Making One, Making Thousands · seed 1 · A4, ink-friendly. The answer key prints on its own page for grown-ups.

How production volume changes cost

Design & Technology · Designing & Making · ages 14-16
Name ______________________   Date ____________

  1. For 10 identical caps, moulding costs £120 upfront plus £2 per cap. Hand making costs £8 per cap with no setup charge. These are all costs, and quality is equal. Which totals are correct?

    • Hand: £80; mould: £20
    • Hand: £800; mould: £140
    • Hand: £80; mould: £140

  2. A workshop pays once for a mould before making clips. Why does a run of one clip carry a high setup cost per clip?

    • One clip carries the setup charge for the whole run
    • Every clip carries a new setup charge for the mould
    • One clip removes materials and labour costs per run

  3. A 20 mm spacer meets its permitted 19 mm to 21 mm length range. Its mating part still needs compatible size limits so the parts fit across their permitted sizes.

    Circle one:   True   False

  4. A designer needs one trial model. Its shape may change after testing next week. Which production approach best matches this stage?

    • One-off making with tools that can be adjusted
    • Mass production with tools for one fixed shape
    • Batch production before testing a trial design

  5. A workshop must repeat drilled-hole positions and mark repeated outlines. Which account gives the tools' roles correctly?

    • Template: hold and guide drilling; jig: mark outlines.
    • Jig: hold and guide drilling; template: mark outlines.
    • Tolerance: hold a part; inspection: mark its outlines.

  6. For 10,000 clips, moulding costs £500 upfront plus £1 per clip. Hand making costs £4 per clip with no setup charge. These are all costs, and quality is equal. Which option costs less?

    • Handwork: £40,000
    • Both cost £40,000
    • Moulding: £10,500

  7. A firm's quotes show a lower unit cost for a mass run of one fixed design. Smaller batches would let it switch designs more easily. Which conclusion weighs both findings?

    • Let lower unit cost outweigh every need for change.
    • Use batches to avoid setup costs when designs vary.
    • Compare the saving with the need to switch designs.

  8. Sara needs six gifts. Moulding costs £90 upfront plus £2 per gift. Hand making costs £12 per gift with no setup charge. She says, 'Moulding totals £12, so it costs less.' What did she miss?

    • She added the £90 setup fee twice
    • She left out the £90 setup charge
    • She used £12 as the cost per gift
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Answer key

For grown-ups. Fold this page away before handing over the rest.

How production volume changes cost W1-mt_0wbzsY10cQ-s1

  1. Hand: £80; mould: £140 · Hand making costs 10 × £8 = £80. Moulding costs £120 + (10 × £2) = £140.
  2. One clip carries the setup charge for the whole run · For a run of one, the setup charge is divided by one. More clips would share that charge across the run.
  3. True · 20 mm is within 19 mm to 21 mm. Meeting one part's tolerance does not prove fit with another part; their permitted size limits must also work together.
  4. One-off making with tools that can be adjusted · One trial model and likely changes call for an approach that can adapt without committing to many copies.
  5. Jig: hold and guide drilling; template: mark outlines. · A drilling jig holds the part and guides the drill. A template provides the outline to repeat. A tolerance specifies permitted variation.
  6. Moulding: £10,500 · Moulding totals £500 + £10,000 = £10,500. Hand making totals 10,000 × £4 = £40,000.
  7. Compare the saving with the need to switch designs. · The firm has a cost advantage for mass production and a flexibility advantage for batches. Its decision must weigh both.
  8. She left out the £90 setup charge · Sara's £12 is 6 × £2. Adding setup gives £102 for moulding. Hand making costs 6 × £12 = £72.
Worksheet · LightMySky