AS & A Level:

30 plus students in your class? Not getting the specific guidance you need? I provide personalised support for AS and A Levels, and cover all the boards inc. WJEC, Edexcel, AQA, OCR and Cambridge International. Each student is assessed on an individual basis so any generic advice I publish here may not be suitable for your particular circumstance.

However, below are some of the practical exercises that I usually complete with my Sixth Form. These can usually be achieved with hand tools and minimum equipment (apart from a Centre Lathe and Brazing Hearth!).

Developing Competencies:

1. Fabricating a Mild Steel Component

DC_steel

A basic engineering exercise using:

Rectangular piece of mild steel 1-1.5mm thick
Steel Ruler
Scribe
Engineers’ Blue
Engineers’ (Tri) Square
Calipers / Odd Leg Calipers
Metal Files
Hacksaw (HSS blades)
Drills
Engineers Vice
Centre Punch (Metal)
Emory Paper
Wet & Dry paper

Interpret and accurately transfer an engineering drawing to a piece of mild steel plate and then cut it out using appropriate hand tools and wasting techniques.

Choose your exercise:

2. Centre_Lathe – Plumb Bob

plumb bob

A basic engineering exercise: interpret and accurately transfer an engineering drawing to a piece of Aluminium round bar using a Cenre Lathe.

3. Screwdriver

Appropriate length Mild Steel Hexagonal Bar for screwdriver handle.
Centre Lathe – shaping the screwdriver handle using different tools – form turning and taper turning.
Appropriate length Silver Steel Rod (5mm) – Air Hardened Silver Steel contains the highest alloy content making it hard and resistant. It is commonly used to create specialized tools including gauges, punches, and shears.
Hearth – for Forging screwdriver blade and for Hardening and Annealing.
Oil bath for Hardening and Annealing process.
Anvil and Hammers – for forging and shaping the screwdriver blade.
Metal Files – for shaping the screwdriver blade.
Emory Cloth and Wet & Dry paper – cleaning and polishing.
Tap – Cutting the internal thread in the screwdriver handle.
Die – Cutting the external thread into the screwdriver blade.

4. Centre_Lathe – Nut & Bolt

nut2

Another basic engineering exercise: interpret and accurately transfer an engineering drawing to a piece of Aluminium hex bar and then make a blank nut and bolt using appropriate techniques.