteries usually power?
Calculators, hearing aids etc.
What voltage do AA and AAA batteries typically produce?
1.5 volts
What are PP3 batteries used for?
Smoke alarms, medical equipment etc.
What voltage do PP3 batteries produce?
9 volts
What are 2 advantages of rechargeable batteries?
-more economical in the long term
-can be recharged
Give 2 disadvantages of rechargeable batteries
-more expensive
-limited lifespan
Explain, in detail, why batteries should be recycled
Batteries contain harmful chemicals and metals which are bad for the environment if disposed of incorrectly. These harmful elements can contaminate the ground and poison wildlife
What is a kinetic pumped storage system?
A fast acting electrical energy storage system to top up the National Grid power supply at peak times when more electricity is needed
How does a kinetic pumped storage system work?
Has 2 reservoirs and a hydroelectric dam system.
At night, excess electricity produced from elsewhere is used to pump water from lower reservoir to the higher reservoir where water remains. During a daytime spike, the dam is opened and water from the top reservoir flows and spins a turbine which produces electricity.
What is a fulcrum also known as?
Pivot
Which class lever is like a seesaw? (Fulcrum in between load and effort)
Class 1
Which class lever is like a wheelbarrow? (Load in between fulcrum and effort)
Class 2
Which class lever is like tweezers? (Effort in between load and fulcrum)
Class 3
How do you calculate mechanical advantage?
Load / effort
Describe linear movement
Straight line, only forwards
Describe reciprocating movement
-give an example
Back and forth or up and down
-elevator
Describe rotary movement
Moving in a circle
Describe oscillating movement
-give an example
Pendulum motion
-swing, pendulum
Name 4 types of cams
Pear, circular, heart, snail
What is the motion of a reverse motion linkage?
-give a usage example
Opposite of input direction
-foldable clothes horse (drying rack)
Describe the motion of a parallel motion linkage
-give a usage example
2 moving pivots parallel, oscillating movement
-toolbox with drawers
Describe the motion of a bell crank linkage
-give a usage example
From horizontal to vertical movement at 90 degrees
-brakes in bikes
What is the equation for velocity ratio?
Teeth on driven / teeth on drive
What 3 things can gears change?
-speed
-torque
-direction of movement/rotation
