Product Development Applying Metal Manufacturing Processes

This project allows KS3 students to explore the properties of metals through form and function, and ‘alter’ the characteristics by industrial processes.   It was developed through a Skills Gap programme partnership between Brandauer and St. Albans Academy.

Project overview

This project is designed to enable a product development activity to be taught with a strong industrial context. Students research several industrial metal manufacturing processes and then apply them to the manufacture of a pair of sunglasses. The business context is reinforced throughout the project to ensure prototypes are of the highest quality and suitable for a potential business product. 

Course Overview

The project overview document gives an outline of the whole project and brief detail of the supporting resources available to help deliver each lesson. Download this first to see what's included. You can then download the separate modules - a total of 5 learning activities, representing approximately 5 hours teaching. Alternatively download the whole project. File sizes are large and this can take some time.

• Module 1. Industrial context

  An introductory lesson to ensure students understand the project requirements, using a design brief set by Brandauer.

  Time: 50 mins - 1 hour
  Key Material: 3 ppt; student worksheets

• Module 2. Analysing and reflecting

  Students design the frame of the glasses applying design principles and a combination of paper modelling, sketching and CAD work.

  Time: 50 mins - 1 hour
  Key Material: ppt;student worksheets;student examples; design development folder with ppt

• Module 3. Preparing for manufacture

  The module is divided into two parts: part 1) materials - students explore the properties of the material they will be using to manufacture their design and part 2) the jig –students look at the purpose of a jig and produce a model of it on SolidWorks.

  Time: 50 mins - 1 hour
  Key Material: ppts; student worksheets and examples

• Module 4. Manufacture

  The module is divided into three parts: part 1) manufacturing the jigs - students develop their practical hand skills to manufacture a jig to create the arms and frame of their sunglasses design and part 2) manufacturing the sunglasses – students use the jig to create the arms and frames and part 3) assembly - manufacture the connector and assemble the sunglasses

  Time: 50 mins - 1 hour
  Key Material: ppts; student worksheets and examples

• Module 5. Reflecting on the process

  Students evaluate their design and suggest modifications to the process and finished product. They prepare a presentation to document this.

  Time: 50 mins - 1 hour
  Key Material: ppt; video clips of student presentations

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