What metals are used in the workshop, how are they grouped, and what properties make each one suitable for a job?
Metals and their properties: ferrous metals (mild steel) and non-ferrous metals (aluminium, copper, brass), and the properties that decide their use - strength, hardness, toughness, malleability, ductility, conductivity and corrosion resistance.
How SQA National 5 Practical Metalworking groups metals into ferrous (mild steel) and non-ferrous (aluminium, copper, brass) and the properties - strength, hardness, malleability, ductility, conductivity and corrosion resistance - that decide which metal suits a workshop job.
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What this dot point is asking
You make things out of metal, so you must know how metals are grouped and what properties make one suit a job better than another. The SQA expects you to split metals into ferrous and non-ferrous, name common workshop metals, and match a named property to a use. The skill is tested in the case study, where you justify a material choice.
Grouping metals: ferrous and non-ferrous
A quick workshop test is a magnet: most ferrous metals are attracted to it, most non-ferrous metals are not. Knowing the group tells you whether the metal will rust and roughly how to join and finish it.
The properties that decide a metal's use
Properties are split into mechanical (behaviour under force) and physical (the metal itself).
- Strength: resists a load without breaking. A frame or bracket needs strength.
- Hardness: resists scratching, denting and wear. A cutting tool needs hardness.
- Toughness: resists sudden shocks without cracking. A hammer head must be tough.
- Malleability: can be hammered, pressed or rolled into shape without breaking (sheet metalwork relies on this).
- Ductility: can be drawn into a thin wire without breaking (copper into cable).
- Electrical conductivity: how well it carries electricity (copper is excellent).
- Thermal conductivity: how well it carries heat.
- Corrosion resistance: how well it withstands rust or weathering (non-ferrous metals resist; mild steel needs protecting).
Common workshop metals at a glance
Try this
Q1. Name the main ferrous metal used in the workshop. [1 mark]
- Cue. Mild steel.
Q2. State one property that makes copper suitable for electrical wire. [1 mark]
- Cue. It is an excellent electrical conductor (and very ductile, so it can be drawn into wire).
Q3. Explain why aluminium is often chosen instead of mild steel for outdoor parts. [2 marks]
- Cue. Aluminium is non-ferrous so it does not rust, and it is light, whereas mild steel rusts unless protected.
Exam-style practice questions
Practice questions written in the style of SQA exam questions on this dot point, with worked answer explainers. The year tag is the paper they imitate, not the source.
SQA-style Explain4 marksA workshop makes a steel garden gate and a copper ornament. Explain why mild steel suits the gate and copper suits the ornament, naming a property in each case.Show worked answer →
Award up to 2 marks for each metal, to a maximum of 4. Mild steel is strong and reasonably tough, so the gate can take its own weight and being opened and shut without bending or breaking (1); it is also cheap and easy to weld, so a frame can be fabricated and it can be painted to resist rust outdoors (1). Copper is highly malleable and ductile, so it can be hammered and shaped into decorative curves for the ornament without cracking (1); it also resists corrosion and develops an attractive surface, so it stays good-looking outdoors (1). A strong answer links a named property to the demand of the product rather than just naming the metal.
SQA-style Describe3 marksDescribe the difference between a ferrous and a non-ferrous metal, and give one example of each.Show worked answer →
Award up to 3 marks: 1 for the ferrous definition with example, 1 for non-ferrous definition with example, 1 for a further correct distinction. A ferrous metal contains iron, for example mild steel; because it contains iron it usually rusts unless protected and is often magnetic (1). A non-ferrous metal contains no iron, for example aluminium, copper or brass; it does not rust and is usually not magnetic (1). A further mark is given for a clear extra point such as ferrous metals generally being stronger and cheaper while non-ferrous metals resist corrosion better (1).
Related dot points
- Bench tools and hand processes: holding work in a bench vice, cutting with a hacksaw, removing metal by filing (cross-filing and draw-filing), cutting with a cold chisel, and the correct hammers (ball pein, cross-pein and claw).
The core hand-tool skills in SQA National 5 Practical Metalworking bench work: holding work in a bench vice, cutting with a hacksaw, removing metal by cross-filing and draw-filing, using a cold chisel, and choosing the right hammer (ball pein, cross-pein, claw).
- Measuring and marking out: using a steel rule, engineer's try square, scriber, odd-leg (jenny) callipers, dividers and a centre punch from a datum edge to transfer a drawing onto metal accurately.
How SQA National 5 Practical Metalworking expects you to measure and mark out a metal workpiece: working from a datum edge with a steel rule, engineer's try square, scriber, odd-leg callipers, dividers and a centre punch so that holes and lines are accurate before cutting.
- Thermal joining: joining metal with heat by welding (e.g. MIG/arc), brazing and soft soldering, the difference between them (melting the parent metal versus a filler), and the safety needed for hot work.
How SQA National 5 Practical Metalworking covers joining metal with heat: welding (MIG or arc), brazing and soft soldering, the difference between melting the parent metal and using a filler, the relative strength of each, and the safety needed for hot work.
- Finishing processes: removing sharp edges and burrs (deburring), cleaning and preparing the surface (emery cloth/abrasives), and applying a finish such as paint, lacquer or plating to protect the metal and improve its appearance.
How SQA National 5 Practical Metalworking covers finishing a metal product: removing sharp edges and burrs (deburring), cleaning and preparing the surface with abrasives, and applying a finish such as paint, lacquer or plating to protect the metal and improve its appearance.
- Health and safety in the workshop: identifying hazards, using personal protective equipment (safety glasses, apron, gloves where appropriate), guarding machines, keeping a tidy area, and following safe working practices for hot, sharp and rotating processes.
How SQA National 5 Practical Metalworking expects you to work safely: spotting hazards, using personal protective equipment such as safety glasses and aprons, guarding machines, keeping a tidy workspace, and following safe practices for hot, sharp and rotating processes.