Reference no: EM131125 , Length: Word Count: 950
(a) Three designs
A modern new building project by an architectural consultancy requires that the interior contains some product designs. The building is an information centre that also houses a restaurant and a cafeteria. It is located in a UK national park.
You have been called in as an advisor to help create three product designs that embody a key mission of the centre: to promote sustainable living and sustainable design.
The consultancy is employing you to come up with ideas that not only are functional, usable and satisfying, but also convey an integrity and consistency across the three products. Most importantly, the consultancy wants you to back up your design ideas with clear proposals for materials and processes.
Your three product types are listed below. For each one you are asked to: -
1- sketch, using perspective drawings, what the product might look like - the client should be able to see all sides of the design
2-specify the material(s) that you have decided it will be made from and the reasons for your choice
3-describe the processes by which it will be made.
The three product types are as follows.
(i) Floor lamps. The lamps are intended to give the space character and personality and to help increase the lighting around the centre in the evening. The lamps should be powered by mains electricity.
(ii) Litter bins. The centre requires litter bins for its foyer. The bins should have covers and address the needs of all of their users, not just visitors to the centre.
(iii) Bench seating. The client needs bench seating for the foyer area where visitors can congregate before a walk or rest while waiting for tables in the restaurant.
The brief asks that your three products display some common characteristics - that is, they look like they belong to one family of products. You might achieve this through materials, processes, visual design, etc.
Annotation on sketches is encouraged because this will enable you to communicate more about each design. Annotated drawings should be the primary method of communicating your designs.
In defining your materials and processes you will probably need to refer to a resource such as the CES database in order to generate ideas and detailed information. (250 words)
(b) Requirements list
In order to specify a material precisely - or in order to confirm a material choice - a designer needs to define the requirements of the product or component. They may need to specify, for example, the conditions of use, any user requirements, safety issues, and manufacturing or assembly constraints.
Select any one of your three product proposals and produce a list of at least five significant requirements of your product that are relevant to the selection of materials and processes. (100 words)
(c) Exploiting materials and processes
With reference to the product you chose in part (b), answer the following questions.
(i) In what ways does this product exploit the qualities of the material(s) from which it will be made?
(ii) In what ways are the specified manufacturing processes appropriate to this particular product?
(iii) In what ways does this product represent good sustainable design?
(450 words)
(d)Rapid prototyping
In spite of the financial costs, rapid prototyping is increasingly found in the design and development processes used by manufacturers. It has begun to replace some of the traditional ways of modelling and prototyping. Section 5 of Block 5 introduced three techniques for the rapid prototyping of components. In what ways can these three rapid-prototyping techniques assist companies to improve the design and development of new products?200words