Design Technology - Year 12

Design Technology Overview

Term 1: Material theory - Unit 1 - Woods

Furthering on from the GCSE material content on AQA, the Year 12 students will develop their understanding of woods as a usable material. They will be required to understand all aspects of the material; where it comes from, how it is formed and shaped, as well as how it is finished and protected to make it for for purpose. Like the other theory knowledge that will be studied, students will take notes on the material and then have an opportunity to put what they have learnt into physical practice. After students have learned about the raw materials and ways to form wood, they will be making a laminated cheese board from a selection of food safe woods. This will give them an opportunity to think creatively in their first design and making projects of the year, as well as use CAD and CAM during the project to ensure design ides a realised.

  1. Students will have an end of unit assessment on the various sub units of woods. These sub units are:

    - Stock forms - Performance - Testing and Finishing - Working with - Forming

    As well as this, students will be assessed on the creativity and presentation of their design ideas, their execution of CAD work and the over all quality of the laminated cheeseboards they will make.

Isometric Drawing

A common drawing technique used to show a drawing in 3 dimensions, usually at a 30 degree angle.

Perspective

A drawing techniques used to help make a drawing look more realistic.

Orthographic Drawing

Drawings that represents a three-dimensional object using several two-dimensional views of the object - usually a front, side and plan view.

Rendering

Adding texture to a drawing or a CAD model to enhance the aesthetics to make it look more realistic. This is usually done to represent what materials the design is to be made from.

Prototyping

Creating small or scaled models of a design to either test or see how it will look or perform.

Fit for purpose

Ensuring that a design is suitable for the target market is has been designed for.

Inclusive Design

Taking into consideration a wide range of potential users so that as many people as possible can use the product comfortably.

  • Spiritual
  • Moral
  • Social
  • Cultural
Develop the individual:

This helps the student with creativity, allowing them to convert ideas from thought to paper to a final manufactured product. It will also develop skills needed during their NEA starting later in the year.

Create a supportive community:

Students will be able to look at each others work and use each other's ideas for inspiration in their own work where appropriate as well as learn from any mistakes that may be made my themselves or others.

Term 1&2: Material theory - Unit 2 - Metals

Furthering on from the GCSE material content on AQA, the Year 12 students will develop their understanding of metals as a usable material. They will be required to understand all aspects of the material; where it comes from, how it is formed and shaped, as well as how it is finished and protected to make it fit for purpose. Like the other theory knowledge that will be studied, students will take notes on the material and then have an opportunity to put what they have learnt into physical practice. After students have learned about the raw materials and ways to form metals, they will be making a pewter cast door handle. Students will be able to choose a potential client of this, and design for them appropriately, producing a range of different ideas. Using CAD and CAM students will create a mould for the casting process and then tap and thread the hole so it can be used.

  1. Students will have an end of unit assessment on the various sub units of metals. These sub units are:

    - Stock forms - Performance - Testing and Finishing - Forming - Joining - Wasting

    As well as this, students will be assessed on the creativity and presentation of their design ideas, their execution of CAD work and the over all quality of the door handle.

CAD

Computer Aided Design

CAM

Computer Aided Manufacture

Rapid Prototyping

Creating prototypes quickly in order to see certain parts, or a final outcome of a design.

Virtual Modelling

A computer aided design model which can allow tests to be undertaken without having a physical model made.

File Sharing

A method of sharing work between one another quickly, usually through the use of ICT.

  • Spiritual
  • Moral
  • Social
  • Cultural
Develop the individual:

Using scaled down commercial manufacturing techniques within the workshop to produce a small, professional standard of product from reusable and recyclable materials.

Create a supportive community:

It will allow the students to get a better understanding of how the manufacturing industry works as well as produce a product that will be used in the everyday world.

Term 3: Material theory - Unit 3 - Polymers

Furthering on from the GCSE material content on AQA, the Year 12 students will develop their understanding of polymers as one of the most widely used material. They will be required to understand all aspects of the material; where it comes from, how it is formed and shaped, as well as how it is finished and ethical links to the material. Like the other theory knowledge that will be studied, students will take notes on the material and then have an opportunity to put what they have learnt into physical practice. After students have learned about the raw materials and ways to form polymers, they will use CAD and CAM (specifically 2D Design and the laser cutter) to manufacture a phone stand appropriate for their own phone. A side challenge will be to produce a fit for purpose phone stand using as little plastic as possible in order the think sustainably.

  1. Students will have an end of unit assessment on the various sub units of metals. These sub units include:

    - Stock forms - Application - Finishing - Forming - Elastomers - Biodegradable

    As well as this, students will be assessed on the creativity and presentation of their design ideas, their execution of CAD work and the over all quality of the door handle.

Smart Materials

Modern Materials

  • Spiritual
  • Moral
  • Social
  • Cultural
Develop the individual:

The student will develop and learn about the implications of working with a material that is notorious for damaging the environment and begin to think of ways that a reduction in materials or a total change, can benefit people.

Create a supportive community:

The student will develop and learn about the implications of working with a material that is notorious for damaging the environment and begin to think of ways that a reduction in materials or a total change, can benefit people.

Term 1-4: Designing and Making Principles

Students will partake in a design challenge using an influential designer, either past or present as reference with consideration into social economic influences and how design has changed over time.

Students will look into the Product Life Cycle through an individual research activity on a product of their choice and how through practical application, a product’s life can be extended.

  1. 3.2 Designing and making principles

    3.2.1 Design methods and processes

    3.2.2 Design theory

    3.2.8 Responsible design

  • Spiritual
  • Moral
  • Social
  • Cultural
Develop the individual:

Create a supportive community:

Term 3: Material Theory - Unit 4 - Papers and Boards

Furthering on from the GCSE material content on AQA, the Year 12 students will develop their understanding of papers and boards as a usable material. They will be required to understand all aspects of the material; where it comes from, how it is formed and shaped, as well as how it is finished and protected to make it fit for purpose. Like the other theory knowledge that will be studied, students will take notes on the material and then have an opportunity to put what they have learnt into physical practice. After students have learned about the raw materials and ways to form papers and boards, they will use papers and boards to develop their prototyping skills through a design and make project. Students will be able to choose a potential client for this, and design for them appropriately.

  • Spiritual
  • Moral
  • Social
  • Cultural
Develop the individual:

Create a supportive community:

Term 4: Material Theory - Unit 5 - Composite, Smart and Modern Materials

Students will study various composite, smart and modern materials. They will be given an opportunity to conduct a detailed research task based upon a suitable material of their choice and present their findings to the class through a formal presentation.

  • Spiritual
  • Moral
  • Social
  • Cultural
Develop the individual:

Create a supportive community:

Term 4: Unit 6 - Modern and Industrial Practices

Students will learn about the various scales of production and the efficient use of materials. Students will also learn about the influence of technology, particularly computers, on the design and manufacturing process - computer systems, digital design and modelling.

  • Spiritual
  • Moral
  • Social
  • Cultural
Develop the individual:

Create a supportive community:

Term 4&5: Unit 7 -Product Design Considerations & Product Development

As students near the start of their NEA, students will learn about a variety of important factors to consider when carrying out a design and make project and how those in industry approach these. This will include product development, inclusive design, safe working practices, protecting designs, manufacturing considerations and designing for disassembly. Students will also learn about feasibility studies, enterprise, communicating data and communicating design ideas.

  • Spiritual
  • Moral
  • Social
  • Cultural
Develop the individual:

Create a supportive community:

Term 6: Non - Exam Assessment (NEA)

The NEA is an opportunity to show practical application of Technical Principles and Designing and Making Principles, the theory work studies throughout the year.

This will involve a lot of testing, evaluating and reacting to findings

Students engage in a substation design and make project worth 100 marks, 50% of the grade from a selection released by the exam board in the summer term.

They will create a portfolio of research, ideas, both sketched and through the use of CAD and CAM. Students will be making prototypes for testing and evaluating according the iterative design process stated by AQA.

  1. This will be assessed at the end of year 13, moderated and results sent off to the exam board. This will be 50% of the A-Level.
  • Spiritual
  • Moral
  • Social
  • Cultural
Develop the individual:

Students will develop their ability to produce a design portfolio using a real client to improve skills for further education and industry.

Create a supportive community: