March test P42-48 + P62-67 Flashcards
How does aesthetics influence the selection of materials or components?
- aesthetics should appeal to target market
- eg. shape, size, colour, surface finish and texture
How does functionality influence the selection of materials or components?
- material needs to be fit for purpose
- easy to work with?
- do its job?
physical and working properties on p30
How does availability influence the selection of materials or components?
- issues with supply can affect price of product
- easy to source?
- widely available and easy to deliver?
- available in stock forms and sizes?
How do social factors influence the selection of materials or components?
- designers have a social responsibility to consider what impact their products may have on the environment
- using materials from sustainable sources (eg FSC)
- sourcing materials that have a positive impact on farmers and workers (eg fair trade)
- using recycled products
How do cultural factors influence the selection of materials or components?
- the views of one culture may vary from another
How does cost influence the selection of materials or components?
- overall cost of design, manufacturing etc should not exceed selling price
- buying materials and components in bulk reduces cost per unit
- upfront costs increase (storage space/ potential wastage)
How do ethical factors influence the selection of materials or components?
- consider human rights
- make something functional, reliable and usable
- consider the user experience
- avoid using unethical materials (exploit the workforce/ damages the environment)
How do environmental factors influence the selection of materials or components?
- using sustainable materials
- sourced locally when possible
- how easy is it to extract and transport the materials?
- reused + recycled? biodegradable?
basically limiting environmental impact
What is the Forest Stewardship Council?
- any wood/ paper products that have logo come from a sustainable source
- sourced from sustainably managed forests
- selective logging and replanting to ensure supply doesn’t harm the forest environment
What is compression?
- pushing force is applied to either end of a material
eg a concrete pillar holding up part of a building
What is bending?
- both tension and compression
- tension at the bottom and compression at the top
eg an aluminium diving board
What is torsion?
- when a material is twisted
eg a brass key, a high carbon steel drill bit
What is tension?
- when a pulling force is applied to either end of a material
eg a nylon climbing rope
What is shear?
- acts on an object in a direction perpendicular to its length
eg a low carbon steel screw used to hang something on a wall
How does bending improve functionality?
- adding curves, arches + tubes adds strength to product using minimum amount of material
How does folding improve functionality?
- add strength + flexibility
- material bends easily
eg corregated cardboard
How does fabric interfacing improve functionality?
- adds additional layer to give
- structure
- shape
- support
eg shirt collars are interfaced to make them more stiff
How does lamination improve functionality?
- bonding two or more materials together
- strength + stability improved
- add to aesthetics (new finish)
eg plywood, laminated card
How does webbing improve functionality?
- strong fabric made from high strength material
- woven into flat strips
- used for items under high tension
- additional material used to stiffen products
- less material used when making them
What are product miles?
- number of miles a product travels from all stages of manufacture through to its final retail destination
once sold it travels to the consumer if recycled, components travel back
How are product miles a social factor?
- total prodcut mileage
- total CO2 emmissions can be calculated
- part of LCA
How are carbon emissions a social factor and how can we reduce it?
- consume energy while manufacturing goods -> emits greenhouse gases
- becoming more energy efficient, using low/ no carbon fuels/ using new technologies (eg. carbon capture/ storage)
How is mining a social factor?
- extracts minerals, metals and coal from the earth
- soil erosion
- air + water pollution
- loss of biodiversity
How is deforestation a social factor?
- permanent removal of trees
- loss of wild habitat
- increase in CO2 levels
- timber sourced from sustainably managed forest = new trees replanted to replenish supply
How is farming a social factor?
- some farming practices have an impact on the environment
- pollutants in soil run-off from the soil
- harms habitats and wildlife
What is the order of the six Rs?
- rethink
- refuse
- reduce
- reuse
- repair
- recycle
What is rethink?
- consider the design and its impact
- is there a better way to produce it?
responsibility of designer and manufacturer
What is refuse?
- avoid using materials that are environmentally or socially unacceptable
- don’t buy a product if you don’t need it
responsibility of the consumer
What is reduce?
- make products that are durable and long lasting
- reducing consumption and waste
- reduce energy used and transport
responsibility of the designer, manufacturer, and consumer
What is reuse?
- product may be used again by another person/ for another purpose
repsonsibility of the consumer
What is repair?
- repair where possible rather than replace
responsibility of the designer, manufacturer, and consumer
What is recycle?
- take the product apart and convert parts into usable materials once again
responsibility of the designer, manufacturer, and consumer
What is the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974?
- workers should be provided with safe working conditions, training + safety equipment for their environment
- laws in place to ensure safe working hours, appropriate wages + working conditions
- not all countries offer same protection
- low paid workers may be exploited
What is atmospheric pollution and how can you reduce it?
- burning fossil fuels
- vehicle exhaust fumes, factory fumes, wildfires
- reductions can be made eg
- switching from diesel and petrol to electric vehicles
- using energy efficient lighitng and appliances
- improving recyling of materials
What is the social footprint of a product?
- complete supply chain (workers, farmers, methods of transport)
- developing new products that reduce impact on environment and resources
- being environmentally responsible (reduing use and release of chemicals and toxins)
What is oceanic pollution?
- chemical pollution- caused by run-off of fertilisers into waterways, oil spills, chemical waste
- plastic makes up of about 75% of marine litter
How can you reduce oceanic pollution?
- using plastic free alternatives
- saying no to plastics (straws, cups, bags)
- urge producers to make plastic free containers and packaging (biodegradable materials and no micro-beads)
- reduce carbon footprint - greenhouse gases make oceans more acidic
- significantly increase recycling to reduce waste being dumped in the ocean
How is timber made?
- a tree is felled (cut down)
- branches are removed
- washed/ soaked to remove mud
- debarked by rotor blades
- cut into managable lengths
- seasoned
- converted into planks
- planed all round (went into “planer thicknesser” machine, makes timber smooth all round and to precise dimensions
What is seasoning?
- reducing moisture content in newly cut timber
How does air dried seasoning work?
- air dried timber is separated and stacked under protective, roofed structure with open sides (air can circulate)
- slow process (3 months to a year)
- cheap (no need for anything except storage, wind does the job)
How does kiln dried seasoning work?
- kiln filled with steam
- moisture content gradually reduced
- more expensive but quicker (3-5 days)
- timber gets sold quicker with less storage space
Why is it important to dry out timber before making a product?
- product could shrink, warp, split or crack
- continues to dry after product has been made
What is medium density fibreboard?
- waste hardwood/ softwood broken down into fibres
- combined with resin binder
- pressured into dense, strong sheets
What is plywood?
- wooden veneers glued 90 degrees to each other
- composite material that is strong in all directions
What is chipboard?
- wood chips of varying sizes mixed with resin
- pressed to make a strong bond
- formed into a sheet
What are the typical traits of timbers?
- hard (resisting wear/ abrasion)
- tough (absorb shock without fracturing)
- durable
What type of timber is used for flat pack furniture?
- manufactured boards
Why are manufactured boards used for flat pack furniture?
- cheaper than natural woods
- finished with veneers
- can be purchased in large sheets
- consistent thickness
- no knots or grain
- doesn’t warp easily
- easy to machine
just choose 3-5 to remember lol
What are the disadvantages of manufactured boards for flat pack furniture?
- chips easily
- swell/ disorts when wet
- MDF turns into mush if left in water
What kind of timber is used for wooden toys?
- beech
- oak
hardwoods in general
Why are beech and oak commonly used for making wooden toys?
- hard
- durable (will be thrown around)
- dense grain
- can be sanded to have a smooth surface
- easily painted
- resists splintering
What is stock form?
- the shapes and sizes that the material can be bought in
What is the different between rough sawn and planed all round timber?
- rough sawn does not have the edges sanded while planed all round is smooth
What is the common size of rough sawn timber?
50mm x 25mm
What is the stock form of manufactured board?
2440mm x 1220mm
thickness increases in 3mm increments
Why do woodscrews come in different shaped heads?
- the more surface area of the screwdriver that is in contact with the screw, the more torque can be applied
How do you join two pieces of wood together using wood screws?
1) pilot hole narrower than diameter of screw (wood splits otherwise)
2) clearance hole drilled into top sectoin (slightly wider than the diameter of shank) the pieces of wood won’t pull tightly together otherwise
3) countersink hole drilled to the depth of the screw head to allow screw head to sink just below surface (head of screw remains proud of the surface otherwise)
What are screws, nuts and bolts called?
standard components
What are mouldings?
special shaped sections of wood
eg used in doorframes
What are dowel rods?
circular lengths of timber
fluted dowel pins are pre cut into short lengths for wood joints
Why are knock down fittings included in flat pack furniture?
- for ease of construction
- easy disassembly
- intended to be used with simple tools
What is a cam lock fitting?
- cam shaped like a disk fits into pre drilled hole
- connecting screw from second piece of timber connects with cam to pull panels tightly together
What is a connecting/ block fitting?
- plastic corner block join two pieces of timber at right angles
- screws inserted into ready made holes to hold the two pieces together
What is a cross dowel fitting?
- bolt hole drilled through one piece of wood and into the connecting piece
- dowel hole drilled laterally across bolt hole
- cross dowel (metal pin) slotted in
- aligns and screw is tightened to bring joints together
How do wood joints work?
- wood joints glued with PVA
- the more surface area can be glued together the stronger the joints
What are hinges used for?
connect two objects together with a pivot on one edge = allows open & closing
usually made of brass, steel or plastic
What is a butt hinge used for?
- doors and windows
- needs rebating for a flush fit
What is a butterfly hinge used for?
- decorative boxes
- decorative hinge
What is a concealed hinge used for?
- kitchen cabinets
- flat pack furniture
What is a flush hinge used for?
- space saving hinge
- used for lightweight doors & boxes
What is a piano hinge used for?
- toy chests/ piano lids
- continuous support along the length of opening
What is a tee hinge used for?
- gates
- shed doors
- ugly but strong
What is a wood veneer?
a thin strip of wood
What is laminating?
- glued and heat pressed layers of wood at right angles to each other (plywood)
- decorative laminate surface added last (aesthetics/ protection)
- used in flooring materials, office furniture, kitchen units
What is laminated timber/ glulam?
- thin planks of wood layered and bonded together with strong adhesive
- grain runs along length of wood
- layers are clamped together until glue dries
What is laminated timber used for?
beams and bridges
load bearing structures
how is oil used as a surface treatment for timber?
- soaks into timber
- can still see the grain
- provides protection and water resistance
- replenishes wood’s natural oils lost through exposure, age, wear and tear
how is paint used as a surface treatment for timber?
- usually needs a primer/ undercoat on bare wood
- colour finish
- layer of protection against weathering
- can scratch/ peel off
- surface protection (doesn’t seep into wood)
applied with a brush/ roller
how is varnish used as a surface finish for timber?
- transparent, can still see grain of wood
- surface protection
- can be colour tinted with oil stain
- tends to yellow over time
- yacht varnish is particularly hardwearing
how is wax used as a surface finish for timber?
- thin layer applied with soft cloth/ very fine steel wool, pushed into wood
- enhances natural colour and gives deep shine (grain of wood can still be seen)
- protects wood from moisture
- not as water proofing as oil
- not for outdoor use
how is wood perservative used as a surface finish for timbers?
- protects wood from fungal/ insect attack
- prevents rot + decay
- will need regular application to maintain levels of protection
how is stain used as a surface finish for timbers?
- pernamently stains wood
- colour can be affected by base wood
- does not protect
What is tantalised timber?
- wood that has been pressure impregnated with wood perservative
- long term protection against rot, fungal and insect attack
- for outdoor applications
- fencing, decking, footbridges
- does not need further painting or staining
What is a social issue?
- issues that could impact a large amount of people
- can be positive or negative
