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Reference
Manufacturing Glossary
33 terms and definitions used across quoting, production, equipment, and quality in discrete manufacturing.
A
Andon
A visual management system that signals the status of a production process — typically using lights or displays — to immediately alert teams to abnormal conditions requiring attention.
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APQP (Advanced Product Quality Planning)
A structured framework for developing and launching new products in manufacturing, ensuring that quality is planned into the product and process from the outset rather than inspected in afterward.
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C
CAPA (Corrective and Preventive Action)
A systematic process for investigating quality failures, identifying root causes, implementing corrective actions, and preventing recurrence.
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Changeover (Setup)
The process of reconfiguring a machine or production line to switch from producing one product to another, including teardown, adjustment, tooling changes, and first-piece verification.
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CMMS (Computerized Maintenance Management System)
Software that manages maintenance activities for manufacturing equipment, including work order scheduling, preventive maintenance programs, spare parts inventory, and equipment history.
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Cpk (Process Capability Index)
A statistical measure of how well a manufacturing process can produce output within specification limits, accounting for both process variation and centering.
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D
DHR (Device History Record)
A compilation of records containing the complete production history of a finished medical device, required by FDA 21 CFR Part 820.
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Downtime (Machine Downtime)
Any period when a machine or production line is not operating during its scheduled production time, whether planned (maintenance) or unplanned (breakdown).
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E
ECN (Engineering Change Notice)
A formal document that describes a proposed change to a product design, BOM, or process, along with the justification and approval workflow.
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ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning)
An integrated software system that manages core business processes including production planning, purchasing, inventory, finance, and order management across a manufacturing organization.
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F
FAI (First Article Inspection)
A comprehensive inspection of the first production unit to verify that all design specifications, tolerances, and quality requirements are met before full production begins.
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FMEA (Failure Mode and Effects Analysis)
A systematic risk assessment method that identifies potential failure modes in a product or process, evaluates their severity and likelihood, and prioritizes actions to prevent them.
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M
MES (Manufacturing Execution System)
A software system that monitors, tracks, and controls manufacturing operations on the shop floor in real time, bridging the gap between ERP planning and actual production.
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MRP (Material Requirements Planning)
A production planning system that calculates what materials are needed, in what quantities, and when, based on demand forecasts, BOMs, and inventory levels.
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MTBF / MTTR (Mean Time Between Failures / Mean Time to Repair)
Reliability metrics that measure the average operating time between equipment breakdowns (MTBF) and the average time required to restore equipment to operation after a failure (MTTR).
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N
NCR (Non-Conformance Report)
A document that records a deviation from specified requirements — whether in materials, processes, or finished products — and initiates the investigation, disposition, and corrective action workflow.
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NRE (Non-Recurring Engineering)
One-time costs associated with the design, development, and setup of a new product or process that are not repeated in ongoing production.
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P
Poka-Yoke (Mistake-Proofing)
A design or process mechanism that prevents or immediately detects human errors during manufacturing, making it impossible or obvious when a step is performed incorrectly.
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PPAP (Production Part Approval Process)
A standardized process in the automotive industry that demonstrates a supplier can consistently produce parts meeting all customer engineering design and specification requirements.
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R
RFQ (Request for Quote)
A formal document sent by a buyer to a manufacturer requesting pricing, lead time, and capability confirmation for a specific job or part.
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Routing (Manufacturing Routing)
The sequence of operations, work centers, and processing steps required to manufacture a part or assembly from raw material to finished product.
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S
Should-Cost Analysis
An analytical method for estimating what a product or component should cost to manufacture based on materials, labor, overhead, and process requirements.
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Six Sigma
A data-driven quality methodology that aims to reduce process variation and defects to fewer than 3.4 per million opportunities by using structured problem-solving frameworks like DMAIC.
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SPC (Statistical Process Control)
A method of quality control that uses statistical techniques to monitor and control a manufacturing process, ensuring it operates at its full potential.
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T
Takt Time
The rate at which a product must be completed to meet customer demand, calculated as available production time divided by customer demand.
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Traveler (Shop Traveler)
A document that accompanies a job through the shop floor, recording every operation performed, inspection result, and operator sign-off.
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W
WIP (Work in Process)
Inventory that has entered the production process but is not yet a finished product — materials that are being actively worked on or waiting between manufacturing operations.
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Work Order
A document or record that authorizes and tracks a specific production job through the shop floor, including routing, materials, and operations.
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