TECHNOLOGICAL PRODUCTS
- I understand this component is mainly about the technologist exploring physical and functional natures of existing and new materials to choose one most fit for purpose.
- Materials are developed by people through technical knowledge to suit particular functions.
- Ongoing informed decisions about materials can be measured subjectively, a personal response or objectively, tested by measurement of functions.
- Products can be formed, where both composition and properties change; Transformed, where compositions stays the same but properties change; and manipulated, in which composition and properties stay the same but are joined to create a different outcome.
- The technologist needs to understand existing and new materials as well as issues such as ethics, sustainability, recycling, disposal and resource management.
This relates to my product because I explored different materials based on fitness for purpose in regard to my low budget and discovered...
![Picture](/uploads/5/8/4/2/58428331/6347274.jpg?431)
What didn't work for my product...
What did work well for my product...
- suitcase stage- hard because of the narrow costly selection and shapes and the op shop.
- Possible teaspoon arms, did not have a joint so they were functionally inappropriate.
- polystyrene was too light to take the weight of the dowelling and tea cup and was easily broken.
What did work well for my product...
- The China cup needed to be thick to hold potential weight, withstand drilling and be durable with the future handling of kids.
- A moderate sized craft bead for the head matched the dowelling of the limbs, withstood weight pressure and had an inbuilt 8mm hole making it easy to attach the head to the body with a dowelling join.
![Picture](/uploads/5/8/4/2/58428331/5080356.jpg?393)
What did work well for my product...
- Screw-eyes needed to be large enough to support the weight of the puppet yet small enough so they would be aesthetically pleasing. The Expert from hammer hardware directed me from size #00 to #000.
- I discovered the right shade of yellow wool to match my hair. It was porous so that I could use PVA for glue.
- Metallic craft wire was strong yet not flexible enough to make the limbs move.
- Korband colour blend clear was advertised as strong yet snapped in testing .
![Picture](/uploads/5/8/4/2/58428331/6781970.jpg?395)
What worked well for my product...
- Dowelling is cheap, comes in many different widths, is strong yet able to attach screw-eyes without drilling.
- Scratch designs jumbo art tools was 10mm width dowelling already short enough to measure limb lengths. It ended at a point for easy application of bead hand.
- Araldite ultra clear/ epoxy adhesive- dries clear, sticks to china and wood and holds up to 130 kg.
- Ados Epoxy All purpose resin- Is a marine fibre glass resin, durable, acts as a filler so that the dowelling does not have to reach the wall of the tea cup. Dries over 2 days.
- PVA- surprisingly strong, dries clear and non toxic.
- F2 Ados bond- doesn't dry clear and is visible through lace skirt.
![Picture](/uploads/5/8/4/2/58428331/893013.jpg?363)
What worked well for my product..
What didn't work well for my product...
- A self adhesive floral material for application to dowelling.
- Floral patterns reflecting my English ancestry.
- White organza that was thin and woven with nylon meant the tea cup pattern would still be visible.
What didn't work well for my product...
- Lace that was heavily patterned clashed with the tea cup.
TECHNOLOGICAL MODELLING
- I understand this component is about decision making and managing risk. It is the testing of designs and plans to see if they will work.
- This can occur in the beginning, known as modelling, to test whether the ideas are worth taking further or at the end, known as prototyping, to test whether the prototype is suitable to be implemented into the world. It allows for final modifications to be made.
- Functional modelling shows how things work or physical modelling can be used to show reality. Modelling is important because practical decisions can be made and evidence is given to justify 'go' or 'no go' decisions.
![Picture](/uploads/5/8/4/2/58428331/7128224.jpg?683)
This links to my product because Modelling helped me make decisions on what would work and what wouldn't work in relation to my puppets fitness for purpose...
- A Suitcase flip up stage would take too much time when my focus was the puppet.
- flipping the case around the other way meant the stage was inbuilt at the back to attach curtains easily.
- The Possibility wood block body was not aesthetically pleasing.
- I questioned whether a paint brush body would reflect love of art however a tea cup skirt was more aesthetically pleasing and reflected my English heritage.
- I realised the problem of attaching the leg ligaments into the cup.
![Picture](/uploads/5/8/4/2/58428331/5256410.jpg?250)
Physical model of material skirt.
- I Started by trying to measure the circumference of the cup.
- Instead of drawing out exact measurements Nan encouraged me to estimate the length around the cup and gather so that the skirt puffs out.
- I discovered the need for a 1cm seam allowance.
![Picture](/uploads/5/8/4/2/58428331/8719846.jpg?198)
Functional modelling of a limb.
- Confirmed my prediction that #000 screw eyes would attach to dowelling without need of a drill. Screw eyes withstood strength test. Can act as a moveable joint
![Picture](/uploads/5/8/4/2/58428331/9090787.jpg?380)
Proportional modelling of body.
- I realised that the circle wood attachment was going to need to be slightly smaller than the circumference of the cup to ensure that the circle would meet the surface area of the dowelling.
- I realised the head proportion needed to be bigger than the width of the shoulders.
- The torso need to be longer. It changed from 30mm to 45 mm.
- The limbs needed to be longer- The upper arm was 30 mm and changed to 40 mm. Lower arm changed from 20mm to 30mm. Upper leg changed from 50mm to 70mm, in order to hang past the cup length. Lower leg changed from 40mm to 50mm.
- I realised the teacup would be an inappropriate length for a skirt so the material skirt needed to be 20mm below the end of the cup.
![Picture](/uploads/5/8/4/2/58428331/7239349.jpg?286)
Functional modelling of the string and controls balance.
- I realised the importance of having a shorter length sting for the head so that the arms can move freely without any weight.
- The string needs to only slightly be taught.
- I realised that the string length on the prototype will vary due to differing weight and proportions. However the between string relationship will remain the same length.
- The longer the controls the wider the arms and legs hang.
- I changed my idea that the positioning of string attachment will be to the knees and hands of arm screw-eyes.
- I realised that attaching dowelling to the inside of the cup via a plank of wood across the inside would not work because the surface of the teacup was not flat. I thought of attaching dowelling to the inside of cup via drilling. After looking of youtube, special drills were needed and the ceramic could easily shatter. I thought about glue, but the surface area of the inside of the cup was not flat. After talking to Dave I decided to attach the dowelling by Resin glue which acts as a filler. I would then attach circular piece of wood to the doweling to attach screw eyes and limbs at a realistic length apart from each other.
TECHNOLOGICAL SYSTEMS
I understand this component is about interconnected components fulfilling a function without further human input. The systems and processes allow them to function alone. Systems work by inputs and outputs. Inputs can be raw materials, information and energy. Human's initiate input then the system works alone for an output. The input will undergo a transformation in a controlled mannar until the intended outcome has been achieved.
This links to my product because...
My product is not a system but I used systems in the production of my puppet.
- Band saw- Human input is required to turn on switch, and to connection to electricity. Human control is exercised by feeding the wood. The system needs no further input to work, a complex wheel system insures the blade only cuts in the downward direction making for a smoother outcome.
- Drill press- Human input turns on switch and connects to electricity. It has a control mechanism of gearing that can change the speed of the drill. The system needs no further input to allow the drill to rotate in response to a motor system and pulley system where belts move up and down. The input of wood is transformed by energy and the outcome is a hole. Human control is exercised by a lever that determines depth.
- Belt sander- Human input turns on and electric motor that turns drums connected to a loop of sandpaper. The input was a rough end of dowelling and the friction energy transformed it into a smooth surface.
- Mechanical coping saw- used an up and down motor system. The outcome was a curved piece of wood.
- Sowing machine- An control mechanism was the foot control for speed. Input was thread and material. The output was the joining of material. The machine works by a motor system.