A home cook follows recipes on a tablet, but it keeps sliding into spills and the screen gets smeared with flour. They need a stand that holds it upright, p...

(a) Four functional points [4 marks]

1. Viewing angle for standing use — The stand must hold a tablet at an angle between 60 and 75 degrees from horizontal. This range positions the screen perpendicular to the line of sight of someone standing at a kitchen worktop (approximately 900 mm high), so the recipe is readable without bending down. A shallower angle would reflect overhead kitchen lighting; a steeper angle would make the tablet top-heavy and prone to falling forward. [1]
2. Splash protection without screen obstruction — The splash guard must shield the tablet screen from cooking splashes (oil, water, flour) without covering the display. A clear panel positioned in front of the screen allows the user to read every line of the recipe while keeping liquids away from the device. The guard should extend at least 20 mm beyond the tablet edges. [1]
3. Accommodation of different device thicknesses — The front lip must hold both a thin tablet (approximately 7 mm thick) and a thicker recipe book (up to 25 mm). A groove or adjustable ledge at the base of the stand accommodates this range without the device sliding or leaning too far forward. [1]
4. Easy to wipe clean — Kitchen surfaces accumulate flour, oil, and food residues. The stand must have smooth, sealed surfaces with no crevices that trap food particles. All surfaces should be wipeable with a damp cloth. This rules out materials with open pores or textured finishes that would harbour bacteria. [1]

(b) Two folding methods [4 marks]

Method 1 — Piano hinge fold: The back support panel folds flat against the base using a continuous brass piano hinge along the bottom edge. When the stand is set up, a prop strut (a narrow strip of material) pivots on a bolt at the back of the base and locks into a notch on the rear of the back panel to hold it at the desired angle. When folding, the strut is released from the notch and lies flat, then the back panel folds down onto the base. The collapsed unit is approximately 15-20 mm thick. [2]

Method 2 — Sliding rail collapse: The back panel has two tongues that slide vertically into grooves cut in the base. When in use, the panel is pulled up to full height and locked with a spring-loaded catch (a small metal ball that snaps into a detent hole). To collapse, the catch is pressed in and the panel slides down into the grooves until it is flush with the base. This mechanism has no exposed hinges but requires precise groove cutting for a smooth sliding action. [2]

(c) Three design ideas [12 marks]

Idea 1 — A-frame easel with acrylic splash guard: Two legs form an A-frame at the back, with a clear acrylic splash guard panel hinged to the front of the back support. A front lip holds the tablet. The two legs fold flat. This design has three pivot points (two legs and the splash guard hinge), which increases the number of potential failure points and makes the folding sequence more complex. [4]

Idea 2 — Single-piece bent acrylic Z-profile: A single sheet of acrylic is heated and bent into a shallow Z-shape. The top section leans backward as the splash guard, the middle section is the back support for the tablet, and the bottom section is the base. No moving parts, no hinges. The main drawback is that this design cannot fold flat, so it would not fit in a kitchen drawer. [4]

Idea 3 — Timber base with hinged back panel and removable splash guard: A solid base (bamboo board) with a front lip holds the tablet. A back panel is hinged to the rear edge of the base with a piano hinge. A folding prop strut locks the back panel at 70 degrees. A clear acrylic splash guard clips into slots routed across the top of the back panel and can be removed for separate cleaning. The entire unit folds to approximately 20 mm thick. The removable splash guard is an advantage because it can be washed under a tap while the timber parts are wiped dry. [4]

(d) Evaluation and justification [8 marks]

Idea 1 (A-frame easel) — Strengths: adjustable angle via leg positioning. Weaknesses: too many pivot points that could loosen with repeated use; complex folding sequence.

Idea 2 (Bent acrylic Z) — Strengths: no moving parts; completely waterproof. Weaknesses: cannot fold flat, so it fails the brief's storage requirement; the fixed angle cannot be adjusted.

Idea 3 (Timber base + hinged panel) — Strengths: strong bamboo base; removable splash guard for easy cleaning; single-hinge folding is simple and reliable; folds to 20 mm. Weaknesses: the prop strut adds one extra component.

Chosen idea: Idea 3. It best satisfies all the brief's requirements: the hinged back panel provides strong, adjustable support, the removable acrylic splash guard can be cleaned independently, and the single-hinge fold produces a flat profile that fits in a standard kitchen drawer. The bamboo construction is naturally water-resistant and food-safe. [8]

(e) Full solution — construction details [12 marks]

The solution is drawn in third-angle orthographic projection (front, side, and plan views).

• Base: 250 mm wide x 150 mm deep x 12 mm thick bamboo board. A 15 mm tall front lip (bamboo strip, 250 mm x 15 mm x 12 mm) is glued to the front edge to hold the tablet base. A groove (5 mm wide, 5 mm deep) is cut along the inner face of the lip to locate the tablet edge.
• Back panel: 250 mm wide x 200 mm tall x 12 mm thick bamboo board. Hinged to the back edge of the base with a 250 mm brass piano hinge (screwed with 10 mm No. 4 countersunk brass screws). Two slots (4 mm wide, 100 mm long, 10 mm deep) are routed across the top of the back panel, positioned 30 mm in from each side, to receive the splash guard clips.
• Prop strut: 150 mm x 15 mm x 6 mm bamboo strip, pivoting on a 4 mm shoulder bolt through a clearance hole at one end (attached to the rear of the base). The free end locks into a V-notch cut in the rear face of the back panel to hold it at 70 degrees.
• Splash guard: 250 mm x 150 mm x 3 mm clear acrylic sheet. Two 4 mm tangs (10 mm long) project downward from the bottom edge and clip into the routed slots in the back panel.

(f) Materials [4 marks]

1. Bamboo board (12 mm) for the base, back panel, front lip, and prop strut. Bamboo is naturally water-resistant due to its silica content, which is essential for a kitchen product exposed to splashes. It is harder than most hardwoods (Janka hardness approximately 1380), so it resists dents and wear. It wipes clean easily with a damp cloth. Bamboo is food-safe and can be sealed with mineral oil. Its pale, even colour gives a clean, modern kitchen aesthetic. [2]
2. Clear acrylic sheet (3 mm) for the splash guard. Acrylic is transparent (the recipe remains fully visible through the guard), completely waterproof (it will not absorb cooking liquids), rigid enough at 3 mm thickness to stand without flexing, and lightweight (approximately 30 g for this panel size). It can be cleaned with warm soapy water without damage. [2]

(g) Manufacturing the back panel [6 marks]

1. Mark out: Mark a rectangle 250 mm x 200 mm on 12 mm bamboo board using a pencil, steel rule, and try square. [1]
2. Cut to size: Cut to size using a tenon saw and bench hook, cutting on the waste side of the line. Check the cut edge is square with a try square. [1]
3. Rout splash guard slots: Mark two slots across the top edge, each 4 mm wide, 100 mm long, and 10 mm deep, positioned 30 mm in from each side. Cut the slots using a tenon saw for the walls and a 4 mm bevel-edged chisel to remove the waste between the saw cuts, paring to a uniform 10 mm depth. [1]
4. Drill hinge holes: Drill three evenly spaced pilot holes along the bottom edge (for the piano hinge screws) using a 2 mm drill bit in a pillar drill, with a depth stop to avoid drilling through. [1]
5. Cut prop strut notch: Cut a V-notch (5 mm wide, 8 mm deep) on the rear face of the panel at a position that produces a 70-degree angle when the strut is engaged. [1]
6. Finish: Sand all surfaces and edges to 240-grit. Apply a coat of food-safe mineral oil with a cloth and allow to soak in for 30 minutes, then wipe off excess. The oil penetrates the bamboo fibres and creates a water-repellent surface without forming a film that could chip. [1]