*P31*

Pre-Leaving Certificate Examination, 2016

Triailscrúdú na hArdteistiméireachta, 2016

____________________

ENGINEERING – MATERIALS AND TECHNOLOGY

(Higher level – 300 marks)

____________________

TIME: 3 HOURS

Page 1 of 11
 INSTRUCTIONS

1. Answer Question 1, Section A and Section B and FOUR other questions.

2. All answers must be written in ink on the answer book supplied.

3. Diagrams should be drawn in pencil.

4. Graph paper is supplied for graphs, as required.

5. Please label and number carefully each question attempted.

Page 2 of 11
Question 1. (100 marks)

SECTION A – 50 marks

Give brief answers to any ten of the following:

(a) The computer tablet shown uses cloud technology to store

files and other information. Give one advantage and one
disadvantage of cloud storage technology.

(b) Outline two reasons for the use of models or prototypes in

the design and manufacture of race cars.

(c) Identify two factors that influence fatigue failure in metals.

(d) Describe the importance of the evaluation stage in the process of design.

(e) Identify three crystal point defects.

(f) Outline two methods of securing nuts in order to prevent loosening due to vibration.

(g) What contribution did any one of the following make to technology?

(i) Dugald Clerk (ii) George Devol (iii) Mary Anderson.

(h) Describe the use of tolerance in precision measurement.

(i) Explain the meaning of any two of the following abbreviations:

(i) LCD (ii) PCB (iii) HSS (iv) DPDT switch.

(j) Define the term Young’s Modulus of Elasticity.

(k) Identify any two finishing treatments that may be applied to mild steel to protect
against corrosion.

(l) Outline any two safety precautions required to avoid the narcotic effects of toxic
materials.

(m) Explain sacrificial protection as a method of preventing

corrosion on the bronze propeller of a boat, as shown.

Page 3 of 11
 SECTION B – 50 MARKS

Answer all of the following:

(n) In industry how does a prototype differ from a finished component?

(o) Explain the design and manufacture process common to all rapid prototyping
machines.

(p) Explain, with the aid of a suitable diagram, any one of the following rapid
prototyping processes:

(i) Stereo Lithography (SLA),

(ii) Selective Laser Sintering (SLS),

(iii) Fused Deposition Modelling (FDM).

(q) (i) Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of rapid prototyping.

(ii) Discuss 3 suitable applications for rapid prototyping.

(r) In relation to rapid prototyping, explain any two of the following terms;

(i) Curing,

(ii) Sintering,

(iii) Additive Process,

(iv) Bioprinting.

Page 4 of 11
Question 2. (50 marks)

(a) The cast iron brake disc of a car, as shown, is subject to

heat and pressure and must therefore be able to resist
wear from the brake pad.

(i) Describe in detail a suitable mechanical test to

determine the brake disc’s ability to withstand
wear.

(ii) Explain the term metal creep.

(b) The following results were obtained from a tensile test on a brass test piece. The test
specimen was 12 mm in diameter with a gauge length of 50 mm.

Load (kN) 15 30 45 60 80 100 110 112 108 95

Extention
0.06 0.12 0.18 0.30 0.40 0.66 0.90 1.00 1.20 1.40
(mm)

Using the graph paper supplied, plot the load-extension diagram and determine:

(i) The ultimate tensile strength (UTS);

(ii) The 0.1% proof stress.

(c) Casting is the method used to manufacture the Cast Iron Brake disc shown above. As
part of quality control, the disc is examined for flaws, checked for porosity and for
other possible defects in the casting.

(i) Identify one non-destructive test to examine the disc for surface flaws and
one non-destructive test for internal flaws.

(ii) Describe, with the aid of a diagram, the non-destructive test to examine for
internal flaws identified at (c) (i) above.

Page 5 of 11
Question 3. (50 marks)

(a) Explain any two of the following:

(i) Annealing

(ii) Normalising

(iii) Carburising.

(b) A simplified steels portion of the iron-carbon equilibrium diagram is shown.

A B
Temperature °C

800

400
C D

0 1 2 3
% Carbon

(i) Name the regions A, B, C and D.

(ii) Describe in detail, the point X with reference to each of the following:

• Name
• Phase change
• Composition
• Temperature.

(c) Answer any two of the following:

(i) Describe the process of induction hardening.

(ii) Name three quenching media used in heat treatment.

(iii) Outline the operating principles of an optical pyrometer.

(iv) Outline the effects of adding any two elements to iron and carbon in the
production of alloy steels.

Page 6 of 11
Question 4. (50 marks)

(a) Explain any two of the following:

(i) Dislocation defect;

(ii) Age hardening;

(iii) Intermetallic compound;

(iv) Eutectic alloy.

(b) The table shows the temperatures at which solidification starts and ends as the alloys
of cadmium and zinc are cooled from liquid to solid.

Amount of Zinc % 0 10 14 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100

Solidification start °C 321 290 266 275 293 310 328 345 362 380 401 410

Solidification end °C 266 266 266 266 266 266 266 266 266 266 266 266

Using the graph paper supplied:

(i) Draw the thermal equilibrium diagram.

(ii) Label the diagram and describe the main features.

(iii) State the melting point of Cadmium and the melting point of Zinc.

(c) (i) Outline the stages of metal solidification from the liquid phase.

(ii) Explain the meaning of the term solvus.

Page 7 of 11
Question 5. (50 marks)

(a) Answer any three of the following:

(i) Describe, with examples, the importance of colour coding in oxyacetylene

equipment.

(ii) Outline three safety precautions that should be observed in the preparation of
equipment and materials for manual metal arc welding.

(iii) Name and describe one type of welding suitable for the automated welding of
steel panels in the ship building industry.

(iv) Describe multi-run welds.

(b) Aluminium alloy wheels can be very expensive to replace when

damaged. Shown is a rim that has suffered a crack due to an
impact with a pot hole.

(i) Name a suitable welding

process for the repair of
the wheel rim.

(ii) Describe, with the aid of

a suitable diagram, the main
features of this welding process.

(c) Describe, with the aid of suitable diagrams, the main features of one of the
following:

(i) Electro slag welding;

(ii) Metal inert gas (MIG) welding.

OR

(c) Outline the advantages of using robotic control for

each of the following applications:

(i) Welding vehicle body parts;

(ii) Testing gas pipelines;

(iii) Population of electronic components

on circuit boards.

Page 8 of 11
Question 6. (50 marks)

(a) To protect the user from injury, cookware

handles used in the home are usually
made from plastic materials. The saucepan
handle shown is manufactured from the
thermosetting plastic, phenol resin.

(i) Outline any two reasons why phenol is suitable for the manufacture of a
handle.

(ii) Describe, with the aid of a diagram, a suitable polymer manufacturing

process to mass-produce a thermosetting plastic handle.

(b) Select and distinguish between any three of the following:

(i) Co-polymer;

(ii) Stabiliser;

(iii) Glass transition temperature;

(iv) Elastic memory in acrylic sheet.

(c) Distinguish between thermoplastics and thermosetting plastics using each of the
following headings making reference to the diagram opposite:

(i) Polymerisation process;

(ii) Chemical bonding;

(iii) Internal structure;

(iv) Properties.

Page 9 of 11
Question 7. (50 marks)

(a) Answer any three of the following:

(i) Describe the process of knurling;

(ii) Describe the process of up-cut milling;

(iii) Explain the differences between forming and generating;

(iv) Distinguish between any two types of chip formed when machining;

(v) Distinguish between a clearance fit and an interference fit.

(b) The process of grinding wheel dressing and the

tool used are shown in the images provided.

(i) Outline the reasons for wheel dressing a grinding wheel

(ii) Differentiate between the loading and glazing of a grinding wheel

(c) Cutting tool materials include high carbon

steel, high speed steel and tungsten carbide. B
The effect of increased machining temperatures
on the hardness of cutting tool materials A and
B is shown in the diagram.
Hardness

(i) Suggest a suitable cutting tool material for

A and a suitable cutting tool material B. A

(ii) Outline two methods of prolonging cutting 400 800

tool life.
Temperature

OR

(c) (i) Describe two features that reduce CNC

machining cycle time.

(ii) Outline the advantages of using

stepper motors in CNC machines.

(iii) Explain the role of simulation in CNC

machining.

Page 10 of 11
Question 8. (50 marks)

(a) A pulley mechanism used to allow the hook

attachment of the crawler crane to be raised
and lowered is shown opposite.

(i) Describe, with the aid of a diagram,

how the pulley mechanism shown
may be operated to raise and lower
the hook.

(ii) Describe, with the aid of a diagram,

a suitable method for allowing the
body of the crawler crane to swivel
360 degrees on the tracks.

(b) Explain any three of the following:

(i) The use of bevel gears;

(ii) Double-acting cylinder;

(iii) Clutch;

(iv) The function of an idler gear;

(v) Capacitor.

(c) It is proposed to design a model based on the

apartment block lift shown.

Describe, with the aid of a suitable diagrams,

a mechanism that would allow the doors
open and close.

OR

(c) With reference to the circuit shown:

D B
(i) Identify the electronic
components A, B, C and D.

(ii) Describe the function of

the components A and B. C

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