Implications of wider issues - Revision history

Stsb11: /* iv. Designing with consideration of product life */

2025-09-11T08:13:53Z

iv. Designing with consideration of product life

Stsb11: /* 3.2a Awareness of the responsibilities and principles of designing for manufacture (DFM), including: */

2025-09-11T08:12:46Z

3.2a Awareness of the responsibilities and principles of designing for manufacture (DFM), including:

Stsb11: /* iv. Planned obsolescence */

2025-07-01T15:19:59Z

iv. Planned obsolescence

Stsb11: /* iv. Planned obsolescence */

2025-07-01T15:19:43Z

iv. Planned obsolescence

Stsb11: /* i. Planning for accuracy and efficiency through testing and prototyping */

2025-01-06T13:24:42Z

i. Planning for accuracy and efficiency through testing and prototyping

Stsb11: /* ii. Economic issues and globalisation */

2025-01-06T11:21:30Z

ii. Economic issues and globalisation

Stsb11: /* i. Fair trade and the Ethical Trade Initiative (ETI) */

2025-01-06T11:20:27Z

i. Fair trade and the Ethical Trade Initiative (ETI)

Stsb11: /* Case Study: A fridge */

2024-04-30T06:39:33Z

Case Study: A fridge

Stsb11: /* 3.1a Understand how social, ethical and environmental issues have influenced and been impacted by past and present developments in design practice and thinking, including: */

2024-04-30T06:39:17Z

3.1a Understand how social, ethical and environmental issues have influenced and been impacted by past and present developments in design practice and thinking, including:

Stsb11: /* Social, Moral, Ethical and Environmental considerations for Design Engineers */

2023-11-10T07:37:29Z

Social, Moral, Ethical and Environmental considerations for Design Engineers

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 ===iv. Designing with consideration of product life===
 #Some products are designed to be ‘single-shot’, such as a promotional novelty light-up toy. Items such as this can be glued together with batteries sealed inside, as they only need to last a few hours. Other products such as cars will potentially run for several decades, and as such will need to be designed so that every component can be removed and replaced within a few hours.
 ===3.2b Awareness of product lifecycles that extend useful product life through planning for and consideration of maintenance, repair, upgrades, remanufacture and recycling systems===

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 ==3.2a Awareness of the responsibilities and principles of designing for manufacture (DFM), including:==
 ===i. Planning for accuracy and efficiency through testing and prototyping===
 #Prior to production, a large number of prototypes will be produced and experimented with. Each time a new sub-system is created, it can then be examined for ways to further improve it. Can the parts be made smaller? Are there empty spaces inside the housing (voids) which parts/wiring can be moved into? Can the internal parts be made thinner/lighter without affecting performance or durability? Thorough repeated testing can help answer these questions.
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 ##Create methods for efficient joining
 ##Minimise any re-orientation of parts during assembly (this can be done by making parts symmetrical and avoiding the use of left-and right-handed parts).
 ===ii. Being aware of issues in relation to different scales of production===
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 #In a batch-production system, a specific number of items is made. In a bakery, a batch of 50 buns might be made, or a run of 1000 plastic buckets might be produced by injection moulding. Whether large or small, the defining characteristic is the finite number. In order to make batches which are consistent, jigs and formers are often used. Methods such as vacuum forming or laser-cutting may be deployed in order to facilitate the rapid production of parts. This may be coupled with some hand techniques in order to fabricate the finished product. An advantage of batch production setups is that they typically allow the flexibility to change the setup (e.g. re-design a part, change the product to be made) quickly.
 #In mass (or continuous flow) production, the product in question is made all day, every day, non-stop (aside from scheduled breaks for maintenance). In order to achieve this and to maximise both output speed, accuracy and quality of the finished product, the majority of processes will be automated to the highest possible extent.
 ===iii. Designing for repair and maintenance===
 #In commercial products (and many domestic ones), it is imperative that the designer recognises that their product will fail from time to time, necessitating parts being replaced in order to bring the device back online. In order to minimise the amount of time it takes to repair, designers can take several steps: Add removable access panels to the product, use generic parts (e.g. stepper motors) and ensuring that internal components can be easily removed (e.g. with bolts).
 ===iv. Designing with consideration of product life===

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 ===iv. Planned obsolescence===
 #Exam board definition: <i>The process of designing products to go out of fashion or no longer function after a specific period of time</i>
-##E.g. A laptop computer will be designed with the currently available processor and memory chips but these will become outdated as the manufacturers are always driven to make faster processors and bigger memory. This means that the laptop’s power will start to look slow compared with newer models and the latest software may not run at all. The user will then need to buy a new laptop and, if they have had a good experience with a particular brand, they may
+##E.g. A laptop computer will be designed with the currently available processor and memory chips but these will become outdated as the manufacturers are always driven to make faster processors and bigger memory. This means that the laptop’s power will start to look slow compared with newer models and the latest software may not run at all. The user will then need to buy a new laptop and, if they have had a good experience with a particular brand, they may wish to stay with that brand. A similar experience happens with mobile phones which generally have even more limited scope to be upgraded.
 #Designing a product with an artificially limited useful life forces consumers to shorten the replacement cycle of their product and encourage future purchases of a new model. This can be achieved by ceasing production of machine-specific pods for a coffee machine, stopping the supply of spare parts for a specific vacuum cleaner, making a product difficult/impossible to repair, having ultra-trendy clothes which go out of fashion quickly, etc.
 #Further reading [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Planned_obsolescence here]

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 ===iv. Planned obsolescence===
-#This is the process of designing a product with an artificially limited useful life. This forces consumers to shorten the replacement cycle of their product and encourage future purchases of a new model. This can be achieved by ceasing production of spare parts for a specific vacuum cleaner, making a product difficult/impossible to repair, having clothes which go out of fashion, etc.
+#Exam board definition: <i>The process of designing products to go out of fashion or no longer function after a specific period of time</i>
 #Further reading [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Planned_obsolescence here]

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 ==3.2a Awareness of the responsibilities and principles of designing for manufacture (DFM), including:==
 ===i. Planning for accuracy and efficiency through testing and prototyping===
 #Prior to production, a large number of prototypes will be produced and experimented with. Each time a new sub-system is created, it can then be examined for ways to further improve it. Can the parts be made smaller? Are there empty spaces inside the housing (voids) which parts/wiring can be moved into? Can the internal parts be made thinner/lighter without affecting performance or durability? Thorough repeated testing can help answer these questions.
 ===ii. Being aware of issues in relation to different scales of production===

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 ===ii. Economic issues and globalisation===
-#BBC bitesize covers this well [http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/geography/globalisation/globalisation_rev1.shtml here], spread over several short pages:
+#Globalisation refers to the increasing integration and interdependence of countries and people around the world. This process is driven by the flow of goods, services, information, and cultural influences across borders. It is made possible by advances in technology, transportation, and communication, which allow businesses to operate internationally and people to connect across long distances. Globalisation can lead to economic growth, wider access to products, and cultural exchange, but it also raises concerns about inequality, exploitation, and the loss of local traditions.
 ==iii. Material sustainability and optimisation, availability, recycling and conservation schemes, such as:==

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 ==3.2d Demonstrate an understanding of sustainability issues relating to industrial manufacture, including:==
 ===i. Fair trade and the Ethical Trade Initiative (ETI)===
-Read about the ETI [https://www.ethicaltrade.org/about-eti here]
+*Fair Trade is both a movement and a certification system that aims to give farmers and workers in developing countries a fairer deal for their products. When you see the Fair Trade stamp on items like chocolate, it indicates that the producers have received a minimum, stable price for their goods as well as an additional 'Fair Trade Premium', which can be invested in local community projects such as schools or medical facilities. Beyond pricing, Fair Trade also promotes safe working conditions, protects workers' rights, and supports environmental sustainability. Read more about Fair trade [https://www.fairtrade.org.uk/ here].
 ===ii. Economic issues and globalisation===

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 ##<strong>Using the product Some products require no further energy in usage.</strong> Many products, such as cars, washing machines and electrical items use significant amounts of energy. Some products, such as milk bottles, are reused; energy is used for cleaning before refilling. Detergents used may have an environmental impact.
 ##<strong>Disposal and recycling The collection of waste requires energy.</strong> Incineration centres use energy to dispose of waste, although many reclaim the energy created by incineration for useful purposes. Landfill systems may impact on the environment. Often recycling materials can use significant amounts of energy, but this will use less raw materials and conserve valuable natural resources.
-===Case Study: A fridge===
+===LCA Case Study: A fridge===
 #An LCA for a domestic refrigerator might consider...
 ##Sourcing materials

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 ##Learning to BBQ well provides an opportunity to improve cooking skills
 ##There may be perceived health benefits of being outside stood up / grilling food rather than other cooking methods that are less active.
-#<strong>Moral:</strong> Moral issues occur when a new product could help someone do something that might be considered undesirable or illegal. Moral issues can also relate to the choice of materials and components and the manufacturing techniques used. Whilst these link into environmental issues, it can be immoral to make choices that disregard the negative impact the development of a product could have.
+#<strong>Moral:</strong> Morals are the guiding principles that the engineers are working to; these can then be used to help frame ethical considerations (which are generally more practical). One way to consider these issues around a new product would be to consider the potential for someone do something that might be considered undesirable or illegal. Moral issues can also relate to the choice of materials and components and the manufacturing techniques used. Whilst these link into environmental issues, it can be immoral to make choices that disregard the negative impact the development of a product could have.
-##With the 3D printed prosthetics scenario, prosthetics serve to helping individuals lead as normal life as possible.
+##With the 3D printed prosthetics scenario, the charity/company would argue that their aim is to help recipients of new limbs lead as normal life as possible.
-##Also with the 3D printer scenario, there is a risk that the printer could be used to produce other items (e.g. weapons) than those for which it is intended.
+##...but there is a risk that the printer could be used to produce other items (e.g. weapons) than those for which it is intended which they would need to be aware of.
 ##Kitchen knives can be used to prepare food, hunt and to create art by carving. They can also be used to commit crimes; a designer could look to avoid putting sharp points, to make knives less likely to be used for stabbing, for instance. The safety of the user is a moral responsibility of the designer.
 #<strong>Cultural:</strong> Cultural issues can arise when a new product does not take into account the fact that a particular shape, colour or name can have very different meanings to different groups of people. Designers need to take care not to offend groups of people with different traditions and beliefs. For example, red is the colour for mourning in Africa whereas in China it is considered to be lucky. A careful choice of name, shape and colour can help promote a sense of unity between different global cultures and is particularly relevant if the product is to be sold in a country with a multi-cultural society. Some examples of moral considerations are...