Natural & Manufactured Timbers — Scales of Production (AQA GCSE Design & Technology): Revision Note
Exam code: 8552
Prototyping in natural and manufactured timbers
Timber prototypes are one-off or small quantities used to test:
Size
Structure
Joints
Ergonomics
Appearance
Softwoods, MDF, plywood and other modelling woods are often chosen because they are easy to cut, drill, shape and finish
They are also low cost
Processes include:
Hand sawing
Drilling
Sanding
Joining
Laser cutting of thin boards
CNC routing
Examples include a full-size stool prototype, a scale furniture model or a test section of a cabinet joint
Batch production in natural and manufactured timbers
Batch production is suitable for timber products made in limited quantities or offered in different sizes, colours or finishes
Jigs, templates and CNC programs improve consistency
They also allow the workshop to change to another design after each batch has been completed
Processes include:
Panel cutting
Routing
Drilling
Sanding
Assembly
Finishing
Examples include a batch of 50 school chairs, handmade toys or a limited range of cabinets
Mass production in natural and manufactured timbers
Mass production is used for commonly demanded timber products made in very large quantities
Manufactured boards are often used because:
They have consistent thickness
Are available in large sheets
Work well with automated machinery like CNC routers
CNC routers, automatic saws, drilling machines and assembly lines create repeatable parts at speed
Examples include flat-pack furniture, doors, kitchen units and standard shelving.
Continuous production in natural and manufactured timbers
Continuous production is most common when:
Producing timber-based products in constant demand
Producing sheet materials standard timber based components, rather than complete furniture
Wood fibres, particles or veneers move through a continuous sequence of forming, gluing, pressing, curing, trimming and sanding to create sheet materials
The production line is expensive to set up but highly efficient when demand is constant and the product changes very little
Example materials include MDF, chipboard, paper-faced board and continuously moulded timber profiles
Worked Example
Explain why batch production may be used for a range of school chairs?
[2 marks]
Answer
A school may order a set amount of chairs rather than thousands. Jigs and templates can be used to help make each chair to consistent quality, while the workshop can change aspects of the chairs design (e.g. the height, colour or detailing) for each batch. [1] This gives a manufacturer a balance between repeatability and flexibility when producing their products. [1]
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