NSSCO Design and Technology (6187) study guide
NSSCO Design and Technology (6187) · Work through your exam, one topic at a time.
The NSSCO Design and Technology (6187) is a Namibia Senior Secondary Certificate Ordinary Level subject for learners who want to move from drawing ideas to making real products. It suits candidates who enjoy solving practical problems, working with materials in a workshop, and explaining design decisions in writing and sketches. The NSSCO Design and Technology (6187) study guide has 9 sections and about 3,148 words.
01Design process and problem solving
The Design process and problem solving domain examines whether you can move from an identified need to a justified solution. Expect questions on design briefs, specifications, idea generation, modelling, testing and evaluation, and on how constraints such as cost, safety, materials and user needs shape decisions.
341 words, about 2 min02Communication and graphic techniques
Communication and graphic techniques checks whether you can record and communicate design information accurately. Questions may cover freehand sketching, isometric and orthographic views, dimensioning, scale, line conventions, sectioning, and simple CAD conventions.
369 words, about 2 min03Materials and their properties
Materials and their properties tests selection, not memorised lists. You need to distinguish ferrous and non-ferrous metals, alloys, thermoplastics and thermosets, natural and manufactured timber, and composites, then justify a material from service conditions.
354 words, about 2 min04Tools, equipment and workshop safety
Tools, equipment and workshop safety tests whether you can choose the right tool, use it correctly and control risk. Expect identification of hand tools and machines, maintenance checks, PPE selection, machine guarding, and safe sequencing.
361 words, about 2 min05Manufacturing processes and joining techniques
Manufacturing processes and joining techniques tests how a product moves from material to finished item. Questions cover cutting and shaping, forming, casting and moulding, jigs and fixtures, tolerances, quality control, and permanent or temporary joints.
335 words, about 2 min06Mechanisms, structures and control
Mechanisms, structures and control tests how motion and force are transmitted and how structures stay stable. Expect levers, linkages, gears, pulleys, belts, chains, cams, types of motion, force diagrams, triangulation, and simple open- and closed-loop control.
346 words, about 2 min07Energy, electricity and electronics
Energy, electricity and electronics tests safe circuit reasoning and energy calculations. Expect forms and conversions of energy, power and efficiency, Ohm's law, series and parallel circuits, component symbols and polarity, resistors for LEDs, simple sensors and transistor switching, and renewable sources.
345 words, about 2 min08Design in society, sustainability and technology
Design in society, sustainability and technology tests whether you can judge a product beyond function. Expect user-centred and inclusive design, ergonomics and anthropometrics, ethical and cultural considerations, intellectual property, appropriate technology, life-cycle impacts, the waste hierarchy, and planned obsolescence.
337 words, about 2 min09Practical project and portfolio work
Practical project and portfolio work tests whether you can plan, make, record and evaluate a product. Expect a design brief and specification, time and resource planning, cutting lists, risk assessments, quality checks, evidence of making, testing against criteria, client feedback, and an honest evaluation of limitations.
360 words, about 2 min