Chapter: Making (Unit AS 2: Product Development)
Welcome to the study notes for the Making section of your AS 2: Coursework – Product Development module! Whether you love working with tools in the workshop or find the manufacturing process a bit daunting, this guide will break down exactly what the examiners are looking for. Don't worry if this seems like a lot to manage at first—by breaking the process down into clear, structured steps, you can create a standout prototype and secure top marks.
Quick Fact: Your AS 2 Coursework makes up \(50\%\) of your overall AS Level and \(20\%\) of your total A Level grade. The entire portfolio must be presented within a maximum limit of 10 A3 pages (or equivalent).
---1. Understanding the AS 2 Coursework Structure
To understand where the Making unit fits, let's look at the four core sections of the CCEA AS 2 portfolio:
1. Product Investigation and Analysis: Analyzing an existing product, target market, and manufacturing methods.
2. Redesign Solutions and Development: Generating creative redesign ideas and developing a final concept.
3. Making (The Product): Fabricating a high-quality physical prototype or working model of your redesign.
4. Testing and Evaluation: Objectively testing your outcome against your initial design criteria.
The Making section is where your designs leap off the page and become reality. It directly assesses Assessment Objective 2 (AO2): your ability to apply skills, knowledge, and understanding of materials, processes, and techniques to produce suitable, high-quality outcomes.
---2. The Core Pillars of the "Making" Section
To achieve top marks in this section, your practical work and portfolio documentation must address four key pillars:
Pillar A: Balance of Manufacturing Skills (CAD/CAM vs. Traditional Hand/Machine Skills)
Modern design relies heavily on digital technology, but skilled engineers also need hands-on craftsmanship. CCEA examiners want to see a balanced combination of both:
• CAD/CAM (Computer-Aided Design & Computer-Aided Manufacture): Utilizing 2D/3D modeling software alongside CNC routers, laser cutters, or 3D printers for high precision and repeatability.
• Traditional Hand and Machine Techniques: Using tools such as hand saws, chisels, files, pillar drills, and center lathes to shape, fit, and assemble components manually.
Top Tip / Common Pitfall: Do not rely solely on 3D printing or laser cutting for every single part of your project! Examiners penalize portfolios that show an over-reliance on automated machinery without demonstrating manual dexterity and hand craftsmanship.
Pillar B: Justification of Materials
You cannot simply pick a material because "it was in the workshop store." You must provide clear, reasoned justifications for every material chosen in your redesign.
Use the memory aid P.S.C. to structure your justifications:
• P - Properties: Explain physical and mechanical properties (e.g., tensile strength, weight, corrosion resistance, electrical insulation, impact resistance). Example: Choosing an aluminum alloy for an enclosure because of its high strength-to-weight ratio and natural resistance to corrosion.
• S - Sustainability: Consider environmental impact, recyclability, carbon footprint, and whether the material comes from renewable or sustainably managed sources.
• C - Cost: Assess the raw material cost, ease of machining, and availability relative to commercial mass production.
Pillar C: Workmanship, Precision, and Finish
Workmanship refers to the overall quality, care, and accuracy shown during fabrication. Examiners look for:
• Dimensional Accuracy and Tolerances: Do interlocking parts fit together snugly without excessive play or forced alignment?
• Appropriate Tool Selection: Using the correct tool for the specific operation (e.g., using a center punch prior to drilling to prevent wander).
• Surface Preparation & Finishing: Removing burrs, sanding surfaces smooth through progressive grit grades, applying appropriate surface coats (e.g., paint, lacquer, anodizing, or oil) to protect and enhance aesthetics.
Pillar D: Health and Safety (Specific Risk Assessments)
Working in a manufacturing environment involves risk. You are required to include a dedicated risk assessment for your practical build in your portfolio.
Common Mistake to Avoid: Do NOT write a generic list of workshop safety rules (e.g., "Wear an apron and tie your hair back"). Examiners award zero/low marks for generic lists. Instead, produce a specific risk assessment that identifies particular hazards associated with the unique tools, chemicals, and processes used in your project (e.g., eye hazards from flying swarf when turning brass on a center lathe, or fume inhalation when laser cutting acrylic).
---3. Step-by-Step: Managing Your Making Process
To keep your coursework organized and stress-free, follow this practical step-by-step workflow:
Step 1: Planning and Pre-Production Modeling
Before cutting expensive materials, create simple card/foam models or 3D digital mockups to verify scale, ergonomic grip, and component clearances. (Examiners love seeing this iterative development!)
Step 2: Material Preparation & Marking Out
Select your stock materials, ensuring you have accounted for wastage, and mark out all cutting lines with precision using appropriate marking tools (e.g., engineers' square, scriber, marking gauge).
Step 3: Component Fabrication
Execute your machining, cutting, shaping, and joining operations systematically. Combine CAD/CAM with traditional workshop processes.
Step 4: Quality Checks & Photographic Evidence
Photograph your progress continuously! Capture clear, well-lit photos showing your setup, tool usage, intermediate stages, and finished details for your portfolio pages.
Step 5: Final Assembly & Surface Finishing
Complete the final assembly, apply protective/aesthetic finishes, and verify that all moving parts function smoothly as intended.
4. Common Pitfalls & How to Avoid Them
• Jumping Straight to the Final Make: Skipping initial card/3D modeling stages leads to avoidable mistakes during manufacturing.
• Missing Photographic Evidence: Forgetting to take clear photographs of the manufacturing stages as they happen. You cannot easily recreate mid-process photos once the product is assembled and painted!
• Generic Safety Statements: Supplying standard workshop rules rather than a tailored hazard/control measure table for your exact operations.
• Imbalance of Techniques: Producing a project that is entirely 3D printed or entirely made from basic hand woodwork without showing a modern, balanced range of skills.
5. Chapter Summary & Key Takeaways
• Assessment Weighting: AS 2 accounts for \(50\%\) of the AS award (\(20\%\) of the full A Level). The portfolio limit is 10 A3 pages.
• Objective (AO2): Demonstrate high-level manufacturing skills, material knowledge, precision, and tool control.
• Skills Balance: Seamlessly combine CAD/CAM precision with traditional hand/machine craftsmanship.
• Material Justification (P.S.C.): Justify every material based on Properties, Sustainability, and Cost.
• Safety First: Include a detailed, project-specific risk assessment for unique operations and hazards.