Understanding Technology and Its Impact on Daily Life
Technology’s Role in Our Lives
Technology makes life easier for us. We use it for fun in leisure time, and everyday objects like beds and pens are all created by technology. The technological process includes:
- Identify the problem or need
- Ideas and designers explore various solutions
- Build the object
- Verify it works correctly
The Perspective of Technology
The prospect of technology is built on three coordinated axes. Two of them are at 90° and the third is at 135° with respect to the previous two.
Standardization and Metrology
Standardization refers to a universal standard that is understood around the world. Metrology is the science that studies how to measure in the international system of units. We use the metric system, but for drawing, we employ sub-multiples: decimeter, centimeter, and millimeter especially.
Scale and Sketching
The scale is the relationship between the size and dimensions of the drawing and the size of the real object it represents. A sketch is a drawing done by hand that serves as a first point of the plane we have devised, which is not yet fully defined. The next step is the boceto, where we define the details of our object, including its shape and size.
Natural and Synthetic Materials
Natural materials are obtained directly from nature, such as cotton and wood. Synthetic materials are created by people from natural materials, such as concrete, glass, and paper. An alloy is composed of two or more elements, with at least one being metallic. Typically, metallic materials are not used in pure form but as alloys:
- Steel: alloy of iron and carbon
- Bronze: copper and tin
- Brass: copper and zinc
Obtaining Timber
Timber is obtained from trees. The phases to get the wood are:
- Cutting the trees
- Cutting the wood
- Distribution
- Drying
Wood properties include density, hardness, strength, and durability. There are many types of possible classifications, but the most common are:
- Softwood (e.g., poplar, birch)
- Hardwood (e.g., oak, walnut)
Metals and Their Properties
There are many metals, but in general, their properties include good conductivity of heat and electricity, toughness, and solidity. Metals can be classified as:
- Ferrous metals: alloys whose main component is iron
- Non-ferrous metals: pure metals and their alloys that do not contain iron
Working with Metal
Working with metal involves several techniques:
- Drawing: Working with metal involves a mechanical plate superimposed on a matrix, which is deformed by the action of a punch applied with great pressure.
- Die: Working with metal involves cutting with a precision sheet metal using a punch with sharp edges driven by a dam.
- Welding point to point: This technique involves attaching metal plates by a cordon of troops along the junction points.
Understanding Structural Forces
The structure is a set of elements capable of withstanding forces and transmitting them to the points where the supports are strong and stable. The forces acting on a structure are called loads:
- Tension: When a structure is subjected to tensile stress, causing it to stretch.
- Compression: When a structure is subjected to compressive stress, causing it to compress.
- Bending: When a structure is subjected to a bending stress, causing it to bend.
- Shear: When an element is subjected to shear stress, with forces acting in parallel to its section.
- Torque: When an element is subjected to torque, causing it to rotate with respect to another section.
The Electric Current
The electric current is the movement of electrons through a special conductor. Key electrical quantities include:
- Voltage: The energy per unit charge that drives the current.