digger gold
Highly valuable, recoverable precious metals found inside discarded electronic devices (e-waste).
Industrial supplies, equipment, and components
400 entries in this trade.
digital meter
A type of measuring device which records the use of electricity and water, and which then electronically reports the usage to a utility company at regular intervals.
digital-to-analog converter
A device that converts a finite resolution digital signal to an infinite resolution analog signal.
DIP switch
A miniature switch designed to be attached to a circuit board to customize the behavior of the circuit.
disconnector
A switching device used to open an electric circuit when there is no current through it. They are used to isolate a part of an electrical system to allow the maintenance staff a safe access to it.
discrete component
a component with just one circuit element, either passive (resistor, capacitor, inductor) or active (transistor or vacuum tube).
DLT
Initialism of device layer transfer: the process of fabricating a device on one substrate, followed by transfer to target substrate.
doctor blade
A metal blade used in printing for scraping off excess ink or toner from the printing roll.
dragbox
A substantial, often cast metal, part of a locomotive to which the coupling mechanism is attached to allow the locomotive to pull a train.
draught engine
An engine used for pumping, raising heavy weights, etc.
draw frame
A machine used for processing cotton or other fibers into a yarn.
drip edge
A metal flashing or other overhanging component with an outward projecting lower edge, intended to control the direction of dripping water and help protect underlying building components.
drive wheel
One of the wheels of a motor vehicle that drives (in the engineering sense), that is, one of the wheels that takes power from the drivetrain and applies it to the ground so as to propel the vehicle.
duckhead
Part of a tyre-changing device, designed to fit around the rim of the wheel so as to mount and demount the tyre.
E100
A motor vehicle fuel blend based on close to 100% ethanol used in alcohol fuelled vehicles
E85
A motor vehicle fuel blend of 15% gasoline/petrol and 85% ethanol used in flex-fuel-rated vehicles
earlet
A grain-bearing tip part of the stem of a cereal plant which is not fully developed or a small one.
electric locomotive
A locomotive with its motors powered by electricity from overhead lines or (less commonly) from a third rail or on-board energy storage such as a battery or a supercapacitor.
electrogyro
A unit that works first as a motor, taking energy from an electrical supply and converting it into kinetic energy which is stored in flywheels; when a vehicle so fitted moves, the energy stored is reconverted to electricity and supplied to traction motors.
electron tube
Any of several electronic devices that control electron current through vacuum, gas or vapor between electrodes within a sealed container, usually of glass or metal and often designed to be easily installed in and removed from the equipment in which it is used.
eMMC
An embedded (“integrated, non-removable”) MMC (“MultiMediaCard”). An electronic memory module designed to be integrated into devices instead of removable card, functioning as a storage device or main drive.
EP
Initialism of extreme pressure, an indicator used in lubricant additives.
ERS
Acronym of energy recovery system, an electric generation, storage, and propulsion system used in Formula One, which generates electricity by scavenging excess power and energy, stores energy in batteries, and boosts acceleration with electric motors assisting the gasoline engine.
extension cord
An electrical cord with a plug one end, and a single socket or a multi-port socket at the other end, used for powering one or more devices at a distance, too far from the wall outlet to be reached by the normal cords of the device or devices.
farmers' satin
A light material of cotton and worsted, used for coat linings.
fascine
Originally a cylindrical bundle of small sticks of wood, and now often a bundle of plastic pipes, bound together, and used for strengthening purposes, such as in revetments for riverbanks, and in mats for dams, jetties, etc.
feathering strip
One of the tapered wood filler strips placed along the butt ends of old wood shingles to create a relatively smooth surface when reroofing over existing wood shingle roofs.
feed dog
On a sewing machine, the toothed mechanism that uses a forward, down, back, and up motion against the presser foot to advance the fabric through the machine evenly.
festoon
Two sets of rollers used to create a buffer of material on web handling equipment.
field coil
An electromagnet, consisting of a coil of wire through which a current flows, used to generate a magnetic field in an electromagnetic machine, typically a rotating machine such as a motor or generator.
field magnet
A magnet used to produce a magnetic field in a device.
finger grip
An instrument used in recovering rods or tools dropped into a bored shaft.
finisher
A construction machine used to smooth a newly constructed road surface.
firestop
Any multi-component system designed to stop fire and smoke from migrating through openings around piping, wiring, ductwork, cable trays, bus ducts, etc., as well as through movement joints in walls and floors that are required to have a fire-resistance rating.
firm error
A type of error where a signal or datum becomes wrong and remains wrong until the equipment is power-cycled, but does not physically damage the equipment's hardware.
fit rod
A gauge rod used to try the depth of a bolt hole in order to determine the length of bolt required.
flange lubricator
a device installed in order to reduce wear to both wheel flanges and the rails in the railway track.
flashing collar
an accessory flashing used to cover and/or seal soil pipe vents and other penetrations through a roof (sometimes referred to as roof jack or flashing boot).
flooder
A channel or device for carrying and controlling water used in flood irrigation.
foot
The part of a sewing machine which presses downward on the fabric, and may also serve to move it forward.
forward link
In radio communications, the link from a fixed location (e.g., a base station) to a mobile user. If the link includes a communications relay satellite, the forward link will consist of both an uplink (base station to satellite) and a downlink (satellite to mobile user).
frequency
range of electromagnetic waves used for wireless communication in devices like radios, TVs and mobile phones
frog
The part of a railroad overhead wire used to redirect a trolley pole from one wire to another at switches.
fuel cell
An electrochemical device in which the intrinsic chemical free energy of fuel and oxidant is catalytically converted to direct current energy.
fuel filter
A filter used to screen out foreign particles or liquids from the fuel.
fuse
A device to prevent excessive overcurrent from overload or short circuit in an electrical circuit, containing a component that melts and interrupts the current when too high a load is passed through it.
fuse wire
the thin wire used in fuses. In old-style fuses a new piece of wire has to be inserted when the fuse blows.
gallery
A channel that carries engine oil to parts of the engine that need lubrication, such as the main bearings.
gate array
an integrated circuit that is a prefabricated silicon chip circuit with no particular function except standard functions like NAND or NOR logic gates, and other active devices.
gear
A particular combination or choice of interlocking gears, such that a particular gear ratio is achieved; often selected via a shifter.
gear change
An instance of changing gears (shifting gears).
gear shift
That part of a gearbox involved in changing gear, including the lever and the forks attached to it.
Gedge hook
A type of hook used in coupling railway vehicles together.
girthweld
A circumferential weld that joins two cylindrical sections, such as pipes or pressure vessels, by welding around their perimeter. Girth welds are commonly used in pipeline construction.
glory hole
An excavation into the sea floor designed to protect the wellhead equipment installed at the surface of a petroleum well from icebergs or pack ice.
gold box
A device used in phreaking to divert an incoming call to a second telephone line.
ground wire
A wire that connects a circuit to ground.
guide
A device that guides part of a machine, or guides motion or action.
H-piece
The part of a plunger pump that contains the valve.
hard error
A type of error which persists even after power-cycling the equipment; associated with permanent physical damage to the equipment's hardware (for instance, from a latch-up).