Eduqas GCSE Design and Technology key terms

Not allowing light to pass through.

A cellular plastic with interconnected spaces that allow air and liquids to pass through its structure.

An integrated-circuit amplifier that amplifies the voltage difference between its non-inverting (+) and inverting (−) inputs.

A naturally occurring rock containing minerals from which a metal can be extracted.

A logic gate whose output is HIGH when at least one input is HIGH.

A drawing showing separate, aligned two-dimensional views of an object, such as its front, side and plan.

Repeated back-and-forth turning movement through an arc.

An indirect expense of running production that cannot be attributed solely to one particular product.

A machine that forms stitches around a fabric edge and can trim away excess fabric while stitching.

A guide for marking and cutting an individual fabric component, such as a sleeve.

The symbols, lines and instructions on textile patterns that communicate how pieces should be positioned, cut and assembled.

Arranging pattern pieces so that stripes, checks or printed designs align at joins in the finished product.

A mechanism in which a pawl engages a toothed ratchet wheel to allow rotation in one direction while preventing reverse rotation.

A connection that cannot normally be separated without damaging the joint or removing and destroying its fastener.

A tin-rich alloy, commonly containing antimony and copper, used for decorative objects and vessels.

A material that absorbs heat as it melts and releases heat as it solidifies, helping to manage temperature.

Describes a material that changes colour when exposed to ultraviolet (UV) radiation.

A device that converts energy from light directly into electrical energy.

A Programmable Interface Controller: a type of microcontroller that can be programmed to control products and systems.

A programming system using PIC microcontrollers supplied with firmware that allows programs to be downloaded using a simple cable connection.

A drilling machine with a drill mounted above a work table, allowing the rotating drill bit to be lowered into secured material.

A small-diameter hole that guides a screw and helps prevent the material from splitting.

Cord enclosed in a fabric strip and usually inserted into a seam to define or decorate an edge.

The distance between the centres of adjacent pins or other repeated features.

Timber whose surfaces have been smoothed and made more regular by removing material with a plane or planer.

Designing a product with an intentionally limited useful life so that it will need replacing.

A material’s ability to undergo a permanent change of shape without breaking.