Core Technical Principles Flashcards
(35 cards)
New and Emerging Technologies : What is automation
enables repetitive tasks to be performed by mechanised assembly lines rather than a human. (Think cereal factory line)
New and Emerging Technologies : What is a robot
Robots can be controlled to automatically perform a series of complex movements (think Car manufacture arms)
New and Emerging Technologies : Automation advantages
-Increased efficiency
-Increased speed of production
-Accurate and consistent output
-Reduced labour costs
-Can work 24/7
-Ability to work in any environment
New and Emerging Technologies : Automation disadvantages
-Job losses
-No human decision making (will not think things through)
-Need skilled workers to maintain
-Expensive to set up
New and Emerging Technologies : Production line def
where raw materials are processed or components assembled to make the product
Enterprise Strategies : Crowd funding
-small capital from many
-uses website and social media to attract a broad range of investors
-alternative to traditional bank loan
If the project fails
-Investors can lack protection
-damage the reputation of the company => future funding harder
Enterprise Strategies : Virtual marketing
the use of websites, social media, email and digital marketing to reach a wider audience and potential client base in order to promote a product.
-It relies on hits, clicks or likes (more easily measured than with print advertisment)
Enterprise Strategies : Cooperative enterprise
an enterprise that is owned and run by its members who comprise its workforce or customers
=> gives groups of people greater economic protection and a stronger democratic voice.
Enterprise Strategies : Fair trade
Allowing farmers and workers in less economically developed countries to earn better incomes and develop their home nations => improvement in quality of life
-The Fairtrade foundation requires companies pay a fair and sustainable price for their produce.
Fair trade products include
-fruit -coffee - chocolate -cotton
Life Cycle Assessment : The stages of a products lifecycle
1) Extraction and processing
=> The amount of energy used to extract raw material from the earth, or to produce it from other methods and process to manufacturing
2) Manufacturing and production
=> The energy required to manipulate the raw and refined materials into a product
3) Distribution
=> The packaging and transportation
4) Use
=> Does it need regular maintenance, energy etc…
5) End of life
=> recyclability, to landfill, biodegradable. Some cheap material is gained from recycling, some cheap power is gained from biomass
Customer habits : Technology Push
- Designers will utilise new technologies before the market is aware of it.
=> they will do this to design new products, or improve existing ones
Customer habits : Market Pull
- When the market needs a product, designers will make something to meet that demand
=> in response to market forces or customer needs
Customer habits : Culture : Fashion and trends
- Fashion and trends often come and go, and the design market is influenced by the latest thing. With the internet, social media and the like has accelerated the rate of change in these trends, as well as how fast the customer response appears.
Customer habits : Culture : Faith and beliefs
- Designers must be responsible for considering the wider implications of a new product within different faiths.
Customer habits : Society : Inclusive design
- It is important for any new product to ensure the design can be used by as many people as possible. Not only is this morally correct, it will also widen the consumer base allowing the product to be sold to a larger demographic.
Production Techniques and Systems : FMS
Flexible manufacturing systems
-method of production
-easily adapted to changes in quantity or type of product
Production Techniques and Systems : Lean Manufcaturing
Focus on minimising waste and improving efficiency
=> cost saving
=> reduces resource use
Production Techniques and Systems : JIT
Just In Time
-Production method which monitors customer demand and produces as orders come in.
Advantages
-Products made on order (saving on storage) => space used for other activities in the factory
-Stock doesn’t expire
-Better cash management (only needed components are paid for as they are needed)
Disadvantages
-Supply chain must be reliable and fast
-delay in delivery or product failures massively affect sales
-no economies of scale (costs may be high as no bulk purchasing)
CAD & CAM : CAD advantages & disadvantages
ADVANTAGES
-Accurate designs
-Modifications can easily be made
-Software may automate some tasks
-Designs shared digitally
-Rendering to simulate final finish
-3D models produced
-Simulations available to test
DISADVANTAGES
-Need to learn software
-Work may be lost, corrupted or hacked
-Cost (hardware & software)
CAD & CAM : CAM advantages & disadvantages
ADVANTAGES
-V.accurate and precise (reduced waste)
-work 24/7
-Cheap working costs (electricity < wages)
-Faster than humans
DISADVANTAGES
-High initial costs
-Specialist knowledge required for setup and maintainence
-Needs a CAD design to produce
Emerging technologies informing design decisions : Planned obsolesence
-When a product is designed to fail so that consumers will have to buy again
Energy storage : Kinetic pumped storage systems
-Used by the national grid
-Pump water up into a high reservoir during periods of abundant energy
-Water is dropped down through a turbine during periods of high energy demand
Energy storage : Batteries
Alkaline batteries
-High energy capacity
-Long shelf life
-Once chemicals used up, no more energy production
-Hazardous waste
Rechargeable batteries
-charged many times
-power output constant
-slightly lower voltage output
Modern Materials : Metal Foam
-Cellular structure made from metal containing gas filled pores
-Good stiffness to weight ratio
-Great strength to weight ratio
-Resist deformation
-Insulative of heat and sound
Used for weight saving and impact absorbing structures in vehicles
