Lesson video

Hi there everyone.

My name is Mr. Boo, thank you for joining me today for your design and technology lesson.

It's great to have you here.

Today we are looking at production aids and how we can use them to ensure efficiency and repeatability when manufacturing.

This lesson is part of your technical principles unit.

Today's outcome, I want you by the end of today's lesson to be able to describe different types of production aids and explain how they are used to improve accuracy and efficiency when manufacturing.

Three key words for today.

First of all, we have production aid,\ a piece of equipment used to support or simplify the manufacturing process.

We then have efficiency, working in an organized way that doesn't waste time or resources.

And finally repeatability, being able to produce the same outcome multiple times.

Two learning cycles today.

The first is all about production aids.

So let's get going.

Production aids are equipment used during manufacture to make high volumes of products with efficiency.

This means working in an organized way that doesn't waste time or resources.

Factories all over the world are highly organized and they use production aids to manufacture with efficiency for almost all tasks that they do.

Without production aids, it would be much harder to reduce items that meet the same standards every single time.

This would obviously lead to wasted materials, longer production lines, and products that don't meet the required standards.

Production aids ensure repeatability, making the same outcomes several times without errors.

Production aids are necessary for accuracy and consistency in manufacturing, and that is why they're used so widely.

Quick check for understanding.

Which of the following best describes a production aid? Is it A, a finished product ready for sale? Is it B, a piece of equipment used to improve accuracy and consistency in manufacturing? Is it C, a raw material such as timber or cotton? Or D, decorative surface finish.

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

Well, it is of course B, a piece of equipment used to improve accuracy and consistency in manufacturing.

Let's have a look at some types of production aids now.

So the first is templates.

Now these are flat shapes made from card, timber, polymer or even metal that can be placed onto a material to mark it out by drawing around its outline.

Templates are used to repeat a shape accurately multiple times.

They're used for ensuring repeatability, especially when making identical parts for products.

And here you can see we've got our material.

We have our template placed on top.

It's got some curved lines.

We can draw around it easily.

And then I could repeat that again and again to ensure that repeatability and consistency of the products.

Another check for understanding what is the main purpose of a template.

Is it A to join two materials together? Is it B to shape molten material? C, to repeat A 2D outline accurately.

Or D to hold a work piece still? Pause the video now, have a go at this.

Come back to me when you've got your answer.

It is of course C, to repeat a 2D outline accurately.

Well done.

Patterns are used mainly in casting and in textiles.

And we've got two examples here.

In textiles, a paper pattern shows the exact shape and size of each fabric piece.

It also provides sewing instructions.

Whereas in casting, a solid pattern is made from wood or another material, and this creates the cavity inside another moulding material such as sand in this case, if we are sand casting, when you then obviously remove that solid pattern, it leaves the cavity.

You can then port in your molten material such as aluminum.

Formers are shapes over which materials such as timbers, polymers, paper pulp or textile fibers are bent, pressed, or formed.

Formers make sure that curves and bends are consistent and repeatable.

And here we have an example of laminating timber using a former to make sure your curves are always accurate.

Quick check for understanding.

Which materials could be shaped using a former? A, liquid resin.

B, wood fibers, C, thin timber sheets, D steel bar.

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

It is of course wood fibers and thin timber sheets.

moulds are hollow shapes into which material is poured or pressed.

Commonly used in polymer processing, but also food products, moulds allow for complex shapes to be formed quickly and with a high degree of accuracy.

Two examples here, here we have some resin moulding, so we're pouring resin into a mould and it'll take the shape of the cavity.

And of course a cross section of injection moulding.

The molten polymer is injected into the closed mould.

It is then cooled, opened, and you have your polymer product.

Dies are mainly used to cut, press, stamp, or draw a material into a specific form.

Commonly used in textile cutting and also producing embossed features on paper and card products such as greeting cards.

And here you can see we've got two examples.

We have die-cutting felt, so we get exactly the same shape every time.

And also stamping embossed letters on a card.

And there you can see you've got your die and that's what will produce the shape and the size that we need repeatedly every single time.

Now in the context of metal working, reusable moulds for shaping molten metal are traditionally referred to as dies, even though they look like and act as a mould.

And we've got two examples here.

We've got drawing sheet metal and also die-casting molten metal.

And you'll see the die-casting process looks extremely similar to injection moulding.

And there we have the dies.

Even though you could say they look like moulds, but in metal working we refer to them as dies.

Quick check for understanding.

What is the main difference between a mould and a die? Is it A, mould is for liquids or softened materials while a die cuts or shapes solid materials.

Is it B, a die is only for wood while moulds are for metals.

Is it C, moulds are temporary, dies are permanent.

Or is it D, there is no difference.

They're the same tool.

Pause the video now come back to me when you've got your answer.

It is of course A.

a mould is for liquids or softened materials while die cuts or shapes solid materials.

Jigs are devices that hold and guide tools such as drills, saws, or routers.

A jig ensures that holes are drilled in the correct place every single time or that a tool follows a fixed path.

Of course these improve efficiency 'cause it means you don't need to measure every single time and the jig guarantees repeatability.

So here we have a couple of examples.

The first is a cross-dowel drilling jig, which perfectly aligns the adjacent holes.

We also have a circular cutting jig for use with a router.

Fixtures hold a workpiece securely in place during machining or assembly.

Unlike jigs, fixtures do not guide the tool, but they do ensure the material stays in the correct position, which again is very important for accuracy and consistency, especially when making multiple products.

And here you can see a fixture holding material in its correct position and you'll see these often used with CNC machines.

Guides and stops are simple but very effective production aids.

a guide ensures a tool or material follows a certain path such as a fence on a band saw.

A stop limits movement so that parts can be cut or drilled to the same length or position repeatedly.

Now in your school you might have seen a fence on a bandsaw.

This provides a guide to cut the straight edge and also you can set the distance from the blade and make sure it's parallel.

You might have also noticed on your pillar drill there is a depth stop, which means you can't drill past a certain point that you can preset before you drill your holes.

Quick check for understanding, which of these is an example of a stop, a bandsaw fence, a clamp on a work bench, a bending former or depth on a pillar drill.

Pause the video now have a go at these.

Come back to me when you've got your answer.

It is of course D, depth on a pillar drill, which we will call a depth stop.

Now time for your first task, task A.

First of all, I want you to define the term production aid and explain its purpose.

I then want you to describe how a template is used in the production of timber products.

Then I want you to explain the difference between a jig and a fixture and give one example of a production aid used with polymers and explain how it improves efficiency.

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

Let's have a look at some sample answers.

So first of all, I ask you to define the term production aid and explain its purpose.

A production aid is a piece of equipment used to support the making of a product.

Its purpose is to ensure repeatability by improving accuracy and efficiency so that products can be made to the same standard.

I then wanted you to describe how a template is used in the production of timber products.

A template is placed on the surface of the timber.

The shape is marked around the template so it can be cut out accurately.

This process can be done many times giving consistency and repeatability during production.

Next, I asked you to explain the difference between a jig and a fixture.

A jig is used to guide a tool such as positioning a drill bit accurately while a fixture holds the workpiece securely in place.

Jigs improve accuracy by guiding the tool path, whereas fixtures improve accuracy by preventing the material from moving.

Finally, I wanted you to give one example of a production aid used with polymers and explain how it improves efficiency.

A mould is used in injection moulding for polymers.

It allows molten plastic to be injected into the shaped cavity so that the product is formed quickly and accurately.

This improves efficiency because many identical parts can be made at speed with very little waste.

We're now onto our second learning cycle.

Examples across materials, different materials require specific production aids.

The following materials commonly use these production aids, timbers, templates, jigs and formers.

For polymers, it's moulds and fixtures.

Metals, dies, jigs and fixtures.

Papers and boards, dies, templates and guides, and finally, textiles patterns and guides.

So let's have a closer look at each of these.

The choice of the production aid depends on the material and the process and the need for accuracy, efficiency, and repeatability.

In timber manufacturing, production aids help to shape, cut and assemble wooden parts consistently ensuring efficiency and repeatability.

Templates are often used to mark out shapes such as the body of a guitar.

Formers are used when bending timber into curves such as when we make skateboards.

And jigs and guides are used for accurate drilling and cutting or joining in flat pack furniture where all the fixing holes are exactly the same in exactly the same positions.

Quick check for understanding.

Which production aid would be most suitable for steam bending timber into a curved shape.

Would it be a mould, a former, a fixture, or a template? Pause the video now have a go at this.

Come back to me when you've got your answer.

It is of course a former.

Polymers can be shaped with moulds such as injection moulds, blow moulds, or vacuum forming moulds.

These allow complex shapes to be produced quickly.

Injection moulded construction bricks allow for a precise fit every single time.

Fixtures can also be used to hold polymer parts during machining.

For example, in this we have a C&C machine.

Metalworking often uses dies, jigs, and fixtures.

Dies can cut or stamp sheet metal with great accuracy such as blanks for drinks cans.

They can also be used for die casting toys such as this toy car.

Jigs are also used for drilling holes in precise positions like those on metal shelving racks.

And of course, fixtures can hold materials in place while being welded, like for example, on a climbing frame.

A check for understanding.

Which production aid is most likely to be used to mould molten metal.

Is it a template, a jig, a mould, or a die? Pause the video now, have a go at this and come back to me when you've got your answers.

It is of course a die.

For paper and board products.

Dies and guides are widely used to cut with speed and repeatability.

Die cutting allows complex shapes such as packaging nets to be cut.

Using a guillotine with a stop can identically cut stacks of playing cards again and again.

Textile production aids improve accuracy and efficiency, especially when making garments in bulk.

Pattern pieces are used like templates, but also provide sewing instructions.

Formers can be used to provide 3D structured fabrics, for example, like with leather shoes.

And of course a fixture frame holds layers of fabric in place during automated embroidery.

Another check for understanding.

Which production aid is most commonly used to cut fabric into the correct shape for garments? Is it a pattern, template, a mould, or a former? Pause the video now.

Come back to me when you've got your answer.

It is of course a pattern.

We're now onto task B, your final task for today.

First, I want you to explain how a form is used in timber production and why it improves repeatability.

I then want you to describe how moulds are used in the production of polymers and explain why they are efficient.

I then want you to compare the use of dies in metals with the use of dies in papers and boards.

And finally, a company is manufacturing a new clothing line.

Explain which production aids would be used and how they would improve accuracy.

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

Let's have a look at some sample answers.

So first of all, I wanted you to explain how a former is used in timber production and why it improves repeatability.

Well, a former is a solid shape over which thin strips of timber are bent often after being steamed.

It improves repeatability because the same curve can be produced consistently for each piece, ensuring accuracy and efficiency in manufacturing.

I then wanted you to describe how moulds are used in the production of polymers and explain why they are efficient.

In polymer processing, molten or heated polymer is injected, blown or pressed into a mould to create the required shape.

This process is efficient because many identical products can be produced quickly with minimal waste.

I then wanted you to compare the use of dies in metals with the use of dies in papers and boards.

In metals, dies stamp or press sheet metal into accurate shapes, but can also be used to mould molten metal.

In papers and boards.

Dies cut and emboss for products like packaging nets.

And finally, a company is manufacturing a new clothing line.

Explain which production aids would be used and how they improve accuracy.

Patterns are used to cut fabric pieces consistently and guides on fabric cutters ensure straight even seams. These aids improve accuracy by making each garment the same, which also speeds up production.

And that brings us to the end of this lesson.

Let's have a quick summary.

Production aids improve accuracy, efficiency, and repeatability.

Examples include templates, patterns, moulds, dies, jigs and fixtures.

Different materials need different production aids.

And finally, they make products consistent and reduce errors.

You've been absolutely brilliant today, well done.

I look forward to seeing you all next time.