Design and Technology: Product Design (3D) - PROD3 [A2]

Destructive testing - uses a test piece, test for durability

Hardness tests - ability to resist abrasive wear, indentation, deformation [must be indented or deformed]

• TYPES: Brinell test -     steel ball forced into surface, indent is measured to calc hardness
•              Vickers test -    diamond pyramid, measured using microscope
•              Rockwell test - for Quality Control of finished products, uses a machine 

Tensile tests - capable of being drawn out or stretched, under tension

Wear resistance - by rubbing with an abrasive, followed by weighing to give quantitative value

Non-destructive testing - not damage or destroy material or product

Visual check, Liquid penetrant - sprayed onto a surface, excess is removed, chalk shows cracks

Magnetic testing - component is magnetised, iron particles are dusted over, highlight where the magnetic lines are broken

The Client - identify a need or niche that could be met by a new product

The Designer - will work  to develop a product for a client 

Inventors - produce ideas for a new or improved product

The Designer-maker - who designs a product and then makes it

Makers - who will manufacture the product that has been designed

Users - will make use of the product developed by the designer

Idea are at risk of being copied, form of legal protection

UK Patent Office - four criteria

• It must be new
• It must involve an inventive step
• It must be capable of being industrially made
• It must not be excluded from the excluded list

Mood boards - image/photos, colour swatch

2-D/3-D sketching - rough sketches

Rendering - drawing look realistic or use 3D CAD (ProDesktop)

Orthographic projection - front, plan and end view, drawn to a scale, dimensioned

Modelling - CAD models

Mock-ups - rough prototype

Prototypes - high-quality model

Presentation boards - display to presenting ideas to a client, colleague or the public

government law + customers are more environmentally aware, will choose greener brands

Ecolabel - EU Ecolabel is voluntary scheme reduced impact on the environment (flower symbol)

EU Packing Directive - reduction of packaging waste by means of designing out waste in the initial package design, recycling and re-use - limits for a number of toxic metals used in packaging

Energy Labelling Directive - Refrigerators and washing machines label with A to G to indicate their energy consumption

ELVD - End-of-Life Vehicle Direction - label plastic to aid recycling, restricts the use of toxic media in new cars

WEEE Directive - Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive - take old products to WEEE collection points, products can be dismantled and the parts reused or recycled

RoSH - Restriction of Hazardous Substances Directive - ban hazardous materials and chemicals, lead, mercury and cadmium in electrical equipment

• Green Design - conserving materials through using recycled materials, Dyson contra-rotating washing machines uses a water jet system to reduce the amount of water used
• Ecodesign - selection of low impact materials, reduction in materials usage, reducing of impact during us and option of initial lifetime, 
• Sustainable Design

Cars

Aerodynamic body (reducing drag)

Lightweight aluminium engines

Use of polymers to reduce vehicle weight

Thin section mild steel or aluminium body and sub-assemblies (reducing weight)

Electronic engine management system - optimise burning of fuel

stop/start systems turn off the engine when the driver bring the car to a halt

High Pressure Die-casting:

Materials: Zinc alloy (allow Zinc) (other non-ferrous if reference to low melting point made)

• • High level of detail achievable
• • Mould can be polished to remove need for secondary finishing processes.
• • Metallic moulds mean product cools quickly making this ideal for mass production.
• • Used mainly for non-ferrous materials

Sand Casting:

Materials: Cast Iron or Cast Steel (Accept Steel in this instance only)

• • Ideal for large components due to cheap moulding material
• • Used for small production runs due to short working life of each mould
• • Quality of surface finish is low and requires secondary finishing processes
• • Mould material means it is suitable for higher melting point metals than die-casting.

Ferrous metal:

Mild Steel is used in the production of car body panels. The material is suitable for this as it is malleable under large pressure, making press forming of the parts a viable production method. It is available in a wide range of stock sizes and is easily joined by Spot and MIG welding. The material can be treated by Galvanising to prevent corrosion and if the panel suffers an impact from a collision, although the material will deform it’s malleability will reduce the chance of splitting and protect the occupants inside more than a polymer alternative.

Non-ferrous metal:

Copper is used in the production of electrical wiring, the material is extremely suitable for this application due to having excellent electrical conductivity, this improves the efficiency of the wiring. Another important factor is that Copper is extremely ductile, meaning it can be drawn into a wire without fracture. This is essential in the production of cabling where strands can have cross sections of 1mm2 and be in excess of 10 metres long.

Thermoplastic:

ABS is used in the production of many electronic product casings, such as mobile phones. It is a suitable material for this application as it can be injection moulded, allowing the production of complex 3D forms with varying wall thicknesses. Due to its toughness, it is resistant to the impacts associated with dropping mobile phones. It is available in a wide range of colours allowing the product range to be expanded and appeal to a wider range of consumers. The pigment giving the colour to the polymer is full-depth, meaning and scratches on the surface of the product will not affect the overall aesthetics of the product.

Thermosetting plastic:

Urea Formaldehyde is used in the production of electrical plug sockets. As a thermosetting polymer it will not melt when subjected to heat, it may degrade but the essential property in this situation is resistance to deformation in the event of an electrical fire/spark, as this will prevent the exposure of live wires to human contact. Also, its high electrical insulation value means it is ideal to house wires carrying currents associated with devices fitted with 13 Amp fuses.

Hardwood:

Teak is used in the production of outside furniture. It is suitable for this application due to several reasons. Firstly, although it needs treating regularly with Teak oil, it has a natural resistance to weathering and external environmental conditions. Further to this, it is resistant to acid, and although it should not come into contact with neat acids the presence of ‘acid rain’ in some locations makes it ideal. As a hardwood, it can be prohibitively expensive, but its dark appealing aesthetics and long knot-free sections make it ideal for small batch produced furniture aimed at the higher price bracket of exterior furniture.

Softwood:

Spruce is used in the production of interior finishing and furniture. It is suitable for this application due to several reasons. Firstly, Spruce is light and soft, but nevertheless, has good strength. Although its low natural durability can be compensated for by applying a protective coat of paint. As a softwood, it can be cheaper to obtain, it's easy to saw, plane, drill and sand as well as to slice or peel, to split or shred.