Studied by 5 people
What are fossil fuels
finite resource, Only so much available and it will one day run out
examples of fossil fuels
Gas, Coal, Oil
What is fracking
process of removing gas which is trapped in rocks underground
How is fracking done
Hole drilled into shale rock
water, sand and chemicals pumped into borehole
pressure in bore causes fractures in the shale
gas from shale flows into pipe and back to surface
Fossil fuels advantages
All infrastructure already in place - no setup cost
readily available
gas can be easily transported by pipelines
a large amount of energy can be produced at a single location
Disadvantages fossil fuels
Co2 produced when burned
Impacts climate change
Fracking can impact the water table - possibility of releasing the toxic particles
impact on local residents
Nuclear advantages
considered clean
low carbon emissions
safe and reliable
Nuclear disadvantages
risk associated with nuclear waste
large scale problems caused by accidents
Fukushima 2011 - cause by an earthquake and tsunami the plant was unable to cool reactors and radioactive contaminants were released into the local environment
Chernobyl 1986 - rupture in the coolant system following testing the building was destroyed and the radioactive contaminants were released
disadvantages of wind power
they do not produce power when it is too windy or not windy enough
harm wildlife
How is wind power produced
The blades turn in the wind which then turns an electrical generator to create the power.
How is solar energy produced
Photovoltaic cells are used to convert sunlight into electricity
How is tidal energy produced
water moves a turbine which is then converted into electricity. Tides are used as this creates a constant movement of water however repair and maintenance can be difficult as turbines are often located far off shore
how is hydroelectric energy produced
The use of reservoirs to control the flow of water for later energy production. Large areas of land may need to be flooded to create reservoirs if more are required, this could have added benefit for loacals as the reservoirs can be used for leisure purposes
how is biomass power produced
uses renewable organic material to produce energy e.g. wood, straw, household waste, algae. materials can be burned as a heat source of used to convert into electricity
renewable energy advantages
renewable
low carbon emissions
stable energy prices
will not run out
renewable energy disadvantages
will not produce power if the condition are not correct
solar or wind farms may not be built if there is large local opposition
requires space
How can mechanical energy be stored
Stored using spring under tension or compression. for example in clockwork systems springs are used when you wind a clockwork mechanism, this either puts the spring under tension or compression which then powers the mechanism.
How are pneumatics used to store energy
Air/gas can be compressed to store energy the release of which is then controlled by valves, actuators and pistons when needed.
How are hydraulics used to store energy
Liquids are compressed instead of gasses and are more powerful used in car braking sytems, JCB arms and tractors.
How is energy stored in batteries
Power can also be stored chemically available as single use or rechargeable. They store lots of charge and this has helped develop electric transport messages. However these can cause the dame environmental damage caused when batteries are sent to landfill. The chemicals stored inside may be released into the environment which can damage the water table .
What is crowdfunding
method of raising money to fund new designs
multiple people give money if they like the idea of the product being produced
Money can be donated no expectation of return
funders can purchase a stake in the business
individuals may receive a proportion of future company profits
donation to purchase
What is a cooperative
enterprise owned and run by its members
cost effective way to sell goods
set up to protect the members of the cooperative to ensure fair terms
members share some of the profits of the business
Fair trade
better prices, working conditions, fair terms of trade for farmers or producers in less economically developed countries
logo is attached to products which have fulfilled the standards
standards include - protection of workers rights, payment of minimum price, investment in business or community projects
Market research
when new products are planned or considered designers and design companies will complete research to decide whether the product is viable.
interviews
questionnaires
product analysis
ergonomic and anthropometric data
They would also consider
cost
reliability
longevity
sustainability
recylcability
Focus groups
A focus group is a group interview people are asked questions or given scenario sand asked for their opinions about a product or service, more depth than questionnaires
If the group is too small then not enough opinions will be father but if it is too big some people may not get the chance to contribute
Anthropometrics
Science of collecting statistical data about body measurements both for adults and children.
Ergonomics
Products that have been designed with consideration of the human senses
sight
smell
touch
comfort
sound
temperature
technology push
when a new technology is created and incorporated into a product without it being requested by customers, usually high cost outlays due to time spent by manufacturers researching and developing new technology
touch screens
multiple cameras
folding screens
3D TVs
Market Pull
When a company uses pubic opinion or requests to inform their design ideas or decisions
fast charging of electronic products
lower power consumption
incorporation of additional features into existing products
How are technology advancements changing job roles
As new tools and machines are created job roles may change e.g. if a factory gets a new robot - workers might need to learn how to operate or maintain it.
how is globalization changing job roles
when companies work with others worldwide job roles can shift. Designers might need to consider preferences from different countries or work with teams from around the world.
How do market and customers change job roles
if people want new features in products designers and engineers must adapt for example id a customer prefers eco friendly items designer may need to create products with that in mind
Design for disability
Changing products slightly for example ensuring the packaging has braille or manufacturing something specially for an disabled individual including things like adapted seating or prosthetics
Design for elderly
designing for
arthritis
eyesight issues
hearing loss
mobility issues
So products can be adapted to help
design for religion and culture
Different religious groups have different requirements or some people have different lifestyle choices e.g. vegetarians may choose to only buy products that contain no animal byproducts.
What can influence fashion and trends
beliefs/faith
economic influence-affordability /luxury
technology advancements
environment
political
historical influence
art and design influences
What is a system
Systems can be used to add functionality to designs
3 main elements to a system input - process - output
depending on the requirement they will have different components
Input (system part 1)
Input adds information or energy to a program
switch or sensor
Output ( system part 3)
components which provide information to the outside world including components that emit light and sound e.g. speaker
what is a design brief
statement a client gives to the designer outlining what they want their product
what is a design spec
list of criteria a product needs to address. A designer uses the brief as a starting point for research.
selection of materials
functionality
aesthetics
environmental factors
Ethical factors
availability
cost
social factors
cultural factors
Collaboration
working with other designers on proposals and solve problems as well as gathering data. It can improve the range or quality of items, However there can be communication issues.
user centered design
the product is designed to fulfill the wants and needs of the limitations of the client. the user is the focus throughout the design process. This can help companies understand how the product can be modified even after launch
systems approach
electronic deices in electrical, mechanical or programmable systems. Easy to understand but might need to be edited a lot of there might be issues with programming it as required as systems approach plans the layout for the correct inputs processes and outputs, things that need logical and ordered methods.
iterative design
Each iteration gets better as a result of the small refinements being made after each design which leads to desired quality and functionality. However this is time and money consuming because you are making lots of models, using lots of material and though it it the best it can be.
How to avoid design fixation
use of mood boards
different approaches to design generation
abstract drawing/ models that can be interpreted into designs
What is Alessi
home-products and kitchenware company based in Italy that produces and sells common products created by many famous industrial designers and architects such as Ettore Sottsass, Philippe Starck and Zaha Hadid.
Where did Alessi come from
founded in 1921
began making a variety of dinnerware products in chromium, nickel and silver pated brass
Prototype
One item is produced which can be highly specialised item
workers will be highly skilled
unit cost is usually higher
examples of this are prosthetics
personalization
mass produced item will be adapted to an individual client for example a personalized coffee cup
Batch
up to 1000 units manufactured per batch
works along production points
workers may be skilled in a few different processes
batch
may be manufactured in this way if only a limited number of products are needed or if the product is seasonal
mass
large scale production
large amount of CAD/CAM
high setup cost for production
continuous
products are made 24/7
low cost consumable items
products in high demand e.g. toilet roll
What is automation
the use or introduction of automatic equipment in a manufacturing or other process or facility
Automation tends to be used in large scale production which allows a reduction in staffing costs however there are large setup costs
automation helps to reduce error in production due to being controlled by computers rather than by individuals
advantages of CAD
ideas can be drawn and developed quickly
designs can be viewed from all angles and with a range of materials
some testing and consumer feedback can be done before costly production takes place
it becomes easier to design and test a range of ideas
disadvantages of CAD
expensive to set up
needs a skilled workforce
difficult to keep up constantly changing and improving technology
computers can fail
advantages of CAM
fast and accurate production
machines can run constantly on repetitive tasks
good fro producing n a mass production line
less material wastage
Disadvantages of CAM
expensive to set up
needs a skilled workforce
downtime required for maintenance
computers and machines can fail
Flexible manufacturing systems
collections of automated machines which can be reprogrammed to produce a range of different products
mass production lines don’t need this flexibility so they will only be able to complete 1 process
This means manufacturers can change their product dependant on demand
Just in Time
means that component parts of a product are only manufactured or ordered as required. means that there aren’t excess products or parts sitting in storage which may not be needed or sold
Advantages of JIT
improves customer service as firms provide a faster and speeder delivery of goods
reduces waste
optimum utilization resources
firms incur no holding costs
production errors are easily noticeable in smaller batches
inventory turnover is also high
the production process occurs smoothly
Disadvantages JIT
It is difficult to forecast future demand and start production
hurdles arise when there is a sudden rise in market demand
strong coordination team is required
difficult to match the customers expectations
Lean manufacturing
Aim to reduce any waste processes within the manufacturing and transport system this allows products to be manufactured quickly with reduced numbers of defects
Note
Flashcard