Industry: how new technology changes making
Automation means machines do jobs that people used to do. Robots weld cars, pack boxes and move goods in warehouses. Benefits: fast, accurate, can work day and night, can do dirty or dangerous jobs. Costs: expensive to buy and program, some low-skill jobs are lost, new skilled jobs (programming, maintenance) are created.
Factories change shape too: fewer people on the line, more in control rooms. Work can be moved to where costs are lower, which affects towns and countries.
Production techniques: CAD/CAM, FMS, lean and JIT
- CAD (computer-aided design): drawing and testing products on screen. Easy to change, share and simulate.
- CAM (computer-aided manufacture): machines such as laser cutters, CNC routers and 3D printers make the part straight from the CAD file. Very repeatable.
- FMS (flexible manufacturing system): a cell of linked machines and robots that can quickly switch to a different product.
- Lean production: cut every kind of waste: extra stock, waiting, moving, faults, over-making.
- Just in time (JIT): parts arrive exactly when needed, so little stock is stored. Saves space and money but needs reliable suppliers; one late lorry can stop the line.
Enterprise: new ways to start, fund and sell
Enterprise means having an idea and taking a risk to turn it into a business.
- Crowdfunding: many people give small amounts online to fund a new product, often getting the product or a reward first.
- Virtual marketplaces: online platforms let small makers sell worldwide without a shop.
- Co-operatives: businesses owned and run by their members, who share the profits (for example dairy co-operatives).
- Fair trade: buyers pay farmers and workers a fair price and expect safe working conditions.
- Privately owned businesses and start-ups compete by using new technology first.
Sustainability: resources and waste
Finite resources will run out because they formed over millions of years: crude oil (plastics), coal, metal ores. Non-finite resources can be grown again: timber, cotton, wool, bamboo, if they are managed well.
Every product ends up as waste. Disposal choices, from worst to best: landfill โ burn for energy โ recycle โ reuse/repair โ reduce. The circular economy designs products to be repaired, upgraded and recycled, so materials stay in use. Designers also think about energy used in making and transport (the carbon footprint).
People, culture and society
New technology changes how people live and work:
- Jobs and skills: some jobs vanish, new ones appear; people need training.
- Inclusive design: products that work for different ages, sizes, abilities and languages (adjustable furniture, easy-grip handles, clear icons).
- Culture, fashion and trends: products must respect beliefs and traditions; trends make people want the new version.
- Planned obsolescence: designing a product to fail or feel outdated quickly, so you buy again. Good for sales, bad for waste and the user's money.
- Society: who benefits, who is left out, and who pays the hidden costs (pollution, poor working conditions).
Evaluating a new technology
To judge any new technology, ask: Who gains? Who loses? What does it do to the environment over its whole life? Is it fair to workers? Is it safe and private? Does it work for everyone? Weigh the benefits against the costs and give a balanced conclusion: this is what examiners look for.
Try it: pick one product at home (phone, kettle, shoe). Write one point for each of I-E-S-P: how it was made, how it was sold, what happens when it breaks, and who it suits or does not suit.
Key formulas and definitions
- CAD = computer-aided design; CAM = computer-aided manufacture
- FMS = flexible manufacturing system
- JIT = just in time (stock arrives when needed)
- Lean = remove waste of every kind
- Finite (oil, ores) vs non-finite (timber, cotton, wool)
- Waste order: reduce > reuse/repair > recycle > energy recovery > landfill
- Planned obsolescence = designed to be replaced soon
Worked examples
1. Give one advantage and one disadvantage of using robots to paint cars.
Advantage: every car gets the same even coat, quickly, and no worker breathes paint fumes. Disadvantage: high cost to buy and program the robots, and painting jobs are lost.
2. Why might a small bakery NOT use just-in-time for flour?
If a delivery is late the bakery cannot bake at all. A small business with an unreliable supplier may prefer to keep some stock as a buffer.
3. A designer wants to make a desk lamp more sustainable. Suggest three changes.
Use a recycled or non-finite material (bamboo), use screws not glue so it can be taken apart and repaired, use an LED bulb that uses less energy, and make the bulb replaceable.
4. Explain how crowdfunding reduces the risk for a new product.
People pay before the product is made. If too few people back it, the maker learns there is little demand before spending lots of money on tooling.
5. Is planned obsolescence good or bad? Give a balanced answer.
For the company it brings repeat sales and jobs. For users it costs more money, and for the planet it creates e-waste and uses finite resources. Many countries now push for repairable products, so on balance it is harmful.
6. How does CAD/CAM help a company sell custom trainers online?
The customer picks colours and size on a website; the CAD model updates; CAM machines cut and print that exact pair. Because changes are quick and repeatable, one-off products become affordable (mass customisation).
Common mistakes
- Saying automation only removes jobs. It also creates new skilled jobs in programming, maintenance and design.
- Mixing up CAD (designing on screen) and CAM (machines making the part).
- Thinking timber is always sustainable. It is non-finite only if forests are replanted and managed.
- Giving a one-sided evaluation. Exam answers need benefits AND drawbacks, then a conclusion.