Selection and organisation
CHOOSING THE FINAL SOLUTION
Once the final proposal has been evaluated against the specification,
meets the clients’ and users’ needs, and has been developed, it is time
to think about manufacture.
Design ideas may have been modelled at this stage using CAD software
and by making sketch models out of some sort of material to get a
scaled version of the design. 3D prototyping may have also been
attemted (CAM).
MATERIALS SELECTION
During the development stage, final materials
are often choosen for their properties:
finish (aesthetics), costs, availability, and
whether machines and equipment are available
to make the pieces required in the design.
Costs: the amount of money needed to
manufacture a product, including materials,
tooling and labour.
Other componenets such as fixtures and
fittings may also need to be sourced and costed
to ensure the product meets target price.
Fixtures and fittings: Is a standard components
used to assemble a product that have been
purchased rather than specially manufactured.
In addition, having the skills to manufacture the specific parts is essential.
Skills: the abilities of the workforce/designer that need special training/expertise.
Testing and combining the materials chosen with all the extra components, in terms
of joining methods, finishes and shaping materials, is a great way of determining if
the materials choices, process and skills are the right ones.
MATERIALS TESTING
At this stage, designers may test materials to establish if they are fit for purpose, that is, that they
do the job they are supposed to do. There is a range of scientific testing, include:
• density testing
• heat/melting point test
• tensile test
• izod impact test
• conductivity/insulation test
• hardness test.
It is possible to carry out simplified
materials tests in a workshop with
some basic tools and test rigs.
In addition to hard materials testing,
designers may check the suitability
of electronic components,
machanical components and
graphics-based materials.
In an industrial context this may be
completed through software.
In school, you can also do this with
appropriate construction kits.
Construction and building toys for kids
MATERIALS AND CUTTING LIST
A major part of planning the making and manufacturing activity is to
list all materials and components that make up the design. This is a
useful document to work from. An example of materials list shown
below:
Materials list
Name
Material
Quantity
Lenght
(mm)
Width
(mm)
Thickness
(mm)
Front-base
Acrylic
1
275
200
3
Primary function
separator
Acrylic
1
275
100
3
Secondary function
separator
Acrylic
1
104
100
3
Back
Acrylic
1
275
103
3
Cover
Acrylic
1
222
85
3
Side
Acrylic
1
95
100
10
Side template
Acrylic
1
95
100
3
PLANNING FOR MANUFACTURE
Once materials, processes and additional components have been
selected and proven to work together, the designer will plan for
manufacture.
To do this efficiently, designers will carefully consider and plan each
step of the process to ensure everything is completed in the correct
order.
There are number of ways to do this and the following are given for
consideration.
1. Flow charts is a diagram showing a sequence of operations in a
process or work flow. An example of a flow chart showing below:
Flowcharts
Start
Laser cut acrylic
back piece, side
piece and
separator piece
Are the acrylic pieces of
the correct size and
shape?
Resize and
reshape pieces
on Coral Draw
Terminal
No
Process
Decision
Yes
Line bend acrylic
separator piece to
make 4 flaps of 90
degrees
Are the four flaps
of the correct
size and angle?
Yes
Process to next
Heat acrylic
separator piece
on line bender
so that the
acrylic becomes
flat
No
Arrow connection
2. Manufacturing plan
A manufacturing plan can be more detailed than a flowchart. It is usually presented in a table. Instructions for
each stage of manufacture are listed such as marking out, cutting, wasting, finishing, fitting, assembly, and testing.
In addition, associated quality control checks, time allocation, health and safety considerations, and
tooling/machinery are listed to make a comprehensive plan.
The following is an example of a manufacturing plan and possible headings that you might include.
Process
Tools/
Machines
needed
Quality
Quality check Health and Time
safety (risk
assessment)
Comments
Check that the materials
used for the lamp production
have the amount needed laser ply, acrylic rod,
threaded bar, nuts,
polypropylene.
Ruler
Inspect the
materials to
ensure there is no
damage that
would decrease
the aesthetics
and function.
Double check that
there are enough
materials.
All the
materials
should be of
consistent
quality.
Check for
blemishes,
scratches,
chips and
marks.
Ensure all
materials
are available
before
manufacturi
ng starts.
Check against the materials
list.
Gloves for
sharp edges
Clean area
to avoid any
damage to
materials or
trip hazards
Good
storage
15
minutes
SEQUENTIAL INSTRUCTIONS
Sequential instructions are clear drawings ( usually with minimal text)
that clearly demonstrate the steps in making something or putting
something together.
Many companies use them for products purchased in flatpack or kit
form to be assembled at home.
The advantage of this type of instruction is that they are multinational
as there is no use of language.
QUESTIONS
1. Name five things to consider when making your material selection.
2. List five types of fixtures and fittings you may include in a design.