what is an alloy with an example
a metal that is made of two or more metals, or, two or more materials where one is a metal, for example steel
what is manufactured board with an example
a man-made, wood-based composite material, such as plywood
a plastic, a board and a metal suitable for packaging
PET, corrugated board and aluminium
how is PET suitable for packaging, and an example of its use
- a thermoplastic so is able to be recycled, so won’t contribute to landfill
- tough- hold the contents well even after being dropped
- can be transparent so able to see how much liquid is left
- impermeable to carbon dioxide, so it is able to hold fizzy drinks
- used for bottles to hold liquids
how is corrugated board suitable for packaging, and an example of its use
- compliant and easy to cut and fold into a box shape using a die cutter
- it is a food safe material- food won’t be contaminated by the card
- insulating material and swill keep the food warm due to the air pockets within the material
- it is a lightweight material so it is easier to carry
- it is easily recyclable so the material shouldn’t contribute to landfill
- it is also biodegradable so will not contribute to landfill problems even if it is not recycled
- a takeaway pizza box is a good example for packaging with corrugated card
how is aluminium suitable for packaging, and an example of its use
- malleable so is able to made into shape
- lightweight so easy to be carried and transported
- a food safe material, so chemicals won’t be added to the drink even after a long time
- non-ferrous so won’t rust when in contact with the drink
- very easy to be recycled and to use again for other products as it has a low melting point therefore saving finite resources
- a can for drinks is a good example of this
what is a smart material
a material that changes to a response to an environmental trigger
an example of a smart material
thermochromic materials- the stimulus is temperature and it invokes a colour change, an example is a thermometer or baby cup
what is a modern material
materials that have been engineered to have high tech properties which have been developed through R+D, but don’t ‘change’ like smart materials
an example of a modern material
aerogel- can hold up to 4000 times its weight, extremely low density, low thermal conductivity, very brittle, high thermal insulation properties
what is sand casting
involves poring molten metal into a prepared cavity in s a sand mould and allowing it to solidify, steel and aluminium are the metals most commonly used, ideally used as a one off production as it takes a long time to make one piece, cheaper than other processes
what is high pressure die casting
the process of injecting molten metal into a die at high pressures, the die has a higher melting point than the molten metal the die doest melt, very fast process, highly expensive
what is gravity die casting
molten metal is poured into a die, instead of being injected and once cooled it is able to be taken out, the die has a higher melting point than the metal so doesn’t also melt, suitable for batch production
products life cycle
R+D -> growth -> maturity -> decline
what is planned obsolescence
the practice of making or designing something (such as a car) in such a way that it will only be usable for a short time
3 examples of planned obsolescence
- iPhones- batteries begin to lose health and also software updates start to make older iPhones unusable
- Fridges- vital parts don’t last as long as other parts meaning that it stops working over time
- irreplaceable batteries in some tech products meaning the product will have to be replaced
