Manufacturing Glossary
Clear definitions for the terms that drive your shop floor. No jargon. Just what your team actually uses.
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Advanced Planning and Scheduling (APS) systems use algorithms to analyze materials and capacity, creating optimized production schedules.
PlanningAn Andon is a visual alert system on the shop floor that signals a problem with a process or quality.
LeanAn Application Programming Interface (API) is a set of rules that allows different software applications to communicate and exchange data with each other.
TechnologyAssemble-to-Order is a production strategy where products are built from pre-made components after a customer places an order.
Production ModesAn assembly line is a manufacturing layout where a product moves sequentially from one workstation to the next, with a specific task performed at each stop.
Shop FloorAdditive manufacturing (AM) is the process of building physical parts directly from 3D model data by joining material layer upon layer, as opposed to subtractive machining or formative molding. ISO/ASTM 52900 defines it across seven process categories, including powder bed fusion and material extrusion.
TechnologyMissing a term?
Send us the manufacturing terms your shop uses that aren't here yet. We update this glossary weekly based on real shop floor feedback.