Design and Technology (Engineering)

Course summary

COMPONENT 1: PRINCIPLES OF DESIGN ENGINEERING EXAMINATION Written Examination: 1 hour 30 minutes. The exam requires students to: • Analyse existing products. • Demonstrate their technical knowledge of materials, product functionality, manufacturing processes, and techniques. • Demonstrate their understanding of wider social, moral, and environmental issues that impact the design and manufacturing industries. COMPONENT 2: PROBLEM-SOLVING IN DESIGN ENGINEERING Written Paper: 1 hour 45 minutes. The exam requires students to: • Apply their knowledge, understanding, and skills in designing and manufacturing prototypes and products. • Demonstrate their higher thinking skills to solve problems and evaluate situations and the suitability of design solutions. COMPONENT 3: ITERATIVE DESIGN PROJECT (NON-EXAMINED ASSESSMENT, NEA) The Iterative Design Project undertaken by students will have a significant focus on the functional requirements and/ or system of a product. This substantial project will have a mechanical or electronic bias and will focus on a functional rather than aesthetic outcome. Students will identify an opportunity or problem from a context of their choice and create a portfolio of evidence leading to an outcome. Students will undertake the Iterative Design Project independently and will progress through the following principles: • AO1 - Explore: Identify, investigate, and outline design possibilities to address needs and wants. • AO2 - Create: Design and make prototypes that are fit for purpose. • AO3 - Evaluate: Analyse and evaluate. A variety of skills are required to undertake the Iterative Design Project. In order to best prepare students for this, a variety of approaches will be used so that students feel competent in all aspects of Design and Technology. Skills developed will include: • Component and circuit functionality • Circuit construction techniques • Graphical communication techniques • 3D and 2D CAD (Solidworks and 2D Design) • Circuitry designing software (Circuit Wizard) • Competent use of hand tools and machinery • Analysis of products • An understanding of how school processes can be used to produce ‘one-offs’ Design and Technology: Engineering Design students are likely to use their free time to: • Conduct wider reading around the subject to develop their wider awareness of Design and Technology. • Discuss the progress of their Iterative Design Project with teachers to maximize work produced during lesson time. • Use specialist software to become more adept in the use of 3D CAD, 2D CAD, and Circuit Wizard.