Introduction to materials and processes for low volume manufacturing describing the ecological, economic, social, and health consequences of these materials and processes.
2.3 Course Objectives
Course Objectives
Graduate Qualities being developed though the course
GQ1
GQ2
GQ3
GQ4
GQ5
GQ6
GQ7
Objective
(a) Describe the properties of a range of materials and processes typically used in low volume manufacturing applications.
●
●
●
●
Objective
(b) Demonstrate an understanding of the comparative economic, functional and aesthetic advantages and disadvantages of materials used for low volume manufacturing.
●
Objective
(c) Understand strategies for working with material suppliers and manufacturers to manage design projects to completion.
●
●
●
●
Objective
(d) Describe and demonstrate the ecological, economic and social consequences of the materials and processes in a cyclic life-cycle context.
●
●
●
Objective
(e) Demonstrate an understanding of sustainable design and cyclic material flows and assess the ecological footprint of materials.
●
●
●
2.4 Course content
Material properties and applications for small scale manufacture; social and ecological impact of modern manufacturing and materials; sustainable design and manufacturing principles, "cradle to grave" and “cradle to cradle”, product life cycle assessment, design for disassembly, life cycle cost analysis, social and environmental cost, the toxicology of materials, issues relating to renewable and non renewable resources, ecological, social and industrial sustainability; form constraints and possibilities of materials and forming processes for low volume manufacturing; the conflicts associated with industrial growth, consumerism and environmental sustainability; critically assess and act on environmental issues which are immediately related to their professional responsibility; evaluate the impacts of design solutions against the criteria of reducing, reusing, recycling and repairing; emerging technologies for low volume manufacturing, mass customisation and micromanufacturing/microfactories.
