How does the theory of design technology connect with real world manufacturing?

Last week, our Grade 11 design technology students went on a trip to Scotland and visited multiple manufacturing companies in order to gain understanding of processes used for a range of resilient materials. They visited a company that makes wings and spoilers for both Airbus and Boeing as well as a sheet metal manufacturer, a high-end hi-fi component manufacturer, an automotive component maker, a textile mill and a traditional distillery.

For their last day, the trip was rounded off by a tour of The Kelpies, two imposing horse sculptures, where the students focused on the construction, materials and problem-solving that went into the realisation of the project.

Read here what two of the students say about the trip:

“All the places we went to were extremely interesting and different from one another. However, they all seemed to have one thing in common which was the way they approach design. I learned that for a long time we have designed for function to make our lives easier but this is quite complicated and so now we try to design for manufacturing to make the companies jobs easier and more productive. In the future it would be best to design for sustainability. However, with our current technology it is nearly impossible to design for all three but it was interesting to see how these different companies and factories adapt to all three.” – Catarina

“The design trip was a unique experience that provided me with a insight into the production and manufacturing of products that are commonly used. The trip helped me understand the value of every product, especially after seeing and considering the process of production.” - Sampreeti