Key term
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
Product Design in Industry and Society
- 11 subtopics
- 33 things to know
- A2 1
- Option C, Product Design
What Product Design in Industry and Society covers
Product Design in Industry and Society is examined in Unit A2 1: Option C, Product Design, one option of three. It covers life-cycle environmental impact and climate change, the 6Rs, waste and environmental legislation, sustainable metals, plastics and degradable polymers, product life cycles, consumer types and relaunches, CAD, CAM, 3D scanning and quick-change moulding, market pull, technology push and market strategy, price, place and promotion, jigs, fixtures and ICT in quality control, design for maintenance, inclusion and scale production, rendering, typography and presentation and Dyson, Baylis, Memphis and Apple.
Where it is assessed
A2 1
Option C, Product Design — a written examination.
Check the CCEA specification ↗The 11 subtopics
Each one has its own page.
- Life-cycle environmental impact and climate changeImpacts at each life-cycle stage, greenhouse gases and carbon footprints, environmental audits and life-cycle assessment, lightweighting and a worked carbon saving.Open →
- The 6Rs, waste and environmental legislationRethink, refuse, reduce, reuse, repair and recycle, the waste hierarchy, landfill and energy recovery, pollution control, WEEE, RoHS, packaging responsibility and EU influence.Open →
- Sustainable metals, plastics and degradable polymersEmbodied energy, responsible sourcing and recycled content, aluminium recycling, scarce metals and conflict minerals, plastics at manufacture and disposal, and PLA and photodegradable plastics.Open →
- Product life cycles, consumer types and relaunchesThe stages of the product life cycle, extension strategies, fad, fashion and basic products, innovators, opinion leaders and laggards, decline and successful relaunches.Open →
- CAD, CAM, 3D scanning and quick-change mouldingGlobal CAD teams, generative design, digital twins, 3D scanning for inspection and customisation, quick-change moulding and SMED, Kanban, flexible manufacturing and mass customisation.Open →
- Market pull, technology push and market strategyMarket research and test marketing, needs and demands, market pull and technology push, radical and incremental products, and market penetration, development and diversification.Open →
- Price, place and promotionThe four Ps, price elasticity with a worked example, cost-plus, contribution and perceived value pricing, skimming and penetration, physical placing, advertising, sales promotion and trade fairs.Open →
- Jigs, fixtures and ICT in quality controlJigs, fixtures and templates, poka-yoke, calibration, coordinate measuring machines, sensors in moulding, barcode and RFID traceability and ICT-based quality systems.Open →
- Design for maintenance, inclusion and scale productionDesign for maintenance and the right to repair, universal and inclusive design, percentile ranges, design for manufacture and assembly, snap fits, and a packaging space calculation.Open →
- Rendering, typography and presentationRendering glass and wood, light sources and shadows, photorealistic CAD, colourways and storyboards, presentation boards, serif and sans-serif typefaces, legibility, kerning and leading.Open →
- Dyson, Baylis, Memphis and AppleJames Dyson's cyclone vacuum cleaner and later products, Trevor Baylis's wind-up radio, the Memphis Group's style and influence, and Apple's iMac G3, iPhone and sustainability record.Open →
What you need to know
Answer each one before you reveal it.
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Key term
Describe the properties, working characteristics and uses of PLA.
Key term
Compare biodegradable and conventional plastics for disposable cutlery.
Process
How does a product affect the environment at each stage of its life cycle?
Process
What are the five stages of the product life cycle?
Process
How does CAD benefit a designer working in a global team?
Key term
Give three methods of market research a company might use before launching a product.
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What are the four Ps of the marketing mix?
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What is a jig?
Key term
What does design for maintenance mean?
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How is a clear material such as glass or acrylic rendered?
Key term
What problem did James Dyson solve with his cyclone vacuum cleaner?
Process
Which life-cycle stage usually has the biggest impact for an electric kettle, and why?
Key term
Give a practical example of rethink in product design.
Process
What happens at the inception stage of a product's life cycle?
Key term
What is generative design?
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How does test marketing reduce the risk of a product launch?
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What is price elasticity of demand?
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What is a fixture?
Key term
What is the right to repair?
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How is wood grain rendered on a product drawing?
Key term
How did James Dyson develop the cyclone vacuum cleaner?
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What are greenhouse gases, and how do they cause climate change?
Key term
Give a practical example of refuse.
Key term
What is embodied energy?
Process
Why are profits usually negative during the introduction stage?
Key term
How does a direct link from CAD to CNC benefit the designer?
Key term
What is the difference between a need and a demand?
Key term
A 10% price rise causes demand for a product to fall by 25%. What is the price elasticity of demand, and is demand elastic?
Key term
Why does a jig improve quality in batch production?
Key term
Why should parts that wear out be easy to reach?
Key term
Why does a designer use a single light source when rendering?
Numbers
When did the first Dyson vacuum cleaner go on sale?
Take Product Design in Industry and Society further
The same content, four other ways.
Commonly confused
Pairs that lose marks when they are blurred together.
Market pull vs Technology push
Market pull: a new product developed in answer to consumer demand. Technology push: a new product made possible by a scientific or engineering advance.
Radical product vs Incremental product
Radical product: an entirely new kind of item that changes how people live. Incremental product: an existing item improved in small steps, such as a new model.
Biodegradable plastic vs Photodegradable plastic
Biodegradable plastic: a polymer broken down by bacteria and fungi into natural substances. Photodegradable plastic: a polymer that turns brittle and crumbles in ultraviolet light.
Questions from this topic
Each one with the model answer underneath.
- 1
How does a product affect the environment at each stage of its life cycle?
Model answer
Raw material extraction uses energy and damages habitats, and manufacture uses energy and creates waste. Distribution burns fuel, use may consume energy, and disposal can pollute land, air or water.
- 2
Which life-cycle stage usually has the biggest impact for an electric kettle, and why?
Model answer
The use stage usually dominates for a kettle, because it consumes electricity daily for years. Designs that boil only the water needed cut that impact most.
- 3
What are greenhouse gases, and how do they cause climate change?
Model answer
Greenhouse gases, such as carbon dioxide and methane, trap heat radiated from the Earth's surface. Rising concentrations from burning fossil fuels are warming the climate.
- 4
How does product manufacture contribute to climate change?
Model answer
Factories draw energy largely generated from fossil fuels, which releases carbon dioxide. Energy-intensive materials such as steel, aluminium, cement and plastics carry the largest emissions.
- 5
What is a carbon footprint?
Model answer
A carbon footprint is the total greenhouse gas emissions caused by a product across its life, expressed as carbon dioxide equivalent. Designers compare footprints to choose lower-impact options.
- 6
What is an environmental audit?
Model answer
An environmental audit is a systematic check of a company's activities against environmental targets and laws. The audit measures energy, emissions, waste and resource use and recommends improvements.
What is inside Levo
Six ways to work the same material.
Product Design in Industry and Society revision questions
- What does Product Design in Industry and Society cover in CCEA A-Level Technology and Design?
- 11 subtopics: life-cycle environmental impact and climate change, the 6rs, waste and environmental legislation, sustainable metals, plastics and degradable polymers, product life cycles, consumer types and relaunches, cad, cam, 3d scanning and quick-change moulding, market pull, technology push and market strategy, price, place and promotion, jigs, fixtures and ict in quality control, design for maintenance, inclusion and scale production, rendering, typography and presentation and dyson, baylis, memphis and apple. Each one has its own page with questions and model answers.
- How is Product Design in Industry and Society organised?
- By the CCEA 8900 specification, subtopic by subtopic, so it matches the order you are taught it in.
Every question in Product Design in Industry and Society, 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.
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