Metals & Alloys — Scales of Production (AQA GCSE Design & Technology): Revision Note
Exam code: 8552
Prototyping in metals and alloys
Metal prototypes are made to test strength, fit, movement, dimensions and manufacture before investing in full manufacture using expensive tooling
One-off methods include:
Sawing
Filing
Drilling
Turning
Milling
Bending
Welding
Brazing
Casting
Metal 3D printing
Prototypes may be made from the intended metal or from a cheaper metal when only size and form need testing
Examples include a prototype bicycle component, a test bracket or a sheet-metal enclosure
Batch production in metals and alloys
Batch production suits metal products made in groups where machinery can be set up once and used repeatedly
Jigs, fixtures, press tools and CNC programs improve accuracy and reduce the time needed for each part
Processes include:
CNC machining
Laser cutting
Press forming
Welding
Casting
Finishing
Examples include a batch of specialist tools, metal furniture frames or replacement machine parts
Mass production in metals and alloys
Mass production is used for large numbers of identical metal parts with high and predictable demand
Processes such as press forming, die casting, automated welding and CNC machining may require expensive tooling but achieve fast cycle times
Robots and automated inspection improve consistency and worker safety
Examples include car body panels, cutlery, drinks cans and household appliance parts
Continuous production in metals and alloys
Continuous production is used to create standard metal stock forms or components in an uninterrupted flow
Processes include:
Continuous casting
Rolling
Extrusion
Wire drawing
Coil coating
The production line is highly automated, capable of producing long lengths of metal, or repeated parts with consistent dimensions
Examples include steel sheet, metal coils, aluminium foil, wire, metal tube, screws, nuts and rolled sections
Worked Example
State a suitable scale of production for aluminium drinks cans and justify your answer.
[2 marks]
Answer
Mass production is suitable because very large numbers of identical cans are required. [1] Automated forming and finishing machinery produces the cans rapidly and the high setup cost is spread over the large production quantity. [1]
Examiner Tips and Tricks
Students often confuse mass production and continuous production. Remember:
Mass production makes large numbers of complex products (car body panels, drinks cans) in distinct production runs, with some downtime between them.
Continuous production runs 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year, non-stop. It is used for simple, standardised components where stopping the line is too costly. Screws are the classic example. If a question asks you to justify continuous production, screws (or nuts, bolts and rivets) are your strongest metal example.
Unlock more, it's free!
Join the 100,000+ Students that ❤️ Save My Exams
the (exam) results speak for themselves:
Was this revision note helpful?
