GCSE+Electronics+Coursework+CAD+&+CAM

toc = Learning objectives = By the end of this lesson students should have:
 * Communicating design ideas**
 * an understanding of the importance of communicating design ideas to others
 * an awareness of graphical techniques for communicating ideas in a design project
 * an understanding of how ICT can be used to help communicate ideas

= Generating ideas for a design and technology project = At this point in developing your GCSE Design and Technology project it is likely that you have considered enough information to be able to start **generating ideas** that will solve your design problem. By now you have probably got a clear idea of what you want to make but it is important that you don't let this prevent you from considering other options. It is essential that you think widely about the outcome and consider a range of options as ideas. Higher marks are available in the assessment of your project if you show that you have considered a wide range of relevant ideas. In generating ideas there is no right or wrong idea. Everyone will have slightly different opinions. Try and justify your ideas in relation to the **specification**. Remember that all ideas need developing and even the best ideas need refining. The most important part is to come up with ideas in the first place. You can then either progress in detail or come up with another fresh idea. Another method is not to think of lots of ideas but merely to identify one idea and develop it. Remember, generating successful ideas is about putting 90% effort into the work with just 10% inspiration. You will be more successful if you spend minimal time looking for inspiration, and more time developing your basic ideas.
 * Introduction**

= Basic techniques for communicating ideas = In the world of industrial design and business, ideas need to be communicated to different people effectively. In your work you will need to take on the role of the designer and the manufacturer, while you may also be the end user of your project as well. Communicating ideas well will enable you to discuss them with others and get their advice. These are the people who need to understand your project. Who needs to understand it the most? To help you communicate your ideas you will need to use a variety of techniques, two of which are explained below. Making rough sketches will help you remember what you were thinking before you forget or get distracted. Pencil and fine pen sketches should not take up too much time. Try to use brief notes to explain your ideas more fully and make them clear enough for others to read.
 * Production manager
 * Client
 * Other members of the design team
 * You as the designer
 * End user
 * Funding manager
 * Rough sketches**

Don't destroy any of your rough sketches, no matter how poor you may think they are. They show your design thinking processes and help you gain credit. These are better used when you are developing a particular idea in more detail. They will take longer to produce and should aim at making the details of your idea clearer than with just the initial rough sketches. To produce this type of sketch you should combine both two and three-dimensional drawing techniques and use colour pencils, pens and other media.
 * Detailed sketches**

= Representing materials and enhancing your ideas = Once you get to this stage you will want to start making your ideas look more realistic. To do this you can use a range of techniques. Some of these are: Use this link and check out the tutorials: This will give your ideas a much more realistic appearance by adding coloured shading and textured surfaces to your sketches to simulate light, shade and material. Producing rendered drawings may seem like a difficult task but for GCSE this is something you will be expected to do, so you must practise the techniques to ensure that you can produce good-quality sketch ideas. To render a sketch you may use a variety of media including ordinary pencils, coloured pencils and even marker pens. Some designers also like to use watercolour washes and specialist pens that give a variety of effects. In order to draw materials you need to know what they look like first. You should have looked at different materials during your key stage 3 work but you may need to do some research. One of the good things about this stage of your design work is that you can experiment as much as you like and develop your communication skills further. You may also use light boxes, projectors and tracing paper to produce the basic initial sketch. On some courses the examination board will expect you to demonstrate a range of graphical sketching techniques. The main ones that you could use are: Are you familiar with these techniques? If not you may want to find out about them. You should try and use similar techniques to professionals. If designing clothing, try and copy the techniques of professional clothing designers. If you are producing ideas for a resistant materials project, you will need to use rendering techniques that might represent woods, metals and plastics. Remember, at this stage you are **sketching** and not **drawing**. In this context this means:
 * Using Google SketchUp**
 * **@http://saturdaysketchup.blogspot.com/**
 * Rendering**
 * isometric sketching
 * perspective sketching
 * oblique sketching
 * Sketching:** this is about producing freehand sketches without the use of technical instruments.
 * Drawing**: this skill involves technical instruments like rulers, compasses and set squares to produce a drawing.

Final design plans using **orthographic** views, creating accurate working drawings with dimensions, either full size (1:1) or scaled drawings of your final design will help you create and manufacture your final product accurately. An **orthographic** drawing has three views of the object, **plan, side** and **front elevations**. They are accurately drawing using drawing equipment such as rulers, compasses, drawing board, t-square, and set squares.

= Using modelling as a communication technique = Using models communicates ideas very effectively but it can take a lot longer than sketching. If proportion, size and shape are important to the successful completion of your design, then a model may be the answer. Models can be made simply in materials like card, modelling clay or foam polystyrene. A model can be a **scale model**. You can scale your model up to increase the size and show more detail or you can scale your model down and make it smaller. The important thing about a model is that it will provide you with: Why not photograph your model and incorporate it into your project folder?
 * a way of working out how moving components will operate
 * a three-dimensional proportional perspective of the overall idea
 * a way of testing how components will relate to each other

= The use of information and communication technology = Working through the ideas stage of your project will provide you with an excellent opportunity to use information technology to communicate your ideas. Drawing ideas using a computer is a skill worth developing and can provide you with some excellent quality images if you spend time practising the techniques needed. The real strength of the computer comes into play when you want to model an idea. This is called **Computer Aided Design** (CAD). Modelling software programmes can help you to model: resistant materials; show aspects of fashion design and test electronic circuits and systems without actually producing the items for real. In some cases you can even download the model information to a computer-controlled machine that will make the component or product for you. This is called **Computer Aided Manufacture** (CAM) and can provide a quality of finish to your work that will be very difficult to achieve if you tried to make the item by hand. Remember that if you do use computer software to design parts or your entire project, then make sure that you print out the stages of your work regularly so that you have a hard copy of the development. This will help you get the maximum marks. Find out if there are any manufacturing companies in your local area that use computer modelling and computer manufacture to develop and make their product.

= Glossary = = Weblinks = @http://www.technologystudent.com/ Excellent resources for accross the curriculum www.designmuseum.org A range of design ideas from the past to stimulate you. www.tep.org.uk Lots of ideas for projects and information on designing. @http://www.mutr.co.uk/ Part of TEP www.wjec.co.uk The Welsh Joint Education Committee examination board site with course requirements for GCSE Design and Technology. www.data.org.uk The Design and Technology Association website with information on examination requirements and design and make projects. www.dtonline.org Lots of information on Design and Technology project work.
 * **CAD** || Computer Aided Design ||
 * **CAM** || Computer Aided Manufacture ||
 * **Generating ideas** || Making sketches of solutions to your design problem ||
 * **Isometric ideas** || A method of sketching and drawing an object in three dimensions using set angles of projection GCSE Electronics Coursework CAD & CAM ||
 * **Oblique sketching** || A way of sketching and drawing an object in three dimensions based on a flat view being projected back to give depth ||
 * **Perspective sketching** || Method of sketching and drawing representing a three-dimensional view of an object ||
 * **Specification** || Details stating exactly what your outcome must do ||
 * **Rendering** || Adding colour and texture to your design ideas ||
 * **Orthographic View** || A working drawing is the final ‘constructed’ drawing, produced as part of the design process. It usually consists of a front, side and plan view of the solution. ||

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