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EnglandDesign and Technology

Materials and their properties (Component 1)

6 dot points across 6 inquiry questions. Click any dot point for a focused answer with worked past exam questions where available.

How are the materials used in product design classified, and what are their defining features?

The classification of materials: papers and boards, natural and manufactured timbers, ferrous and non-ferrous metals and alloys, thermoplastic and thermosetting polymers, elastomers and composites, with named examples and typical product uses.
A focused answer to Eduqas A-Level Product Design on the classification of materials: papers and boards, natural and manufactured timbers, ferrous and non-ferrous metals and alloys, thermoplastics and thermosets, elastomers and composites, with named examples and typical product uses.
12 min answer →

How are materials treated and enhanced to improve their properties or protect them?

The enhancement and treatment of materials: heat treatment of metals (hardening, tempering, annealing), work hardening, seasoning and treatment of timber, lamination and reinforcement, alloying, and surface treatments and finishes that protect or enhance a material.
A focused answer to Eduqas A-Level Product Design on enhancing and treating materials: hardening, tempering and annealing of metals, work hardening, seasoning and preservation of timber, lamination and reinforcement, alloying, and the surface treatments and finishes that protect and enhance a material.
12 min answer →

What performance characteristics matter when selecting a material, and how are material properties tested?

Performance characteristics of materials (functionality, aesthetic, environmental, availability and cost factors), the difference between destructive and non-destructive testing, standard material tests (tensile, hardness, impact), and how test data supports material selection.
A focused answer to Eduqas A-Level Product Design on the performance characteristics of materials and how they are tested: functionality, aesthetics, environmental, availability and cost factors, destructive versus non-destructive testing, standard tensile, hardness and impact tests, and how test data supports material selection.
12 min answer →

What physical and mechanical properties of materials does product design depend on, and how are they defined and measured?

The physical and mechanical properties of materials (strength, hardness, toughness, ductility, malleability, elasticity, plasticity, density, conductivity, durability) and how they govern the suitability of a material for a product, including the calculation of density.
A focused answer to Eduqas A-Level Product Design on the physical and mechanical properties of materials: tensile and compressive strength, hardness, toughness, ductility, malleability, elasticity, plasticity, density and conductivity, with definitions, the density calculation, and how each property governs material choice.
12 min answer →

How does a designer select a material and the stock form it is bought in?

Selecting materials by balancing function, aesthetics, cost, manufacture, availability and environment, and the standard stock forms (sheet, bar, rod, tube, extrusion, section, granules, powder, wire) that materials are supplied in and how stock form affects waste and cost.
A focused answer to Eduqas A-Level Product Design on selecting materials and stock forms: balancing function, aesthetics, cost, manufacture, availability and environment, the standard stock forms materials come in, and how choosing the right stock form reduces machining and waste.
12 min answer →

What are smart and modern materials, and how do they respond to stimuli or deliver outstanding properties?

Smart materials (shape memory alloys, thermochromic, photochromic and electrochromic materials, piezoelectric and electroluminescent materials) and modern materials (Kevlar, graphene, nanomaterials, polymorph, technical textiles), defined by stimulus and response or by an outstanding property.
A focused answer to Eduqas A-Level Product Design on smart and modern materials: shape memory alloys, thermochromic, photochromic and electrochromic pigments, piezoelectric and electroluminescent materials, plus modern materials such as Kevlar, graphene, nanomaterials and polymorph, each linked to a stimulus and response or an outstanding property.
12 min answer →