Finishing processes for polymers
Lesson details
Learning outcome
I can explain and compare small-scale and industrial finishing processes.
Key learning points
- Small-scale methods can be used to finish materials.
- Finishing materials on a larger scale require different techniques.
Keywords
Finishing - a process that adds surface treatment to improve how a material looks, feels, or performs
Aesthetics - how the product looks, including colour, texture and style or theme
Function - what a product should do
Surface preparation - getting a material ready for a surface treatment
Common misconception
The same tools and methods are used for both small-scale and industrial manufacturing.
The scale of production heavily influences tool choice, speed, accuracy, and repeatability.
Teacher tip
Try to organise a small practical based on any of the processes mentioned in this lesson to fully embed learning.
Licence
Lesson video
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Prior knowledge starter quiz
6 Questions
Q1.Which of these materials is most likely to need a protective outer layer?
Q2.Which of these products is designed to look or feel a certain way on the outside?
Q3.Materials are chosen based on their physical and working .
Q4.A ready-made part used across different products to make manufacturing easier is called a .
Q5.What is the main purpose of recycling?
Q6.What does CNC stand for?
Assessment exit quiz
6 Questions
Q1.A process that adds surface treatment to improve how a material looks, feels, or performs is called .
Q2.What does the term 'aesthetics' mean when talking about a product?
Q3.What is the main purpose of a finishing process?
Q4.Stabilisers, pigments and plasticisers are all examples of .
Q5.Match the polymer finish to the description.
cuts adhesive sheets for stickers or decals
heat transfers ink into polymer surface coating
burns designs into polymer surface permanently
moulding one polymer layer over another base part
transfers inked image onto curved polymer surfaces
transfers printed film pattern onto polymer shapes
Q6.Put the following steps in the correct order for the finishing process, pad printing:
To help you plan your 11 design and technology lesson on: Finishing processes for polymers, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your 11 design and technology lesson on: Finishing processes for polymers, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs.
The starter quiz will activate and check your pupils' prior knowledge, with versions available both with and without answers in PDF format.
We use learning cycles to break down learning into key concepts or ideas linked to the learning outcome. Each learning cycle features explanations with checks for understanding and practice tasks with feedback. All of this is found in our slide decks, ready for you to download and edit. The practice tasks are also available as printable worksheets and some lessons have additional materials with extra material you might need for teaching the lesson.
The assessment exit quiz will test your pupils' understanding of the key learning points.
Our video is a tool for planning, showing how other teachers might teach the lesson, offering helpful tips, modelled explanations and inspiration for your own delivery in the classroom. Plus, you can set it as homework or revision for pupils and keep their learning on track by sharing an online pupil version of this lesson.
Explore more key stage 4 design and technology lessons from the Polymers unit, dive into the full secondary design and technology curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.