Level 2 Engineering BTEC

This subject is broken down into 29 topics in 9 modules:

  1. The Engineered World 3 topics
  2. Investigating an Engineered Product 4 topics
  3. Engineering Design 3 topics
  4. Engineering Maintenance Procedures and Techniques 3 topics
  5. Electrical and Electronic Engineering Principles 4 topics
  6. Mechanical Engineering Principles 3 topics
  7. Welding processes 3 topics
  8. Electrical Installation and Maintenance 3 topics
  9. Fabrication and Sheet Metalwork 3 topics
Study this subject in the Adapt App →
  • 9
    modules
  • 29
    topics
  • 10,814
    words of revision content
  • 1+
    hours of audio lessons

This page was last modified on 28 September 2024.

A preview of Level 2 Engineering BTEC in the Adapt app

Adapt is a revision planning app with full content coverage and unlimited past paper questions for 1,200+ GCSE and A Level subjects.

Study this subject in the Adapt app →

Engineering

The Engineered World

Global engineering industries

🤓 Study

📖 Quiz

Play audio lesson

Global engineering industries

Types of Global Engineering Industries

  • Aerospace Industry: This industry concentrates on the design and manufacturing of technology related to aircraft, spacecraft, and missiles.
  • Automotive Industry: Focused on the design, manufacturing, and selling of motor vehicles and parts.
  • Chemical Industry: This involves the production of chemicals and other related products like polymers, fertilisers, pharmaceuticals.
  • Civil Engineering Industry: Provides solutions for the design, construction, and maintenance of infrastructure like roads, bridges, dams and buildings.
  • Electronic and Electrical Industry: They deal in the design and manufacturing of components/systems that use electricity for operation.
  • Mechanical Engineering Industry: Focused on the design, development, manufacturing, and maintenance of mechanical systems.

Key Factors affecting Global Engineering Industries

  • Technological Advancements: Rapid advancements in technology like AI, robotics, nanotechnology, impact the manufacturing processes greatly.
  • Environmental Sustainability: There's an increasing demand for sustainable and environmentally-friendly engineering solutions globally.
  • Workforce Skills and Training: The skill-set, knowledge, and training of the workforce forms a vital part of the global engineering industry.
  • Global Economy: Fluctuations in the global economy, trade disputes, and other economic factors impact this industry.
  • Regulations and Standards: Adherence to quality standards, regulatory compliances, safety norms and ethical practices are critical.

Leading Players in Global Engineering Industries

  • Aerospace Industry: Companies like Boeing, Airbus, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, and SpaceX.
  • Automotive Industry: Key players include General Motors, Ford, Toyota, BMW, Tesla, and Daimler AG.
  • Chemical Industry: Major companies are BASF, Dow Chemical Company, ExxonMobil, and DuPont.
  • Civil Engineering Industry: Bechtel, AECOM, and Vinci are some example companies.
  • Electronic and Electrical Industry: Known companies include Samsung Electronics, Intel, Texas Instruments and Hitachi.
  • Mechanical Engineering Industry: Some leading firms are Toyota, General Motors, Ford, and Daimler AG.

Influence of Global Engineering Industries

  • Economic Impact: The global engineering industries contribute significantly to the world's GDP and provide millions of jobs.
  • Technological Progress: Engineering advancements contribute significantly to technological progress, enhancing living standards worldwide.
  • Environmental Impact: Engineering solutions can help reduce the environmental footprint and advance sustainable development.
  • Marketplace Competition: Global industries drive competition which in turn fuels innovation and technological growth.

Course material for Engineering, module The Engineered World, topic Global engineering industries

Engineering

Electrical and Electronic Engineering Principles

AC circuits and components

🤓 Study

📖 Quiz

Play audio lesson

AC circuits and components

AC Circuits Basics

  • Alternating Current (AC) is an electric current that periodically reverses direction.
  • In AC, the magnitude of the current and voltage change with time, and they are not in phase with each other.
  • The frequency of AC is the number of cycles it goes through per second, measured in Hertz (Hz).
  • AC power supply is commonly used for homes and businesses.

AC Components

  • Capacitors can store energy in an electric field and are used in AC circuits to block Direct Current (DC) while allowing AC to pass.
  • Inductors store energy in a magnetic field, and their main feature is to limit changes in current.
  • Diodes allow current to flow only in one direction, used for converting AC to DC (rectification).
  • A Transformer is a vital AC component, used to increase or decrease the voltage of AC.

Resonance in AC Circuits

  • Resonance occurs in an AC circuit when the inductive and capacitive reactances are equal, causing the circuit to resonate at a particular frequency known as the resonant frequency.
  • At resonance, the reactive power in the circuit is zero, and the circuit behaves like an electrical resonator.

Impedance in AC Circuits

  • Impedance (Z) is the total opposition to current flow in an AC circuit, measured in ohms (Ω).
  • It is a complex quantity which includes both resistance and reactance (due to capacitors and inductors).
  • The impedance of a series AC circuit is given by Z = √(R^2 + X^2), where R is resistance and X is reactance.

Power in AC Circuits

  • Power in AC circuits is more complex than in DC circuits due to the phase difference between voltage and current.
  • Real Power (P) is the power that is actually used in the circuit, measured in watts (W).
  • Reactive Power (Q) is the power that continuously bounces back and forth between source and load, measured in volt-amperes reactive (VAR).
  • Apparent Power (S) is the magnitudes of voltage and current multiplied together, measured in volt-amperes (VA).
  • The Power Factor (PF) is a measure of how effectively the current is being converted into useful work output. It is defined as the cosine of the phase angle between current and voltage.

Course material for Engineering, module Electrical and Electronic Engineering Principles, topic AC circuits and components

Can I trust Adapt’s expertise?

Adapt is already used by over 600,000 students and trusted by over 3,000 schools. Our exam-specific content and assessments are meticulously crafted by expert teachers and examiners.

Find out more about the Adapt app →

Planner

An always up-to-date revision timetable.

A personalised, flexible revision timetable that stays up-to-date automatically.

Content

All the exam resources, in one place.

Over 20,000 topics broken down into manageable lessons with teacher-written, exam-specific lessons.

Assessment

Past-paper questions, with instant feedback.

Unlimited past paper questions with instant examiner feedback on how to improve.

Progress

Track progress, together.

Progress tracking to stay motivated, with real-time updates to the Parent Portal.

Download the app today to start revising for free.