DT - Unit 1

Automation

Robotic automation of manufacturing processes offer greater consistency, accuracy, reliability and productivity than humans

Barcode: Universal Product Code version 'A' (UPC-A)

Used in EPOS systems and warehousing

Barcode: Code 128

Used in transport and shipment tracking

Graphene

Honeycomb lattice carbon structure only one atom thick. 200 times stronger than steel, very flexible, conducts heat and electricity and is almost transparent

Small enterprises Inc.

Small buisinesses can use new technology to compete with their larger competitors

Virtual marketing

• Search Engine Optimisation to increase page ranking

• Email marketing

• Social media

• Viral campaigns

Co-operatives

Organisations or businesses that are owned and run by its members. Members will share profits. Often local but can be national businesses. E.g. CO-OP

Fairtrade

Better prices, decent working conditions and fair terms of trade for farmers and workers in less economically developed countries.

Finite resources

• Non-renewable

• Being used faster than they are naturally replaced

• Cannot be synthetically reproduced

• Includes coal, gas and oil

Renewable energy

• From natural, self-replenishing sources

• Replaced faster than they are consumed

• Includes wind, wave, solar, geothermal, tidal and biomass

Non-finite materials

Unlikely to be exhausted or replaced faster than we can use them.
E.g. O2, fresh water, timber, leather

Responsible design

• Production techniques that may use non-renewable energy

• Toxic by-products created in manufacture

• Environmental impact of mining or harvesting

• The product itself or production processes may emit CO₂

• Powering a product may require non-renewable energy

• Transportation and distribution distance

• Maintenance and repair costs

• Welfare of workers in the material supply chain

• Recyclability at the end of a product’s lifetime

Efficient working

Aim to remove waste form any process e.g. wasted time, over production, wasted resources and wasted energy

Pollution

The introduction of harmful substances or contaminants—chemical, physical, or biological agents—into the natural environment (air, water, or soil)

Global warming

Excess of CO2 in the atmosphere traps heat, warming the planet.
Burning fossil fuels releases CO2 from the earth

Battery Power

Uses finite and dangerous metals. Very intensive production process. Proper disposal of batteries is required to prevent leaching alkalis into the enviroment

Problem of plastic

Plastics absorb toxins. Fish eat plastics. We eat fish. Mmmmm

Technology push

New technology pushed onto the market, driven by research. From the market onto the consumers

Market pull

Consumer driven pressure causes manufacturers to develop new products or add functionality. From consumer onto market.

Cobots

Collaborative robots the allow for human-robot interaction. They work with humans rather than for them

Factors needed to take into account when designing a product

• Disability

• Inclusivity

• Trends

• Religion

• How different societies will perceive it

• Language

Computer Aided Design (CAD)

Used to create precision 2D or 3D drawings, models or technical illustrations on a computer. E.g. Techsoft, SolidWorks

Computer Aided Manufacture

Automated machinery is controlled by software to manufacture physical parts. E.g. laser cutter, 3D printer

Flexible Manufacturing Systems (FMS)

An assembly of automated machines commonly used on short-run batch production lines where the products frequently change. Can be easily: recalibrated, reprogrammed, retooled

Lean Manufacturing

Aims to manufacture products just before they are required to eliminate areas of waste e.g. overproduction, waiting, unnecessary motion, excessive inventory

Just In Time (JIT)

Items are create as they are demanded. No surplus stock of raw material, component or finished parts are kept.

Planned obsolescence

Designing products to break or become obsolete at certain times