Glossary Terms
Terms that are used on the Manufacturing Automation website
Document management system
Allows users to store, search, and manipulate documents electronically
and to maintain a library of text and images in a compact space. Most
systems also provide a means for passing documents across a network.
Downtime
periods where computers, equipment, or manufacturing systems are not available to perform work.
Droop
A common occurrence in time-proportional controllers. It refers to the
difference in temperature between the set point and where the system
temperature actually stabilizes due to the time-proportioning action of
the controller.
DSP
Digital signal processing or digital signal processor.
Dual Element Sensor
A sensor assembly with two independent sensing elements.
Dynamic dispatching
in real time, as it occurs, status changes such as work computed,
operational problem, priority changes, updates the entire factory floor
automatically rescheduling ALL operations for ALL released jobs to
reflect those changes.
Dynamic scheduling
Software that allows refinement of production schedules as conditions
change. In a client/server configuration, the scheduler takes data from
an MRP II system and runs multiple simulations to find the optimal
scheduling solution.
EDI
Electronic Data Interchange is a standard for automated exchange of
business documents that allows purchasers and suppliers to exchange
digital paperwork, such as purchase orders, invoices and other business
documents, and to perform electronic funds transfers.
EDMS
Engineering Document Management System.
EEPROM
Electrically Eraseable Programmable Read Only Memory.
Effectiveness
Meeting agreed-upon requirements for supplier inputs and customer outputs.
Efficiency Minimizing time and/or other resources spent on activities which do not add value.
EIS
Equipment identification system
Employee Involvement
A practice within an organization whereby employees regularly
participate in making decisions on how their work is done, including
making suggestions for improvement, planning, goal setting and
monitoring performance.
Empowerment
A condition whereby employees have the authority to make decisions and take action on their own without prior approval.
Enclosure
a surrounding case that protects equipment from its environment, and
protects personnel against contact with the enclosed equipment.
Encoder
A feedback device that translates mechanical motion into electrical
signals indicative of actuator position. Incremental and absolute
encoders are common varieties; as the names imply, their output
indicates incremental or absolute changes of position.
Encoding
The process of putting information into digital format.
End user interface (EUI)
interface through which an application program provides information to people.
Entity
Something about which information is stored, either tangible or not,
such as an employee or a part on the one hand, or an event or abstract
concept on the other.
ERP
Enterprise Resource Planning is recognized as a logistical extension of MRP.
Ethernet
The standard for local communications networks developed jointly by
Digital Equipment Corp., Xerox, and Intel. Ethernet baseband coaxial
cable transmits data at speeds up to 10 megabits per second. Ethernet
is used as the underlying transport vehicle by several upper-level
protocols, including TCP/IP.
Expert system
software that applies knowledge and reasoning techniques that involve
rules and heuristics to solve problems normally requiring the abilities
of human experts.
Facet
A three- or four- sided polygon element that represents a piece of a 3D
polygonal mesh model. Triangular facets are used in STL files.
Facilitator
A person knowledgeable in process improvement, problem solving and
group dynamics who assists teams and team leaders by serving as coach,
communicator, coordinator, promoter and teacher as needed.
Fault tolerance
the ability to execute tasks regardless of the failure of strategic components.
Feedback The return of part of the output of a machine, process, or
system to the computer as input for another phase, especially for
self-correction or control purposes.
FDDI
fiber distributed data interface; a communications standard for networks
Feedforward
A method that "precompensates" a control loop for known errors due to
motor, drive, or load characteristics to improve response. It depends
only on the command, not the measured error.
FFF
See Free-Form Fabrication.
Fiber optics
a data transmission medium using light conducted through glass or
plastic fibers. A fiber-optic cable has cores capable of conducting
modulated light signals by internal reflection.
Field
The predetermined section of a record that contains a specific portion of information.
Fieldbus
a standard for digital communications between field devices and their
control systems. Devices include flow, temperature, and pressure
sensors and actuators of valves and motors.
FIM
facilities information management
