Mechanical Engineering Glossary

20 Mechanical engineering terms

This is a glossary for the field of study: Mechanical Engineering. Some word you need to understand to be fine in your research about the subject. A glossary if you have a huge interest about: engineering physics and/or mathematics principles with materials science, to design, analyze, manufacture, and/or maintain mechanical systems.

Computer-aided Design (CAD)
The use of computers (or workstations) to aid in the creation, modification, analysis, or optimization of a design. This software is used to increase the productivity of the designer, improve the quality of design, improve communications through documentation, and to create a database for manufacturing.
Degree of freedom
The degrees of freedom refer to the number of ways a molecule in the gas phase may move, rotate, or vibrate in space.
Energy conversion
Is the process of changing energy from one form to another.
Engineering
Is the practice of using natural science, mathematics, and the engineering design process to solve problems within technology, increase efficiency and productivity, and improve systems.
Fluid mechanics
Is the branch of physics concerned with the mechanics of fluids (liquids, gases, and plasmas) and the forces on them.
Kinematic pairs / Kinematic Diagram
Pair: is a connection between two physical objects that imposes constraints on their relative movement (kinematics). Diagram: illustrates the connectivity of links and joints of a mechanism or machine rather than the dimensions or shape of the parts. Often links are presented as geometric objects, such as lines, triangles or squares, that support schematic versions of the joints of the mechanism or machine.
Laws of thermodynamics
Are a set of scientific laws which define a group of physical quantities, such as temperature, energy, and entropy, that characterize thermodynamic systems in thermodynamic equilibrium.
Materials engineering
Is an engineering field of finding uses for materials in other fields and industries.
Mechanical engineering
The study of physical machines and mechanisms that may involve force and movement. It is an engineering branch that combines engineering physics and mathematics principles with materials science, to design, analyze, manufacture, and maintain mechanical systems.
Mechanical Systems
A mechanical system is a set of physical components that convert an input motion and force into a desired output motion and force.
Mechatronics
Is the synergistic integration of mechanical, electrical, and computer systems employing mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, electronic engineering and computer science and engineering,[1] and includes a combination of robotics, computer science, telecommunications, systems, control, automation and product engineering.
Multidisciplinary design optimizations
Is a field of engineering that uses optimization methods to solve design problems incorporating a number of disciplines.
Newtonian mechanics
A force in physics is any action that causes an object's velocity to change; that is, to accelerate. A force originates from within a field, such as an electro-static field (caused by static electrical charges), electro-magnetic field (caused by moving charges), or gravitational field (caused by mass), among others.
Physics
Is the scientific study of matter, its fundamental constituents, its motion and behavior through space and time, and the related entities of energy and force.
Propriety and behavior of matter
Is a characteristic specific to a substance or group of substances.
Scalar
Something that has size but no direction, such as a quantity, distance, speed, or temperature.
Static
Exerting force by reason of weight alone without motion,.
Stress of materials
Is a physical quantity that describes forces present during deformation.
Thermodynamics
Is a branch of physics that deals with heat, work, and temperature, and their relation to energy, entropy, and the physical properties of matter and radiation.
Young’s modulus
Is a mechanical property of solid materials that measures the tensile or compressive stiffness when the force is applied lengthwise.