Timber Manufacturing Processes and Scales of Production
How timber is cut and shaped (sawing, routing, mortises, bag presses), the four scales of production from one-off to continuous, and the techniques that make many identical parts accurately.
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Making things from timber 🪵
A design can be made as a **one-off** by hand, or in the **thousands** on a production line. The way a timber product is cut, shaped and made depends on how many are needed. This module covers the main **cutting and shaping processes**, the four **scales of production**, and the techniques used to make many identical products accurately.
Cutting and shaping 🔑
Key processes for working timber:
Match the process 🔗
- Sawing
- Routing
- Cutting a mortise
- Using a bag press
- Cutting timber to size or shape
- Cutting grooves and shaped edges
- Making a slot for a mortise-and-tenon joint
- Pressing veneers into a curved laminated shape
Which process? 🎯
Which process is used to make a curved shape by pressing thin layers of veneer over a former?
- Using a bag press
- Sawing
- Routing
- Cutting a mortise
Scales of production 🪜
An interactive activity.
One-off vs mass ⚖️
The two extremes of production suit very different products.
Choose the scale 📋
A carpenter makes a single, unique dining table for one customer. Which scale of production is this?
- One-off production
- Batch production
- Mass production
- Continuous production
Making many the same 💡
To make many identical products accurately, manufacturers use special techniques: - **Jigs, fixtures and templates** guide the tools so every part is the same - **Marking-out** from reference points, lines and surfaces keeps parts accurate - **CAM** (computer-aided manufacturing) and **sub-assembly** speed up production - **Quality control** and working within **tolerance** keep parts within allowed limits, while efficient cutting **minimises waste**
Quantity-production techniques ✅
Select the TWO techniques used to make many identical timber parts accurately.
- Using a jig to guide the tools
- Using a template to mark out each part the same
- Measuring by eye each time
- Designing each part differently
The processes in words 🧱
Timber is cut to size by _____ and shaped with a _____. A single bespoke item is made by _____ production, while huge numbers of identical items are made by _____ production. To keep every part the same, workers use jigs and _____.
Spot the shaping processes 🖍️
An interactive activity.
Choose the production scale 🏭
An interactive activity.
Choose and justify ✍️
An interactive activity.