A LEVEL PRODUCT DESIGN - DEVELOPMENTS IN TECHNOLOGY: THE RADIO

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A Levels PRODUCT DESIGN Flashcards on A LEVEL PRODUCT DESIGN - DEVELOPMENTS IN TECHNOLOGY: THE RADIO, created by charlotte-clayto on 05/05/2014.
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Flashcards by charlotte-clayto, updated more than 1 year ago
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Created by charlotte-clayto over 10 years ago
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1930s - Radios became commercially available from the late 1920s. - The radio casing reflected the strong reliance on hand crafted furniture, mostly Art Deco. - The electronics inside were powered using thermonic valves. - There were few electronics inside with very large loudspeakers. - Large amounts of copper wire were used to connect the components. - Lots of space was needed around the components to allow for dissipation of heat. - The radio was extremely heavy due to the wooden casing.
1940s and 1950s - Radios were being made from newly developed plastics, mainly Bakerlite. - THE TRANSISTOR: this was made from two types of semi-conducting materials, n-type and p-type. They work as an electronic switch, that control the flow of electrons, effectively providing amplification. - Transistors need considerably less power than thermonic valves, meaning circuits that needed less power could be developed. - This led to a reduction in size of components, allowing the radio to be portable. - The copper wires were being replaced by conductors.
1960s - The cases were being made from bent wood veneers - These were a much coarser construction that the cabinets of the 1930s and were therefore covered in a plastic leatherette. - The sound quality was also greatly improved.
1970s - There was an increased used of thermoplastics such as acrylic based. - This made it possible to use injection moulding to manufacture the cases, and consequently mould ergonomic and styling features too. - The continued reduction in size and power consumption of the further reduced the overall size. - Mountings and brackets for circuits could be included in one single moulding process, and little finishing is required. - Electronics have become much smaller and the energy required for them is extremely low, reducing the need for a large battery and any extra space to dissipate heat, making it much smaller.
1970s to Recent Yeard - The introduction of the microchip revolutionalised the design and manufacture of electronic products, making it possible to minimise radios and increase the range of features available to the consumer. - The carbon rod aerial used in the 1960s was replaced by using the headphone wire as an aerial, further reducing the size.
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