*P31*

Pre-Leaving Certificate Examination, 2013

Triailscrúdú na hArdteistiméireachta, 2013

____________________

Engineering — MATERIALS AND TECHNOLOGY

(Higher Level – 300 marks)

____________________

Time: 3 Hours

Page 1 of 11
 INSTRUCTIONS

1. Answer Sections A and B of Question 1 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. Squared paper is supplied for diagrams and 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) State three factors that should be observed when working with
adhesives.

(b) Describe the method of ore dressing shown opposite.

(c) Identify two factors that affect fatigue failure in metal.

(d) Select any two of the abbreviations shown and explain their meaning:

(i) CPU, (ii) LAN, (iii) SPST switch, (iv) Http.

(e) Outline one use for the vee block shown.

(f) Identify any two finishing treatments that may be applied to

mild steel to protect against corrosion.

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

(i) Christopher Cockerell, (ii) James Dyson (iii) Ivan Sikorsky.

(h) Identify the main processes used to manufacture any two of the items shown:

(i) (ii) (iii)

(i) Identify three crystal point defects.

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

(k) Describe the term elastic memory with reference to thermoplastics.

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

(m) Name and suggest a suitable application for the gauge shown.

Page 3 of 11
 SECTION B – 50 MARKS

Answer all of the following:

(n) The hot air engine / Stirling engine was invented in 1816. However the engine did
not come into wide spread use. Briefly explain why this was the case.

(o) Explain with the aid of the diagram the basic principles of operation of the Stirling
engine.

(p) Explain with the Aid of a diagram the Alpha Stirling Engine OR the Beta Stirling
Engine.

(q) Explain each of the following:

(i) The regenerator.

(ii) The displacer.

(iii) The power piston.

(r) Outline three other modern uses for the Stirling engine.

(s) Give three advantages and three disadvantages of using the Stirling engine in one of
the applications chosen above.

Page 4 of 11
Question 2. (50 marks)

(a) The diagram illustrates a hardness testing machine.

(i) Identify the hardness test shown.

(ii) Describe the main features of this mechanical test.

(b) The following results were obtained from a tensile test on an aluminium alloy.

Stress (N/mm2) 45 150 225 270 338 368 380 400

Strain (x1000) 0.50 1.25 2.50 3.00 3.75 5.00 5.75 7.50

Using the graph paper supplied, plot the stress-strain graph and determine:

(i) Young’s modulus of elasticity for the alloy;

(ii) The 0.1% proof stress.

(c) (i) State two reasons why non-destructive tests are necessary in industry.

(ii) Describe, with the aid of a suitable diagram, one non-destructive test that uses
ultrasonic principles as a method of flaw detection.

Page 5 of 11
Question 3. (50 marks)

(a) Answer any two of the following:

(i) Describe with the aid of a diagram the flame hardening process;

(ii) Explain the term recrystallisation in terms of heat treatments.

(iii) What is pearlite?

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

2
2
2
800 1 3
Temperature °C

700
600
500
400
4 5
300
200
100
0
0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1.0 1.2 1.4 1.6 1.8

% Carbon

(i) Name the regions represented at 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5.

(ii) Describe the structural changes that occur in 0.4% carbon steel as it cooled
slowly from 900 °C.

(c) The diagram represents a series of readings for a pyrometer for measuring furnace
temperature.

A B C

(i) Identify the type of pyrometer and state the function of the pyrometer.

(ii) Describe the principle of operation of the pyrometer with the aid of the above
diagram making reference to A,B and C.

Page 6 of 11
Question 4. (50 marks)

(a) Explain any two of the following:

(i) Dislocation defect;

(ii) Eutectoid point;

(iii) Age Hardening;

(iv) The difference between amorphous structures and crystalline structures.

(b) The table shows the solidification temperatures for the various alloys of metal A and metal
B. The melting point of metal A is 1083 ºC and the melting point of metal B is 1455 ºC.

% of metal B in the alloy 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100

Start of Solidification (oC) 1083 1160 1220 1270 1320 1350 1379 1400 1430 1441 1455
End of Solidification (oC) 1083 1085 1091 1111 1130 1170 1221 1270 1329 1380 1455

Using the graph paper supplied:

(i) Draw the thermal equilibrium diagram according to the given data in the table
above;

(ii) Label the main features of the diagram;

(iii) Determine, from the diagram, the ratio of the phases at 1250 ºC for the alloy of 50%
metal B.

(c) (i) Compare the properties of body-centred cubic (bcc) structures and those of face-
centred cubic (fcc) structures.

(ii) Explain how the crystal structure of each can affect slip.

Page 7 of 11
Question 5. (50 marks)

(a) Describe the welding process shown below under the following headings:

(i) Name;

(ii) Method of operation;

(iii) Applications.

(b) Answer any three of the following:

(i) Identify two safety features incorporated in oxy-acetylene equipment;

(ii) Identify the three main parts A, B and C of the MMA welding circuit shown and
state the function of each part.

(iii) What is meant by dissolved acetylene?

(iv) State two functions of the slag produced in manual metal arc welding.

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

(i) Electro Slag welding;

(ii) Submerged arc welding (SAW).

Or

(c) (i) Describe two advantages of using robots in electronic circuit assembly.

(ii) Identify two safety factors to be considered when setting up a robotic

welding facility.

Page 8 of 11
Question 6. (50 marks)

(a) (i) Describe using diagrams the additional polymerisation process.

(ii) Name one polymer material produced by additional polymerisation.

(b) With reference to the polymer manufacturing process shown in the diagram, answer each of
the following:

(i) Name the process and describe the principle of operation with reference to A,B,C
and D;

(ii) State the type of polymer used in this process;

(iii) Identify one component produced by this process.

(c) Explain any three of the following in relation to polymers:

(i) GRP;

(ii) Transfer moulding;

(iii) Polymer filler materials;

(iv) Laminate;

(v) Elastic memory in acrylic sheet.

Page 9 of 11
Question 7. (50 marks)

(a) Answer any three of the following:

(i) Distinguish between oblique cutting and orthogonal cutting;

(ii) Describe the main features of a Morse taper sleeve;

(iii) Distinguish between oblique cutting and orthogonal cutting;

(iv) Outline two reasons for wheel dressing a grinding wheel;

(v) Distinguish between direct and comparative measurements.

(b) The main types of material chip formed in metal cutting are illustrated below.

(i) Identify the type of chip formed at A and the type of chip formed at B.

(ii) Suggest three safety precautions that would minimise the formation of a built-up
edge as shown in C.

(iii) Describe the type of material that results in the chip formed at A and the type of
material that results in the chip formed at B.

(c) The milling machine is capable of producing a range of cutting operations. Three milling
cutters are illustrated below:
Identify a use for any two of the milling cutters shown.

OR

(c) With reference to CNC machining describe any two of the following:

(i) The factors that make CNC machining safe.

(ii) Two features that reduce machining cycle time;

(iii) The contrast between CNC machining and conventional lathe work;

Page 10 of 11
Question 8. (50 marks)

(a) Name and describe the operation of any one of the mechanisms shown.

(i) (ii)

(b) Explain any three of the following:

(i) Pneumatic flow regulator;

(ii) The advantages of helical gears;

(iii) The functions of the electronic transistor;

(iv) Chain and sprocket;

(c) Describe, with the aid of a suitable diagram, a mechanism to

enable the fork trucks fork to lift up and down.

OR

(c) With reference to the circuit shown below:

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

(ii) Describe the function of the components A and D.

A B
C

9V

Page 11 of 11