New
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Lesson 5 of 12
  • Year 11

Wasting manufacturing processes for metals

I can explain and compare small-scale and industrial wasting processes.

Lesson 5 of 12
New
New
  • Year 11

Wasting manufacturing processes for metals

I can explain and compare small-scale and industrial wasting processes.

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Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. Wasting involves removing material to shape or size a product.
  2. Tools and small machines remove material in small-scale production.
  3. CNC stands for Computer Numerical Control, which means that some machinery can be controlled by a computer.
  4. Larger machines remove material quickly, more accurately, and consistently at scale.

Keywords

  • Wasting - removing material to shape or size a product

  • Small-scale production - making one or a few products using hand tools or basic machines

  • Industrial - higher-volume production using machines for speed, accuracy and consistency

  • CNC - Computer Numerical Control - Computer-controlled machining for precise cutting and shaping

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.


To help you plan your year 11 design and technology lesson on: Wasting manufacturing processes for metals, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...

Demonstrate the same process (e.g. cutting) using both a hand tool and a machine to clearly highlight the differences in speed, accuracy, and application.
Teacher tip

Equipment

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2025), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

Lesson video

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Prior knowledge starter quiz

Download quiz pdf

6 Questions

Q1.
Which of these is NOT a material?

timber
polymer
Correct answer: electricity
metal

Q2.
Which of the following statements are NOT true.

Physical properties/characteristics relate to how a material looks and feels.
Mechanical properties describe material behaviour when exposed to forces.
Correct answer: Hardness is a physical property/characteristic.
Elasticity is a working/mechanical property.

Q3.
Match the material to its source:

Correct Answer:aluminium,ores in rocks

ores in rocks

Correct Answer:polyester,crude oil

crude oil

Correct Answer:wool,sheep

sheep

Correct Answer:tissue paper,trees

trees

Q4.
What is one main benefit of using standard stock forms in manufacturing?

They are always made from recycled materials.
They are customised for each product.
Correct answer: They're easier to transport, store, use in different manufacturing processes.
They don't require specialised tools to work with.

Q5.
Machine tools make production faster and more consistent than hand tools.

Correct answer: true
false

Q6.
Which safety rule is most important when using hand tools?

Only use tools that are battery-powered.
Correct answer: Always wear protective equipment.
Use tools quickly to avoid fatigue.
Only use hand tools on soft materials.

Assessment exit quiz

Download quiz pdf

6 Questions

Q1.
Removing parts of a material to shape it is called .

Correct Answer: wasting, waste

Q2.
What does CNC stand for?

Computerised Numeric Cutting
Controlled Numerical Coding
Correct answer: Computer Numerical Control
Central Networked Control

Q3.
What does 'industrial' typically refer to in manufacturing?

small, handcrafted products made by a single person
Correct answer: large-scale production using machinery and technology
purely artistic or sculptural items
activities done at home by a hobbyist

Q4.
Name this tool.

An image in a quiz
Correct Answer: Hacksaw, hack saw

Q5.
Match tool to description:

Correct Answer:piercing saw,fine blade for detailed metal cutting, e.g. jewellery

fine blade for detailed metal cutting, e.g. jewellery

Correct Answer:hacksaw,hand tool for cutting metal bars, rods, and tubing

hand tool for cutting metal bars, rods, and tubing

Correct Answer:coping saw,cuts curves in metal using a narrow blade

cuts curves in metal using a narrow blade

Correct Answer:guillotine,cuts sheet metal in straight lines using a lever action

cuts sheet metal in straight lines using a lever action

Correct Answer:tin snips,scissor-like tool for cutting thin sheet metal

scissor-like tool for cutting thin sheet metal

Correct Answer:angle grinder,spins discs to cut, grind, or polish metal surfaces

spins discs to cut, grind, or polish metal surfaces

Q6.
Name this CNC industrial wasting process:

An image in a quiz
plasma cutter
waterjet cutting
Correct answer: laser cutter
blanking
piercing
Q6 metal laser cutting (c) IMG_0122 by Cheng Yu Lan 2011 CC BY-NC 2.0