GCSE Design Technology Edexcel: Core Content and Papers and Boards

- Better efficiency -> cut costs
-> quicker release of products to market
- Less human error
- Easier manipulation of information/logistics

Unemployment can be caused by new technology performing better than a lower skilled workforce. With robotics, factories can be opened for longer, quality's improved and its safer.

- Labour shortages can be overcome
- Migrants are often prepared to take lower paid jobs
- Adds cultural diversity

Demographic movement is the way in which a population's structure alters an changes, eg due to an aging population.

The owner

Often flexible to adopt, adapt and exploit new technologies.

May not have funds to invest in cutting edge manufacturing equipment.

a business, particularly one started by someone who shows initiative by taking risk setting up, investing in and running it.

Crowd funding allows new products to be launched. Many people donate online to bring a product to life. Has to managed appropriately though to succeed.

Government Funding is available to new businesses that will contribute to the economy.

Not-for-profit organisations reinvest money in new technologies to help their cause. For eg Charity: Water Aid worked with Google to identify water flow at its projects.

Use electric vehicles
Fewer journeys
Lighter/compact products

Carbon tax
Subsidies

Reduce, reuse, recycle, recover

a method of raising funds from many people for an enterprise via online platforms

The ability to meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs

improve academic and practical skills, e.g. Minecraft offers more creative learning opportunities than traditional toys

Could spend more time on electronics rather than socialising and keeping fit

the release of contaminating substances that are likely to harm the natural environment.

the process converting waste material into other usable products, such as glass bottles made from recycled glass.

a person who uses goods and services

The way a group of people behave, dress, eat and live. Can be influenced by anything from religion, tradition and history to local food sources, climate and artistic expression

Minority populations that live in clusters causes social segregation. Could create social barriers, and limit education, jobs and technologies

- Change in working hours and shift patterns
- Internet of Things
- Remote working

Due to accessibility of work through the internet, maximising the work potential of a person.

It means fewer useful materials are sent to landfill sites or scrap

- Produce products locally
- Reduce package sizes
- Reduce overall volumes of products

- The same components or modular systems are used across many designs
- Usually an individual part, manufactured in large numbers, to an internationally accepted standard.

Computerised stock control ensures that parts are only received when they are needed in the production process and go straight to the production site rather than being stored

Reducing or eliminating waste in design, manufacturing distribution and customer services

A set number of products are manufactured that are made in limited quantities or for a limited time

Manufacturing of identical high demand products, 24 hours a day

A single unique product made by skilled workers

- Efficiently and consistently producing many products at a low cost per unit
- Often automated with parts added in sequence

Balancing behaviour with moral principles when carrying out an activity

- Use raw materials from sustainable sources
- Try to buy materials locally
- Reduce energy consumption (eg renewables)
- Minimise waste to the environment

- Use raw materials from sustainable sources
- Try to buy materials locally
- Reduce energy consumption (eg renewables)
- Minimise waste to the environment

- Hiring low-paid workers in LEDC's leads to child labour and other exploitation
- Workers' rights should be a big priority
- Health and safety should be checked in factory locations

- Cheap labour in other countries: saves costs, exploits workers
- New technologies may produce less pollution and waste

- Designers should select materials that are recyclable, lighter and less toxic.

- Consider mined metals, eg energy is needed to convert ore into metal.
- Consider oil is a finite resource that pollutes when refined and doesn't decompose but it is used for plastics.

- Renewables harm habitats and cause visual and noise pollution
- Cleaner energy tends to cost more

- The extraction, transportation and emissions of fossil fuels harm the environment.

Transporting goods uses petroleum, so use energy-efficient or electric vehicles

The amount of CO2 emission that can be linked back a company/individual's activities

- Maximise energy efficiency
- Analyse supply chain
- Recycle
- Use renewable energy
- Identify carbon offsetting methods to reduce amount of emissions

Life Cycle Analysis:
A systematic inventory of environmental impacts at every stage of a products life

1. Raw material extraction and processing
2. Product/part manufacture and assembly
3. Product/part transportation and distribution
4. Product/consumer use
5. Product disposal or recovery at the end of its useful life.

Made from natural elements such as plants, vegetables and fermented waste cooking oil Can be used in diesel-powered vehicles without modifying the engine

- Organic matter derived from organisms, such as wood, crops, rubbish, landfill gas and alcohol fuels
- Can be used directly via combustion (of wood or biodegradable wastes) to produce heat, or converted to electricity

- Batteries/cells
- Solar cells
- Mains electricty
- Wind power

Materials that do not occur naturally, but are existing materials that have been altered to improve their properties

Exisiting or modern materials with physical properties that can be varied by an external input such as light or temperature

Shape-memory alloys can be plastically deformed (changed/stretched/crumpled) and will turn back to their original shape when heated or a current applied

Photochromic glass darkens when exposed to light and reverses in the dark. Particles of silver halide are added to the glass which react with UV light causing a chemical reaction that changes the glass's colour.

- Sunglasses
- Plane cockpit windows

Uses electrochromic technology to change from transparent to opaque by applying voltage while allowing light to pass through.

Welding masks and windows

Generate a small electric charge when compressed (sensors) and can work in reverse, generating movement when an electric charge is applied (actuators)

Genertaing electricity, SENSORS: burglar alarms, seat belt sensors keypads, microphones,
ACTUATORS: precise precision control eg digital cameras, nozzles.

Nanomaterials are made of components less than 100 nm in at least on direction. Can be particles nanowires nanotubes etc.

- Sunscreen
- Tennis rackets
- Fire-retardant.

Can change physical properties with a change in temperature

- Deliver drugs, cell/proteins to patients when mixed with a liquid polymer. A gel deposit forms and the drug is released in a controlled way using temperature.
- Sensors and gel activators

Contain pigments that allow a current to flow, usually made with silver, carbon or graphite

- RFID tagging
- Temporary circuit boards

A composite consists of reinforcing materials and a bonding agent called the matrix

- Manufactured board of wood veneers bonded with glue to produce a flat sheet
- Always has an odd number of layers (at least three) as they balance the stresses around the central core, making it stable in all directions
- The veneers' grain direction runs at 90° to the sheets above and below it, which also increases the stability
- Graded for exterior or interior use depending upon the glue's water resistance

- Sheds, cladding, flooring, furniture

- Plastic can be reinforced with fine glass or carbon fibers to make a higher strength-to-weight ratio than its component parts
- Loose or woven fibers form a flexible fabric and are built up in layers with polyester resin
- Reinforced plastic can be sanded for a smooth finish and painted or colour added at the start of the process

- Glass reinforced plastic (GRP) is easily formed into shapes-it is best suited to large structural items, such as boat hulls, pond liners, car bodies, baths or showers
- Carbon fibre reinforced plastic (CFRP) is more expensive than glass fibre but is much stronger- it is used in structural parts such as propeller blades, body armour and golf clubs

Materials that couple sensing, activation (movement), computation and communication and can react to their surroundings autonomously

- Vehicles or uniforms that change colour to match their surroundings
- Prosthetics with a sense of touch
- Plane wings that change shape depending on wind conditions

- Improve or increase agricultural production
- May be made from nylon, polyester, polyethene polypropene or natural materials like jute and wool
- Often biodegradable and offer solar and ultraviolet protection

- Shading
- Thermal insulation
- Netting
- Wind-breaks
- Weed suppression

Developed to improve construction appearance and longevity

Structures: waterproof membrane, concrete reinforcement
During construction: hoardings nets, awnings, tarpaulins, canopies

Used in civil engineering where soil, rock or other geotechnical material needs to be stabilised, filtered drained or reinforced Retain their structure in the ground

Non-woven or woven mats for reinforcing banks or draining flat land

Used domestically, even if developed for other purposes

- Cleaning wipes
- Furnishings
- Wadding
- Linings
- Carpets
- Flooring

Use organically grown fibres such as hemp, wool, cotton or bamboo or recycled materials

- Geotextiles
- Agrotextiles
- Fashion

Provide protection against heat, harmful chemicals, gases pesticides and even bullets

- Clothing: heat and radiation protection for firefighters, molten metal protection for welders
- Tents for severe weather
- Parachutes and mountain safety ropes
- Disposable chemical protection overalls

Combine function with comfort for high performance
Can be lightweight
Streamlined and breathable
Remove moisture
Sense heart rate
Control bacteria
Block UVA/UVB rays
Resist impact

- Running shoes
- Cycling shorts
- Rugby tops
- Swimsuits

- Can improve athletic performance

the ability of material to resist squashing.

the ability of a material to resist stretching.

slices of wood that are 3 mm or less, used to build up manufactured boards or to protectively coat other woods.

Rotary
Linear
Reciprocation
Oscillation

Swinging from side to side, like a pendulum in a clock.

Turning in a circle, such as a wheel turning

Moving in a straight line, such as on a paper trimmer

Moving backwards and forwards in a straight line, as in cutting with a saw

A fixed rigid beam requiring a fulcrum, load and effort to provide mechanical advantage

Force applied to a lever

The pivot point of a lever

Amount of weight lifted