Technology Grade 7 Term 1 Summary

The design process

The design process – the development of a technology
task
• technology – the use of knowledge, skills, values and resources to meet people’s needs and
wants
• design brief – a short statement that describes a need or problem
• design specifications – details about the product, such as its function and appearance
• constraints – things that limit your choices
• evaluation criteria – a set of questions about the design process and product
Who does technology in the world of work?

 Technological skills and knowledge help to create different career paths and job
opportunities for people.
 Anyone who makes and designs a product as part of their job does Technology.
 For example, a chef who creates a new recipe does Technology
 . A dressmaker who designs and makes a dress for weddings does Technology.
 So do engineers and designers who specialise in the various fields of work that link to the
production and manufacturing industries.

Stages in the design process

 The design process is a set of stages we use when we plan how to make a product.
 The stages in the design process enable you to develop solutions that solve problems.
 You can also use the design process to change your design to satisfy the need that was
originally identified

The design process consists of five distinct stages.

Stage 1 – Investigate In this stage you’ll find and use information.

Stage 2 – Design When you start to design a product, you begin by writing a short statement that
describes the need or problem more fully. This is called the design brief.

Stage 3 – Make In this stage you’ll make working drawings, sketches and technical drawings that
show the product’s specifications. You’ll develop a plan to make the product.

Stage 4 – Evaluate Once the product has been made, it needs to be evaluated. In this stage,
you’ll evaluate the design stages and the quality of the finished product.

Stage 5 – Communicate In this stage, you’ll present your design solutions by means of notes and
drawings.

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 Design considerations
fitness-for-purpose – a check that is performed on a product
to ensure that it will meet the purpose for which it was
designed
ergonomics – the features of a product or system that makes
it user-friendly
aesthetics – the characteristics of a product or system that
make it look beautiful or attractive

Fitness-for-purpose

 Before you start finding a solution to the problem you need to ask certain questions about
the product to check that it is suitable for its purpose.
 These questions include:
 Who is it for? The product must be suitable for the gender, age and social background of the
person using the product.
 What is it for? The product must be a solution to the design problem.
 Will it do the job? The product must be workable because this is the main factor the user
will consider before purchasing your product.
 Is it cost effective? There could be similar products available, but yours must be cheaper.
Is it safe? Safety is an essential aspect of the design process.
 The final product must not put the customer in danger. For example, sharp edges and naked
electrical wiring must be avoided.
 Is it easy to use (ergonomics)? Products that will be used in the workplace must be
comfortable and safe, if you are designing an office chair, you need to work out the most
comfortable seating height.
 Does it look good (aesthetics)? The product must appeal to buyers. It must look like it will
do the job and must be aesthetically pleasing.
 Will it affect society? The product should not be a danger to society. Any effects it has on
society should be positive.
 Will it affect the environment?

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  When creating a product you have to consider the effects of the manufacturing process on
the environment. You must consider measures that reduce harmful effects on the
environment.

Introduction to graphic communication

 Drawing conventions
 Drawing provides a graphical language for communicating ideas and sharing information.
 Designers use a standard set of rules called conventions when making drawings so that they
can be easily understood by everyone.

Types of lines

Outlines are dark, continuous lines. They indicate the outline of an object, as well as all the parts
that are visible from the outside. Outlines can be straight or curved.
Construction lines are thin, continuous lines that are used to help construct other lines. They are
feint lines, which mean that they are lighter in colour than outlines. Construction lines can be
straight or curved.
Hidden detail lines are dashed lines. These lines are used to show the parts of the product that are
out of sight or hidden from view.

Dimensioning

 Dimensioning means adding measurements to a drawing.

 Its purpose is to give a clear and accurate description of the product that is to be made.
When you dimension a drawing, you must follow these rules:
 The three main dimensions in a drawing are the width, depth and height.
 Dimension lines are continuous, light-coloured lines that are used to show the distance
between two points.
 At either side of the dimension line are arrowheads.
 The dimensions are written above the dimension line.
 All measurements are in millimetres (mm).

• outlines – dark, continuous lines that are used to indicate the outline of an object
• construction lines – thin, feint, continuous lines that are used to help construct other lines
• hidden detail lines – dashed lines that show parts of an object that are hidden from view
• dimensioning – adding accurate measurements to a drawing

Drawing tools

 Rulers are used for measurement and

for drawing straight lines.
 They should not be used when cutting
with a craft knife.
 Erasers are used to correct errors, or
for shading.
• H or HB pencils are used to draw.
• Set squares and protractors are

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 used to draw angles.
• Compasses are used to draw circles

Scale drawing

 Often it is not practical to draw an object life-sized, especially if the object is very big, such as
a car or a house.
 If the object is very small, such as a micro-chip, drawing it life-sized means that the detail
won’t be seen easily.
 So we need to draw some objects bigger to see the details, or smaller to fit onto a page. This
method of sizing up or sizing down is called scale drawing.
Representing scale : scale drawing of a car. In real life, the length of this car is 3 600 mm,
but the scale drawing is 20 times smaller.
In a scale drawing:
• The real size (dimension) of
the object is shown on the
drawing.
• The measurements used are in

millimetres (mm).
• The scale is always shown
on the drawing.

scale drawing – a drawing that is

used to accurately represent an
object that is too large or too
small to be drawn actual size

Free-hand sketching and working drawings

 Free-hand sketching is drawing using a pencil and no other instruments.

 A ruler is not used when free-hand sketching and the dimensions are estimated
proportionally.
 Some advantages of free-hand sketching are:
 Any idea can be quickly and easily sketched on paper.
 It enables you to put your thoughts in order and not forget anything.
 You can compare ideas and communicate clearly with others.
 Modifications and alterations can be made quickly.
 Applications of free-hand sketches You can use free-hand sketches to create 2D and 3D
(three-dimensional) drawings (oblique and perspective).
 Free-hand sketches are done in various ways.
 When doing free-hand drawing, your eye should look where you want the line to be drawn.

free-hand sketching – drawing in 2D or 3D without using rulers, templates, or other drawing instruments
working drawings – 2D drawings in which only one face or side of an object can be seen

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Working drawings

 2D drawings in which only one face or side of an object can be seen.

 All of the drawing conventions you have already learnt about are included on these
drawings
 Use these guidelines when you are preparing a working drawing of an object:
1. Consider carefully the type of views you need to draw.
2. Add dimensions. 3. Use a cutting list. This is an important feature in a working drawing
that lists all the parts and their measurements.
The list also includes the materials used, and the required finish.

3D Oblique drawings

 Oblique projection is a way of drawing a 3D object in which the object is drawn with the
front view facing directly towards the observer, showing the true shape of the object.
 In an oblique projection, circular features like round holes can be drawn on this front face as
true circles.

single vanishing point perspective drawing

 a method of drawing objects realistically, in which the objects become smaller along lines
called vanishing lines.
 These lines converge at a single point in the distance, so the objects seem to disappear into
the distance.

Graphic techniques – 3D Artistic drawings

 A 3D artistic drawing is a kind of free-hand drawing that creates an artistic impression of an
object.
 Colour, shading and texture are used to enhance the drawing.
 Single vanishing-point perspective with colour In a 3D artistic drawing, the colours change
with the depth of the perspective of the drawing.
 Objects that are close to the viewer have clear, bright, ‘warm’ colours.
 As objects get farther away, the colours darken in value and become ‘cooler’.

Single vanishing-point perspective with shading

 Shading involves pressing your pencil down on the paper with different strengths
so that the colour is darker or lighter.
 Shading helps to enhance a simple 2D drawing to make it look more realistic.
 The aim of shading is to spread different depths of colour smoothly across the paper, going
from dark to light, so as to create depth or detail.

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  When shading the side view of a 3D shape, the shading should follow the direction of the
perspective.
 It should be dark on the corner edge and become lighter towards the back of the shape.
 The angle of the lines should gradually change, matching the angle to the VP.
 The front view’s shading should all be similar in tone and the lines should be vertical

Single vanishing point perspective with texture

 By adding texture to a drawing, you give it the illusion of reality. T

 he texture should relate to the material the product is made from.
 In technology, we mainly use wood, metal, brick and glass textures

• 3D artistic drawing – a type of free-hand drawing that creates an artistic impression of an

object
• shading – gradual changes in lightness or darkness in a drawing that helps make a picture
look more realistic
• texture – the feel or appearance of surfaces in 3D drawings

Simple mechanisms
 Lever:One of the simplest mechanisms used in many tools is a single moving
 Just about anything that has a handle on it has a lever attached.
 Levers make moving, prying, lifting and shifting objects much easier than it would be without
them
 How levers work
 All levers have a rigid, straight arm or bar that turns around a fixed point called a fulcrum (F).
 The fulcrum can be anywhere along the length of the arm.
 Levers also consist of an effort (E) and a load (L).
 The effort is the place where you apply a force on the bar.
 The load is the object or mass that has to be lifted, cut or moved.
 By changing the position of the fulcrum, you can gain extra power with less effort.

 mechanism – a set of moving parts that are used to make work easier. Machines contain mechanisms.
 lever – a simple mechanism made of a bar that turns around a fixed point, that is used to move weights
load
 fulcrum – the point of movement or pivot on which the arm of a lever moves
 effort – a force exerted in a mechanism that enables it to work
 load – the object or mass that has to be lifted, cut or moved
 moments – turning forces around a fulcrum
 mechanical advantage – when machines or mechanisms enable us to move large loads with a small
force or effort
 input – the amount of force applied to a lever
 output – the force the lever produces to move a load

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First-class levers

 fulcrum is placed between the load and effort, like a screwdriver

opening a tin of paint.
 When a force pushes down on one end, the load moves up at the other
end.
 A first-class lever always lifts a load in the opposite direction to the
effort.
 first-class lever – in a first-class lever, the fulcrum is placed between the
load and the effort

Second-class levers

 The load is placed between the effort and the fulcrum, like in a
wheelbarrow.
 Second-class levers cause the load to move in the same direction
as the effort, but the input moves further than the output.
 Mechanical advantage in second-class levers A second-class lever
always increases the effort force and gives mechanical advantage
 how much the force will be magnified depends on how close the
load is to the fulcrum.
load effort
 If you want to move a very large load with a small applied
force, you must put the load very close to the fulcrum.
 The force on the load is increased, but the distance the load
moves is not far.
 The bonnet of a car is also a second-class lever.
 The hinge is the fulcrum, the bonnet is the load, and the person
lifting it supplies the effort.

Third-class levers

 The effort is applied between the fulcrum and the load.

 The force and the load move in the same direction.
 A good example of a third-class lever is the human arm.
 When you pick up a heavy object, the third-class lever doesn’t make
the job easier or provide any mechanical advantage.
 Regardless of where you apply the force, the force you apply must
always be greater than the force of the load.
 In fact, the effort needed to use third-class levers is greater than the
force they can move. In this case, MA < 1.
 Third-class levers have these advantages:

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  they can move a load a long distance relative to the effort load
 because the load moves in the same direction as the force you apply, they are easy to use.
 Many sports activities use third-class levers to increase the distance the load moves
compared to the distance the effort moves.
 For example, the tennis and cricket players in

linkage – two or more levers that are joined

paired or linked lever – two levers that are joined, and work together
complex linkage – a number of levers joined together

Using pneumatics and hydraulics to obtain a

mechanical advantage
pneumatic system – a mechanical system that uses compressed air to give us mechanical advantage to do
tasks such as make things move
force – an influence that can move an object, usually a push or a pull
open system – a system that lets something (such as air) in or out
hydraulic system – a mechanical system that uses liquids under pressure to give us mechanical advantage
to do tasks such as make things move
closed system – a system that contains a fixed amount of a substance (such as a liquid) under pressure, and

doesn’t let any of that substance in or out

Pneumatic systems
 Uses the power of compressed air to make things move.
 The air is compressed (squeezed) into a container by a pump or a
compressor.
 When the compressed air is released, it produces a force.
 This force can give mechanical advantage if it makes a mechanism that
it touches move.
 A bicycle pump or a dentist’s drill are everyday examples of pneumatic
systems.
 Other examples are automatic train and bus doors.
 A pneumatic system is an open system because the air is first let into
the system and then let out of the system.
 We can even hear the hissing sound that the air makes when it
escapes out of the system

Hydraulic systems

 Works in a similar way to a pneumatic system, but instead of using

compressed air, it uses a liquid such as oil to make things move.
 Hydraulic systems use liquids in cylinders to change small forces into large forces to provide
mechanical advantage.
 Some common examples of machines that use hydraulic systems include vehicle braking
systems and industrial machines like hydraulic lifts, and front-end loaders.

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  Hydraulic systems are closed systems because the liquid moves from one container (called a
reservoir) to another container without letting any of the liquid out of the system.
 Unlike air, liquids cannot be compressed.
 So in a hydraulic system, an input force on the liquid in the reservoir gives an immediate
output response.

The design processes

Investigate
Design
Make
Evaluate
Communicate.