AS Materials & Processes
Design Section - Camera
Possible Materials
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Stainless Steel
Aluminium
Magnesium Alloy
ABS
HDPE
Polycarbonate Compound
• Glass lenses
• LCD screens
Stainless steel
• Does not corrode or rust
• Fairly inexpensive for a metal
Aluminium
• Malleable
• Low density:
– A little soft for a metal
– Light for a metal (lightweight)
• Fairly inexpensive for a metal
• Durable
• Ductile
Magnesium Alloy
• Magnesium alloys are mixtures of magnesium
with other metals (called an alloy), often
aluminium, zinc, manganese, silicon, copper,
rare earths and zirconium. Magnesium is the
lightest structural metal.
Reasons to choose plastic
• Does not dent (unless you use low quality
plastic)
• Absorbs impact shock, rather than
transmitting it. (thank you polymer chains!)
• Scratch it and you don't lose the paint.
• Not as cold to handle in the winter
• Still very tough and difficult to break.
ABS
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Resistance to wear
Impact resistance
Toughness
Variety of colours
Good between temuratures of -20 to 80
degrees C.
HDPE
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Commonly recycled
High strength
Excellent chemical resistance
Good with heat to 80 degrees C
Polycarbonate Compound
• Contains 10-20% glass fiber. This material is
very durable, lightweight, and shock-resistant
as well as tolerant to humidity and
temperature changes.
• Easily worked and moulded.
Possible Processes
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Injection moulding
Vacuum forming
Compression moulding
Die casting
Milling
Injection Moulding
• Expensive to set up
• Excellent for large batches or more
• ABS
• HDPE
• Polycarbonate
Compound
Vacuum Forming
• Sheet forming
• No negative tapers
• Hollow objects
Compression Moulding
• More basic shapes / parts
Die Casting 1
• Injection moulding for metal!
• Stainless steel
• Aluminium
Die Casting 2
Milling
• Can be automated using CAD/CAM
• Aluminium
• Stainless
steel