Materials & manufacture · National 5
Production systems & planning
4 cards · 3 quiz · 1 exam
Design & Manufacture · National 5 · mrkellydt.co.uk
What you're learning in this topic
Learning intention WALT
We are learning about production systems & planning, specifically to:
understand
- one-off and mass production
- why standard components and knock-down fittings are used
be able to
- produce a working drawing, cutting list and sequence of operations
Success criteria WILF
- I can compare one-off and mass production
- I can explain why standard components and knock-down fittings are used
- I can produce a working drawing, cutting list and sequence of operations
Production systems
| One-off | Mass | |
|---|---|---|
| Quantity | Single unique item | Very large numbers of identical items |
| Workforce | Highly skilled, labour intensive | Low skill, highly automated |
| Cost | Expensive per item | High set-up, low unit cost |
| Flexibility | Very flexible | Inflexible |
| Examples | Made-to-measure gates, prototypes | Drinks bottles, kitchen utensils |
Standard components
Parts made in huge numbers to an agreed standard (nuts, bolts, hinges, motors).
- Benefits: low cost, consistent quality, reliable, easy to source and replace, save design and manufacturing time.
- Drawbacks: depend on outside suppliers (delays, quality out of your control), need storage, may restrict the design.
Planning for manufacture (N5) N5
- Working drawing: orthographic views of every component, all dimensions and technical detail needed to manufacture. A poor drawing leads to mistakes and wasted material.
- Cutting list: each part with quantity, material and length × width × thickness.
- Sequence of operations: steps in a logical order, the tools and machines used, and safety precautions for each step.
Example cutting list
| Part | Qty | Material | L × W × T (mm) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Side | 2 | Red pine | 300 × 150 × 18 |
| Shelf | 2 | Red pine | 400 × 140 × 18 |
| Back | 1 | MDF | 436 × 300 × 6 |
Example sequence of operations
| Step | Tools / machines | Safety |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Mark out the housings on the sides | Steel rule, try square, marking gauge | Keep sharp knife away from hand |
| 2. Cut the housings | Tenon saw, chisel, mallet, hand router | Clamp work; chisel away from body |
| 3. Drill screw holes in the back | Pillar drill, twist drill, countersink | Guard down, work clamped |
| 4. Glue and cramp | PVA, sash cramps | Wipe off excess glue |
| 5. Finish | Glass paper, varnish, brush | Ventilated area |
Key terms
| Mass production | Large volumes of identical products; automated; low skill; low unit cost. |
|---|---|
| One-off production | A single unique product made by highly skilled workers. |
| Standard component | A part made in large numbers to an agreed standard (e.g. bolts, hinges). |
| Cutting list | List of parts with quantity, material and sizes. |
Quick check
1. Which system has the highest set-up cost but the lowest cost per item?
- One-off
- Mass
- Prototype
- Hand-made
Show answer
B: Mass. Tooling is spread over huge numbers.
2. Which is a disadvantage of standard components for a manufacturer?
- Quality can't be guaranteed at all
- They are difficult and slow to source
- Dependence on an outside supplier
- Parts must always be made in-house
Show answer
C: Dependence on an outside supplier. Delays at the supplier stop production.
3. Which document lists each part with its material and sizes?
- Working drawing
- Cutting list
- Specification
- Sequence of operations
Show answer
B: Cutting list. It is used to cut material to size.
Exam-style questions
1. Explain why a poor quality working drawing can cause problems for a manufacturer. (2 marks)
Show marking guidance
- Missing or wrong dimensions lead to parts made to the wrong size (1)
- Wasted time and material / parts don't fit at assembly (1)
Printable worksheet
An I do, we do, you do worksheet for this topic, with a separate answer sheet.