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A

• Abrasion: The process of scruffing, scratching, wearing down or rubbing away.


• Absolute Zero: The lowest possible temperature of a system, where there is no motion and no heat, occuring at 0 kelvin.


• Accelerated Life Testing: The process of testing a product through condititons in excess of its normal expected operating parameters to uncover faults and potential modes of failure quickly.


• Acceleration: The rate of change of velocity with respect to time with an SI unit of meter per second squared (m/s²). Acceleration is also a vector quantity and is the net result of any forces acting on an object as described by Newton's Second Law.


• Accelerometer: A device that measures proper acceleration, being the rate of change of velocity of an object in its own instantaneous rest frame.


• Accuracy: Closeness of measurements to a specific value. Gives a description of systematic errors and statistical bias.


• Ackermann steering geometry: An arrangement of steering linkages in a vehicle (commonly in cars) designed to solve the problem of wheels on the inside and outside of a turn needing to trace out circles of differrent radii.


• Acoustic Droplet Injection (ADE): A pulse of ultrasound to move low volumes of fluids (nanoliters-picoliters) without physical contact.


• Active Cooling: A cooling system that uses energy to cool something by circulating a coolant (liquid or gas) to transfer heat, opposed to passive cooling that uses no energy.


• Active Power: Real power in an AC circuit measured in Watts (W).


• Actual Mechanical Advantage (AMA): The mechancial advantage determined by physical measurement of the input and output forces, taking into account energy losses due to deflection, fricition and wear.


• Actuator: A device that creates mechanical motion by converting various forms of energy to rotating or linear mechanical energy.


• Aerodynamics: A subfeild of fluid dynamics and gas dynamics, aerodynamics is the study of the motion of air and its interaction with physical objects.


• Aging: The reduction ofinsulation life due to thermal, voltage and other stresses.


• Agitator (device): A device or mechanism that puts something into motion by shaking or stirring, typically consisting of an impeller and a shaft.


• Air Handler: A device used to regulate and cirulate air as part of a heating, ventilating and air-conditioning (HVAC) system.


• Air Compressor: A device that converts power (via an electric motor or engine) into potential energy stored in pressurized (compressed) air.


• Air Conditioner (A/C): Removes heat and mositure from an interior space.


• Air Preheater (APH): A device that heats air before it undergoes another process with the primary objective of increasing the thermal efficiency of the process.


• Airflow: The movement of air from one area to another, airflow is a measurement of the amount of air per unit time that flows through a given volume. The primary cause of airflow is pressure gradients where air flows from areas of high pressure to low pressure.


• Allowance: A planned or allowed deviation between an exact dimension and a nominal dimension or between an intermediate-stage dimension and an intended final dimension.


• Altenator: An electromechanical device that converts mechanical energy to electrical energy in the form of alternating current.


• Ambient Temperature: The temperature of the air in the immediate vicinity of the apparatus or component.


• American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME): A professional mechanical engineering assosciation.


• Ampere (Amps): The base unit of electric current in the International System of Units (SI)


• Applied Mechanics (Engineering Mechanics): Describes the behaviour of a body subjected to a force.


• Archimedes' Screw: A machine used for transferring water from low-lying bodies of water via a turning screw shaped surface insdie a pipe.


• Artificial Intelligence (AI): Also called machine intelligence, AI is intelligence demonstrated by machines opposed to natural intelligence displayed by humans or animals.


• Assembly Drawing: Engingeering drawings that show an entire entitity of a system with all components and subsytems located and identified.


• Automobile: A wheeled motor vehicle used for transportation.


• Automotive Engineering: A branch of vehicle engineering concerned with the design, manufacture and operation of motorcycles, automobiles and trucks and their respective subsystems.


• Axle: A central shaft for a rotating wheel or gear.

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B

• Babbitt: An alloy used for the bearing surface in a plain bearing.


• Backdrive: A component used in reverse to obtain its input from its output.


• Backlash (lash or play): Clearance or lost motiton in a mechanism caused by gaps between parts.


• Balancing Machine: A measuring tool used for balancing roating machinery parts.


• Ball Detent: A simple mechancial arrangement that holds a moving part in a temporarily fixed position relative to another part.


• Ball Screw: A linear actuator that translates rotational motion into linear motion with little friction.


• Ball Spline: A special type of linear motion bearing that provide nearly frictionless linear motion whilst allowing the member to transmit torque.


• Beale Number: A parameter that characterizes the performance of Stirling engines, often estimating the power output.


• Bearing: An device that constrains relative motion to only what is desired and reduces friction between moving parts.


• Bearing Surface: The area of contact between two objects, typially related to bolted joints and bearings.


• Belt: A loop of flexible material that is used to link multiple rotating shafts mechanically.


• Belt Friction: The friction forces between a belt and a surface.


• Bending: Characterizes the behaviour of a slender structural element subjected to an external load applied perpendicularly to a longitudional axis of the element.


• Biomechatronics: An interdisciplinary science integrating biology, mechanics and electronics.


• Bonded Seal: A type of washer used to create a seal around a screw or bolt.


• Brittleness: When a material breaks without significant plastic deformation when subjected to stress. Brittle materials absorb relatively little energy prior to fracture.


• Brush: A sliding electrical contact, usually rotating.


• Buckling: A sudden sideways deflection of a structural member when subjected to compressive strength. This can occur even when stresses are well below those needed to cause failure of the material of which the strucure is composed.


• Bushing: A type of vibration isolator. Bushes provide an interface between two parts, dampening the energy transmitted through the bushing.


• Boiler: A closed vessel in which a fluid (typically water) is heated, not necessarily boiled. The heated/vaporized fluid exits the boiler which may be used for various processes, such as water heating or central heating.

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C

• Capacitance: The amount of electrical energy stored for a given electric potential.


• Computer-Aided-Design (CAD): The use of computers to aid in the creation, modification, analysis or optimization of a design.


• Computer-Aided-Manufacutring (CAM): The use of software to control machine tools in the manufacturing of work pieces.


• Calculator: A device used to perform calculations that has capabilities ranging from basic arithmetic to complex mathematics.


• Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymer (CFRP): An extremely strong and lightweight fiber reinforced plastic which contains carbon fibers.


• Carbon Fibers (CF): Fibres 5-10 micrometers in diameter composed of mostly carbon atoms. Carbon fibres have high stiffness, high tensile strength, low weight, high chemcial resistance, high temperature tolerance and low thermal expansion.


• Classical Mechanics: The physical theory that describes the motion of objects, from projectiles to planets and galaxies.


• Clevis Fastener: A type of fastner consisting of a U-shaped bracket through which a pin is placed.


• Clutch: A mechanical device that engages/disengages power transmission, particularly from driving shafts to driven shafts.


• Computer Numerical Control (CNC): The automated control of machining tools (such as boring tools, drills and lathes) by means of a computer.


• Coefficient of Thermal Expansion: Describes how the size of an object varies with a change in temperature by measuring the fractional change in size per degree change in temperature at constant pressure.


• Coil Spring (Helical Spring): A spring commonly used to store and release energy, absorb shocks or maintain a force between different surfaces. Helix shaped, they are typically made from an elastic material that will return to its natural length when unloaded.


• Combustion: An exothermic redox chemical reaction between a reductant (fuel) and an oxidant (commonly oxygen) that produces oxidized products in a mixture as smoke.


• Composite Material: A material made from two or mroe constituent materials with significantly different physical or chemical properties that when combined, produce a material with different characteristics from the individual components.


• Compression Ratio: A value that represents the ratio of the volume of the combustion chamber from its largest capacity to its smallest capacity in a combustion engine.


• Compressive Strength: The capacity of a material or structure to withstand loads tending to reduce size, i.e. compression.


• Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD): A branch of fluid mechanics that uses numerical analysis and data structures to analyze and solve fluid flow porblems. Computers are used to perform calculations that simulate the free stream flow of fluids and their interactions with surfaces through the definition of boundary conditions.


• Conductor: A material which contains moveable electric charges.


• Conservation of Mass: The law of conservations of mass states that for any system closed to all transfers of matter and energy, the mass of the system remains constant over time.


• Constant Velocity Joint (CV Joint): A device that allows a drive shaft to transmit power through a variable angle at a constant rotational speed, without a significant increase in friction or play.


• Control Theory: A subfield of mathematics, control theory is a field of control engineering that deals with the control of dynamical processes.


• Corrosion: A natural process that graudually destroys a material (typically metals) by chemcial and/or electrochemical reactions with their environment.


• Cotter Pin: A pin or wedge passing through a hole to fix parts together tightly.


• Crankshaft: A mechanical component used in a piston engine to convert repricating motion into rotational motion.


• Critical Speed: The rotating speed at which resonance occurs.

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D

• Damping: The loss of energy in an oscillating system by dissipation


• Damping Ratio: A dimensionless measure of damping in a system, defined as the ratio of actual damping to the critical damping.


• Dead Load: The static load that is constant and does not change over time, such as the weight of the structure itself.


• Deformation: A change in the size or shape of an object.


• Deformation Energy: The energy stored in a material as it deforms under load, which is recovered when the load is removed.


• Delamination: A mode of failure in which a material fractures into layers.


• Design for Manufacturability (DFM): An engineering practice of designing products in such a way that is easy to manufacture.


• Diesel Engine: An internal combustion engine where the ignition of fuel is caused by the elevation in temperature of the air in the cylinder due to compression.


• Differential: A gear train with three shafts where the rotational speed of one shaft is the average (or a fixed multiple of that average) of the speeds of the others.


• Dimensional Analysis: The process of checking the consistency of equations and models by comparing the dimensions of the terms involved.


• Dimensionless Number: A quantity which has no physical dimension assigned.


• Diode: A two-terminal electronic component that conducts primarily in one direction.


• Drivetrain: The system of components that transmits power from the engine to the wheels, including the transmission, driveshaft, and differential.


• Driveshaft: A component used for transmitting mechanical power, torque and rotation.


• Drop Test: A test where a product is dropped from a specified height to evaluate its durability and impact resistance.


• Dynamics: A branch of classical mechanics that is concerned with the study of forces and their effects on motion.


• Dynamometer (Dyno): A device used for measuring the torque and rotational speed of an engine or motor so that its instantaneous power may be calculated.


• Ductility: The ability of a material to deform under tensile stress, often measured by its ability to be stretched into a wire.


• Dynamic Load: Load that varies with time, such as loads due to moving vehicles or machinery.

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E

• Efficiency: The ratio of usefull output power to input power of a device.


• Elasticity: The ability of a body to resist distortion and return to its original shape and size when an acting force is removed.


• Electric Current: A stream of charged particles moving through an electric conductor or space, measured as the net flow of electric charge through a surface or into a control volume.


• Electric Motor: A machine that converts electrical energy into mechancial energy.


• Electrical Engineering: An engineering discipline concerned with the study, design and application of electrical equiptment, devices and systems.


• Electrical Circuit: An electrical network consisting of a closed loop, giving a return path for the current.


• Electrical Network: An interconnection of electrical components such as batteries, resistors, inductors, capacitors and swtiches.


• Electromotive Force (e.m.f): The force induced in a conductor when it is forced across a magnetic field.


• Engineering: The use of scientific principles to design and build machines, structures and other items.


• Engineering Drawings: A type of technical drawing used to convey information about an object.

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F

• Factor of Safety (FoS): Expresses how much stronger a system is than it needs to be for its intended load.


• Fast Fracture: A phenomenon in which a material exapnds quickly resulting in a catastrophic failure of the material.


• Fillet: A rounding of an interior/exterior corner of a part that may reduce stress concentrations, reduce drag and prevent damage.


• First Law of Thermodynamics: Energy can neither be created nor destroyed, it can only change from one form to another.


• Finite Element Analysis (FEM): A method for numerically solving differential equations, commonly used for structural analysis problems.


• Flange: A protruded ridge, lip or rim that serves to increase strength, stabilization or ease of attatchment.


• Fluid Mechanics: A branch of physics concerned with the mechanics of fluids and the forces on them.


• Flywheel: A mechanical device used to store rotational energy by using the conservation of angular momentum.


• Force: An influence that can change an objects velocity unless counterbalanced by other forces. Forces have both magnitude and direction, making them vector quantities.


• Forging: A manufacturing process involving the shaping of metal using localized compressive forces.


• Friction: A force resisting the relative motion of solid surfaces, fluid layers and material elements sliding against eachother.


• Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF)/Fused Deposition Modelling (FDM): A 3D printing process that uses a continuous filament of a thermoplastic material.

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G

• Gas Compressor: A mechanical device that increases the pressure of a gas by reducing its volume.


• Gauge: A device used to make measurements or to display certian dimensional information.


• Gear: A rotating machine part used to transmit rotational motion by means of a series of teeth that engage with other gears or parts.


• Gear Coupling: A device used to connect two shafts together at their ends for the purpose of transmitting power.


• Gear Ratio: The ratio of the pitch circle of mating gears which defines the speed ratio and the mechancial advantage of the gear set.

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H

• Heat Engine: A system that converts heat, or thermal energy, to mechanical energy, which can then be used to do mechanical work.


• Heat Transfer: A discipline of thermal engineering concerned with the generation, use, conversion and exchange of thermal energy between physcial systems.


• Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC): The use of various technologies to control the temperature, humidity and purity of the air inside of an enclosed space.


• Hertz (Hz): SI derived unit for frequency, defined as the number of cycles per second of a periodic function.


• Hinge: A mechanical bearing that connects two solid objects, typically allowing only a limited angle of rotation between them.


• Hoberman Mechanism: A deployable mechanism that turns linear motion into raidal motion.


• Hobson's Joint (Hobson's Coupling): A type of right-angle constant-velocity joint in which rods bent at 90° are able to transmit torque around a corner because they are all free to turn in their mounting holes in both legs of the coupling.


• Hooke's Law: An empirical law stating the force required to extend or compress a string by some distance scales linearly with respect to its distance.


• Hydraulics: A technology concerned with the conveyance of liquids through pipes and channels, especially as a source of mechanical force or control.


• Hydrostatics: A branch of fluid dynamics concerned with fluids at hydrostatic equalibrium and the pressure in a fluid or exerted by a fluid on an immersed body.

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I

• Ideal Machine: A hypothertical system in which energy and power are not lost or dissipated.


• Independent Suspension: A suspension system that allows each wheel on the same axle to move vertically independently of the others.


• Inductor: A passive two-terminal electrical component that stores energy in a magentic field when an electric current flows through it.


• Industrial Engineering: An engineering profession concerned with the optimization of complex processes and systems by improving and integrating integrated systems of people, money, knowledge and euqipment.


• Inertia: The tendancy of objects in motion to remain in motion and objects at rest to stay at rest unless acted upon by a force that causes its speed or direction to change.


• Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE): An independent professional association that represents mechanical engineers and the mechanical engineering profession.


• Instrumentation: A collective tern used for measuring instruments used for indicating, measuring and recording physical quantities.


• Integrated Circuit (IC): A small electronic device made up of multiple interconnected electronic components.


• Intelligent Pump: A puimp that has the capability to regulate and control flow or pressure.


• Invention: A unique or novel device, method, composition, idea or process.

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J

• Jack Chain: A type of chain made from thin wire with figure eight shaped links and loops at right angles to eachother.


• Jacking Gear: A device planted on the main shaft of an engine or rotor of a turbine that rotates the shaft and associated machinery to ensure uniform cool-down.


• JIC Fittings: A type of flare fitting machined with a 37 degree flare seating surface.


• Joule: The unit of energy in the International System of Units (SI), equal to the amount of work done when a force of 1 Newton displaces a mass through a distance of one meter in the direction of that force.

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K

• Kelvin: The primary SI unit of temperature with symobl K and has absolute zero as its zero point.


• Kinematic Determinacy: A term used in structural mechancis to describe a structure where material compatability conditions alone can be used to calculate deflections.


• Kinematics: A subfield of physics and mathematics describing the motoion of bodies and systems without considering the forces that cause them to move.

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L

• Lever: A beam or rigid rod pivoted at a fixed hinge or fulcrum.


• Life Cycke Assesment/Life Cycle Analysis (LCA)/: A methodology for assesing environmental impacts associated with all stages of the life cycle of a commercial product, process or service.


• Limit State Design (LSD): A design methodoly used in strucural engineering in which sturctures are designed up to their limit state, where beyond which a structure no longer fufills the relevant design criteria.


• Linkage: An assembly of systems connected so as to manage forces and movement.


• Lubrication: The process of using a lubricant to reduce friction and wear and tear in a contact between two surfaces.

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M

• Machine: A physical system that uses power to apply forces and control movement to perform an action.


• Machine Learning: A field in artifical intelligence concerned with the developement and study of statistical algorithms that can learn from data and perform tasks without explicit instructions.


• Magnetic Circuit: A circuit made up of one or more closed loop paths containing a magnetic flux.


• Margin of Safety (Fos): Indicates how much stronger a system is than it needs to be for an intended load.


• Mass Transfer: The net movement of mass from one location to another.


• Material Science: An interdisciplinary field of researching and discovering materials.


• Mechanical Advantage: A measure of the force amplification achieved by using a tool, mechanical device or machine system.


• Mechanical Efficiency: A dimensionless ratio that measures the efficiency of a mechanism or machine in transforming the power input to the device power output.


• Mechanical Engineering: The study of physical machines that may involve force and movement.


• Mechanical Equalibrium: Where the net force on an object or system is zero.


• Mechanical Work: The energy transferred to or from an object via the application of a force.


• Mechanics: An area of physics concerned with the relationships between force, matter and motion among physical objects.


• Mechanochemistry: The initiation of chemical reactions by mechanical phenomena


• Mechanosynthesis: Hypothetical chemical syntheses in which reaction outcomes are determined by the use of mechanical constraints to direct reactive molecules to specific molecular sites.


• Mechatronics: A branch of engineering that focuses on the integration of mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, electronic engineering and software engineering.


• Microprocessor: A computer processer for which the data processing logic and control is included on a single integrated circuit (IC) or a small number of IC's.


• Microtechnology: Technology whose features have dimensions of the order of one micrometer.


• Modulus of Rigidity (Shear Modulus): A measure of the elastic shear stiffness of a material defined by the ratio of shear stress to shear strain.


• Moment: The product of a distance and a quantity such as physical force, magnetic force, electric charge or velocity.


• Moment of Inertia: A quantity that determines the torque needed for a desired angular acceleration about an axis.


• Multi-Link Suspension: A type of independent suspension having three or more control links per wheel.

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N

• Nanotechnology: The manipulation of matter with at least one dimension sized from 1 to 100 nanomenters.


• Newton: The unit of force in the International System of Units (SI), defined as the force which gives a mass of one kilogram an acceleration of 1 meter per second square.


• Normal Stress: Where the direction of the deforming force is perpencidular to the cross-sectional area of the body.


• Nozzle: A device designed to control the direction or characteristics of a fluid flow as it exits an encolsed chamber or pipe.

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O

• Ohm's Law: The electric current through a conductor between two points is directly propertional to the voltage across the two points.

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P

• Pascal (unit): The unit of pressure in the International System of Units (SI), defined as one newton per meter squared.


• Pinion: A round gear, usually the smaller of two meshed gears.


• Piston: A component of reciprocating engines contained by a cylinder. In an engine, its purpose is to transfer force from expanding gas in the cylinder to the crankshaft via a piston rod and/or connecting rod.


• Plain Bearing: The simplest type of bearing comprising of only a bearing surface and no rolling elements.


• Plasticity: The ability of a solid material to undergo permanent deformation, a non-reversible change of shape in response to applied forces.


• Pneumatics: The use of gas or pressurized air in mechanical systems.


• Poisson's Ratio: The ratio of the deformation of a material in directions perpendicular to the specific direction of loading.


• Potential Difference (Voltage): The difference in electric potential between two points.


• Power: The amount of energy transferred or converted per unit time.


• Pressure: The force applied perpendicular to the surface of an object per unit area over which the force is distributed.


• Process Control/Industrial Process Control (IPC): A system used in modern manufacturing that uses the principles of control theory to monitor, control and optimize continuous industiral production processes using control algorithms.


• Product Lifecycle Management (PLM): The process of managing the entire lifecycle of a product from its inception through the engineering design to the service and disposal.


• Professional Engineer (PE): The designation given to engineers in the United States who have passed the Principles and Practice of Engineering exam.


• Project Management: The process of supervising the worl of a team to achieve all project goals withint the given constraints.


• Pulley: A wheel on an axle or shaft enabling a taut cable or belt passing over the wheel to move and change direction.


• Pump: A device that moves fluids by mechanical action, typially converted from electrical energy into hydraulic energy.

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Q

• Quality: Being suitable for the intended purpose while satisfying customer expectations.


• Quality Control: A process in which entities review the quality of all factors involved in production.


• Quality Assurance: Describes systematic efforts take nto assure the products/servcies delivered to customers meet with the contractual and other agreed expectations.

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R

• Rack and Pinion: A type of linear actuator that comprises a circular gear engaging a lienar gear, converting between rotational motion and linear motion.


• Random Vibration: Motion which is non-deterministic, meaning that future behaviour cannot be precisely predicted.


• Refrigeration: The process of cooling a space to a tempertature that is below its ambient temperature.


• Reliability Engineering: A sub-discipline of systems engineering that emphasizes the ability of equipment to function without failure.


• Relief Valve: A type of safety valve used to control or limit the pressure in a sytem.


• Resistor: A passive two-terminal electrical component that impliments electrical resistance as a circuit element.


• Reverse Engineering: A proccess that attempts to understand through deductive reasoning how a previosuly made device or system works with little insight into exactly how it does so.


• Rigid Body: A solid body in which deformation is zero or negligible.


• Robotics: The interdisciplinary study and practice of the design, construction, operation and use of robots.


• Rotordynamics: A specialized branch of applied mechanics concerned with the behaviour and diagnosis of rotating structures.


• Rube Goldberg Machine: A chain-reaction type machine intentionally designed to perform a simple task in an overly complicated manner.

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S

• Seal: A device or material that helps join systems or mechanisms together by preventing leakage, containing pressure or excluding contamination.


• Second Law of Thermodynamics: The state of entropy of the entire universe, as an isolated system, will always increase over time. In other words, heat always moves from hotter objects to colder objects.


• Semiconductor: A material that has an electrical conductivity value falling between that of a conductor and that of an insulator. Its resistivity generally falls as its temperature rises.


• Shear Force: Unaligned forces acting on one part of a body in a specific direction and another part of the body in the opposite direction.


• Shear Pin: A mechanical detail designedto allow a specific outcome to occur once a predetermined force is applied.


• Shear Strength: The strength of a material against the type of yield or structural failure when the material fails in shear.


• Shear Stress: The component of stress coplanar with a material cross-section.


• Solid Mechanics: The branch of continuum mechanics that studies the behaviour of solid materials, especially their motion and deformation under the action of forces, temperature changes and phase changes.


• Split Nut: A nut that is split lengthwise into two pieces so that is female thread may be opened and closed over the male thread of a bolt or leadscrew.


• Sprug Mass: The portion of a vehicles total mass that is supported by the suspension.


• Statics: The branch of classical mechanics concerned with the analysis of force and torque acting on a physical system that does not experience an acceleration but is in equalibrium with its environment.


• Stress-Strain Curve: Gives the relationship between stress and strain properties of a material.


• Structural Failure: The complete or partial loss of load-carrying capacity, of components or structural systems.


• Suspension: A system that connects a heicle to its wheels and allows relative motion between the two.


• Switch: An electrical component that connects and disconnects the conducting path in an electrical circuit, interupting or diverting the electric current.

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T

• Technical Drawing: A drawing that visually communicates how something is constructed or functions.


• Technology: the application of conceptual knowledge to achieve practical goals.


• Tensile Strength (Ultimate Tensile Strength/ Ultimate Strength): The maximum stress a material can withstand whilst being stretched without breaking.


• Tensile Stress: The elongation of a material when a stretching force is applied along the axis of the applied load.


• Thermodynamcis: A branch of physics that relates heat, work and temperature and their relation to energy and the physical properties of matter.


• Third Law of Thermodynamics: The entropy of a system approaches a constant value when its temperature approaches absolute zero, because its atoms stop moving.


• Toe/Tracking: Teh symmetric angle each wheel makes with the longitudional axis of the vehicle.


• Torque: A measure of the force that causes an object to rotate about an axis.


• Torsion Spring: A spring that stroes mechanical energy when twisted.


• Toughness: The ability of a material to absorb energy and plastically deform without fracturing.


• Transmission: A mechanical device that uses a gear set to change the speed, direction of rotation or torque in a machine.


• Turbine: A rotary mechanical device that extracts energy from a fluid flow and converts it into useful work.


• Tribology: The science and engineering of understanding friction, lubrication and wear for interacting surfaces in relative motion.


• Tearing: The act of breaking apart a material by force without the aid of a cutting tool.

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U

• Uniform: Remaining the same in all cases at all times.


• Unsprung Mass: The mass of a vehicles suspension, wheels or tracks and other related components.

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V

• Valve: A device or natural object that regulates, directs or controls the flow of a fluid by opening, closing or partially obstructing various passageways.


• Vector: A geometric object that has both magnitdue and direction.


• Viscosity: A measure of a fluids resistance to deformation at a given rate.


• Volt: The unit of electric potential difference in the International System of Units (SI).


• Vibration: A mechanical phenomenon in which oscillations occur about an equalibrium point.

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W

• Wear: The damaging, gradual removal or deformation of material at solid surfaces.


• Work: The energy transferred to or from an object via the application of force along a displacement.

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X

• X-Ray: A form of electromagnetic radiation with extremley short wavelengths ranging between 10^-8 and 10^-12 and high frequencies between 10¹⁶ amd 10²⁰.


• X-Y Recorder: A device that plots the instantaneous relation betweem two variables.

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Y

• Yield Point: The point on a stress-strain curve at which the material stops displaying elastic behaviour and begins plastic deformation.


• Yield Strength: The stress corresponding to the yield point at which the material begins to deform plastically.


• Young's Modulus (Modulus of Elasticity): A mechanical property that measures the tensile stiffness of a solid material, typically measured in GPa.

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Z

• Zero Defects (ZD): A magagement program to eliminate defects in industrial production.


• Zeroth Law of Thermodynamics: If body A is in thermal equalibrium with body B and body C is in thermal equalibrium with body C, then A is in thermal equalibrium with C.