Design and Manufacture - National 5

Vale of Leven Academy

The course comprises two areas of study:

Design

Candidates study the design process from brief to design proposal. This helps them develop skills in initiating, developing, articulating, and communicating design proposals. They gain an understanding of the design/make/test process and the importance of evaluating and resolving design proposals on an ongoing basis. Candidates also develop an understanding of the factors that influence the design of products.

Manufacture

Candidates study the manufacture of prototypes and products. This helps them develop practical skills in the design/make/test process. They gain an appreciation of the properties and uses of materials, as well as a range of manufacturing processes and techniques, allowing them to evaluate and refine design and manufacturing solutions. Candidates also gain an understanding of commercial manufacture. Integrating the two areas of study is fundamental to delivering the course successfully; it allows candidates to ‘close the design loop’ by manufacturing their design ideas.

Question paper 80 marks

The question paper has 80 marks out of a total of 180 marks available for the course assessment. Candidates are required to provide reasoned responses to a range of question types which use command words such as: state, select, outline, identify, describe or explain.

The question paper assesses knowledge and understanding from the following areas of design and manufacturing:

• design
• workshop-based manufacture
• commercial manufacture

Full details of these areas can be found in the ‘Skills, knowledge and understanding for the course assessment’ table in the course specification document.

The question paper has two sections. Section 1 has 60 marks. This section assesses design and workshop-based manufacture and consists of six or seven questions. Question 1 has 30 marks. It assesses a range of materials, hand tools and machinery and is based on a workshop-crafted product. This question follows a similar format each year and requires reasoned responses to practical manufacturing tasks. There are two linked assignments: design and practical.

The remaining questions are worth 30 marks and assess design as specified in the ‘Skills, knowledge and understanding for the course’ table. The context of the questions is design work and products that focus on particular aspects of design. Section 2 has 20 marks. This section assesses commercial manufacture and consists of four or five questions. The first question in this section assesses materials and commercial manufacturing processes. This question follows a similar format each year. Candidates identify, select and justify suitable materials and processes for the commercial manufacture of existing products.

Assignment — design 55 marks

This assignment has 55 marks out of a total of 180 marks available for the course assessment. It assesses the application of design skills to develop a proposal to a set brief. The proposal is then manufactured as evidence for the assignment — practical. The assignment — design provides an opportunity to demonstrate the skills as listed in the ‘Skills, knowledge and understanding for the course’ table in the course specification document.

Marks are awarded as follows:

• analysing a brief
• generating ideas
• developing ideas
• using models
• using graphics
• planning for manufacture

Assignment — practical 45 marks

This assignment has 45 marks out of a total of 180 marks available for the course assessment. It assesses the application of practical skills to manufacture the proposal developed in the assignment — design. The assignment — practical provides an opportunity to demonstrate the skills as listed in the ‘Skills, knowledge and understanding for the course’ table in in the course specification document.

Marks are awarded as follows:

• measuring and marking-out
• using hand and machine tools
• assembling components
• finishing
• evaluating