International Baccalaureate: Design & Technology Glossary A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z Words highlighted in red are higher level terms. An existing technology or solution to a problem in one field is used to provide a new idea for a solution in another.
algorithm A sequence of instructions to describe a set of actions.
alloy A mixture that contains at least one metal. This can be a mixture of metals or a mixture of metals and non-metals.
alternative technology A technology that involves new types of equipment or organizational forms, and which represents a viable alternative to the existing mainstream technologies of today.
amorphous material A solid that is not crystalline.
analogue signal A signal that may change continuously to represent a physical property. There will be a mathematical relationship between the change in the physical property and the change in the signal.
analogy Drawing on a similar situation for solutions, eg an ultrasonic focusing system for cameras was based on how bats navigate in the dark.
animation The ability to link graphic screens together in such a way as to simulate motion or a process.
anthropometrics The aspect of ergonomics that deals with body measurements, particularly those of size, strength and physical capacity.
appropriate technology Technology appropriate to the context in which it is applied. Appropriate technologies are low in capital cost, use local materials wherever possible, create jobs using local skills and labour, involve decentralized renewable energy sources, make technology understandable to the people who use it, are flexible and not detrimental to quality of life or the environment.
assembly line production The mass production of a product via a flow line based on the interchangeability of parts, pre-processing of materials, standardization and work division.
atom The smallest part of an element that can exist chemically.
automated guided vehicle A robot vehicle that moves over a “shop floor” guided by means (AGV) of painted lines, IR rays or cables laid beneath the surface.
automation A volume production process involving machines controlled by computers.
Limited volume production (a set number of items to be produced).
brainstorming A group of people generating divergent ideas to try to solve a problem. The ideas may be random. No criticism is allowed. Evaluation of the ideas comes at a later stage.
brief The formal starting point for the design of a product. It is a clarification of what a new product is expected to be and to do. It is the instruction to the designer from a client to take on a project.
An approach to manufacturing or production which uses less resources and causes less environmental damage (by reducing the exploitation of natural resources, minimizing waste and preventing pollution) than an alternative means with which it is economically competitive.
composite A mixture composed of two or more substances (materials) with one substance acting as the matrix or glue.
compound A substance formed by the combination of elements in fixed proportions. They may be bonded ionically or covalently.
(CAD) computer-aided design The use of computers to aid the design process.
(CAM) computer-aided manufacturing The use of computers to aid manufacturing.
(CNC) computer numerically controlled A numerical control system within which a dedicated, stored-program computer is used to perform some or all of the basic numerical control functions.
(CIM) computer integrated manufacture Computer integrated manufacturing is the total integration of the various individual CAD, CNC, robotics, computer-aided process planning, computer-aided quality control and materials handling. In a fully developed CIM system a CAD system will be networked with computer controlled manufacturing systems which might include CNC machines, robots and a materials-handling component. All components of the system will share the same database and have instant access to it.
constructive discontent Analysing a situation which would benefit from re-design, and working out a strategy for improving it.
control system A system which controls the operation of a machine or manufacturing process.
convergent thinking The ability to analyse information in order to select an answer from alternatives.
converging technology The melding of media (audio, text, video, data and images) by converting them into digital format, thereby opening up new avenues of communication.
copyright The right in law to be the only producer (or seller) of a book, play, film, design, etc.
corporate strategy Long-term aims and objectives of a company and ways of achieving them by allocation of resources.
cost-effectiveness The most efficient way of designing and producing a product from the manufacturer’s point of view.
craft production A small-scale production process centred on manual skills.
cutting and machining Cutting a material into shape and finishing it by machines.
cybernetics The acquisition, processing and communication of information and its use in controlling the behaviour of natural and manufactured systems.
The mass per unit volume of a material.
design family The evolution of a design into a variety of products that will appeal to a wide range of customers.
design for disassembly Designing a product so that when it becomes obsolete it can easily and economically be taken apart, the components reused or repaired and the materials recycled.
design for manufacture (DfM) The existing manufacturing capability is the dominant factor of DfM. Designers design specifically for optimum use of this capability.
diffusion into the marketplace The wide acceptance (and sales) of a product.
digital signal An encoded signal; the simplest being binary. The signals are often converted from the analogue signals into discrete values— high, low or on, off.
divergent thinking Using creative ability to produce a wide range of possible solutions to a problem.
diversification Involves a company in both the development of new products and in selling those products to new companies.
dominant design The design containing those implicit features of a product which are recognized as essential by a majority of manufacturers and purchasers.
ductility The ability of a material to be drawn or extruded into a wire or other extended shape.
Generally the larger the volume of production, the more fixed costs are balanced by variable costs and the better the unit price.
electrical resistivity This is a measure of a material’s ability to conduct electricity. A material with a low resistivity will conduct electricity well.
element A substance that cannot be decomposed into simpler substances.
entrepreneur An individual committed to the development of a particular new product or process, and prepared to provide or persuade others to provide the necessary finance to turn the invention into an innovation.
ergonome A three-dimensional, physical, scaled model based on a specific percentile with moving parts. Used to establish spatial ergonomic considerations between people and products or environments.
ergonomics The application of scientific information concerning the relationship of human beings to the design of objects, systems and environments.
expert appraisal The reliance on the knowledge and skills of an expert in the operation of the product.
exploded isometric drawing An isometric drawing of an object with more than one component which depicts how the parts of assemblies fit together.
extrusion Forcing material through a shaped die to produce a shaped rod or tube of material, eg wire, pasta.
A style or trend.
fibre structure A fibre structure is used to describe the elongation of the crystals in a cold worked metal, or any type of filament material from which yarns and fabrics are manufactured by spinning, weaving, knitting, bonding, or any filament material/molecule in food products.
fixed costs The costs that must be paid out before production starts, eg machinery. These costs do not change with the level of production.
flexible manufacturing system (FMS) Any computer-controlled manufacturing system which is capable of dealing with several different products and offers users an opportunity to obtain the benefits of economies of scale in small batch production. Manufacturing equipment which can automatically change product tooling and software.
freehand drawing The spontaneous representation of ideas on paper without the use of technical aids.
fuzzy logic A series of weighted algorithms or models programmed into a computer to simulate human thought.
Designing in a way that takes account of the environmental impact of the product throughout its life.
The resistance a material offers to penetration or scratching.
Small changes to the design of a product which seem trivial but the cumulative effect of these changes over a longer period can be very significant.
injection moulding The direct introduction of molten plastic under pressure into a die which then cools rapidly allowing the formed object to be released from the mould.
innovation The business of putting an invention in the marketplace and making it a success.
intermediate technology A relative term that stands between traditional and modern technology.
Internet A global network connecting millions of computers.
invention The process of discovering a principle. A technical advance in a particular field often resulting in a novel product.
ion A positively or negatively charged atom or molecule caused by the loss or gain of electrons from an atom or atoms.
isometric drawing A three-dimensional representation of an object drawn with the horizontal plane at 30° to the vertical plane.
The putting together of two or more components or materials.
Just-in-case (JIC) A situation where a company keeps a small stock of rare components (or complete items) or ones that take a long time to make, just in case of a rush order.
Just-in-time (JIT) A situation where a firm does not allocate space to the storage of components or completed items, but instead orders them (or manufactures them) when required. Large storage areas are not needed and items that are not ordered are not made.
Building up a thick layer of material using thin layers of the material joined with adhesives.
lean production Combining the advantages of craft and mass production while avoiding the high cost of the former and the inflexibility of the latter. Lean producers employ teams of multi-skilled workers at all levels of the organization and use highly flexible automated machines to produce volumes of products in enormous variety.
life cycle analysis The assessment of the effect a product has on the environment from the initial concept to disposal.
literature search The use of consumer reports and newspaper items to follow historical development. Useful sources of information could include CD-Roms, such as encyclopedias and newspapers, or more specific disks, subject-specific magazines and manufacturers’ information.
lone inventor An individual working outside or inside an organization who is committed to the invention of a novel product and often becomes isolated because s/he is engrossed with ideas which imply change and are resisted by others.
A two-dimensional physical anthropometric model based on a specific percentile, which is used with drawings of the same scale as the model to consider the relationship between the size of an object and people.
manufacturing process A general term for making products. It covers a range of techniques.
manufacturing technique A specific manufacturing term, sometimes relating to one material group only.
market development Finding new applications for existing products thereby opening up new markets.
market penetration Increasing sales to existing customers or finding new customers for an existing product.
market pull The initial impetus for the development of a new product is generated by a demand from the market.
market sector A broad way of categorizing the kinds of market the company is aiming for.
market segmentation Markets divide up into smaller segments where the purchasers have similar characteristics and tastes.
mass customization A sophisticated CIM system which manufactures products to individual customer orders. The benefits of economy of scale are gained whether the order is for a single item or for thousands.
mechanization A volume production process involving machines controlled by humans.
memory A digital storage device.
mixture A substance made of two or more substances that can be separated by physical means, ie not chemically bonded together.
molecule Two or more atoms which are normally bonded together covalently.
multi-national company A company which not only trades internationally but has manufacturing outlets in a number of countries.
Resources that take too long (say more than one human lifetime?) for natural processes to replenish them.
An individual (often craft produced) article or a prototype for larger scale production.
optical fibre A cable that can transmit huge quantities of digital information at very high speed in both directions by means of light waves.
orthographic drawing A series of flat views of an object showing it exactly as it is in shape and size.
An agreement from a government office to give someone the right to make or sell a new invention for a certain number of years.
percentile range That proportion of a population with a dimension at or less than a given value.
performance test Observations and their record of users.
perspective drawing A three-dimensional drawing which realistically represents an object by utilizing foreshortening and vanishing points (usually imaginary ones).
planned obsolescence A conscious act either to ensure a continuing market or to ensure that safety factors and new technologies can be incorporated into later versions of the product.
plastic deformation The permanent deformation of a solid subjected to a stress.
product champion An influential individual, usually working within an organization, who develops an enthusiasm for a particular idea or invention and “champions” it within the organization.
product cycle (product life cycle) This refers to a product’s introduction, growth, maturity and decline and to its general pattern of production and profitability.
product development The creation of new, modified or updated products aimed mainly at a company’s existing customers.
pure substance A substance made of only one element or compound.
Where a completely new product is devised by going back to the roots of a problem and thinking about a solution in a different way.
renewable resources Resources that are naturally replenished in a short time.
repetitive stress injury (RSI) A disease of a particular part of the musculo-skeletal system produced by gradual build up of tiny amounts of damage on a daily basis as a result of repetitive motions or sustained postures.
robot A mechanical device controlled by computer that can perform human-like tasks.
robust design Flexible designs which can be adapted to changing technical and market requirements.
satellite communication Telecommunication whereby radio waves are transmitted from one part of the globe to a satellite in space which amplifies the signal and retransmits it to a receiver in another part of the globe.
The process of drying out timber after conversion.
shaping The process by which materials are formed into shape by particular techniques.
sintering The fusing of solid particles together by heat and pressure without completely liquifying the particles.
smart card A small electronic device about the size of a credit card that contains electronic memory and possibly an embedded integrated circuit.
specification A set of precise limits for the complete range of performance requirements for the design of a product.
superconductor A composite material with the unique property of having almost zero resistance at very low temperatures.
sustainable development Development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.
Someone who needs some convincing before embracing technological change.
technology push Where the impetus for a new design emanates from a technological development.
technophile Someone who immediately welcomes a technological change.
technophobe Someone who resists all technological change.
telecommunications Any form of data transmission, from voice to video.
tensile strength The ability of a material to withstand pulling forces.
thermal conductivity A measure of how fast heat is conducted through a slab of material with a given temperature difference across the slab.
thermal expansion (expansivity) A measure of the degree of increase in dimensions when an object is heated. This can be measured by an increase in length, area or volume. The expansivity can be measured as the fractional increase in dimension per Kelvin increase in temperature.
toughness The ability of a material to resist the propagation of cracks.
Obtaining users’ responses.
user trial The observation and analysis of comments made by people who have used a particular product.
user-centred design A design methodology in which designers do not rely on their tacit knowledge of the user or user group but instead use the users as a resource to increase their understanding.
A concept that takes account of the relation between what something, eg a product, is worth and the cash amount spent on it.
variable costs Costs that vary with output, eg fuel or raw materials.
virtual reality The ability to simulate a real situation on the screen and interact with it in a near natural way.
volume production Continuous flow, large-scale production.
The process by which hand tools and machines are used to fabricate materials by the removal of waste.
weaving The carrying of a continuous thread back and forth across a set of length-wise threads to form an interlaced fabric.
The stress at which plastic deformation begins.
Young’s modulus The stiffness of a material.
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