Precision Machining Glossary

Acid Bath: A type of passivation that immerses parts in citric or nitric acid to increase performance and durability of the parts.

5S Methodology: A systematic form of visual management that maximizes efficiency and minimizes waste. Originating in Japan, 5S stands for: Sort, Set in Order, Shine, Standardize, and Sustain.

Alloy: Metal formed by mixing 2 or more different metals.

Annealing: The controlled heating and cooling of metal to remove stresses and make it easier to work with (machine).

Anodizing: To coat a metal with a protective oxide layer. The finish can be decorative, durable, and corrosion resistant, and provides a better surface for paint and adhesion. Aluminum is the most common metal used for anodizing, but titanium and magnesium can also be treated this way. The process is actually an electrolytic passivation process used to increase the thickness of the natural oxide layer on the surface of the metal. Anodizing is available in a number of colors.

AS9100: An aerospace standard based on the ISO 9001 quality system requirements. AS9100 takes the ISO 9001 requirements and supplements them with additional quality system requirements, which are established by the aerospace industry in order to satisfy DOD (Department of Defense), NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration) and FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) quality requirements. Pioneer Service is certified for AS9100; see our certification here.

ASME (American Society of Mechanical Engineers): Develops and publishes voluntary consensus technical standards for a wide range of materials, products, systems, and services.

ASTM (American Society for Testing and Materials): Is an international standards organization that develops and publishes voluntary consensus technical standards for a wide range of materials, products, systems, and services.

Bar Feeder: An automated machine that is typically paired with a Swiss screw machine. The bar feeder delivers material to the lathe tool in the machine as needed, which in turn minimizes operator supervision.

Bar Stock: Metal bars of various lengths. It can be purchased in a variety of shapes (hexagon, flat, octagon, round and square), but for CNC Swiss machining and turning, round bar stock is almost always specified.