Explain why a manufacturer applies a finish to a product, referring to protection, appearance and cost. [5]

Assessment: Design & Technology: Product Design 9252 | Paper 1 Mock 01 | Technical, designing and making principles Subject: Design & Technology: Product Design - 9252

Question 1 Report

Explain why a manufacturer applies a finish to a product, referring to protection, appearance and cost. [5]

Answer Details

Manufacturers apply finishes to make a product last, give it the required appearance and achieve this at a realistic manufacturing cost.

  1. Protection: a finish seals the surface from moisture, chemicals and abrasion. On metals this helps prevent corrosion; on timber it helps prevent water absorption, swelling and rot. This increases the product’s service life. [2]
  2. Appearance: finishes provide controlled colour, gloss and texture. They can hide small surface defects and give products a consistent appearance that customers may associate with good quality. [2]
  3. Cost: preparation, application and curing take time, energy and equipment. Therefore, the manufacturer should select the cheapest finish that meets the product requirement, rather than automatically selecting the highest-performance finish available. [1]

Exam focus: protection needs a cause-and-effect link: the finish blocks damaging agents, so the material deteriorates more slowly.

Read lesson note on Surface Treatments And Finishes (OxfordAQA)
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