Product Design Spotlight: Bye-Bye Flat, Hello 3D! (Plus, Who Can Handle the Heat?)

 It is that time of year when the non-examined assessment work deadlines are rapidly approaching for both GCSE and A Level Product Design.  After many weeks of hard work and dedication, products that have remained ‘flat’ for so long all of a sudden start taking on a more 3D shape. With much gluing and assembling, we always need a large number of clamps to ensure materials bond properly and adhere together for durability purposes. Can you find all 26 clamps in this picture?!

Year 13 also recently undertook practical testing to determine the thermo-resistant properties of a range of polymers. A conclusion was drawn that acrylic has a higher melting point, 160oC, than polypropylene, 135oC, which therefore gives it more desirable qualities for long-term durability.  Although polypropylene loses material integrity when heated to high temperatures, it simultaneously means it is easier to recycle and therefore more sustainable in the long term. This experiment raises pertinent DT questions, such as how sustainable are the materials used in everyday products and what alternatives could be developed to help reduce the negative impact on the future, both environmental and societal. Big questions for big problems!