11 Product Technology

Product Technology involves:

Inventing/developing exciting new prototypes to address real needs that exist within our community. Innovation is a key component going forward in most aspects of life and is the foundation of this course.
•Students will identify an opportunity to develop their own individual product.
•They then follow a design process to develop a prototype of it.
•Students will manufacture this in the school’s workshops using a range of technologies such as MIG/TIG welding.
•This course involves both academic and practical components.
•Pathway to tertiary/university courses in Engineering, Design, Technology and Product Development

Click the links below to see examples of the Product Technology related courses offered at NZ and Australian universities. 

https://www.aut.ac.nz/courses/bachelor-of-design/industrial-design-major

https://www.idp.com/newzealand/search/product-design

https://www.canterbury.ac.nz/study/subjects/industrial-product-design

https://www.waikato.ac.nz/study/subjects/industrial-design

https://www.massey.ac.nz/massey/learning/programme-course/programme.cfm?prog_id=93521&major_code=PINDS

Click the link below to see example products that capture the essence of Product Technology as it operates in industry.

https://idea-nz.com/news.html

https://removeandreplace.com/2013/09/24/53-simply-cool-products/

Here are two sample products that our Y11 PTC students have developed in the last few years.

 Nathaniel Hansen developed an innovative solution to storing wakeboards on a Jetski. Nathaniel had to consider the preferences of all the key stakeholders involved, ergonomics, and also the safety aspects involved in storing such an item on such a fast-moving machine. Also Key in this development was ensuring that the high-quality finish of these valuable machines was not compromised by this product being attached to it.

Dylan Cooper developed a trolley to be used to load diving gear from his vehicle onto his boat at the local marina. Dylan had to consider the preferences of key stakeholders, the space needed for all the diving gear involved, the requirements of working on the local marina walkways, and the effects of a corrosive saltwater environment. Dylan's design allowed it to be partly folded up to lessen the space required to store it when not in use.

Click the link below to see many other student products developed in this subject.

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1vLvDtTxw8GYytGe45bEC56W1sL64wU_jFC5eylRKBRE/edit#slide=id.p21