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.
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What this dot point is asking
Eduqas wants you to identify the performance characteristics that decide whether a material suits a product, and to explain how material properties are tested, including the difference between destructive and non-destructive testing. Performance characteristics are the broad factors behind material selection, and testing is how the figures behind those factors are obtained, so the two together justify a material choice with evidence rather than assertion.
Performance characteristics
Destructive testing
Non-destructive testing
Using test data to support selection
Testing turns material selection into an evidence-based decision. Destructive test data (tensile strength in MPa, impact energy in joules, a hardness number) lets a designer compare materials objectively and check that a chosen material meets the specification's measurable criteria. Non-destructive testing then assures quality in production, confirming that the parts actually made are free of hidden flaws. A material is judged suitable when its tested performance characteristics meet the product's demands across functionality, aesthetics, environment, availability and cost together, which is why the strongest selection answers cite figures and tests, not just adjectives.
Exam-style practice questions
Practice questions written in the style of WJEC Eduqas exam questions on this dot point, with worked answer explainers. The year tag is the paper they imitate, not the source.
Eduqas 20194 marksExplain the difference between destructive and non-destructive testing of a material, and give one example of each.Show worked answer →
A Component 1 short-answer question. Marks for the contrast and for each example.
Destructive testing loads a sample until it fails or is permanently damaged, so the test piece cannot be reused, but it gives full data on strength and behaviour: examples are a tensile test (pulling a sample to breaking to find tensile strength and elongation) or an impact test (Izod or Charpy, striking a notched sample to measure toughness). Non-destructive testing checks a material or finished part without damaging it, so it can be used afterwards: examples are an ultrasonic or X-ray scan for internal flaws, a dye penetrant test for surface cracks, or a magnetic particle inspection.
Award marks for the contrast (sample destroyed versus part preserved) and relevant examples. A common dropped mark is giving a destructive example as non-destructive.
Eduqas 20216 marksDiscuss the factors a designer weighs when judging whether a material's performance characteristics make it suitable for a mass-produced product. Use a named product to support your answer.Show worked answer →
A Component 1 extended question marked by levels of response. Reward a range of performance factors balanced for a product.
Performance characteristics group into functionality (strength, durability, heat and corrosion resistance, weight), aesthetics (colour, finish, form, feel), environmental (recyclability, renewability, embodied energy), availability (in a usable stock form and quantity) and cost (material plus processing). For a mass-produced kettle body: functionality (food-safe, heat-resistant, rigid), manufacture and cost (cheap to injection mould at scale), aesthetics (clean finish), environment (recyclable polypropylene), availability (reliable supply).
A top answer weighs several factors, supported by test data and a named product, and judges that no single factor decides: the material must perform, be affordable to make at scale, and meet environmental and aesthetic aims together, reaching a clear conclusion.
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Sources & how we know this
- Eduqas A Level Design and Technology specification (Product Design) — Eduqas (2017)