Unit 1 (Industry and Enterprise, Sustainability, People Culture Society, Production Techniques and Systems, Informing Design Decisions

Question 1

Define globalisation

Answer 1

The way in which the world is becoming more interconnected.

Question 2

Define productivity

Answer 2

The rate at which something is being made

Question 3

Define process speed

Answer 3

The speed at which something is digitally processed

Question 4

What is automation

Answer 4

Where since the Industrial Revolution, human unskilled workers have been increasingly replaced with machinery. There have been changes in job roles rather than unemployment in some cases - eg: people have been ‘up-skilled’ to program robots to weld, instead of welding themselves.

Question 5

How can companies change their workflow to make it more sustainable?

Answer 5

Efficient workflow: systems put in place to eliminate time wasted during production

Continuous improvement: continually making small adjustments to production techniques to improve speed, quality and resources use. It encourages people to work together and give regular feedback

Question 6

What are the three types of virtual modelling

Answer 6

CAD: exploring design ideas
CAT: testing strength and efficiency
CAM: prototyping

Question 7

What ways can be used to help with enterprise (starting a business)

Answer 7

Crowdfunding: site where many people can make small contributions in return for discounts and shares in the company prophets, if successful
Cooperatives: members with equal shares and interests in an idea join forces
Virtual marketing and retail: advertisement via celebrities or influencers. Use of algorithms to generate information about users’ buying habits
Fair trade: trading partnership ensuring workers in developing countries have good working conditions and fair wage. It represents growing equality of the workers. This has encouraged companies to fair trade endorse some of their products to please consumers

Question 8

What are types of non renewable waste disposal

Answer 8

Incineration
Landfill
Burial
Recycling
Dumping in ocean

Question 9

What can designers investigate to improve about the manufacturing process when carrying a life cycle assessment

Answer 9

Alternative materials/manufacture
Local materials
Recycling labels
Energy sources

Question 10

How can companies reduce waste

Answer 10

Recycling schemes
Recyclable parts
Reduces disposables / pollutants (eg cosmetic companies have been issues a legislation that means their products cannot contain plastic micro beads, that pollute the ocean)
Financial incentives
Renewable power sources
Re-useable parts
Labelling recyclables

Question 11

Define culture

Answer 11

Ideas, customs and social behaviours of a group of people

Question 12

Define social (society)

Answer 12

A group of people with common territory, interactions and culture. In order to stay popular, companies have trend forecasts, which are able to predict the future patterns and colours two years before the product comes onto the market, getting them ahead of their market competitors.

Question 13

Define moral (morality)

Answer 13

The ideas of right and wrong: honesty and fairness. Eg: some companies choose not to use animal products in cosmetics because of peoples’ beliefs

Question 14

What does inclusive design need to factor in

Answer 14

Elderly. Eg: understanding the difficulties this user group experiences, such as a long shoehorn so they dont have to bend down.
Disabled. Eg: companies need to understand the nature of the physical disability, such as visual impairments, mobility restrictions or motor control.
Sizes
Shape
Respecting faiths and beliefs. Eg: symbols, dietary requirements, and clothing restrictions - designers may incorporate clothes into their collections that allow customers from other cultures to dress more modestly.

Question 15

How can designers understand the market

Answer 15

R and D (research and development)

Question 16

Define planned obsolescence

Answer 16

Consumer driven: something with a fixed lifespan that is designed to be improved. However, it increases more waste

Question 17

What is CAM

Answer 17

Automated machinery controlled by software:

CNC milling machines (can work 3D pathways)
CNC laser cutting machine (can cut through material with different speed rates)

Question 18

Define flexible manufacturing systems (FMS)

Answer 18

An ensemble of automated machinery that can calibrate, reprogrammed to change their task and retool. They can also be changed to make more or fewer parts without stopping the other process areas

Question 19

What is just in time (JIT) production

Answer 19

Where the product is made on demand

Question 20

What are the pros and cons of JIT

Answer 20

Pros
- reduces need (therefore cost) of warehouses (storage)
- reduces material deteriorating
- reduces waste of excess material and money

Cons
- takes longer to get from order to delivery
- need stable supplier

Question 21

Two places that products can be repaired

Answer 21

Can be repaired at home
Need to be repaired by a professional

Question 22

How is planned obsolescence achieved

Answer 22

Making products prone to wear and tear
The cost of repair greater than new product
Follows fashion trends

Question 23

What are modular buildings?

Answer 23

• Factory manufactured in sections
• Cheap
• Quick to put up
• Improvements in stock control mean less storage space is needed

Question 24

How do consumers impact the market?

Answer 24

Market pull: product ideas are produced in response to market forces or customer needs (eg small, high performance cameras)

Technology push: happens when there is a consumer demand for a new innovative product. To improve existing products or create new ones (eg smartphone touchscreen technology)

Question 25

Advantages of CAD

Answer 25

• ideas drawn and developed quickly
• designs viewed from all angles
• some forms of testing and consumer feedback can be done before the product is made

Question 26

Disadvantages of CAD

Answer 26

• expensive to set up
• needs skilled work force
• difficult to keep up with changing and improving technology

Question 27

Advantages of CAM

Answer 27

• fast and accurate
• machines can run constantly
• is repetitive

Question 28

Disadvantages of CAM

Answer 28

• expensive to set up
• needs a skilled workforce

Question 29

What is lean manufacturing?

Answer 29

• a Japanese concept requiring minimum costs and maximum efficiency
• cuts down on waste and use of materials during production
• done by adapting and making changes to the manufacturing process
• for instance, a packaging net could be redesigned to tesselate, reducing material use

Question 30

What is ‘design for maintenance’?

Answer 30

• a term used when designing products to be more durable
• some parts able to be replaced or repaired
• only possible with low tech or modular products, such as bikes

Question 31

What is ‘design for assembly’?

Answer 31

• a concept that, at end of life, can be disassembled and reused or recycled

Question 32

Examples of environmental design

Answer 32

• renewable materials
• cutting down on greenhouse gas emissions
• reducing finite resources