Meaning & use
machining
Last updated
Meanings
noununcountabletechnical
The process of cutting, drilling or grinding a piece of metal or other material into an exact shape using power tools.
Grammar: No plural and no article needed: precision machining takes skill.
Patterns
- machining of something
- machining process
Precision machining is essential for making engine parts.
The factory invested in new equipment for metal machining.
Machining the casting to the right size took three hours.
noununcountable
The act of sewing something with a sewing machine rather than by hand.
Grammar: Used in dressmaking and tailoring: the machining is done after pinning.
Patterns
- machining of something
The machining of the seams was finished by noon.
Hand finishing comes after the machining of the main panels.
She is quick at machining, so the curtains were ready by evening.
Common combinations
- precision machining
- Precision machining keeps the tolerances to a fraction of a millimeter.
- CNC machining
- CNC machining allows a computer to guide the cutting tools.
- machining process
- The machining process leaves a smooth surface.
- machining center
- The workshop bought a second machining center this year.
- metal machining
- Metal machining produces a lot of fine chips and heat.
Synonyms and how they differ
- milling
- Milling is one type of machining that uses a rotating cutter, so it is narrower than machining.
- fabrication
- Fabrication covers the whole building of a product, including welding and assembly, while machining means shaping by cutting.
- turning
- Turning refers to shaping a rotating piece on a lathe and is only one method within machining.
Word family
Commonly confused: machining or machinery?
machining vs machinery
Machinery means the machines themselves, while machining is the work of shaping material with them.
Practice
The company specializes in the ___ of aluminum parts for aircraft.
Choose one answer.
Machining names the process of cutting and shaping parts. Machinery would mean the equipment itself, and machinist is the person who does the work.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “machining”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.