Material Properties and Industrial Equipment Terminology

Key Material Properties and Mechanical Resistance

Hardness is the measure of how resistant solid matter is to various kinds of permanent shape change when a force is applied.

Strength is the ability to withstand forces without permanent change (e.g., breakage). Hardness is one type of strength, just like tensile and compressive strength.

The toughness of a material is the maximum amount of energy it can absorb before fracturing, which is different from the amount of force that can be applied.

Stiffness is the extent to which an object resists deformation in response to an applied force. The opposite of stiffness is elasticity—how far an object will stretch when pulled with a given amount of force.

• Hardness: Measures the pressure needed to cause permanent change.
• Strength: Measures the load that can be withstood before permanent change.
• Toughness: Measures the stress needed before fracturing.

Construction Materials and Combustion Terms

Cement (Portland cement) is the binding material used as one part of the recipe for concrete. It is a fine grey powder which looks very much like grey flour.

Concrete is a mixture of cement, sand, rock, water, and small amounts of additives. Concrete is the material we encounter in our everyday lives.

Combustible materials are capable of catching fire and burning. Fuel is combustible matter that is burned in order to produce heat or power.

Electrical Components and Heating Apparatus

Wire is the conductor used in electrical installations. It is usually located inside a cable for easy and safe use. A cable contains two or more wires or conductors wrapped together in one jacket.

A cord should be permanently attached to the plug and connector so that no exposed wire can be seen. Damaged or torn cords should be replaced!

Furnace: An apparatus in a factory in which metals are heated to very high temperatures.

• Oven: An enclosed compartment, usually part of a cooker, for cooking and heating food.
• Cooker: A large piece of kitchen equipment that consists of an oven and a stove.
• Heater: A machine that heats water or air, typically to raise the temperature of a room or building.

Technical Definitions and System Failures

• Apparatus: The entirety of means whereby a specific production is made existent or a task is accomplished.
• Equipment: The act of equipping, or the state of being equipped, as for a voyage or expedition.
• Device:Any piece of equipment made for a particular purpose.

• Fault: A defect; something that detracts from perfection.
• Failure: A state or condition of not meeting a desirable or intended objective; the opposite of success.
• Damage: Injury or harm; the condition or measure of something not being intact.
• Breakdown: A failure of a machine to function; an occurrence in which a machine (such as a car) stops working.