Cover lesson · Design Technology · Year 10 · Intermediate
DCF: Interacting and collaborating → Storing and sharing
Name: Class: Date:
What this practises: GCSE Design and Technology (Made-for-Wales, teaching from 2026), Unit 1: Design and Technology in the 21st Century, 1.1.1 New and emerging technologies: the advantages and disadvantages of computer aided manufacture (CAM), including laser cutting and 3D printing, and scales of production (batch production). It also practises preparing CAM files, which pupils will need in their Unit 2 Design Project. This is ordinary classwork, not NEA work.
Print: this sheet, one per pupil, and the stimulus sheet “The desk tidy batch: CAM job folder dossier”, one between two. No computers are needed. Calculators help in Step 6.
Run: 8 min pupils read the dossier in pairs · 12 min Step 2, the file audit · 7 min Step 3, version history · 6 min Step 4, links and permissions · 10 min Step 5, a system for the team · 12 min Step 6, laser cutter or by hand, with the exam-style answer written alone. Total 55 minutes.
Collect: this sheet. The class teacher has a worked example and answer key.
Three pupils have designed a flat-pack desk tidy and need 20 of them for a charity sale. The technician has a 45 minute slot on the laser cutter, and he cannot work out which of their 12 files to cut. You are going to sort out their shared folder: choose the right file for each part, use version history to rescue a broken drawing, fix the links, and set up a system so it does not happen again. Then you will work out whether CAM was worth it.
Key words:
Read all six sections with your partner. Put a cross next to every file in section 3 that Mr Howells should not cut.
For each part, choose the one file to cut or print. Give a reason from the dossier, and name at least one other file with the problem it has.
| Part | File to use (# and name) | Why this one | Another file and its problem |
|---|---|---|---|
| Body (base and 4 sides) | |||
| Logo | |||
| Pen clip |
(b) Megan’s file 5 is drawn in millimetres, but the file says its units are inches. There are 25.4 mm in an inch. What would happen to a side panel that is 150 mm long if Mr Howells cut it?
(a) Look at the version history of DeskTidy_Body.dxf. Which version should the team restore, and why?
(b) What useful change will be lost when they restore it? How can they get it back without losing the finger joints again?
(c) Owen made “desk tidy final.dxf” and “Copy of desk tidy final.dxf”. Give two reasons why one file with version history is better than saving new copies with names like “final”.
Mr Howells has two problems. Explain what caused each one, and how to fix it.
| Problem | Cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| The link on the job sheet says “You need permission”. | ||
| The shortcut on the workshop computer says “Location not available”. |
(a) Write a file naming pattern that tells Mr Howells which part, which version, and that it has been checked. Then use it to rename three files.
| Old name | New name using your pattern |
|---|---|
(b) Sketch a folder structure for Desk Tidy Batch with at least three folders, including Ready to cut. Say which of the 12 files goes where, and which can be deleted.
(c) Write three rules for the team, so that the right file is always the one that gets cut.
Use section 6 of the dossier. Show your working.
(a) How many sheets of plywood are needed for 20 desk tidies by laser (3 per sheet) and by hand (2 per sheet)? What does the wood cost each way?
(b) How long will the laser cutter take for all 20? Include setting up once and loading every sheet. Give your answer in hours and minutes. How long would 20 take by hand?
(c) How many complete desk tidies can Mr Howells make in his 45 minute slot, including the 10 minute set-up?
(d) On your own, in silence: Explain two advantages and one disadvantage of using CAD/CAM to make a batch of 20 desk tidies. Use at least two figures from your working. [6 marks]