2.4 Product analysis

A set of 50 vocabulary flashcards covering product analysis, scales of production, quality measures, and product lifespans based on the lecture notes.

Product analysis

The process of looking at a real-world product and evaluating how it works, who it is for, how it is made, how it looks, and how well it does its job.

Scales of production

Refers to how many products are made and the methods used to make them, ranging from a single handmade item to millions produced by machines.

One-off production

The design and manufacture of products for a specific use or situation that will only happen once, generally handmade using a wide range of techniques.

Prototype

An early model or sample version of a product created to test and evaluate an idea before full production.

Batch production

The manufacture of a product in a specific quantity, ranging from a few items to many thousands, usually taking place over a series of workstations.

Mass production

The manufacture of identical products in large quantities, ranging from thousands to millions, using specialist machines and assembly lines.

Continuous production

A type of production where products are made 24 hours a day, seven days a week for weeks or months, typically using heavily automated processes.

Jig

A tool used in batch production to speed up the process and ensure accuracy when making multiple items.

Mould

A hollow container used to give shape to a material during processes like batch production.

Template

A pattern or overlay used in manufacturing to speed up the process of making batches of products.

Assembly line

A series of machines and workstations used in mass production to quickly manufacture thousands of identical copies.

Sales turnover

The total volume of sales generated by producing products in large quantities to be sold in shops.

Quality control (QC)

Checking products during manufacture to find any faults and ensure the final product meets quality standards and is free from errors.

Quality assurance (QA)

The system used to prevent mistakes and ensure the whole manufacturing process meets quality standards and is controlled and consistent.

Fit for purpose

A standard required for manufactured products to be considered good quality and ready for their intended use.

Manufacturing specification

A detailed document used during quality assurance to ensure everything is going to plan throughout the manufacturing process.

Product life story

The four main stages a product goes through: Design, Manufacture, Use and maintenance, and End-of-life.

Design stage

The phase where the idea is born, and designers determine what the product will do, what it looks like, and what it is made of.

Manufacture stage

The phase of the product life story involving getting raw materials and turning them into the finished product in a factory.

Use and maintenance stage

The phase where the consumer owns and uses the product, including looking after it and fixing it if it breaks.

End-of-life stage

The final phase of a product's life story where it is disassembled, reused, recycled, or sent to a landfill.

Obsolescence

The state of a product breaking or becoming old, which can happen by accident or by deliberate design.

Planned obsolescence

When products are deliberately designed by companies to stop working well or go out of fashion after a while to encourage new purchases.

Unplanned obsolescence

When a product breaks down unexpectedly due to design mistakes, component failure, or accidental damage.

Firmware updates

Software updates released by companies that can sometimes slow down older models as a form of planned obsolescence.

Design for disassembly

A design principle aimed at making products easier to take apart for repair, replacement, or recycling to reduce waste.

Modular design

A design approach, such as Damian's games controller, where parts like buttons and joysticks can be easily swapped out when damaged.

Temporary joining methods

Fasteners used in design for disassembly to enable easy disassembly, replacement, and repair.

Durable materials

Long-lasting materials used to increase the lifetime of a product and combat planned obsolescence.

Exploded drawings

Illustrations used to show how various parts of a design fit together, making the design easy to understand.

Repair Cafes

Free meet-ups where volunteers help people fix broken items to fight planned obsolescence and reduce waste.

CAD (Computer-Aided Design)

Digital tools used to create exploded drawings and files for testing product models.

3D printing

A manufacturing technology used to create prototypes for testing models with users.

ACCESSF

A framework or acronym used to help in the product analysis process.

Faberge egg

An example of an exclusive piece of jewelry produced via one-off production.

Crude oil products

Fuels, oils, plastics, and lubricants produced via continuous manufacturing 24/7.

Visual inspection

A quality control method involving looking at parts of the product to ensure correct measurements and materials.

Hidden fasteners

A design feature used in planned obsolescence to make things hard or impossible to repair.

Product range

The variety of products made; typically small and specialized in continuous production.

Raw materials

The basic materials from which a product is made during the manufacture stage.

Landfill

A destination for waste that cannot be reused or recycled at the end of a product's life.

Recycling

The process of converting waste materials into new materials and objects.

Manual labor costs

The costs associated with workers' skills, which are typically high in one-off production but lower in mass production.

Efficiency of process

A measure of how well a manufacturing method uses resources, which increases as production moves from one-off to continuous.

Equipment and machines costs

The financial investment required for tools; these are typically low for one-off production but very high for mass and continuous production.

Unit cost

The cost to produce a single item, which is high for one-off production and low for mass or continuous production.

Customisation

The ability to replace or change parts of a product with new colors or designs, as seen in Damian's modular controller.

Sustainability

A goal achieved by using design for disassembly to reduce waste and combat obsolescence.

Component failure

A cause of unplanned obsolescence where a vital part of a product stops working sooner than expected.

Design Brief

A set of requirements that a product must meet upon completion to pass final quality checks.