Year 11 Electronics Revision Home Page

Topic 1 Materials and components

Topic 1.1 Woods

Working properties, advantages/disadvantages of the following wood and manufactured board used in the manufacture of electronic product cases:

• pine
• medium density fibreboard (MDF).

Topic 1.2 Metals

Working properties, advantages/disadvantages of the following metals used in the manufacture of electronic product cases:

• aluminium
• brass
• copper
• mild steel

Topic 1.3 Plastics

Working properties, advantages/disadvantages of the following plastics used in the manufacture of electronic product cases:

• high impact polystyrene (HIPS)
• acrylic

Topic 1.4 Input components

Identification, function and application of the following input components used in the production of electronic products:

• Sensors
• light dependent resistor (LDR)
• thermistor
• moisture sensor
• piezo electric sensor
• biosensors (conversion of a biological response to an electrical signal)
• Switch types
• toggle
• slide
• rocker
• key
• push to make
• push to break
• tilt
• micro
• reed.

Understand the terms and applications of the following switch types:

• single pole single throw (SPST)
• single pole double throw (SPDT)
• double pole double throw (DPDT).

Topic 1.5 Process components

Identification, function and application of the following process components used in the production of electronic products:

• transistor
• thyristor
• Darlington Pair Transistors
• field effect transistor (FET)
• carbon nanotubes as semiconductors
• 555 timer in monostable and astable mode
• operational amplifier (Op-Amp) as a comparator.

Topic 1.6 Peripheral Interface Controllers (PICs)

• How to use flowcharts when programming.
• How to switch outputs on/off in response to inputs.
• How to use simple routines to control outputs with delays, loops and counts.

Topic 1.7 Logic gates

Identify the following logic gates. Construct truth tables for a NOT gate and the following 2-input logic gates:

• AND
• OR
• NAND
• NOR
• XOR.
• How to draw logic diagrams using logic gates in combination to solve problems.

Topic 1.8 Output components

Identification, function and application of the following components used in electronic products:

• bulbs
• buzzers
• light emitting diodes (LEDs)
• loudspeakers
• motors
• solenoids
• 7-segment display
• LED dot matrix display
• liquid crystal display (LCD).

Topic 1.9 Power sources

Function, application and advantages/disadvantages of the following power sources used in electronic products:

• batteries, including rechargeable types
• mains power
• solar power.

Topic 1.10 Resistors

Function and application of the following resistor types used in electronic products:

• fixed
• variable

Related applications:

• Ohm's law to calculate protective resistor values used in series with LEDs
• the resistor colour code to determine resistor values, including tolerance
• calculate the value of resistor networks in series and parallel.

Topic 1.11 Capacitors

Function and application of the following components used in electronic products:

• polarised
• non-polarised.

Topic 1.12 Diodes

Function and application of the following component used in electronic products:

• diode used as a protection device against back electric and magnetic fields (EMF).

Topic 1.13 Relays

Function and application of the following component used in electronic products:

• relay used as an interface between primary and secondary circuits.

topic 1.14 Units and calculations

• Unit of current (amp)
• Unit of resistance (ohm)
• Unit of voltage (volt)
• Unit of capacitance (farad)
• Ohm's Law: V = I x R
• Time period: T = R x C
• Resistors in series: Rtotal = R1+R2+R3 etc.
• Resistors in parallel: Rtotal = R1xR2/R1+R2 or R =1R+1R Total 1 2

Topic 1.15 Circuit construction

Application and advantages/disadvantages of the following circuit construction methods:

• prototyping board (breadboard)
• printed circuit board (photo etched)
• stripboard (veroboard).

Topic 1.16 Circuit testing

Application and use of the following when testing circuits:

• voltmeter
• ammeter
• multimeter.

Topic 2 Industrial and commercial processes

Topic 2.1 Scale of production

Characteristics, application and advantages/disadvantages of the following scales of production in the manufacture of electronic products:

• one-off
• batch
• mass

Topic 2.2 Forming techniques

Characteristics, preparation, processes, application and advantages/disadvantages of the following methods for the batch and mass production of electronic products:

• injection moulding
• vacuum forming
• line bending
• blow moulding (dome blowing).

Topic 2.3 Health and safety

How to understand/describe safe working practices.

How to identify workshop hazards and precautions.

Topic 3 Analysing products

Topic 3.1 Specification criteria

When analysing a product, students should take into account the following specification criteria:

• form - Why is the product shaped/styled as it is?
• function - What is the purpose of the product?
• user requirements - What qualities make the product attractive to potential users?
• performance requirements - What are the technical considerations that must be achieved within the product?
• material and component requirements - How should materials and components perform within the product?
• scale of production and cost - How does the design allow for scale of production and what are the considerations in determining cost?
• sustainability - How does the design allow for environmental considerations?

Topic 3.2 Materials and components

Students should identify the materials and/or components used in the manufacture of a product, including:

• the properties and qualities of the materials and/or components
• the advantages/disadvantages of the materials and/or components
• justification of the choice of materials and/or components.

Note: materials and components are those referenced in Topic 1.

Topic 3.3 Manufacturing processes

Students should identify the processes involved in the manufacture of products, including:

• the stages of the manufacturing process
• the advantages/disadvantages of the manufacturing process
• justification of the choice of manufacturing process.

Note: manufacturing processes are those referenced in Topic 2.

Topic 4 Designing products

Topic 4.1 Specification criteria

When designing a product, students should take into account the following specification criteria:

• form - How should the product be shaped/styled?
• function - What is the purpose of the product?
• user requirements - What qualities would make the product attractive to potential users?
• performance requirements - What are the technical considerations that must be achieved within the product?
• material and component requirements - How should materials and components perform within the product?
• scale of production and cost - How will the design allow for scale of production and what are the considerations in determining cost?
• sustainability - How will the design allow for environmental considerations?

Topic 4.2 Designing skills

When designing a product, students should be able to respond creatively to design briefs and specification criteria, including:

• clear communication of design intentions using notes and/or sketches
• annotation which relates to the original specification criteria.

Topic 4.3 Application of knowledge and understanding

When designing a product, students should be able to apply their knowledge and understanding of a wide range of materials and/or components and manufacturing processes to each design idea, including:

• the properties of materials and/or components
• the advantages/disadvantages of materials and/or components and manufacturing processes
• justification of the choice of materials and/or components and manufacturing processes.

Topic 5 Technology

Topic 5.1 Information and communication technology (ICT)

Characteristics, processes, application and advantages/disadvantages of ICT in the design, development, marketing and sale of products including:

• electronic communications between designers, manufacturers, retailers and consumers using email
• electronic point of sale (EPOS) in the retail and manufacture of products
• internet marketing and sales.

Topic 5.2 Digital media and new technology

Characteristics, processes, application and advantages/disadvantages of the following digital media and new technology in relation to:

• transfer of data using Bluetoothยฎ wireless personal area networks
• digital television broadcasting systems using high definition (HD) TV
• commercial digital printing for short print runs and large format prints.

Topic 5.3 Computer-aided design/computer-aided manufacturing (CAD/CAM) technology

Characteristics, processes, application and advantages/disadvantages of CAD/CAM in the design, development and manufacture of electronic products:

• virtual modelling and testing of circuit and case designs
• PCB track patterns/design layout
• automated component placement (pick and place)
• computer integrated manufacture (CIM)
• computerised testing systems for quality control.

Topic 6 Sustainability

Topic 6.1 Minimising waste production

Principles, application, advantages/disadvantages to society and the environment of minimising waste production throughout the product life cycle using the following 4 Rs:

• reduce materials and energy
• reuse materials and products where applicable
• recover energy from waste
• recycle materials and products or use recycled materials.

Topic 6.2 Renewable sources of energy

The characteristics, applications and advantages/disadvantages of using the following renewable sources of energy:

• wind energy using turbines and wind farms
• solar energy using solar cells and photovoltaic cells
• biomass converted into biofuels for transportation.

Topic 6.3 Climate change

The responsibilities of 'developed' countries in minimising the impact of industrialisation on global warming and climate change including:

• reducing greenhouse gas emissions through the Kyoto Protocol

Topic 7 Ethical design and manufacture

Topic 7.1 Moral, social and cultural issues

The strategy, characteristics, applications and advantages/disadvantages of the following 'value' issues when designing and manufacturing products:

• built-in obsolescence in new products for a 'throwaway' culture
• offshore manufacture of mass-produced products in developing countries by multi-national companies
• tolerance of different cultures to avoid offence.