2.1 Knowledge and Understanding

a. The impact of new and emerging technologies on:

Industry

• Market Pull: Market pull refers to the demand from consumers that drives companies to innovate and develop new products.

  • Companies study market trends and consumer needs to create products that meet those demands.

  • For example, the increasing demand for eco-friendly products has led to innovations in sustainable packaging.

• Technology Push: Technology push occurs when advancements in technology drive the development of new products, even if there is not yet a clear market demand. This can create new markets or transform existing ones.

  • For example, the invention of smartphones was driven by technological advancements and created a new market.

• Consumer Choice: With the advent of new technologies, consumers have more options to choose from. This allows them to select products that best meet their needs and preferences, whether it's through the use of innovative materials, improved functionalities, or enhanced performance.

Enterprise

• The Product Life Cycle:

  • Introduction: This stage involves researching, developing, and launching a new product. Companies invest in marketing to create awareness and stimulate interest.

  • Growth: As the product gains acceptance, sales increase rapidly. Companies may expand distribution and production to meet demand.

  • Maturity: Sales growth slows down as the product reaches market saturation. Companies focus on differentiation and retaining market share.

  • Decline: Sales begin to fall due to market saturation, technological advancements, or changing consumer preferences. Companies may discontinue the product or innovate to revive it.

• Global Production: Manufacturing and distributing products on a global scale affect local economies, cultures, and labor markets. It can lead to the transfer of technology and skills but may also result in exploitation and environmental issues.

• Legislation: Standards and regulations such as BSI (British Standards Institute) and ISO (International Standards Organization) ensure product safety, quality, and interoperability. These standards are crucial for maintaining consumer trust and market compliance.

Sustainability

• Sustainable Resources: Using renewable or recyclable materials to minimize environmental impact. For example, using bamboo instead of plastic for certain products.

• Waste Materials: Implementing waste management practices to reduce, reuse, and recycle waste materials. This includes designing products for easier disassembly and recycling.

• CFCs: Avoiding the use of Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), which deplete the ozone layer, in manufacturing processes. Opting for alternative substances that are less harmful to the environment.

• Meeting Future Needs: Ensuring that current practices do not compromise the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. This involves long-term planning and consideration of environmental impacts.

People

• Consumer Rights and Protection: Ensuring that consumers are informed about their rights regarding product safety, returns, and refunds. Regulations such as the Trade Description Act protect consumers from misleading advertisements and defective products.

• Ethical Manufacturing: Addressing issues like fair wages, child labor, and working conditions. Companies need to ensure that their supply chains are free from exploitation and that workers are treated fairly. Ethical certifications and audits can help maintain standards.

Culture

• Global Production Effects: The production and consumption of goods can influence and change cultural practices and lifestyles. For example, the global spread of fast fashion has affected traditional clothing industries and cultural attire.

• Cultural Sensitivity: Companies need to understand and respect cultural differences when entering global markets. This includes adapting products and marketing strategies to align with local customs and values.

Society

• Social Responsibility: Companies must consider their broader impact on society, including environmental stewardship, fair labor practices, and community engagement. Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives can enhance a company’s reputation and foster goodwill.

• Consumer Awareness: Educating consumers about the ethical and environmental implications of their purchases. This can lead to more informed and conscientious buying decisions, supporting sustainable and ethical products.

The Environment

• Sustainable Practices: Adopting practices that reduce environmental impact, such as using renewable energy, minimizing waste, and reducing carbon footprints. Sustainable design aims to create products that are environmentally friendly throughout their lifecycle.

• Environmental Legislation: Adhering to laws and regulations designed to protect the environment, such as emissions standards, waste disposal regulations, and restrictions on harmful substances. Compliance ensures that companies contribute to environmental conservation.

Production Techniques

• CAD/CAM: Computer-Aided Design (CAD) and Computer-Aided Manufacture (CAM) involve the use of computer software and machinery to design and manufacture products.

  • Advantages: Increased precision, consistency, and efficiency in production. CAD allows for detailed and accurate designs, while CAM enables automated and rapid manufacturing.

  • Disadvantages: High initial setup costs and the need for specialized training. Small businesses may find it challenging to invest in these technologies due to the associated costs and complexity.

Systems

• Integration of Technologies: Incorporating new technologies into existing production systems to improve efficiency, accuracy, and productivity. This may include automated processes, smart manufacturing, and interconnected systems.

• Automation and Robotics: The use of robots and automated systems to perform tasks that are repetitive, dangerous, or require high precision. Automation can reduce labor costs and increase production speed, but it may also lead to job displacement and require new skills for workers.

b. How the critical evaluation of new and emerging technologies informs design decisions.

1. Importance of Sustainability Issues and Environmental Issues

   • Example: Products like mobile phones are updated frequently, leading to increased electronic waste. Designers must consider the environmental impact of these products and find ways to make them more sustainable, such as using recyclable materials or designing for longer product lifespans.

   • Social, Cultural, Economic, and Environmental Responsibilities: Designers must balance creating products that are socially responsible, culturally appropriate, economically feasible, and environmentally sustainable. This involves understanding the broader impact of their design choices on society and the environment.

2. Life Cycle Analysis (LCA)

   • Cradle to Grave: LCA is a method to assess the environmental impacts of a product throughout its entire lifecycle, from raw material extraction, production, and distribution to usage and disposal. It helps identify areas where environmental impacts can be reduced.

3. Design Obsolescence

   • Understanding Advantages and Disadvantages: Planned obsolescence refers to designing products with a limited useful life, encouraging consumers to purchase replacements. While this can drive economic growth, it also leads to increased waste and environmental harm. Designers must weigh these factors when planning product lifespans.

4. Carbon Footprint

   • Designing and Making: Reducing the carbon footprint involves minimizing greenhouse gas emissions associated with the production, transportation, and usage of products. Designers can choose low-emission materials and processes, and design products that are energy-efficient.

c. How energy is generated and stored to choose and use appropriate sources to make products.

1. Types of Energy Sources

   • Renewable: Sources such as wind, solar, geothermal, hydroelectric, biomass, wave, and tidal energy are sustainable and have lower environmental impacts.

   • Non-renewable: Fossil fuels like coal, oil, and natural gas, as well as nuclear energy, are finite and contribute to environmental pollution and climate change.

2. Issues with Fossil Fuels

   • Environmental Impact: The extraction, processing, and burning of fossil fuels lead to air and water pollution, greenhouse gas emissions, and significant ecological damage.

3. Advantages and Disadvantages of Renewable Energy

   • Advantages: Renewable energy sources are sustainable, produce little to no greenhouse gases, and reduce dependence on finite fossil fuels.

   • Disadvantages: They can be intermittent (e.g., solar and wind energy), have high initial setup costs, and may require significant space and resources.

4. Renewable Energy in Manufacturing

   • Examples: Manufacturing sites can use solar panels and wind turbines to generate power, reducing their reliance on non-renewable energy sources and lowering their environmental impact.

5. Renewable Energy Products

   • Examples: Products powered by renewable energy sources, such as wind-up radios or solar-powered devices, are designed to reduce environmental impact and provide sustainable alternatives.

6. Energy Generation and Storage

   • Contexts: Includes energy generation for motor vehicles (e.g., petrol/diesel engines, electric vehicles) and household products (e.g., battery storage, solar panels, mains electricity).

d. Developments in Modern and Smart Materials

1. SMA (Shape Memory Alloys)

   • Characteristics: These alloys can return to their original shape after deformation when exposed to a specific temperature. They are used in applications such as eyeglass frames, medical stents, and actuators.

2. Polymorph

   • Characteristics: A thermoplastic material that becomes moldable at low temperatures (around 62°C). It is used for prototyping, custom manufacturing, and educational purposes.

3. Smart Fibers, Fabrics, and Plastics

   • Photochromic: Materials that change color in response to light, used in products like photochromic lenses that darken in sunlight.

   • Thermochromic: Materials that change color with temperature changes, used in products like mood rings and temperature-sensitive baby spoons.

   • Micro-encapsulation: Involves embedding tiny capsules containing substances such as fragrances, insect repellents, or vitamins within materials, allowing controlled release over time.

   • Biometrics: Materials that respond to biological stimuli, often used in medical and wearable technology for monitoring and diagnostics.

e. The Ecological and Social Footprint of Materials and Components

1. Changing Society’s View on Waste

   • Ecological Footprint: Raising awareness about the environmental impact of waste and promoting sustainable practices. This includes reducing waste, recycling, and rethinking product design to minimize ecological impact.

2. The Six Rs of Sustainability

   • Rethink: Encouraging designers and consumers to consider the necessity and sustainability of products.

   • Refuse: Avoiding products that are harmful to the environment or society.

   • Reduce: Minimizing resource use and waste production.

   • Reuse: Extending the life of products by using them multiple times or repurposing them.

   • Recycle: Processing materials to create new products, reducing the need for virgin resources.

   • Repair: Fixing products instead of discarding them, promoting a culture of maintenance and longevity.

3. Living in a Greener World

   • Sustainable Practices: Adopting eco-friendly habits, using renewable resources, and supporting green technologies and products to reduce environmental impact and promote a healthier planet.

4. Fair-Trade Policies

   • Social Responsibility: Ensuring that producers, particularly in developing countries, receive fair wages and work in ethical conditions. Fair-trade certifications help consumers identify and support products that are produced under fair and ethical conditions.

f. Investigate and analyze the work of past and present professionals and companies in the area of design and technology in order to help inform their own ideas

Engineering Design

• Company: Apple

  • Overview: Known for its innovative products and design philosophy, Apple has set industry standards for consumer electronics. Their design approach emphasizes simplicity, user experience, and sleek aesthetics.

  • Products: iPhone, MacBook, iPad, Apple Watch, and various software solutions.

  • Influence: Apple's design ethos has influenced many other companies and set benchmarks in technology and design.

• Designers:

  • James Dyson

    • Overview: Founder of Dyson, known for inventing the first bagless vacuum cleaner using cyclonic separation.

    • Contributions: Innovations in vacuum cleaners, bladeless fans, hand dryers, and more.

    • Design Philosophy: Focus on solving practical problems with engineering solutions that improve functionality and user experience.

  • Shigeru Miyamoto

    • Overview: Renowned video game designer at Nintendo, responsible for creating some of the most iconic games and characters in the industry.

    • Contributions: Games like Super Mario, The Legend of Zelda, and Donkey Kong.

    • Design Philosophy: Emphasizes creativity, engaging storytelling, and user interaction in game design.

Fashion and Textiles

• Company: Laura Ashley

  • Overview: British textile design company famous for its romantic, floral, and Victorian-style prints and home furnishings.

  • Products: Clothing, home decor, fabric, and accessories.

  • Influence: Known for bringing a distinctive aesthetic to fashion and home design, influencing interior decor trends globally.

• Designers:

  • Stella McCartney

    • Overview: Fashion designer known for her commitment to sustainable and ethical fashion.

    • Contributions: Collections that avoid the use of leather and fur, promoting cruelty-free and environmentally friendly fashion.

    • Design Philosophy: Focuses on sustainability, ethical practices, and innovative use of materials in high fashion.

  • Orla Kiely

    • Overview: Irish designer known for her bold, colorful, and retro-inspired prints.

    • Contributions: Designs for fashion, accessories, and homeware.

    • Design Philosophy: Combines patterns and color with a vintage feel, making everyday items visually appealing and distinctive.

Product Design

• Company: Airbus

  • Overview: Leading aircraft manufacturer known for its innovative commercial aircraft designs.

  • Products: A320, A380, and various other commercial and military aircraft.

  • Influence: Airbus's designs have revolutionized air travel, focusing on efficiency, passenger comfort, and advanced technology.

• Designers:

  • James Dyson (mentioned under engineering design as well)

    • Overview: His contributions to product design extend beyond engineering solutions, focusing on everyday household products.

    • Contributions: Innovations like the Dyson vacuum cleaner, Airblade hand dryer, and Supersonic hairdryer.

    • Design Philosophy: Combines functionality with sleek, modern aesthetics and user-centric designs.

  • Bethan Gray

    • Overview: British designer known for her luxury furniture and home accessories.

    • Contributions: Elegant designs that blend traditional craft techniques with contemporary aesthetics.

    • Design Philosophy: Emphasizes the use of high-quality materials and craftsmanship to create timeless and sophisticated pieces.