Core Technical Principles

• What are the advantages of automation?

  • Increased efficiency and speed of production.
  • Accurate and consistent output
  • Reduced labour costs and can work 24/7
  • Ability to work in a variety of environments
• What are the disadvantages of automation?

  • Replaces workforce leading to some job losses
  • No human input/decision making
  • Up-skilled workforce to maintain robots
  • Expensive to set up
• Describe two factors that make the production of circuit boards suitable for automated assembly line manufacture.

  • Identical circuit boards and products are passed through the production line
  • Making it easy to program robots to perform repetitive operations.
  • Precision is required and must be maintained;
  • Robots are able to work consistently and indefinitely.
• What is enterprise?


  The ability to identify a business opportunity, develop it and make it commercially successful.
• What is a patent?


  A legal process of proving the creator is the first person to have registered the idea of invention. This means that original ideas, discoveries and inventions remain the intellectual property of the person who invented them.
• What is crowd funding?

  Fundraising from a large number of people, typically through an online platform. However, if the venture does not reach its target then any finance is returned to the investors, which can damage the reputation of the company.
• What is virtual marketing?

  Includes the use of social media and digital marketing to reach a wider audience. Its effect is measured on hits, clicks or likes, which can be more easily measured than print advertising. This also includes paid-for advertisements in search results. Mass-marketing for a low cost.
• What is a cooperative?


  An enterprise run and owned by members of the workforce and customers. This gives people with similar interests better protection and a stronger democratic voice.
• What is fair trade?

  Better prices, decent working conditions and fair terms of trade for farmers and workers in less developed countries. This enables farmers to improve their quality of life. Includes products such as fruit, coffee, wine and chocolate.
• What sustainability?


  The ability to meet the needs of the present generation without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs.
• What are finite resources?

  Resources that are being used more quickly than they are being replaces. The use of these resources should be avoided or limited. Examples include fossil fuels and metal ores.
• What are non-finite resources?

  Resources that are in abundant supply and are unlikely to ever be exhausted. They can be replaced at the rate they are being used. Examples include solar and wind energy, timbers and cotton.
• What are the 5 stages of a LCA?

  1. Extraction and processing
  2. Manufacturing and production
  3. Distribution
  4. Use
  5. End of life
• What is the purpose of a LCA?

  Allows companies to asses the environmental impact of a product during the different stages of its life.
• What is the importance of waste disposal?

  • Particularly for large scale manufacturing plants.
  • Re-used internally for alternative parts of products
  • Some of the cost of materials is recouped through the sale of recyclable waste.
  • The energy used to heat and power a business may also be generated from waste material such as biomass.
• What are the benefits of paper straws over plastic straws?

  • They are biodegradeable so decompose more quickly, reducing waste in landfill.
  • They are manufactured with fewer finite resources.
• What is global warming?

  A collection of air pollutants gathering in the atmosphere causing the average global temperature to rise and extreme weather events.
• What is pollution?


  The introduction of harmful materials into the environment. It may also be noise or light pollution.
• What is continuous improvement?

  Small but continuous improvements to processes and workflow. Companies become increasingly more efficient and effective.
• What is efficient working?

  • Investment in staff training
  • Improved working practices
  • Use of new technologies, automation and reduction of wastage
  • Reduces costs, energy usage and impact on the environment
• What is technology push?

  • When new technology becomes available
  • Designers utilise it before the market is aware of it
  • Often makes products smaller, cheaper or more efficient
  • e.g. touchscreen technology
• What is market pull?

  When the market needs a product, such as recyclable carrier bags, low energy lamps and gluten free foods.
• Changing job roles?


  Automation leads to a reduction of manual labour. The workforce can be retained for new positions using new technologies, which often gives people new ano higher value skills.
• Fashion and trends

  • Constantly changing
  • Consumers want to buy into a certain lifestyle
  • The internet allows new fashion products to be showcased and endorsed.
  • Recieves a very rapid customer response
• Faiths and belief

  • Designers must consider the wider implications of a new product within different faiths and communities, and in meeting the needs of different groups of society.
• Clothing designs, fabric colour and materials


  • May sell well in one country but not in another
• Faiths and beliefs restrict the styles of clothing that some people wear
• Styles of top or shorts exposing the shoulders or knees

  • Considered to be revealing in some areas of the world
• Green


  • Positive, environmentally friendly colour in the West
  • Traditional colour of Islam
  • Traditionally forbidden in Indonesia
• White


  • Symbolises purity and cleanliness in Western cultures
  • Represents death and bad luck in China and Korea
• Silks


  • May sell very well in Asian cultures as part of national dress styles
  • Less so in the West
• Design for the differently abled

  • Inclusive design
  • Ensures the product can be used by as many people as possible
  • All users should be able to use the design safely, easily and with dignity.
  • Should be considered when designing a new product, improving access to buildings or looking at how people access transport.
  • Modern materials have enabled products to be lighter, tougher and more adaptable to help with weaker grip, and reduces mobility.
• How can cad parks incorporate features to improve accessibility?

  • Clear and visible signage
  • Height of payment machines, lift buttons and exit panels, so wheelchair uses can access them easily.
  • Lifts and stairs
  • Handrails
  • Automatic opening doors with sensors
  • Wide parking bays for disabled vehicular access
• What is a flexible manufacturing system (FMS)?

  A method of production designed to easily adapt to changes in the quantity or type of product being manufactured. It may be implemented to help a manufacturer manage their stock inventory and production planning system.
• What are the benefits of an item tracking system?


  Every part in a warehouse can be easily traced and monitored.
• What is the importance of a good production plan?

  Will identify the times and deadlines for each process, such as accessing parts from the warehouse, machining, assembly and packing times.
• What is lean manufacturing?

  The focus on minimising waste and improving efficiency, which in turn is cost saving and reduces the waste of resources. The elimination of waste is core to a lean practise.
• Explain how a flexible manufacturing system would be an advantage to FotoPrint. [2]

  • Automated machines are used that can be reprogrammed easily between production runs.
  • They can adjust print volume, hard or soft covers, book dimensions, finish and paper type.
• What are the advantages of Just In Time manufacturing?

  • Products are made to order, saving on storage space
  • Stock doesn’t become old or out of date.
  • More factory space can be utilised for other activities.
  • Materials and components are ordered as needed, keeping cash flow in control.
• What are the DISadvantages of Just in Time manufacturing?

  • The supply chain must be reliable and fast
  • Sales are effected by a delay in deliveries or product failures
  • Costs are higher; ordering in small quantities prevents bulk volume discounts.