Design and Technology – Thermometer Screen Project

Build a Thermometer Screen........

Design and Technology – Thermometer Screen Project

Name___________ Date ___________

Designing & Evaluating Level 1

•Evaluate the process and product, identifying where improvements have been made. •Clarify ideas using words, labelled sketches and models.

Level 2•Designs show how the product will function.•Communicate a range of ideas using words, labelled sketches and models. •Reflect on the development of design ideas. •Identify what is working well and what could be improved.

Level 3 •Clarify the ideas using discussion, drawing and modelling. •Use analysis of products in the development of own products.•Test Product.•Evaluate it in the situation it has to function.•Evaluate use made of information

Level 4•Use models and drawings to explore and test designs.•Discuss ideas with user and develop detailed criteria. •Use research results in final proposals.•Evaluate the effectiveness of research.•Evaluate product in use and identify the improvements necessary.

Targets.......

I think I did particularly well on ...............................................................................................................................................................................................................I need to improve on ...............................................................................................................................................................................................................................

Name_______________ Date________________

Level 5•Use research to develop ideas.•Communicate ideas using a variety of media.•Explore other peoples needs to develop realistic designs.•Select evaluation techniques to show performance of product in use. •Suggest some modifications to improve performance. •Provide explanations that clearly state why changes were necessary.


My target level is..............IntroductionIn this project you will have the opportunity to design and make a prototype Thermometer Screen. Before starting you will need to think about how a Thermometer screen works. The current Met Office screens are based on an original design by Thomas Stevenson (1818-1887) and rely on natural ventilation. This design guide will help you through your design process. Sketch, draw, write down in a neat fashion ideas and thoughts as you work though this guide. You will need these notes to help you produce your final design presentation.

Situation: Measuring the temperature of the air isn't easy!

• Direct sunshine heats it, rain or snow can cool it.• It should not let water in but has to allow air from outside in , so waterproof but

not air tight!• It has to be able to give temperature reading s accurately, and regularly without

the need for adjustment or maintenance.• What colour will it be, will your choice effect the performance.• Think about the location of the thermometer screen in a typical garden. It will

need to be robust enough to cope in this situations.• Needs to be easy to open to allow access to thermometer and for cleaning.• How will it hold the thermometer?• Will it be a manual reading thermometer or an electrical resistance thermometer,

how will this effect the design.• Will it need a power source? How long will it last?• How will you know if your screens design is effective?• Is your design effecting the readings of your thermometer?

AnalysisLimitations – What might hold me back? • Time • Construction methods• Cost • • Resources – what can I use to make the ThermometerScreen • Tools, saw, hole cutter, spanner, drill

with drill bits, • Permanent marker, compass for

marking out.• Ruler, tape measure.• Bench clamp.

Materials Available• Thermometer, long shaft• Plastic pipe• Metal threaded rods & harware.• MDF /Wood sheet• Cable ties• Glue• Silicon sealant.

Name_______________ Date________________


Enter your picture/s here Enter your picture/s here

Cut out from a unwanted catalogue, print out from internet or simply sketch examples of thermometer screenLabel good and bad features and label materials used to make the thermometer screen

Enter your picture/s hereEnter your picture/s here

Name_______________ Date________________


Very large, steps required!Might be difficult to see thermometers.Looks strong and sturdy.Would be difficult to build, and would take up alot of space.Appears to made of wood for the screen and metal for the stand.

Good height for viewing the thermometer.All-round ventilation, so good temperature stability.Many parts so difficult to manufacture and assemble.Appears to be made from plastic and metal for the stand

Small and compact,Easy to manufacture.Will only hold small thermometers.Easy to install anywhere.Appears difficult to read thermometer, probably only used for digital temperature probesAppears to be made from plastic

Front opening, would be easy to read thermometer.More complex design, more difficult to build/design.Not ventilated on all sides, possibly poor temperature stability.Appears to be made from plastic,

NEEDS OR REQUIREMENTS REASON

1 The thermometer must be protected from the sun.

Reduces the effect of direct heating on the thermometer

2 Suitable for a typical garden Not to big, does not take up an unacceptable amount of space in the garden

3 Must be robust Will be outside so must be able to withstand the British weather.

4 Must be stable, will not fall over. Could cause damage to screen, thermometer

5 Must be easy to access For reading the thermometer and cleaning of the screen.

6 Must hold the thermometer securely Do not want to drop the thermometer as will damage it.

7 Must be predominantly white. Will reflect heat from the sun

8 Must be ventilated Will allow ait flow, so thermometer will measure air temperature.

9 Any metal parts should be stainless steel Will stop corrosion and failure of the screen.

10 Must be weather proof, ie will not degrade in wet or hot weather.

Will give long term use of the screen

11 Easy to manufacture from simple components This will help keep costs down

12 Easy to build from components without any special tools

Easier to make if only a few tools are required.

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SPEC

IFIC

ATIO

NMarking:

Tick the box only if you have satisfied that need

Marked by:

You Peer Trainer What you have to do:

Have you written down a list of the requirements that the design must satisfy?

Does the list include at least five different types of requirement? For example: what it looks like, the needs of the person using it, cost, safety, size, how it will work, materials available and tools required.

Have you taken users' views into account? Does the list include the things that limit what can be made?

Can you show that the list considers the needs of the people who will use the product?

Have you explained why each is important?

Are the features of similar products mentioned in the specification

Does the explanation say how similar products look and work, and what this means for the product?

Effort grade awarded:

1

2

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4Your specification would be Even Better If....

Name_______________ Date________________

Design and Technology – Thermometer Screen Project Before starting to design it is a good idea to list down all the requirements for the container and explain the reasons for each requirement. This is known as a specification, we have started for you. Think of some more, include who will be the user of the screen.

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TASK . Spend this lesson drawing your first initial design idea for a thermometer screen. Label the materials and features of the design. Then evaluate your idea by writing about its good points and bad points. Look at the specification from last lesson—does it meet the specification you set?

INIT

IAL

IDEA

1

Evaluation of Idea 1

Good Points• • • • •

Bad Points

• • • • •

Vanishing Point


Name_______________ Date________________

TASK . Spend this lesson drawing your second initial design idea for a thermometer screen. Label the materials and features of the design. Then evaluate your idea by writing about its good points and bad points. Look at the specification from last lesson—does it meet the specification you set?

INIT

IAL

IDEA

2


Good Points• • • • •

Bad Points

• • • • •

Vanishing Point


TASK . Spend this lesson drawing your third initial design idea for a thermometer screen. Label the materials and features of the design. Then evaluate your idea by writing about its good points and bad points. Look at the specification from last lesson—does it meet the specification you set?

INIT

IAL

IDEA

3


Good Points• • •

Bad Points

• • •

Vanishing Point

I have decided to develop design number.......Because ........................................................ ...................................................................... ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Marking:

Tick the box only if you have satisfied that need. The overall level achieved must have all of the boxes

above it in that column ticked

Marked by:

You Peer Trainer

What you have to do:

Have you sketched three or more ideas?

Are there labels on every sketch?

Are there at least three clearly different ideas?

Have you shown that you take into consideration the specification in your ideas?

Have you labelled what is different between each idea?

Have you written about which idea is best and explained why?

Have you included comments about what users think of your ideas?

Level Achieved:

Teacher Comment – to improve, you should....

Name_______________ Date________________


Name_______________ Date________________

ORT

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GDesign and Technology – Thermometer Screen Project

TASK . Spend this homework completing a flowchart of the stages of construction of the thermometer screen? Describe each stage giving as much detail as possible about the tools, materials and quality points at each stage.

Plan

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Mak

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Start

Finish


Manufacture the 3 Wood/MDF sheet components. (Item1, Item2, Item3)Ensure edges are neat and rounded off.

Manufacture the x7 120mm diameter plastic pipe sections.Ensure cuts are perpendicular to axis, and that all edges are smoothed off.

Manufacture the 150mm outer body.Mark out positions of ventilation holes and drill out all to same diameter.Ensure cuts all edges are smoothed off.

Cut the x3 43.0cm threaded rods to lengths.Cut the x2 3.5cm threaded rods to lengthCut the x1 21.0cm threaded rod to length.Ensure the cut ends are filed down to remove and sharp edges.

All parts are now constructed.

TASK . Write step by step assembly notes, that will help you build the screen. Include diagrams if necessary.

BUIL

D IT

!Construction / Assembly Notes:

Name_______________ Date________________


1. Insert a 430mm M5 threaded rod into one of the holes in item1 Secure in place with an M5 lock nut on the under side and an M5 nut on the top side. Ensure that the threaded rod only protrudes from the lock washer by 3mm.

2. Repeat this procedure for the other two 430mm M5 threaded rods. 3. Locate the first 125mm plastic tube section between the rods and nuts on the top of the sheet.4. Thread an M5 nut onto a rod and spin it down the thread till the top of the nut is level with the top of the tube section.5. Put an M6 washer on the rod and allow to fall to the nut. Thread another nut onto the rod and spin it down to the washer and tighten

the two nuts together capturing the washer, the bottom of the washer should be in contact with the top of the 125mm tube section.6. Put an M6 washer on the rod and allow to fall to the nut. Thread another nut onto the rod and spin it down to the washer and tighten

the three nuts/ two washers together. This upper washer will be the capture point for the next tube section.7. Repeat 4-6 for the other two rods.8. There now should be a captured 125mm tube on item1.9. Drop another 125mm tube down the rods and ensure it sits on the uppermost washer on all three rods.10. Repeat 4-6 for all three rods for the new tube section, ensuring all nuts are tight and that the washers capture the new tube section.11. The final tube section only require one washer per rod to hold the section in place.12. Take the 150mm diameter tube and carefully slide this tube over the 125mm/M5 rods. Adjustment of the position of the washers may

be required to allow the 150mm tube to slide over them. The 150mm diameter tube should be slide all the way down to the base (item1).

13. Take the x2 35mm threaded rods and screw them into the two 5mm holes drilled 75mm apart. Ensure 10mm of each thread protrudes through the top side of Item2. Secure in place with a washer and lock nut on the under side. These rods will be used to hold the cap in place.

14. Take Item2 and locate the tops of the 430mm rods in the holes located at 73mm from the middle, ensure the 35mm rod section without the nuts is upwards.

15. Secure Item2 on the 430mm rods with M5 butterfly nuts.16. Take item3 and run the 210mm rod through the hole that is offset from the centre by 15mm. Secure in place with a washer and nut on

the under side and a washer and locknut on the upper side. Ensure no rod protrudes out of the lock washer.17. Using cable ties carefully secure the thermometer to the long length of rod on the underside of item3. Ensure the cable ties are placed

outside the range of -10°C to +30°C.18. Carefully drop the thermometer assembly into the 50mm hole in the top. The two stubs of rod protruding from item2 should locate

into the holes of item3. Secure item3 in place with M5 butterfly nuts.

BUIL

D IT

!Issues during build / Design Tweeks.• Marking up of tubing problematic as drawing parallel lines on tube difficult.• Filing of end of M5 rods required to enable nut to catch on thread properly.• Time consuming to thread nuts onto rod, care required!• Mounting rod for the thermometer required covering in heatshrink to stop thread marking the

thermometer.• Cable ties that hold the thermometer to the rod may at times obstruct the reading on the

thermometer.• Ventilation and drain hole required in the base.

Name_______________ Date________________

Design and Technology – Thermometer Screen Project TASK . Build your screen, write down any issues, design tweeks, additional construction diagrams or instruction that would have helped in the construction

Name_______________ Date________________

TASK . Think how you are going to make sure your design is working correctly? How are you going to test it? Which of your requirements of the design are you going to test. Describe a testing / calibration procedure to prove your design.

TEST

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Testing Your Design• Compare hourly manual readings from the screen to readings from a Met Office AWS (Automatic Weather station).• Try and do this on days of different weather to see if there are any effects on the readings.• Will have to find a suitable location for the screen to reduce effects of shad, shielding from wind, reflected sun, etc• Keep a record of any issues found with the construction such as water ingress, loose fittings, deterioration of build etc..


TASK . Test your design and write up your results and any conclusions you can draw from them.

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Test Results:


From these results it appears the screen performs well.However there appears to be an increasing positive offset in warmer weather. Perhaps there is not enough ventilation in the screen. It would be a good idea to perform further tests in warm weather.

EVA

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Evaluation question Further Explanation and detail.

What went well with the design and build

Manufacturing of the items for the screen was easy, the screen is well braced with the nuts and washers and is sturdy, and the overall look of the screen is sleek and modern.

What didn't go well with the design and build

It was fiddly to get the nuts and washers in the correct position, and also time consuming. Water ingress an issue.

If you could design it again, how would you do it differently?

Devise a different method for holding the inner sections apart, cutting down on assembly time. Also put ventilation and drainage holes in the base.

What did the test of the thermometer screen show?

Appeared to do very well, however there appears to be an offset for warmer temperatures. Further investigation required at warmer temperatures to ensure screen is not heating up.

Marking:

Tick the box only if you have satisfied that need. The overall level achieved must have all of the boxes above it in

that column ticked

Marked by:

You Peer Trainer What is needed:

You can write about what went well, what didn't go well and what needs improving.

Have you listed some of the steps in making the rain gauge that gave good quality results?

Have you listed the features of the product that are successful? Note: look back at your specification and include points from your specification, e.g. what the product looks like as well as how it is used.

Have you listed at least four improvements that could be made to the making process or the final product?

Did you test the product in use?

Have you explained how well you used the information from your research?

Have you explained how you tested the rain gauge in use?

Have you listed at least two improvements that could be made in the product from testing?

Have you identified what extra information at the research phase would have helped you to design a better product?


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4Your evaluation would be Even Better If ........


Name_______________ Date________________

End of Project Checklist Checked by

Situation, brief and analysis sheet completed

Research into existing Thermometer Screens

Research powerpoint presentation into components of Thermometer Screens complete

Specification on all important points for the Thermometer Screens

At least 3 initial ideas drawn out and evaluated

Chosen idea drawn out in perspective, clearly labelled and colour shaded

Orthographic drawing (full size) of chosen idea

Production plan on how to make a Thermometer Screen

Testing carried out and evidence completed

End of Project Evaluation

Marking:

Tick the box only if you have satisfied that need. The overall level achieved must have all of

the boxes above it in that column ticked

Marked by:

You Peer Trainer What is needed:

Have you described or sketched the design that you planned to make?

Have you described or sketched what you actually made?

Have you explained any differences between the design and final product?

Have you listed the steps of the making process that were easy to use or gave a good quality result?

Have you listed the features of the product that are working well?Note: This can include what the product looks like as well as how it is used.

Have you listed at least four improvements that could be made to the making process or final product?Have you explained how the way you tested the product compares to how it will be used?

Have you reviewed how well you used the information from your research?


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Evaluation:1. Describe in detail exactly what you

designed as your chosen idea. A good way of doing this is to imagine that you were explaining your idea over the telephone.

2. What went well in making your Thermometer Screen?

3. What didn't go well?4. Now explain in detail what could

have been improved or what you managed to improve.

Photo or sketch of completed product:

Teacher comment – to improve, you should ........


Design and Technology – Thermometer Screen Project

Documents

development of design

design process

design guide

prototype thermometer

original design

use models

use research

range of ideas