⚙️ Engineering & Manufacturing · Vocabulary for Specific Fields · 150 words

🃏 Learn this set with free flashcards →

engineering n	using science and math to design and build things She studied mechanical engineering at a technical university.
mechanical adj	relating to machines or moving parts The delay was caused by a mechanical fault in the conveyor.
electrical adj	relating to or using electricity An electrical fault started the fire in the workshop.
civil engineering n	designing and building roads, bridges and buildings Civil engineering firms are bidding for the new bridge project.
manufacturing n	making goods in large quantities using machines Manufacturing accounts for a large share of exports.
production line n	a sequence of machines and workers that make a product Installing a new production line will double the output of the plant.
assembly line n	a line where products are put together step by step Robots now do most of the welding on the assembly line.
assembly n	putting parts together; a unit made of parts Final assembly takes place in the Bac Ninh factory.
component n	a part that combines with others to form a product Most electronic components for the assembly are imported from Japan.
spare part n	a part kept to replace a broken one We keep spare parts for every critical machine.
raw material n	a basic substance used to make products Rising raw material prices increased our production costs this quarter.
blueprint n	a detailed technical plan of a building or machine The engineers studied the blueprint before starting work.
technical drawing n	a precise drawing that shows how something is made Every part must match the dimensions in the technical drawing.
computer-aided design n	using software to create technical designs All new parts are designed with computer-aided design software.
prototype n	an early model built to test a design The team tested the prototype in extreme heat.
specification n	detailed requirements a product must meet The steel does not meet the customer specification.
tolerance n	the allowed amount of variation in a measurement The shaft diameter has a tolerance of 0.02 millimeters.
dimension n	a measurement such as length, width or height Check the dimensions of each part before assembly.
calibration n	adjusting an instrument so it measures accurately All pressure gauges in the plant require calibration every six months.
measurement n	the act or result of measuring Accurate measurement is essential in precision engineering and quality control.
precision n	the quality of being exact and accurate Aircraft engine parts are machined with extreme precision.
machine tool n	a powered machine used to cut or shape metal The workshop invested in modern machine tools to improve accuracy.
lathe n	a machine that shapes material by rotating it against a tool He shaped the metal rod on a lathe.
milling n	cutting material with a rotating tool Milling is used to make flat surfaces and slots.
welding n	joining metal pieces by heating and melting them Welding must be done in a well-ventilated area.
casting n	shaping metal by pouring it into a mold Engine blocks for the motorbikes are produced by aluminum casting.
mold n	a hollow container used to shape liquid material The plastic is injected into a steel mold.
injection molding n	making plastic parts by forcing melted plastic into molds The phone cases are made by injection molding.
forging n	shaping hot metal by hammering or pressing Forging makes the crankshaft much stronger than machining from solid bar.
machining n	cutting and shaping material with machine tools The cast parts need final machining before they go to assembly.
CNC n	computer numerical control of machine tools The factory runs twenty CNC machines around the clock.
automation n	using machines and control systems instead of manual work Automation of the packing area reduced labor costs at the plant.
robot n	a machine that performs tasks automatically A robot loads metal sheets into the press every few seconds.
programmable logic controller n	an industrial computer that controls machines The conveyor is controlled by a programmable logic controller.
sensor n	a device that detects changes such as heat or movement A temperature sensor stops the machine if it overheats.
actuator n	a device that moves or controls a mechanism The actuator opens the valve when pressure rises.
control system n	a system that manages the behavior of machines Engineers upgraded the control system of the boiler.
hydraulic adj	operated by liquid under pressure The press uses a hydraulic cylinder to apply force.
pneumatic adj	operated by compressed air Pneumatic tools are lighter and safer than electric ones for assembly work.
compressor n	a machine that increases the pressure of a gas The air compressor supplies all the tools in the workshop.
pump n	a machine that moves liquid or gas The cooling pump failed during the night shift.
valve n	a device that controls the flow of liquid or gas Close the main valve before repairing the pipe.
bearing n	a part that reduces friction between moving parts A worn bearing caused the loud noise in the motor.
gear n	a toothed wheel that transfers motion The gears in the gearbox need regular lubrication.
shaft n	a rotating rod that transmits power The motor shaft is connected to the pump.
motor n	a machine that converts energy into motion A three-phase electric motor drives the main conveyor belt.
engine n	a machine that burns fuel to produce power A large diesel engine powers the backup generator during outages.
turbine n	a machine with blades turned by water, steam or wind The wind turbine generates power for two hundred homes.
generator n	a machine that produces electricity The hospital switched to the generator during the blackout.
conveyor belt n	a moving belt that carries objects in a factory Packages move along a conveyor belt to the loading area.
lubrication n	applying oil or grease to reduce friction Regular lubrication extends the life of the machine.
friction n	the force that resists movement between surfaces Friction between the parts produces a lot of heat.
torque n	a force that causes rotation Tighten all the wheel bolts to the torque specified in the manual.
load n	the weight or force a structure must support The beam is designed to carry a load of ten tonnes.
stress n	internal force per unit area in a material The engineers calculated the stress on each support of the bridge.
strain n	the change in shape of a material under force Sensors continuously measure strain in the main cables of the bridge.
tensile strength n	the maximum pulling force a material can withstand This grade of steel has a high tensile strength suitable for cables.
fatigue n	weakening of material from repeated stress Metal fatigue caused the crack in the wing.
corrosion n	gradual damage to metal by chemical reaction A special coating protects the steel structure from corrosion near the sea.
alloy n	a metal made by mixing two or more metals The frame is made of a light aluminum alloy.
stainless steel n	steel that resists rust Food processing equipment is made of stainless steel.
composite material n	a material made from two or more different substances Modern aircraft use a lot of composite material.
concrete n	a building material of cement, sand, stones and water The foundations of the new warehouse were made of high-strength concrete.
reinforced concrete n	concrete strengthened with steel bars The new river bridge is built entirely from reinforced concrete.
cement n	a gray powder that hardens when mixed with water Cement prices rose because of high energy costs.
foundation n	the base that supports a building underground Work on the foundation of the factory began in January.
beam n	a long horizontal piece that supports a structure A steel beam supports the roof of the warehouse.
column n	a vertical support in a building Each column carries part of the floor load.
scaffolding n	a temporary frame used by workers on buildings The scaffolding must be inspected by a supervisor every morning.
construction site n	a place where a building is being built Hard hats must be worn on the construction site.
contractor n	a company hired to do construction or technical work The contractor finished the factory two weeks early.
site engineer n	an engineer who supervises work on a construction site The site engineer checked the steel before the concrete was poured.
structural adj	relating to the parts that support a building The inspection found serious structural damage after the earthquake.
infrastructure n	basic systems such as roads, power and water The government is investing heavily in transport infrastructure across the region.
feasibility study n	an assessment of whether a project is practical The feasibility study recommended building the plant near the port.
bill of materials n	a list of all parts needed to make a product The bill of materials lists 240 parts for the pump.
quality control n	checking products to make sure they meet standards Quality control rejected five percent of the batch.
quality assurance n	processes that prevent defects and ensure quality Quality assurance audits of every production line are held each quarter.
inspection n	a careful check for faults or compliance The steam boiler passed its annual safety inspection last week.
defect n	a fault in a product The defect was traced to a faulty machine setting.
defect rate n	the proportion of products with faults The new process cut the defect rate to under one percent.
root cause analysis n	a method for finding the basic cause of a problem The team carried out a root cause analysis after the breakdown.
standard operating procedure n	written step-by-step instructions for a routine task Operators must follow the standard operating procedure exactly.
ISO standard n	an international standard for quality or safety The factory is certified to the ISO standard for quality management.
certification n	official confirmation that standards are met The plant received environmental certification after a long audit last year.
lean manufacturing n	a production method that eliminates waste Lean manufacturing reduced inventory by forty percent within one year.
just-in-time adj	producing or delivering goods only when needed The plant uses just-in-time delivery for most parts.
continuous improvement n	ongoing small changes to improve processes Workers suggest ideas for continuous improvement every week.
six sigma n	a data-driven method to reduce defects The plant manager has a Six Sigma black belt.
throughput n	the amount produced or processed in a given time The new machine increased throughput by twenty percent.
capacity n	the maximum amount a plant can produce The factory is now running at full capacity to meet export orders.
output n	the amount produced Monthly output at the plant reached fifty thousand units in May.
yield n	the percentage of good products from a process Better cleaning improved the yield on the chip line.
downtime n	time when equipment is not operating Unplanned downtime costs the plant thousands of dollars per hour.
preventive maintenance n	regular servicing to stop breakdowns before they happen Preventive maintenance on all presses is scheduled every Saturday morning.
maintenance n	work done to keep equipment in good condition The maintenance team repaired the overhead crane during the night.
breakdown n	a sudden failure of a machine A breakdown on line two stopped production for six hours.
overhaul n	a complete inspection and repair of a machine The turbine is due for a major overhaul.
troubleshooting n	finding and fixing the cause of a fault Troubleshooting the control panel took most of the shift.
shift n	a set period of work in a factory The plant runs three eight-hour shifts a day, seven days a week.
operator n	a worker who runs a machine Each operator is trained on two different machines.
technician n	a skilled worker who maintains technical equipment A technician replaced the faulty sensor on the packaging machine.
workshop n	a room or building where things are made or repaired The repair workshop is next to the warehouse.
occupational safety n	protecting workers from injury and illness at work All new staff attend a course on occupational safety.
personal protective equipment n	gear such as helmets and gloves worn for safety Workers must wear personal protective equipment at all times.
hazard n	something that could cause harm Loose cables on the workshop floor are a serious tripping hazard.
risk assessment n	identifying hazards and judging how serious they are A risk assessment is required before any work at height.
electricity n	energy carried by moving electrons The plant uses a lot of electricity at night.
voltage n	the force that pushes electric current The machine runs on a voltage of 380 volts.
current n	the flow of electricity through a wire The current was too high and tripped the breaker.
circuit n	a closed path through which electric current flows A short circuit in the cabinet damaged the main control board.
circuit breaker n	a switch that cuts power when current is too high The circuit breaker tripped when the motor overheated.
transformer n	a device that changes the voltage of electricity A new transformer was installed at the substation.
wiring n	the system of wires in a building or machine The old wiring must be replaced before the inspection.
grounding n	connecting equipment to the earth for safety Proper grounding of all machines protects workers from electric shock.
power supply n	a source that provides electrical power The laboratory has an uninterrupted power supply for its sensitive equipment.
renewable energy n	energy from sources that do not run out, like sun and wind The factory gets thirty percent of its power from renewable energy.
solar panel n	a panel that converts sunlight into electricity Solar panels were installed on the warehouse roof.
energy efficiency n	using less energy to do the same work LED lighting improved energy efficiency in the plant.
heat exchanger n	a device that transfers heat between two fluids The heat exchanger recovers waste heat from the furnace.
boiler n	a tank that heats water to produce steam The boiler supplies steam to the dyeing machines.
furnace n	an enclosed space where material is heated to high temperatures Steel scrap is melted in an electric furnace.
thermodynamics n	the science of heat and energy transfer Thermodynamics is a core subject for mechanical engineers.
fluid mechanics n	the study of how liquids and gases move Fluid mechanics is used to design efficient pipelines.
pressure n	force applied over an area The pressure in the tank must not exceed ten bar.
temperature n	how hot or cold something is The oven temperature is checked and recorded every hour by the operator.
pipeline n	a long system of pipes for carrying liquid or gas A new gas pipeline will supply the industrial park.
fitting n	a small part used to connect pipes or components Check every pipe fitting for leaks after installation and pressure testing.
bolt n	a metal pin with a thread used with a nut Tighten each bolt on the flange with a calibrated torque wrench.
fastener n	a device such as a screw or bolt that joins parts The supplier provides all fasteners for the assembly.
batch n	a quantity of goods produced at one time Each batch is tested before it leaves the plant.
mass production n	making large numbers of identical products Mass production lowered the cost of the new scooter.
packaging n	materials used to wrap or protect products The packaging must protect the glass during shipping.
warehouse n	a large building for storing goods Finished goods are stored in the warehouse until shipment.
simulation n	a computer model used to test how something will behave A simulation showed the bridge could withstand strong winds.
finite element analysis n	a numerical method for predicting stress in structures Finite element analysis revealed weak points in the bracket.
efficiency n	the ratio of useful output to input The new motor has an efficiency of ninety-five percent.
commissioning n	testing new equipment before it starts operating Commissioning of the new line will take two weeks.
installation n	putting equipment in place ready for use Installation of the cooling system starts on Monday.
wastewater treatment n	cleaning used water before releasing it The industrial park has a central wastewater treatment plant.
emission n	gas or substance released into the air New filters on the chimney cut dust emissions by eighty percent.
industrial park n	an area of land developed for factories Several electronics firms moved into the industrial park.
drilling n	making holes in material with a rotating tool Drilling the mounting holes takes about two minutes per steel plate.
grinding n	smoothing or shaping a surface with an abrasive wheel Grinding gives the shaft a very smooth and accurate surface finish.
sheet metal n	metal formed into thin flat pieces The machine covers are made from sheet metal cut by laser.
crane n	a tall machine used to lift heavy objects A tower crane lifted the steel beams onto the roof of the building.
work order n	a document authorizing a specific job The supervisor issued a work order to repair the leaking pump.
surface finish n	the texture and quality of a part’s surface The customer requires a smooth surface finish on all visible parts.
load-bearing adj	supporting the weight of a structure Do not remove that wall because it is load-bearing.
material handling n	moving and storing materials within a facility Forklifts and conveyors are used for material handling in the warehouse.