Engineering Abbreviations
Engineers work internationally to design most of what is around us, so when it comes to documentation, abbreviation, and standardization, there is a specific set of engineering abbreviations that has made communication in the field of engineering uniform.
Why Do Engineers Need a Special Abbreviation System?
Simply put, communication about engineering can be standardized when an abbreviation system is used. When working with large quantities of expensive materials or aiming for exact specifications as are described in a manual, having precise vocabulary is key.
However, since the business of engineering always runs on a schedule, it is a good idea to use an accurate form of shorthand when writing back and forth about the specifications of a blueprint or a certain engineering problem. Abbreviations make this possible: They take the common phrases used in engineering and make it easy to write them quickly.
Engineering Abbreviations
Here is a very comprehensive list of abbreviations used in the field of engineering:
- A - Ampere
- A/C - Air Conditioning
- AFL - Above Floor Level
- AFL - Above Finished Level
- AG - Agricultural pipe drain
- AGL - Above Ground Level
- AHD - Australian Height Datum
- AHU - Air Handler Unit
- APPROX - Approximately
- AS - Australian Standard
- ASCII - American Standard Code for Information Interchange
- BSP - British Standard Pipe
- BT - Bath Tub
- BT - Boundary Trap
- BTM - Bottom
- CCTV - Closed Circuit TeleVision
- CFW - Continuous Fillet Weld
- CHS - Circular Hollow Section
- CL - Center Line
- CLG - Control Joint
- CLR - Clearance
- CMU - Cement Masonry Unit
- CNJ - Construction Joint
- COL - Column
- COMMS - Communications
- CONN - Connection
- CONT - Continuous
- CS - Cleaners Sink
- CT - Controller
- CTR(S) - Centre/S
- CTRL - Control
- CTRS - Centers
- CU - Dental Cuspidor
- DN - Diameter Nominal
- DP - Down Pipe
- DR - Dryer
- DW - Dishwasher
- ELEC - Electrical
- EQ - Equal
- EQUIP - Equipment
- EW - Each Way
- EWB - Electric Water Boiler
- FL - Floor Level
- FOC - Fibre Optic Cable
- FS - Far Side
- FSBL - Full Strength Butt Weld
- FTG - Footing
- FTP - Fibre Termination Panel (fibre optical cable)
- FW - Fillet Weld
- GIS - Graphic Information System
- HOR - Horizontal
- HORIZ - Horizontal
- HP - High Pressure
- IO - Inspection Opening
- kHz - Kilohertz
- K.J. - Key Joint
- KS - Kitchen Sink
- KWh - Kilo Watt Hour (metre)
- L - Steel Angle
- LAN - Local Area Network
- LGX - Line Group Cross (Connector, fibre optical cable)
- LH - Left Hand
- LPG - Liquid Petroleum Gas
- m - Metres (English) or Meters
- MAX - Maximum
- MDF - Main Distribution Frame (Telecommunications)
- MFR - Manufacturer
- MHz - Megahertz
- Micky Mouse - A toy project, of very low quality.
- MIN - Minimum
- MISC - Miscellaneous
- M.J. - Movement Joint
- mm - Millimetres
- MS - Mild Steel
- NET - Network
- No. - Number
- NOM - Nominal
- NS - Near Side
- N.S.O.P. - Not Shown On Plan
- NTS - Not To Scale
- NZS - New Zealand Standard
- OD - Outside Diameter
- PCD - Pitch Circle Diameter
- PFC - Parallel Flange Channel
- PL - Plate
- PT - Pressure Tapping
- QTY - Quantity
- R - Radius
- RAD - Radius or radial
- REF - Reference
- REINF - Reinforcement
- REQ'D - Required
- REV - Revision
- RH - Right Hand
- RHS - Rectangular Hollow Section
- RL - Reduced Level or Relative Level
- S - Sink
- SAN - Sanitary
- SDU - Sanitary Disposal Unit
- SF - Strip Footing
- SHR - Shower
- SHS - Square Hollow Section
- SIM - Similar
- SQ - Square
- SS or S/S - Stainless Steel
- SL - Structural Level
- SSL - Structural Slab Level
- TB - Tie Beam
- TEMP - Temperature
- TFC - Taper Flange Channel
- THK - Thick
- TO or T.O. or T.OFF - Top Off
- TR - Laundry Trough
- TUN - Tundish
- UA - Unequal Angle (steel)
- UB - Universal Beam (steel)
- UC - Universal Column (steel)
- UNO - Unless Noted Otherwise (UON is prefered)
- UON - Unless Otherwise Noted
- UR - Urinal
- VER - Vertical
- VERT - Vertical
- WAN - Wide Area Network
- WB - Welded Beam (steel)
- WC - Welded Column (steel)
- WC - Water Closet (toilet)
- WC(P) - Water Closet With 'P' Trap
- WC(S) - Water Closet With 'S' Trap
- WD - Working Drawing
- WM - Washing Machine
- WP - Water Proof or Work Point
- X - By. Example, "N12 x 1200 long" also means "N12 by 1200 long".
- Z - Zulu (Greenwich Mean Time)
- Z - Z shaped steel purlin
Further Information About Engineering Abbreviations
Most engineering companies have their own abbreviations that go beyond the established standards in the English-speaking abbreviation field. If you want to find more abbreviations used in engineering on an international scale, look into the German Standardization System (Known as DIN – Deutches Institut fur Normung) to find out more about how they use abbreviations in their engineering documents. More engineering abbreviations and other jargon and phrases used specifically in the field of engineering in the English-speaking world can be found in any standard engineering manuals.