MATSEC SEC Design and Technology study plan
MATSEC SEC Design and Technology · Give each week a clear focus.
8 weeks · About 6 hours per week
Design process and problem solving
Map the full design cycle (brief, research, specification, ideation, development, testing, evaluation) and write a one-page summary of each stage from memory
Convert three given design briefs into weighted product design specifications listing at least eight measurable criteria each
Generate and annotate 20 distinct concept sketches for one brief, then justify eliminating 17 of them against the specification
Produce a simple Gantt-style plan and a morphological chart for one of the briefs
Your checkpoint
A 4-page design portfolio section for one brief containing the brief analysis, weighted specification, 20 annotated concepts with elimination rationale, and a project plan
Design process and problem solving & Materials and their properties
Apply a formal evaluation matrix to compare four competing concept solutions and defend the winning choice in writing
Classify ten common workshop materials (softwood, hardwood, manufactured board, ferrous and non-ferrous metal, thermoplastic, thermoset) by origin, structure and typical use
Match material properties (tensile strength, hardness, malleability, thermal conductivity, moisture resistance) to the correct material family with a worked example each
Explain how grain direction, anisotropy and seasoning affect the behaviour of timber in a product
Your checkpoint
A comparison table of 10 materials across 6 properties plus a 400-word written justification of the material choice for the week-1 design
Materials and their properties & Manufacturing processes and techniques
Describe the difference between addition, subtraction, forming and joining processes and give two workshop examples of each
Sequence the stages of injection moulding, vacuum forming and extrusion, naming the equipment and a suitable product for each
Explain how a manufacturing process choice constrains material choice, surface finish and unit cost, using three worked examples
Identify the health, environmental and cost implications of at least three finishing processes (paint, varnish, anodising, galvanising)
Your checkpoint
A one-page process-selection flowchart plus a 500-word case study of how one household product would be manufactured at batch and mass scale
Tools, equipment and workshop safety & Manufacturing processes and techniques
Name the correct hand tool and machine for 15 given workshop operations (cross-cutting, ripping, drilling, turning, filing, tapping, soldering)
State the specific hazard, control measure and required PPE for ten workshop activities including power saw use, lathe work and soldering
Draft a risk assessment for a small project, covering hazard, likelihood, severity and control
Describe quality-control checks (dimensional tolerance, squareness, surface finish) applied at three stages of making
Your checkpoint
A completed risk assessment form for one practical project plus a 20-row tool-and-operation matching sheet with safety notes
Technical drawing, communication and CAD
Produce a correctly dimensioned and titled orthographic third-angle drawing (front, plan, end elevation) of a simple bracket
Draw an isometric view of the same object from its orthographic views, keeping to standard isometric axes
Apply British Standard conventions for line types, dimensioning, sectioning and tolerances on two drawings
Recreate one of the drawings in a CAD package, export it, and list three advantages and two limitations of CAD over manual drafting
Your checkpoint
A drawing set for one component: hand-drawn orthographic views, an isometric view, and a CAD-exported version with a short written comparison
Mechanisms, structures and control systems
Calculate mechanical advantage, velocity ratio and efficiency for three lever, pulley and gear systems
Identify the four types of motion and match two mechanisms to each type with a labelled sketch
Analyse a simple frame or beam problem for load, reaction and compression/tension members
Explain how an input, process and output control system applies to one everyday device, naming sensor, controller and actuator
Your checkpoint
A worked problem set of eight mechanism and structure calculations plus a labelled system diagram of one controlled device
Energy, electricity and electronics
Apply Ohm's law and power equations to solve five circuits with series and parallel resistors
Read and draw standard circuit symbols and construct a labelled schematic for a simple LED-and-switch circuit
Compare renewable and non-renewable energy sources on efficiency, cost and environmental impact in a short table
Explain the function of a resistor, capacitor, diode and transistor in a circuit with one example each
Your checkpoint
A 10-question self-marked electricity problem set with full working plus one annotated schematic and a component-function summary table
Design in context: sustainability, ergonomics and society & Design process and problem solving
Apply the six Rs (rethink, refuse, reduce, reuse, recycle, repair) to critique an existing product and propose three design improvements
Carry out an anthropometric and ergonomic check of a hand tool, listing at least five dimensions and their design implications
Evaluate a product against social, ethical and sustainability criteria using a structured matrix
Sit one full timed past-paper or mock under exam conditions and review every error against the syllabus
Your checkpoint
A 600-word product evaluation report covering sustainability and ergonomics, plus a completed timed mock with a written error-analysis log
Milestones
Week 2: Can write a weighted specification and a defensible concept-selection justification for an unseen brief in under 30 minutes, scoring at least 7/10 on a self-marked checklist
Week 4: Can match tools to operations and state hazards and controls for any workshop task without notes; risk assessment passes a self-audit against a 10-point safety checklist
Week 6: Scores at least 75% on a self-made 20-question test covering domains 1-6, with all mechanism calculations shown and correct
Week 8: Completes a full mock paper within time and scores at least 70%, with every incorrect answer traced to a named syllabus topic and a revision action