Polymers: The Six R's

The Six R's

The six R’s (reduce, refuse, reuse, repair, recycle, and rethink) help to consider plastic's effectiveness as an environmentally friendly material.

Reduce

We should consider reducing the amount of plastic we use in products.
- We could make products with less plastic.
- We could make products with alternative materials.

Reuse

Reusing polymers is essential to maintain the environment.
- Reusing polymers also gives products a new lease of life.
Single-use plastic is discarded in landfills.
- Landfills are burned and destroyed.
We could have a system where single-use plastic is not sold.
- Consumers could be encouraged to purchase products that last longer.

Refuse

Refusing can make a statement that we need to stop manufacturing polymer-based products.
- For example, single-use plastic products such as pop bottles and vapes.

Recycle

Thermoforming polymers can be recycled.
- We need to place plastic items in the correct bins.
Companies make their new products from recycled plastic rather than new plastic.
- For example, packaging companies often use recycled plastic.

1Core Technical Principles

1.1New & Emerging Technologies

1.1.1Industry

1.1.2Enterprise

1.1.3Sustainability

1.1.4People

1.1.5Culture & Society

1.1.6Environment

1.1.7Production Techniques & Systems

1.1.8Emerging Technologies & Design

1.1.9End of Topic Test - New & Emerging Technologies

1.1.10Exam-Style Questions - Emerging Technologies

1.2Energy Generation & Storage

1.2.1Fossil Fuels & Nuclear

1.2.2Renewable Energy

1.2.3Energy Storage Systems

1.3Developments in New Materials

1.3.1Modern Materials

1.3.2Smart Materials

1.3.3Exam-Style Questions - Smart Materials

1.3.4Composite Materials

1.3.5Technical Textiles

1.4Systems Approach to Designing

1.4.1Inputs

1.4.2Processes

1.4.3Outputs

1.4.4Looped Systems

1.5Mechanical Devices

1.5.1Types of Movement

1.5.2Levers

1.5.3Linkages

1.5.4Rotary Systems

1.5.5End of Topic Test - Designing & Mechanical Devices

1.6Materials Categories

1.6.1Timbers

1.6.2Metals & Alloys

1.6.3Metals & Alloys 2

1.6.4Polymers

1.6.5Polymer Types

1.6.6Textiles

1.6.7Textile Types: Fibres

1.6.8Textile Types: Weave

1.6.9Paper & Boards

1.7Material Properties

1.7.1Physical & Working Properties

1.7.2End of Topic Test - Materials

1.7.3Exam-Style Questions - Materials

2Paper & Board: Specialist Technical Principles

2.1Selection of Materials

2.1.1Paper & Boards

2.1.2Working with Paper & Boards

2.2Paper & Board: Forces & Stresses

2.2.1Paper & Board: Forces & Stresses

2.2.2Cardboard & Paper

2.3Paper & Board: Ecological & Social Footprint

2.3.1Paper & Board: Ecological & Social Footprint

2.3.2Paper & Board: The Six Rs

2.3.3Social Issues

2.4Paper & Board: Sources & Origins

2.4.1Paper & Board

2.4.2End of Topic Test - Paper & Board

2.5Paper & Board: Using Materials

2.5.1Paper & Board: Properties of Materials

2.5.2Paper & Board: Modification of Materials

2.5.3Paper & Board: Shape & Form

2.6Paper & Board: Stock Forms, Types & Sizes

2.6.1Paper & Board: Forms

2.6.2Paper & Board: Types

2.6.3Paper & Board: Sizes

2.6.4Paper & Board: Standards Components

2.7Paper & Board: Scales of Production

2.7.1Paper & Board: Scales of Production

2.7.2Exam-Style Questions - Scales of Production

2.8Paper & Board: Specialist Techniques & Processes

2.8.1Paper & Board: Techniques & Processes

2.8.2Paper & Board: Quality Control

2.9Paper & Board: Surface Treatments & Finishes

2.9.1Paper & Board: Surface Treatments & Finishes

2.9.2End of Topic Test - Specialist Techniques

3Timber: Specialist Technical Principles

3.1Timber: Selection of Materials

3.1.1Timber Based Materials

3.1.2Timber: Environment & Ethics

3.2Timber: Forces & Stresses

3.2.1Timber: Forces & Stresses

3.2.2Timber

3.3Timber: Ecological & Social Footprint

3.3.1Timber: Ecological & Social Footprint

3.3.2Timber: The Six Rs

3.3.3Timber: Social Issues

3.3.4Exam-Style Questions - Timber

3.4Timber: Sources & Origins

3.4.1Timber

3.4.2Timber: Processing & Seasoning

3.4.3Manufactured Board

3.4.4End of Topic Test - Timber

3.5Timber: Using Materials

3.5.1Timber: Properties of Materials

3.5.2Timber: Modification of Materials

3.5.3Timber: Shape & Form

3.5.4Timber: Shape & Form 2

3.6Timber: Stock Forms, Types & Sizes

3.6.1Timber: Stock Forms, Types & Sizes

3.7Timber: Scales of Production

3.7.1Timber: Scales of Production

3.8Timber: Specialist Techniques & Processes

3.8.1Timber: Tools, Equipment & Processes

3.8.2Timber: Tools, Equipment & Processes 2

3.8.3Timber: Quality Control

3.9Timber: Surface Treatments & Finishes

3.9.1Timber: Surface Treatments

3.9.2Timber: Finishes

3.9.3End of Topic Test - Specialist Techniques

4Metal: Specialist Technical Principles

4.1Metals: Selection of Materials

4.1.1Metal-Based Materials

4.1.2Ferrous Metals

4.1.3Non-Ferrous Metals

4.1.4Alloys

4.1.5Metals: Environment & Ethics

4.2Metals: Forces & Stresses

4.2.1Metals: Forces & Stresses

4.3Metals: Ecological & Social Footprint

4.3.1Metals: Ecological Footprint

4.3.2Metals: Social Footprint

4.3.3Metals: The Six R's

4.3.4Metals: Social Issues

4.4Metals: Sources & Origins

4.4.1Origins of Metal

4.4.2Processing Metals

4.5Metals: Alloy-Based Materials

4.5.1Types of Metal Alloys

4.5.2Alloying Elements

4.5.3Properties & Benefits

4.5.4Processing & Fabrication

4.5.5Applications of Alloys

4.5.6Metal Alloys in Industry

4.5.7Applications of Metal Alloys

4.6Metals: Using Materials

4.6.1Properties of Metals

4.6.2Modification of Metals

4.6.3Metals: Shape & Form

4.7Metals: Scales of Production

4.7.1Metals: Scales of Production

4.8Metals: Specialist Techniques & Processes

4.8.1Metals: Tools

4.8.2Metals: Tools & Equipment

4.8.3Metals: Cutting, Forming & Machining Processes

4.8.4Metals: Joining, Casting & Heat Treatment Process

4.9Metals: Quality Control

4.9.1Metals: Quality Control

4.9.2Metals: Quality Control Processes

4.10Metals: Surface Treatments & Finishes

4.10.1Metals: Surface Treatments

4.10.2Metals: Surface Treatments for Metals

4.10.3Metals: Finishes

4.10.4Metals: Finishing Techniques for Metals

5Polymers: Specialist Technical Principles

5.1Polymers

5.1.1Polymers: Functionality & Aesthetics

5.1.2Polymers: Environment & Ethics

5.1.3Polymers: Sources, Origins & Properties

5.1.4Polymers: Forces & Stresses

5.1.5Polymers: Ecological & Social Footprint

5.1.6Polymers: The Six R's

5.2Polymer Categories

5.2.1Categories of Polymers

5.2.2Thermoforming Polymers

5.2.3Thermosetting Polymers

5.3Polymer Forms

5.3.1Polymers: Stock Forms

5.3.2Polymers: Shape & Form

5.4Polymer Production, Techniques & Quality Control

5.4.1Polymers: Scales of Production

5.4.2Polymers: Specialist Techniques & Processes

5.4.3Polymers: Quality Control Systems: Tolerance

5.4.4Polymers: Finishes

6Textiles: Specialist Technical Principles

6.1Textile Materials

6.1.1Origin of Textiles

6.1.2Textile Industry

6.2Selection of Materials

6.2.1Natural Fibres

6.2.2Synthetic Fibres

6.2.3Environmental Concerns

6.2.4Environmental Impact

6.2.5Ethical Challenges

6.3Forces & Stresses

6.3.1Forces & Stresses

6.4Ecological & Social Footprint

6.4.1Ecological Footprint

6.4.2Social Footprint

6.4.3Addressing Ecological & Social Footprints

6.4.4The Six R's

6.4.5Labour Conditions

6.4.6Social Issues

6.4.7Addressing Social Issues

7Designing & Making Principles

7.1Investigation & Data

7.1.1Iterative Design

7.1.2Primary & Secondary Data

7.1.3Market Research

7.1.4Ergonomics

7.1.5Specifications

7.1.6End of Topic Test - Investigation & Data

7.1.7Exam-Style Questions - Specifications

7.2Environmental, Social & Economic Challenges

7.2.1Challenges

7.2.2Your Research

7.3The Work of Others

7.3.1Designers

7.3.2Architects

7.3.3Product Design

7.3.4Industrial Designers

7.3.5Product Design Companies

7.3.6Textile Design Companies

7.3.7End of Topic Test - The Work of Others

7.4Design Strategies

7.4.1Design Strategies

7.5Communication of Design Ideas

7.5.1Design Communication

7.6Prototype Development

7.6.1Prototype Development

7.7Selection of Materials

7.7.1Materials

7.8Tolerances

7.8.1Tolerances

7.9Material Management

7.9.1Managing Material

7.9.2Tools

7.10Specialist Equipment

7.10.1Health & Safety

7.11Specialist Techniques & Processes

7.11.1Specialist Techniques & Processes

7.11.2Surface Finishes

7.11.3End of Topic Test - Designing & Making

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