| 3D printed |
A process by which a machine layers material to make an object based on a three-dimensional computer model. Prototypes are sometimes 3D printed. |
| adhesives |
A chemical material used to bond two objects together. Adhesives are often used to join nonmetallic and metallic materials. |
| aprons |
A fabric or leather body covering that ties over the neck and behind the back. Aprons protect the front of the body from chest to knee from fire hazards. |
| assembly |
The process of joining objects. Assembly can include use of fasteners, adhesives, or welding. |
| axle |
A rotating shaft attached to a wheel or gear. Axles are used to attach wheels to vehicles. |
| bill of materials |
BOM. A report that lists the materials required to make a particular product and the cost of each individual component. A bill of materials includes all project materials, including any accessories and fasteners. |
| blueprint |
A document that contains all instructions for a particular part and communicates all requirements necessary to fabricate a quality part. Blueprints contain three main elements: the views, their dimensions, and the notes. |
| blueprints |
A document that contains all instructions for a particular part and communicates all requirements necessary to fabricate a quality part. Blueprints contain three main elements: the views, their dimensions, and the notes. |
| BOM |
Bill of materials. A report that lists the materials required to make a particular product and the cost of each individual component. A BOM includes all project materials, including any accessories and fasteners. |
| bonded abrasive wheel |
A grinding tool made of grits that are held together with chemical bonding into a circular shape. A bonded abrasive wheel rotates along the surface of a part to remove material. |
| brainstorming |
The act of rapidly listing ideas, problems, or solutions. Brainstorming generates multiple responses to a particular question. |
| budget |
The estimated cost for a project. Budgets include all monetary investments and labor costs required to fabricate a project. |
| circular saw |
A powered saw that uses a rotating round, metal disk with teeth around its perimeter to cut through a material. A circular saw is often used to cut through lumber. |
| clamps |
A workholding device used to join, grip, support, or compress mechanical or structural parts. Clamps might be used to hold large sheets of wood or metal together. |
| coatings |
A finish used for protective and decorative purposes. Coatings like paint or varnish are applied to products at the end of the part creation process. |
| computer-aided design |
CAD. The use of a computer to design parts. Computer-aided design software can create a virtual model of a part. |
| conductor |
A material that allows free movement of electrons and therefore enables the easy flow of electricity. Most conductors are metals. |
| copper |
A reddish metal that is very ductile, thermally and electrically conductive, and corrosion resistant. Copper is often used to make electrical wire. |
| corrosion |
The gradual deterioration of a material due to atmosphere, moisture, chemicals, or other agents. Corrosion often appears as rust. |
| corrosion resistance |
The ability of a material to resist deterioration and chemical breakdown due to surface exposure in a particular environment. Stainless steel has a high corrosion resistance. |
| coveralls |
A full flame resistant suit worn over existing clothing. Coveralls protect the arms, neck, shoulders, chest, abdomen, back, and legs. |
| deformation |
The change in an object's size or shape as a result of stress. Deformation results from structural change caused by mechanical forces. |
| dimensions |
The desired measurement of a part feature. Dimensions are listed as numbers given in the appropriate units. |
| ductility |
The measure of a material's ability to be drawn, stretched, or formed without fracturing. Metals with good ductility include copper and aluminum. |
| earmuffs |
Full-ear coverings that are connected by a headband. Earmuffs require a perfect seal around the ear. |
| earplugs |
Hearing protection designed to fit in the ear. Earplugs can be single-use or pre-formed for long-term use. |
| electrical conductivity |
The ability of a material to act as a medium for conveying electricity. Electrical conductivity is high for most metals. |
| electromagnet |
A magnet formed from electric current. An electromagnet is typically formed by wrapping a current-carrying coil around an iron core. |
| fabrication |
The process of creating or building parts from raw materials. Fabrication projects require extensive planning before they can be completed. |
| fabricators |
A person who constructs a fabrication project. Fabricators perform any roughing, machining, assembly, and finishing that needs to occur for a project to meet specifications. |
| face shield |
A rigid, transparent plastic sheet that covers the worker's entire face to protect against dust or splashes. Because face shields do not protect against impacts, they are often worn with goggles. |
| fasteners |
A device that holds objects together or locates them in relation to one another. Common fasteners include screws, bolts, and rivets. |
| feet |
ft. A unit of linear measurement in the English System. One foot equals 12 inches English and 30.48 centimeters Metric. |
| filler metal |
Metal deposited into the weld zone or solder joint that often adds strength and mass to the joint. Solder is a type of filler metal. |
| finishing |
A cutting pass that emphasizes tight tolerances and smooth surface finish. Finishing is usually the last step in the machining process. |
| fire-retardant |
Treated to slow the formation and spread of flames. Fire-retardant clothing will not ignite and continue to burn like normal clothing. |
| graphic art programs |
A computer application designed to create and edit visual images and designs. Graphic art programs can be adapted to create a blueprint on the computer. |
| grinding |
The use of an abrasive tool to remove material from a workpiece. Grinding operations commonly use abrasive grains bonded into a wheel shape. |
| hard hat |
A lightweight, protective head covering used to protect the head from impacts, bumps, and electrical shock. Hard hats have a shock-absorbing lining with a headband and straps that suspend the shell away from the skull. |
| hardness |
The measurement of a material's ability to resist penetration, indentation, and scratching. Hardness in steel increases with its carbon content. |
| hazard |
A source of danger or possible injury. Hazards can be physical hazards, such as fires and falling objects, or health hazards, such as chemical exposures. |
| high-carbon steel |
A metal alloy made up of iron and more than 0.5% carbon. High-carbon steel has high strength and hardness. |
| hitch |
A component that mounts on the frame of a trailer and connects it to a vehicle. Hitches are often rectangular in shape and have a socket at the end that links with a ball that is mounted to the rear of a vehicle. |
| iron |
A silver-white metal that is highly magnetic. Iron is alloyed with carbon to make steel. |
| joint |
A meeting point of two or more parts that are fused together. Permanent joints are created by welding. |
| knurling |
A machining operation that displaces material rather than cutting it. Knurling embeds a textured, rough pattern into a part's surface. |
| machining |
The process of removing material to form an object. Machining methods include milling, turning, and drilling. |
| magnetism |
The power of attraction and repulsion that exists in materials. Magnetism most often occurs between metals. |
| mechanical forces |
Power that attempts deform a material. Mechanical forces may attempt to bend, stretch, break, or indent a material. |
| mechanical properties |
A characteristic that describes how a material reacts when subjected to an outside force. Mechanical properties include hardness, ductility, and tensile strength. |
| notes |
An additional instruction or general comment added to a blueprint. Notes contain information about the material, finish, tooling, tolerances, and other miscellaneous information. |
| orthographic views |
A drawing, often used for blueprints, that communicates the shape and size of an object in two dimensions. Orthographic views show all the design elements of a part through a series of illustrations, each showing one of its necessary sides from a continuous perspective. |
| personal protective equipment |
PPE. Any example of various safety equipment that workers wear or use to prevent injury in the workplace. Common PPE includes safety glasses and hard hats. |
| physical properties |
A characteristic that describes a material's volumetric, thermal, electrical, and magnetic qualities. Physical properties are a collection of characteristics that describe how a material responds to forces other than mechanical forces. |
| project |
The end result that fulfills an objective. Fabrication projects include the various aspects of creating an item for a particular purpose. |
| proprietary |
A product whose rights are owned by the company that designed it. Proprietary products can be used only with the permission of the owner. |
| protective gloves |
A hand covering designed to protect the hands from hazards such as chemicals, heat, or abrasion. Protective gloves are the most common type of hand protection. |
| prototype |
A preliminary model of a product used to complete design evaluation. Final versions of the product are developed based on prototypes. |
| ramp |
A type of inclined plane. A ramp is used to load materials onto a trailer. |
| raw materials |
An unprocessed substance that has not been manufactured. Raw materials are used to make fabrication projects. |
| respirator |
A breathing device worn to prevent inhalation of hazardous substances. Respirators may purify air for or supply air to the wearer. |
| roadworthy |
Fit for use on public streets. A roadworthy vehicle must be licensed by the state. |
| roughing |
A cutting pass that removes material without regard to surface finish. Roughing is often used to separate part pieces from a single sheet of material. |
| ruler |
A simple measuring instrument consisting of a long, thin metal strip with a marked scale of unit divisions. A ruler can come in many sizes and forms and can be rigid or flexible. |
| safety glasses |
Protective eyeglasses with metal or plastic frames and impact-resistant lenses. Many safety glasses also have protective side shields or offer vision correction. |
| sanding |
A form of grinding that uses a fine grain abrasive to remove small amounts of surface material. Sanding improves the finish of a surface. |
| scale |
A uniform size decrease or increase that allows a large object to be accurately depicted in a smaller form or a small object to be accurately depicted in a larger form. Scaling an object up or down in size creates a prototype of the object. |
| solder |
A metal or alloy with a low melting point that is melted to join materials. Solders are filler metals that are specific to soldering. |
| soldering |
A process that uses a low-melting point filler metal to form a joint between two solid base metals. Soldering is often used for delicate projects such as jewelry and electronics. |
| specifications |
The design parameters that set the limits of acceptable deviation for a part's intended application. Specifications are established in a blueprint. |
| spreadsheet programs |
A computer application that stores data in tables. Spreadsheet programs can be adapted to create a blueprint on the computer. |
| stainless steel |
A type of steel that contains more than 15% chromium. Stainless steel has corrosion resistance. |
| stock |
Raw material that is used to make manufactured parts. Stock is available in standard shapes such as long bars, plates, or sheet. |
| strength |
The ability of a material to resist forces that attempt to break or deform it. Strength is a type of mechanical property. |
| superalloy |
A metal alloy consisting of numerous alloying elements that is very expensive and designed to perform under intense conditions. Superalloys are used for advanced applications in the aerospace and medical industries. |
| surface finish |
The degree of roughness and variation on the surface of a part after it has been manufactured. The surface finish of a part may need to be smooth or intentionally rough. |
| symmetrical |
A quality in which all the features on either side of a point, line, or plane are identical. A symmetrical part has the same dimensions on both sides. |
| synthetic clothing |
Apparel that is manufactured and not derived from natural products. Synthetic clothing that is not specifically made to be fire-retardant will burn easily. |
| tensile strength |
The ability of a material to resist forces that attempt to pull apart or stretch it. Tensile strength Is a type of mechanical property. |
| three dimensional |
3D. Occurring within three planes of space. Three dimensional objects have length, height, and width. |
| titanium |
A silvery white metal that is lightweight with a high strength-to-weight ratio. Titanium has corrosion resistance. |
| tolerances |
A range of acceptable part dimensions. Tolerances indicate the allowable difference between a physical feature and its intended design. |
| treated |
Material that has chemical additives that change its behavior. Treated lumber can withstand environmental elements without corrosion. |
| views |
A drawing that consists of all the lines that illustrate the shape of the part. The multiple views often contained within a blueprint convey all of a part's design elements. |
| vise |
A workholding device with one fixed jaw and one moveable jaw. Vises are often used to hold simple workpieces. |
| welding |
A joining process that uses heat, pressure, friction, or a combination of methods to fuse two materials together permanently. Welding is used in a variety of industries from auto manufacturing to aerospace engineering. |
| welding helmet |
A heat-resistant head covering that protects against burns and eye damage. Welding helmets prevent burns from spatter and sparks and contain a darkened lens to protect the eyes from a welding arc. |
| workholding |
The process of securely supporting, locating, and clamping a workpiece. Workholding devices include vises and clamps. |
| workpiece |
A part that is being fabricated. A workpiece may be subject to machining, grinding, welding, or other operations. |
| zoning ordinances |
A technique of land management in which authorities divide land into zones. Different zoning ordinances allow for different acceptable uses, such as land zoned for residential or commercial use. |