Engineering Glossary: W
24 definitions in plain language.
24 terms beginning with W. Use the filter to narrow the list, or the letters to jump to another part of the glossary.
24 terms
- Warpage #
- Distortion of a part, usually from uneven cooling or internal stress. Materials, manufacturing and measurement
- Washer #
- A thin plate placed under a bolt head or nut to spread the load. Mechanical design and mechanics Read more: Metric Hex Bolt, Nut and Washer Dimensions
- Watchdog timer #
- A hardware timer that resets the processor if the program fails to reset it in time. Programming, data and computing
- Water hammer #
- A pressure surge in a pipe caused by a sudden change of flow, such as a valve closing quickly. Fluids, heat and thermodynamics Read more: Water Hammer, Cavitation and Troubleshooting
- Watt #
- The SI unit of power: one joule per second, or one volt times one ampere. Electrical power and machines
- Wear #
- The gradual loss of material from surfaces in sliding or rolling contact. Math, units, quality and workshop
- Weber #
- The SI unit of magnetic flux. Electrical power and machines
- Weibull distribution #
- A flexible distribution used to describe failure times of products. Math, units, quality and workshop
- Weight #
- The force of gravity on a mass: mass times gravitational acceleration, in newtons. Math, units, quality and workshop
- Weld #
- A permanent joint made by fusing the materials, usually with added filler metal. Mechanical design and mechanics Read more: Welding Processes and Weld Design
- Weld line #
- A visible line where two streams of molten plastic meet in a molded part, often a weak spot. Materials, manufacturing and measurement
- Wet-bulb temperature #
- The temperature of a thermometer covered in a wet wick; it shows the cooling effect of evaporation. Fluids, heat and thermodynamics
- Wetting #
- The flow of molten solder over a metal surface to form a bond. Electronics
- Wi-Fi #
- A wireless network standard based on IEEE 802.11. Programming, data and computing
- Word #
- The natural unit of data of a processor, such as 16, 32 or 64 bits. Programming, data and computing
- Work #
- Force multiplied by the distance it moves in its own direction, measured in joules. Mechanical design and mechanics
- Work cell #
- A group of machines, robots and equipment arranged to make a product. Automation, controls and robotics
- Work hardening #
- The increase in strength and hardness of a metal that is deformed plastically at low temperature. Also called strain hardening. Materials, manufacturing and measurement
- Workholding #
- Clamping devices that hold a workpiece in place during machining, such as vises and fixtures. Materials, manufacturing and measurement Read more: CNC Machining
- Work offset #
- The distance from the machine's zero point to the origin of the part program. Materials, manufacturing and measurement
- Worm gear #
- A screw-like worm meshed with a worm wheel to give a large reduction in one stage, often self-locking. Mechanical design and mechanics
- Worst-case analysis #
- A stack-up method that adds all the tolerances together, assuming every part is at its limit. Materials, manufacturing and measurement
- Wrought iron #
- Nearly pure iron with slag fibers, used historically and for decorative work. Materials, manufacturing and measurement
- Wye connection #
- A three-phase connection in which the windings join at a common neutral point. Also called a star connection. Electrical power and machines