For questions about words, phrases and definitions that are specific to engineering.
Questions tagged [terminology]
95 questions
10
votes
5 answers
What do you call the difference between the on and off temperatures in a simple thermostat?
A simple thermostat will turn on at one temperature and off at a higher temperature. This keeps the thermostat from cycling on and off too quickly. The difference between these values is sometimes called dead band and sometimes called hysteresis.…
ericnutsch
- 8,305
- 1
- 16
- 32
9
votes
5 answers
Is systems engineer an IT profession or an interdisciplinary field of engineering?
The term Systems Engineer has always interested me as it generally involves many different fields of engineering.
Systems Engineer - Interdisciplinary
The definition I'm familiar with is usually defined as an interdisciplinary profession of…
Ben Winding
- 213
- 2
- 6
7
votes
1 answer
What is Byte Alignment Time in radio communication?
According to this paper, which deals with time synchronization in wireless networks, this kind of delay occurs, however I do not understand its explanation. The paper says the reciever (radio) has to determine the bit offset of the message from a…
sifear
- 73
- 4
7
votes
5 answers
What was that?! Quantifying the impact of a martial arts strike
Measuring things like a martial artist's strike can be challenging because it is a complex motion and common vernacular will use imprecise or incorrect terms. This question is an attempt to identify the applicable measurements (quantification) and…
user16
6
votes
3 answers
What do you call a mechanism where rotation is transfered in one direction only?
I have the following to wheels that rotate on the same axis:
Assuming that they are stuck together, if I rotate the green one the red one rotates at the same speed and when I stop the green one the red one stops.
I'm looking for the name of the…
Julian
- 163
- 5
5
votes
3 answers
What do you call the steel property that reduces the likelihood of shattering?
What is the property of not shattering, in for example a brisant explosion, called? And what kind of steel would I want that has this property?
Emlingur
- 163
- 7
5
votes
5 answers
What is the term for diagonal bars which are making rectangular frame more rigid?
For example in yellow:
if all bars were rectangular, the entige frame would tend to skew. To prevent this, these diagonal bars are mounted.
What is the term for them?
Dims
- 213
- 3
- 8
5
votes
2 answers
Is there a term for a circular dependency in system design and engineering
Is there a term used in systems engineering that describes a situation in which the design of one subsystem (call it "A") affects the the requirements for another subsystem (call it "B") while at the same time the design of B affects the…
Mark
- 53
- 3
5
votes
2 answers
Term for double slope from street
One of the places I frequent recently had the curb and sidewalk rebuilt by the city. Previously, there was a roughly continuous transition from the street to the rest of the private drive next to the building.
After the rebuild, the sidewalk was…
user16
4
votes
1 answer
What is the correct term for long cuts in a floor joist?
I would like to identify the correct term for a long, lateral cut within a floor joist.
Based upon this guide and several other sources that I have come across, a notch is a cut that is allowed to have a width up to $\frac{1}{3}$rd of the depth of…
user16
4
votes
1 answer
What is a slotted open ring with a thread called (like on bicycle brake levers)?
I'm looking for a small ring that allows a thin cable to pass through but can also lock to close that opening, like on bicycle brake lever screws (shown below). However, I'm having trouble finding the part because I don't know what it's called.
Do…
q335r49
- 143
- 3
4
votes
2 answers
What is the technical name for a water reservoir that retains its contents via vacuum and ambient air pressure?
This is a strange question for me because this is so extremely common, but I have never heard a name to describe exactly what it is.
This is commonly used to provide water to animals from a trough or tube at a constant water level without dripping.…
Dale Mahalko
- 226
- 1
- 3
4
votes
1 answer
What does the abbreviation "B.C." mean on a weld joint diagram?
A translator posted this diagram of a weld joint on a translator's forum (the figure below). What does the abbreviation "B.C." mean on the diagram?
CopperKettle
- 395
- 3
- 14
4
votes
2 answers
How do you call the intersection with barrier and you can always right turn?
In the photo above I can name the first 3 intersection
a) Regular intersection
b) T intersection
c) Skewed intersection
I am having a hard time on identifying the fourth intersection, what do you call that one?
Cary Bondoc
- 209
- 5
- 9
3
votes
2 answers
Questions on machinery terminology
I have some questions in the basics of machinery terminology
Can a spring ever be a link? Most books (eg. Ham et al. 58, Shigley pg. 5) consider links to be rigid. However, I have come across articles using springs as links.
Are joints always the…
katipra
- 63
- 3