tolerance
/ˈtɑlərəns/The acceptable amount that a measurement can vary from the exact size without being rejected.
Example: The part was rejected for falling outside its tolerance.
B216 words · Upper-intermediate
Engineering & Manufacturing vocabulary — B2
Engineering vocabulary for working with machinery and materials, including tolerance, torque, calibration and the hydraulic systems, welds and alloys a technician handles.
16 questions
Words in this set
16torque
/tɔrk/A twisting force that makes something rotate, such as a bolt or a wheel.
Example:
The mechanic tightened the bolt to the correct torque.
calibration
/ˌkæləˈbreɪʃən/The process of adjusting an instrument so its measurements are accurate.
Example:
The scale needed calibration before the test began.
hydraulic
/haɪˈdrɔlɪk/Powered by the pressure of a liquid moving through pipes or cylinders.
Example:
A hydraulic arm lifted the car off the ground.
pneumatic
/nuˈmætɪk/Powered by air or gas under pressure.
Example:
The pneumatic drill broke through the concrete quickly.
weld
/wɛld/To join two pieces of metal together by heating them until they melt and fuse.
Example:
The technician used a torch to weld the two pipes together.
lathe
/leɪð/A machine that spins a piece of material so it can be cut or shaped evenly.
Example:
He shaped the metal rod on the lathe.
gauge
/ɡeɪdʒ/A tool or dial that measures an amount, such as pressure or thickness.
Example:
The fuel gauge showed the tank was almost empty.
alloy
/ˈæˌlɔɪ/A metal made by mixing two or more different metals together.
Example:
Bronze is an alloy of copper and tin.
casting
/ˈkæstɪŋ/Shaping a material by pouring it in liquid form into a mould and letting it set.
Example:
The factory uses casting to make thousands of identical metal parts.
machining
/məˈʃinɪŋ/Shaping metal by cutting it with a machine.
Example:
Machining the housing takes eleven minutes a unit.
jig
/dʒɪɡ/A device that holds a part in exactly the right position.
Example:
One new jig halved the reject rate.
tolerance stack
The way small permitted errors add up across an assembly.
Example:
The tolerance stack was what made the door refuse to close.
bill of materials
The full list of parts needed to make something.
Example:
The bill of materials ran to two hundred lines.
throughput rate
How many units a process completes in a given time.
Example:
The throughput rate rose once the second oven was installed.
scrap rate
The proportion of production that has to be thrown away.
Example:
A scrap rate of six per cent was quietly accepted for years.
