β Scotland Design and Manufacture
Scotland Β· SQASyllabus
Design and Manufacture syllabus, dot point by dot point
Every dot point in the Scotland Design and Manufacturesyllabus, with a focused answer for each one. Click any dot point for a worked explainer, past exam questions, and links to related dot points. Written by Claude Opus 4.8, Anthropic's latest AI.
Design
Module overview β- What does the Higher Design and Manufacture assignment require, and how is it marked?Overview of the Higher Design and Manufacture coursework assignment: a candidate-led design, make and test task that applies the design process and knowledge of materials and manufacture to produce and evaluate a design proposal and outcome.10 min answer β
- What competing factors must a designer balance to make a product that works, sells and can be made?The design factors a product must satisfy: function and performance, aesthetics, ergonomics and anthropometrics, the market, economics and cost, ease of manufacture, durability and safety, and how they are balanced and prioritised.13 min answer β
- How does a designer move from a brief to a viable product, and why is the process iterative rather than linear?The design process and the iterative design, make and test cycle: the brief, research, specification, idea generation, development, prototyping, evaluation and the feedback loops that link them.12 min answer β
- How does a designer judge objectively whether an idea or product is good, rather than relying on opinion?Evaluation techniques used through the design process: evaluating ideas and products against the specification, user trialling and testing, comparison and selection methods, and using the results to refine the design.11 min answer β
- Which graphic and modelling techniques does a designer use to generate, develop and communicate ideas, and when is each one right?Graphic techniques and modelling used through the design process: freehand sketching, pictorial and orthographic working drawings, CAD, and physical models and prototypes, and the role of each in generating, developing, testing and communicating a design.12 min answer β
Materials and Manufacture
Module overview β- How are products protected and finished, and how are their parts joined together?Surface finishes and methods of joining: finishes applied to timbers, metals and polymers and why they are used, and permanent and temporary fixings and fittings, including knock-down fittings.11 min answer β
- What effects do design and manufacturing have on society, the environment and the workforce, and how can a designer reduce the harm?The impact of design and manufacturing technologies on society, the environment and the workforce: sustainability and the six Rs, resource use and waste, planned obsolescence, and the effects of automation and global manufacture on workers.12 min answer β
- Which processes shape plastics, metals and timbers into products, and how does a designer choose the right one?Manufacturing processes for shaping materials: moulding and forming processes for polymers, casting and forming processes for metals, and cutting, shaping and joining for timbers, and matching a process to the material, form and scale of production.13 min answer β
- How do ferrous metals, non-ferrous metals and alloys differ, and how does a designer choose the right metal for a product?Metals used in product design: ferrous and non-ferrous metals and alloys, their key properties (strength, hardness, ductility, malleability, conductivity, corrosion resistance, cost) and how those properties guide material choice.12 min answer β
- How do thermoplastics and thermosetting plastics differ, and how does a designer choose the right polymer for a product?Polymers used in product design: thermoplastics and thermosetting plastics, their key properties (formability, strength, toughness, durability, finish, cost) and how those properties guide material choice.12 min answer β
- How does the number of products to be made change how they are manufactured, and what systems keep them consistent?Scales of production and manufacturing systems: one-off (job), batch and mass or continuous production, and the systems that support them - standardisation, tolerance, jigs and templates, and CAD/CAM.12 min answer β
- How do hardwoods, softwoods and manufactured boards differ, and how does a designer choose the right timber for a product?Timbers used in product design: natural hardwoods and softwoods and manufactured boards, their key properties (strength, hardness, durability, workability, finish, cost) and how those properties guide material choice.12 min answer β