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Mechanical Engineering vocabulary · Mechanics and Materials

Load

Meaning in mechanical engineering, with examples

/loʊd/nounCore term

In mechanical engineering, load means: A force, weight or pressure that acts on a part or structure. Loads can be steady or changing and are the starting point of most strength calculations.

In Turkish: yük, yükleme

How it is used

One of the most common words in design and testing. Engineers apply, carry and withstand loads, and distinguish static, dynamic, axial, radial and cyclic loads. It is also used for motors and machines: full load, part load, no load.

Example sentences

  1. The bearing has to carry a radial load of 12 kN.

  2. The frame failed under cyclic load after about 200,000 cycles.

  3. Run the pump at full load for two hours and record the temperatures.

Common collocations

  • apply a load
  • axial load
  • radial load
  • load capacity
  • under load
  • stressThe internal force inside a material divided by the area it acts on. It shows how hard a part is being pulled, pushed, bent or twisted and is measured in MPa or psi.
  • deflectionHow far a beam, shaft or other part bends or moves away from its original position when a load is applied, usually measured in millimeters.
  • bending momentThe turning effect of the loads that makes a beam or shaft bend at a certain point. It equals force times distance and is given in N·m or kN·m.
  • factor of safetyThe ratio between the load or stress a part can withstand and the load or stress it actually carries in use. A value of 2 means the part is twice as strong as needed.
  • bearingA machine element that supports a rotating or sliding part, such as a shaft, and reduces friction between the moving surfaces. Ball and roller bearings are the most common types.

This word in other fields

The same English word can have a different meaning in another field:

More terms: Mechanics and Materials

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