Electrical Engineering Technology Glossary

20 Electrical Engineering Technology terms

Electrical engineering technology combines intellectual work by programming robots and designing circuits, and manual work by maintaining and troubleshooting electrical systems, in an ever-changing field of the future. This formation is aimed to help us contribute to the modernization of society through automation courses. This glossary gives specialized terminology that will help get familiarized with concepts in that field of study.

automated system
adjective - noun
A careful integration of actuators, controls, and sensors exclusively designed to perform an array of functions with negligible human intervention.
fr: système automatisé
capacitor
noun
A device that stores electrical energy by accumulating electric charges on two closely spaced surfaces that are insulated from each other
fr: condensateur
current
noun
A flow of charged particles, such as electrons or ions, moving through an electrical conductor or space.
fr: courant
diode
noun
A semiconductor device with two terminals, typically allowing the flow of current in one direction only.
fr: diode
electrical circuit
adjective - noun
A closed loop of conductive material that allows the flow of electrical current.
fr: circuit électrique
electrical panel
adjective - noun
The main component of an electrical distribution system that divides electrical power to the branch circuits while providing protection devices for each circuit in a common enclosure.
fr: panneau électrique
electrical technical drawing
adjective - adjective - noun
A kind of technical drawing that provides visual representations of circuits or electrical systems.
fr: dessin technique électrique
fuse
noun
A safety device consisting of a strip of wire that melts and breaks an electric circuit if the current exceeds a safe level.
fr: fusible
inductor
noun
A passive two-terminal electrical component that stores energy in a magnetic field when electric current flows through it.
fr: inducteur
instrumentation engineering
noun - noun
A branch of engineering that studies the measurement and control of process variables, and the design and implementation of systems that incorporate them.
fr: ingénierie de l'instrumentation
multimeter
noun
An instrument designed to measure electric current, voltage, and usually resistance, typically over several ranges of value.
fr: multimètre
power cable
noun - noun
A cable used for the transmission and distribution of electrical energy.
fr: câble d'alimentation
programmable logic controller
adjective - noun - noun
An industrial computer that has been ruggedized and adapted for the control of manufacturing processes, such as assembly lines, machines, robotic devices, or any activity that requires high reliability, ease of programming, and process fault diagnosis.
fr: automate programmable industriel
resistivity
noun
A measure of how strongly a material opposes the flow of electrical current.
fr: résistivité
resistor
noun
A passive circuit component that is used to introduce electrical resistance in the flow of electric current through the circuit.
fr: résistance
sensor
noun
A device that detects a physical parameter of interest (e.g. heat, light, sound) and converts it into electrical signal that can be measured.
fr: capteur
signal processing
noun - verb
An electrical engineering subfield that focuses on analyzing, modifying and synthesizing signals, such as sound, images, potential fields, seismic signals, altimetry processing, and scientific measurements, to optimize transmissions, digital storage efficiency, correcting distorted signals, improve subjective video quality, and to detect or pinpoint components of interest in a measured signal.
fr: traitement du signal
tension
noun
The difference in electric potential between two points.
fr: tension
transistor
noun
A semiconductor device used to amplify or switch electrical signals and power.
fr: transistor
transmitter
noun
A device that converts electrical signals into radio waves for transmission over a distance.
fr: émetteur