Lesson video

Hi there, everybody.

Welcome to your design and technology lesson for today.

My name is Mr. Booth.

It's brilliant that you could join me.

Today we are going to be manufacturing your wearable product.

This is your wearable tech product and we are gonna be manufacturing the fabric part of that today, which is brilliant.

This lesson is part of the Functional Prototypes: Wearable Technology unit.

Today's lesson, I want you to manufacture a wearable technology product, that is the main aim of today's lesson, and you're gonna be doing that in whatever way you think is suitable for your product and I'm gonna show you a couple of ways in which we have done it here.

We have three keywords for today.

The first is, of course, manufacture 'cause that's what you are going to be doing.

The process of making products from raw materials using machines or labor.

We then have quality, and this is key today.

We're gonna be looking at quality assurance and also quality control to make sure your product meets the required standard.

And then, of course, to make sure we have good quality, we need to have accuracy where you are going to be as precise and exact as possible when carrying out your manufacturing activities.

We have two learning cycles for today.

The first is all about those tools and equipment that you are gonna need to select to manufacture a wearable product.

And then we can have a look at some quality, quality assurance and quality control in the second learning cycle.

So let's make a start.

Now, when manufacturing, it's important to select the appropriate tools and equipment for the material and the processes that you are gonna select.

There'll be a number of different options and it's up to you which ones you select.

So let's have a look at what materials Sam is going to be using.

So first of all, Sam chose to use leather.

It's a hard-wearing, durable product and also it has really good aesthetic properties.

Sam also choose to use hook and loop fastening.

Now, this is a really versatile and easily fastening method, especially for something that you want to detach and attach regularly to bags such as this product.

And it can also be used by a different range of people, so it's quite an accessible way of attaching things to bags.

And then finally, of course we've got thread 'cause we need to attach everything together.

And obviously Sam chose black thread 'cause that is in keeping with the hook and loop and also the color of the leather.

Now, of course, this is a cutting list and a cutting list details the materials and components required.

And from this cutting list, we can then decide on all the different tools and materials that we are gonna use to manufacture our product.

So a quick check for understanding.

What is a cutting list? Is it A, a measurements and processes list to manufacture a product, B, a materials and components list to manufacture a product, C, a machines and tools list to manufacture a product, or is it D, details of how to manufacture a product? Pause the video now, have a go at this, and come back to me when you've got your answer.

It is, of course, B.

A cutting list is a materials and components list to manufacture a product.

Well done.

So in order to select the appropriate tools and equipment, you've got to identify the main stages of manufacture.

Now, this can be quite brief, but you need to be able to make sure you've got all those main stages in place and they'll all follow quite a similar pattern.

So Sam has identified the main stages of manufacture of the fabric part of her wearable technology product, so let's have a look at those.

So the first one is, of course, marking out the fabric, that's a really important stage.

Then cutting the fabric, positioning the hook and the loop, securing the hook and the loop, and then joining the fabric together to finalize the product.

Let's have a look at how Sam broke down each of these stages.

To mark out the fabric, she could use tailor's chalk or a paper pattern piece, and this is a really nice way of making sure you've got accuracy when you are marking out.

And we can see here Sam explaining exactly what she did.

So she obviously used a pattern piece made of paper to mark out the design.

She secured the pattern piece using weights to prevent it from shifting while tracing around it using the tailor's chalk.

It was important that both pieces of fabric were exactly the same size and shape because, of course, she's gonna ultimately join them together.

So by using a pattern piece, this really helped create two identical components, as long as they were cut out accurately as well.

Now, to cut the leather, Sam could, of course, use a rotary cutter, a scalpel, or even fabric scissors.

And it will depend on what you have at your disposal on how you cut your fabric.

Now, Sam chose to use a scalpel to cut the fabric pieces because it allowed her to be more accurate, especially as the shapes were relatively small, but also they got mostly straight edges, so actually being able to use a scalpel for this was an advantage.

Now, to ensure that Sam was working safely, she also used a safety rule to protect her fingers and also a cutting mat to help protect the work surface.

And it's really important that if you are using a scalpel, that you make sure you follow those health and safety rules when using a safety rule and also a cutting mat.

When using a safety rule, you've gotta make sure that your fingers are inside that little ridge that you can see on the safety rule and also any other fingers are on the opposite side to where you are making your cut.

And let's remember that cutting mat is important, yes, to protect that work surface, but it also securely holds your fabric in place so it doesn't move around whilst you're cutting, which, again, will mean not only a benefit for safety, but also accuracy and quality.

Now, Sam chose to use adhesive-backed hook and loop so that it would stay in place when she stitched it to the leather.

So the adhesive back isn't the permanent fixture, that's just to hold it in place, and that's quite a clever thing to do.

Now, she considered using sew-on hook and loop, which would've had no adhesive on the back at all, but, of course, she would've had to use pins to attach it to the leather while she stitched it.

And she found that the pins would not lie flat because the hook and loop is quite stiff, and using tacking stitches would lead visible marks and actually might even damage the leather, so for quality control purposes, Sam chose to use adhesive-backed, which, again, is a great choice.

So here we have a check for understanding.

What I would like you to do is match the tools and equipment with the correct stage of manufacture.

So let's have a look at the tools and equipment first.

You've got pins, a rotary cutter, and tailor's chalk, and the stages of manufacture where you have marking out a design, cutting the fabric, and temporarily securing fabric or components.

So what I want you to do is match the correct tool or equipment with the stage of manufacture.

Pause the video now, have a go at this, and come back to me when you've completed it.

So let's have a look how you got on.

Well, first of all, we have pins and they are, of course, used to temporarily secure fabric or components.

We then have the rotary cutter, this is, of course, used for cutting fabric.

And finally, tailor's chalk for marking out the design.

Well done.

So to secure the hook and loop and to join the fabric, Sam could stitch by hand using a needle and thread or use a sewing machine.

Now, what I want you to do now is consider these two options 'cause they both have limitations and they both have benefits.

So I want you to pause the video now and have a little chat with the person next to you or have a think on your own and think about which you would choose and also try and justify that with a reason.

So pause the video now, have a little think about this, and then we'll see what Sam's chosen.

So what would've you have done? Would you have chosen to sew it by hand using a needle and thread or using a sewing machine? And you could justify each, couldn't you? So let's look at what Sam chose to do.

So Sam wanted a neat and professional look, so she's chosen to use a sewing machine rather than hand sewing.

The sewing machine produces consistent, even stitches, which will be much harder to achieve by hand.

This obviously will improve the overall quality, but also the appearance of the product as well.

Now, you could, of course, sew by hand and that probably would be quicker.

And also if you didn't have a sewing machine available to you, it would be a suitable way of doing that.

But using a sewing machine, you are gonna get those quality stitches and it's probably gonna make the product last that little bit longer as well.

So we're now onto your first task.

What I would like you to do is identify the main stages of manufacturing your wearable technology product.

Then for each of those stages, I want you to investigate the tools and equipment available and select most appropriate for your product.

Now, this will depend on what you have at your disposal.

And then finally, I want you to explain your decisions, I want you to give it a justification, 'cause that's really important that we justify all our design and making decisions.

You might wanna use a table like this to record your answers.

So pause the video now, have a go at this task, and come back to me when you've completed it.

So how did you get on? Well, let's have a look at this sample answer from Sam.

So first of all, we had the stages of manufacture.

So let's look at the first one, which was, of course, marking out.

And for this, Sam used a paper, pattern piece, weights, and tailor's chalk.

And the reason for this, the justification behind this, it ensures accuracy when marking out two identical pieces as the pattern piece can be reused again and again.

We then had to cut the fabric, and for this we used a scalpel, safety rule, and cutting mat.

This increased accuracy with relatively small and straight shapes.

We then had to position the hook and loop.

Adhesive-backed hook and loop was used and this keeps the fabric securely in place for stitching.

And then finally, securing the hook and loop and also joining the fabric.

For both of these, machine stitching was used.

And this, of course, the justification behind this is the stitches will be consistent size and look more professional.

We're now onto your next learning cycle, which is, of course, all about quality.

So let's take a look.

Quality assurance is where the production process is checked to prevent mistakes and ensure standards are met.

Quality control checks are made on a product before, during, and after its production to make sure it meets quality and safety Standards.

Accuracy is one aspect of checking quality.

And accuracy is about being as precise and exact as possible to make sure we make a high-quality product.

So let's have a look at what Sam did to make sure she had a quality product.

Well, first of all, Sam did visual checks on the leather.

This was, of course, to make sure it was clean, free from flaws, such as scars, stretch marks, or areas of loose grain.

And just a visual check of this, we'll be able to identify any issues.

And if there are any issues or flaws in the leather, you might find that actually there are parts of leather that can still be used for this product.

Sam also did visual checks of the thread and hook and loop materials to check for defects.

Now, this is really important because the thread and the hook and loop have already gone through a number of other manufacturing processes before they arrived with Sam.

And it's important to make sure that the companies that made these products have also carried out their own quality control checks, and that, again, can be done using visual checks.

Once she had cut out the two fabric pieces, she then also measured by using a measuring tape to check they're exactly the same size.

Now, they should be because we've already used the pattern piece, the almost template, to cut these two out, to mark these two pieces out.

So they should be the same size, but it's always worth doing a final measure to make sure.

And of course, that's really important because the construction process is vital, making sure the pieces align properly results in a neat, symmetrical, and professional-looking final product.

Quick check for understanding.

Which are methods for checking quality? A, visual, B, draw, C, measure, D, stretch.

Pause the video now, have a go at this, and come back to me when you've got your answer.

It is, of course, visual and measure.

Well done.

So Sam also has to think about the hook and loop material.

So she double-checked the position of the hook and loop before stitching them in place to ensure accuracy.

Now, again, this could be measured and marked out, and I would definitely suggest doing that to make sure they're right.

Now, it is very important they were aligned at opposite ends of the two pattern pieces so they would meet when it was wrapped around.

You've gotta think of this almost like a watch strap, that's what Sam is trying to achieve here.

So making sure they are correct and actually trying it out before doing any final sewing would be a really important part of this process.

Then she carefully aligned the two pattern pieces with their flesh sides facing each other and used the sewing machine to stitch them together.

And then that created a final quality product.

Another check for understanding.

There are two blanks I would like you to fill in.

First of all, we have quality, what, checks are made on a product before, during, and, what, its production so it meets quality and safety standards.

Pause the video now, have a go at this, and come back to me when you've got your answers.

So it was, of course, control and after.

Quality control checks are made on products before, during, and after its production so it meets quality and safety standards.

Well done.

Let's have a look at the quality checks that Sam did after the product had been manufactured 'cause it's still important to make sure we do them then.

So to check the quality of the finished product, Sam checked the strap fitted securely to the case to hold the micro:bit and also made sure that it would attach to different types of bags, just like she did when she carried out her research.

So she looked at a backpack on the front of it, she looked at a lunch bag handle and also a backpack shoulder strap.

Really easy to see and you can identify if there are any issues.

The fact she's used hook and loop also means it can be detached quickly and placed in the bag whilst at school.

Fantastic.

Well done, Sam.

So we're now onto task B.

First of all, I want you to manufacture the fabric part of your wearable technology product, recording all the stages, using all the tools, equipment, and processes you have decided to use.

For each stage, I want you to describe quality check that you made 'cause remember we are focusing on quality here.

I also want you to describe how you check the product for quality once it was completed.

Pause the video, now have a go at this task, and come back to me when you've completed it.

So how did you get on? I'm sure you have a fantastic high-quality product ready to be used.

Let's have a look at some sample answers.

Well, first of all, I wanted you to manufacture the part of your wearable technology product recording all the stages.

So as we know, Sam has manufactured hers, we marked out the fabric, cut the fabric, positioned the hook and loop, secured the hook and loop, and then joined the fabric together.

And then for each of these stages, I wanted you to describe a quality check that you made.

So let's a look at some of Sam's.

So first of all, marking out the fabric.

We did visual checks for flaws, measured the pattern piece to check dimensions and ensure the pattern piece was secured to avoid shifting.

When cutting the fabric, measurements were taken, visual checks were done, and also a cutting mat and safety rule were used when using the scalpel.

Positioning the hook and loop.

Measure the position that you want to put them in, ensure that the opposite ends of the two fabric pieces meet up so you're not sewing them in the incorrect places.

Securing the hook and loop.

Visual checks to ensure correct position and make sure they were straight.

And finally joining the fabric together, set the guides on the sewing machine to ensure the stitches are straight.

Check stitch tension and seam strength during sewing throughout that process to make sure you get that quality.

And then finally, describe how you checked the product for quality once it was completed.

Let's see what Sam says.

"I threaded my strap through the case and attached it to the handle of my lunch bag.

It was the correct size and the hook and loop was in the correct position to hold the case in place.

Well done, Sam, and also well done you all for completing that.

So that brings us to the end of today's lesson.

Let's have a quick summary.

When manufacturing, it's important to select the appropriate tools and equipment for the material and processes.

In order to select the appropriate tools and equipment, you must consider the stages of manufacture.

Quality assurance is where the production process is checked to prevent mistakes and ensure standards are met.

And finally, quality control checks are made on a product before, during, and after its production so it meets quality and safety standards.

Well done today, you've been absolutely fantastic.

I look forward to seeing you next time.

Goodbye.