Papers & Boards — Functional & Aesthetic (AQA GCSE Design & Technology): Revision Note

Functionality of papers and boards

• The functionality of papers and boards is to provide lightweight, versatile materials

• This makes them suitable for:

  • Packaging

  • Modelling

  • Communication purposes, e.g. sketching

• Examples of applications of papers and boards are packaging:

  • Corrugated card for shipping boxes

  • Food packaging, e.g. duplex board for cereal boxes

  • Foil-lined board for drinks

• Papers and boards are easy to work with because, using simple tools, they are:

  • Lightweight

  • Easy to cut

  • Fold

  • Bend

  • Shape

• They can be printed on or finished quickly, making them ideal for rapid prototyping and mass production

Aesthetics of papers and boards: surface finish, texture & colour

• The aesthetics of papers and boards are how they look and feel, including their:

  • Surface finish

  • Texture

  • Colour

• These can be chosen to make products more attractive and suitable for their purpose

Surface finish

• Papers and boards can have different surface finishes, such as:

  • Smooth, e.g. inkjet card for high-quality printing, glossy, matt

  • Reflective, e.g. foil-lined board, depending on the required appearance and function

Texture

• The texture of papers and boards can vary from rough, e.g. corrugated card, to very smooth, e.g. solid white board, affecting both appearance and how they are handled or printed on

Colour

• Papers and boards can be dyed or manufactured in different colours, or left natural brown/grey

  • This allows designers to match branding, improve appearance or communicate information

Availability of papers and boards: ease of sourcing & purchase

• The availability of papers and boards refers to how easy it is to obtain them for manufacturing and production

• Papers and boards are widely available in many forms and sizes, e.g. A4, A3 stock sizes

  • This makes them easy to source for different uses

• They can be purchased in sheets, rolls or bulk quantities from suppliers

  • This means they are accessible for both small-scale and large-scale production

Cost of papers and boards: bulk buying

What is the cost of papers and boards?

• The cost of papers and boards is generally low compared to other materials,

  • This makes them cost-effective for many products

• Buying papers and boards in bulk reduces the cost per unit

  • This can be beneficial for mass production and large packaging operations