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Glossary

Glossary

From request to actuals, in the words of your shop.

326 terms in ten groups.

326 terms

Start here

The twelve terms you meet first, from request to actuals.

  1. Request (RFQ)A request is a customer asking for price and lead time on one or more parts, with the files and quantities your price will rest on.
  2. Drawing requirementsDrawing requirements are what a drawing demands of the part, such as size, form and location, roughness, material and finish.
  3. Dimensional toleranceA dimensional tolerance is the permitted variation of one dimension, given as limits, as deviations such as 20 ±0.05 or as a tolerance class such as H7.
  4. Surface roughness (Ra, Rz)Surface roughness describes the fine height variations of a surface, expressed in parameters such as Ra and Rz in µm.
  5. FinishingFinishing is a process after machining that changes the surface or material of a part, such as anodising, plating, powder coating, blasting or hardening.
  6. SetupA setup is one clamping of the workpiece in a known position, in which a series of operations runs without releasing the part.
  7. Setup timeSetup time is the time to get machine, workholding and tooling ready up to the first approved part, once per setup and per batch.
  8. Cycle timeCycle time is the time a machine needs per part in one setup; what it includes, such as loading and unloading, depends on the convention used.
  9. Machine hour rateThe machine hour rate is the cost of one productive hour on a machine: its annual costs divided by the productive hours you expect from it.
  10. Quantity breakA quantity break gives a price per part at several quantities, such as 10, 25 and 50 off, so the customer sees what quantity does to the price.
  11. QuoteA quote is your written offer to the customer: price per piece at each quantity, lead time, validity and conditions, for a stated drawing revision.
  12. ActualsActuals are what an order really cost in hours, material and subcontract work, collected after the job and set against the estimate line by line.

What things are called in Blake

Sixteen words with their own meaning in Blake, in the order you meet them.

  • WorkspaceThe workspace is your company's environment in Blake: requests, parts, quotes and the factory together, so everyone works from the same data.
  • FactoryThe factory is the part of Blake where you record machines, materials, subcontractors and hourly rates; estimates are calculated from what is recorded there.
  • Request (RFQ)A request is a customer asking for price and lead time on one or more parts, with the files and quantities your price will rest on.
  • PartA part is a single item to be made, with its own part number, drawing and revision, that is not built up from other items.
  • Part fileA part file brings together what is known about one part: model, drawing, revision, quantities, requirements and the estimates and quotes built on them.
  • RevisionA revision is a released version of a drawing or model, marked by a letter or number that moves on with every released change.
  • Drawing readingDrawing reading is the interpretation of a technical drawing: the dimensions, tolerances, roughness, material and finishing that define the part.
  • ProposalIn Blake a proposal is a value from the drawing, such as material or roughness, that stays pending until someone confirms or corrects it.
  • Confirm and correctIn Blake, confirm and correct is a person's decision on a proposal: accept it or change it, recorded with name and time.
  • Human-in-the-loopHuman-in-the-loop is a way of working in which a person reviews what software proposes and approves or changes it before it takes effect.
  • ProvenanceProvenance is the recorded source of a value: where a figure or requirement came from, when it was set and who entered or confirmed it.
  • Estimate lineAn estimate line is one item in an estimate, with its own inputs such as time, rate or weight, and a basis: per part, per batch or once per design.
  • Estimated (label)In Blake every calculated time carries the label Estimated, so nobody mistakes a cycle time calculated in advance for one measured on the machine.
  • Machine fitIn Blake, machine fit is a first check per machine of whether a part is within its envelope and axes and which limit decides, not a manufacturability verdict.
  • Quote versionA quote version is one recorded state of a quote as it went to the customer; a later change becomes a new version beside the old one.
  • ExportExport is writing data from a system to a file, such as PDF, CSV or JSON, that another system or a person can open.

Often asked

Twelve questions from the terms, answered on the term's page.

  1. What does a request need at a minimum?Request (RFQ)
  2. Which requirements are missing from the STEP model?Drawing requirements
  3. What does H7 mean on a bore?Dimensional tolerance
  4. Can I convert Ra and Rz into each other?Surface roughness (Ra, Rz)
  5. Where is finishing on the drawing?Finishing
  6. How many setups does a part need?Setup
  7. Does the first part belong to setup time?Setup time
  8. Does cycle time include loading and unloading?Cycle time
  9. How do you calculate a machine hour rate?Machine hour rate
  10. Why does the price per part drop at higher quantities?Quantity break
  11. How long does a quote stay valid?Quote
  12. What do I need before I can run actuals on an order?Actuals

Request and part20

What arrives before anyone works out a cost: request, model, drawing, revision and bill of materials.

  • AssemblyAn assembly is an item made up of several parts, made or bought in, joined into one unit by fitting, welding, pressing or another connection.
  • Bill of materialsA bill of materials lists the parts, bought-in items and materials an assembly is made of, with the quantity per assembly for each item.
  • Bought-in partA bought-in part is bought ready-made and enters the assembly at its purchase price; a made part goes through your own shop and you estimate it yourself.
  • Customer-supplied materialCustomer-supplied material, or free-issue material, is stock the customer provides and still owns while you machine it; you supply the work, not the stock.
  • Drawing changeA drawing change is a released change to the drawing or model of a part, recorded as a new revision of that drawing or model.
  • DXF and DWGDXF and DWG are CAD formats that usually hold a 2D drawing or contour, widely used for cutting sheet; depths and requirements are often missing.
  • Early supplier involvement (ESI)In early supplier involvement (ESI), the customer brings its supplier in to review the design before the drawing is released.
  • High-mix low-volumeHigh-mix low-volume is production of many different parts in small quantities, where changeover and preparation weigh heavily against machining.
  • IGESIGES is an older neutral CAD format that often holds loose surfaces rather than a closed solid, and still turns up alongside or instead of STEP.
  • One-off and small batchA one-off is a single copy of a part and a small batch a handful to a few dozen; in both, few parts carry all of the one-off costs.
  • Parasolid (x_t)Parasolid is a geometry kernel underneath many CAD systems; an .x_t or .x_b file holds the model in that kernel's native format.
  • PartA part is a single item to be made, with its own part number, drawing and revision, that is not built up from other items.
  • PMI and MBDPMI covers the dimensions, tolerances and notes in the 3D model itself; MBD is the practice in which that annotated model is the source of the requirements.
  • Repeat orderA repeat order is a new order for a part you have made before, at the same revision, so the program and the route usually exist already.
  • Request (RFQ)A request is a customer asking for price and lead time on one or more parts, with the files and quantities your price will rest on.
  • RevisionA revision is a released version of a drawing or model, marked by a letter or number that moves on with every released change.
  • STEP AP242STEP AP242 is the ISO 10303 application protocol for 3D models that can carry dimensions, tolerances and datums alongside the shape.
  • STEP modelA STEP model is a 3D model in the neutral exchange format of ISO 10303, used to pass a part's shape between different CAD and CAM systems.
  • Supplier portalA supplier portal is a customer's purchasing environment in which you download requests and submit your quote in the fields the portal prescribes.
  • Technical drawingA technical drawing records a part's dimensions, tolerances, material and other requirements in 2D; with a request it usually arrives as a PDF.

Drawing and requirements62

The requirements on the drawing that set the route and the inspection time: daily work for cost engineers and manufacturing engineers.

  • AngularityAngularity is an orientation tolerance that limits how accurately an inclined surface or axis lies at a theoretically exact angle to a datum.
  • Ballooned drawingA ballooned drawing is a copy of the drawing with a numbered balloon at every characteristic to be checked; each number becomes a line in the inspection report.
  • Basic dimensionA basic dimension sits in a box with no tolerance of its own and gives the ideal location or form; the allowed deviation is set by the feature control frame.
  • Certificate of conformity (CoC)A certificate of conformity is your signed statement with a delivery that the parts were made to the drawing, revision and order.
  • ChamferA chamfer is an edge cut back at an angle and a fillet an edge replaced by a radius; both turn a sharp edge into a dimensioned shape.
  • Circularity (roundness)Circularity is a form tolerance that limits how far each cross-section may deviate from a true circle, independent of diameter and with no datum.
  • Coating thickness and build-upCoating thickness is the thickness of a surface layer; build-up is the change in size it causes, and with anodising the build-up is smaller than the thickness.
  • Coaxiality and concentricityCoaxiality limits how far the axis of a cylindrical feature may lie from a datum axis; concentricity does the same for a centre point in one cross-section.
  • Countersink and counterboreA countersink is a conical and a counterbore a cylindrical recess at the top of a hole, in which a screw head sits below or flush with the surface.
  • Critical dimensionA critical dimension is one the part's function depends on; the customer marks it, often with requirements on how you show it is under control.
  • CylindricityCylindricity is a form tolerance that limits roundness, straightness of the surface lines and taper together over the whole cylindrical surface.
  • DatumA datum is a theoretically exact reference, such as a plane, an axis or a point, derived from a real feature, to which geometric tolerances refer.
  • Datum precedenceDatum precedence is the ranking of primary, secondary and tertiary datum in the feature control frame; it decides how the part is aligned for the requirement.
  • Design for manufacturing (DfM)Design for manufacturing is designing with production in mind: choosing shape, dimensions and tolerances so the part can be made in few steps.
  • DfX (design for X)DfX, design for X, is the umbrella term for design principles aimed at a goal beside function, such as manufacture, assembly, cost, test or service.
  • Dimensional toleranceA dimensional tolerance is the permitted variation of one dimension, given as limits, as deviations such as 20 ±0.05 or as a tolerance class such as H7.
  • Drawing requirementsDrawing requirements are what a drawing demands of the part, such as size, form and location, roughness, material and finish.
  • Edge requirement (ISO 13715)An edge requirement under ISO 13715 sets how far an edge of undefined shape may deviate, as a burr or as material removed, each up to a stated value.
  • Envelope requirementThe envelope requirement, Ⓔ after a size, requires the feature to stay within perfect form at maximum material size, so size and form are limited together.
  • FeatureA feature is a region of a part's geometry with its own manufacturing meaning, such as a hole, pocket, slot or chamfer, made by one or more operations.
  • Feature control frameA feature control frame is the rectangular box on a drawing that holds the symbol, tolerance value, any modifiers and the datums of one geometric requirement.
  • Feature recognitionFeature recognition is the automatic grouping of a 3D model's faces into manufacturing features, such as holes, pockets and slots, with their dimensions.
  • First article inspectionFirst article inspection (FAI) is the full, documented check of a first production part against every drawing and order requirement before release.
  • Fit (H7/g6)A fit pairs a tolerance class on a hole with one on a shaft, such as H7/g6, and so settles whether the parts assemble with clearance or interference.
  • FlatnessFlatness is a form tolerance that limits how far a surface may depart from an ideal plane, as a zone between two parallel planes, without a datum.
  • General tolerance (ISO 2768)A general tolerance applies to dimensions and features without a tolerance of their own; ISO 2768 sets the values per class and size range.
  • Geometric tolerance (GD&T)A geometric tolerance limits the form, orientation, location or run-out of a feature, in addition to its size, and sits in a feature control frame.
  • GrooveA groove is a narrow cut, usually running round a shaft, inside a bore or in an end face, for example for an O-ring, a retaining ring or a run-out.
  • HoleA hole is a round, cylindrical internal feature, through or blind, made by drilling, reaming, boring, milling or turning, among other methods.
  • Independency principle (ISO 8015)The independency principle in ISO 8015 makes every requirement on a drawing apply on its own: a size tolerance limits size, not form.
  • Inspection reportAn inspection report records, for each checked characteristic, the requirement, the gauge used and the measured value, with a pass or fail.
  • Interference fitAn interference fit is a fit in which the shaft is larger than the hole at every permitted size, so the joint is held by that interference.
  • Internal corner radiusAn internal corner radius is the rounding in an inside corner, such as that of a pocket or slot; when milled, it is at least as large as the cutter radius.
  • IT tolerance gradeAn IT grade is one of the standard tolerance grades of ISO 286, IT01 to IT18, and sets the width of a size tolerance according to nominal size.
  • KeywayA keyway is a slot in a shaft or hub that holds a key carrying torque between them; its size and tolerance usually follow a key standard.
  • ManufacturabilityManufacturability is the extent to which a part with all its requirements can be made, measured and delivered with your own machines, resources and suppliers.
  • Material certificateA material certificate is the inspection document with a delivered batch of material, giving heat number, composition and properties, usually to EN 10204.
  • Material specificationA material specification states which material a part is made from: designation, standard and condition, such as EN AW-6082 T6 or 1.4404, not just ‘aluminium’.
  • Maximum material condition (MMC)Maximum material condition, shown as Ⓜ in the feature control frame, lets a geometric tolerance grow as the feature's size departs from maximum material.
  • ParallelismParallelism is an orientation tolerance: the surface, line or axis must lie within a zone that runs parallel to a datum.
  • PerpendicularityPerpendicularity is the orientation tolerance for a surface, axis or line that must stand square to a datum, given as a zone width in millimetres.
  • Pipe thread (G, R, NPT)A pipe thread is a thread for pipework and ports: parallel as G, tapered as R and NPT, each sealing in its own way.
  • PocketA pocket is a milled cavity bounded by walls and a floor, whose depth and internal corner radius steer the choice of cutter.
  • Position toleranceA position tolerance limits how far a feature, such as the axis of a hole, may deviate from its theoretically exact location.
  • PPAP (production part approval process)PPAP is the automotive approval procedure in which a supplier shows that its production process makes the part to requirements, before series supply starts.
  • Profile tolerance (line and surface)A profile tolerance limits how far a line or surface may deviate from its theoretically exact shape; with datums it also controls orientation and location.
  • Projection method (first and third angle)The projection method, first or third angle and shown by a symbol, sets where the views on a drawing sit relative to the front view.
  • Runout and total runoutRunout limits how far a surface may deviate while the part turns about its datum axis; total runout applies that limit over the whole surface at once.
  • Sealing faceA sealing face is the surface a gasket, O-ring or mating face seals against, with its own requirements for roughness, flatness and sometimes lay.
  • SlotA slot is an elongated recess with two parallel walls, open at one or both ends or closed all round, with or without a floor.
  • StraightnessStraightness is a form tolerance that limits how far a line on a surface, or the axis of a shaft or bore, may deviate from a straight line.
  • Surface roughness (Ra, Rz)Surface roughness describes the fine height variations of a surface, expressed in parameters such as Ra and Rz in µm.
  • Surface texture symbolThe surface texture symbol is the drawing sign that carries a surface texture requirement and states whether material must, may or may not be removed.
  • SymmetrySymmetry is a location tolerance on the median plane of a slot, tab or keyway, which must stay within a zone centred on a datum.
  • Thin wallA thin wall deflects or vibrates noticeably under cutting or clamping force; whether a wall is thin depends on thickness, height, material and support.
  • ThreadA thread is a helical profile on a shaft or in a hole, indicated on the drawing by type, size, pitch and tolerance class, such as M8x1-6H.
  • Thread insertA thread insert is a steel coil or bush fitted in a hole, giving a stronger or harder-wearing thread than the parent material can provide on its own.
  • Thread relief and undercutA thread relief is a narrow groove at the end of a thread or at a shoulder, so the tool can run out and a mating part can seat flat.
  • Thread tolerance class (6H, 6g)A thread tolerance class is the grade and position written after a metric thread size, such as 6H for a tapped hole or 6g for a bolt, defined in ISO 965-1.
  • Title blockThe title block is the fixed data field on a technical drawing, holding drawing number, revision, title and owner, and often the material.
  • Tolerance stack-upA tolerance stack-up is the accumulation of tolerances along a chain of dimensions into one resulting dimension, and the analysis of how far it can vary.
  • TraceabilityTraceability is the ability to find, for a delivered part, which material, order, operations and inspection it came from.

Material39

The block, the bar and the price per kilo behind them: the material line for cost engineers and buyers.

  • 1.4301 (304)1.4301 (X5CrNi18-10) is an austenitic chromium-nickel stainless steel without molybdenum, close to 304 and one of the most widely used stainless grades.
  • 1.4305 (303)1.4305 (X8CrNiS18-9) is a free-machining austenitic stainless steel comparable to 303; sulphur improves machining but lowers corrosion resistance.
  • 1.4404 (316L)1.4404 (X2CrNiMo17-12-2) is an austenitic stainless steel with molybdenum and low carbon, comparable to the US grade 316L.
  • 42CrMo442CrMo4 (1.7225) is a chromium-molybdenum quench and temper steel for shafts and heavily loaded parts; its delivery condition, +A or +QT, sets the route.
  • Alloy steelAlloy steel is steel in which alloying elements such as chromium, molybdenum or nickel exceed defined limits, added for strength, toughness or hardenability.
  • Alloy surchargeThe alloy surcharge is the part of the price of stainless steel and other high-alloy materials that moves with the quoted prices of alloying elements.
  • AluminiumAluminium is a light non-ferrous metal; in machining you work with alloys in a defined temper, such as EN AW-6082 T6 or EN AW-7075 T651.
  • Brass (CuZn39Pb3)CuZn39Pb3 (CW614N) is a leaded copper-zinc alloy that forms short, broken chips and machines fast; it is the usual brass for turned parts.
  • C45C45 is a non-alloy quenching and tempering steel with about 0.45 % carbon, used for shafts, pins and machine parts that must be stronger than structural steel.
  • Cast tooling plateCast tooling plate is aluminium stock sawn to thickness from a stress-relieved cast block and face-milled on both sides, for parts that must stay flat.
  • DensityDensity is the mass per unit volume of a material, usually given in kg/dm³ for metals and plastics; it turns the volume of stock into a weight to price.
  • EN AW-2011 (free-machining aluminium)EN AW-2011 is an aluminium-copper alloy with bismuth and lead, made for turning: chips break short, but it welds poorly and resists corrosion badly.
  • EN AW-5083EN AW-5083 is a non-heat-treatable aluminium-magnesium alloy with good seawater resistance and weldability, mostly supplied as plate.
  • EN AW-6082EN AW-6082 is a heat-treatable aluminium alloy with magnesium, silicon and manganese, widely used for milled frames, plates and machine parts.
  • EN AW-7075EN AW-7075 is a high-strength aluminium alloy with zinc, magnesium and copper, used where strength at low weight matters; fusion welding is not recommended.
  • Engineering plasticsEngineering plastics are thermoplastics such as POM-C, PA6, UHMW-PE and PEEK for functional parts; they expand more than metal and some absorb moisture.
  • Fibre-reinforced plastic (GF, CF)Fibre-reinforced plastic is plastic with glass or carbon fibres that carry load: stiffer and stronger, but abrasive on tools and dusty to machine.
  • Free-cutting steel (11SMnPb30)Free-cutting steel is steel with added sulphur, and sometimes lead, so that the chip breaks short; it is made for turning small parts in large numbers.
  • Hardness (HRC, HB)Hardness is a material's resistance to permanent indentation by a harder body, measured by a standardised method such as Rockwell, Brinell or Vickers.
  • ISO material group (P, M, K, N, S, H)The ISO material group sorts workpiece materials into six main groups, P, M, K, N, S and H, as the basis for choosing cutting material and cutting data.
  • MachinabilityMachinability describes how a material behaves under the cutting edge: tool life, cutting forces, chip form and surface finish under given cutting conditions.
  • Material condition (temper)Material condition, or temper, is the treatment stock has had before delivery, such as T6, +N or +QT; the same alloy behaves differently in each condition.
  • Moisture absorptionMoisture absorption is the uptake of water by a plastic from air or liquid, which makes the material swell, so a dimension depends on its moisture condition.
  • Near-net shapeA near-net shape is a starting form close to the finished part, such as a forging or casting, with allowance left only on the faces still to be machined.
  • PEEKPEEK (polyetheretherketone) is a high-performance engineering plastic that keeps its strength at high temperature and resists many chemicals and steam.
  • Plastic stock shapesPlastic stock shapes are bought-in rod, plate, tube or block in plastic, extruded, compression moulded or cast, from which you machine the part.
  • Polyamide (PA6, PA66, nylon)Polyamide (PA) is a tough, wear-resistant engineering plastic that absorbs moisture, so its dimensions can still change after machining.
  • Polycarbonate (PC)Polycarbonate (PC) is a transparent, highly impact-resistant plastic for guards and windows; it machines well but is prone to stress cracking and scratches.
  • POM (acetal)POM (polyoxymethylene, acetal) is a stiff engineering plastic with low friction and low moisture uptake, widely used for slides, gears and rollers.
  • Price dateThe price date is the date on which a price or index value applied; with it you can tell later which price was used and how old it was.
  • Price per kiloPrice per kilo is the price per kilogram at which you buy material, with or without extras for size, quantity, sawing and alloy surcharge.
  • PTFEPTFE is a soft fluoropolymer with very low friction and broad chemical resistance; it creeps under load and expands strongly with temperature.
  • Purchase priceThe purchase price is what you pay your supplier for a material, per kilo, metre, sheet or piece, and it belongs with a unit, a source and a date.
  • Stainless steelStainless steel is steel with at least 10.5 % chromium that protects itself against corrosion with a passive layer; 1.4301 and 1.4404 are common grades.
  • StockStock is the block, bar, plate or blank a part is machined from, including the machining allowance and any clamping margin.
  • Stock lengthStock length is the length in which a supplier keeps bar, tube and sections on the rack and delivers them without cutting.
  • Thermal expansionThermal expansion is the change in size of a material with temperature; plastics expand far more than steel, and drawing dimensions apply at 20 °C.
  • Titanium grade 5 (Ti-6Al-4V)Titanium grade 5 (Ti-6Al-4V) is the most widely used titanium alloy: strong, light and corrosion resistant, for aerospace, medical and motorsport parts.
  • UHMW-PEUHMW-PE is polyethylene of ultra-high molecular weight: highly wear-resistant, impact-resistant and low-friction, used for guides and wear strips.

Operations and setups80

What happens on the machine and how often the part is clamped: the manufacturing engineer's ground.

  • 3-axis millingIn 3-axis milling the tool moves along three linear axes, X, Y and Z, while the tool axis keeps one direction relative to the workpiece.
  • 3+2 machiningIn 3+2 machining the two rotary axes of a 5-axis machine fix the orientation of tool to part, after which the machine mills with its three linear axes.
  • 5-axis millingIn 5-axis milling the machine drives two rotary axes besides the three linear ones, so the tool can meet the workpiece at changing angles.
  • Additive manufacturing (AM)Additive manufacturing makes a part by building material up layer by layer from a 3D model, rather than cutting it away as machining does.
  • Adhesive bonding (2K, UV)Adhesive bonding joins parts with an adhesive that cures, such as a two-part or UV-curing adhesive, instead of with bolts, welding or pressing.
  • AnodisingAnodising is an electrolytic treatment that converts the surface of aluminium into an oxide layer, for corrosion protection, wear resistance or colour.
  • BlastingBlasting treats a surface with abrasive media thrown at high speed, to clean it, roughen it or give it an even matt appearance.
  • Built-up edgeA built-up edge is workpiece material that welds itself to the cutting edge and changes the tool geometry, giving a rougher surface and drifting dimensions.
  • Case hardeningCase hardening enriches the surface of low-carbon steel with carbon and then hardens it, giving a hard, wear-resistant case around a tough core.
  • ChatterChatter is a self-sustaining vibration between tool and workpiece during cutting, recognised by a high-pitched noise and a wave pattern on the surface.
  • Chip controlChip control is about whether the chip breaks into short pieces or runs on as a long curl, and how chips leave the cut; mainly an issue in turning and drilling.
  • Chuck and colletChuck and collet are the two common ways to hold work on a lathe spindle: jaws that clamp radially, or a slotted sleeve that grips all round.
  • CNC machiningCNC machining is removing material with cutting edges on a computer-controlled machine, such as milling, turning, drilling and grinding, to an NC program.
  • Complete machining (done in one)Complete machining means machining a part, front and back, on a single machine, with no transfer to another machine in between.
  • Cutting dataCutting data are the settings a tool cuts with: cutting speed, feed, depth of cut and width of cut, chosen per tool, material and operation.
  • Cutting speed and spindle speedCutting speed vc is the speed of the cutting edge across the workpiece in m/min; spindle speed n follows from vc and the diameter at the cut.
  • DeburringDeburring is the removal of burrs and the breaking of sharp edges left by machining or cutting, done in the machine, by hand or in bulk.
  • Depth and width of cut (ap, ae)Depth of cut ap and width of cut ae state how deep and how wide a cutter is engaged; with the feed rate they set the material removal rate.
  • Drilling and tappingDrilling makes holes in solid material, and tapping cuts or forms an internal thread in them with a cutting tap or a forming tap.
  • Electroless nickel platingElectroless nickel plating deposits a nickel-phosphorus layer without current, almost evenly in bores and corners too; the layer changes every coated dimension.
  • Feed per tooth (fz)Feed per tooth fz is how far a cutter advances per cutting edge, in mm; with the number of teeth and the spindle speed it gives the feed rate.
  • FinishingFinishing is a process after machining that changes the surface or material of a part, such as anodising, plating, powder coating, blasting or hardening.
  • FixtureA fixture is workholding built for one part or part family, with its own locators and clamps, so the workpiece sits in the same position every time.
  • Fourth axis (rotary table)A fourth axis is a CNC rotary axis, usually a rotary table or indexer on a 3-axis machine, that turns the part about one axis to reach more sides per setup.
  • GrindingGrinding is machining with an abrasive wheel of hard grains, for tight sizes, form and fine roughness, including on hardened material.
  • Grooving and parting offGrooving cuts a groove into a rotating workpiece with a narrow tool; parting off is the same move taken to the centre, separating the part from the bar.
  • Hard anodisingHard anodising is anodising aluminium to a thick, hard, wear-resistant oxide layer that grows partly into the material and partly out of it.
  • Heat treatmentHeat treatment changes the properties of metal by controlled heating and cooling, as in hardening, quenching and tempering, nitriding and stress relieving.
  • Hole EDM (start-hole drilling)Hole EDM erodes small, deep holes with a rotating tube electrode, often as the start hole for wire EDM in hardened material.
  • HoningHoning is a finishing process for bores in which abrasive stones rotate and stroke at the same time, improving size, form and roughness.
  • Hybrid manufacturingHybrid manufacturing combines depositing material and machining on one machine, so a part is built up and brought to size without reclamping.
  • Insert installation (heat, ultrasonic)Insert installation is fitting metal bushes with an internal thread into a plastic part, by heat, ultrasound or pressing.
  • InspectionInspection is checking whether a part conforms to its requirements, by measuring, gauging or visual examination against the drawing.
  • Laser cuttingLaser cutting separates sheet or tube along a programmed profile with a focused laser beam and an assist gas that blows the molten material clear.
  • Laser markingLaser marking applies text, a number or a code to a surface with a laser beam, without contact, mainly for identification and traceability.
  • Machining directionThe machining direction is the direction from which the tool works a feature, stated in the part's own axes, such as +Z or −X.
  • Machining printed partsMachining printed parts means machining an additively built part until its dimensions, faces, fits and threads meet the drawing.
  • Manufacturing engineerThe manufacturing engineer decides how a part is made: route, machine, setups, sequence and tooling, and gets the work ready for the shop floor.
  • Measurement uncertaintyMeasurement uncertainty states the margin around a measured value within which the true value lies with a stated probability, usually as U with k = 2.
  • Micro-machiningMicro-machining is milling, drilling and turning very small features, typically with tools less than a millimetre in diameter.
  • Mill-turnMill-turn is turning and milling on one machine, with live tooling, a C-axis and often a Y-axis and sub-spindle, so a part comes off without a manual reclamp.
  • MillingIn milling, a rotating cutter with one or more cutting edges moves along the clamped workpiece to produce faces, pockets, slots and contours.
  • NitridingNitriding diffuses nitrogen into the surface of steel, giving a hard, wear-resistant case without quenching and with little distortion.
  • OperationAn operation is a discrete step in making a part, such as face milling, drilling or reaming, with its own tool or work centre and its own time.
  • Operation sequenceThe operation sequence is the order of setups and operations from stock to finished part; it shapes stiffness, references and where burrs end up.
  • PassivationPassivation is a chemical treatment that removes free iron from stainless steel so that its protective passive layer can form properly.
  • Powder coatingPowder coating sprays dry powder electrostatically onto a part, after which it melts and cures in an oven into a closed paint film.
  • Press brake bendingPress brake bending is the permanent bending of sheet along a straight line on a press brake, with a punch pressing the sheet into a die.
  • Process chainA process chain is the full sequence of processes that turns raw stock into an accepted part, including the steps carried out at suppliers.
  • Process planA process plan records per part how it will be made: stock, setups, operations, tooling, subcontracted steps and inspection points.
  • Quenching and temperingQuenching and tempering is hardening followed by tempering at a high temperature, giving steel high strength with toughness, as in 42CrMo4 +QT.
  • ReamingReaming takes a pre-drilled hole to an accurate diameter with a smooth wall using a reamer, for example for a hole in tolerance class H7.
  • Reference temperature (20 °C)The reference temperature is the temperature at which drawing dimensions and tolerances apply: 20 °C under ISO 1, unless the drawing states another.
  • Residual stress and distortionResidual stress is stress held in a material with no external load; when machining upsets that balance, the part can distort once unclamped.
  • Roller burnishingRoller burnishing is a chipless finishing operation in which hardened rollers press the peaks of a turned or bored surface down to a low roughness.
  • Roughing and finishingRoughing removes most of the material and leaves an allowance; finishing takes that allowance off and brings size, form and roughness within the requirement.
  • RoutingA routing is the ordered sequence of operations that makes a part, with the machine, work centre or subcontractor and the planned time for each step.
  • Sampling inspection (AQL)Sampling inspection means inspecting part of a lot to a set sampling plan and accepting or rejecting the whole lot on that result.
  • SetupA setup is one clamping of the workpiece in a known position, in which a series of operations runs without releasing the part.
  • Sheet metalSheet metal work makes parts from flat sheet by cutting, bending, sometimes rolling, and joining with welds, rivets or fasteners.
  • Simultaneous 5-axis millingIn simultaneous 5-axis milling the rotary axes move together with the linear axes during the cut, so the tool axis can follow the surface.
  • Single-point boringSingle-point boring brings a hole to size with an adjustable single-edge tool; the hole follows the spindle axis rather than the pre-drilled hole.
  • Sinker EDMSinker EDM forms a cavity in a conductive workpiece with a shaped electrode that erodes its own negative into the material by electrical discharges.
  • Soft jawsSoft jaws are jaws of unhardened steel, aluminium or plastic that you mill or bore to the shape or diameter of the workpiece.
  • Swiss-type turningSwiss-type turning runs on a sliding-headstock lathe in which the bar is supported in a guide bushing close to the cutting edge.
  • Tailstock and steady restThe tailstock supports the end of a workpiece with a centre; a steady rest supports a long, slender shaft along its length against the cutting force.
  • Technical cleanlinessTechnical cleanliness is the requirement on what remains on a part after the last operation: particles and residues of coolant, oil or grease.
  • Thread millingThread milling cuts a thread with a cutter that follows a helix, advancing one pitch along the axis per orbit, instead of using a tap.
  • Tool accessTool access is whether a tool can machine a feature without the tool, holder or spindle colliding with the workpiece or the workholding.
  • Tool overhang (stick-out)Tool overhang is the free length of a tool between holder and cutting edge; more overhang makes the tool less rigid and more prone to chatter.
  • ToolingTooling is the cutting tools that remove material in the spindle or on the turret, with their holders: cutters, drills, reamers, taps and turning tools.
  • Trochoidal millingTrochoidal milling cuts slots and pockets in small circular loops, with a narrow radial width of cut and a large axial depth of cut.
  • TurningTurning is machining in which the workpiece rotates and a non-rotating tool moves along and across it, producing diameters, faces, grooves and threads.
  • Ultra-precision machiningUltra-precision machining reaches sub-micrometre form accuracy and nanometre roughness, mostly by diamond turning in a temperature-controlled room.
  • Vacuum clampingVacuum clamping is workholding by suction: air pressure pushes the workpiece onto a table with sealed channels or a porous plate.
  • Vibratory finishingVibratory finishing deburrs and radiuses many small parts at once in a vibrating bowl or barrel with abrasive media, water and compound.
  • Welding (TIG, MIG/MAG)Welding joins metal parts by melting them locally, usually with filler metal; TIG and MIG/MAG are arc welding processes under shielding gas.
  • Wire EDMWire EDM is a spark erosion process in which a thin wire electrode cuts a through profile out of an electrically conductive workpiece.
  • Work originThe work origin, or work zero, is the origin of the coordinate system in which the NC program describes positions on the workpiece.
  • WorkholdingWorkholding is the equipment that locates and clamps the workpiece during machining, such as a vice, chuck, collet, vacuum plate or dedicated fixture.

Estimating and quantity breaks30

How a cost is built up, per part and per batch: the lines a cost engineer works with.

  • Batch sizeBatch size is the number of parts made in one production run; it decides how many parts share the costs that fall once per batch, such as setup.
  • Contribution marginThe contribution margin is an order's revenue less its variable costs: what the order contributes towards your fixed costs and your profit.
  • Cost breakdownA cost breakdown sets out a cost line by line, with the inputs behind each line, so anyone can check where the figure comes from.
  • Cost engineerThe cost engineer works out what a part costs for each request, from material, times, subcontracting and rates, as the basis for the price.
  • Cost priceThe cost price is what it costs to make one part at a given quantity, before profit; worked out in advance, it is an estimate.
  • Cutting time (main time)Cutting time is the part of the cycle in which the tool moves at feed and removes material; one turning pass at fixed rpm takes t = L / (f × n).
  • Cycle timeCycle time is the time a machine needs per part in one setup; what it includes, such as loading and unloading, depends on the convention used.
  • DepreciationDepreciation spreads the purchase cost of a machine over the years you use it; in an estimate it is one of the items in the machine hour rate.
  • Design for cost (DfC)Design for cost is a design approach in which cost is a requirement: choices are tested against a target cost before the design is released.
  • EstimateAn estimate is the reasoned forecast, made before production, of what a part will cost to make, built from lines that each carry their own inputs.
  • Estimate lineAn estimate line is one item in an estimate, with its own inputs such as time, rate or weight, and a basis: per part, per batch or once per design.
  • Labour rateThe labour rate is the cost of one productive hour of a person's time, built up from employment costs and possibly a share of overhead, excluding the machine.
  • Machine hour rateThe machine hour rate is the cost of one productive hour on a machine: its annual costs divided by the productive hours you expect from it.
  • Machining timeMachining time is the time the machine spends running the program per part: cutting plus rapids and tool changes, excluding loading and unloading.
  • Make or buyMake or buy is the choice between carrying out an operation or making a part in-house, and subcontracting it or buying it in.
  • Mark-upA mark-up is a percentage or amount added to a cost item such as material, subcontract work or the whole cost; margin is measured on the selling price.
  • Material removal rate (Q)Material removal rate Q is the volume of material an operation removes per minute, given in cm³/min and calculated from the cutting data.
  • Non-cutting timeNon-cutting time is the time per part at the machine when no material is being removed: tool changes, rapids, loading, unloading and in-machine measuring.
  • One-off costsOne-off costs are incurred once for a batch or a part design, such as setup, programming or a fixture, however many parts follow.
  • OverheadOverhead is cost you cannot assign directly to a single order, such as the office, sales, quality and the building.
  • Productive hoursProductive hours are the hours a year a machine works on orders; the machine hour rate divides the machine's annual cost by them.
  • Programming timeProgramming time is the time to create the NC program for a part, in CAM or at the control; in principle it falls once per part and revision.
  • Quantity breakA quantity break gives a price per part at several quantities, such as 10, 25 and 50 off, so the customer sees what quantity does to the price.
  • Risk allowanceA risk allowance is a surcharge in an estimate for a named uncertainty, such as a tight tolerance, an unfamiliar material or a thin wall.
  • Setup rateThe setup rate is the hourly rate at which setup hours are charged in an estimate: the machine hour rate, the labour rate or a combination of the two.
  • Setup timeSetup time is the time to get machine, workholding and tooling ready up to the first approved part, once per setup and per batch.
  • Special toolingSpecial tooling is cutting tooling made or modified for one part or profile, such as a form cutter or a custom step drill, rather than taken from a catalogue.
  • Subcontract operationA subcontract operation is a step in the route that an outside company carries out on the part, such as anodising, hardening or coating.
  • Tool cost per partTool cost per part is the cost of cutting-tool consumption allocated to one part, usually worked out from tool price, tool life and cutting time.
  • Tool lifeTool life is how long a cutting edge lasts until an agreed end-of-life criterion such as flank wear or size drift, expressed in minutes, parts or metres.

Quote and sales25

From cost to quote and order: the terms technical and internal sales use.

  • Budgetary priceA budgetary price is a high-level indication without a full estimate, so the customer can see whether a part roughly fits the budget.
  • Economic batch sizeEconomic batch size is the quantity per batch at which the costs that recur with each batch and the cost of holding stock are lowest combined.
  • Framework agreementA framework agreement fixes price and terms for parts over a period; a call-off is an order placed under it, with its own quantity and delivery date.
  • Hit rateHit rate is the share of the quotes you send that turn into orders, counted by number or by value, per period, customer or kind of work.
  • Incoterms (EXW, DAP, DDP)Incoterms are the ICC's standard delivery rules that set where risk passes and who arranges and pays for transport, insurance and customs.
  • Instant quoteAn instant quote is a price a web portal returns straight after a 3D model is uploaded, calculated with that portal's own pricing model.
  • Internal salesInternal sales takes in requests and orders, chases missing information, keeps the customer informed and turns an accepted order into an order confirmation.
  • Lead timeLead time is the period between order and delivery that you promise the customer; it covers material, machining, outsourcing, inspection and waiting.
  • MarginMargin is the gap between selling price and cost price, as an amount or as a percentage of the selling price; a percentage of the cost is a mark-up.
  • Minimum order valueMinimum order value is the lowest order amount you accept or invoice, because every order carries fixed costs apart from making the part.
  • OrderAn order arises when the customer accepts your offer, usually with a purchase order against your quote; from then on the price is agreed and the work starts.
  • Order confirmationAn order confirmation is your written acceptance of the customer's purchase order, stating price, quantity, drawing revision, delivery date and terms.
  • Packaging and shippingPackaging and shipping covers how parts are protected, packed, labelled and carried from the shop to the agreed place of delivery.
  • Payment termsPayment terms set the period within which the customer must pay after invoice or delivery, sometimes with a deposit or staged payments.
  • Price adjustment clauseA price adjustment clause is a contract term that lets the price follow named costs such as material, energy or labour, usually through an index.
  • QuoteA quote is your written offer to the customer: price per piece at each quantity, lead time, validity and conditions, for a stated drawing revision.
  • Quote turnaround timeQuote turnaround time runs from a request coming in to the quote going out, including waiting for missing data and for prices from subcontractors.
  • Quote validity periodThe validity period is the time within which the customer can accept your quote at the stated price and conditions, given as a number of days or a date.
  • Rush surchargeA rush surcharge is an extra charge for delivery in less time than your normal lead time, covering what speeding up costs and displaces.
  • Selling priceThe selling price is the price per piece you charge the customer at a given quantity and under given conditions; the difference from cost is your margin.
  • Should-costShould-cost is a bottom-up estimate of what a part ought to cost when produced efficiently, usually prepared by or for the buying side.
  • Supplier evaluationA supplier evaluation is a customer's periodic assessment of you as a supplier, usually on on-time delivery, quality, price and responsiveness.
  • Target priceA target price is the figure a customer names up front as where they want to land; it says nothing about what the part costs in your shop.
  • Technical salesTechnical sales is the role that judges requests, manages the customer relationship, negotiates price and lead time and follows quotes through to an order.
  • Value engineeringValue engineering is a structured analysis of what a product or part must do and what each requirement costs, to deliver the same function for less.

Shop floor and machines19

What your machines can do and what they cost: machine park, envelope, machine selection and unattended hours.

  • Bar feederA bar feeder pushes bar stock automatically through a lathe spindle, so the machine can make part after part from the bar without manual loading.
  • Capacity planningCapacity planning sets the hours orders need against the hours available, per machine, work centre and period, so you can see where the bottlenecks are.
  • Changeover time (SMED)Changeover time is the time between the last good part of one order and the first good part of the next; SMED is a method for reducing it.
  • Coordinate measuring machine (CMM)A coordinate measuring machine (CMM) measures points on a part and calculates dimensions and geometric deviations from them, relative to datums where required.
  • Industrial CTIndustrial CT uses X-rays to build a 3D volume of the whole part, inside and out, for internal dimensions and for finding voids without cutting it open.
  • ISO 9001ISO 9001 is the international standard setting requirements for a quality management system, against which an independent body can certify an organisation.
  • Knowledge retentionKnowledge retention is recording your people's shop knowledge and keeping it findable, so decisions in planning and estimating do not depend on one person.
  • Live tooling and sub-spindleLive tooling lets a lathe drill and mill; a sub-spindle takes the workpiece over to machine the back end, so less manual reclamping is needed.
  • Machine parkThe machine park is the set of production machines a company or site runs, with what each one can do: type, axes, work envelope and automation.
  • Machine selectionMachine selection is the decision on which machine runs an operation or setup; it is tied to the setups, the route, the hourly rate and free capacity.
  • Machining centreA machining centre is a CNC machine tool that mills, drills and taps with an automatic tool changer, in three to five axes, vertical or horizontal.
  • Night shiftA night shift is a staffed shift through the night, usually the third in a three-shift pattern, so the machines also run during those hours.
  • OEE (overall equipment effectiveness)OEE is a measure of how effectively a machine uses its planned production time: availability times performance times quality.
  • On-machine probingOn-machine probing uses a touch probe in the machine tool to set the work origin, align the workpiece or check a dimension while the part is still clamped.
  • Pallet changer and robot loadingA pallet changer or robot moves workpieces or pallets in and out of the machine, so loading can happen during machining or without an operator.
  • Setup sheetA setup sheet describes per setup how the machine is made ready: workholding, part orientation, work origin, tools, program and the checks on the first part.
  • Unattended machiningUnattended machining means a machine keeps cutting with no operator present, for example overnight, relying on automatic loading and process monitoring.
  • Utilisation rateThe utilisation rate is the ratio between the hours a machine or person works on orders and the hours that were available or that the hourly rate assumes.
  • Work envelopeThe work envelope is the space in which a machine can cut, set by axis travel and table, and for a given part further limited by workholding and tooling.

Actuals and variances11

What the shop floor shows afterwards: booked hours, measured times, scrap and spread set against the estimate.

  • 8D reportAn 8D report documents how a quality problem is handled in eight steps, from containment through root cause to a permanent corrective action.
  • Actual cycle timeActual cycle time is the time per part measured on the machine during production, as opposed to the estimated or calculated cycle time.
  • ActualsActuals are what an order really cost in hours, material and subcontract work, collected after the job and set against the estimate line by line.
  • Non-conformance report (NCR)A non-conformance report records which product fails its requirements, how many pieces are affected, who decided what and what happens to them.
  • OutlierAn outlier is a value that stands clearly apart from the rest of the same series, such as one part that took far longer than the batch.
  • Process capability (Cpk)Process capability expresses how comfortably the variation of a stable process fits within the tolerance, in indices such as Cp and Cpk.
  • ReworkRework is an extra, unplanned operation that brings a nonconforming part back within its requirements, such as re-milling a pocket floor left too shallow.
  • ScrapScrap is a part that fails its requirements and is taken out of use, because rework is impossible, not worth it or not allowed.
  • Time bookingTime booking records the time spent per order, operation, machine or person, as the basis for actuals, payroll and planning.
  • Variance analysisVariance analysis splits the gap between budgeted and actual cost by cause, such as price, usage and volume.
  • VariationVariation is the extent to which dimensions or times of parts from the same process differ from one another, even when nothing goes wrong.

Software and integrations22

The systems around Blake and how the quote travels to them.

  • AI agentAn AI agent is software that, usually with a language model, decides and carries out a sequence of steps, such as opening files and looking up data.
  • AI pilotAn AI pilot is a bounded trial of AI on one real task, with real data and users and a measure of success chosen up front.
  • CADCAD is software for designing parts as 3D models and technical drawings; a subcontractor usually receives the model as a STEP file.
  • CAMCAM is software that computes toolpaths from a geometric model and, through a postprocessor, turns them into an NC program for a specific machine.
  • CNC programmerA CNC programmer creates the NC program for a part, usually in CAM: strategy, tools and cutting data per operation, the paths and their verification.
  • Computer visionComputer vision is the field in which software identifies objects, shapes, text or defects in photos, camera images or scans.
  • CPQCPQ (configure, price, quote) is software that builds a price and a quote for configurable products from chosen options and rules.
  • Digital threadA digital thread is the continuous, traceable chain of data about a part, from design and drawing through production to inspection and use.
  • ERPERP is business software that brings orders, items, stock, purchasing, planning and invoicing together in one system.
  • IntegrationAn integration is a configured, automated data exchange between two systems, through an API, a file exchange or middleware.
  • Large language model (LLM)A large language model (LLM) is an AI model trained on vast amounts of text that generates text by repeatedly predicting a likely next word fragment.
  • Machine learningMachine learning is a branch of AI in which a model derives a relationship from examples rather than from rules that someone writes down.
  • MESAn MES is software that directs and records production on the shop floor: which order runs on which machine, for how long and with what result.
  • NC programAn NC program is the set of instructions a CNC machine's control executes: axis moves, feed, spindle speed, tool changes and auxiliary functions.
  • OCR (optical character recognition)OCR (optical character recognition) converts characters in an image, such as a scanned drawing, into text that software can process further.
  • PDMPDM is software that manages design files such as CAD models and drawings, with versions, revisions, release status and change history.
  • PLM (product lifecycle management)PLM is the approach and software a design organisation uses to manage product data, revisions and changes over the product's whole life.
  • PostprocessorA postprocessor converts the toolpaths from CAM into an NC program for one specific control and machine configuration.
  • Process simulationProcess simulation predicts what physically happens to material and workpiece during manufacture, such as cutting forces, heat, vibration and distortion.
  • Simulation (CAM)CAM simulation runs toolpaths or NC code virtually, with stock, tooling and, where modelled, machine and fixture, to find collisions before the machine runs.
  • ToolpathA toolpath is the path a reference point of the tool follows relative to the workpiece, including approach, retract and rapid moves.
  • Training dataTraining data is the set of examples from which an AI model is built or adjusted, such as text, labelled drawings or parts with measured times.

Blake terms18

What things are called in Blake: the words you meet when the system proposes and you decide.

  • CalibrationCalibration compares a measuring instrument, under stated conditions, with a traceable reference and records the deviation with its measurement uncertainty.
  • Confirm and correctIn Blake, confirm and correct is a person's decision on a proposal: accept it or change it, recorded with name and time.
  • Drawing readingDrawing reading is the interpretation of a technical drawing: the dimensions, tolerances, roughness, material and finishing that define the part.
  • Early accessEarly access is the phase in which Blake opens up step by step: you join the waitlist, and access to Blake is introduced in stages.
  • Estimated (label)In Blake every calculated time carries the label Estimated, so nobody mistakes a cycle time calculated in advance for one measured on the machine.
  • ExportExport is writing data from a system to a file, such as PDF, CSV or JSON, that another system or a person can open.
  • FactoryThe factory is the part of Blake where you record machines, materials, subcontractors and hourly rates; estimates are calculated from what is recorded there.
  • Human-in-the-loopHuman-in-the-loop is a way of working in which a person reviews what software proposes and approves or changes it before it takes effect.
  • Machine fitIn Blake, machine fit is a first check per machine of whether a part is within its envelope and axes and which limit decides, not a manufacturability verdict.
  • Manufacturing decisionA manufacturing decision is a choice about how a part is made, such as the process, machine, setup, tooling or whether an operation is outsourced.
  • Manufacturing world modelSubduxion's manufacturing world model records how a part, its requirements, material, processes, machines and your team's decisions relate.
  • Market referenceA market reference is a public price or index series with source and period, used to compare a material's price trend with your own purchase price.
  • Part fileA part file brings together what is known about one part: model, drawing, revision, quantities, requirements and the estimates and quotes built on them.
  • ProposalIn Blake a proposal is a value from the drawing, such as material or roughness, that stays pending until someone confirms or corrects it.
  • ProvenanceProvenance is the recorded source of a value: where a figure or requirement came from, when it was set and who entered or confirmed it.
  • Quote versionA quote version is one recorded state of a quote as it went to the customer; a later change becomes a new version beside the old one.
  • Time basisThe time basis states how a machining or setup time was arrived at: estimated in advance, calculated in CAM, simulated, or measured on the machine.
  • WorkspaceThe workspace is your company's environment in Blake: requests, parts, quotes and the factory together, so everyone works from the same data.

Further in Blake

Your shop's terms. In every estimate.

Blake lays out the requirements from drawing and model as proposals and builds the cost per operation, with your own machines and rates. Your team decides.

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