C120 words · Advanced

Engineering & Manufacturing vocabulary — C1

Advanced engineering vocabulary for design and production, including tensile strength, corrosion, an actuator and the fatigue testing and kaizen behind lean manufacturing.

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Words in this set

tensile
/ˈtɛnsəl/
Relating to the ability of a material to withstand being stretched without breaking.
Example: Steel cable has a very high tensile strength.
corrosion
/kərˈoʊʒən/
The gradual damage caused to metal by chemical reactions, such as rust.
Example: Salt water speeds up corrosion on ship hulls.
actuator
/ˈæktjuˌeɪtər/
A device that converts energy into movement to operate a mechanical part.
Example: An electric actuator opens the valve automatically.
schematic
/skɪˈmætɪk/
A simplified diagram showing how a system's parts are connected, especially electrical or mechanical ones.
Example: The technician followed the schematic to rewire the panel.
commissioning
/kəˈmɪʃənɪŋ/
The process of testing and preparing new equipment or a new system before it starts regular use.
Example: Commissioning the new plant took several weeks.
decommissioning
/dikəˈmɪʃənɪŋ/
The process of safely taking equipment or a facility permanently out of use.
Example: Decommissioning the old power station will take years.
fabrication
/ˌfæbrɪˈkeɪʃən/
The process of making or assembling metal parts or structures from raw materials.
Example: The workshop handles the fabrication of custom steel frames.
extrusion
/ɪkˈstruʒən/
Shaping material by pushing it through an opening of a certain shape.
Example: Aluminium window frames are made through extrusion.
heat treatment
Heating and cooling metal in controlled ways to change its strength or hardness.
Example: The blades undergo heat treatment to make them harder and sharper.
fatigue
/fəˈtiɡ/
The gradual weakening of a material caused by repeated stress over time.
Example: Metal fatigue eventually caused a crack in the wing spar.
finite element analysis
A computer method for predicting how a structure will behave.
Example: Finite element analysis showed the failure before the rig did.
root cause analysis
A method for finding the underlying reason for a failure.
Example: Root cause analysis took three weeks and named a washer.
statistical process control
Monitoring a process with statistics to keep it stable.
Example: Statistical process control caught the drift before any part failed.
lean manufacturing
An approach that removes anything not adding value.
Example: Lean manufacturing removed the buffer stock and then the buffer.
annealing
/əˈnilɪŋ/
Heating and slowly cooling metal to make it less brittle.
Example: Annealing the strip stopped the cracking at the fold.
quenching
/ˈkwɛntʃɪŋ/
Cooling hot metal rapidly to harden it.
Example: Quenching in oil rather than water halved the distortion.
surface finish
How smooth or rough a machined surface is.
Example: The surface finish was specified in microns and measured by eye.
takt time
The rate at which units must be finished to meet demand.
Example: Takt time was fifty-one seconds and the slowest station took ninety.
kaizen
Continuous improvement through many small changes.
Example: A year of kaizen produced more than the last three projects.
preventive maintenance
Servicing equipment before it fails rather than after.
Example: Preventive maintenance was the first budget cut and the first regret.