Higher Design & Manufacture

Aims of the Course

The main purpose of the course is to allow candidates to develop the skills and knowledge associated with designing and manufacturing. Candidates study the lifecycle of products from their inception through design, manufacture, and use, including their disposal and/or re-use. It helps candidates to appreciate the impact commercial manufacture has on design and the need for balance and compromise when developing successful commercial products.

Candidates develop:

research skills
skills in designing products
knowledge and understanding of materials and commercial manufacture
knowledge and understanding of design factors
an understanding of the impact of design and manufacturing technologies on society, the environment and the world of work

Topics

Design and Manufacture: Design (Higher)

This Unit covers the processes of product design from brief to resolved design proposals and specification. It helps learners develop skills in initiating, developing, articulating and communicating design proposals for products. It allows them to develop an appreciation of design concepts and the various factors that influence the design and manufacture of products.

Design and Manufacture: Materials and Manufacturing (Higher)

This Unit covers the processes of product design from design proposals to prototype. It allows learners to gain skills in planning and making models and prototypes. It allows learners to consider the manufacturing techniques and processes that would apply to a design proposal in an industrial/commercial context.

Assessment

Assessment will be through a combination of an assignment and a question paper.

The response to the brief will include a finalised design folio. The brief for the assignment, which will cover a range of key design factors, will be sufficiently open and flexible to allow for personalisation and choice. The question paper introduces breadth to the assessment. It requires depth of understanding and application of knowledge from the Units including material properties and methods of mass manufacture.

Course outline.xlsx

Design Factors

Students learn about key design factors that they will need to consider throughout the design process as well as develop knowledge and understanding for the exam.

Research & Specification

Students learn Research and Evaluation techniques that they can apply during their research stage of the folio. The knowledge and understanding will also be useful during the exam.

Idea Generation

Students learn how to generate creative and diverse ideas that will help the creativity flow throughout the design folio.

Modelling

Students use manual modelling techniques to visually communicate their ideas more clearly

Using Graphics

Small description

Explore & Refine

Plan for Manufacture

Materials & Manufacture

This unit is introduced during weekly theory lessons to help build knowledge and understanding of Material properties and characteristics as well as common manufacturing methods used for these materials. We look into Woods, Metals, Plastics, Composites and Smart materials during this unit and students are encouraged to use this new knowledge and information throughout their design folios.

Higher DM Example (OL).pdf

Revision Textbook

Leckie & Leckie - Higher Design and Manufacture Course Notes

Useful Web Links

TechnologyStudent.com - www.technologystudent.com

Progression from this course - where next?

•Other technological subjects at Higher

•Employment, apprenticeships and/or training in graphic communication related fields

•University/college course

Career Pathways

Manufacturing and Construction. Industrial Design. Product Design. Interior Design. Product design engineering. Welding. Occupational therapy. Joinery. Property maintenance.

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