Design Technology - Year 8

Design Technology Overview

DT in Rotation (Term 1 / 4): Design Movement Clock

The students will focus on the properties of plastic, both working and physical. Students will gain an understanding about the industrial production and explore how plastic products are made in factories.

Students will learn about sustainability, and the effect that plastic can have on the environment if not disposed of properly.

Students will also learn how to write a design brief and specification and then manufacture their design.

The practical element is to design and make an acrylic clock by cutting, shaping and attaching pieces together that will be based around a design movement of the students choice.

  1. Students will be assessed on their understanding of a variety of different industrial manufacturing techniques, such as vacuum forming, their knowledge of design procedure, and the quality of their final outcome.
Recycle

Sustainability term used to describe the process of re using materials to manufacture new products.

Repair

Rather than throwing a broken something away, repairing it will help save a new product being manufactured.

Reduce

Trying to use less materials when making a product.

Refuse

The mentality of refusing to buy products that do not seem worthwhile.

Rethink

Is there a smarter, more economical way to make this item?

Reuse

Finding a different way to use a product once its initial purpose has finished.

Thermosetting Plastic

A type of plastic that is difficult to recycle as it can not be heated and remolded into another shape.

Thermoforming plastic

A type of plastic that is easy to recycle due to its ability to be reheated and molded into a different shape.

Design Movement

Usually based around the design of the current time, design movements range from era to era, using the work of influential artists and designers. Some design movements include; Pop Art, Art Nouveau and Post Modernism.

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

Being the most used material in the world, plastic is important to understand. This includes where it comes from and how it is made, but also its impact on society if not disposed of properly.

Create a supportive community:

Students will be able to share ways to help each other use the material, as well promote a sustainable working and learning community.

DT in Rotation (Term 2 / 5): Technical Make - Link Toy

In this project, students will be creating a link toy, with their own design influence, out of wood. They will be using workshop tools and machinery to create a movable connected toy. The emphasis will be on following the manufactured plans closely and to close tolerances to ensure that the toy is able to pivot effectively.

Students will recap knowledge from year 7 about wood as a material and how it can be identified, as well as its uses.

  1. The final outcome will be assessed against a 'master' to compare how well the student has read, understood and stuck to the measurements when making. Quality of finish, such as the product's smoothness, will also be assessed.
  • Spiritual
  • Moral
  • Social
  • Cultural
Develop the individual:

This will help improve confidence with simple hand tools and workshop equipment to hopefully further develop an enjoyment of the subject. It will teach patience and desire to produce something worthwhile and working.

Create a supportive community:

Students will be able to work with one another to ensure measurements are being followed. This will develop bonds and partnership within the workshop.

DT in Rotation (Term 3 / 6): Electronics - Night light

Students will be shown how to solder using the equipment safely and efficiently. The project involves constructing a circuit board using the assembly instructions provided to create a dark activated night light.

Students will be able to develop practical skills of a more delicate nature and be responsible for identifying any issues in the PCB that may need correcting.

A base will be made using the Vacuum Former, out of High Impact Polystyrene to hold the circuit safely.

The top of the night light will be designed on CAD software, 2D Design, to be cut out on the laser cutter from translucent acrylic.

  1. Students will be assessed on their soldering skills. This will ultimately be determined on whether their circuit board works. Neatness and quality of soldering will be looked at as well as their CAD skills for the translucent acrylic top which will be laser cut to make the illuminated top of the night light.
Vacuum forming

A manufacturing technique that commonly uses thermoplastics to create products. The plastic is heated and pressed over a mold while the air is removed. This allows the plastic to form perfectly over the mold.

PCB

The Printed Circuit Board is what holds all the components in the correct place so our electronic devices work as they should.

LED

The Light Emitting Diode is the component that will be the light source. It is different to a bulb.

LDR

The Light Dependent Resister measures the light, and will decide if it is dark or light enough to turn on the LED.

Transistor

A device used to amplify electrical signals or power.

Capacitor

This component stores potential power in the circuit and releases it when needed.

CAD

Computer Aided Design

CAM

Computer Aided Manufacture

Translucent

A material that only lets light partially through it.

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

Student will develop confidence in working with electronics which as the future gets more technical, will be a key skill. Also, students will get a look at, and opportunity to use CAD and CAM, an important part of the future.

Create a supportive community:

Students will be working as pairs for the technical side of this project, being able to support and guide one another to complete the circuit board.