Design and technology

Make it: plan an acrylic phone stand

Plan the manufacture of an acrylic phone stand from a CAD design through laser cutting, edge finishing and line bending. A flowchart asks pupils to put the stages in order, then a production table covers tools, protective equipment, quality checks and time.

Read the material Make one for my class

Read the phone-stand shape and bends. The full making plan includes staff supervision and machine-safety instructions.

Read the complete material

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Page 1

NAME
CLASS
DATE
LEARNING GOAL
Plan how a product is made: the stages in
order, with the right tools, PPE and quality
checks.
SUCCESS CRITERIA
I can put the making stages in a safe, logical order.
I can choose tools, equipment and PPE for each stage.
I can plan quality checks and say what to do if one fails.
MATERIAL
Acrylic sheet with a
protective film
PROCESSES
Laser cutting, then line
bending
BENDS
Bend 1 makes the lip; bend 2
the back rest
Must: wear eye protection when your teacher tells
you to.
Warning: the laser cutter is staff supervised, with
extraction running. Never leave it unattended.
Do not touch the line bender heater. Bent acrylic
stays hot until it cools.
Follow your school's machine rules and your teacher's
instructions.
Write the three missing stages in boxes a, b and c, in the right order. Use the stage bank.
STAGE BANK
?
Heat the bend line
?
Peel off the protective film
?
Smooth the edges
Start
Finalise the design
in CAD
Laser cut the acrylic
(staff supervised,
extraction running)
Sizes and
edges right?
No
Yes
A
A
Edges smooth
and safe?
No
Yes
B
B
Bend over a former
or jig; hold it
until it cools
Angle and fit
match the spec?
No
Yes
End
a
b
c
Start or end
Process (a stage)
Decision: a quality check
Connector: carry on at the same letter
Manufacturing process and tools plan
STAGE Plan
SCALE Not to scale
Sheet 1 of 3
DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY
AGES 13 TO 16
MAKING PLAN
Make it: a phone stand
Plan every stage, tool and safety step for an acrylic phone stand.
1
Meet the product
PART A
phone
1
2
back
rest
lip
SIDE VIEW
2
Stay safe
PART B
!
3
Complete the flowchart
PART C
3 marks

Page 2

Fill in one row for each stage. Read the model row first. Give your best time estimate.
STAGE
TOOLS AND EQUIPMENT
PPE
QUALITY CHECK
TIME
1
MODEL
Design in CAD
Computer with CAD software
None needed at the
computer
Sizes match my design; my
teacher checks the file
About 30
min
2
Laser cut the
acrylic
3
Peel off the film
4
Smooth the edges
5
Heat and bend
6
Check against the
specification
For each problem, explain why it might happen and how you will prevent it.
PROBLEM
WHY IT MIGHT HAPPEN
HOW I WILL PREVENT IT
MODEL
The acrylic cracks at the
bend
The bend line was not heated enough before
bending.
Heat the line evenly until it softens. Never force
the bend.
The edges are rough or
sharp
The bend is in the wrong
place
Manufacturing process and tools plan
PLANNED BY
REV
Sheet 2 of 3
DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY
AGES 13 TO 16
PRODUCTION PLAN
Plan your production, stage by stage
4
Production plan
PART P
15 marks
5
What could go wrong?
PART R
4 marks
A
B
C
A

The pupil task

What pupils will do

Read the product features and safety notes, then use the stage bank to complete the flowchart.

Learning objective

Plan a logical manufacturing sequence with tools, protective equipment, checks and a response to likely problems.

When to use it

Use after pupils have designed a phone stand and have access to a supervised workshop with approved equipment. A qualified teacher or technician must review the process, machine controls and safety arrangements before work begins.

What’s included

An acrylic phone stand brief connects design with laser cutting and line bending. Sequencing, size and edge checks lead into a production plan and a worked risk question about what could go wrong.

A teaching sequence

Plan a logical manufacturing sequence with tools, protective equipment, checks and a response to likely problems.

Read the phone-stand shape and bends. The full making plan includes staff supervision and machine-safety instructions.

Read the complete material

Understand the stand's features

Identify how the acrylic phone stand works: its lip supports the phone and its back rest sets the angle. Note the material and two bends.

How do the lip and back rest support the phone?

Order the supervised stages

Order the CAD, supervised laser-cutting, edge-finishing and line-bending stages. Use extraction for laser cutting and check size, edges, smoothness and fit; bent acrylic stays hot while cooling.

Which school-approved checks must precede the next stage?

Plan tools, time and controls

For each stage, record tools, equipment, PPE, quality check and realistic time. Match every choice to actual workshop rules.

Do the recorded equipment and PPE match the actual workshop rules?

Plan for a failed check

Plan what to do if an edge, bend or fit check fails, then review the final specification. Confirm the planned response to a failed check with the workshop lead.

What should happen if an edge, bend or fit check fails?

Before you teach

Look for the thinking behind an answer, choose the support your class needs and leave room for an independent response.

What to look for

Look for an order that allows the part to be sized, finished, bent and checked without skipping a safety step. Confirm that every tool and PPE choice matches the actual equipment and local procedure. A plan should include a safe response to rough edges, incorrect bends or material cracking.

Give a little support

Provide an approved workshop process sheet and demonstrate only the steps pupils are authorised to perform. Let pupils complete the planning work without handling hot or sharp material. Use a checklist for the order, safety equipment, quality gate and time estimate.

Take the idea further

Ask pupils to compare two possible process sequences and explain how an early quality check could prevent rework. They can identify a tool or stage that needs a risk-control measure and add it to the plan after teacher review.

Things to keep in mind

The worksheet is a planning aid, not a machine operating procedure. Laser cutting, extraction, eye protection, edge finishing and hot acrylic require trained adult supervision and current workshop rules. The sequence shown may not cover every tool, material or design.

Keep the idea. Make it yours.

Bring your topic, learning goal and class context to PLAI™, then review what you create.

Make one for my class

Ideas to try with your class

Sample teaching perspectives on what to try, what to adapt and what to watch for.

🔔

Gentle Reminder

The phone-stand plan places CAD, laser cutting, edge smoothing and two bends into a decision flow with quality checks. Pupils fill the missing stages (peel film, heat the bend line, smooth edges) in the appropriate sequence.

🧽

Board Eraser

This is a planning worksheet for ages 13 to 16, not instructions to operate machinery independently. It integrates fit and edge checks with the next stage so a failed check loops back before bending or finishing.

💡

Little Lightbulbs

The stage bank and flowchart symbols let pupils order the process before adding tools and PPE on later pages. A teacher can review the sequence while keeping the hazard notes visible.

📏

Step by Step

The laser cutter requires staff supervision and extraction, and bent acrylic remains hot until cool. Follow school machine rules and teacher instructions; the worksheet does not authorise equipment use or replace training.