Key definitions Flashcards
Alloy
a mixture of two or more metals
Anthropometrics
human body measurement of data
Ergonomic
a product that is easy and comfortable for people to use
Automation
the use of machines to do a task automatically without much, or any human input
Batch production
the production method used to make a specific quantity of identical products
CAD
computer aided design, design using a computer
CAM
computer aided manufacture, manufacture using a computer
Carbon footprint
the amount of greenhouse gases released into the air by making, using and eventually reusing, recycling or disposing of something at the end of its lifetime
Composite
a material made by bonding two or more different materials together
Continuous Production
the production method used to make large amounts of a product non-stop
Corrosion
the gradual destruction of a material as it reacts with a substance, eg. the rusting of iron
Deforestation
cutting down large areas of forest without planting new trees to replace the old ones
Design brief
the instructions that a client gives to a designer about what they want the product to be like
Ferrous metal
a metal or alloy that contains iron
Fibre
a thin hair-like stand + they can be sprung into yarn, or used as they are, to make fabrics
Filament
a long continuous length of fibre
Finite resource
a resource that will run out eventually, eg. crude oil + also called a non renewable resource
Flexible manufacturing system (FMS)
a set of different machines which carry out the different stages of production + these computer controlled, automated systems are designed to be easy to adapt
Hardwood
a type of wood that comes from slow growing trees with broad leaves (mainly deciduous trees) + it’s usually denser and harder than [—-] woods
Integrated circuit (IC)
a tiny self-contained circuit which can contain billions of components
Iterative design
a design strategy that involves constantly evaluating and improving product’s design
Knitted fabric
a fabric made from yarns held together by interlocking loops
Lean manufacturing
an approach to manufacturing that aims to minimise the resources used and waste produced
Manufactured board
A material made by compressing a mixture of glue and processed pieces of wood into panels
Manufacturing specification
a series of written statements, or working drawings and sequence diagrams, that tells the manufacturer exactly how to make the product
Market Pull
when a product is made due to customer demand
Market Research
asking the target market questions to find out what their likes/dislikes etc are to help the designer understand what the target group wants from a product
Marking out
making a mark in the material to show where it is to be cut, drilled etc
Mass production
the production method used to produce a large number of identical products on an assembly line
Microcontroller
a type of integrated circuit that can be programmed and works like a mini computer
Modelling
making a practice version of a design or part of a design
Modern material
a material that has been developed for a specific application, they a new often developed through the invention of a new process or the improvement of an existing one
Natural fibre
a type of fibre that is harvested from natural resources
Non-ferrous metal
a metal of alloy that doesn’t contain iron
Non-finite resource
a resource that can be replaced by natural processes as fast as it is consumed by humans, eg. softwood trees in a plantation + also called a renewable resource
Non-woven fabric
a fabric made from layers of fibres (not yarns) held together by bonding or felting
One-off production
production method used to produce a single, unique product at a time
Orthographic projection
A 2D scale drawing of a 3D object showing the front, plan and end views.
Planned obsolescence
when a product is designed to become useless quickly eg. a disposable razor
Printed circuit board (PCB)
a board with copper tracks that connects components in a circuit
Product analysis
Examining and disassembling a current product to get ideas for a new product or design.
Production aid
a tool or technique used to speed up, simplify or help control the accuracy of a production process
Prototype
a full size, fully functioning product or system which is built so that the product and production methods can be evaluated before the product is manufactured on a larger scale
Quality control
the checks that are carried out on a sample of materials, products or components throughout production to make sure standards are being met
Seasoning
the drying of wood to make it stronger and less likely to rot or twist
Smart material
a material that changes it’s properties in response to a stimuli (a change in the environment)
Softwood
a type of wood that comes from fast-growing trees with needle-like leaves (mainly evergreen trees) + it’s usually less dense and softer than [**] woods
Standard components
common fixings and parts that manufacturers buy instead of manufacturing themselves
Stable fibre
a short fibre, eg. cotton fibres
Stock forms
the different shapes that materials are brought in
Sustainable
a process that can be used without causing permanent damage to the environment or using finite resources
Synthetic fibre
a man-made fibre that is produced from polymers
System
a collection of parts that work together to do a particular function + made up of inputs, processes and outputs
Target Market
the group of people you want to sell a product to
Technology Push
When advances in technology drive the design of new products and the redesign of old products
Thermoforming Plastic
a type of plastic that can be melted and remolded over and over again
Thermosetting plastic
a type of plastic that undergoes a chemical change when heated, which makes it permanently rigid and hard + it cannot be remolded
Tolerance
the margin of error allowed for a measurement of part of a product + they are usually given an upper and lower limit
Woven fabric
A fabric made by interlacing two sets of yarns together
Yarn
A thread made by twisting fibres together + they are woven and knitted to make fabrics
