Production Techniques

Production Techniques

1. Flat Surfaces

   • Can check if a surface is flat with a steel rule or a straight edge
   • A perfectly horizontal surface used to take measurements from is known as a datum surface
     • Wood - made flat with a plane Metal and Plastic - with a flat file or hand file

2. Marking out

   • Wood
     • Lines - Pencil
     • Right - angled lines - try square
     • Lines parallel to an edge - marking gauge
     • Marking for a mortise- mortise gauge
     • Circle - Compass
     • Centre of a hole - pencil
   • Metal
     • Centre of a hole - centre punch
     • Lines - Scriber
     • Right - angled lines - engineer's try square
     • Lines parallel to an edge - odd leg calipers
     • Making a circle - dividers
   • Plastics
     • Lines - felt tip pen
     • Right angled lines - engineer's try square
     • Lines parallel to an edge - Odd leg calipers
     • Marking a circle - dividers
     • Marking the centre of a hole - felt tip pen
   • Marking an irregular shape - template (ALL 3 MATERIALS)

3. Batch Production

   • A jig is used to ensure parts are made exactly the same without marking out
   • Former is used to make sure that parts are shaped or bent to exactly the same shape
   • Templates are something that you can draw around to mark a shape onto material so that it can be cut
   • A pattern can be used to make a mould when casting metals or plastic resin. They are also used to shape plastics in a vacuum forming machine.
   • A mould is a hollow shape used when casting metals or plastic resin.

4. Wasting

   • Hand Wasting
     • Cutting straight lines Wood - Tenon Saw Metal - Hacksaw Plastics - Hacksaw
     • Cutting Curved Lines Wood - Coping Saw Metal - Abra Saw Plastics - Abra Saw
     • Trimming cut edges to curves Wood - Spokeshave Metal - Round or half round file Plastics - Round or half round file
     • Cutting grooves and slots Wood - Tenon saw to cut sides followed by wood chisel or coping saw Metal - Drill holes followed by abra saw Plastics - Drill holes at ends followed by abra or coping saw
   • Machine wasting
     • Cutting curves Wood - Jig saw or band saw Metal - Bench mounted jig saw or band saw Plastics - Jig saw or band saw
     • Making Holes Wood - Drilling machine with suitable drill bits Metal/Plastic - Drilling machine and twist drills
     • Creating rounded shapes of varying diameter Wood - Wood turning Lathe Metal/Plastic - Metal turning lathe
     • Cutting grooves and slots Wood - Hand router or CNC milling machine Metal/Plastic - Vertical or CNC milling machine