Part 1: Introduction

This unit will cover the fundamental principles of design and technology. You will learn about materials, structures, mechanisms, and electronics. This knowledge is crucial for understanding how products are designed and made.

Part 2: Impacts of New and Emerging Technologies

2.1: Impact on Industry

• Technological advancements are improving manufacturing processes.

• These advancements aim to increase production speed and product quality.

• The ultimate goal is to maintain high customer satisfaction.

Automation

• Began during the Industrial Revolution

• Machines replace human labor in repetitive tasks

• Improves production speed through repeated actions (e.g., pressing car doors)

• High initial setup costs but lower operational costs and reduced waste over time

Robotics

• A subset of automation

• Uses artificial intelligence (AI) to learn and improve tasks

• Offers increased efficiency and ability to handle hazardous materials

• High costs

Specialist Buildings

Smart Technology and Building Efficiency

• Smart technology is increasing building efficiency.

• Many factories use renewable energy to reduce environmental impact.

• Modular buildings offer quick and low-cost construction.

• Improved stock control systems minimize storage space needs.

2.2 Impact on Enterprise

Product Development: New ideas are constantly emerging, but transforming these concepts into successful products is challenging. Various methods have been developed to guide this process.

Funding

• Traditional funding:

  • Borrow money from a bank

  • Risky with interest payments

• Crowdfunding:

  • Raise funds through online platforms

  • People invest in projects they believe in

  • Backers often receive rewards for their support

  • Potential for profit sharing if project succeeds

Virtual Marketing and Retail

• Online platforms have become central to retail experiences.

• Customers share reviews, recommendations, and experiences.

• Algorithms analyze buying habits to suggest relevant products.

• SEO helps websites appear in search results.

• Blogs, vlogs, and social media are advertising platforms.

• Online retail is significantly cheaper than physical stores.

Cooperatives

• Groups of people working together for shared goals

• Owned and run by members

• Members share decision-making, profits, and risks

• Examples: The Co-operative Group, John Lewis and Partners, Nationwide Building Society

Fair Trade

• Trading partnership focusing on developing countries

• Ensures fair wages and suitable working conditions

• Voluntary practice, not a legal requirement

• Increasing popularity due to ethical consumerism

• Companies often fair trade endorse products to boost sales

2.3 Impact on Sustainability

• Increased focus on sustainable materials and energy sources

• Consideration of resource origin and end-of-life disposal

Finite Resources

• Non-renewable resources that will eventually deplete

• Examples: metals, plastics, fossil fuels (coal, natural gas, oil)

• Widely used due to accessibility and benefits in manufacturing and energy production

• Growing concern for ecological impact leading to more responsible usage

Non-Finite Resources

• Naturally occurring and replenishable resources

• Examples: wood, cotton, solar, wind energy

• Can be regenerated through processes like replanting or natural cycles

Waste Disposal

• Local councils manage waste disposal.

• Recycling encouraged for plastics, paper, steel, and garden waste.

• UK recycled 25% of household waste in 2016, aiming for 50% by 2020.

• Landfill sites used for non-recyclable waste.

• Landfills release harmful gases, polluting air and soil.

2.4 Impact on the Environment

• Modern businesses are increasingly under pressure to adopt sustainable practices. 

Efficient Working

• Increasing production speed: Producing goods faster without compromising quality.

• Reducing errors: Minimizing mistakes in the manufacturing process.

• Reducing waste: Limiting the amount of materials and energy used.

• Automation: Using machines to perform tasks previously done by humans.

• Computer-aided manufacture (CAM): Using computer software to control manufacturing processes.

• Quality control: Implementing checks to ensure products meet standards.

Pollution

• Harmful substances released into the environment: Air, water, and land pollution.

• Legislation: Laws and regulations to protect the environment.

• Microbeads: Tiny plastic particles banned from cosmetic products.

• Battery disposal: Proper handling of hazardous waste.

• Government incentives: Financial rewards for environmentally friendly practices.

Global Warming

• Human activities contribute to greenhouse gas emissions: Burning fossil fuels for manufacturing and transportation releases harmful gases like carbon monoxide and nitrogen oxides.

• Environmental impact: These gases contribute to air and land pollution, trapping heat in the atmosphere and causing global warming.

• Global response: International efforts to reduce pollution and greenhouse gas emissions.

• Renewable energy focus: Shift towards cleaner energy sources like solar and wind power.

• Energy efficiency: Improving product efficiency (e.g., low-energy light bulbs) and building insulation to reduce energy consumption.

• Government incentives: Encouraging the adoption of electric vehicles, emission controls, and energy-saving technologies.

2.5 Impact on People

• People influence technology:

  • Technology is developed based on human wants and needs.

• Technology influences people:

  • Technological advancements can change how people live.

  • Technology can alter human behavior and habits.

Technology Push

• Driven by research and development: New discoveries lead to product improvements or new products.

• Precedes consumer demand: Products are created before there is a market need.

• Focus on innovation: Companies aim to be first to market with new products.

• Example: Smartphones utilizing existing touchscreen technology.

Market Pull

• Driven by consumer demand

• Product ideas originate from customer needs or market gaps

• Companies focus on satisfying existing customer wants

• Example: Development of smaller, lighter, higher-performance cameras in response to consumer preferences.

Change in Job Roles

• Technological advancements: Rapid changes in technology and automation.

• Decline in traditional skills: Reduced need for traditional job roles.

• Retraining and upskilling: Workers adapt to new technologies through training.

• Example: Robotics: Employees transition from manual labor to robot programming and operation.

2.6 Impact on Culture

• Consumerism: Desire to own latest products (e.g., smartphones, fashion items).

• Media influence: Subconscious impact of media on taste and style.

• Cultural shift: Technology and media shaping societal values and behaviors.

• Global culture: Increased interconnectedness leading to shared cultural elements.

• Digital identity: Online presence influencing self-perception and social interaction.

Changes in Fashion Trends

• Technology influence: Fashion is increasingly shaped by technological advancements.

• Wearable technology: Incorporation of technology into clothing items (e.g., smartwatches).

• Textile innovation: Use of new materials like conductive fabrics and 3D printing.

• Market appeal: Technology helps maintain fashion relevance and creates new styles.

• Trend forecasting: Predicting future fashion trends to gain a market advantage.

• Competitive edge: Manufacturers utilize trend forecasts to stay ahead of competitors.

Respecting Faiths and Beliefs

• Cultural diversity: Many societies have a mix of cultures.

• Designer considerations: Designers must be mindful of diverse cultural beliefs.

• Mass market appeal: Products should cater to a wide range of consumers.

• Inclusivity: Offering options for modest clothing or cruelty-free products.

• Sensitivity: Respectful design that avoids offending cultural or religious sensibilities.

2.7 Impact on Society

• Specialized products: Designed for specific groups with unique needs.

• Inclusive design: Creating products usable by a wide range of people, including those with disabilities.

• Balancing needs: Addressing both mass market appeal and specialized requirements.

• User-centered approach: Understanding and meeting the specific needs of target groups.

• Innovation: Developing new solutions for underserved populations.

Physical Disabilities

• Specialized products: Designed to meet the specific needs of individuals with physical disabilities.

• Inclusive design: Creating products usable by people of all abilities.

• Independence: Enabling individuals to perform daily tasks with greater autonomy.

• Understanding user needs: Designing products based on specific physical limitations.

• Product variety: Increasing range of assistive products available.

Religious Groups

• Diverse beliefs: Different religious groups have varying preferences and requirements.

• Design considerations: Products should respect religious symbols, dietary restrictions, and clothing practices.

• Inclusivity: Creating products that cater to a wide range of religious beliefs.

• Cultural sensitivity: Understanding and accommodating diverse cultural backgrounds.

• Market segmentation: Targeting specific religious groups with tailored products.

Part 3: Mechanical Devices

A mechanical device is a tool or apparatus that uses physical principles to achieve a specific function. It typically involves moving parts that interact to produce a desired output.

Key Characteristics:

• Physical components: Composed of tangible parts like gears, levers, pulleys, etc.

• Movement: Involves motion and interaction of parts.

• Energy conversion: Often transforms one type of energy (e.g., human, electrical, thermal) into mechanical energy.

• Function: Designed to perform a specific task or action.

Examples:

• Simple machines: levers, pulleys, wheels and axles, inclined planes, wedges, screws

• Complex machines: cars, bicycles, clocks, industrial robots

Essentially, any object that has moving parts and performs a function through mechanical means can be considered a mechanical device.

Types of Motion

• Input motion: The initial energy applied to a mechanical device.

• Output motion: The resulting motion produced by the device.

• Four main types of motion:

  • Linear motion: Movement in a straight line (e.g., train on a track).

  • Rotary motion: Circular movement around a fixed point (e.g., wheel).

  • Reciprocating motion: Repeated back-and-forth movement (e.g., piston in a cylinder).

  • Oscillating motion: Back-and-forth movement with a central point (e.g., pendulum).

Levers

• Mechanical advantage: Using a lever to magnify force.

• Lever components:

  • Bar: Rigid structure.

  • Fulcrum: Pivot point.

  • Effort: Force applied by the user (input).

  • Load: Weight to be moved (output).

• Mechanical advantage calculation:

  • Load (N) divided by Effort (N).

  • Output divided by input.

Linkages

• Combination of levers: Multiple levers connected to create a mechanism.

• Motion modification: Alters the direction and magnitude of force.

• Simple linkages: Basic configurations for altering motion.

• Complex linkages: Advanced designs for specific tasks (e.g., robotic arms).

Reverse Motion 

• Direction reversal: Changes input motion into opposite output motion.

• Fixed pivot: Essential component for altering direction.

• Practical application: Clothes horses, where opening one side causes the other to close.

• Other examples: Brake mechanisms, window mechanisms.

Parallel Motion or Push/Pull

• Maintains parallel movement: Input and output move in the same direction.

• Two fixed pivots: Essential for the linkage's function.

• Adjustable force: Changing pivot placement alters force output.

• Common application: Toolbox drawers.

• Other examples: Vehicle suspension systems, industrial machinery.

Bell Crank

• 90-degree direction change: Converts input motion into a perpendicular output.

• Adjustable force: Modifying pivot position alters force output.

• Common application: Bicycle brakes, steering mechanisms.

• Other examples: Construction equipment controls, automotive linkages.

Crank and Slider Linkages

• Motion conversion: Transforms rotary motion into reciprocating motion (or vice versa).

• Components: Crank, connecting rod, slider.

• Mechanism: Crank rotates, connecting rod transfers motion, slider reciprocates.

• Common application: Internal combustion engines (piston movement).

• Other examples: Pumps, compressors, sewing machines.

Treadle

• Rotary to reciprocating motion: Converts circular motion into back-and-forth movement.

• Components: Treadle, connecting rod, crank, fixed pivots.

• Mechanism: Foot pressure on treadle creates rotary motion, transferred to reciprocating output.

• Common application: Sewing machines, power looms, early bicycles.

• Other examples: Treadle pumps, hand-operated tools.

Pulleys and Belts

Pulleys

• Use mechanical advantage to lift loads.

• Wheel-shaped with a grooved rim for a cord.

• Can be manual or motorized (winch).

• Portable and easy to set up.

• Single pulley changes direction, not mechanical advantage.

• Mechanical advantage of 1.

• Examples: cranes, wells, flags, blinds.

Multiple Pulleys (Block and Tackle)

• Increase mechanical advantage with multiple pulleys.

• Block is a group of pulleys, tackle is the rope.

• More pulleys equal greater mechanical advantage.

• Mechanical advantage equals number of supporting ropes.

Belt Drives

• Use pulleys and belts to transmit power and motion.

• Types: V-belts, flat belts, toothed belts.

• Used in cars, bicycles, and machinery.

• Vary pulley sizes to change speed and torque.

Key fact

The mechanical advantage is equal to the number of sections of rope pulling up on the object.