Product Design: In-depth knowledge and understanding
(I) ALTERNATIVE PROCESSES THAT CAN BE USED TO MANUFACTURE PRODUCTS TO DIFFERENT SCALES OF PRODUCTION
On-press and the finishing processes used by commercial printers to produce products in batches or mass/high volume.
One off/ Bespoke/custom
The advantages and disadvantages of producing products in limited quantity (batch production).
One off production: When one product is made at a time. Every product is different so it is labour intensive.
Advantages: allows for customisations
Products are unique
Disadvantages
Very high skill required to produce
Labour intensive
Cost are significantly higher as a consequence
Batch
Batch production: When a limited quantity of identical products are made. Batch production may also be labour intensive, but jigs, templates and outlines are used to aid production in order to achieve similarity. Batches of the product can be made as often as required. The machines can be easily changed to produce a batch of a different product.
High Volume and Continuous
A range of products suitable for high volume, continuous production.
Mass Production: When hundreds of identical products are made, usually on a production line. Mass production often involves the assembly of a number of sub-assemblies of individual components. Parts may be bought and imported from other companies. There is usually some automation of tasks (eg by using Computer Numerical Controls machines).
High Volume and Continuous
The advantages and disadvantages of high volume, continuous production.
Mass Production: When hundreds of identical products are made, usually on a production line. Mass production often involves the assembly of a number of sub-assemblies of individual components. Parts may be bought and imported from other companies. There is usually some automation of tasks (eg by using Computer Numerical Controls machines).
Advantages
Very efficient
Process can be automated reducing company's wage cost
Suitable for very common/ubiquitous products e.g. baked bean cans
Disadvantages
Task:
Give an explanation and example of each of the following ( 6 mark question):
Jigs and Fixtures
Jigs and devices to control repeat activities.
Importance of CAM in High Volume
Injection Moulding
The principles of producing plastic products and components using the following processes: injection moulding, vacuum forming, press moulding and compression moulding.
Design tips for injection moulding
Advantages:
Excellent Accuracy
Fast
Can produce complex shapes
Low skill operation
Low labour costs
Disadvantages:
Expensive Moulds
Expensive Machines
High Initial investment
Injection Moulding
The principles of producing plastic products and components using the following processes: injection moulding, vacuum forming, press moulding and compression moulding.
Design tips for injection moulding
Vacuum Forming
The principles of producing plastic products and components using the following processes: injection moulding, vacuum forming, press moulding and compression moulding.
Vacuum forming is a simplified version of thermoforming, where a sheet of plastic is heated to a forming temperature, stretched onto a single-surface mold, and forced against the mold by a vacuum. This process can be used to form plastic into permanent objects such as turnpike signs and protective covers.
Vacuum Forming Process
ADVANTAGES OF VACUUM FORMING
DISADVANTAGES OF VACUUM FORMING
Compression Moulding/Press Moulding
The principles of producing plastic products and components using the following processes: injection moulding, vacuum forming, press moulding and compression moulding.
Compression Molding is a method of molding in which the moulding material, generally preheated, is first placed in an open, heated mould cavity.
On Press and Commercial Printers
Know about On Press methods used in printing operations including: Offset Lithography, Rotogravure, Flexography, Xerography and Screen Printing.
Flexography - (often abbreviated to flexo) is a form of printing process which utilizes a flexible relief plate. It is essentially a modern version of letterpress which can be used for printing on almost any type of substrate, including plastic, metallic films, cellophane, and paper.
Typical products printed using flexography include: brown corrugated boxes, flexible packaging including retail and shopping bags, food and hygiene bags and sacks, milk and beverage cartons, flexible plastics, self-adhesive labels, disposable cups and containers, envelopes and wallpaper.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sZniptAKaCY
Impression
Cylinder
Plate Cylinder
Ink Reservoir
Paper
Web
On Press and Commercial Printers
Know about On Press methods used in printing operations including: Offset Lithography, Rotogravure, Flexography, Xerography and Screen Printing.
Offset Lithography - is a method of mass-production printing in which the images on metal plates are transferred (offset) to rubber blankets or rollers and then to the print media. The print media, usually paper, does not come into direct contact with the metal plates. (see below)
Typical products printed using offset lithography include: Advertising, Leaflets ,Catalogue, Greeting cards, Posters, some magazines, newspapers and Business cards.
On Press and Commercial Printers
Know about On Press methods used in printing operations including: Offset Lithography, Rotogravure, Flexography, Xerography and Screen Printing.
Rotogravure - (roto or gravure for short) is a type of intaglio printing process, which involves engraving the image onto an image carrier. In gravure printing, the image is engraved onto a cylinder because, like offset printing and flexography, it uses a rotary printing press.
Typical products printed using rotogravure include: glossy magazines, mail-order catalogues, packaging, fabric and wallpaper, postage stamps and decorative plastic laminates, such as kitchen worktops.
Printed Products
Techniques used to produce books, magazines, leaflets, flyers, packages and other printed products.
Embossing: is the process of producing a raised surface onto a product, giving a 3D effect
• It is achieved by stamping into the back of a piece of card or paper.
• Can give higher quality appearance.
Example of a commercial
Example of an Embossing tool Examples of Embossed Finishes Example of Embossing for visually embossing machine
impaired and machine that prints braille
Printed Products
Techniques used to produce books, magazines, leaflets, flyers, packages and other printed products.
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Folding Methods: Depending on the type of product you are making, you may need to fold the printed document. There are a number of folds,
which you will need to be able to recognise and create.
Used in Birthday Cards, Used in Novelty Cards Used in promotional material
Christmas Cards etc.
Single Fold Short Fold Barrel Fold
Used commonly for maps Used on products where Used in promotional Used in
where a landscape view material. promotional
is important. material.
Accordion Fold (Z Fold) Parallel Fold Gate Fold Complex Barrel Fold
Printed Products
Techniques used to produce books, magazines, leaflets, flyers, packages and other printed products.
Binding Methods: When putting a document together you will need to bind the pages in some way to stop them from coming apart. The method you use could depend on the quality of the finished product or the number of pages you have in your document.
Provides a sturdy binding and is neat with or without covers The edges of the folded pages are glued to the cover
• An adhesive bonds the plastic spine to the pages through heating • No need for sewing but glue is used so could be messy
• The heating device takes time to warm up • Not the most reliable method of binding
• Used mainly on books or important documents • Used on cheap books or manuals
Thermal Binding Perfect Binding
Holes are punched into the pages and the coil is fed through them Square holes are punched into the pages using the binding • Good for binding large documents machine
• Pages can be moved and/or replaced easily • Plastic comb is fed in quickly and easily
• Used commonly in calendars or phone books • Can bind up to 450 pages
• Used commonly on large notebooks or manuals
Coil (Spiral) Binding Comb Binding
• Used commonly on exercise books and exam papers
Saddle Stitching