Manufacturing Successful Designs (HL)
Duration
7-9 Sessions
Interconnectedness
Design in Theory | Design in Practice | Design in Context | |
| A4.1 Manufacturing techniques | B4.1 Production systems | C4.1 Design for manufacture strategies |
Learning Intentions
Through critical thinking, practical activities and context, students will:
explore the five categories of manufacturing techniques (additive, subtractive, forming, joining and
finishing). They must be able to select appropriate manufacturing techniques in relation to the
properties of the selected material(s)
know that additive techniques are built layer by layer and are typically referred to as 3D printing. They should be able to explain the process of laminated object manufacture (LOM), fused deposition modelling (FDM) and stereolithography (SLA)
be able to differentiate between rapid prototyping techniques used for creating base models, versus
final products. They should know the additive manufacturing techniques used for low-production
runs, such as powder bed fusion (PBF), material extrusion and selective laser sintering (SLS). Students should understand both 4D and 5D printing techniques and examples of their potential uses be able to suggest why specific manufacturing techniques across all categories (additive, subtractive, forming, joining and finishing) have been used
be able to explain how manufacturing techniques across additive, subtractive, forming, joining and
finishing are done understand that there are many factors that influence the selection of a manufacturing technique, including the type of product being manufactured, the type of material(s) being used, scale of production, the production system, cost constraints and environmental considerations
be able to justify the selection of the most appropriate techniques
know the most effective production system for a given product; these include craft, mechanized,
automated, assembly line, hybrid production systems and computer integrated manufacturing (CIM)
be able to identify advantages and disadvantages for each system and which ones are most
appropriate for a variety of scale of production (one-off production, batch production, mass
production, mass customization and continuous production)
explore the role of production methods in influencing the function and aesthetics of a product
understand the three strategies that contribute to DfM (design for process, design for assembly and
design for disassembly)
be able to apply their knowledge to product design. They should understand how DfM can contribute
to the environmental impact of manufacture, use and disposal of a product.
Linking Questions
How might material properties influence the selection of manufacturing techniques? (A3.1)
To what extent are manufacturing techniques for commercial products used for modelling and prototyping potential design solutions? (B2.2)
To what extent are manufacturing techniques determined by material selection? (B3.1)
How can manufacturing techniques influence the way a structural system is designed? (A3.2, B3.2)
How can product analysis and evaluation be used to identify the manufacturing techniques used to create a product? (C3.1)
How does the selection of a manufacturing technique affect the outcome of a life-cycle analysis on a product? (C3.2)
Why do manufacturing strategies influence the design choice of manufacturing techniques to create a product? (C4.1)
To what extent are prototyping techniques becoming production systems? (A2.2)
Which aspects of structural, mechanical and electronic systems impact on the availability of certain production systems? (A3.2, A3.3, A3.4, B3.2, B3.3, B3.4)
How does the design of a product for specific manufacturing techniques limit the choice of production system that can be used to create it? (A4.1)
How does material selection in a commercially viable product impact the cost of using different production systems? (B3.1)
How do production techniques influence aspects of user-centred design (UCD) that go beyond usability? (C1.3)
How does the scale of production impact a product when using a design for a circular economy strategy? (C2.2)
Why is a deep understanding of how components are manufactured and assembled vital for effective product analysis and evaluation? (C3.1)
To what extent does the selection of a production system affect the outcome of a product’s life-cycle analysis? (C3.2)
To what extent does the choice of design for manufacture (DfM) strategies affect the feasibility of certain production systems? (C4.1)
Why is a design for assembly strategy important when designing mechanical systems? (A3.3, B3.3)
When using a design for process strategy, what are the key considerations for identifying appropriate manufacturing techniques for the production of a product? (A4.1)
To what extent are DfM strategies compatible with the goals of UCD? (B1.1)
What are the advantages of using a DfM strategy when engaging with the design process? (B2.1)
How do modelling and prototyping resolve design issues when using a DfM strategy? (B2.2)
To what extent does material selection influence the choice of a DfM strategy? (B3.1)
To what extent is the selection of production systems limited when using a DfM strategy? (B4.1)
To what extent is the design for disassembly strategy important when engaging with a design for a circular economy approach? (C2.2)
In what ways can the selection of a DfM strategy affect the outcome of a life-cycle analysis? (C3.2)