The Brief

The new specifications for short course in GCSE Design and Technology focus strongly on the processes of designing and making. They allow students to build on the skills and knowledge that they acquired following the KS3 Design and Technology strategy by designing and making a small scale, quality product.

'Candidates are required to produce a prototype product that can be marketed. The underlying influence on the project should be that the product will be the first batch of 50, realised in school/college with the facilities that are available. The candidate will realise the first prototype of this product. The evidence to be submitted for assessment must include a 3 dimensional product with a concise portfolio (including evidence of modelling) and/or appropriate ICT Evidence.'

Assignment:

'MP3 players are very popular and ideally suited for individual listening. Sometimes however it is useful to amplify sound so that the device can be listened to without the restriction of headphones or a small group of people can listen to it together.'

The above is a typical context taken from a GCSE Short Course specification.

Your task is to design and manufacture a prototype product in response to this context that incorporates the given amplifier circuit. CAD/CAM is to be used extensively in the development of your prototype. This will bea corporate ,freebie, used to promote the launch of one of the following new ventures:

• an energy sports drink
• a product to be used on the set of the movie Tron Legacy
• a high speed commuter rail network
• a web based information service for the 2012 Olympics

Pro Engineer and Corel Draw should be used to refine and develop the product's shape, form and function. The prototype should be manufactured using CAM equipment (eg. laser cutter, Fused Deposition Modeller, CNC router, sublimation printer etc) as the principal of production.