Eastbury Comprehensive School Technology Department

• Aesthetics - how we respond to the visual appearance of a product, in relation to its form, texture, smell and colour
• Analyse/Analysis- to ask questions using who, what, why, when, which, how.
• Anthropometrics - the study of the human form in relation to size, movements and strengths. Used in ergonomics.
• Attribute analysis - identifying the key characteristics, design features of a product.
• Automated - a process which is controlled by machine and/or computer
• Batch production - a method of production where a number of components are made all at once. Repeated batches are sometimes made over a longer period of time
• Blow moulding - a process where a thin tube of plastic (parison), gripped between two halves of a mould, is blown out to fill the mould using compressed air. Used for making bottles
• Brainstorming - a group exercise for generating a wide range of ideas related to problem solving. The rule being that all ideas, no matter how good or bad is jotted down on a piece of paper for evaluation
• Brand identity - where a product is instantly recognized as belonging to a particular manufacturer by its image
• Branded goods- a product with a recognized image of quality and desirability
• BSI - British Standards Institute
• CAD - Computer Aided Design
• CAID - Computer Aided Industrial Design
• CAM - Computer Aided Manufacture
• CAMA - Computer Aided Market Analysis
• CD ROM - Compact Disc   Read Only Memory
• CEN - Comite Européen de Normalisation
• CIM - Computer Integrated Manufacture
• CMYK - Cyan, Magenta, Yellow and Black. Process colours used in printing
• CNC - Computer Numerical Control
• Coated - a surface finish applied to a material, like a varnish
• Composites - materials made up of more than one base material, some times in layers or as a mixture
• Computer models - digital images of a design seen on a computer, sometimes as fully rendered products or wire frame images
• COSHH - Control of Substances Hazardous to Health
• Densitometer - an electronic instrument used to measure the quantitative colours or density of colour in printing
• Design - the process of solving problems by creating ideas to come up with a solution
• Design ideas - a wide range of different ideas to solve a problem. Often communicated in sketch form
• Designers - people who are employed to create design ideas for a client
• Developing ideas - the process of taking an idea and improving / modifying it so that it is the best solution to a problem
• Digital camera - a device that takes images and records them digitally on computer disc or other device
• Drafting aid - any tool which helps to reduce the difficulty in reproducing lines and curves on paper
• Die cutting - a tool similar to a pastry cutter using thin blades pressing down to cut and / or crease irregular shapes in card
• Embossed - a process which raises the surface of a material using a press or stamp. Normally used to give an interesting visual affect
• EPOS - Electronic Point of Sale
• Ergonomics - the study of how products and environments are designed to be efficient for human users
• Flexography - a printing process which uses flexible printing plates, usually rubber or plastic. Used predominantly for packaging
• Flow chart - a chart using symbols to show the sequence of a process FMS Flexible Manufacturing System
• Formative review - evaluation which is on going during the design and make processes often in the form of annotation
• Gantt charts - a chart to show how a number of tasks or processes are planned to be completed in a given time, often concurrently
• Graphic identity - when an organization uses visual symbols or logos to separate them from other companies
• Gravure - a method of four colour printing using the intaglio process. Normally for high volume runs
• Hot foil blocking - a method of transferring a thin foil coating to paper or card for visual affect
• ICT - Information Communication Technology
• Injection moulding - a process where molten thermoplastic is injected under high pressure into a die cavity
• Innovative - to introduce new methods, ideas that are different from what has already been attempted
• Input - information or material at the start of a system i.e., paper and ink at the start of print production
• Internet - a global network of computers allowing access to a huge amount of information
• ISDN - Integrated Services Digital Network
• Isometric - a method of drawing in 3D using 30° axes ISP Internet Service Provider
• JIT - 'just in time'   meaning the delivery of materials/components to the manufacturing area only as they are needed
• Lay planning - the method of placing a pattern or net onto sheet material to minimize waste
• Letterpress - the original 'relief' method of printing whereby a raised image or letter is primed with ink before paper is pressed onto it
• Lithography - a printing process that produces an image from a flat dampened plate using greasy ink, based on the principle that water and oil do not mix
• Manufacturing cells - a production system that incorporates a number of people and machines working together, being responsible for what is produced
• Marketing - the selling of a service or product to a customer
• Mass production -the production of a component or product in large numbers
• Mould - a hollow or convex shape used for shaping a material, like in vacuum forming
• Net - the 2D shape or development of a 3D product in sheet form
• Perspective - a form a drawing in 3D using vanishing points along a horizontal axis or eye line
• Plotter/plotter cutter - a computer controlled output device for producing accurate lines or cuts on card or paper
• Point of sale - graphic products which are used to advertise a product in a shop, often mounted on a counter or on a shelf
• Presentation drawings - drawings used to communicate a design in a suitable form for the client
• Product disassembly - critical analysis of a product, breaking it down into its individual elements
• Product models - accurate replicas of a design in 3D for evaluation in the marketplace
• Proof copy - a representation on paper of the printed product to check the progress and accuracy of the work
• Prototype -a pre production version of a product, used to check whether it meets requirements
• Quality assurance -a policy or procedure written to ensure that a product reaches the customer to the correct specification
• Quality control - systems put in place to check quality during manufacture   i.e. gauges, visual checks, etc.
• Questionnaire - a series of open or closed questions used in a survey to find out peoples views on an issue
• Remote manufacturing - where a design is sent to another place to be manufactured
• Scale of production - the type of production   batch, mass, etc,
• Scanner - an input device used to import images into a computer for DTP
• Screen printing - a low volume method of printing onto different surfaces using templates, a wire mesh and ink
• Shrink wrapping - where a product is wrapped in plastic sheet which is then heated to shrink tightly around it. Use as protective packaging
• Specification - a set of clearly indicated criteria that the final solution must meet
• Sprue either a channel through which metal or plastic is poured into a mould or the metal or plastic which has solidified in a sprue; often holds pieces in model kits
• Stereolithography - 3D modelling using lasers to solidify liquid plastics. Complex shapes can be produced   often called rapid prototyping
• Storyboard - where a series of stages in design or making are shown using pictures, like in a cartoon strip
• Summative review - the critical evaluation of a task or product after it is completed to see if it has met the design specification
• Thermoplastic - a type of plastic which softens under heat and can be re softened many times
• three dimensional (3D) modelling a method of communicating a design in three dimensions, either by using suitable resistant materials   card, wood, MDF, clay etc., or by using computer software to show virtual 3D images
• Thermosetting - a type of plastic which once set cannot be re softened or melted
• Tolerance - the upper and lower limits of a dimension, i.e. 25mm +/ 0.5mm = 24.5/25.5mm
• TQM - Total Quality Management   where the workforce are given responsibility for ensuring quality by using their skills and ideas to continually improve quality
• Trade mark - a company's recognized trade symbol, logo or typeface which no other company can use
• Typeface - a type design (text style) including variations like italic and bold
• Vacuum forming - a process using thin plastic sheet which is formed around a mould using atmospheric pressure used in blister packaging
• Veneers - thin strips of hardwood (0.5mm thick) used for laminating onto cheap material to improve visual appearance
• Virtual design - designs created totally on a computer in 3D
• Watermark - a distinctive design incorporated into a paper during the manufacturing process
• Weeding - a process where a chemical is applied to a vinyl sticker to allow the background to be removed leaving only the desired graphic