Glossary
Production Assembler Terms & Vocabulary
15 essential production assembler terms with plain-English definitions: the vocabulary you’ll hear in training and on day one.
Key production assembler vocabulary
These 15 terms come up constantly in production assembler training, on the job and in interviews. Knowing them helps you follow instructions, document accurately and sound prepared.
- 5S
- Sort, set in order, shine, standardize, sustain: a workplace organization method.
- Andon
- A signal used to call for help on a production line.
- Bill of materials (BOM)
- A list of parts in an assembly.
- Cycle time
- Time to complete one unit at a station.
- ESD
- Electrostatic discharge, which can damage electronics.
- First-piece inspection
- Checking the first part made after setup.
- Kaizen
- Continuous improvement.
- Kanban
- A visual signal system for replenishing parts.
- Lean manufacturing
- Methods that reduce waste in production.
- Nonconforming part
- A part that doesn’t meet specifications.
- Poka-yoke
- Mistake-proofing devices or methods.
- Standard work
- The agreed best method for performing a task.
- Takt time
- The pace of production needed to meet customer demand.
- Torque
- The rotational force applied to a fastener.
- Work instruction
- Step-by-step directions for assembling a product.
Practice these terms
Test yourself with the free Production Assembler practice test: it includes vocabulary questions built from this list. For a complete course, see Production Assembler training.
Browse terms from every career in our career glossary.