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Glossary
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
Advances: The progress or improvements made that increase the value of things being developed.
Aerodynamics: The study of how bodies move in relation to gases, especially the interaction of moving objects with the atmosphere.
Aesthetics: The appealing traits something has based on its art and beauty, not its practicality.
Agricultural: The raising of crops and animals for food, feed, fiber, fuel, or other useful products.
Annotation: A note added to furnish critical or explanatory comments.
Arrowheads: The wedge shaped mark on a drawing used to terminate the dimension line.
Attribute: A quality or characteristic natural in or recognized in someone or something.
Balance: A term used to describe something that is in equilibrium visually or in mass.
Biotechnology: Any technique that uses living organisms, or parts of organisms, to make or modify products, improve plants or animals, or to develop microorganisms for specific uses.
Borders: The lines and zoning marks around the outside of a drawing, marking the edges of the usable surface.
Brainstorming: A method of shared problem-solving in which all members of a group spontaneously and in an unrestrained discussion generate ideas.
Computer Aided Drawing (CAD): The use of a computer to create drawings.
Capital: Any source of wealth that is used to expand or improve a product or process.
Center line: A mark used to show the location of the centers of arcs and circles or a drawn detail.
Chamfer: A detail created that forms an angle at the intersection of two planes.
Circle: A closed curve with coplanar points at the same distance from the center point.
Coincident: The two points that are fixed together with the use of a constraint.
Collinear: The lines or points belonging to the same line or an extension of that line.
Communication: The successful transmission of information through a common system of symbols, signs, behavior, speech, writing, or signals.
Computer modeling: The use of computer software applications that allows the user to visualize an idea in a three-dimensional format.
Concentric: Arcs and circles that have a common origin or center.
Cone: A solid pointed figure with a circular or elliptical base.
Consequences: The byproducts or outcomes of a decision or idea.
Constrain: To compel or force points, lines, or parts to behave in a certain manner.
Constraints: (1) A limit to the design process. Constraints may be such things as appearance, funding, space, materials, and human capabilities. (2) Rules or limitations that restrict the position or relationship between parts of a whole, such as in the case of an assembly drawing.
Construction: The systematic act or process of building, erecting, or constructing buildings, roads, or other structures.
Controls: An arrangement of chemical, electronic, electrical, and mechanical components that commands or directs the management of a system.
Coordinate system: A system that locates points using the X-, Y-, or Z-values to determine the position of a point, line, curve, or plane in a space of a given dimension with respect to a fixed reference.
Copy: The process of creating a reproduction or likeness of something.
Counterbore: (1) A hole consisting of two depths so that the top of the head of an inserted bolt or screw will be flush with the outside surface. (2) A bit for enlarging the upper part of a hole.
Countersink: A hole with a tapered top so that the top of the head of an inserted screw will be flush with the outside surface.
Criteria: (1) A desired specification (element or feature) of a product or system. (2) A list of restrictions to be considered and used in the development of a solution.
Cube: A solid body with six equal square sides or faces.
Cutting plane: The plane that is created in order to slice through a part or assembly to show the interior details.
Design: (1) An iterative decision-making process that produces plans by which resources are converted into products or systems that meet human needs and wants or solve problems. (2) The product of the planning, creating, and devising process.
Design brief: A written plan that identifies a problem to be solved, its criteria, and its constraints. The design brief is used to encourage thinking of all aspects of a problem before attempting a solution.
Design elements: The factors (e.g., line, color, light, shadow, space, texture) that define a product and take into account the aesthetics and function of the product.
Design process: A systematic problem-solving strategy, with criteria and constraints, used to develop many possible solutions to solve a problem or satisfy human needs and wants and to narrow down the possible solutions to one final choice.
Desired: To express a wish for, request, want, or anticipation.
Details: A drawing that describes more fully the attributes of a part.
Dimension: A linear measurement that shows the extents of something, such as width, height, or length.
Dimension constraint: The limitation of measurement that is placed on a part of a product.
Dimension line: A line drawn between extension lines where the measurement is noted.
Directory file: A file in the listing of the files stored in memory usually on a hard disk of a computer.
Documentation: The organized collection of records and documents that describe the purpose, processes, and related activities to be used for future reference.
Drawing limit: In the use of a three-dimensional computer software drawing program, the drawing limit refers to the amount of the drawing area.
Editing: A process used to change details in a drawing after initial creation.
Ellipse: A closed plane figure formed by the plane section of a right angled cone.
Energy: The ability to do work. Energy is one of the basic resources used by a technological system.
Environment: The external conditions or surroundings that affect the quality of plant, animal, and human life.
Equal: A term used to describe two things having the same value or size.
Equilateral triangle: A three-sided geometric figure having all sides equal.
Ergonomics: The study of the workplace equipment design or how to arrange and design devices, machines, or workspace so that people and things interact safely and most efficiently; also called human factors analysis or human factors engineering.
Ethics: The study or system of human morality and conduct.
Evaluate: (1) The collection and processing of information and data in order to determine how well a design meets the requirements and to provide direction for improvements. (2) A process used to analyze, assess, and appraise a student’s achievement, growth, and performance with formal and informal tests and techniques.
Evolution: The process of change over a period of time, such as the adaptation in living organisms to new environments or the improvement of products.
Experimentation: (1) The act of conducting a controlled test or investigation. (2) The act of trying out a new procedure, idea, or activity.
Extend: The process of stretching or lengthening the measurement of a detail on a drawing.
Extension line: The line drawn from a detail to the dimension line on a drawing to show the area of the measurement.
Extrusion: In a computer-aided drawing program, a feature created by adding depth to a sketched profile of an object.
Fabrication: The process or act of making or creating something.
Feature: Any physical portion of an object, such as a hole or fillet.
Feedback: (1) Using all or a portion of the information from the output of a system to regulate or control the processes or inputs in order to modify the output. (2) Information that is returned to an interested party for purposes of evaluation.
Fillets: A curved surface formed at the interior intersection of two or more surfaces of an object.
Fix: A term used to describe locking a point to a position relative to the sketch coordinate system.
Free hand: A sketch or drawing completed without the use of templates, rulers, straight edges, or other drawing aids.
Frontal plane: The plane of view that is on the front surface of an object.
Function: The specific purpose assigned to an individual or thing.
Functionality: An object or product designed for or adapted to a particular function or use; such as, the functionality of a microwave oven is for the specific use of heating foods.
Hidden line: A dashed line that represents the intersection of two planes in an object that is not visible to the eye from the present viewpoint.
Horizontal: A line parallel to the horizon.
Horizontal plane: The plane that is parallel to the horizon in a drawing.
Impact: The effect or influence of one thing on another. Some impacts are anticipated, and others are unanticipated.
Implement: (1) A tool or instrument used in doing work. (2) A means of achieving an end.
Industrial: Of, or relating to, or resulting from industry.
Information: One of the basic resources used by technological systems. Information is data and facts that have been organized and communicated in a coherent and meaningful manner.
Innovation: An improvement of an existing technological product, system, or method of doing something.
Invention: A new product, system, or process that has never existed before, created by study and experimentation.
Investigate: To observe or inquire into a detail; examine systematically.
Isometric: Of or exhibiting equality in dimensions or measurements.
Isometric drawing: A drawing prepared with an ordinary scale and is full size with all measurements made parallel to the main edges parallel to the isometric axes.
Isometric projection: A drawing of an object created with an isometric scale with its principal edges or axes placed in such a way to make equal angles with the plan of projection, and are therefore foreshortened equally. For example, if a cube is drawn as an isometric projection then the plan of projection forms equal angles totaling 120 degrees to each of the three axes of the cube.
Knowledge: (1) The body of truth, information, and principles acquired by humankind. (2) Interpreted information that can be used.
Machines: (1) A simple device, such as a lever, a pulley, or an inclined plane, that alters the magnitude or direction, or both, of an applied force. (2) Devices designed to obtain the greatest amount of force from the energy used. (3) A device consisting of fixed and moving parts that modifies mechanical energy and transmits it into a more useful form.
Manufacturing: The process of making a raw material into a finished product; especially in large quantities.
Mirror: A term used to describe the creation of an exact part replicated on the other side of a drawn axes.
Model: A three-dimensional representation of an object.
Modeling: The process of creating three-dimensional representations of design solutions.
Modifying: The process of adjusting or changing an idea, product, or input based on additional observations and information.
Multiview drawing: A drawing that consists of the plans, sections, and elevations. The principal face in each view is oriented parallel to the picture plane.
Needs: The necessity or requirements of a person.
Oblique projection: A drawing in which the visual rays are parallel to each other and oblique to the plan of view. As a rule, the object is placed with one of its principal faces parallel to the plane of projection. This is equivalent to holding the object in the hand and viewing it in such a way as to see the front side and other sides from eye level.
Offset: A software command that inputs a measured distance that is needed to initiate other commands.
One-point perspective: Pictorial drawings where all vertical parallel lines project back to the one selected point on the horizon line.
Optimization: An act, process, or methodology used to make a design or system as effective or functional as possible within the given criteria and constraints.
Orientation: A frame of reference or alignment that is usually a position relative to a compass direction.
Orthographic drawing: A right angle projection wherein the views on a drawing are drawn at right angles to one another.
Parallel: A term describing parts or features being equal distances apart at every point.
Perpendicular: A term describing lines, parts, or features that are created to be at 90 degree angles from each other.
Perspective drawings: Pictorial drawings that have been drawn with either one (all vertical lines drawn back to one point on the horizon line) or two (all vertical lines vanishing back to two different points on the horizon line) vanishing points with the purpose of portraying solid objects and spatial relationships on a flat surface so that they appear true-to-life.
Plane: A flat surface with length and width, but no thickness and extends forever.
Polar array: A feature created by the reproduction of the initially drawn feature in a circular pattern.
Pollution: Contamination of the environment that is the result of introducing harmful substances, such as noise or chemicals.
Polygon: A closed geometric figure in a plane formed by connecting line segments endpoint to endpoint with each segment intersecting exactly two others. Polygons are classified based on the number of line segments used, such as triangle, quadrilateral, pentagon, and hexagon.
Power: (1) The amount of work done in a given period of time. (2) The source of energy or motive force by which a physical system or machine is operated.
Prism: A polyhedron with two faces (bases) that are congruent and parallel polygons and whose other faces (lateral faces) are parallelograms formed by segments connecting the corresponding vertices of the bases.
Problem solving: The process of understanding a problem, devising a plan, carrying out the plan, and evaluating the plan in order to solve a problem or meet a need or want.
Process: (1) Human activities used to create, invent, design, transform, produce, control, maintain, and use products or systems. (2) A systematic sequence of actions that combines resources to produce an output.
Profile: A two-dimensional shape, path, edge, or surface created with computer software.
Profile plane: The elevation (or front view) of an object showing the vertical information in a drawing.
Proportion: A principle of design that deals with the size and shape of areas and their relationship to one another.
Prototype: A full-scale working model used to test a design concept by making actual observations and necessary adjustments. Sometimes the full-scale model is created in a virtual environment, such as with computer software.
Pyramid: A polyhedron with a polygonal base and triangular faces meeting in a common vertex.
Quadrilateral: A polygon that has four-sides.
Rectangle: A special type of quadrilateral with its opposite sides parallel to each other, referred to as a parallelogram, and with all of its angles as right angles.
Rectangular array: An orderly arrangement of objects in a rectangular shape, such as a table with four columns and five rows that includes vocabulary terms, one in each cell of the table.
Reference: A line, point, edge, surface, or other detail used to establish a known location.
Reference plane: A surface that is used to establish a known location.
Requirements: The parameters placed on the development of a product or system. The requirements include the safety needs, the physical laws that will limit the development of an idea, the available resources, the cultural norms, and the use of criteria and constraints.
Resources: The things needed to get a job done. In a technological system, the basic technological resources are energy, capital, information, machines and tools, materials, people, and time.
Revolution: In drawing software, a term describing the creation of a feature by rotation of a two-dimensional profile about an axis.
Rhythm: The design element that controls the motion of the viewer’s eye.
Right triangle: A three-sided polygon with one entire 90-degree angle.
Rotate: In drawing software, a term describing the reorientation of a drawing.
Save: In computer software, a term describing the storing of data on a computer drive, such as a hard drive.
Scale: (1) A system of ordered marks at fixed intervals used as a reference standard in measurement, such as a ruler. (2) A proportion used in determining the dimensional relationship of a representation to that which it represents, such as a world map drawn to a scale of 1:24,000,000.
Science: The study of the natural world through observation, identification, description, experimental investigation, and theoretical explanations.
Seams: The line where two pieces of material come together.
Section: A drawing that shows the interior details along a cutting plane.
Shading: In sketching and drawing, a term describing the lines or other marks used to fill in outlines of a sketch, an engraving, or a painting to represent gradations of color or darkness.
Shape: The characteristic surface configuration of a thing; its form.
Sketch: An effective visual means of communication that utilizes freehand drawing. A collection of freehand drawings that communicate an idea. There are three types: program, design, and thumbnail.
Sketch plane: In drawing software, the surface that is being drawn or projected onto to show the idea being conveyed.
Society: A community, nation, or broad groups of people having common traditions, institutions, and collective activities and interests.
Specification: A detailed statement of a requirement pertaining to a project.
Sphere: A perfectly round object where all points are equidistant from a fixed point.
Square: A four-sided polygon with equilateral sides and 90-degree interior angles.
Storage: In computer software, the action or place of putting something for safe keeping.
Stretch: In drawing software, a term describing the movement of the endpoint of a line to a new location.
Sustainable: Refers to something that can continue to be supported or held up in various circumstances.
Sweeping: In drawing software, a process used to create a three-dimensional form by moving a drawn profile along a path.
System: A group of interacting, interrelated, or interdependent element or parts that function together as a whole to accomplish a goal.
Tabs: In drawing software, parts of a two-dimensional drawing that attach surfaces together when the pattern is folded into a three-dimensional shape.
Tangent: A line that touches a curve at only one point without intersecting the curve.
Technological change: A transformation that is prompted or initiated by an improvement or application of knowledge that has been developed to satisfy needs, solve problems, and increase our capabilities.
Technology: (1) The innovation, change, or modification of the natural environment to satisfy perceived human needs and wants. (2) The generation of knowledge and processes to develop systems that solve problems and extend human capabilities.
Testing: The process of analyzing or assessing the performance of a solution or product using a set of established criteria.
Texture: A description of the property of an object’s surface, such as roughness or smoothness.
Threads: A helix or conical shape that is found on the external shaft or the internal surface of a cylindrical hole.
Three-dimensional (3D): A term describing a drawing that has length, width, and depth.
Thumbnail sketch: A freehand drawing of an idea that is completed without the use of aids, such as a straight edge or ruler.
Tool: A device used by humans to complete a task.
Trade-off: An exchange of one thing in return for another; especially relinquishment of one benefit or advantage for another regarded as more desirable.
Transportation: The process by which passengers or goods are moved or delivered from one place to another.
Triangle: A three-sided polygon.
Trim: In drawing software, a term describing the shortening of a line or removal of material in a drawing.
Two-point perspective: Pictorial drawings where all vertical lines project back to the two selected points on the horizon line.
Vanishing point: A point drawn on the horizon line of a perspective where the vertical lines drawn in the sketch vanish.
Vertical: A term describing a detail that is upright or perpendicular to the horizon.
View: The features of an object projected onto a reference plane, such as the front, top, right and side views.
Visualization: The ability to form a mental picture of an object, model or design.
Work plane: In drawing software, a created plane of reference that is used as a surface to create a new feature.
Working drawing: The set of plans from which a structure will be built. Working drawings are the vehicle by which the designer graphically conveys the final design solution. Their size is dependent upon the scope and nature of the project.