What are wasting (material removal) processes, and how is each used to shape a part?
Wasting processes: marking out, sawing, filing, drilling, turning and milling to remove material.
A CCEA GCSE Engineering and Manufacturing answer on wasting processes, where material is removed by marking out, sawing, filing, drilling, turning and milling, with the tools and uses of each.
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What this dot point is asking
CCEA Unit 3 expects you to know the wasting (material-removal) processes used in a workshop, what each one does, the tools involved and a typical use. You should also understand why marking out comes first.
The answer
What wasting means
Marking out
Before any material is removed, the part is marked out: the dimensions on the drawing are transferred onto the material so the worker knows exactly where to cut. Common tools are the steel rule, scriber (scratches the line), engineer's try square (right angles), odd-leg calipers and a centre punch (marks a hole centre so the drill does not wander).
The main wasting processes
| Process | What it does | Tool / machine | Typical use |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sawing | Cuts material to rough length or shape | Hacksaw, bandsaw | Cutting a bar to length |
| Filing | Removes small amounts to finish edges and shapes | Hand file | Smoothing a sawn edge, fitting a part |
| Drilling | Cuts a round hole | Pillar drill, twist drill | Hole for a bolt or rivet |
| Turning | Removes material from a rotating workpiece to make round shapes | Centre lathe | Shafts, pins, stepped cylinders |
| Milling | Removes material with a rotating multi-tooth cutter to make flat faces and slots | Milling machine | Flat surfaces, slots, keyways |
Worked example: planning the wasting of a part
Examples in context
Example 1. Making a shaft. A round shaft is turned on a centre lathe: the bar rotates while the tool removes material to give the diameter and any steps, then it is parted off to length.
Example 2. Making a flat plate with a slot. The plate is sawn to size, filed square, then milled to cut a flat-bottomed slot, with a drilled hole for a fixing.
The pattern is that real parts usually need several wasting processes in sequence, always starting with accurate marking out.
Try this
Q1. What does a wasting process do to the material? [1 mark]
- Cue. It removes (cuts away) material as waste to leave the required shape.
Q2. State the difference between turning and milling. [2 marks]
- Cue. In turning the workpiece rotates against a fixed tool (round shapes); in milling the cutter rotates against a fixed workpiece (flat faces and slots).
Q3. Give one reason marking out is done before cutting. [1 mark]
- Cue. To transfer the drawing's dimensions accurately so cuts are in the right place and material is not wasted.
Exam-style practice questions
Practice questions written in the style of CCEA exam questions on this dot point, with worked answer explainers. The year tag is the paper they imitate, not the source.
CCEA style4 marksName two wasting processes and, for each, describe what it does and one situation where it would be used.Show worked answer →
A wasting process removes material to shape a part. Two examples:
Drilling uses a rotating twist drill to cut a round hole through or into a workpiece. It is used to make a clearance hole for a bolt.
Turning is done on a lathe: the workpiece rotates while a fixed cutting tool removes material to make a cylindrical (round) shape. It is used to make a stepped shaft or to face the end of a bar.
Markers reward, for each process, a correct description of the action and a sensible use. Other valid wasting processes are sawing, filing and milling.
CCEA style3 marksWhy is marking out carried out before wasting processes, and name two marking-out tools.Show worked answer →
Marking out is done first to transfer the dimensions from the drawing onto the material, showing exactly where to cut, drill or file so the finished part is accurate and material is not wasted by cutting in the wrong place.
Two marking-out tools: a steel rule (to measure), a scriber (to scratch lines), an engineer's try square (for right angles), odd-leg calipers or a centre punch (to mark a hole centre). Any two are acceptable.
Markers reward the purpose (transfer drawing dimensions for accuracy) and two valid marking-out tools.
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