GCSE CCEA Technology and Design

Thermoplastics

Include acrylic, PVC, ABS, nylon, and rigid polystyrene.

Hardwoods

Include mahogany, beech, and oak.

Softwoods

Include pine and cedar.

Manufactured Boards

Include plywood, MDF, chipboard, and veneered boards.

Ferrous Metals

Include mild steel, carbon steels, and stainless steel.

Non-ferrous Metals

Include aluminium, brass, and copper.

Alloying

Process to produce different properties and working characteristics.

Graphene

Awareness and examples of properties and potential use.

Annealing

Heat treatment process to soften material.

Normalising

Heat treatment to refine grain structure.

Hardening

Heat treatment to increase hardness.

Tempering

Heat treatment to increase toughness.

Deforming

Includes vacuum forming, line bending, and metal folding.

Saws

Tools like tenon saw, coping saw, scroll, and hacksaw.

Drills

Include pillar drill, cordless drill, and hand drill.

Hammers

Types like claw, pin, and ball pein.

Wood Chisel

Tool for shaping and carving wood.

Files

Tools with flat, round, and half-round profiles for shaping.

Bandfacer/Linisher

Tool for smoothing and shaping materials.

Pedestal Polisher

Machine for polishing and buffing.

Milling Machine

Machine for shaping solid materials.

Lathe

Tool for rotating workpieces to perform various operations.

Accuracy and Tolerance

Understanding precision and acceptable deviation.

Soft Soldering

Method of joining using a low melting point alloy.

Brazing

Joining method using a filler metal.

Welding

Joining metals by melting and fusing.

Wood Adhesives

Glues used for bonding wood pieces.

Wood Joints

Include butt, mitre, dowel, and housing joints.

Riveting

Joining method using rivets.

Moulds

Forms for shaping materials.

Templates

Patterns used for consistency in manufacturing.

Jigs

Devices to guide tools in production.

Fixtures

Holding devices for workpieces during manufacturing.

Finishing Techniques

Processes like painting, varnishing, and polishing.

Smart Materials

Materials with unique properties like thermochromic pigments.

Health and Safety Symbols

Common symbols for safety in Appendix 3.

CAD and CAM

Computer-aided design and manufacture.

Electronic Circuits

Circuits using electronic components.

Printed Circuit Board (PCB)

Board for electronic components.

Input-Process-Output

Conceptual framework for electronic systems.

Ohm's Law

V = I × R relationship in electrical circuits.

Electrical Components

Include resistors, diodes, transistors, and motors.

Electronic Conductors

Materials allowing electric flow.

Electronic Insulators

Materials inhibiting electric flow.

Resistors

Components that resist electrical flow.

Switches

Devices to control the flow of electricity.

Potential Dividers

Used to control voltage in a circuit.

LEDs

Light-emitting diodes used in circuits.

Thyristors

Semiconductor devices for power control.

Transistors

Components used for amplification or switching.

Safety in Electronics

Identifying hazards in electronic circuit production.

Mechanical Systems

Systems using resistant materials and discrete components.

Mechanical Control Applications

Examples of mechanical control systems.

Types of motion

Recognize rotary, linear, oscillating, and reciprocating motion examples.

Mechanical components

Identify wheel and axle, gears, cams, followers, levers, belts, pulleys, and shafts.

Levers

Understand load, effort, and fulcrum; draw first, second, and third class lever diagrams.

Power transmission

Explain simple gear trains, belt systems, chain-sprocket, and idler gears applications.

Cams and followers

Recognize eccentric, pear, heart, knife, roller, and flat cam types.

Safety

Identify hazards in mechanical control systems.

Input-process-output

Analyze pneumatic systems with reference to input-process-output.

Cylinders

Identify single acting cylinders and their symbols.

Valves

Recognize exhaust and pressure source valves; explain 3/2 valve functions.

Logic and AND/OR

Connect valves to create AND or OR circuits.

Speed control

Incorporate speed control using unidirectional flow regulators.

Construction

Design and analyze pneumatic circuits using discrete components.

Computer control systems

Analyze computer control systems with input-process-output; use flowcharts.

Flowcharts

Draw flowchart diagrams using symbols for START/STOP, OUTPUT, DECISION, WAIT, and feedback loops.

Printed circuit boards

Design PCBs from circuit diagrams; adjust designs based on changes or errors.

Use a multimeter

Measure voltage, current, and resistance with a digital multimeter.

The NPN transistor

Understand transistor switch on voltage, draw circuit diagrams with transistors.

Inputs

Differentiate analogue and digital signals; understand properties of analogue input devices.

Reed switch

A switch operated by a magnetic field

Push-to-make switch (PTM)

A momentary switch that makes a connection when pressed

Single pole, single throw (SPST) switch

A basic on/off switch with one input and one output

Single pole, double throw (SPDT) switch

A switch with one input and two possible outputs

Toggle switch

A switch with a mechanical lever for on/off control

Microswitch

A small switch actuated by minimal physical force

Rocker switch

A switch with a rocking mechanism for on/off control

Membrane switch

A switch made of flexible layers for activation

Slide switch

A switch that is moved horizontally to change its state

Circuit diagram

A visual representation of an electrical circuit using symbols

Motor

A device that converts electrical energy into mechanical motion

Solenoid

A coil of wire that acts as an electromagnet when carrying current

Bulb

A device that produces light when electricity flows through it

Buzzer

An audio signaling device that produces a buzzing sound

Relay

An electrically operated switch used in control circuits

LED

Light-emitting diode that emits light when current passes through it

7-segment display

An electronic display for numbers and some letters

Potential divider

A circuit with resistors that divides voltage proportionally

Vout formula

Formula for calculating output voltage in a potential divider: Vout = R2 / (R1 + R2) × Vin

Semiconductor diode

A device allowing current flow in one direction only

Reverse-biased diode

A diode used to protect against back electromotive force

Relay (SPST)

A relay functioning as an electrically operated switch with one input and one output

Integrated circuits

Miniature electronic circuits on a small chip of semiconductor material

555 timer

An integrated circuit used for timing and pulse generation

Time constant

The time taken for a circuit to charge to about 63.2% of its final value

Digital signals

Signals represented by discrete values like 0 and 1

Binary counting

Counting system using only 0s and 1s

Microcontrollers (PICs)

Programmable interface controllers used in control systems

Robotics applications

Examples of robots used in various fields