DTE - New and emerging technologies

What is automation?

process in which machines replace people(controlled by computer)

What are the advantages of automation?

-Increased efficiency and speed of production

-increased accuracy and consistency (more reliable)

-reduced labour costs

- can work 24/7

-ability to work in a variety of environments

What are the disadvantages of automation?

-replaces workforce, leading to some job losses

-no human input/decision making

-expensive to set up

-up-skilled workforce to maintain robots

What is crowd funding?

The practice of funding a project or venture by raising many small amounts of money from a large number of people, typically via the Internet.

What is crowd funding good for?

it enables organisations to raise investments from individuals who believe in their ideas

What is product innovation?

change in the appearance or performance of a product or the creation of a new one

What do products need to make them successful?

Investments to make them a commerical succses

What is virtual marketing?

using social media and the internet to increase brand awareness

What is a cooperative?

a business organization owned and operated by a group of individuals for their mutual benefit

What is the fair trade movement?

A movement designed to help workers in developing countries receive fair payments for their work.

What are renewable resources?

resources that can replenish themselves as they are used

What are non-renewable resources?

a natural resource that cannot be replaced when used up

What are examples of non-renewable resources?

coal, oil, natural gas

What are finite resources?

resources which will run out

What are examples of finite resources?

coal, oil, gas

What is a lifecycle assessment?

It determines the environmental impact of a product from production to disposal

What are non-finite resources?

resources that are easy to replenish and are unlikley to run out

What are examples of non-finite resources?

fresh water, timber, leather

What are the stages that are evaluated in the Life cycle asessment?

1. extraction and processing (the energy used to extract raw materials or to produce them and process it for manufacturing)

2. manufacturing and production (the energy required to make the product)

3. distribution ( the packaging and transportation to the user)

4. use

5. end of life

What is a renewable energy source?

An energy source which can be replenished as it is being used up.

What is an ecological footprint?

The impact a material leaves on the planet during its production and consumption

What are examples of renewable energy sources?

solar, wind, water waves, hydro-electricity, bio-fuel, tides, geothermal

How do companies improve efficiency?

-Investing is staff training

-improve working practices

-the use new technology

What is technology push?

Where new research and technology leads to new products on the market

What is market pull?

When users want a product to be improved or redeveloped. the consumer dirven pressure causes manufacturers to continuously develop or improve products

What are cobots?

Collaborative robots- humans and robots work together

What are inclusive designs?

Designs may be developed to be easily used by the elderly or disabled

What is computer-aided design (CAD)?

the use of computers in the design of products. CAD software is used to create precise 2D or 3D drawings or models

What is computer-aided manufacturing (CAM)?

The use of computers in the manufacturing of products. Automated machinery is controlled by software to create the physical parts.

How is CAM used?

The CAM computer uses computer numerical control (CNC) and CAD files to generate 3D tool paths for the machinery to flow

What are the advantages of using CAM?

It increases productivity, is highly accurate and consistent and reduces waste

What do the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) regulations require?

-Minimise waste from electrical equipment

-ensure waste products are recycled properly

-design products by reducing material use and enhancing resuablility and recyclability

How does sustainability help companies?

improves company reputation and consumer trust

What is a flexible manufacturing system (FMS)?

a method of production designed to easily adapt to changes in the quantity or type of product being manufactured (commonly used in short-run batches) ( they can easily be retooled, reprogrammed or recalibrated)

What is lean manufacturing?

Manufacturing whose goal is to eliminate waste and improve efficiency in all aspects of the process is cost-saving and reduces the use of resources

What is Just in time production (JIT)

A production method that responds to customer demand. Products are created as they are demanded. This means that there is no surplus stock of raw materials, components or finished parts are kept

What are the advantages of JIT?

- Storage space and costs are reduced

- stock doesn't become damaged, old or out of date

- Less waste as there is less out of date stock

-more factory space can be utilised

-materials and components are ordered as needed, keeping cash flow in control

-ordered secured before outlay on parts is required

What are the disadvantages of JIT?

- No stock means customers can't be supplied during production strikes

- Businesses using JIT can't respond to sudden rises in demand

- Suppliers have to be reliable because there isn't much stock of raw materials to keep production going

-reliant on a high-quality supply chain. The supply chain must be fast and reliable.

-costs are higher than when bulk purchased

-sales are affected by any delay in deliveries or product failures

-stock is not available immediately off the shelf

What is planned obsolescence?

deliberately designing the lifestyle of a product to be short, forcing the user to replace or update their product.

What does designing for maintenance mean?

It enables parts that are broken or have been worn down to be replaced. It helps the environment because it saves the whole product from being thrown out

What are the 6 R's

-Repair

-reuse

-recycle

-rethink

-reduce

-refuse

What points are used to evaluate the success of new technologies?

-cost

-reliability

-longevity

-sustainability

-recyclability