Edexcel GCSE Design and Technology key terms

The network of organisations and processes that supplies materials and components to a manufacturer.

The ability to identify and check where materials come from and how they move through the organisations involved in production.

The total area of the surfaces of a three-dimensional object, measured in square units.

A finish that forms a protective film on top of timber, such as paint or varnish.

A treatment applied to a material’s surface to improve its appearance, protection or both.

Text, images, symbols and patterns applied to a product’s surface to decorate it or communicate information.

A component-mounting method in which components are soldered directly to pads on the surface of a printed circuit board.

A method of assembling electronic circuits in which components are mounted directly onto pads on the surface of a printed circuit board.

A shaping tool with a perforated metal blade whose cutting edges remove material rapidly and leave a relatively rough surface.

Using resources responsibly so that present needs can be met without preventing future generations from meeting theirs.

Managing forests to supply timber while maintaining their long-term health and their benefits for people and wildlife.

Harvesting timber at a rate that allows the tree population to replenish itself while protecting its habitat.

A source of materials managed so that resources remain available in the future, rather than being depleted or causing lasting environmental damage.

Chips, curls or small pieces of waste material produced during machining.

A component that opens or closes electrical contacts to interrupt or complete a conducting path.

A letter or group of letters representing a quantity or unit. Its meaning must be clear from the context.

A manufactured fibre made from chemically produced polymers, usually using crude oil as the starting raw material; examples include polyester, nylon and acrylic.

A set of connected parts that work together to perform a function.

A diagram showing the main functions of a system and the relationships between its inputs, processes and outputs.

An approach that considers a whole product or process, its connected parts and how changes to one part affect others.

Temporary stitches used to hold fabric or a pattern in position; they are removed when no longer needed.

Waste material left after the desired minerals have been separated from mined ore.

A service through which a retailer accepts old electrical or electronic equipment for appropriate waste handling.

Timber pressure-treated with preservative to protect it against fungal decay and insect attack.

Using a strip of tape to join or secure textile layers, for example heat-activated fusible tape along a hem or seam.

Cutting an internal screw thread in a drilled hole using a tap.

The drill diameter needed before cutting an internal thread; it is smaller than the nominal thread diameter.