Testing Modelling & Evaluation  

Well you have a great toy (you think) and you want to test it out. You can't give it to a child cause you might have forgotten some really important safety feature and if anything happened to the child you would never forgive yourself. So what can you do?

First of all computers can help the designer by being able to simulate (that's just a big word for showing the toy working on a computer screen) before it is made. They can help show (simulate) when a toy will break if it is thrown, trodden on, left outside chewed and so on. For example the strength of a bike can be calculated if the size of the frame tubing is known all you need to do then is make sure children are never too heavy for it, that it stands up to being crashed and bla bla bla!!! So some testing can be done before the toy is made. Prototypes can be made to test if children find the toy attractive (aesthetic). A prototype will be able to be used to see if a toy is ergonomic. To see information on aesthetics go here and ergonomics here . So then when a computer helps out with the design its called CAD Computer Aided Design.

So then you have a prototype that is used by children and it tells you if the toy is popular, safe, stimulating, interesting and educational. If not the design can be adjusted to make it better and then when you are as sure as you can be you can start making the thing (production). (Look here for types of production

The CAD program does not only help with design and simulations and working out stresses and strains and stuff, it can also be useful with manufacture. Since the design program has all the sizes, it can then be linked to machinery to control what the machine does and as a result the same program that has been used for the design can also be used to control a machine this process is called CAM Computer Aided Manufacture.

Sometimes computers are connected to machines to drive them without there being a design. Instead numbers are put into the machine to control a cutting tool. You know the type of program, forward 2, left 6 down 4 forward 7 up 4 (gosh I'm tired) but you know the type of thing I'm talking about I hope. To give it a real name its called CNC Computer Numerical Control (controlling a machine using numbers from a computer).

Well after all that you have to EVALUATE the toy. This just means:

  1.  What do you think about your finished design?
  2. Does it work?
  3. Does it fit with the specification?
  4. Does it look good (Aesthetic) ? Don't just say yes, say why!!
  5. Does it feel good (ergonomic)? Don't just say yes say why again!!!
  6. Imagine you have everything to do again. Would you choose the same design? If so look at the answers to the questions above and explain your new design with any changes Do a drawing to make things clearer.
  7. If you were to choose a different design why would you change? Make diagrams of your new design with notes to say why you chose it.
  8. Make comments on the materials you have used and say whether you think they are the best for the job. If not which are and why?
  9. Reasons for not using materials might be cost, difficulty working with it and so on.
  10. Don’t be afraid to pull your work to pieces if that is what is required. But don’t’ pull it to pieces without suggesting other things for re-making.
  11. Above all suggest other ways you could do the job.
  12. Is it going to sell?

You have to suggest ways how you might test your work, does it balance properly. Do others like it. Is it hardwearing and durable (that means you can knock it about a bit without it breaking), is resistant to fire if it is electrical is in non-toxic (not poisonous) if its a child's toy and might be put in a mouth. There are many things that you could suggest to test your work.