Lesson video

Hello, my name's Mrs. Taylor, and thank you for joining me for our lesson today.

Our lesson today is "Quality control: textiles" and this is part of the "Iterative Design: nature" unit.

The outcome, I can use quality control to ensure the manufacture of my design is successful.

There are three keywords.

Quality control, which are checks made on a product before, during, and after its manufacture so it meets quality and safety standards.

Accuracy, which is being correct and precise.

Tolerance, the acceptable range of variation in a product's dimensions.

There are two parts to our lesson, accuracy ensures quality and quality control in manufacture.

Let's get started.

Quality control checks are put in place to ensure that a product meets the required standard.

Quality control checks are important to ensure the product is fit for purpose.

Quality control checks are done throughout the manufacturing process, not just at the end of the process.

This ensures the quality is consistent throughout.

Let's have a check for understanding.

What are quality control checks? Is it A, assembly instructions used to guide the manufacturing process, B, prototype testing to explore new design concepts before production, or C, checks put in place to ensure that a product meets the required standard? Pause the video and have a go.

Great, let's check.

That's right, it's C, checks put in place to ensure that a product meets the required standard.

Well done.

When quality control checks take place, they are ensuring accuracy.

Accuracy is when you are being correct and precise.

Accuracy when manufacturing is vital.

If a process is being rushed or not enough attention is given, the accuracy can suffer, and this can affect the quality of a product or prototype.

A common term in manufacturing is "measure twice and cut once," meaning check your measurements twice to make sure they are correct before starting to cut out or remove, which is subtract, material.

This helps to ensure accuracy.

Quality control checks are set up as systems by manufacturers.

The systems involve monitoring and inspecting parts during manufacture, ensuring they meet set standards and tolerances.

Tolerance is the acceptable range of variation in a product's dimensions.

For example, the mechanical pencil below needs to meet set standards to ensure all that are made are the same and meet the quality control standards.

The mechanical pencil must be no shorter than 18.

5 centimetres and no longer than 19.

5 centimetres to be within tolerance.

We can see on this diagram the pencil with a ruler and the tolerance range shown with the two red lines.

As the pencil measures halfway between the two measurements at 19 centimetres, it is within tolerance and would pass the quality control check.

A product's tolerance is shown as a number with a plus-minus in front of it, and the plus-minus sign is used to show a range of possible values.

For example, the tolerance of the mechanical pencil is 19 centimetres plus or minus.

5 centimetres.

The acceptable size is therefore between 18.

5 centimetres and 19.

5 centimetres.

Here we have a check for understanding.

What word means a range of acceptable measurements? Is it A, calibration, B, precision, or C, tolerance? Pause the video.

Wonderful, let's check.

That's right, it's C, tolerance.

The more accurate you can be when measuring your product for quality control checks, the better.

Using small units of measurements such as millimetres are the best way to ensure accuracy.

A digital vernier calliper is an example of a tool that can be used to conduct quality control checks.

It can measure to an accuracy of a hundredth of a millimetre.

It can measure outside dimensions, inside dimensions, and depth.

Jigs can also be used when ensuring quality and accuracy in manufacture.

Here we have a picture of a pewter casting pouring jig.

A jig is a tool used in manufacturing to hold and guide a piece of material or part in place while it is being worked on.

It helps ensure accuracy and consistency by controlling the location and movement of the part during processes like drilling, cutting, or shaping.

Let's have a check for understanding.

Which one of these images shows a digital vernier calliper? Pause the video.

Great, let's look.

That's right, it was B.

Well done.

Quality control checks are decided upon and identified at specific stages of the manufacturing process.

Sofia previously wrote a time plan for her manufacture using a Gantt chart layout.

Sofia needs to add details to the quality control checks column.

What quality control checks do you think Sofia could add for step one, which is source the MDF? Sofia would need to order the correct size MDF, she needs 12 millimetres thick for her design.

When it is delivered, she would need to check the dimensions and quality of the MDF, paying particular attention to the edges.

And now we move to task A.

Look at your time plan and consider what quality control checks you can put in place throughout your manufacture to ensure standards are met.

Add your quality control checks to your time plan.

Pause the video.

Wonderful, let's have a look at some of the answers you may have come up with.

Sofia says, "I have added quality control checks to most stages of manufacture so that I know what to check to make my product accurate so as to ensure a quality product." Well done.

We now move to the second part of our lesson today.

Sofia is planning on using hand tools and workshop machinery, including a pillar drill and a sewing machine, in the manufacture of her herb planter.

She has outlined specific quality control checks she will need to do to ensure an accurate and high-quality prototype.

Sofia now needs to manufacture her product using her time plan with quality control checks.

Step eight is to make a pattern piece for the fabric pockets.

Here we can see a pattern piece with a seam allowance laid on top of the fabric.

"Measure twice and cut once." Sofia checks the pattern pieces by using a tailor's tape measure to check the measurements.

Step nine is to cut the fabric pockets.

We can see the pattern piece, attached to the fabric with pins, and fabric scissors.

Sofia checks the pattern pieces are both the same because two are required.

Here we have a check for understanding.

Explain what is meant by "measure twice and cut once." Is it A, check the measurements before cutting, B, don't cut until you are sure the measurements are correct, or C, ask your teacher to check your work? Pause the video.

Great, let's check.

That's right, it's both A and B.

"Measure twice, cut once" means check the measurements before cutting, and also, don't cut until you are sure the measurements are correct.

Well done.

Step 10 is to stitch the seam at one end.

We can see the sewing machine needle, tacking stitches, and the machine stitching.

Sofia was going to pin the seam allowance but found tacking stitches to be easier to work as the nylon remained flat.

She double checked the seam allowance with a ruler before machine stitching.

Here we have a check for understanding.

What advantages do tacking stitches have over pins for holding fabric temporarily? Is it A, they take longer to insert and remove, B, they lie flat, or C, they are quicker? Pause the video.

Wonderful, let's check.

That's right, it's B, they lie flat.

Well done.

We now move to task B.

Using your time plan and quality control checks, manufacture your product using tools and processes planned and carry out the quality control checks you have recommended.

Record your manufacturing through photos and explanations of the quality control checks you have carried out.

Pause the video and have a go.

Great, well done.

Let's have a look at some of the answers you may have come up with.

Below is an example of the quality control checks Sofia carried out for these parts of her manufacturing process.

She says, "I have used a try square and a tape measure to check the holes were drilled in the correct places before I assembled the planter frame." Here we have a summary of our learning today.

Quality control checks are put in place to ensure that a product meets the required standard.

Quality control checks are done throughout the manufacturing process, not just at the end of the process.

This ensures the quality is consistent.

Accuracy when manufacturing is vital.

If a process is being rushed or not enough attention is given, the accuracy can suffer, and this can affect the quality of a product or prototype.

Quality control checks are set up as systems by manufacturers.

The systems involve monitoring and inspecting parts during manufacture, ensuring they meet set standards and tolerances.

I'm so pleased you could join me today.

Well done.