NEW AND EMERGING TECH

• Automated machines are programmed to carry out a procedure multiple times, eg repeatedly creating the shape of a car door using a press, to improve production time.

  The cost of setting up machinery is high but, when they are operating, less waste is produced and running costs are lower.
• Robots is just a part of automation with the only difference being that it uses AI to collect information and improve performance.

  popular because of their ability to increase efficiency and handle harmful materials that humans can't, but they are very expensive.
• SPECAILIST BUILDINGS Modular buildings can be erected quickly and at a low cost, and improvements in stock control mean less storage space is needed
• normally u would borrow money from a bank to raise enough funds to develop a project -This is risky and, with interest payments, can be expensive.

  Crowdfunding uses websites to advertise products as investment opportunities, where people can choose to back a project with a financial donation if they think it will be viable. Backers are often rewarded with free gifts, discounts or a pre-agreed part of any profitsif the product is successful.
• Algorithms can generate information about users’ buying habits and suggest relevant retail sites for them to try using search engine optimisation (SEO). Blogs, vlogs and social media all provide advertising platforms, and costs of retailing from a website are far lower than from a high street shop.
• COOPERATIVES


  Organisations with lots of people working together towards common goals. The cooperative is run and owned by members who share decision-making, profits and risk. The Co-operative Group, John Lewis and Partners and Nationwide Building Society are examples
• FAIR TRADE


  Trading partnership that ensures workers in developing countries are given suitable working conditions and are paid a fair wage. This has encouraged companies to fair trade endorse some of their products to support their sales.
• FINITE RESOURCES

  finite resources are non-renewable. Metals, plastics and fossil fuels (coal, natural gas and oil) are all examples. They are popular as they are easily accessible due to strong supply chains and often have benefits for manufacturing particular products or for energy supplies. However, does have a negative impact on companies ecological footprint.
• NON-FINITE REASOURCES

  Non-finite resources are found naturally and can be replaced. Examples include wood, cotton and renewable energy sources such as solar and wind. Where trees are cut down for wood or hibiscus plants harvested for cotton, new ones can be planted in their place.
• WASTE DISPOSAL

  monitored by council. hard plastics, paper, steel and natural garden waste can all be recycled. the rest end up in landfill sites, relating harmful gases polluting soil and air
• Continuous improvement is the practice of continually making small adjustments to production techniques to improve speed and quality and save resources. This process is known in industry by the Japanese name ‘Kaizen’, and it encourages people to work together and give regular feedback to make small improvements. This can increase productivity and create team harmony.
• It is important to ensure that companies work in an efficient manner. This includes increasing the speed of production, reducing errors and reducing waste, which can be done by utilising automation or computer aided manufacture (CAM). Implementing quality controlchecks ensures that errors are quickly spotted and provides the customer with reassurance.


  WHATS EFFICIENT WORKING
• Pollution is caused when harmful substances are released into the natural environment. Pollution can occur in the air, water or natural land. Legislation has been brought in to help with this issue. For example, in the UK cosmetic products can no longer contain plastic microbeads as these were previously polluting the ocean. Harmful products, such as batteries, should be disposed of correctly, and companies are being encouraged by government incentives to recycle waste wherever possible.


  POLLUTION
• Manufacturing processes in factories or the use of day-to-day products like cars can cause harmful chemicals, such as carbon monoxide and nitrogen oxides, to be released. These chemicals pollute the air and natural land. The development of more efficient electrical products, such as low-energy light bulbs, and better building insulation has cut down on energy costs. Some countries offer incentives to increase the use of emission controls, electric vehicles and energy-saving devices, such as better insulation and automatic 
• Research and development in science and industry can lead to new discoveries, which can be used to improve existing products or develop new ones. This is known as technology push, and it happens before there is consumer demand for a product. Research and development is valuable for companies who are the first to introduce a new, innovative product. Smartphones are an example of a product developed due to technology push, where existing touchscreen technology was used to improve the mobile phone market.
• Market pull is when product ideas are produced in response to market forces or customer needs. Examples of this include the development of cameras, which have become smaller, more lightweight and higher performing as a result of customer needs.
• The rapid changes in technology and automation in recent years have meant a decline in the need for traditional skills. Rather than facing unemployment, workers have had to be retrained or ‘up-skilled’ to manage the new technologies. Examples of this include robotics, where an employee needs to understand how a robot is programmed and can be controlled to perform a task such as welding, rather than perform the manual skill of welding themselves.


  Change in job roles
• Fashion trends continue to be influenced by changing technology. textile technology utilises electrically-conductive material or 3D printing technology. Embracing new technology allows products to remain popular with a modern market while creating new and innovative looks. Trend forecasts are able to predict the future patterns and colours two years before products come onto the market, and manufacturers can buy this information to influence their designs and enable them to keep ahead of their market competitors.
• Many countries now have a diverse range of cultures, so it has become important for designers to consider a range of cultural beliefs when designing for the mass market. For instance, clothes designers might incorporate designs into their collections that allow customers from other cultures to dress more modestly, or cosmetics manufacturers may choose not to use animal ingredients in their products because of people's beliefs.
• Products aimed at users with physical disabilities will ensure they can use the product with ease. User needs are met by understanding the nature of the physical disability, eg visual impairments, mobility restrictions or motor control. The range of everyday products that help to increase independence continues to grow.
• When designing products aimed at elderly users, it is important to understand the difficulties this user group may experience, such as mobility issues, visual impairment and hearing loss. An example of a product aimed at this group is a long shoehorn, which will allow an elderly person to put a shoe on without having to bend down.
• Religious groups have a variety of preferences that can be addressed through design. The use of certain symbols, dietary restrictions and clothing requirements all need to be considered so that beliefs are upheld.
• Computer aided design (CAD) can design new products in 3D, visualise them in a variety of materials and send images around the world for collaboration and consultation. Once finalised, designs sent to computer aided manufacture (CAM) machines to be formed.

  PROS----drawn and developed quickly, viewed all angles w all different materials, testing & consumer feedback done before costly production.

  CONS----- expensive to set up, needs skilled workforce, constantly changing & improving tech-hard to keep up w
• By using computer aided manufacture (CAM), designs can be sent to CAM machines such as laser cutters, 3D printers and milling machines.

  PROS------ production= fast and accurate, machines can run constantly on repetitive tasks

  CONS----- expensive to set up, needs skilled workforce
• Flexible manufacturing systems (FMS) are a series of different machines producing different parts for a product. The system is flexible because, at any time, machines in the process can be reprogrammed to change their task and production can be changed to produce more or fewer parts without stopping the other areas of the process.
• Just in time (JIT) manufacturing is triggered by a customer order. The correct amounts of materials are ordered in to cover the order, and these arrive just as they are needed by production. This saves money on storage, reduces waste and ensures there is no money wasted producing stock that will remain unsold. There are disadvantages to the system in that, if any part of the product cannot be sourced, clients have to wait for their order to be produced.
• Lean manufacturing minimises costs and maximises efficiency by cutting down on waste and the amount of materials and energy used in production. This is done by adapting designs and making changes to the production process. For example, to reduce waste, a packaging net could be redesigned to include a tessellating pattern or, to improve efficiency, changeover times between production runs could be reduced.
• Planned obsolescence = designing products that will have a limited life and that will become obsolete and require to be replaced, such as disposable razors. Modern mobile phones are a good example as they need continual software upgrades and they are soon replaced by new better-performing models. Planned obsolescence is generally bad for the environment as it creates more waste.
• Design for maintenance is a term used when designing products that are more durable and have spare parts available to mend and maintain them. This is only possible with low-tech or modular products that don’t require a great deal of skill to repair. For example, a push bike can be regularly maintained, with parts such as pedals and chains being replaced when they are damaged.
• Design for disassembly is a concept that when a product has reached the end of its life it can be taken apart and parts reused or recycled. For instance, a stool could be unscrewed to allow the plastic seat and steel legs to be recycled.
• Environmental design is something designers are increasingly considering by:

  • making products from renewable materials, such as paper straws instead of plastic, to create less waste material
  • transporting materials in a more efficient way to cut down on emissions of greenhouse gases
  • cutting down the use of finite resources for use in production and for energy supply; improving the overall environmental impact of a product