Edexcel GCSE Design and Technology key terms

A large, flat board supplied in a selected thickness, commonly made from manufactured timber such as plywood or MDF.

Making products from thin metal sheet through operations such as cutting, folding and joining.

The length and width of a sheet, normally specified alongside its thickness.

An arrangement in which different groups of workers work during different scheduled periods, allowing a workplace to operate beyond a single working day.

A bright, noticeably reflective surface appearance.

Parallel rows of elastic stitching that draw fabric together while allowing it to stretch.

The International System of Units: a standard system for expressing measurements, including metres for length, kilograms for mass and joules for energy.

The overall outline of a garment.

An arrangement of gears in which each shaft carries one gear; intermediate gears pass movement between the input and output.

An on-screen test of a programmed routine that lets the user inspect its behaviour before running it on the physical system.

Fabric supplied as a single thickness, rather than the double thickness of double-weight fabric.

Heating compacted powder so that its particles bond into a solid component.

Software that divides a digital 3D model into layers and prepares instructions for a 3D printer.

A moving component constrained by a guide to travel along a straight path.

Small hand stitches concealed mainly within a fabric fold, with tiny catches in the main fabric to secure it discreetly.

A material that changes a property in response to a stimulus, such as temperature, light, mechanical stress or an electrical input.

A solid rivet with a rounded head; its projecting shank is hammered and finished with a rivet snap to form a second rounded head.

An influence arising from people's needs, preferences or ways of living that affects a design decision.

The effects that producing, using and disposing of a material or product have on people and communities.

A group of people with shared characteristics relevant to a product, such as age, lifestyle or access needs.

An issue concerning how designing, making or using a product affects people, including working conditions, health and safety.

Separation between groups in society, with limited contact or participation in the wider community.

Timber obtained from coniferous trees, which usually bear cones and needle-like leaves. The name does not necessarily mean that the wood is physically soft.

The removal and movement of soil by wind or water.

An unintended connection made by solder between points that should remain electrically separate.

A process that melts a filler metal called solder to join metal surfaces, providing an electrical connection and mechanical attachment.

Board made from high-quality bleached fibre, with a clean white appearance suitable for packaging where appearance and print quality matter.