AQA GCSE Design and Technology - Product Design

Why does product evolution occur?

> Continuous improvement

> Market pull

> Technology push

> Social/cultural needs

> Political/environmental needs

What is market pull?

> Designing to satisfy the needs and wants of customers - costumer demand

> Changing fashions and social attitudes affect what people want and it isn't always the same

Give an example of market pull

A car is designed to get you from A to B but they have become a status symbol and luxury extras such as seat-back TV screens are added

What is technology push?

> Research and development leads to new technologies, materials and manufacturing techniques

> New technology can make a product cheaper, perform its function better or be nicer-looking

Give an example of technology push

Computers started as a hude 'adding machines' but now microchips allow for small, fast and powerful machienes

What is continuous improvement?

> Manufactures want to make more money, increase profit

> They improve the design do they can be made more easily 'continuous improvement'

> They make them as good as possible to make money, be competitive and meet standards of product quality

What alternative reasons can a product evolve for?

> Social or cultural needs (For example, wind-up radios for Africans so they could listen to educational broadcasts about health concerns)

> Political or environmental needs (For example, the need for environmentally friendly products such as hybrid engine cars that are more efficient)

Name the features of the Arts and Crafts movement

> Founded by William Morris

> Bases on patterns found in nature

> Upright and angular

> Made by made and skilled craftsmen

Name the features of the Art Nouveau movement

> Designers include Louis C.Tiffany

> Flowing and curvy designs

> They use floral or insect motifs

Name the features of the Art Deco movement

> Inspired by African and Egyptian art

> Bold colours, zigzag and stepped shapes, bold sweeping curves and the sunset motif

> Example is the Chrysler building in New York

Name the features of the Bauhaus movement

> Movement from Germany

> Has the motto 'form follows function'

> Function is most important and appearance is second

> It is futuristic, simplistic and used mass production methods

> Uses chrome tubing and black leather

Name the features of the De Stijl movement

> Dutch modernist movemnt

> Basic - uses simple shapes, horizontal and vertical lines

> The three primary colous only

> Well known example is Gerrit Rietveld's Red and Blue chair

Name the features of the postmodernism movement

> Rejected 'form follows function'

> Put style as the focus point of design

> Memphis used bright, contrasting colours and different materials

> Some styles contain kitsch and minimalism

What are human factors?

Addressing different needs and values of target groups

> Disabled users

> Cultural and religious values

> Age groups

> Ergonomics

> Anthropometrics

Explain how products can be changed for disabled users

> Some packaging has Braille for blind users

> Buttons can be made bigger and brighter so they are easier to press and find

> Products such as smoke alarms can have visible signals as well as audio ones so deaf people are alerted to fires

> Instructions can be given in picture or diagram form so people with difficulty reading text can use the product

> Wheelchair access must be designed into busses, trains and working stations (like atms)

Explain how products can be changed to suit cultural and religious values

> You can cater for their dietary needs

> Create products to suit a particular custom or celebration - like Diwali uses lights

> Cultures can use things differently, the Japanese custom is to eat at a low table on the floor

> Clothing styles can vary, it could be inappropriate to wear revealing clothing

> Colours can have different meaning - Chinese brides wear red for example

Explain how products can be changed with respect to age groups

> Small children or the elderly may not be able to manipulate small parts such as tricky fastenings or open packaging

> Elderly and infirm people may have trouble holding and using products so you could make easy grip handles

What are ergonomics?

How easy and comfortable a product is to use, efficiency in use

Why are ergonomics important?

> To fit the size and proportions of the user

> It improves safety, comfort and efficiency

> Long-term damage to health can be caused by badly-designed products

Give an example of ergonomic design

A chair seat must be the right height off the ground and support the persons back in the right places

What are anthropometrics?

The study of human body measurements used to make products of the right size and shape

How are anthropometrics used in design?

> Designers use them to cater for 90% of their target market

> They use percentiles between the 5th and 95th in their design so it is suitable for most users

> If you lie outside of the 90% you need to have products custom-made

Give an example of the use of anthropometric data

> Tennis racket handles width needs to fit the size of the average hand

> Football t-shirts should be made for the average torso, arm and neck sizes

What is a design brief and what does it include?

A statement of what a product should do, a starting point

> What kind of product is needed and why

> How the product will be used

> Functions and properties it should have

> Who the product is for (target market)

What is the point in carrying out research?

> To find if your product is needed/wanted

> To find what people like/dislike about the design

> To be inspired by existing designs

> To find out what materials, components and techniques would be suitable for your design

> To know manufacturing and selling costs

What is market research?

To find peoples likes/dislikes and understand the needs/wants of your target market

What is product analysis?

> Examining an existing product by disassembling it

> Finding out how it was made and works

> See the good and bad features

> Know the size and weight of the product

> Know how it tastes, feels, looks or smells (sensory analysis)

How do you draw conclusions from research?

> Summarise your findings

> Explain how that is applied to your design

What is design specification?

It gives certain conditions the product must meet - often known as design criteria and take account of research findings

What does design specification involve?

ACCESS FM

> Aesthetics

> Customer

> Cost

> Environment

> Size

> Sustainanility

> Function

> Materials

What are the three main design methods?

> Systems approach

> Empirical problem solving

> Intuitive designing

What are the features of a systems approach design method?

> Breaking down the design process into different stages and carrying out each step in turn

> It is orderly and reliable

What are the features of an empirical problem solving design method?

> Using trial and error to develop a good design

> Making prototypes of different designs to find which works best

> Each prototype should evolve from the best in order to be improved

What are the features of intuitive designing as a design method?

> Those with lot of experience can make good guesses about what designs will work best

> They use intuition

How can patterns inspire design?

> Grids or repeating shapes can be used

> Packaging often contains simple geometric shapes

How can nature inspire design?

> Structure of products can be inspired - e.g. honeycomb

> The function of products can be inspired - e.g. cats eyes reflecting light inspired road signs

> Aesthetics can be inspired using the close-up effect where you look at a small section of an image, such as a leaf

How are mood boards used?

> They are a collage of materials, images and colours that represent the emotion of a product.

> They are used to trigger design ideas and are a representation of what your target market do/like

What are colours used to do?

Represent moods and feelings

Give examples of the uses of different colours

> Dark colours give a heavy mood

> Pale colours like yellow give a lighter mood

> Colours like red and orange remind us of heat and warmth

> Blues are associated with water an the cold

> Natural colours such as browns, greys and greens are neutral and are associated with calm or relaxation

How is designing a circular process?

It doesn't stop, constantly evaluating you design and improving it to make new ideas will help design a product

How do sketches help design?

Detailed sketches allow you to see how the product will work in practise and decide on details of construction

How are models used to improve design?

> It helps you spot and solve problems in your designs

> They are made using materials that are quick and easy to work with (Like cardboard or polystyrene foam)

> They can be used to try different aspects of your design

How can CAD/CAM models be used to improve design?

> Virtual models in 3D using CAD can be easy to manipulate properties

> Use CAD/CAM to carry out rapid prototyping (3D printers)

How can modelling improve accuracy?

You can experiment with models to find the margin of error there is (tolerance)

What is a prototype?

A full-sized working product made using the right materials and method which are made before industrial production to make sure the product is exactly right

How do prototypes help manufactures avoid big mistakes?

> You can test if the design works properly, is safe and meets the design specification

> You can ask potential end-users for feedback to see if a prototype meets their needs

> If the prototype works well and customers like it you can start production on a larger scale

How should you design products for mass-production?

> Use materials and components that are easily available

> Affordable materials and processes

> Standard size components

> Standard tools

> Processes that don't require skilled workers

What are trademarks?

> Protects compaines so they can't be copied

> Distinctive logos, words or slogans that identify a particular product - if someone uses it you can sue them

How are unregistered and registered trademarks shown?

> Unregistered = TM

> Registered = (R) - in a circle

What are patents used for?

> To protect something that has been invented

> You must get the inventors permission to use it and patents last for 20 years

How can you be granted a patent?

> If the invention involves an 'innovative step'

> And capable of 'industrial application' (used or made in industry)

What is copyright?

> Any design ideas you produce are automatically protected by copyright (the copyright owner)

> Unless you work for someone else

> If they want to reproduce the work (copying written, drawn or recorded work) they must get permission

> It runs out 70 years after death

What is Registered Design?

> It protects a designs shape and appearence, it only applies to the look not how it works

> It stops other people copying it

> You can register all of the design or just parts

> It protects it for 25 years throughout the EU

What two types of presentation should you use in the final design for the client so it be visualised?

> A 3D rendering of how it will look, showing it being used or in its enviroment

> A working drawing with dimensions and details. The manufacture needs it and exploded views to show the complicated parts

How can presentation drawings be done?

> CAD drawings which are realistic, neat and accurate

> Hand drawn presentation drawings but theses would have to be re-drawn with each alteration

What is customer satisfaction?

> When the product works, is good for use and good value for money

> You can achieve this by creating products of high quality and use customer feedback to see if they are satisfied

What is awarded to companies of high quality?

> ISO 9000

> It shows an international standard of quality managment

What does quality assurance involve?

> Staff training

> High quality materials

> Systems to maintain machinery

> Quality control checks throughout manufacturing

What are the aims of quality checks?

> To meet standards set by institutions

> To keep the customer happy

> To manufacture products consistantly

What is quality control?

> Testing samples of components to see if they meet the manufactures specification (e.g. right colour/size)

> When they are checked for size they must be within a specific tolerance , they are given a upper (+) and lower (-) limit which is measured using a micrometer

How do toy produce a manufacturing plan?

> Provide working drawings including materials, sizes and tolerances

> Produce a production plan which shows the order of things with quality control checks built in

What do flow charts show?

Work order and the sequence of tasks

What do gantt charts show?

How long each stage takes and the total time allowed for production

What is a freehand drawing?

Drawing without any equipment apart from a pencil or pen

How are free hand sketches used and why are they annotated?

> To design initial ideas

> To show details such as colour or material

How can you draw 2D drawings using guidelines?

> Mark out squares or boxes

> Use halfway points to draw a circle/ellipse

What are the properties of isometric drawing?

> Vertical edges are vertical lines

> Horizontal edges are at 30 degrees

> Parallel edges are parallel lines

What is the crating method?

You start with a box and gradually add and remove parts to create your 3D drawing by adding details

What are wireframe drawings?

Ones with are not shaded they show all the edges of an object and are often produced with CAD software

What are perspective drawings?

> They use a vanishing point

> One-perspective uses one vanishing point and shows the design head-on

> Two-perspective uses two vanishing points

What are assembly drawings?

> Ones that show you how an object fits together

> It includes exploded views and sectional drawings

What are exploded views?

> They shows all the separate parts moved out

> A dotted line shows where is goes

> They are used in flat-pack furniture

What are sectional drawings?

They show what the product would look like if it was cut in two

How do you draw plan views?

> From above

> A scale using a ratio

> They are used in the building industry by architects and planners

How can you manipulate photos for advertising?

> Using a computer software

> Alter colours

> Add special effects

How can paper and card be used in packaging?

To make bags and boxes

How can textiles be used in packaging?

To make bags

How can metals be used in packaging?

To make cans and foil trays

How can plastic be used in packaging?

To make bottles, tubs, trays, bags, boxes, bubble wrap and airpillows

How can be glass used in packaging?

To make bottles and jars

What are the three main functions of packaging?

To contain, protect and preserve them

How does packaging contain and store products?

> They hold the parts together

> It allows you to fit them neatly together in storage

> Packaging has to be strong so when they are stacked they don't collapse

How does packaging protect products?

> In transport protection stops them being broken

> To protect it from knocks

> For security

> They can have anti-theft devices in them in case they are stolen

> Security devices can include ink which ruins a product if the seal is broken

> Food products have tamper-evidence seals to show if they've been opened

How does packaging preserve products?

> Some products deteriorate in air

> Sealed packaging can keep the product airtight

> However plastics and composite materials are now widely used

What are composite materials?

Materials such as card and aluminium foil laminated together

Name the three ways packaging can have an environmental impact?

> In the materials

> In the process

> In the waste produced

Give an example of packaging materials that have an environmental impact

Plastic uses crude oil which is a finite resource

Give an example of processes that have an environmental impact

Moulding plastic uses energy which comes from burning fossil fuels that emits carbon dioxide and contributes to global warming

Explain how waste that has an environmental impact

It is mainly disposed of in landfills, if it non-biodegradable it will be there for centuries

How can you reduce the environmental impact of packaging?

> REDUCE, the amount and avoid unnecessary packaging and use eco-friendly packaging (like paper) where possible

> RE-USE, reduces the amount of new packaging but requires them to be transported and cleaned

> USE SUSTAINABLE MATERIALS, for example corn starch is biodegradable and polystyrene is not

> RECYCLE, use the materials to make the same or new products

> USE RECYCLED MATERIALS, it saves resources but can be more expensive

How must manufactures label products?

> They have to include certain information by law

> The information must be accurate

> If labelling is wrong or misleading it could be breaking the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations

What is the hazard symbol for harmful substances?

^^ this is IRRITANT - harmful has a 'h' instead of 'i'

What is the hazard symbol for flammable?

What is the hazard symbol for explosive?

What is the hazard symbol for an irritant?

What is the hazard symbol for an environmental hazard?

What does the Kitemark symbol show?

> That the product has been approved by the British Standards Institution (BSI)

> They have met standards for safety and quality of design

What doe the CE mark show?

> They have met the EU standards of safety

> They can be sold in europe

Why might a company want to show it meets certain standards in safety and quality?

> People are more likely to buy 'approved' designs

> People will buy more/pay more for them

How do manufactures use labels to inform about use?

They tell you how to:

> Use it

> Maintain it

> Store it

> Specific safety information