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Isomatic - Engineering terms Category: Electronics and Engineering Date & country: 19/11/2007, UK Words: 171

ActiveX
A collective term used to describe a number of key Microsoft technologies, one of which is the Distributed Common Object Model (DCOM).

AECMA
Association Europeénne des Contracteurs de Matériel Aerospatiale - European Association of Aerospace Industries.

AECMA 1000D
International Specification for Technical Publication

AECMA 2000M
International Specification for Material Management

ANA
Article Numbering Association (UK EDI Standards body)

AP (Application Protocol)
Part of the STEP standard (ISO 10303 - 2xx) describing schema definitions for a specific application area

Aperture Card
A card (the size of a punched card) with a rectangular opening for mounting microfilm. Aperture Cards are used primarily for storing images of engineering drawings.

ASCII
American Standard Code for Information Interchange is a standard for defining character set (text)data.

ATM (Asynchronous Transfer Mode)
A protocol which is optimised for communication of continual data streams, particularly multimedia. It forms part of a protocol ‘stack` which can be scaled to any size and speed of network.

ATU-R (ADSL Terminal Unit - Remote)
This is sometimes called an 'ADSL modem'. It is a hardware unit that connects a computer to an ADSL service.

Audiographic teleconferencing
Teleconferencing in real time using audio and data between two computers (also known as whiteboarding).

Backfile Conversion
Process of converting a document file (typically paper and microfilm) into images and/or text by scanning using Optical Character Recognition (OCR) or Document Image processing (DIP).

Bandwidth
The range of frequencies (Hz, kHz, MHz) within which performance with respect to some characteristic falls within specified limits. Incorrectly, but universally, used in computing jargon to mean the capacity of a line or channel expressed as bits per second (bit/s or bps) in thousands (kbit/s) or millions (Mbit/s).

Base64
A coding method that converts 8-bit binary to 7 bits for transmission via the Internet. See MIME.

Baud
A unit of transmission rate which counts every transition on the medium, not just the bit representations. (NB: Never Baud rate; this is equivalent to saying PIN number or TSB bank)

BAUDOT
5 bit Code used for Telex

BBS (Bulletin Board Service)
Traditional client-server arrangement, usually limited to invitees. The host holds the information on a server and anyone adding files (up-loading) or copying existing files (down-loading) needs to obtain the client software

Bi-level
Refers to representing each position/pel/pixel/dot of an image by a single bit, which is ON (black) of OFF (white).

Bitmap
A combination of pels/pixels which are individually stored as bits by a computer and collectively define an image.

BoM (Bill of Material)
An ordered list of the parts, sub-assemblies and assemblies that define a product.

Broadband
‘Over a wide range of frequencies`. Incorrectly but widely used in computing jargon to mean ‘at bit rates greater than (say) 2Mbit/s`.

Cable Modem
Modulator-Demodulator used to transmit data over ‘cable` TV networks (see CATV)

CATV (Community Antenna Television)
TV distribution from a single receiving station via optical fibre and copper cable (pronounced CatVee).

CCITT
(Consultative Committee on International Telegraphy and Telephony) A defunct body which issued standards used in telecommunications, e.g. standards on compression and decompression techniques used in FAX transmissions. Now replaced by ITU-T.

CCITT 4
International Telegraph & Telephone Group 4â€`a standard for Image compression (MIL-R-28002).

CD-ROM
Compact Disc technology (originally Read Only Memory, now re-writeable).

CGM (Computer Graphics Metafile)
a format for the storage and transfer of data describing images. Standard for vector images (MIL-D-28003, SS-ISO 8632).

Client-server model
Network where a superior machine serves the needs of inferior clients by multiplexing one to one communications with them as they request service. Alternative models are peer to peer and producer-consumer (also known as publisher-subscriber).

CO (Central Office)
Used, particularly in DSL information, to differentiate between Central Office Eqipement and Customer Premises Equipment (CPE)

CODEC (coder and decoder)
Software which encodes transmitted data and decodes received data.

COM (Component Object Model)
Proprietary Microsoft standard which allows software objects to be defined and read by different, conformant applications.

Compound Document
Electronic document comprising more than one type of file, e.g. text file and graphics, or text files and image files.

Compression
The raw 'bit image' delivered by a scanner to a computer is extremely large and wasteful of storage and transmission capacity. Coding algorithms and systems have been devised to compress the image, e.g. by making use of the fact that most documents have many 'white' or single tone areas. Decompression must take place before viewing or printing - ad

Concurrent Engineering
Concurrent Engineering (Simultaneous Engineering) is a systematic approach to the integrated concurrent design of products and their related processes, including manufacture and support.

CP (Customer Premises)
Used, particularly in DSL information, to differentiate between it and Central office (CO)

CPE (Customer Premises Equipment)
Used, particularly in DSL information, to show the equipment is in the Customer Premises and not in the Central Office

DAT (Digital Audio Tape)
Tape format used for high capacity data storage.

Data Model
The definition of data objects and their relationships. The data model defines the conceptual schema for a database or data warehouse.

Data Translation
Translation of data from one format to another. Though translation can be effected between one native format to another (e.g. CADDS 5 to CATIA), translation is normally effected from a native format to a standard format (e.g. to IGES, STEP) or vice versa.

Data Transport
The action of moving data within a distributed environment. Data transport does not alter the format of the transported data.

DCT (discrete cosine transform)
Compression algorithm used by MPEG-1

DGN
Bentley`s MicroStation CAD format (proprietary, though open, de facto standard).

DIP (Document Image Processing)
Document image processing transforms the unstructured image scanned in or faxed in from paper documents into machine readable form which can be accessed by computer processing applications and enables the automation of filing, retrieval, distribution and display. For historic reasons DIP is often misnamed OCR (optical character recognition).

DMA (Document Management Alliance)
AIIM task force with charter to develop a uniform programming model enabling enterprise-wide interoperability for every document-oriented application program and DMS (document management system) from different vendors.

DMS (Document Management System)
Software for managing document creation, replication, communication, storage, version control etc.

Document
A container and vehicle for recording, transporting and presenting data. Computer jargon often uses document in a restricted sense to mean word processing output only.

DSL (Digital Subscriber Line)
Refers collectively to all types of digital subscriber lines, the main categories being ADSL, SDSL, SHDSL and VDSL. All provide higher data rates than POTS or ISDN and are loosely referred to as 'Broadband', although this also covers Cable Modems.

DSSSL
(Document Style Semantics and Specification Language) An SGML standard for the formatting of documents to both display and print media (ISO 10179).

DTD (Document Type Definition)
Definition of the syntax of HTML as an SGML application see HTML, SGML.

DVB (Digital Video Broadcast)
Simultaneous transmission of continuous video data to all subscribers, now in use for TV.

DWG
AutoCAD`s CAD format (proprietary, though open, de facto standard)

DXF
AutoCAD`s Drawing eXchange Format (proprietary, though open, de facto standard).

EANCOM
EDI standard for International messaging.

EDI (Electronic Data Interchange)
The technologies which support business transactions by enabling the electronic transfer of formatted information from computers in one organisation to computers in other organisations.

EDIFACT
(EDI For Administration, Commerce and Transport) A UN sponsored standard for EDI used mainly in Europe. Soon to be merged with the ANSI X.12 standard used in the United States.

EDM
An acronym variously used for Electronic Document Management, Engineering Data (or Document) Management, Enterprise Data (or Document) Management.

Encryption
A method of scrambling messages so they cannot be read without a password e.g. for financial transactions.

Ethernet
The common name for a popular standard for the lower layers of a local area network. Higher layer protocols are also required in order to use Ethernet for data communication. Ethernet was the name used by the three originating organisations prior to standardisation as IEEE 802.3, then ISO/IEC 8802.3. Thick and thin Ethernet refers to the cable stan

EXPRESS
The STEP data definition and information modelling language, ISO 10303â€`11.

Extended Enterprise
A partnership among suppliers, manufacturers and customers, acting as an integrated company for developing and/or producing complex products.

Extranet
An intranet that allows external users to access specified areas of data often by password only.

FAX MODEM
Modulator-Demodulator for transmitting and receiving FAX, usually combined with a data modem.

Federated Systems
Linked systems that allow the sharing of controlled data.

File
A logical collection of data. Generic computing name encompassing document, spreadsheet, database, drawing, chart, program, etc.

FTP (File Transfer Protocol)
Internet Society (IETF) specification RFC 959 for file transfer between computers. FTP is used by a local ‘client` machine to upload and download files to and from a remote ‘server`. Ideal for files that are too large to be E-mailed as attachments. Still a common method for obtaining software via the Internet, although WWW is replacing it for such

FTR (Full Text Retrieval)
A function that automatically builds an index for a set of managed documents that contain coded data.

GIF (Graphics Interchange Format)
Proprietary specification from CompuServe made available to all developers. Used very extensively on the WWW for simple graphics (pronounced ‘Jiff`).

Groupware
E-mail based software offering other facilities such as diaries, personal schedulers, basic workflow and address books.

GSM (Groupe Systeme Mobile)
Standard for cellular radio mobile telephone networks throughout Europe and many other countries but not USA.

Heterogeneous
Describes a computing environment in which dissimilar hardware and/or software are used to perform related tasks.

HFC (IEEE 802.14 Hybrid Fibre Coax)
Standard being developed to provide a scaleable advance on broadband Ethernet.

HIPERLAN
European family of standards for digital high speed wireless communication in the 5.15-5.3 GHz and the 17.1-17.3 GHz spectrum developed by ETSI.

Home Highway
Reduced cost ISDN variant for UK domestic use from BT.

HTML (HyperText Mark-up Language)
The standard WWW language. HTML is not a programming language in the traditional sense of the word but rather a scripting language allowing users to describe how Web pages should be displayed by Web Browsers.

HTTP (HyperText Transport Protocol)
The World Wide Web client-server communications protocol. In order to create a Web Site users must have access to a HyperText transport protocol daemon (httpd). This software - which understands HTTP - runs on a Web Server and is responsible for dealing with requests for documents from Web Browsers.

Hyperlink
The link between information objects - may be on different media, enabling the user to access information in non-sequential order.

HyperText
Text that provides the interface between the user and a hyperlink.

IAPP (Inter-Access Point Protocol)
Wireless network standard designed to allow different vendor`s access points to support roaming users

ICQ (I seek you)
General purpose conferencing software from Miriabilis in Israel (see www.icq.com). Used from the keyboard without voice or video being active, very useful when they are not working properly

IDEF (Integrated DEFinition method)
First developed by the US Air Force as a Process Modelling tool and is now widely used internationally as a key part of BPR projects. A number of IDEF tools, have been developed to support Process Modelling :

IDL (Interface Definition Language)
Developed by the OMG to define the inputs and outputs of an application to enable it to plug into a CORBA environment.

IEEE 802.11
Standards committee for spread spectrum radio and infra-red systems.

IEEE 802.3
Standards committee for collision sensing contention LAN (Ethernet)

IEEE 802.5
Standards committee for the Token Ring developed by IBM. A special case of the general definition (see Token Passing Ring).

ILS (Integrated Logistic Support)
A support environment used for military projects.

Image Management
The management and control of raster images (generated by image scanning and raster conversions of electronic data created in other formats), vector data (from CAD and illustration systems), and multimedia data (audio and video images).

Internet
‘The Internet` is an open International computer network which uses the protocols from the Internet Society. The definite article ‘The` should always be used to avoid confused with Internet as in the protocol (see IP).

Internet TV
An imminent offering by the cable TV industry combining a television and ‘set-top box` with lap-top keyboard using infra-red communication to provide computer-less Internet access. Not to be confused with ‘Web TV`, which uses television only for receiving plus a normal telephone line providing the return path.

Intranet
A network of computers, owned and operated for the private needs of an organisation, which uses the protocols from the Internet Society.

IP (Internet Protocol)
part of the Internet Society`s communication software ‘stack`.

ISO
International Standards Organisation.

ISP (Internet Service Provider)
Organisation that provides the user with Internet access and stores the user`s web pages, FTP files and incoming E-mail.

JAMA
Japanese Automobile Manufacturers Association

JAVA
An object-oriented programming language. Java applications can run unchanged on any platform that contains a Java Virtual Machine (JVM), e.g. .a Web Browser

JIT (Just In Time)
A Japanese originated management philosophy which strives to minimise work-in-progress by ensuring that material and resources are scheduled according to the immediate needs of production.

LAN (Local Area Network)
Communication network connecting devices (which might not be computers) within a local area such as an office, building or site. Some LAN trunk lengths approach 2 km, more with optical fibre or repeaters.

Leased line
Contracted service from a telecommunications company to provide a permanent high speed data connection. An expensive option for SMEs.

Life cycle
The description of the distinct phases through which each product passes during its product life. This includes phases such as requirements definition, concept design, production, operation, maintenance, etc.

List server
Server holding list of E-mail addresses. Users ‘subscribe` to the list and automatically receive all mail addressed to it. Software is usually Majordomo.

Majordomo
Standard software for list servers.