C1 · 46 words

Mechanical engineering and production

Drives, cutting and tolerances: the language of the shop floor.

Der Span is what a cutting tool takes off: the bright curl of steel from a lathe, the shaving that rises from a plane. It is also the centre of a proverb every German speaker knows, Wo gehobelt wird, da fallen Späne — where there is planing, shavings fall. It is said when something worth doing cannot be done without some damage along the way: a reorganisation that upsets people, a renovation that leaves dust in every room. English reaches for eggs and an omelette; German stays at the workbench, and it can be heard as an honest shrug or as a convenient excuse, depending on who is sweeping up. On the shop floor the literal sense comes first, and the rest of this list follows the chip: the machines that cut it, the fluid that carries it away, the burr it leaves behind, and the tolerance that decides whether the part was worth the swarf.

The words

Verb (11)

auswuchtento balance (a wheel or rotor)VerbC1

Nach dem Reifenwechsel werden die Räder ausgewuchtet, sonst zittert bei Tempo hundert das Lenkrad.After a tyre change the wheels are balanced, or the steering wheel shakes at sixty.

Separable: wuchtet aus, hat ausgewuchtet.

fluchtento be in line, to be alignedVerbC2

Motorwelle und Pumpenwelle müssen genau fluchten, sonst frisst die Kupplung die Lager auf.The motor shaft and the pump shaft must be exactly in line, or the coupling will eat the bearings.

Regular; said of two axes or edges. The noun is die Flucht: in einer Flucht liegen, to lie in one line.

zerspanento machine (by cutting)VerbC1

Titan lässt sich nur langsam zerspanen, weil es die Wärme schlecht abführt.Titanium can only be machined slowly because it carries heat away poorly.

Regular. The umbrella verb for turning, milling, drilling and grinding; the noun is die Zerspanung.

fräsento millVerbC1

Die Nut wird in einem einzigen Durchgang gefräst.The slot is milled in a single pass.

Regular: fräste, hat gefräst.

einspannento clamp, to chuck (a workpiece)VerbC1

Spann das Rohr nicht zu fest ein, sonst drückst du es oval.Don’t clamp the tube too tight or you’ll squeeze it oval.

Separable: spannt ein, hat eingespannt. With in and the accusative: in das Futter einspannen.

ratternto chatter (of a cutting tool); to rattleVerbC1

Wenn das Werkzeug rattert, steht es zu weit aus dem Halter heraus.If the tool chatters, it is sticking too far out of the holder.

Regular. Perfect with haben; with sein when the rattling thing moves somewhere: der Zug ist über die Brücke gerattert.

entgratento deburrVerbC1

Alle Kanten sind zu entgraten, bevor das Teil in die Montage geht.All edges are to be deburred before the part goes to assembly.

Inseparable: entgratet, hat entgratet.

schruppento rough (remove stock fast)VerbC2

Zuerst wird mit großem Vorschub geschruppt, der letzte halbe Millimeter bleibt stehen.First the bulk comes off at a heavy feed, leaving the last half millimetre.

Regular: schruppte, hat geschruppt. The opposite is schlichten.

schlichtento finish (the final light cut)VerbC2

Beim Schlichten wird nur noch wenig abgenommen, dafür mit hoher Drehzahl.The finishing cut takes off very little, but at high speed.

Regular. Outside the workshop: einen Streit schlichten, to settle a dispute.

härtento harden (steel)VerbC1

Die Zahnflanken werden gehärtet, der Kern bleibt zäh.The tooth flanks are hardened; the core stays tough.

Regular: härtete, hat gehärtet.

anlassento temper (after hardening)VerbC1

Nach dem Härten wird der Stahl angelassen, damit er nicht wie Glas springt.After hardening the steel is tempered, so that it does not shatter like glass.

Separable, irregular: ließ an, hat angelassen. The same verb starts an engine and leaves a light on.

This list belongs to Technology and the news — 45 lists and 1598 words that can also be practised as a whole.

Practise this list

Multiple choice and gaps, drawn from exactly these 46 words. Whatever you get wrong comes back tomorrow.