Glossary 349
engineering design process: A specifi c set of
steps that lead the engineer from a problem
statement to a fi nal solution. (1)
engineering drawing: A drawing created
to communicate products that will be
manufactured. (5)
engineering economics: All of the fi nancial
considerations and decisions made during
the production of a new design. (6)
engineering technician: The people who carry
out technical work of engineers by using
more technology and less scientifi c and
mathematical knowledge. (1)
entropy: The tendency of all energy and matter
to seek a state of uniformity. (15)
environmental impact: The effect engineered
products have on human health and the
world around us. (16)
environmentally conscious manufacturing
(ECM): A process concerned with the
entire life of a product from the time the
raw materials are gathered to the time the
product’s life is over and it is disposed of.
ECM tries to minimize scrap, reduce or
eliminate hazardous waste, and makes the
most effective use of natural resources. (14)
equilibrium: The state at which structures can
oppose external forces and can transfer the
load throughout the structure. (9)
ethics: The guidelines that we use to help us
make decisions about our behavior. (16)
evolutionary biology: The study of how
organisms and species evolve from different
organisms. (11)
experimental research: A type of research that
uses tests to discover information about a
potential solution. (4)
F
facility engineering: The design of production
facilities specifi cally for the effi cient
production of products that will be made
in them. Facility engineering is usually
carried out by manufacturing engineers with
expertise in tools, materials, processes, and
the product(s) to be manufactured. (14)
fermentation: A biochemical conversion process
that uses microorganisms to decompose a
biomass material to create the liquid fuel
alcohol. (11)
fi nal project report: The summary of the design
process for a specifi c project. (6)
fi rst law of thermodynamics: An application
of the law of conservation of energy, which
states that energy cannot be created or
destroyed. (15)
fi xture: The type of tooling used to guide a work
piece. (14)
fl ammability: The ease at which a material will
ignite. (7)
fl ap: An airplane component that is located on
the inside rear of wings and can be adjusted
at takeoff and landing for additional lift. (13)
fl oor joist: A beam that is designed to resist
bending as people walk across a fl oor. (9)
fl ow process chart: A chart used to record and
communicate the order of the processes
dictated by the manufacturing engineer to
make each part. (14)
fl uid dynamics: The study of fl uid fl ow. (15)
fl uid fl ow: Liquids or gases in motion. (15)
fl uid motor: A device similar to a fl uid pump,
only used in reverse. Fluid is pumped
through gears to turn the gears and gear
shaft. (10)
fl uid pump: A pump used by hydraulic systems
to compress fl uids. (10)
fl uorescent lamp: An energy-effi cient lamp
that uses a long tube coated on the inside
with phosphorous and fi lled with an inert
gas. Mercury inside of the tube is ionized,
creating ultraviolet light, which causes the
phosphorous to glow. (8)
force: The push or pull of an object resulting
from contact with another object. (10)
forming: The mechanical process used to change
the shape of materials through compression,
bending, or stretching. (14)
formula: A series of mathematical symbols that
represent a rule or relationship between
concepts. (6)
free association: The act of describing as many
ideas as possible without any concern about
their ability to be accomplished. (3)