Lesson Overview

Manufacturing of products is essential to the economic stability and credibility of a society.  The manufacturing of goods will be different in the future.  It will be much more automated than it is now.  Robots and machines are replacing people.  Technology will continue to change manufacturing and the future will be very different than today.

Outcomes: Develop an understanding of and be able to select and use manufacturing technologies. (ITEA 19)

• Servicing keeps products in good operating condition (ITEA 19-L)
• Materials have different qualities and may be classified as natural, synthetic, or mixed (ITEA 19-M)
• Durable goods are designed to operate for a long period of item, while non-durable goods are designed to operate for a short period of time (ITEA 19-N)
• Manufacturing systems may be classified into types, such as customized production, batch production, and continuous production (ITEA 19-O)
• The interchangeability of parts increases the effectiveness of manufacturing processes (ITEA 19-P)
• Chemical technologies provide a means for humans to alter or modify materials and to produce chemical products (ITEA 19-Q)
• Marketing involves establishing a product's identity, conducting research on its potential, advertising it, distributing it, and selling it (ITEA 19-R)

Getting Started

To begin this lesson, consider the manufactured products you use everyday. Some last a day and others may last a lifetime. Categorizing products as durable (long-lasting) or non-durable (consumable or disposable) on one way to classify manufactured goods. Try this brief exercise on categorizing durable and non-durable goods.