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EnglandDesign and Technology

5. Manufacturing processes and techniques

5 dot points across 5 inquiry questions. Click any dot point for a focused answer with worked past exam questions where available.

How are products shaped by bending material or by melting and reforming it?

Deforming and reforming processes: shaping by deforming material (line bending, vacuum forming, press forming, laminating) and by reforming it from a liquid or molten state (casting, injection moulding, blow moulding), and matching the process to the material and quantity.
A focused answer to OCR GCSE Design and Technology J310 on deforming and reforming processes: shaping by bending material and by melting and reforming it, and matching the process to the material and quantity.
9 min answer →

How does the quantity being made change the way a product is manufactured?

Scales of production: one-off (bespoke), batch, mass and continuous production, the features and trade-offs of each, and how the scale influences process choice, cost and the use of CAM.
A focused answer to OCR GCSE Design and Technology J310 on scales of production: one-off, batch, mass and continuous production, their features and trade-offs, and how scale drives process and cost.
9 min answer →

How are products shaped by cutting material away or by joining material together?

Wastage and addition processes: shaping by removing material (sawing, drilling, turning, milling, laser cutting) and by joining material together (adhesives, mechanical fixings, welding, soldering), and choosing the right process for a material.
A focused answer to OCR GCSE Design and Technology J310 on wastage and addition processes: shaping by removing material and by joining material together, and matching the process to the material.
9 min answer →

How do manufacturers make sure every product is made accurately and to the same standard?

Quality control and accuracy: tolerances and how to read them, quality control checks during production, and using jigs, templates, patterns and CAM to ensure accuracy and consistency in batch and mass production.
A focused answer to OCR GCSE Design and Technology J310 on quality control and accuracy: tolerances and how to read them, quality checks, and using jigs, templates and CAM for consistency.
10 min answer →

Why are products given a surface finish, and which finish suits which material?

Surface treatments and finishes: why materials are finished (protection, appearance, function), and the finishes that suit each material category, including paint and varnish for timber, painting and plating for metals, and self-finishing for polymers.
A focused answer to OCR GCSE Design and Technology J310 on surface treatments and finishes: why materials are finished, and the finishes that suit timber, metals, polymers and textiles.
9 min answer →