Materials
Theory
Objectives
• Paper and Board
– the working characteristics of paper, board and other graphic
materials
– the units by which the thickness of paper and board are measured
– paper sizes A0 to A6 and their relationship to each other
– the properties and uses of different types of new, recycled and reuseable paper and board
– how paper-based boards can be laminated to other materials and the
composite adjusted to create different properties for specific
purposes.
• Plastics
– how plastics have different properties and can be used in
different ways
– thermoplastic plastic and thermoset plastic
– the types and use of thermoplastics.
Material properties
Material properties are the characteristics of a material.
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Flexibility – a flexible material will be able to be bent and moved at room temperature.
Rigidity – rigidity is the opposite of flexibility. A rigid material is difficult to work at room
temperature.
Ductility – a ductile material will be easy to form and change shape.
Elasticity – elasticity is the ability of a material to return to its original shape when the
applied load has been removed.
Conductivity – conductive materials allow heat or electricity to flow through them. It is
usual to specify which conductivity is being talked about, either thermal or electrical.
Transparent – the material is see-through This can include semi transparent. (An
opaque material does not let light pass through it.)
Water resistance
Strength to weight ratio
AQA GCSE Design and
Technology: graphic products
Paper and Board
Theory
Paper Sizes
Paper and Board
Thicknesses of Paper
• Expressed in grams per square meter (g/m²)
– This is the weight of one square metre of the
paper.
• 80 g/m² is paper
• Card starts at around 120 g/m²
Paper
Laminating, coating and sizing
There are many ways to change the
properties of paper and card, but the
three main ways are:
• Laminating: gluing together layers (plies) of
card or paper.
• Sizing: the paper or card is sealed by a
chemical agent to improve its ability to accept
ink.The sizing can affect the whiteness
(brightness) of the material surface.
AQA GCSE Design and
Technology: graphic products
Paper and Board
Thicknesses of Board
• Board (sometimes called card or cardboard)
thickness is measured in microns: one micron
is one thousandth of one millimetre.
– Card we use is 230 microns (for printing) or 600
microns (for laser cutting)
– Board game board is 2mm thick board (2000
microns)
Board
Coatings on card
• Plastic coating: used for water resistance.
• Aluminium foil: for food products to give a
bacterial barrier against possible
contamination.
• Note: adding coatings can make the material
more difficult to recycle.
AQA GCSE Design and
Technology: graphic products
Other Materials
• Acetate
– plastic sheet with a smooth surface, easy to cut or bend
• Foam board
– It consists of three layers — an inner layer of polystyrene clad with
outer facing of either a white clay coated paper or brown Kraft paper.
– very strong, lightweight and easily cut material used for the mounting
of photographic prints or as backing in picture framing
• Corriflute (Corrugated plastic sheet)
– Waterproof, has good strength
– Made ffrom HIPs
• Expanded polystyrene (Styrofoam)
– Blue foam used for modelling
Task
• Produce 1 A3 sheet for paper and board
• Stick a piece of each type of material on a
page.
• Next to each material include:
– Name
– Thickness (if relevant)
– Properties (Key features – e.g. cost, flexibility,
finish, rigidity, strength, quality, weight,
environmental and sustainable issues)
– Possible uses
Example
• H.I.P.s
– 1mm thick, but comes in other thicknesses
– Comes in sheets for vacuum forming or can
be melted for injection moulding
– Used in packaging such as yogurt pots,
counters for board games and…
– Processes: vacuum forming and injection
moulding
To help, use the Focus on RM software (materials) for possible uses,
and properties, processes and possible finishes
Task
• Stick a piece of each
type of material on an
A3 page.
• Next to each material
include:
– Name
– Thickness (if relevant)
– Properties (Key features
– e.g. flexibility, finish,
rigidity, strength,
quality, weight,
environmental and
sustainable issues)
– Possible uses
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Tracing paper
600 micron card
230 micron card,
Corrugated board
Foam board
80 GSM paper
Corriflute
Grid paper
Acetate
Expanded polystyrene (Styrofo
Others?
Plastics
Theory
Material properties
Material properties are the characteristics of a material. Using the technical
language when describing material properties adds to the QWC mark of your
design project.
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•
•
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Flexibility – a flexible material will be able to be bent and moved at room temperature.
Rigidity – rigidity is the opposite of flexibility. A rigid material is difficult to work at room
temperature.
Ductility – a ductile material will be easy to form and change shape.
Elasticity – elasticity is the ability of a material to return to its original shape when the
applied load has been removed.
Conductivity – conductive materials allow heat or electricity to flow through them. It is
usual to specify which conductivity is being talked about, either thermal or electrical.
Transparent – the material is see-through This can include semi transparent. (An
opaque material does not let light pass through it.)
Strength to weight ratio
AQA GCSE Design and
Technology: graphic products
Thermoplastics
There are two types of thermoplastics:
• Thermoplastic plastic – this can be formed
and moulded when heated.
• Thermoset plastic – these plastics cannot be
reformed, even when heated.
AQA GCSE Design and
Technology: graphic products
Common thermoplastics and their uses
• Thermoplastics are used regularly in graphic
products.
• The chemicals that make up the plastic are often
used as their names.
• These can be very long, so usually they are
abbreviated; for example, acrylonitrile butadiene
styrene is shortened to ABS.
• Sometimes the manufacturer’s name is used;
perspex, manufactured by ICI, is polymethyl
methacrolate, also known as acrylic.
AQA GCSE Design and
Technology: graphic products
Low density polythene
• Abbreviated name: LDPE
• Used for toys, plastic sacks, outdoor furniture,
shower curtains.
• Can be extruded, injection moulded, vacuum
formed, rotational moulded.
AQA GCSE Design and
Technology: graphic products
High density polythene
• Abbreviated name: HDPE
• Used for buckets, bowls, milk crates,
detergent bottles
• Can be extruded, injection moulded, vacuum
formed, rotational moulded.
AQA GCSE Design and
Technology: graphic products
Polyvinylchloride
• Abbreviated name: PVC
• Used for pipes, gutters, flooring, window
frames, shower curtains.
• Can be extruded, injection moulded, vacuum
formed, rotational moulded.
• Recycling symbol number 3.
AQA GCSE Design and
Technology: graphic products
Polymethyl methacrylate
• Abbreviated name: acrylic
• Used for signs, aircraft canopies, baths, light
diffusers, contact lenses.
• Can be extruded, injection moulded, vacuum
formed.
AQA GCSE Design and
Technology: graphic products
High impact polystyrene
• Abbreviated name: HIPS
• Used for vending cups, models, food
packaging, fridge liners.
• Can be extruded, injection moulded, vacuum
formed.
• Recycling symbol number 6.
AQA GCSE Design and
Technology: graphic products
Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene
• Abbreviated name: ABS
• Used for kettles, hairdryers, casing of many
small products.
• Can be extruded, injection moulded, vacuum
formed.
AQA GCSE Design and
Technology: graphic products
Polymide
• Abbreviated Name: Nylon
• Used for gears, bearings, combs, toothbrush
bristles.
• Can be extruded and injection moulded.
AQA GCSE Design and
Technology: graphic products
Polyethylene terephthalate
• Abbreviated name: PET
• Used for carbonated drink bottles and
microwavable packaging.
• Can be extruded, injection moulded, vacuum
formed.
• Recycling symbol number 1.
AQA GCSE Design and
Technology: graphic products
Polystyrene
• Abbreviated name: PS
• Used for CD cases, yoghurt pots, plastic table
wear.
• Can be extruded, injection moulded, vacuum
formed.
• Recycling symbol number 6.
AQA GCSE Design and
Technology: graphic products
Polypropylene
• Abbreviated name: PP
• Used for cutting boards, crisp packets, bottle
caps, car bumpers, yoghurt pots.
• Can be extruded, injection moulded,
extruded, rotational moulding.
• Recycling symbol number 5.
AQA GCSE Design and
Technology: graphic products
Polycarbonate
• Abbreviated name: PC
• Used for riot shields, security windows,
compact discs, lenses.
• Can be extruded, injection moulded,
extruded.
• Can be vacuum formed but must be dried in
an oven first.
• Recycling symbol number 5.
AQA GCSE Design and
Technology: graphic products
Plastics
Resin identification codes
Task
• Stick a piece of each type of
material on an A3 page.
• Next to each material include:
– Name
– Type of plastic
– Properties (Key features –
e.g. flexibility, finish, rigidity,
strength, quality, weight,
environmental and
sustainable issues)
– Possible uses
– Possible processes that can
be used with each material
– What form does it come in
(sheets etc)
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H.I.P.s
Acrylic
PVC
Polypropyl
ene (PP)
• PET
• HDPE
• Others?
Plastics