Criterion C: Development of a detailed design

Maximum: 9

Marks Level descriptor

0 The work does not reach a standard described by the descriptors below.

1–3 The student:

i. lists some appropriate materials, components and manufacturing techniques to make the
prototype

ii. develops a design proposal that includes few details and is not sufficient for a third party to
manufacture the prototype

iii. produces an incomplete plan that contains some production details.

4–6 The student:

i. describes some appropriate materials, components and manufacturing techniques to make the
prototype

ii. develops a design proposal that includes most details necessary for a third party to
manufacture the prototype

iii. produces a plan for the manufacture of the prototype.

7–9 The student:

i. justifies the choice of appropriate materials, components and manufacturing techniques to

make the prototype

ii. develops an accurate design proposal in sufficient detail for a third party to manufacture the
prototype

iii. produces a detailed plan for the manufacture of the prototype.

Recommended Recommended
word count page count

Strand i: The student justifies the choice of appropriate materials, 400 2

components and manufacturing techniques to make the prototype.

Strand ii: The student develops an accurate design proposal in – 9

sufficient detail for a third party to manufacture the prototype.

Strand iii: The student produces a detailed plan for the manufacture – 2
of the prototype.

Strand i: The student justifies the choice of appropriate materials, components and manufacturing
techniques to make the prototype.
Students need to identify the materials, components and manufacturing techniques they will use to
create the prototype. Their choices need to be justified.

When making these choices, the student needs to consider materials, components and manufacturing
techniques together as, for example, the choice of manufacturing technique will have an impact on the
materials available and, conversely, the choice of material will limit the appropriate manufacturing
techniques for that material.

Students must focus their choices for the prototype. At this stage, they are not planning for the
commercial product.

Even though students will naturally have to explore the different possibilities for materials, components
and manufacturing techniques, they should not report on this exploration. Students have only
400 words available for this section, and should focus on justifying the choices they have made.

Justification can be supported through the testing of models and additional research, but focused on the
choices made, rather than the choices available.

Materials

When selecting materials, students should focus on the required properties and characteristics the
materials have for the prototype. For example

 Physical properties, including weight, volume, density, hardness, electrical resistivity, electrical
and thermal conductivity and expansion

 Mechanical properties, including tensile strength, compressive strength, stiffness, toughness,

ductility, elasticity and plasticity

 Aesthetic characteristics, including form and shape, texture, appearance and, where
appropriate, smell and sound

 Environmental considerations, including are they from a sustainable source, recyclable,

upcyclable; do they conform to Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) standards and certification; do
they come from a non-renewable source; how much energy is used to extract them; what are
the disposal considerations (for example, landfill)

 Moral considerations, including are they locally sourced; non-toxic; what are the working
conditions of those involved in the production of the materials; cost.

Students can also consider supply and availability (local or school), stock sizes and cost as part of their
justification.

Students should prioritize the criteria most relevant to the design context and prototype requirements.

Students should avoid:

 copying or cut and pasting information from websites

 presenting multiple options for each component

  listing material properties or pasting material selection charts without linking the requirement
to the prototype.

Components

Standard components are bought-in parts manufactured by a supplier. They include standard fixings
(such as screws, bolts, nuts, knock-down (KD) fittings), electronic components (such as resistors,
operational amplifiers, integrated circuits), fittings (such as buttons, zips, furniture feet), mechanical
components (springs, shock absorbers, hinges).

When selecting standard components, students need to consider their function, size, cost, availability,
fittings, and any processing needed to use them. Students need to consider the size of the component in
relation to the design of the prototype. The choice of components need to be fully justified in relation to
the requirements of the prototype.

Manufacturing techniques

Manufacturing techniques will largely be limited to the facilities available in the student’s school. In
some cases, students will be able to outsource the production of components or the whole prototype
for manufacture. Outsourcing the manufacture of the prototype can increase the options available to
the student.

It is important for the student to have a firm understanding of the manufacturing techniques and the
options available to them. This will allow them to focus solely on the justification of the manufacturing
techniques they select.

A comparison of different techniques is not necessary; instead, the student should justify the selected
techniques as the most appropriate based on the needs of the product and the material properties.

The following is an example of the three levels of performance in a justification of a material choice.*

Figure 18

Levels of performance

The bold yellow text is “stating” the material, the blue text is “describing” the material properties (the
what), and the green italicized text is “justifying” the choice of the material related to the prototype (the
why).
*Please note: This is an extract. Complete examples can be found below that include justification of
components and manufacturing techniques.

The specified manufacturing techniques should be appropriate for the production of a single prototype
and not necessarily for batch or mass production, which is covered in criterion E.

Example of high performance (7–9 markband)

The student justifies the choice of appropriate materials, components and manufacturing techniques to
make the prototype.

Command term

Justify Give valid reasons or evidence to support an answer or conclusion.

The student considers the required properties and characteristics of the materials to select Ash plywood
and Mild steel, and focuses on these two materials rather than comparing many different options.
However, the student does indicate they have considered their options and uses comparisons to
strengthen the justification of that choice.

The student also relates the material choices to the manufacturing techniques, understanding these
aspects are interrelated.

The student also considers aspects of manufacturing at the different stages—including cutting, shaping
and finishing—demonstrating a holistic understanding of the manufacturing process.

The choices are justified. The student relates their choices to the desired requirement and details why
this is important for the prototype. There are multiple reasons for each choice; each is related to the
prototype.

Images are used appropriately to support an understanding of the bought-in components and
manufacturing techniques.
Figure 19

Student work: High performance

Example of medium performance (4-6 markband)

The student describes some appropriate materials, components and manufacturing techniques to make
the prototype.

Command term

Describe Give a detailed account.

The student describes appropriate materials, components and manufacturing techniques, but does not
go as far as justifying the choices in relation to the prototype.

There is also some narrative of the exploration of materials. Although this will not reduce the given
mark, it uses word count that could be used for the justification of the selection of the materials.

Figure 20

Student work: Medium performance

Example of low performance (1–3 markband)

The student lists some appropriate materials, components and manufacturing techniques to make the
prototype.

Command term

List Give a sequence of brief answers with no explanation.

The student lists the choices of materials, components and manufacturing techniques, but there is no
further rationale of the choice.

Figure 21

Student work: Low performance

Strand ii: The student develops an accurate design proposal in sufficient detail for a third party to
manufacture the prototype.

To meet the requirements of this strand, students need to detail the design in sufficient detail for
someone unfamiliar with the prototype to be able to create the prototype. These details should be
presented as three separate elements.

 A series of technical drawings

 An assembly drawing

 A bill of materials
Technical drawings

Depending on the nature of the product/prototype the student has designed, the technical drawings
may take a particular recognized form, as appropriate. The technical drawings selected by the student
may include the following.

 Product: Dimensioned orthographic drawings that include detail of all features

 Textiles/fashion: A dimensioned pattern including hem lines, seam allowances, fold points,
placements of holes, fastening placement, and so on

 Electronics: A circuit diagram and printed circuit board (PCB) layout identifying the components
that will be included in the circuit and how they are connected. If a PIC is used, a flow diagram
or programming should be included

 Mechanics: A schematic of how the components interact.

Ideally, individual parts will be detailed in the technical drawings, with detail of how the parts are
assembled included in an assembly drawing. It is very difficult to provide sufficient detail of a prototype
in dimensioned assembly or sub-assembly drawings without individual part drawings.

When detailing features on a part, students should dimension consistently from a single edge. The
position of the feature should be clearly marked: holes/circular features should be marked from their
centre; square/rectangular/linear features should be marked from a single edge. Other features may
include clearances, and chamfered/rounded/bevelled edges.

Students may need to include cut-away or section drawings to show internal details of parts.

Technical drawings can be hand-drafted or be generated through CAD software.

Assembly drawings

Assembly drawings show how individual component parts fit together. The student should present an
assembly drawing that includes all individual parts, standard components and annotations, where
additional materials, such as an adhesive or finish, are used.

Students may use one, or a combination, of the following.

 General assembly drawing

 Outline assembly drawing

 Diagrammatic assembly drawing

 Unit assembly, or sub-assembly drawing

 Fitted assembly drawing

 Exploded assembly drawing

Bill of materials
A bill of materials is sometimes referred to as a “cutting list”. It lists all of the components needed to
assemble the prototype, and includes the material, the major dimensions, the number of components
required, and an identifier/part number, as in the following example.

Figure 22

Example bill of materials

The student must not include more than 10 words in each cell of the bill of materials.

The following examples are extracts from a larger section of work to illustrate the level of detail
required to meet the criterion strand.

For the technical drawing, a complex part is used. This part has been chosen as it includes several
features to illustrate the level of detail required to indicate the dimensions of the part and the position
of the features.

For the assembly drawing, a multi-part exploded drawing is presented. This exploded drawing is
labelled, shows how the parts relate to each other, and is accompanied by a bill of materials.

Examples of high performance (7–9 markband)

The student develops an accurate design proposal in sufficient detail for a third party to manufacture
the prototype.

Example of a technical drawing

Both horizontal and vertical dimensions are sourced from a single origin point.

There is sufficient detail to indicate the size and position of each feature. The use of angles and
establishing a starting position relative to the origin point for the rectangular cut-out provides a
reference to be able to mark out and make the desired part correctly.

Few, if any, assumptions need to be made to make the part.

Figure 23

Student work: High performance (example of a technical drawing)

Example of an assembly drawing

The exploded drawing shows all of the parts, and includes guidelines to indicate how the parts are
threaded together or positioned. The parts are placed in the correct order, so if they are “squeezed”
together in position, they will fit together as intended. Annotation indicates how parts are fixed
together.

The bill of materials is complete, but the electronic components are included in a separate component
list (not included).
Figure 24

Student work: High performance (example of an assembly drawing)

Examples of medium performance (4–6 markband)

The student develops a design proposal that includes most details necessary for a third party to
manufacture the prototype.

Example of a technical drawing

Most details are included, although a third party would need to make some assumptions when making
the part.

There are repeated dimensions on each projection, and there is no use of guidelines or centre lines to
mark out features.

For example, the position and size of the second hole on the right-hand side of the drawing is not
indicated. The third party would need to assume this was a reflection of the left-hand side. The student
could make this clear by using centre lines.

The rectangular feature is dimensioned in itself; however; locating its position in reference to one of the
radii would require a third party to make the assumption of the position of one of its corners to mark it
out.

Some dimensions originate from a “ghost point”—an unseen point on the drawing (the “110” dimension
marked at the bottom of the top view).

Some of the dimensions cascade from a previous dimension. When marking out, this can cause the
carrying forward of an error. If all dimensions are made from the same origin, this ensures all features
are marked from a single reference point and reduces the risk of errors.

The drawing would also benefit from guidelines being used to align the three views, and the features as
seen from those views.
Figure 25

Student work: Medium performance (example of a technical drawing)

Example of an assembly drawing

The exploded drawing shows all of the parts, but it is not clear how or where all parts are attached. For
example, one needs to assume the watch strap wraps around the buckles, which are secured in place.
The watch strap is attached to the main body using the spindle. There is no indication of how the
buckles are held in place.

The bill of materials is complete, but the electronic components are included in a separate component
list (not included).
Figure 26

Student work: Medium performance (example of an assembly drawing/bill of materials)

Examples of low performance (1–3 markband)

The student develops a design proposal that indicates few details and is not sufficient for a third party to
manufacture the prototype.

Example of a technical drawing

Only the overall size of the part and features are included. There are no details of the position of
features in relation to the main piece. A third party would be able to cut out the main shape (the arc),
but not be able to make the part as required.

Only two views are included, which means there is no detail of the side view.

Figure 27

Student work: Low performance (example of a technical drawing)

Example of an assembly drawing

The exploded drawing includes most of the parts, but many are not presented separately; therefore, it is
not clear how the parts are attached. For example, parts C, D and E are presented as an assembly. The
third party would not know how these parts fit together. In addition, the straps are presented as a single
component, with no indication of how the strap is joined to the body.

The bill of materials is limited in its information.

Figure 28

Student work: Low performance (example of an assembly drawing/bill of materials)

Strand iii: The student produces a detailed plan for the manufacture of the prototype.

An appropriate construction plan comprises a sequential order of operations to follow to make the
prototype. The student should include details of the construction of the prototype, from marking out
materials to final assembly. The student can separate the construction plan by each component, then
include an additional section to detail the plan for assembling the product. Students should consider
including the following steps.

 Preparation (including collection of materials and creating templates/jigs)

 Marking out (including the preparation of computer aided design/computer aided manufacture
(CADCAM) files)

 Cutting/machining

 Shaping

 Additive manufacturing

 Finishing

 Assembling

 Joining

The construction plan is a planning document. It must be written before the prototype is manufactured;
it must not be written retrospectively and it must not be a diary or narrative.

If the construction plan is written retrospectively, the work fails to address the lowest markband for this
criterion. Diaries of manufacture in addition to the construction plan are not required and are not
assessed as part of the assessment criterion. Students must avoid writing diaries of manufacture as, if
submitted, they will use up both word and page allocations while not contributing to the evidence for
assessment against the criterion.

Students must use the construction plan template. This is found at the bottom of the left-hand menu
bar in the TSM.

Processes Equipment Scheduling Quality control Risk assessment

Table 6

Construction plan template

Processes
The student must give a descriptive name to the process they will carry out.

Equipment

The student must identify the equipment required to complete the process.

Scheduling

The student must estimate the time required for each process. The student should consider how this
time is presented, for example, whether they work in minutes, hours, lessons or days. If working with
lessons or days, there should be an indication of the actual time needed to complete the process.

Quality control

The student must state how they will ensure high quality in the process. The best work for this aspect
references measuring equipment, tolerances, use of go/no go gauges, dry-fit assembly, and jigs and
templates where the same component is required multiple times.

Risk assessment

The student must identify any risks associated with the processes or materials used, but must also state
any preventative strategies that could be taken to reduce the risk. The student must aim to reduce any
risk as effectively as possible.

Together with the drawings developed for strand C ii, the construction plan should be in sufficient detail
for a third party to follow to create the prototype.

Completing the construction plan

When completing the construction plan, students must not use extended writing to address this strand.

There must be no more than 10 words per cell in the construction plan.

If there are any cells in the construction plan table that exceed 10 words, all words in the table will
contribute to the word count.

Examples of performance

The following examples are extracts from a full construction plan. To see examples of complete
construction plans, please see the examples of student work included in the TSM.

Example of high performance (7–9 markband)

The student produces a detailed plan for the manufacture of the prototype.

The three processes included below are an extract from a full construction plan for the prototype as
described in the preamble to this section.

The student completes a comprehensive and detailed plan for the manufacture of the prototype. Each
process is detailed and refers to a bill of materials, meaning a third party can relate the plan to the part
drawing to assist in the manufacture of the prototype.
The required equipment is identified, including any protective equipment, and there is a deep
understanding of each process, demonstrated through the quality control and risk assessment aspects.

Quality control considers not only the actions the student/third-party manufacturer can take to ensure
quality control, but also relates it to: the equipment, for example, using a new/sharp cutting bit in the
router, or ensuring the appropriate flow rate for an argon shield when MIG welding; the preparation of
the material; and measurable details, such as tolerances.

Risk assessment considers the source of a risk, the threat the risk poses to the student, and how the risk
can be reduced (mitigation strategies). The student demonstrates a deep understanding of these risks
and the ways to mitigate them, following understood health and safety guidelines.
Figure 29

Student work: High performance (construction plan extract)

Example of medium performance (4–6 markband)

The student produces a plan for the manufacture of the prototype.

The three processes included below are an extract from a full construction plan for the prototype as
described in the preamble to this section.

The student provides detail of each step in the process, not only considering the minimum equipment
required, but also some of the peripheral equipment required to carry out the manufacture effectively.
A few items are not considered, but the student demonstrates a good understanding of what is required
for each action.

The student also demonstrates a reasonable understanding of quality control and the risks involved in
the processes.

Quality control is focused on the individual process, with consideration of the actions the student can
take. The student has considered how they can implement the process based on a good understanding
of how to achieve a good quality outcome.

Risk assessment considers some risks and mitigation strategies but does not always consider the source
of the risk. There is no “why” involved, for example, when applying Danish oil, the student states: “Wear
gloves to prevent contact between oil and skin”. This lacks detail about why contact between the oil and
skin requires the student to wear gloves.
Figure 30

Student work: Medium performance (construction plan extract)

Example of low performance (1–3 markband)

The student produces an incomplete plan that contains some production details.

The three processes included below are an extract from a full construction plan for the prototype as
described in the preamble to this section.

The student uses the construction plan template as provided in the TSM. The student considers the
process, but does not have a complete consideration of the equipment required—focusing on the main
pieces of equipment only. This demonstrates a limited understanding of the process.

Quality control is limited to generic statements with basic instructions of what to do, rather than how to
ensure the required quality.

Risk assessment is limited to very few aspects of what could happen, with no mitigation of the risk (no
way to reduce the risk). Risk assessment is generic in nature.

Figure 31

Student work: Low performance (construction plan extract)