Design and Technology and Our World

Industrial Revolution

use of steam to provide power led to huge innovations in machinery and manufacturing equipment, products could be produced more quickly and economically, ability to generate electricity allowed factories to house larger machines for the mass production

Automated Production

robots carry out repetitive and monotonous tasks, allows thousands of identical products of consistent high quality to be produced quickly and cheaply

Market Pull

production of new product in response to demand from the market (e.g. mobile phone allowing for contact away from home and office)

Technology Push

development in materials, components, or manufacturing methods leads to the development of a new product (e.g. development of small, programmable components allowed smartphones to perform range of functions)

Consumer Choice

drives decisions of designers and manufacturers, leads to development of new products, new technologies influence consumer choice as people want latest products

Product Life Cycle

four main stages (introduction, growth, maturity and decline) a product goes through, depends on product being sold

Positives of Global Production

development in transport - (parts of) products produced and shipped worldwide, development in communication technology and internet - can work with, sell to and buy products worldwide, greater competition, lower prices, better deals, mobile technology - encourages frequent global communication at any time and place, makes us better connected, increase societal and cultural awareness, automated production, less manual labour, more time

Negatives of Global Production

- Importing cheaper products → local job losses, low foreign wages, poor working conditions.

- Increasing automated production → job losses

- Mobile technology → less face-to-face interactions, blurs work and leisure time, poor sleep and mental well-being.

- Lack of cultural awareness → offensive colours, patterns and symbols

- Global production → threaten traditional industries, skills and techniques

Consumer Rights Act 2015

- protects consumers against faulty, counterfeit goods, poor services and problems with builders.

- Goods must be of satisfactory quality, as described or seen when purchased physically and digitally, and fit for purpose.

- A refund, repair or replacement can be claimed.

Moral and Ethical Factors of Global Free Market

- A global free market allows unrestricted trade so no obligation for companies to support workers.

- Ethical traders focus on benefitting consumers, supporting social and environmental causes, providing honest advertising and a breakdown of costs, leading to healthy competition, improves workers lives through regular employment

- Costs are not revealed and profits are prioritised, as it could reveal poor wages, working conditions and inferior products.

Sustainability

producing goods and services that meet today's needs without impacting the needs of future populations

Examples of Sustainable Developments

- Hybrid technology and electric cars - use of petrol or diesel and electric motor, reduces fuel consumption, lower CO₂ emission

- Developments in renewable energy - reduce our reliance on fossil fuels, become increasingly efficient

- Recycling technology - developing technologies that effectively and safely break down plastics

Cloud-based Technology

emerging technology where projects are shared in the cloud, improving communication, efficiency and reducing amount of travelling

Generative Design

use of mathematical algorithms to design unique, highly efficient components based on a set of parameters or design requirements

Advantages of CAD

better quality, easy to create and edit, can add texture and colour for photorealism, secure storage and can be shared and worked on collaboratively, can be exported to CAM machines to produce working prototype, eays exposure to clients, quicker

Disadvantages of CAD

powerful computers are necessary, training and high expertise needed for effectiveness, slower to generate initial ideas, expensive to update, expensive CAM hardware

CAM

- CAM machinery is used to produce products and components directly from CAD drawings.

- It uses CNC machining: CAD drawings are converted into numerical commands (code), tells machinery where, at what speed to move along X, Y, Z axes.

Advantages of CAM

faster, more efficient, smaller than commercial equivalents, accurate, consistent and repeatable, less waste production, flexible (than manual methods)

Disadvantages of CAM

expensive, need for extensive training for efficiency, regular maintenance and servicing, displaces traditional skills and workforces (unlike manual methods)

CAM Equipment

- CNC embroidery

- Vinyl cutting

- CNC routing

- Laser cutting

- 3D printing

CNC Embroidery

sewing or embroidering CAD designs for school uniforms, branding or logos

Vinyl Cutting

sharp blade cuts out CAD drawings from self-adhesive vinyl for signs, and vehicle branding

CNC Routing

rotating router cutter follows a path of CAD-designed shape, allows variations in shape and cutting depth, can create advanced 3D shapes

Laser Cutting

directed laser beam cuts or vaporises materials with high precision for cutting or engraving intricate patterns

3D Printing

extrusion of heated thermoforming polymer or filament along an x and y axis, printer bed moves down to form each layer, increasing in cheapness, popularity and flexibility, strength depends on the material and inner design, can produce working prototypes

Sustainable Strategy

A sustainable strategy ensures that, when a product reaches the end of its life, the useful materials in the product are recovered for reuse.

Examples of Sustainable Strategies

- recyclable, non-toxic, less energy-intensive materials

- efficient, low energy manufacturing

- effective, durable, long-lasting build quality

- minimal, recyclable packaging

- low energy transportation (local sourcing)

- energy-efficient products

- long-lasting, can be repaired

- ease of recyclability

- fair income, Fairtrade products

How are sustainable strategies met?

- Environmental directives (the EU and the World Energy Council) and international agreements (on climate change, air pollution and the protection of wildlife) specify targets to achieve these aims.

- Products can be applied for the European Ecolabel by meeting a strict environmental criteria across the product's life cycle.

- It helps identify eco-friendly products, which can promote sales.

Energy Rating

- Many new domestic appliances have an energy rating label from A+++ (most efficient) to G (least efficient).

- It helps consumers choose energy-efficient products, reducing energy consumption and bills.

Linear Economy

raw materials are used to make a product and waste is thrown away

Circular Economy

system aiming to minimise waste and extract maximum possible use from resources

Cradle-to-Cradle

considers product's complete life cycle, including reuse or recycling of materials after initial use

Cradle-to-grave

consideration of product's complete life cycle until disposal

Six R's of Sustainability

Rethink, reduce, recycle, reuse, refuse, repair

Life Cycle Analysis

- A life-cycle analysis assesses the environmental impact of a product during its entire life cycle.

- Raw Material Extraction → Material Processing → Part Manufacturing → Assembly → Product Use → End of Life (transportation between)

Fairtrade

- Fairtrade sets up partnership schemes between producers, businesses, and consumers, aiming to improve social, economic, and environmental standards for all involved in the supply chain.

- It sets up fairer trading conditions for disadvantaged producers and consumers, improves working conditions, combats poverty and exploitation and, gives producers an equal say.

- Products that meet standards can display the Fairtrade mark, helping consumers choose ethically made items.

Carbon Footprint

measure of the amount of greenhouse gases released as a result of our activities, in kilograms or tonnes of carbon dioxide (CO₂)

Carbon Neutral Fuels

- do not contribute to the amount of CO₂ in the atmosphere

- Example: wood

Ecological Footprint

area of the Earth needed for someone to produce the resources, and absorb the waste to sustain their lifestyle

- land for infrastructure, forestry, water, cropland, grazing land, disposal, fossil fuels

Ecological Deficit

measure to indicate that more natural resources are being used than nature can replace

Non-Renewable Source

- fuels extracted from the earth and cannot be replenished (finite, will run out)

- coal, oil, gas (all fossil fuels), nuclear

Coal

Mined from the ground and burnt in power stations for generate electricity

Oil

Crude oil is extracted from the earth by drilling and refined to produce a variety of liquid fuels, such as petrol

Gas

mainly methane, extracted by drilling, piped through a national grid into houses and factories for heating and cooking

Nuclear

mined from the earth, purified into nuclear fuel used in nuclear reactor to generate heat, converted to electricity in a nuclear power station

Renewable Energy Sources

- fuels that will not run out and are non-polluting (produce no atmospheric emissions)

- wind, solar, geothermal, hydroelectric, biomass, wave

Wind

wind turbine extracts energy by connecting rotating blades to a generator to produce electricity

Solar

Photovoltaic (PV) panels produce electricity when exposed to sunlight. Solar water heating panels directly heat water for domestic and industrial use

Geothermal

Cold water is pumped underground, heated by the Earth's natural heat to heat homes, or generate electricity in power stations

Hydroelectric

dams trap water which is released at pressure to turns turbines, generating electricity

Biomass

unused wood is chipped and burnt instead of coal to heat houses, or generate electricity. plants are grown to produce materials (soybeans) to be processed into biofuels

Wave

energy from waves converted into electricity, energy can be extracted from rising and falling tides in the future

Issues with Fossil Fuels

- Fossil fuels (coal, oil and gas) produce and emit CO₂, pollutants such as sulphur dioxide (which raises the acidity of rain), fine particules which can cause breathing problems.

- Fossil fuel have a very high energy density and high speed of refuelling, making them ideal for use in transportation.

- Fossil fuels are non-renewable resources.

Advantages of Renewable Energy Sources

non-polluting, lower energy bills, shows eco-friendliness and ethical attitude that enhances company image

Disadvantages of Renewable Energy Sources

- Biomass → availability varies seasonally, needs transportation, use of fossil fuels in production.

- Renewable energy extraction equipment is expensive, with high initial outlay.

- Varying availaibilty of wind and solar energy, unreliable as the sole energy source, low power output, requires large unsightly installations like wind farms

- Hydroelectric power harms natural habitats due to dam construction and flooding.

- Geothermal energy is costly to install and only profitable where the underground rocks are particularly hot near the surface.

Renewable Energy Sources for Products

- Small solar PV panels (produce small current) and small wind generators can recharge batteries → low power output, useufl when mains power is inaccessible (e.g. electronic road signs)

- Clockwork wind-up mechanism → stored energy in wound spring or electricity from user winding stored in capacitor, temporary power, free energy, no batteries (e.g. wind-up radios, torches and phone chargers)

Energy Generation and Storage in Motor Vehicles

- use chemical energy stored in petrol or diesel → convenient, high energy density

- electric cars use rechargeable batteries → no emission (electricity used may come from fossil fuel power stations), efficient (recover and store kinetic energy during braking), time-consuming recharging, limited driving range, low running costs, exempt from bans or taxes on fossil fuel-powered vehicles

- rechargeable hybric cars offer great drivign rnage and lower emissions

Energy Generation and Storage in Mains-Powered Products

stationary products can be plugged into mains electricity supply → unlimited energy supply, no recharging, continuous energy consumption on standby

Energy Generation and Storage in Battery-Powered Products

- rechargeable batteries in mobile phones, cordless vacuum cleaners, smartwatches

- non-rechargable batters (need to be replaced) used in torches, TV remotes

- used batteries → store chemical energy, responsible disposal and recycling schemes needed

- solar PV panels in garden lights → store energy released as electricity