Hello there.

My name's Mrs. Taylor, and I'm really pleased you can join me for our lesson today.

Our lesson today is reforming manufacturing processes, and this is part of the Principles of Materials and Manufacturing unit.

The outcome: I can identify and use reforming manufacturing processes.

And we have three key words: reforming, which is changing the material, shape, and state, molten, which is made liquid by heat, and mould, a hollow shape which can be used to form materials.

There are three learning cycles, reforming, injection moulding, and casting.

Let's get started.

Reforming.

There are three states that materials can exist in: solid, liquid, or gas.

These are called the three states of matter.

The images below show the three states of matter of water: solid, liquid, and gas.

Water's state of matter can be changed through heating and cooling.

This can be done with some materials too.

Let's have a quick check.

What changes the state of water from solid to liquid? Is it A, temperature, B, humidity, C, wind, or D, sun? Pause the video and have a go.

Wonderful.

Let's check.

That's right, it's temperature.

Here are some materials.

What state of matter are they? Paper, brass, mild steel, cotton, and polypropylene.

They are all solid.

What would happen to each if we changed the temperature by heating these materials? If the paper and cotton were heated, they would burn.

The metals, in this case brass and mild steel, would become liquid if heated to high temperatures.

This is when they become molten.

Brass becomes molten at 930 degrees Celsius.

Mild steel becomes molten between 1,350 degrees Celsius and 1,530 degrees Celsius.

Polypropylene.

The polymer polypropylene, becomes molten between 180 degrees Celsius and 230 degrees Celsius.

This is similar to the temperatures used in domestic ovens.

Reforming processes change the shape and the state of the matter of materials.

All metals and most polymers can be reformed by melting and cooling into a different shape.

Some examples include brass, mild steel, and polypropylene.

Let's have a check.

Which of these material types usually become molten when heated? Is it A, papers and boards, B, metals, C, timbers, or D, polymers.

Pause the video and have a go.

Fantastic.

Let's check.

That's right.

It's B and D.

Both metals and polymers can become molten when heated.

Reforming materials can reduce waste as they can be recycled.

Recycling is where materials are processed and converted for reuse.

They are collected and cleaned, heated and reformed into new materials.

For example, aluminium drink cans.

All metals and most polymers can be recycled.

Task A.

The yoghourt pot pictured is made from polypropylene.

Write a paragraph to explain how reforming this yoghourt pot reduces waste.

Refer to molten and recycling in your answer.

Pause the video and have a go.

Well done.

Let's check.

You might have said polypropylene can be recycled because it is a polymer and can be melted when heated.

Once the polypropylene becomes molten, it can be shaped into something else.

This is an example of reforming.

Well done.

We now move on to the second learning cycle: injection moulding.

Injection moulding is a reforming manufacturing process.

Polymer granules are heated and when molten, they are injected into a mould.

We can simulate this process by using a glue gun.

The glue gun stick is a solid.

As it travels through the glue gun it is heated, and then the liquid glue is injected into a mould.

Let's watch a video of this simulation now.

Here we have a quick check.

What does the glue stick represent when simulating injection moulding with a glue gun? Is it A, polymer granules, B polymer cubes, or C polymer buttons? Pause the video and have a go.

Fantastic.

Let's check.

That's right.

It's polymer granules.

Well done.

Here we have a cross-section diagram of an injection moulding machine.

Let's label some of the parts.

The funnel shape is the hopper, which has polymer granules added inside.

There is a heater jacket, which surrounds the chamber of the machine, a two-part mould, and ejector pins, an Archimedean screw, and a hydraulic ram.

Let's have a check.

Where are the polymer granules added to the injection moulding machine? Is it A, the funnel, B, the hopper, or C, the jug? Pause the video.

Fantastic.

Let's check.

That's right.

It's the hopper.

Well done.

The injection moulding process.

The polymer granules are added to the hopper.

Inside the machine, the granules are heated and moved to the end of the chamber.

The molten polymer is injected into a mould, cooled, and ejected.

Injection moulded polymer products have complex shapes with internal and external details.

Here are some examples.

A remote control, a game controller, some building blocks, and a fruit juicer.

Let's have a check.

Injection moulded polymer products have A, complex shapes, B, simple shapes, or C, internal and external details.

Pause the video.

Fantastic.

Let's check.

That's right.

It's A and C.

They have complex shapes that have internal and external details.

Well done.

Task B.

Using a three-part acrylic mould, simulate the process of injection moulding using a glue gun and then describe what went well and anything which you could improve upon.

Pause the video.

Well done.

Let's look at some of the answers you may have come up with.

We can watch the video of injecting too much glue.

My mould was clear, which was really good, as I could see what was going on inside the mould.

It would've been better if the glue was a different colour.

Also, I squeezed too much into the mould the first time I tried and opened the mould before the glue was fully solidified, so had another go, which was much more successful.

Well done.

We now move on to the third learning cycle: casting.

Casting metals is a reforming manufacturing process.

Metals are heated and when molten are poured or forced under pressure into a mould.

Heating metals uses a lot of energy as the temperatures required to melt them is high.

For example, pewter melts in the range of 170 to 230 degrees C.

Brass, it's 930 degrees C.

And mild steel is up to 1,530 degrees C.

Let's have a check.

Why does casting metal use a lot of energy? Is it A, melting points are low temperatures, B, melting ranges are different temperatures, or C, melting points are high temperatures? Pause the video and have a go.

Fantastic.

Let's check.

That's right.

Melting points are high temperatures.

Pewter is often used for casting in schools due to its relatively low melting range compared to other metals.

Pewter is used for drinking vessels, decorative items, and jewellery.

Here are some examples: jugs and tankers, jewellery, and a goblet.

Let's have a check.

Why do schools often use pewter for casting? Is it a relatively cheap, B, relatively safe, or C, relatively low melting range? Pause the video and have a go.

Well done.

Let's check.

That's right.

It's a relatively low melting range.

Pewter casting process.

Part one, make a mould with a space at the top for pouring pewter in.

Part two, place this in between two pieces of MDF.

Number three, clamp this in a vice or a jig.

Part four, put on your personal protective equipment for working with hot metal.

This should include a leather apron, a face mask, and some leather gloves.

It is also important to work in a well ventilated space with extraction.

Part five, heat the pewter using a gas torch, forge, or low temperature casting system.

Once molten, carefully pour into the mould.

Let's have a quick check.

What is PPE? Is it A, a school subject, B, personal protective equipment, or C, proper protective equipment.

Pause the video.

Fantastic.

Let's check.

That's right.

It's personal protective equipment.

Part six of the pewter casting process is to pull the pewter into the mould.

Part seven is to allow to cool and remove from the mould.

We're now going to watch two videos.

One is a video using an acrylic mould to pour pewter into, and the second is using a cardboard mould.

These videos show the pewter casting process using an acrylic and cardboard mould.

Did you spot the leather apron? Why might it be important to wear this PPE? Did you notice the fumes and how carefully the molten pewter has to be poured? Task C.

Part one, design a pewter cast mould.

Remember, there must be an opening at the top where the pewter will be poured.

Part two, manufacture your pewter cast mould.

This may be from acrylic and laser cut or from MDF or hardboard.

And cut using hand tools.

Part three cast your pewter in your mould, and part four, explain the health and safety procedures and precautions required when pewter casting.

Pause the video.

Fantastic.

Let's have a look at some of the answers you may have come up with.

Part one, your design theme could be art deco, or identification, or something else.

Part two, manufacture your pewter cast mould.

We can see an example of a drawing and a pewter cast mould here.

Part three, cast your pewter.

And part four, explain the health and safety procedures and precautions required when pewter casting.

Put on PPE, personal protective equipment, for working with hot metal.

This should include a leather apron, a face mask, and leather gloves.

It is also important to work in a well ventilated space with extraction.

Well done.

Here we have a summary of our learning today.

Reforming manufacturing processes change the shape and the state.

When heated metals and many polymers become molten, a liquid form.

They can be poured or forced into a mould, and when cool, solidify, become solid again.

Materials that can be reformed can also be recycled.

Injection moulding is a reforming manufacturing process suitable for mass produced complex polymer products.

Casting is a metal reforming manufacturing process.

Well done, and thank you for joining me today.