GCSE Product Design Mind Map

GCSE Product Design Mind Map

1. Polymers

   • Thermoforming Plastics
     • Also known as thermoplastics, when heated the plastic becomes soft and flexible Thermoplastics can be remoulded without affecting the material’s physical properties
       • The molecular structures of thermoforming plastics have loose chains of molecules that dont have a fixed pattern or fixture
         • Polyamide (Nylon)
           • It has a creamy colour, toughness, a decent hardness. It can resist wear, has a good resistance to chemicals and machines
           • Can be used for bearings, gear wheels, casings for power tools, hinges for small cupboards, curtain rail fittings and clothing
         • Polymethyl methacrylate (Acrylic)
           • It is stiff and hard but it will scratch easily. It is brittle in small parts but machines and polishes well
           • It can be used in Signs, covers of storage boxes, aircraft canopies and windows, covers for car lights, sinks and baths
         • Polypropylene
           • It is light and hard but it also gets scratched easily. It also has a good chemical resistance and work fatigue
           • It can be used for medical equipment, laboratory equipment, containers with built-in hinges, 'plastic' seats, string, rope, kitchen equipment
         • Polystyrene
           • Light but stiff, transparent and brittle and has a good water resistance.
           • It can be used for Toys (model kits), packaging, 'plastic' boxes, containers and lunchboxes
         • Low Density Polythene (LDPE)
           • Tough, good resistance to chemicals, decently soft and a good electrical insulator
           • It can be used in packaging film and bags
         • High Density Polythene (HDPE)
           • Hard, stiff and can be sterilized
           • It can be use in Plastic bottles, tubing, household equipment
   • Thermosetting Plastics
     • Also known as thermosets, this plastic cannot be reformed once set in to shape Thermosets have strong chemical bonds between the molecules, which do not separate on heating
       • The molecular structure has Individual monomers that join to form a large polymer. These long chains of molecules are cross linked resulting in a rigid molecular structure
         • Epoxy Resin
           • It is a good electrical insulator, its hard but brittle unless it is reinforced but it is good at resisting chemicals
           • It can be used in casting and encapsulation, adhesives, bonding of other materials
           • Melamine formaldehyde
             • It is stiff, hard and strong. It can resist some chemicals and stains
             • It can be used in laminates for work surfaces, electrical insulation, tableware
         • Polyester resin
           • It is laminated, a good electrical insulator and resists chemicals well
           • It can be used in casting and encapsulation, bonding of other materials
         • Urea formaldehyde
           • Stiff and hard but it is brittle. It is a good electrical insulator
           • It can be used in electrical fittings, handles and control knobs, adhesives

2. Plastics

3. Paper and Boards

   • Paper
     • Grid paper
       • White paper with a grid of squares or other isometric shapes in a light blue ink
       • Usually printed onto 80gsm paper with faint (often blue) lines. It can be made darker to use as a a drawing guide
     • Cartridge paper
       • Thick white paper with a slightly rough texture
       • 120-150 gsm. Opaque and more expensive than photocopier paper
       • Can be used for pencil and ink drawings, sketching and watercolours
     • Bleed proof paper
       • White cartridge- type paper that can be textured
       • 70 gsm sheet. Coated to stop solvent based medias to stop the paper from staining. Deeper colours can be achieved as the ink stays on the paper
       • It can be used with marker pens for final designs and design ideas
   • Boards

4. Metals

   • Metals original source
     • The metals are first mined from underground
       • The metal will then need to be refined in order to purify them
         • Once ore is mined, any waste material must be separated
       • Extracting iron from iron ore uses a blast furnace which can reach temperatures of 1,700°C
         • Iron melts at 1,538°C, liquefies and sinks to the bottom of the furnace. At this stage it is called ‘pig iron’
           • The waste product, known as slag, is tapped off
           • Pig iron runs off from the blast furnace into rectangular moulds
             • It has a very high carbon content, making it very brittle. Some of the carbon and other impurities are removed to make steel
       • Bauxite ore is the primary source of aluminium
         • To extract the aluminium, the ore must first be chemically refined to produce an intermediate product
           • The product is then smelted using electrolysis to produce pure aluminium
       • Duralumin is a lightweight but hard alloy of aluminium
         • It is malleable and can be shaped and folded easier
           • It is used in cars and aircraft because it's strong
     • Working with metal based materials

5. Textiles

6. TImbers

   • How are timbers and boards selected and processed for commercial products? In the beginning the trees are felled (this means that they are cut down). After they are then stored for a short while then taken to a sawmill. They will then be dried from 50% moisture content to the correct moisture content for the specific use (about 10% for external use and about 7% for internal use). This can be done by using kiln drying or air drying. Air drying is more traditional whereas kiln drying is when heat is used to dry the wood quicker. The wood will then be cut into a standard size. After the wood will be wrapped and prepared to be sold. The chips and scraps that come from turning the logs into planks can be turned into man made boards. This includes MDF (Medium Density Fibreboard), Hardboard and Stirling board. A common way of making this is by using compression. Compression is when the chips are pressed together using heat, adhesives and pressure. It means there are no errors from drying or
   • How are materials cut, shaped and formed to a tolerance? The materials are cut using machines to be accurate and cheaper than manual labor. The machine used is usually a cnc machine (Computer Numerical Control). This machine usually is a computer driven tool that is used to cut a shape out of a solid material and is assisted by CAM (Computer Aided Manufacturing) or CAD (Computer Assisted Design). When the manufacturer uses a precise tool it reduces waste. By reducing waste material created, positive economic benefits are created such as a higher output of the unit per input of the raw material. A cnc machine can cut the same shape with speed and save time and money. Furthermore it can cut materials into the night where as doing it manually, production would stop at the end of the work day. This could pose a threat to skilled workers however as their jobs will be replaced by these machines that can do the job without any error.
     • Mechanisation
       • Mechanisation aims to save time, promote accuracy, take away the monotony in work and reduce errors or flaws whereas automation aims to replace humans with machines. QA (Quality assurance) and QC (Quality control) is the way to confirm the quality of the product and the way to make sure the services meet customer expectations.
   • How and why are surface treatments and finishes applied to wooden products? Wooden products are given a surface treatment or finish to make it aesthetically pleasing. This can be achieved by using a machine or by hand. Aesthetical finishes are used to change the final appearance of the finished product whereas functional finishes are used to affect the properties of the product (such as making it stronger). PPE is important because it is the final thing that is protecting the user from the dangers in the workshop.