Glossary

This glossary is based on the terms you will find in the National Curriculum Orders for Design & Technology or Information Technology in the Nuffield Primary D&T materials or in a range of other currently available texts / catalogues / websites.

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W XYZ

manufacturing

this is the word used to describe the way that products are made in the world outside school. It usually implies making in quantity. For example confectionery such as Kitkats are manufactured at a rate of many thousands per hour.

market research

the process of finding out which products and services people want and what they are likely to spend to get them

marketing

the process of making customers aware of products and services, attracting new customers to a product or service, keeping existing customers interested in a product or service, building and maintaining a customer base for a product or service. Advertisements play a large part in marketing

mass production

mass production refers to the process of manufacturing in the world outside school where products are made in there thousands. This requires the use of machines as well as people. Increasingly people are being replaced by machines that are computer controlled and can work 24 hours per day without rest.

materials

the matter from which things are made e.g. wood, metal, plastic, fabric, food

mechanical component

a part of a product that is used in a mechanism e.g. a wheel, a gear, a pulley

mechanism

a set of mechanical components assembled together to perform a particular task e.g. a gear train to increase the speed of rotating parts as in a rotary whisk

mitre block

a device to allow a saw cut to be made at 45° so that two parts can be joined to form a right angle (90°)

modelling design ideas

the process of representing ideas from `inside the head' in a form that can be shared with oneself and others. The form of the model can be either 2D e.g. a sketch or diagram perhaps with notes, or 3D e.g. a construction from paper, card, straws, pipe cleaners.

mood board

a collection of colours and shapes of paper, card and fabric that evoke an emotional response. Designers and pupils can use image boards to decide on the right colours and convince others of their choice

motor

a device that provides rotary movement, see electric motor and clockwork motor

mould

a hollow shape into which a liquid is poured and left to set solid to produce a product in the shape of the mould e.g. a jelly mould or a plaster of Paris mould

mouldable materials

materials that are easily shaped into different forms e.g. plasticine, play dough and most food materials