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2015 Notes from the Marking Centre – Industrial Technology

Introduction

This document has been produced for the teachers and candidates of the Stage 6 Industrial Technology course. It contains comments on candidate responses to the 2015 Higher School Certificate examination, highlighting their strengths in particular parts of the examination and indicating where candidates need to improve.
This document should be read along with:

Design, Management and Communication

Candidates showed strength in these areas:

  • clearly explaining the intent of the project
  • providing research that was relevant to the development of the project
  • providing reasons for the choices made during the development and realisation of the project
  • documenting the construction or development of the project with written descriptions and photographic or digital (screenshot) images in graphics and multimedia
  • explaining why the design may have changed during construction
  • providing broader evidence of WHS to include materials and processes, not just PPE
  • using desktop publishing for text, borders, page numbers, images, internet and CAD drawings and using a range of computer software in the presentation of the folio
  • including evaluation throughout the folio with a summation at the end of the folio.

Candidates need to improve in these areas:

  • detailing any outsourcing involved in the project
  • including drawings that provide sufficient information to construct the project
  • providing sketches that show a clear design development rather than simply the final design
  • utilising a finance plan to estimate and manage the costs associated with the project, including an explanation of why the plan changed
  • appreciating the importance of the timeline as a management tool and the need to provide a clear explanation of any changes to the plan.

Production

Candidates showed strength in these areas:

  • submitting completed projects even if some modifications were made to meet the submission deadline
  • including a range of skills in the production of the project
  • detailing how problems in production were solved.

Candidates need to improve in these areas:

  • providing evidence of design evolution, workshop drawings, timeline plans, finance plans and construction steps
  • ensuring that images or videos with sexual themes or violence are not contained in Graphics and Multimedia major projects.

Automotive Technologies

Candidates showed strength in the following areas:

  • identifying the purpose of the synchromesh (Q11)
  • recognising that air and gases move through the system and that hot gases produce carbon deposits on the exhaust valves causing poor function (Q12)
  • indicating the main features of the procedures to bleed a hydraulic brake system and the need to pump the brake pedal to remove air from the system (Q13)
  • understanding that internal combustion engines charge the batteries for the electric vehicle (Q14)
  • linking all the components to explain how the timing belt operates the cams and valves in an engine (Q15).

Candidates need to improve in these areas:

  • understanding the role of carbon build-up as a contributor to valve failure (Q12)
  • distinguishing the hydraulic brake system from other engine systems (Q13)
  • describing how both the electric and internal combustion engine provide efficient motoring in a hybrid vehicle (Q14).

Electronics Technologies

Candidates showed strength in the following areas:

  • identifying the purpose of a capacitor (Q11)
  • identifying the operation of a solenoid and an application of a solenoid (Q12)
  • understanding the benefits of using circuit design software (Q13)
  • identifying how a specific electronic hand-held measuring instrument is used to measure current in a circuit (Q14)
  • demonstrating deep knowledge and understanding of AC to DC rectification with a relevant diagram showing the process of converting of AC current to DC using power diodes (Q15).

Candidates need to improve in these areas:

  • describing the operation of a solenoid (Q12)
  • explaining how a specific electronic hand-held measuring instrument is used to measure current in a circuit (Q14).

Graphics Technologies

Candidates showed strength in the following areas:

  • outlining reasons why freehand sketching may be of benefit (Q12)
  • applying scale to a drawing (Q13)
  • providing reasons for the need for drawing standards (Q14)
  • producing an orthogonal top and front view of the faceplate including pitch circle diameter (PCD) (Q15).

Candidates need to improve in these areas:

  • clearly explaining the advantages of sketching over CAD in particular situations(Q12)
  • representing thread using the correct standards (Q13)
  • demonstrating the positive benefits of AS1100 (Q14)
  • using the correct application of hidden detail to all features (Q15)
  • accuracy in reproducing dimensions provided (Q15).

Metal and Engineering Technologies

Candidates showed strength in the following areas:

  • recognising heat as a factor in the annealing process (Q12)
  • identifying aspects of polishing metal (Q13)
  • describing benefits of MIG welding by providing characteristics and features (Q14)
  • describing the use of a lathe and the steps involved in machining (Q15).

Candidates need to improve in these areas:

  • identifying bronze as an alloy of copper and tin (Q11)
  • understanding the reasons for having slow cooling rates and the outcome on the properties of the metal (Q12)
  • providing features of the pickling process and indicating aspects of cleaning after pickling (Q13)
  • understanding the sequencing of operations and using correct terminology for the different processes (Q15).

 Multimedia Technologies

Candidates showed strengths in these areas:

  • understanding the purpose of anti-aliasing (Q11)
  • understanding a variety of advantages of converting paper-based photographs to digital (Q12)
  • understanding the importance of bandwidth, compatibility across browser platforms, file selection and the relationship to intended audience in the creation of multimedia content for the web (Q13)
  • knowledge of elements to be considered such as interactivity, ergonomics, file storage and size, as well as screen resolution (Q14)
  • knowledge of streaming videos and music (Q15).

Candidates need to improve in these areas:

  • identifying a range of disadvantages in converting paper-based photographs to digital (Q12)
  • not limiting the response to copyright challenges (Q13)
  • outlining more than one element when adapting a computer game for a hand-held device (Q14)
  • providing a description of the impact of increased availability of bandwidth (Q15).

Timber Products and Furniture Technologies

Candidates showed strength in these areas:

  • knowing that alternating the growth ring direction of boards will assist in minimising deformation of widening jointed boards (Q12)
  • understanding benefits of alternative joining technologies (Q13)
  • knowing how to laminate and bend timber to form a stool (Q15)
  • understanding the principles of steam bending (Q15)
  • including a simple, relevant sketch to support or clarify the response (Q15).

Candidates need to improve in these areas:

  • knowing the nature and purpose of dry cramping (Q11)
  • understanding why boards may warp or cup (Q12)
  • naming specific alternative joint techniques (Q13)
  • recognising that specific alternative joint techniques does not refer to items such as nails and screws, nor does it refer to different or less common timber joints (Q13)
  • understanding the properties of quarter sawn timber (Q14) providing specific detail on bending timber into formed shapes using a mould or jig (Q15).

Q16a

Candidates showed strength in these areas:

  • indicating the main features of business restructuring and quality control
  • identifying different types of restructuring.

Candidates need to improve in these areas:

  • providing a clear link between business restructuring and its effect on quality control
  • recognising the importance of ensuring continuing quality as well as quality control when restructuring a business.

Q16b

Candidates showed strength in these areas:

  • understanding the meaning of ‘new technology’
  • identifying the effects of new technologies on production
  • providing some measure of the value of these effects in general.

Candidates need to improve in these areas:

  • clarifying the link between increased production and efficiency
  • providing a detailed judgment of the effect of the technology on production and efficiency rather than just explaining new technology.
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