Making (Graphic products option)
Overview
Once a graphic product has been designed, it has to be made, and increasingly that means computer aided manufacture (CAM): machines such as digital printers, vinyl cutters, laser cutters and plotters that take a design file and turn it into a finished item with very little human handling. For graphic products this is how labels, packaging nets, signs, stickers and point-of-sale displays are produced quickly and consistently.
This topic asks you to weigh up what CAM offers against what it costs. Understanding why a laser cutter produces a thousand identical packaging nets perfectly but cannot easily be justified for a single one-off, and why the link from CAD to CAM cuts out so much human error, is the kind of balanced judgement the examiner is looking for.
Objectives
- understand the advantages and disadvantages of using computer-aided manufacture (CAM) to make products.
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Lesson Evaluation
Congratulations on completing the lesson on Making (Graphic products option). Now that youve explored the key concepts and ideas, its time to put your knowledge to the test. This section offers a variety of practice questions designed to reinforce your understanding and help you gauge your grasp of the material.
You will encounter a mix of question types, including multiple-choice questions, short answer questions, and essay questions. Each question is thoughtfully crafted to assess different aspects of your knowledge and critical thinking skills.
Use this evaluation section as an opportunity to reinforce your understanding of the topic and to identify any areas where you may need additional study. Don't be discouraged by any challenges you encounter; instead, view them as opportunities for growth and improvement.
- Which of the following is an advantage of using CAM to make graphic products? A. It is always cheaper than hand making, even for a single item B. Every item is produced to the same exact, consistent specification C. It never requires any skilled setup D. It works without electricity Answer: B
- Why is CAM usually a poor choice for making a single, simple one-off item? A. CAM cannot make simple shapes B. The high setup cost is spread over just one item C. CAM produces inconsistent results D. One-off items are not allowed to use machines Answer: B
- Which CAM machine would most suitably cut self-adhesive lettering for shop signage? A. Digital printer B. Vinyl cutter C. Sewing machine D. Word processor Answer: B
- How does making a packaging net with CAD and CAM reduce human error compared with hand methods? A. It needs more manual measuring B. The machine cuts directly from the file, removing manual marking out C. It makes every net deliberately different D. It avoids using any design file Answer: B
- For which scale of production is CAM almost always worthwhile? A. A single one-off prototype B. Mass or continuous production of identical items C. Never, in any situation D. Only when no design file exists Answer: B
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