Selecting appropriate tools, equipment and processes

• successful manufacture


  Factors - material, material cost, product function, scale of production and proposed retail cost.

  
  

  The main aim is to select a manufacturing methods that is suitable for the material and product as well as the economy (material and scale of manufacture)
• key points when selecting tooling

  - what material will the product be made from?

  - the material choice will influence the manufacture options

  - does the product need any specific features such as two halves that slot together, a flat pack product or a hollow product?

  - what amount of the product needs to be made
• selecting the correct tooling and equipment

  involves using knowledge of manufacturing processes and materials used for each manufacturing process
• safe working practices


  serve to keep the person doing the work, as well as those in the vicinity safe and free from harm.

  these safe working practices may include guidelines for the person in the workshop to follow
• risk assessment


  Good way to initially consider what may cause harm to people and the ways in which people can be protected as much as is practicable from hazard or harm
• maintaining safety in commercial manufacture


  - typically involves more staff than one-off production

  - employers need to maintain safety standards across variety of situations.

  - comply with HSWA (health and safety at work act)

  - comply with COSHH (control of substances hazardous to health)

  - comply with personal protective clothing regulations 2002

  - risk assessments should be regularly reviewed and updated
• safe and appropriate selection of tools

  - duration of the job - will they be completing same task over short of long time frame - RSI (repetitive strain injury) or boredom?

  - what hazards can be controlled beforehand?

  - what hazards has the process introduced?

  - is there a safe place to load and unload materials, machinery and equipment?

  - is there manual handling issue, are workers trained?

  - is tooling properly maintained?

  - are their safety guards fitted?

  - electrical safety - power leads tested and tagged? trip hazards from leads?

  - PPE - maintenance and replacement of PPE

  - emergency equipment - fire extinguishers, first aid kits, eye baths etc? training for emergency procedures?
• development of designs from single prototypes to mass produced products

  - used to find faults and evaluate prior to future production runs. - gather market feedback
• visual prototype


  - sample of model that shows overall shape and size

  - does NOT have working parts

  - usually made out of modelling materials such as styrofoam or made on 3D printer

  - test visual impact

  - designers and clients suggest improvements
• proof of concept prototype

  - shows the key functionality

  - shows main technical aspects

  - may use existing "off the shelf" components

  - test functions - do they work as intended?

  - given to trial or test groups to gain feedback
• production prototype

  - A representation of how the mass-produced product would look and function

  - "off the shelf" parts may still be used but more likely it will be built from bespoke parts.

  - use presentation prototype to assess any alterations

  - small user trials prior to full production runs.

  - may produce an initial batch for testing
• application: James Dyson


  First bagless vacuum.

  Over a 5 year period he made 5127 prototypes before he was satisfied he had a successful and optimally functioning product
• effect of manufacturing process

  - volume of production determines the type of machinery used to create a product

  - designer must be familiar with number of products expected from a manufacture process

  - batch production - use jigs to ensure ease of repeatability and speed of production
• Example: Dining table

  one off production - use equipment such as band saws, pillar drills, mortise machine.

  batch production - jigs - e.g., for mortise and tenon joints or gluing jig
• one-off production

  a product that has been designed and manufactured for a single, specific situation.

  
  

  described as 'made to measure' or 'bespoke
• batch production


  a set number of products are made at one time. to ensure consistency throughout the batch, manufacturers use control devices such as jigs and templates and CNC machines
• mass production


  large quantities of the same standard product or component are made.

  
  

  utilises automation, dedicated machinery and CNC machinery