AS Materials Components & Systems

Classification of materials and components
Specification
Links & Quizzes

Sources, classification, formation and structure of materials and
components:-

Paper, card and boards
Sources, classification and structure of paper, card and boards,
e.g copier paper, cardboard, corrugated card, carton board.

Weblink Paper, card & board

Woods
Sources, classification and structure of woods, i.e. softwoods
and hardwoods.

Cellular structure, fibres and grain direction.

Weblink Seasoning wood

Weblink structure of wood

Web link Wood

Quiz Wood Crossword

Plastics

Sources, classification, structure and manufacture of polymers,
e.g acetate, polypropylene (PP), polystyrene (PS).
Monomers, polymerisation and cross-linking.
Thermoplastic and thermosetting polymers, e.g acrylic,
polyester.

Web link Plastics

Quiz 1 Plastics

Quiz 2 Plastics Matching

Quiz 3 Plastics Matching

Quiz 4 Thermoplastics

 

Metals and alloys

Sources and classification of metals with details of structures
and manufacturing processes, e.g the make-up of ferrous
metals and common alloys.

Specialist materials for specific tasks, e.g stainless steels,
lightweight material.

Web link 1 metals and alloys

Web link 2 metals alloys and composites

Composites and laminates
Manufacture of composite materials, i.e. carbon fibre, glass
reinforced plastics (GRP), medium density fibreboard (MDF).

Quiz 1 Materials Matching

Quiz 2 Materials multiple choice

Components, e.g:
pencils - graphite and coloured
pens and marker-pens
projected images using light, e.g overhead projectors.
Weblink overhead projector
Working properties of materials and components related to preparing, processing, manipulating and combining
Working properties and functions of materials and components, relating to the composition and structure of materials.
Aesthetic properties, e.g colour, style, texture.
Functional properties, e.g strong, durable, flammable.
Mechanical properties, e.g plasticity, ductility, hardness and malleability.

Web link materials properties

Quiz Materials Crossword

Hand and commercial methods of preparing, processing, manipulating and combining materials and components to enhance their properties including associated tools, machinery and equipment including CAD/CAM in relation to:
drawing - pictorial, information and working drawings
computer graphics, i.e. desktop publishing (DTP), 2-dimensional and 3-dimensional modelling
typography, i.e. theory and practice including typeface design and application
modelling and prototyping, e.g rapid prototyping using
CAD/CAM, block modelling
photography and photographic processing
production of nets e.g structural packaging design
cutting, wasting, abrading, shaping, bending, casting,
moulding
joining, preparation for finishing.

Weblink Working Drawings

Weblink Prodesktop

Weblink Web Page Typography

Weblink 1Typography

Weblink 2 Typography

Weblink 1 Nets

Weblink 2 Nets

Weblink 3 Nets

Finishing process - Applied finishes to improve quality and provide enhanced
aesthetic or functional properties:

surface coating, e.g anodising, painting, varnishing
self-finishing, e.g plastics
surface decoration, e.g engraving, vinyl stickers.

Web link finishing wood metals and plastics

Quiz metal & plastic finishes

Quiz Metal finishing

Quiz Plastic Finishing

Quiz finish matching

Weblink vinyl cutter

Product manufacture - Understanding how one-off/batch/high-volume (mass) product manufacture is achieved using printing processes:
computer printers, i.e. ink jet, laser
offset lithography, screen-printing, letterpress
black and white printing, e.g photocopying
finishing and binding ready for distribution.

Web link Letterpress1

Web link Letterpress 2

Web link Rotary Letterpress

Web link Screen Printing

Web link Lithography

Web link Photocopier

Web link Varnishing Paper and card

Testing materials
Comparative testing of materials, components and processes for quality, performance, safety, ease of manufacture, aftercare, maintenance and fitness-for-purpose:
standard performance tests, i.e. tensile, hardness, toughness and
ductility workshop tests
testing at critical control points in manufacture, i.e. quality
control (QC), sampling
the purpose of British and International Standards, i.e. quality
and safety testing
the use of ICT as a testing aid, e.g using CAD to develop
virtual products before manufacture.

Web link Materials Testing

Web link Manufacturing

Web link ISO System

Weblink 3d Modelling