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Year 11 - Design and technology

Material considerations and selection

Designing and Making Principles

Unit Summary

In this unit pupils will develop designing and making principles knowledge with an explicit focus on exam technique.

Lesson Summary

You will learn to explain how a range of factors affect material selection in industry.

Key Notes

  • Materials have different properties that affect their use in industry.
  • Industries choose materials by balancing cost, performance, and sustainability.

Vocabulary To Learn

  • physical properties: the characteristics of a material, such as appearance and features
  • working properties: the way in which a material responds to an external force or certain environment; also referred to as mechanical properties
  • performance: how well a product or material works
  • sustainability: a product or material that has minimal environmental impact through its reuse or replenishment

Common Mistakes To Avoid

  • The cheapest material is always the best choice.

3 Quick Questions (With Answers)

1. Explain the lesson in two key points.

Materials have different properties that affect their use in industry. Industries choose materials by balancing cost, performance, and sustainability.

2. What does this key word mean in this lesson? 'physical properties'

the characteristics of a material, such as appearance and features.

3. Correct this common mistake.

Mistake: The cheapest material is always the best choice. Correction: Material selection involves balancing multiple factors, such as strength, durability, weight, sustainability, and ease of manufacturing; in addition to cost.

More Lessons In This Unit

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