Embedded Files
GLASS.
CERAMICS.
TEXTILES.
GLASS.
For D&T, glass is essentially a material used for glazing windows, manufacturing bottles etc.
It is a traditional material that has replaced glass or that is used as an alternative.
You should also understand what glass is made from and what properties it has which make it suitable for a variety of applications.
GLASS PROPERTIES.
Glass is extremely brittle and will break if dropped or hit.
It can also break if heated (or cooled) too quickly. Glass is much stronger in compression than tension and has excellent chemical resistance. It is a premium material.
It is a mixture of sand, lime and sodium carbonate heated to 1500 degrees in a furnace. The resulting molten material is tapped off to form and mix with tin to make a glass plate.
During the process the glass sheet is annealed. At the end of the process the material is cut to size using diamond wheel cutters.
BLOWING.
Mouth blowing is a traditional method restricted to more expensive pieces of glassware.
SLUMPING + COLOURING.
Slumping is the process where glass is heated until it becomes soft at which point it can be moulded. Car windscreens are made this way.
Coloured glass is simply glass that has had a colour introduced during manufacture by the use of Copper, Iron or Nickel.
Toughened glass is when glass is modified to make it harder to break. This involves reheating the glass then rapid air cooling which produces compressive forces on either side of the glass which make it much tougher. Because of this process, no further cutting or drilling can take place after it has been toughened.
Cut glass. Process of doing this material is adding lead oxide increases the way glass reflects light and is used in ‘cut glass’. It's using for home decorative goods and kitchen accessorises.
Pyrex is made from boro-silicate glass. These products can resist very high temperatures which make them particularly suitable for cookware and lab equipment.
Laminated glass is a very tough composite material made up of two thin sheets of plate glass which sandwich a tough polymer layer. If the glass is broken the polymer layer keeps glass together.
GLASS AS A THERMAL INSULATOR.
Pilkington are possibly the largest UK manufacturer of glass and they developed a material that acts as an insulator to heat. This is known as K Glass and allows sunlight into a building while reducing the heat that escapes.
SELF CLEANING GLASS.
It is a relatively new development particularly useful for hard to clean windows such as those in very tall buildings. A special hydrophobic coating prevents droplets forming and interacts with UV light to break down organic dirt into compounds that can be washed away.
CERAMICS.
Ceramics are often considered to be things like mugs and plates and decorative ornaments but there are a wide range of ceramic based products.
Most of the more common, everyday products are made from clay and at the top end of the market is fine bone china which actually uses finely ground animal bone to give it its translucent quality.
Engineering ceramics include things like house bricks and engineering bricks but also in electrical pylons and high temperature applications.
SLIP CASTING.
The most traditional method of making objects in clay involves slip casting.
In this process liquid clay (slip) is poured into a mould. Before the clay completely sets it is removed from the mould so any finishing work can be done before the clay is glazed and painted (if necessary) before it is fired in a kiln. Once fired the clay becomes impervious to moisture and remains solid.
TEXTILES.
A textile is a flexible material consisting of a network of natural or artificial fibers (yarn or thread).
Yarn is produced by spinning raw fibres of Wool, Flax, Cotton or other materials to produce long strands.
Textiles are formed by weaving, knitting, crocheting, knotting, tatting, felting, or braiding.
Their sources can be natural (cotton, hemp, silk, wool etc.) which are derived from plants or other sources that can be grown.
COTTON.
HEMP.
SILK.
WOOL.
Alternatively, they can be synthetic (polyester, nylon etc.). These materials are made from polymers which are derived from fossil fuels such as oil.
POLYESTER.
Synthetic fabric consisting of polymer. Can have hydrophobic and durable qualities.
NYLON.
Synthetic polymer based fabric. Strong, durable, water resistant.
CATEGORIES.
PLANT.
PLANT.
The most used textile. Derived from plant fibres cotton, bamboo, hemp.
ANIMAL.
ANIMAL.
Naturally produced from animals wool, silk.
SYNTHETIC.
SYNTHETIC.
Derived from polymers (oil) Nylon, polyester, acrylic.
NATURAL TEXTILES.
Plants and animals are sources of natural fibres which can be made into yarn or threads to produce textiles.
Silk worms produce silk but this is often replaced by Nylon in cheaper products.
Wool comes from sheep while cotton and linen comes from plants.
Nylon - synthetic.
Silk - silk worms.
Wool - animals.
Cotton - plants.
Leather is not a textile (it is an animal hide/skin) but is often used in the production of furniture and interiors as well as products (iPad and iPhone cases).
SYNTHETIC TEXTILES.
Several of the same polymers that are derived from oil can be spun into threads to make textiles.
Shirts, ties and jackets are often made from Polyester and stockings, which were once made from expensive Silk, are produced in mass using Nylon which has similar properties. Acrylic can be used as a fake fur materials and Elastane helps fabric like cotton to remain crease free.
Polyester tie.
Nylon stockings / tights.
Acrylic "wool".
Elastane + cotton.
Page updated
Google Sites
Report abuse