Evaluation
CCEA A-Level Technology and Design 8900
Material Selection and Wood
Metals
Plastics
Composite and Emerging Materials
Processing Materials
Product Analysis and Design Communication
Design for Manufacture, Quality and Safety
Electronic Control SystemsOption A
Topic overviewControl systems, feedback and electronics safetyResistors, Ohm's law and power ratingsCapacitors and RC timingPotential dividers, sensors and comparatorsSwitches, pull-up and pull-down resistorsOutput devices and LEDsTransistors, Darlington pairs and thyristorsLogic gates, truth tables and flip-flops555 monostable and astable timers
Microelectronic Control SystemsOption A
Topic overviewMicrocontroller systems, ADCs and DACsStrain gauges and bridge circuitsOptical switches, encoded discs and Schmitt triggersOp-amp amplifiers and gainZener diodes and voltage regulatorsKarnaugh maps and binary countersSeven-segment, LCD and dot matrix displaysPIC flowcharts and programmingDC motors, stepper motors and driver circuits
Mechanical and Pneumatic ComponentsOption B
Topic overviewOpen and closed loop mechanical and pneumatic controlSafe working with compressed air and mechanismsLevers, linkages and momentsGear types and gear trainsPulleys, belts, chains and shaft fixingsCams, cranks and converting motionCompressed air supply and pneumatic valvesCylinders, shuttle valves, restrictors and reservoirsPneumatic circuits for logic, timing and speed control
Mechanical and Pneumatic SystemsOption B
Topic overviewHydraulics, system limitations and plant safetyTorque, work, power and air consumptionVacuum handling, proximity sensors and 5/3 valvesSequential and cascade pneumatic circuitsCam profiles and follower displacement diagramsGear geometry, pulley blocks and ratchetsToggles, treadles, shafts and couplingsFriction, brakes and clutchesBearings, lubrication and seals
Designing and Manufacturing ProductsOption C
Topic overviewResearch, questionnaires and specificationsIdea generation, critiques and computer simulationManufacturing planning and product evaluationCFRP, GRP, Kevlar and tungsten carbideSmart materials, nanotechnology and biophotovoltaicsIsometric, perspective and assembly drawingLaminating, steam bending, cutting and printing processesRisk assessment and product safety lawScales of production, JIT and cell productionQuality assurance, ISO 9001 and continuous improvementDesign influences and intellectual property rights
Product Design in Industry and SocietyOption C
Topic overviewLife-cycle environmental impact and climate changeThe 6Rs, waste and environmental legislationSustainable metals, plastics and degradable polymersProduct life cycles, consumer types and relaunchesCAD, CAM, 3D scanning and quick-change mouldingMarket pull, technology push and market strategyPrice, place and promotionJigs, fixtures and ICT in quality controlDesign for maintenance, inclusion and scale productionRendering, typography and presentationDyson, Baylis, Memphis and Apple
Product Development
Product and System Design and Manufacture
Material Selection and Wood
- 6 subtopics
- 18 things to know
- AS 1 Paper 1
What Material Selection and Wood covers
Material Selection and Wood is examined in Unit AS 1, Paper 1: Design and Materials, the compulsory core. It covers material selection criteria, physical and mechanical properties, hardwoods, softwoods and timber stock sizes, pine, ash, beech, oak and mahogany, manufactured boards and wood finishes, veneers and laminates.
Where it is assessed
AS 1 Paper 1
Design and Materials, the compulsory core — a written examination.
Check the CCEA specification ↗The 6 subtopics
Each one has its own page.
- Material selection criteriaFunctional requirements, properties against working characteristics, scale of production and process, corrosion resistance and stability, stock forms, true cost, joining methods and why selection is a compromise.Open →
- Physical and mechanical propertiesDensity with a worked calculation, electrical and thermal conductivity, strength, elasticity, plasticity, ductility, malleability, toughness, hardness, durability, brittleness and Young's modulus.Open →
- Hardwoods, softwoods and timber stock sizesHow hardwoods and softwoods are classified, their properties and cost, plantation timber and the FSC label, rough sawn and PAR timber, standard sections, lengths and a stock cost calculation.Open →
- Pine, ash, beech, oak and mahoganyThe appearance, properties, working characteristics and uses of pine, ash, beech, oak and mahogany, outdoor treatment, steam bending, quarter-sawn oak and responsible sourcing.Open →
- Manufactured boardsPlywood, marine plywood, blockboard, chipboard, hardboard and MDF, how each is made, sheet sizes, knock-down fittings, and their advantages and drawbacks.Open →
- Wood finishes, veneers and laminatesStains, oils, wax, French polish, paint and polyurethane varnish, food-safe finishes, veneers and edging, and decorative laminates such as Formica.Open →
What you need to know
Answer each one before you reveal it.
Your recallNot started
Numbers
A block of timber measures 200 mm × 100 mm × 50 mm and has a mass of 0.65 kg. Calculate its density.
Evaluation
State the main advantages of manufactured boards over solid timber.
Evaluation
Evaluate chipboard as a material for kitchen worktops.
Key term
On what basis are timbers classified as hardwoods or softwoods?
Key term
Describe the appearance and working characteristics of pine.
Key term
What are the main purposes of applying a finish to wood?
Key term
Why must a designer consider functional requirements when selecting a material?
Key term
Define density and give its unit.
Key term
Describe the trees that hardwoods come from.
Key term
Give two typical uses of pine and a reason for each.
Key term
What does a wood stain do, and what does it not do?
Key term
What is the difference between a material's properties and its characteristics?
Key term
What is electrical conductivity?
Key term
Describe the trees that softwoods come from.
Key term
Why must pine be treated before it is used outdoors?
Key term
What are manufactured boards?
Key term
Name the three main types of wood stain.
Take Material Selection and Wood further
The same content, four other ways.
Commonly confused
Pairs that lose marks when they are blurred together.
Hardwood vs Softwood
Hardwood: timber from a broad-leaved tree with seeds enclosed in fruit. Softwood: timber from a coniferous tree that carries its seeds in cones.
Toughness vs Hardness
Toughness: the ability to absorb impact energy without fracturing. Hardness: resistance to scratching, abrasion and indentation.
Elasticity vs Plasticity
Elasticity: the ability to return to the original shape after a load is removed. Plasticity: the ability to be permanently deformed without breaking.
Questions from this topic
Each one with the model answer underneath.
- 1
Why must a designer consider functional requirements when selecting a material?
Model answer
A material must have the properties the product needs to work, such as strength, stiffness or electrical insulation. The wrong properties lead to failure in use.
- 2
What is the difference between a material's properties and its characteristics?
Model answer
Properties describe how a material responds to forces, heat or electricity, such as hardness or conductivity. Characteristics describe qualities such as colour, texture, grain and ease of working.
- 3
How does the scale of production affect the choice of material?
Model answer
Mass production favours materials that suit fast, automated processes such as injection moulding. A one-off product can use materials worked by hand, such as solid hardwood.
- 4
Why must a material suit the manufacturing process chosen for a product?
Model answer
Each process only works with materials that behave in the right way. Vacuum forming needs a thermoplastic sheet that softens when heated, so a thermosetting plastic cannot be used.
- 5
Explain why zinc and aluminium alloys are often chosen for pressure die casting rather than steel.
Model answer
Zinc and aluminium alloys have much lower melting points than steel. A lower melting point extends the life of the steel die and cuts energy use.
- 6
What does corrosion resistance mean when selecting a material?
Model answer
Corrosion resistance is a material's ability to resist chemical attack from its surroundings, such as rusting in damp air. Outdoor and marine products need high corrosion resistance.
What is inside Levo
Six ways to work the same material.
Material Selection and Wood revision questions
- What does Material Selection and Wood cover in CCEA A-Level Technology and Design?
- 6 subtopics: material selection criteria, physical and mechanical properties, hardwoods, softwoods and timber stock sizes, pine, ash, beech, oak and mahogany, manufactured boards and wood finishes, veneers and laminates. Each one has its own page with questions and model answers.
- How is Material Selection and Wood organised?
- By the CCEA 8900 specification, subtopic by subtopic, so it matches the order you are taught it in.
Every question in Material Selection and Wood, on a schedule.
Attempt a question from memory, write the correct version, then attempt it again. Levo records the jump between your first attempt and your last, and brings each question back on the day you are due to forget it.
Or £46 a year, about £3.83 a month. Cancel anytime.