*P31*

Pre-Leaving Certiϐicate Examination, 2020

Triailscrúdú na hArdteistiméireachta, 2020

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ENGINEERING ȃ MATERIALS AND TECHNOLOGY

(Higher level – 300 marks)

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TIME: 3 HOURS
 INSTRUCTIONS

1. Answer SecƟon A and SecƟon B of QuesƟon 1 and FOUR other ques ons.

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

3. Diagrams should be drawn in pencil.

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

5. Please label and number carefully each ques on a empted.

2
QuesƟon 1. (100 marks)

SECTION A ͵ 50 marks

Give brief answers to any ten of the following:

(a) Outline two advantages of pneuma c power over hydraulic power.

(b) Explain two reasons why tanium metal is used in surgical

applica ons, such as joint replacements and tooth
implants.

(c) Outline two crystal point defects associated with metals.

(d) Describe the importance of allotropy in carbon steel.

(e) Explain the term factor of safety with reference to the design and manufacture of a
pedestrian foot bridge.

(f) Robot Lighthouse is a rubbery robo c device that passes

through water mains. When the robot passes a leak in
a pressurized water pipe, sensors will be pulled by the
suc on force of the escaping water, and thus indicate a leak.

Outline two advantages of this robot, shown opposite.

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

(i) Frank Whi le, (ii) James Dyson, (iii) Charles Hull.

(h) Iden fy two hazards associated with using adhesives on plas cs.

(i) A prosthe c leg is shown opposite. Outline two reasons why

research is important at the design stage of prosthe c devices.

(j) State two safety precau ons to be observed when using cu ng fluids.

(k) Iden fy one automa c welding process.

(l) Explain the difference between a gap gauge and a plug gauge.

(m) The use of electric vehicles is increasing, especially in

urban areas. State two advantages for the use of electric
vehicles.

3
 SECTION B ͵ 50 MARKS

Answer all of the following:

(n) Autonomous Vehicles have been appearing on TV for more than 30 years but were seen
as science fic on and way beyond what technology could make possible. This has
changed massively in the last number of years. Describe briefly what you believe an
Autonomous Vehicle to be.

(o) The Society of Automobile Engineers have standards that are used to define the level
of autonomy a vehicle can achieve. Compare a level 1 vehicle common on today’s roads
with a level 5 vehicle which we are likely to see on roads in the near future.

(p) Explain two of the following in rela on to Autonomous Vehicles:

(i) Radar,
(ii) Lidar,
(iii) Trilatera on.

(q) Outline three applica ons of Autonomous Vehicles in society.

(r) Discuss briefly five Advantages and Disadvantages of Autonomous Vehicles.

4
QuesƟon 2. (50 marks)

(a) The Crawler crane shown uses stainless steel cables in tension to li and transport
heavy loads.

(i) Dis nguish clearly between faƟgue and creep with

reference to deforma on of metals.

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

tensile tes ng.

(b) The results shown below were obtained from a tensile test.

Load (kN) 0 13 26 40 60 80 100 107 108 105 96

Extension
0.00 0.06 0.10 0.15 0.26 0.38 0.65 0.90 1.00 1.20 1.40
(mm)

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

(ii) The ul mate tensile strength (UTS);

(iii) The 0.1% proof stress.

(c) In the manufacture and maintenance of aircra , a range of non-

destruc ve tes ng (NDT) is used to check for internal and external
flaws.

(i) Iden fy two NDTs that examine surface imperfec ons and two
NDTs that detect internal flaws.

(ii) Describe, with the aid of suitable diagrams, one non-

destruc ve test used to check for internal faults in
welded joints.

5
QuesƟon 3. (50 marks)

(a) The p of the height gauge shown is to be made from carbon steel. A cast iron surface
plate is also shown.

(i) Compare the different heat treatment requirements for the carbon steel p and
the cast iron surface plate.

(ii) Describe, with the aid of a diagram, a suitable heat treatment process for the
surface plate.

(b) A simplified por on of the iron-carbon equilibrium diagram is shown.

Temperature °C

1400 A
B
1000 Y

600 X

C D
200

1 2 3 4 5 6 % Carbon

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

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

• Phase change
• Composi on
• Temperature.

(c) Describe, with the aid of a diagrams, an Op cal and Thermocouple pyrometer when
used measuring furnace temperature, under the following guidelines:

• Equipment used
• Principles of opera on
• Accuracy of results.

6
QuesƟon 4. (50 marks)

(a) Select any two from (i), (ii) or (iii) below and explain the difference between the terms
in each:

(i) Solvus and solidus.

(ii) Work hardening and age hardening.

(iii) The differences between eutec c alloy and par al solubility alloy.

(b) The table shows the solidifica on temperatures for various alloys of metal A and metal B.

% of metal B 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100
Start of solidificaƟon 270 340 400 450 492 525 552 580 603 620 630
End of solidificaƟon 270 271 280 298 316 340 368 404 450 510 630

Using the graph paper supplied:

(i) Draw the equilibrium diagram, using the given data, and label the liquidus and
solidus lines.

(ii) For the alloys containing 0% metal B and 100% metal B, explain why the start of
solidifica on and the end of solidifica on are at the same temperature.

(iii) For the alloy with 50% metal B determine, from the diagram, the composi on of
the phases at 400 °C.

(c) Two crystalline solid structures are represented at X and Y in the diagrams below.

X Y

(i) Iden fy the two crystal structures X and Y shown.

(ii) Explain why structure X is most associated with bri leness in metals.

(iii) Name one metal based on structure X and one metal based on structure Y.

7
QuesƟon 5. (50 marks)

(a) The warehouse shown is fabricated from mild steel which is cut and welded in a
factory.

(i) Select a suitable welding process used in

the manufacture of the frame and give
one reason for your selec on.

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

the key principles of the welding process
selected.

(b) Answer any three of the following:

(i) Describe one type of welding suitable for the automated welding of steel panels
in motorcar manufacture.

(ii) Describe two hazards which may be encountered in underwater welding.

(iii) Give two benefits of the forma on of slag in manual metal arc welding.

(iv) Describe how mul -run welding can posi vely affect the quality of a weld.

(v) Compare the electrode used in MIG welding and the electrode used in TIG
welding.

(c) Describe, with the aid of a suitable diagram(s), any one of the following:

(i) The transformer-rec fier circuit used in manual metal arc welding.

(ii) oxy-acetylene welding with reference to each of the following:

• equipment used
• flame types
• integrated safety features
• applica ons.
OR
SOLAR POWER

(c) The robo c agricultural sprayer shown has a camera and

RECOGNITION BY CAMERA
ultrasonic sensors as well as a GPS system to guide it and detect AND GPS NAVIGATION SYSTEM

weeds. It is solar powered and delivers micro doses of herbicide

where required.

(i) Outline one posi ve environmental impact of robo c MICRODOSES DEPOSITED

sprayers for weed control. IN A TARGETED WAY

(ii) Explain the following terms associated with robo c

sprayers:

• GPS
• Robo c sensors.

8
QuesƟon 6. (50 marks)

(a) Plas c Water-Filled Barriers made from Medium Density Polyethylene (MDP) are
designed to provide safety and separa on in areas where there is vehicle traffic and
help provide pedestrian traffic with protec on from vehicles, plus slow-moving objects
which may cause damage or harm.

(i) Outline any two reasons why MDE is suitable for the manufacture of the barriers
shown.

(ii) Describe, with the aid of a diagram, a suitable polymer manufacturing process to
mass-produce the MDP barriers.

(b) Select any two of the following and dis nguish between:

(i) Amorphous and crystalline polymer.

(ii) Natural and synthe c rubber.

(iii) Foaming agents and fillers.

(iv) Catalyst and inhibitor.

(c) A thermose ng plas c is used in the manufacture of the

saucepan handle shown. Most thermose ng plas cs are
produced by condensa on polymerisa on.

(i) Outline two reasons for choosing thermose ng

plas cs for this applica on.

(ii) Describe the process of condensa on polymerisa on.

9
QuesƟon 7. (50 marks)

(a) Two common grinding processes are illustrated at A and B

A B

Surface grinding of steel machine parts. Sharpening a Drill bit on a bench grinder.

(i) Outline the main features of a surface grinding machine.

(ii) Describe three hazards associated with using a bench grinder.

(b) Answer any three of the following:

(i) Iden fy three safety features integrated into a lathe.

(ii) Explain how measurement errors may occur when using a digital Vernier caliper.

(iii) Outline one use of a vee-block and clamp.

(iv) Dis nguish between countersink and counterbore holes.

(v) Name two important proper es of cu ng tool materials.

(c) There are many factors which must be considered for effec ve metal cu ng and
machinability.

(i) Describe two factors that influence metal

machinability.

(ii) Outline two func ons of cu ng fluids in

effec ve metal cu ng.

OR

(c) Computer Numerical Control (CNC) technology is to the forefront of precision

engineering manufacture.

(i) Explain two of the following terms in rela on

to CNC technology:

• Machine tool envelope

• So ware simula on
• Closed loop control.

(ii) Iden fy two safety features incorporated into

modern CNC machines.

10
QuesƟon 8. (50 marks)

(a) Winches are used to pull small boats from the water when
loading for transport.

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

mechanism which allows a winch to rotate in one
direc on only, preven ng the cable from slipping.

(ii) Other than a winch, iden fy two applica ons for the
mechanism described by you in Q8(a)(i) above.

(b) Explain any three of the following:

(i) Describe a mechanism that transmits mo on through 90°.

(ii) State two advantages of helical gears over spur gears.

(iii) Outline a suitable use for a cam and follower mechanism.

(iv) The func on of a thermostat.

(v) The opera on of a pneuma c double-ac ng cylinder.

(c) The scissor li mechanism shown is regularly used to access

windows or other parts of buildings easily and safely from
the ground. It can be used for cleaning and other forms of
maintenance and construc on.

(i) Describe, with the aid of a diagram(s), the opera on of

this type of li mechanism.

(ii) Describe two advantages of this type of li over other

op ons.

OR
IC
(c) The electronic circuit shown has components, including
an IC, soldered on to a PCB.

(i) Explain the terms IC and PCB.

(ii) Iden fy one component other than the IC

in the circuit shown.

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