Years 10 and 11 G.C.S.E. Design Technology Plan

Overview
AQA Design and Technology - Product Design is offered at G.C.S.E.

The scheme of work has been developed to allow students to demonstratefully their design and technology capability, which requires them tocombine skills with knowledge and understanding in order to makequality products in quantity. Students will acquire and applyknowledge, skills and understanding through:

  • Analysing and evaluating products and processes.
  • Engaging in focused tasks to develop and demonstrate tasks.
  • Engage in strategies for developing ideas, planning and producing products.

Four broad areas are studied:

  • Designing and making skills.
  • Materials and components.
  • Design and market influences.
  • Processes and manufacture.

Designing and Making Skills

Through this project, the following are developed:

  • Understand the basic design principles of line, form and colour.
  • Develop and use design briefs, detailed specifications and criteria in relation to product development.
  • Design for product maintenance.
  • Generate design proposals against stated criteria and modify these in the light of analysis, evaluation and product development.
  • Match materials and components with tools, equipment and processes when deciding how to manufacture a product.
  • Produce and use detailed working schedules and set realistic deadlines.
  • Ensure the quality of design solutions is suitable for consumer.
  • Use tools and equipment safely, accurately and efficiently to achieve reliable functioning of products.
  • Use computer aided manufacture (CAM) in single and batch production

Materials and components

Classification and working properties of materials.

Paper / card.

  • Identify common papers including layout, cartridge, tracing, corrugated and foam centred board.
  • Understand many papers are composites and composition can be adjusted to create different properties.

Timber based material.

  • Identify common timbers such as pine, mahogany, teak and beech.
  • Identify common manufactured boards i.e. MDF, plywood, chipboard and hardboard.

Ferrous and non-ferrous metals.

  • Identify common metals i.e. mild steel, brass, copper and aluminium.
  • Understand many metals are alloys and their composition can be adjusted to create different properties.

Plastics.

  • Identify common thermoplastics i.e. polystyrene, acrylic and PVC.
  • Identify common thermosetting plastics i.e. GRP and epoxy resin.

Design and Market Influences

Evolution of product design.

  • Recognise that products evolve over time.
  • Understand market pull and technology push.

Design in practice.

  • Discuss and analyse situations / problems.
  • Gather research, evaluate and select information.
    Be aware that designs are protected by patents.

Communication of ideas.

  • Use a range of graphical techniques including annotated sketches and formal drawings.

Design in the human context.

  • Consider safety with regards to themselves and the product user.

Processes and Manufacture

Product manufacture.

  • Understand how a range of materials are cut, shaped and formed.

Industrial practice.

  • Understand that products are manufactured to different scales i.e. one-off, batch and mass production.

Manufacturing systems.

  • Understand that manufacturing is a system that requires the organisation of people, tools and materials.
  • Use a range of procedures including CAD/CAM to ensure consistency in production.
  • Use hand and machine methods of cutting and shaping materials.

Projects

The main projects used during Year 10 to deliver the above knowledge and skills are:

  • Novelty radio.
  • Packaging exercise.
  • Vacuum formed cookie cutter.
  • Batch produced injection moulded key fob, including point of sale display.

During Year 11, students will produce a coursework project marked bythe school and externally moderated, amounting to 60% of the total markfor the G.C.S.E. The project, which may take up to 40 hours, consistsof a three-dimensional product and a concise design folder. Studentsmay use the exam board set project outlines or formulate their ownbriefs.