babbitt Any of the white pressure to an intermediate value, usually
alloys composed princi- 10-2 to 10-5 psia. Also known as "ore pump."
B pally of lead or tin that are
used extensively to make
linings for sliding bearings.
babble The composite sig-
nal caused by cross talk
among a large number of
interfering channels.
backbone 1. The trunk media of a multime-
dia local area network (LAN) that is sepa-
rated into sections by bridges, routers, or
gateways. 2. A high-speed high-performance
network that links other networks together.
backbone network Traditionally, a transmis-
sion facility designed to interconnect low-
speed distribution channels or clusters of
dispersed user devices. It is currently
defined as a high-speed line or series of con-
nections that form the major pathway within
a given network.
backdrive To use an external test driver to
electrically force a logic device's output to a
specified state that is independent of its
input state.
back face The machined surface on the side
of a through-bolted flange, opposite the gas-
ket face, that is provided for nut seating.
[ANSI/ISA-75.05.01-2000]
backflush The injection of a fluid against the
process flow manner in order to remove line
fluid or obstructions. [ISA-67.02.01-1999;
S67.10]
background 1. In a computer's graphic dis-
play, the field that information is displayed
upon for contrast. [ISA-5.5-1985] [Meas] 2. In
radiation counting, a low-level signal that is
caused by radiation from sources other than
the source of radiation being measured.
[Comp] 3. A computer environment in which
low-priority programs are executed.
background discrimination The capacity of a
measuring instrument or detection circuit to
distinguish an input signal from electronic
noise or other background signals.
background noise Undesired signals or other
stimuli that are always present in a trans-
ducer output or electronic circuit, regardless
of whether a desired signal or stimulus is
also present.
background program A program of the low-
est urgency that may therefore be preempted
by a program of higher urgency and priority.
Contrast to foreground program.
backing pump In a vacuum system that uses
two pumps, the pump that discharges
directly to the atmosphere. It reduces system
39
backing ring A ring of steel or other material
placed behind the welding groove when
joining tubes or pipes by welding so as to
confine the weld metal.
backing strip A piece of metal, asbestos, or
other nonflammable material placed behind
a joint before welding to enhance the quality
of the weld.
backlash 1. In process instrumentation, a rel-
ative movement that occurs between inter-
acting mechanical parts, caused by loose-
ness, when motion is reversed. [ANSI/ISA-
51.1-1979 (R1993)] 2. In a mechanical linkage
or gear train, the amount by which the driv-
ing shaft must rotate, when reversing direc-
tion, just to take up the looseness in the
linkage or gear train before it begins to trans-
mit motion in the reverse direction. 3. The
difference in actual values of a controlled
variable when a control dial is brought to an
indicated position from opposite rotational
directions.
back pressure The absolute pressure level,
expressed in pascals, as measured four
pipe-diameters downstream from the turbine
flowmeter under operating conditions.
[ISA-RP31.1-1977]
back seat A seating surface in the bonnet that
mates with the closure member or valve stem
in the extreme open position so as to provide
pressure isolation of the stem seal. [ANSI/
ISA-75.05.01-2000]
backplane A wiring board, usually con-
structed as a printed circuit, that is used to
provide required connections between logic,
memory, and input/output modules. A
backplane is usually located in the back of a
rack that has sockets into which specific
boards fit so they can be interconnected.
backscattered electron imaging (BED A
method for producing scanning electron
microscope images by detecting electrons
that are reflected back out of a sample after
they collide with surface atoms. Backscat-
tered electron imaging is used to detect sub-
surface cracking, contamination, and
inclusions.
backscattering The scattering of light in the
opposite direction it was originally traveling
in.
backtracking A technique for synchronizing
mixed-signal simulation systems in which an
analog simulator is made to back up to a pre-
vious point in time in order to process a sig-
nal originating in the digital simulator.
backup / balanced (to ground)

backup 1. Equipment used to complete an bag-type collector A filter consisting of a

operation in the event that the primary cloth-filtering medium taking the form of a
equipment fails. 2. A copy of a computer file cylindrical bag.
made so as to protect against destruction or bakeout The process of heating the surfaces
loss of the original. of a vacuum system during evacuation in
backup copy In data processing, a copy of order to degas them and to promote their
data or of a program that can be used if the progress toward of a stable final vacuum
original copy is lost or destroyed. level.
backward compatible Designs that provide balance 1. Generically, a state of static or
compatibility with earlier versions. Often dynamic equilibrium. Such equilibrium is
referred to as reverse compatible. static when, for example, forces on a body
BACnet Building Automation and Control counteract each other exactly. It is dynamic
network. An object-oriented model of the when material flowing into and out of a
standard automation system network sup- pipeline or process has reached steady state,
ported by ASHRAE to serve as a high-speed, and there is no discernible rate of change in
low-cost network for commercial building the process variables. 2. An instrument for
services, but not designed for industrial pro- making precise measurements of mass or
cess control. weight. 3. A condition in which the rotation
bad break In the typographical composition centerline between bearings coincides with
of screen displays and printing, starting or the line that defines the center of mass distri-
ending a page (or ending a paragraph) with a bution.
single word, or "widow."
baffle A plate or vane, either plain or perfo-
rated, that is used to regulate or direct the
flow of fluid.
baffle-nozzle amplifier A device for convert-
ing mechanical motion into a pneumatic sig-
nal. It consists of a supply tube that ends in a
small nozzle and a moveable baffle plate that
is attached to a mechanical arm. The length
of the supply tube is restricted to a short dis-
tance before the nozzle, so that as the baffle Simple Beam Balance
plate moves closer to the nozzle opening, the
pressure rises in the section of the supply
tube between the restriction and the nozzle. balanced bridge A Wheatstone bridge circuit
The arm motion and nozzle clearance are that, when in a quiescent state, has an output
small—on the order of 0.2 mm or less. A baf- voltage of zero. A balanced bridge can be
fle-nozzle amplifier serves as the primary used to measure changes in resistance in
detector in almost all pneumatic transmitters such applications as RTDs, strain gauges,
and controllers. Often referred to as a "flap- and so on.
per-nozzle amplifier" because the baffle balanced draft A system of furnace pressure
plate is mounted on a pivoting arm. control in which the inlet air flow or the out-
let flue gas flow is controlled in order to
baffle plate A tray or partition, either solid or maintain the furnace pressure at a fixed
perforated, that is positioned in the flow path value (typically slightly below atmospheric).
through a process vessel so as to cause the
process stream (a) to flow in a certain direc-
tion, (b) to reverse its direction of flow, or (c)
to slow its velocity.
baffle-type collector A device in gas paths
that utilizes baffles arranged in such a way
that dust particles are deflected out of the gas
stream.
bag filter A device that contains one or more
cloth bags that serve to recover particles
from the dust-laden gas or air blown through
it.
balanced (to ground) See unbalanced (to
ground).

40

balanced trim A control valve trim that is
designed to minimize the net static and
dynamic fluid flow forces, from fluid pres-
sure, that are acting on the trim. [ANSI/ISA-
75.05.01-2000]
balance weight A mass that is positioned on
the balance arms of a weighing device so
they can be brought to a predetermined (null
position) for all conditions of use.
balancing A procedure for adjusting the
mass distribution of a rotor by adding or
removing weight so as to achieve less vibra-
tion amplitude at rotational speed.
ball A spherically shaped closure member.
[ANSI/ISA-75.05.01-2000]
ball, full A closure component that has a
complete spherical surface that includes a
flow passage.
ball, segmented A closure component that is
a segment of a spherical surface which may
have one edge contoured to yield a desired
flow characteristic.
ball bearing A type of antifriction bearing in
which the load is borne by a series of hard
spherical elements (balls) that are held in
place between inner and outer retaining
rings (races).
ball burnishing 1. Producing a smooth,
dimensionally precise hole by forcing a
slightly oversize tungsten-carbide ball
through a slightly undersize hole at high
speed. 2. A method of producing a lustrous
finish on small parts by tumbling them in a
wood-lined barrel with burnishing soap,
water, and hardened steel balls.
ball bushing A variation of ball bearing that
permits axial motion of a shaft instead of
rotating motion.
ball check valve A valve that permits flow in
one direction only by lifting a spring-loaded
ball off its seat when a pressure differential
acts in that direction and by forcing the ball
more tightly against the seat when a pressure
differential acts in the opposite flow direc-
tion.
ball-float liquid-level meter A device that
consists of a hollow or low-density float
attached by a linkage to a pointer. The float
rises and falls with the level of liquid in a
tank, while the pointer indicates the position
of the float on a scale outside the tank
balloon 1. The circular symbol used to
denote and identify the purpose of an instru-
ment or function. It may contain a tag num-
ber. 2. Synonym for "bubble." See also bubble.
ballot box In the typographical composition
of screen displays and printing, an open,
41
balanced trim / bandwidth
square bullet, usually intended to receive a
check mark. See also check box.
ball sizing See ball burnishing.
ball-type viscometer An apparatus for deter-
mining viscosity, especially of high-viscosity
oils and other fluids. The time required for a
ball to fall through liquid confined in a tube
is measured.
Balun Balanced/unbalanced. In the IBM
cabling system, Balun refers to an imped-
ance-matching device that is used to connect
balanced twisted-pair cabling with unbal-
anced coaxial cables.
ball valve A valve that has a rotary motion clo-
sure member consisting of a full ball or a seg-
mented ball. [ANSI/ISA-75.05.01-2000]
band 1. The gamut or range of frequencies. 2.
The frequency spectrum between two
defined limits. 3. Frequencies that are within
two definite limits and are used for different
purposes. 4. A group of channels; See chan-
nel. 5. A group of recording tracks on a com-
puter magnetic disk or drum.
band brake A device for stopping or slowing
rotational motion by increasing the tension
in a flexible band so it tightens around a
drum that is attached to the rotating member.
band-elimination filter A wave filter that
has a single attenuation band whose critical
and cutoff frequencies are finite, nonzero val-
ues.
band gap In semiconductors, the range of
energies between the conduction band and
the valence band in which no free electrons
or holes are allowed. See conduction band and
also valence band.
band pass filter In digital signal processing
(DSP), a filter that passes signals in a certain
range of frequencies and attenuates signals
above and below that range.
B and S gauge Brown and Sharp gauge; See
American Wiring Gauge (AWG).
band spectrum A spectral distribution of
light or other complex wave in which the
wave components can be separated into a
series of discrete bands of wavelengths. See
also continuous spectrum.
band splitter A multiplexer that is designed
to split available bandwidth into indepen-
dent, narrower-band subchannels, each of
which is suitable for transmitting data at a
fraction of the total channel's data rate.
bandwidth 1. The difference, expressed in
hertz, between the two boundaries of a fre-
quency range. 2. A group of consecutive fre-
quencies, constituting a band, that exists
between limits of stated frequency attenua-
tion. A band is normally defined as being
bang-bang control / baseband
more than 3.0 decibels greater than the mean
attenuation across the band. 3. A group of
consecutive frequencies, constituting a band,
that exists between limits of a stated fre-
quency delay. 4. The range of frequencies that
can be transmitted in an electronic system. 5.
A symmetrical region around the set point in
which proportional control occurs.
bang-bang control The same as two-position
control.
bank switching A method for equipping a
computer with greater memory by giving the
same address to added memory chips.
bar One atmosphere.
bar code A pattern of narrow and wide bars
that can be scanned and interpreted into
alpha and numeric characters.
bar-code scanner A type of optical scanner
developed to read the 12-character Universal
Product Code for identifying items.
bare-board tester A system that tests unpop-
ulated printed circuit boards for trace
defects.
Barkometer scale A specific-gravity scale
used primarily in the tanning industry, in
which the specific gravity of a water solution
is determined from the following formula:
sp gr=1.000 ± 0.001n
where n is degrees Barkometer. On this scale,
water has a specific gravity of zero Barkome-
ter.
barn A unit of nuclear cross section in which
the probability of a specific nuclear interac-
tion, such as neutron capture, is expressed as
an apparent area. In this context, one barn
equals 10-28 m2.
barometer An absolute pressure gauge for
determining atmospheric pressure. If it is a
recording instrument, it is known as a
"barograph."
barometric hypsometry The method of
determining elevation above some arbitrary
reference plane (usually sea level) through
the use of mercury or aneroid barometers.
barometric pressure Atmospheric pressure
as determined by a barometer, usually
expressed in inches of mercury.
barometry The study of atmospheric pres-
sure measurement. In particular, the science
of determining and correcting errors in baro-
metric instrument readings.
barostat A device for maintaining constant
pressure within a chamber.
barothermograph An instrument for auto-
matically recording both atmospheric tem-
perature and pressure.
barothermohygrograph An instrument for
automatically recording atmospheric pres-
42
sure, temperature, and humidity on the same
chart.
barrel A unit of volume. For petroleum, a bar-
rel equals 9,702 cubic inches. For fruits, vege-
tables, other dry commodities, and some
liquids, a different standard barrel is used.
barrel finishing The craft of producing a lus-
trous surface finish on metal parts by tum-
bling them in bulk in a barrel that is partly
filled with an abrasive slurry. Similar pro-
cesses are used for cleaning and electroplat-
ing that involve detergent solutions or
electrolytes instead of an abrasive slurry.
barrier 1. A part that provides protection
against direct contact from any usual direc-
tion of access. Note: Enclosures and barriers
may provide protection against the spread of
fire. [ANSI/ISA-82.02.01-1999 (IEC 1010-1
Mod)] 2. A physical entity that limits the cur-
rent and voltage into a hazardous area in
order to satisfy intrinsic safety requirements.
[ANIS/ISA-50.02, part 2 - 1992]
barrier, intrinsic safety See intrinsic safety
barrier.
barrier shield A wall or enclosure that is
made of a material designed to absorb ioniz-
ing radiation. It shields the operator from an
area where radioactive material is being used
or processed by remote-control equipment.
base 1. The physical foundation or support
upon which a machine or instrument rests. 2.
For a number system, the number whose
powers determine place value. 3. A chemical
substance that hydrolyzes to yield OH" ions.
4. A reference value. 5. A number that is mul-
tiplied by itself as many times as indicated
by an exponent. 6. See radix number.
base address 1. A number that appears as an
address in a computer instruction but serves
as the base, index, or initial or starting point
for subsequent addresses to be modified.
Synonymous with "presumptive address"
and "reference address." 2. A number used
in symbolic coding in conjunction with a rel-
ative address; an address used as the basis
for computing the value of some other rela-
tive address.
baseband 1. A single channel-signaling tech-
nique in which the digital signal is encoded
and impressed on the physical medium. 2.
The frequencies starting at or near DC. 3.
Communications signals whose bandwidth
is approximately equal to the highest fre-
quency transmitted. This contrasts with
modulated signals (RF), where the frequen-
cies transmitted (approximately the carrier
frequency) are much higher than the band-
width.

baseband modems See limited distance
modems.
BASEEFA British Approvals Service for Elec-
trical Equipment in Flammable Atmo-
spheres. British certification and testing
laboratory responsible for testing the equip-
ment of different vendors to some common
standard. (Subsumed within EECS in 1987.)
baseline 1. Generally, a reference set of data
against which operating data or test results
are compared to determine such characteris-
tics as operating efficiency or system degrada-
tion over time. 2. In navigation, the geodesic
line between two stations that are operating in
conjunction with each other. 3. In the typo-
graphical composition of screen displays and
printing, the imaginary line on which the
bases of characters sit.
baseline spectrum A vibration spectrum cap-
tured from a machine when it is presumed to
be in good running condition. Subsequent
spectrums captured from this machine are
compared to this baseline when looking for
changes.
base load The term applied to that portion of
a station or boiler load that is practically con-
stant for long periods.
base metal 1. The metallic element that is
present in greatest proportion in an alloy. 2.
The type of metal to be welded, brazed, cut,
or soldered. 3. In the welded joint, metal that
was not melted during welding. 4. Any
metal that will oxidize in air or that will form
metallic ions in an aqueous solution. Con-
trast with "noble metal." 5. Metal to which a
plated, sprayed, or conversion coating is
applied. Also known as "basis metal."
base number A synonym for "radix num-
ber." See radix number.
BASIC Beginners' All-purpose Symbolic
Instruction Code; A widely used computer
language for personal computers. Developed
at Dartmouth to teach students program-
ming, BASIC features array and string
manipulation and is widely used for educa-
tional and business applications because it is
easily understood and appropriate for solv-
ing small problems.
basic control Control that is dedicated to
establishing and maintaining a specific state
of equipment or specific process condition.
Note: Basic control may include regulatory
control, interlocking, monitoring, exception
handling, and discrete or sequential control.
[ANSI/ISA-88.01-1995]
basic device A basic device is any device that
does not have the capacity to control com-
43
baseband modems / batch
munications on an H1 fieldbus segment. See
H1 Field Device.
basic element A single component or sub-
system that performs one necessary and dis-
tinct function in a measurement sequence. To
be considered a basic element, the compo-
nent must perform one and only one of the
smallest steps into which the measuring
sequence can be conveniently divided.
basic frequency In a waveform that is made
up of several components of different fre-
quencies, basic frequency is the single com-
ponent that has the largest amplitude or has
some other characteristic that makes it the
principal component of the composite wave.
basic input-output system (BIOS) That part
of a computer operating system that handles
input and output.
basic insulation Insulation that poses the
risk of electric shock if it fails. Note: Basic
insulation may also serve functional pur-
poses. [ANSI/ISA-82.02.01-1999 (IEC 1010-1
Mod)]
basic process control system 1. The control
equipment that is installed to perform the
normal regulatory functions for the pro-
cess—for example, PID control and sequen-
tial control. [ANSI/ISA-91.01-1995] 2. A
system that responds to input signals from
the equipment under control and/or from an
operator and generates output signals that
cause the equipment under control to oper-
ate in the desired manner. Some examples
include control of an exothermic reaction,
anti-surge control of a compressor, and fuel/
air controls in fired heaters. Also referred to
as process control system. [ANSI/ISA-84.01-
1996]
basic recipe A generic, transportable process
recipe that consists of header information,
equipment requirements, formula, and pro-
cedure.
basis weight For paper and certain other
sheet products, the weight per unit area.
bat file A file name ending in .bat that con-
tains a list of the commands most often used
to initiate a computer program.
batch 1. The material that is being produced
or that has been produced by a single execu-
tion of a batch process. 2. An entity that rep-
resents the production of a material at any
point in the process. Note: Batch means both
the material made by and during the process
and also the production of that material.
Batch, in other words, is used as an abstract
contraction of the words "the production of a
batch." [ANSI/ISA-88.01-1995] [Comp] 3. A
group of similar computer transactions
batch control / BBS
joined together for processing as a single
unit.
batch control Control activities and control
functions that provide a means to process
finite quantities of input materials by subject-
ing them to an ordered set of processing
activities over a finite period of time using
one or more pieces of equipment. [ANSI/
ISA-88.01-1995]
batch manufacturing A technique for
manufacturing parts or finished goods in
groups, lots, or batches in which each part or
finished product in the batch is identical.
batch process A process that leads to the pro-
duction of finite quantities of material by
subjecting quantities of input materials to an
ordered set of processing activities over a
finite time using one or more pieces of equip-
ment. [ANSI/ISA-88.01-1995]
batch processing [Comp] 1. The technique of
executing a set of programs such that each is
completed before the next program of the set
is started. 2. Loosely, the execution of pro-
grams serially. 3. In data processing, a tech-
nique in which data are accumulated and
processed in batches, as compared with
interactive processing. See interactive process-
ing. [Proc] 4. A production operation that
does not operate continuously but must be
stopped for loading and unloading after pro-
cessing a quantity of material or a limited
number of items.
batch schedule A list of batches to be pro-
duced in a specific process cell. Note: The
batch schedule typically contains such infor-
mation as what is to be produced, how much
is to be produced, when or in what order the
batches are to be produced, and what equip-
ment is to be used. [ANSI/ISA-88.01-1995]
bathochrome An agent or chemical group
that causes the absorption band of a solution
to shift to lower frequencies.
bathometer An instrument for measuring
depth in the ocean or other body of water.
bathyclinograph An instrument for measur-
ing vertical ocean currents.
bathyconductograph An instrument for mea-
suring the electrical conductivity of seawater
as it is towed at various depths behind a
moving ship.
bathymetry The application of scientific prin-
ciples to the measurement of ocean depths.
bathythermograph An instrument for
recording sea temperature versus depth
(pressure) as it is towed behind a moving
ship. Also known as "bathythermosphere."
44
battery Two or more cells that are electrically
connected and used as a source of energy.
[ANSI/ISA-12.16.01-1998 (IEC 79-7 Mod)]
battery capacity The quantity of electricity
(electric charge), usually expressed in
ampere-hours (Ah), that a fully charged bat-
tery can deliver under specified conditions.
[ANSI/ISA-12.16.01-1998 (IEC 79-7 Mod)]
battery container An enclosure that enve-
lopes or secures the battery. Note: The cover
is a part of the battery container. [ANSI/ISA-
12.16.01-1998 (IEC 79-7 Mod)]
baud 1. The measure of the rate at which dig-
ital data are transmitted, in bits per second.
2. A unit of signaling speed that is equal to
the number of code elements per second.
(This definition is applied only to the actual
signals on a communication line.) If each sig-
nal event represents only one bit condition,
baud is the same as bits per second. When
each signal event represents something other
than the logical state of only one bit, baud is
used for data entry only in the simplest of
systems. 3. The unit of signal speed that is
equal to twice the number of Morse code
dots continuously sent per second, clarified
by rate, bit and capacity, and channel.
baudot code A three-part teletype code con-
sisting of a start pulse (always a space), five
data pulses, and a stop pulse (1.42 times the
length of the other pulses) for each character
transmitted. Various combinations of data
pulses are used to designate letters of the
alphabet, the numerals 0 to 9, and certain
standard symbols.
baud rate Any of the standard transmission
rates for sending or receiving binary coded
data. The standard rates are generally
between 50 and 19,200 bauds.
Baumé scale Either of two specific-gravity
scales devised by French chemist Antoine
Baumé in 1768 and often used to express the
specific gravity of acids, syrups, and other
liquids. For light liquids, the scale is deter-
mined from the formula:
°Bé = (140/sp. gr.) - 130
For heavy liquids it is determined from:
°Bé = 145 - (145/sp. gr.)
60F is the standard temperature used.
Bauschinger effect The phenomenon
wherein the plastic deformation of a metal
raises its tensile yield strength but decreases
its compressive yield strength.
BBS Bulletin board service; general access
provided for users of computers connected
to a phone line and provided by a group for
the general exchange of messages, illustra-
tions, software, etc. A BBS can be commercial

(paid subscribers), volunteer, or perhaps pro-
vided by product vendors for use by their
customers.
BCC Block check character; the result of the
transmission of a verification algorithm
accumulated over a transmission block, nor-
mally added to the end, such as CRC, LRC.
BCD Binary-coded decimal; method to
express individual decimal digits in four-bit
binary notation. (1 = 0001; 2 = 0010; 23 = 0010
0011).
BCD, buffered Buffered binary-coded deci-
mal; a binary-coded decimal output that has
output drivers in order to increase line-drive
capability.
BCD, parallel Parallel binary-coded deci-
mal; a digital data output format wherein
every decimal digit is represented by binary
signals on four lines and all digits are pre-
sented in parallel. The total number of lines
is four times the number of decimal digits.
BCD, serial Serial binary-coded decimal; a
digital data output format wherein every
decimal digit is presented by binary signals
on four lines and up to five decimal digits are
presented sequentially. The total number of
lines is four data lines plus one strobe line
per digit.
BCD, three-state Three-state binary-coded
decimal; an implementation of parallel BCD
that has 0, 1, and high-impedance output
states. The high-impedance state is used
when the BCD output is not addressed in
parallel connect applications.
BCH Bose-Chandhuri-Hocquendhem; error-
checking technique.
BCOMP See buffer complete.
BDAT Best demonstrated available technol-
ogy economically achievable in complying to
EPA (United States) pollution prevention
requirements.
bead 1. A rolled or folded seam along the
edge of metal sheet. 2. A projecting band or
rim. 3. A drop of precious metal that is pro-
duced during cupellation in fire assaying. 4.
An elongated seam that is produced by
welding in a single pass.
beaded tube end The rounded exposed end
of a rolled tube when the tube metal is
formed over the sheet in which the tube is
rolled.
beam 1. An elongated structural member that
carries lateral loads or bending moments.
2. A confined or unidirectional ray of light,
sound, electromagnetic radiation, or vibra-
tional energy that usually has a relatively
small cross section.
45
BCC / BEDO
beam divergence The increase in beam diam-
eter that results from the increase in distance
from a laser's exit aperture. Divergence,
expressed in milliradians, is measured at
specified points across the beam's diameter.
beam expander An optical system that
expands a narrow beam to a larger diameter,
ideally without changing the divergence of
the beam.
beam integrator A device that integrates the
energy in a light beam so it is uniform across
the beam's cross section.
beam splitter A device that separates a light
beam into two beams. Some types affect the
polarization of the beam.
beam spread The angle of divergence of an
acoustic or electromagnetic beam from its
central axis as it travels through a material.
bearing 1. A machine part that supports
another machine part while the latter under-
goes a rotating, sliding, or oscillating motion.
2. That portion of a beam, truss, or other
structural member that rests on the supports.
3. The angle in a horizontal plane between
the line of sight to a distant object and some
absolute or relative reference direction.
bearing circle A ring-shaped device that fits
over a compass or compass repeater to make
it easier to take compass bearings.
beat-frequency oscillator An electrical oscil-
lator that generates a frequency that, in turn,
is beat against another frequency to generate
a third, usually audible frequency. Beat-fre-
quency oscillators are generally used in com-
munications receivers to provide an audible
signal or to reinsert a carrier for the reception
of single side-band signals.
beating A pulsating waveform that is some-
times produced when two or more periodic
quantities of different frequencies combine.
beat note The wave of different frequency
that results when two sinusoidal waves
whose frequencies differ from each other are
supplied to a nonlinear device.
beats 1. Periodic pulsations in amplitude that
are created when a wave of one frequency is
combined with a wave of a different fre-
quency. 2. The alternating rise and fall of
vibration amplitude caused by two sources
vibrating at close to the same speeds.
bed The part of a machine that has precisely
machined ways or bearing surfaces so that it
can support and align other parts such as
toolholders or dies.
BEDO Burst extended data out; technology
for high-speed (66 MHz) bus access to com-
puter memory.
Beer's law / belt conveyor scale
Beer's law The law that relates the absorption
coefficient of a material to its molar density.
behavioral modeling Modeling a device or
component directly in terms of its underly-
ing mathematical equations.
behind the panel 1. A location that is within
an area that (a) contains the instrument
panel, (b) contains its associated rack-
mounted hardware, or (c) is enclosed within
the panel. 2. Behind-the-panel devices are
not accessible for the operator's normal use.
3. Behind-the-panel devices are not desig-
nated as local or front-of-panel-mounted.
[ANSI/ISA-5.1-1984 (R1992)]
bel A dimensionless unit for expressing the
ratio of two power levels. The value in bels
equals log P 2 /P 1 ), where P1 and P2 are the
two power levels.
BEL In communication, BEL is a control char-
acter used when a need exists for a call to
attention. A BEL character may also control
alarm or attention devices.
Bell Designation for AT&T standards for
devices that transmit over telephone lines,
such as modems.
Bell 103, 113 [etc.] Codes devised by the Bell
system to define modem type and speeds
(e.g., Bell 103, Bell 208). They include the fol-
lowing: Bell 103 - a 300 bps asynchronous
modem with originate or answer; Bell 113—a
300 bps asynchronous modem with originate
or answer; Bell 201 - a 2400 bps synchronous
modem; Bell 202--an 1800 bps asynchronous
modem, full duplex with 4-wire; Bell 208—a
4800 bps synchronous modem; Bell 209—a
9600 bps synchronous modem; Bell 212—a
1200 bps asynchronous/synchronous dial-
up full duplex.
belled tube end See flared tube end.
Belleville washer See disk spring.
bellows 1. A pressure-sensing element of
generally cylindrical shape whose walls con-
tain deep convolutions and whose length
changes when a pressure differential is
applied. [ISA-37.1-1975 (R1982)] 2. An
enclosed chamber whose walls are designed
pleated or corrugated so its interior volume
may be varied, either to alternately draw in
and expel a gas or other fluid or to expand
and contract in response to variations in
internal pressure. 3. A pressure transducer
that converts pressure into a nearly linear
displacement.
bellows actuator A fluid-powered device in
which the fluid acts upon a flexible, convo-
luted component termed "the bellows".
[ANSI/ISA-75.05.01-2000]
46
bellows expansion joint A type of coupling
between two pieces of pipe that uses a flexi-
ble metal bellows to prevent leakage while
allowing limited linear movement, in order
to accommodate, for example, thermal
expansion and contraction.
bellows gauge A pressure-measuring device
in which variations in internal pressure
within a flexible bellows cause an end plate
to move against the spring force. The posi-
tion of the end plate is directly related to the
bellows' internal pressure.
bellows meter A differential pressure-mea-
suring instrument that has a measuring ele-
ment of opposed metal bellows whose
motion positions the output actuator.
bellows seal 1. A multiconvolution-type ele-
ment used as a protective barrier between
the instrument and the process fluid. 2. A
seal in the shape of a bellows used to prevent
air or gas leakage.
bellows sealed valve A valve that utilizes a
bellows to replace the conventional packing
gland. One end of the bellows is welded to
the rising stem; the other is sealed against the
valve body.
bellows stem seal A thin-walled, convoluted,
flexible component that makes a hermetic
seal between the stem and bonnet or body
and allows stem motion. [ANSI/ISA-
75.05.01-2000]
bellows type valve A fluid-powered device
in which the fluid acts upon a flexible, con-
voluted member, termed the bellows, in
order to provide linear motion to the actua-
tor stem. [ANSI/ISA-75.05.01-2000]
bell-type manometer A gauge for measuring
differential pressure, which consists essen-
tially of a cup inverted in a container of liq-
uid. Pressure from one source is fed to the
inside of the cup, while pressure from a sec-
ond source is applied to the exterior of the
cup. Pressure difference is indicated by the
position of the cup in relation to the liquid
level.
belt conveyor A continuous band of fabric,
rubber, plastic, leather, or metal that moves
indefinitely and features a drive, a tail end,
and bend terminals; belt idlers; or slider beds
for handling bulk materials, packages, or
objects placed directly upon the belt. [ISA-
RP74.01-1984]
belt conveyor scale A device installed on a
belt-conveyor structure that continuously
weighs the material being conveyed. [ISA-
RP74-1984]
 belt-speed sensor / beta particle
Belt Conveyor and Weighbridge Assembly
belt-speed sensor A device that generates a
signal as it detects belt speed. [ISA-RP74.01-
1984]
belt-speed transmitter A device that trans-
mits a belt speed signal to a receiver. [ISA-
RP74.01-1984]
bench (optical) A mounting surface for opti-
cal components.
bench check A laboratory-type test of an
assembly, component, or subassembly to ver-
ify its function or to identify a source of mal-
function. Bench checks are often done with
the unit removed from its housing or system
for service or repair. Also known as "bench
test."
benchmark 1. A natural or artificial object that
has a specific point marked on it so as to iden-
tify a reference location, such as a reference
elevation. 2. A fixed point of reference; a
standard for comparison; an outstanding
example, appropriate for use as a model.
benchmark program A routine used to deter-
mine the performance of a computer or soft-
ware.
bench set The calibration performed in the
shop of the actuator spring range of a control
valve, to account for the in-service process
forces. [ANSI/ISA-75.05.01-2000]
bench top equipment Equipment that is
designed to be used on and supported by a
bench, table, stand, and so one, but is neither
fixed nor portable, as defined by the follow-
ing conditions: (a) It has at least one handle
and the weight exceeds 20 kilograms (44
pounds), or (b) It has no handle and the
weight exceeds 5 kilograms (11 pounds), or
(c) It is not mobile (does not have casters,
wheels, rollers, etc., nor is it provided with a
cart).
bending Applying mechanical force or pres-
sure to form a metal part by plastic deforma-
tion around an axis lying parallel to the
metal surface. Bending is commonly used to
produce angular, curved, or flanged parts
from sheet metal, rod, or wire.
47
bend loss Attenuation caused by high-order
modes radiating from the side of a fiber. The
two common types of bend losses are (a)
those occurring when the fiber is curved
around a restrictive radius of curvature and
(b) microbends caused by small distortions
of the fiber imposed by externally induced
perturbations, such as poor cabling tech-
niques.
bend pulley Any pulley used to change the
direction of travel of a belt. [ISA-RP74.01-
1984]
bend radius The smallest arc in a cable that
can be made without causing damage.
bend test A ductility test in which a metal
specimen is bent through a specified arc
around a support of known radius. Bend
tests are used primarily to evaluate the inher-
ent formability of metal sheet, rod, or wire,
or to evaluate the weld quality specific mate-
rials produce, joint design, and welding tech-
nique.
bent tube boiler A water-tube boiler consist-
ing of two or more drums connected by
tubes, practically all of which are bent near
the ends to permit their attachment to the
drum shell on radial lines.
Bernoulli coefficient In any stream, if the
area is changed, as by a reducer, there is a
change in the velocity and a corresponding
change in the static pressure, or "head." This
pressure change is measured in units of
velocity head. The dimensionless coefficient
used for this purpose is the Bernoulli coeffi-
cient K8.
BERT/BLERT Bit error rate test/block error
rate test; error-checking technique that com-
pares received data pattern with known
transmitted data pattern to determine the
transmission line quality.
bessel The filter characteristic in which phase
linearity across the pass band is emphasized
rather than amplitude linearity. Also known
as constant delay.
best straight line A line midway between, on
the one hand, the two parallel straight lines
that are closest together and that enclose all
output and, on the other, the measurand val-
ues on a calibration curve. [ISA-37.1-1975
(R1982)]
best-straight-line linearity An average of the
deviation of all calibration points. Also called
independent linearity.
beta emitter A radioactive nuclide that disin-
tegrates by emitting a beta particle.
beta particle An electron or positron that is
emitted from the nucleus of a radioactive
nuclide.
beta ratio(ß) / bimetal thermometer
beta ratio(6) The ratio of the diameter of a
pipeline constriction to the unconstricted
pipe diameter.
beta ray A stream of beta particles.
beta-ray spectrometer An instrument used to
measure the energy distribution in a stream
of beta particles or secondary electrons.
beta test The second stage of testing a new
software program. The program is tested by
selected "typical" users to discover bugs
before releasing it to general sale. Software
undergoes beta testing shortly before it is
released.
betatron A large particle accelerator that is
used to impart energy to a stream of elec-
trons by means of magnetic induction.
bevel gear One of a pair of gears whose teeth
run parallel to a conical surface so that they
can transmit power and motion between two
shafts whose axes intersect.
bezel A ring-shaped member surrounding a
cover glass, window, cathode-ray tube face,
or similar area so as to protect its edges and
often to also provide a decorative appear-
ance.
Bézier curve A description of a character, sym-
bol, or graphic by its outline; used by com-
puter drawing programs to define shapes.
BFSL Best fit straight line; line midway
between two parallel straight lines, enclosing
all charted values of measurement. Also
known as independent linearity, which
allows zero and full-scale values, used to
establish the position of a reference line, to be
moved to points that minimize the nonlin-
earity specification of an instrument, often
when zero is generally not zero and full scale
will seldom equal the actual or desired full
scale of the instrument, such as with pressure
devices.
bias 1. An uncertainty component that con-
sistently has the same algebraic sign and is
expressed as an estimated limit of error.
[ISA-RP67.04.02-2000] 2. The departure from
a reference value of the average of a set of
values. Thus, bias is a measurement of the
amount of unbalance of a set of measure-
ments or conditions. A biased measurement
has an average error value that is nonzero. 3.
A signal applied to an electronic device to
ensure that it operates on a particular portion
of its characteristic curve. 4. The average DC
voltage or current maintained between a
control electrode and the common electrode
in a transistor or vacuum tube.
bias current A very low-level DC current
generated by a panel meter and superim-
posed on the signal. This current may intro-
48
duce a measurable offset across a very high
source impedance.
bias (tape) The sine wave, typically 10 times
the amplitude and 3.5 times the top fre-
quency, which is applied to tape recording
heads with a signal to eliminate most signal
distortion.
bidirectional load cell A column-type
strain-gauge load cell with female or male
fittings at both ends for attaching load hard-
ware. It can be used to measure either ten-
sion or compression loading. Also known as
universal load cell.
bidirectional printer An electronic printer
capable of printing either forward or back-
ward.
bidirectional pulse A wave pulse in which
intended deviations from the normally con-
stant values occur in two opposing direc-
tions.
bilateral tolerance The amount of allowable
variation about a given dimension, usually
expressed as plus or minus a specific fraction
or decimal.
bilateral transducer A transducer that can
transmit signals simultaneously in both
directions between two or more termina-
tions.
bill of lading A contract or receipt for goods
that a carrier agrees to transport from one
place to another and to deliver to a desig-
nated person or that it assigns for compensa-
tion upon the conditions stated in the bill of
lading. [ISA-95.00.01-2000]
bill of material A listing of all the subassem-
blies, parts, and/or materials that are used in
the production of a product. It includes the
quantity of each material required to make a
product. [ISA-95.00.01-2000]
bill of resources 1. A listing of all resources
and at what point in the production process
they are needed to produce a product. 2. A
listing of the key resources required to manu-
facture a product, organized as segments of
production. Bills of resources are often used
to predict the impact of activity changes in
the master production schedule on the sup-
ply of resources. [ISA-95.00.01-2000]
bimetal A bonded laminate consisting of two
strips of dissimilar metals. The bond is usu-
ally a stable metallic bond produced by roll-
ing or diffusion bonding. The composite
material is used most often as an element for
detecting temperature changes by means of
differential thermal expansion in the two lay-
ers.
bimetal thermometer Temperature-sensing
instrument in which two dissimilar metals
 bimetallic thermometer element / binary unit
are bonded together so that the differential
expansion of the two metals actuates the
pointer, indicating temperature.
bimetallic thermometer element A tempera-
ture-sensitive strip of metal (or other config-
uration) m a d e by bonding or mechanically
joining two dissimilar strips of metal
together. Small changes in temperature will
cause the composite assembly to distort elas-
tically and produce a predictable deflection.
The element is designed to take advantage of
the fact that different metals have different
coefficients of thermal expansion.
Bimetallic Sensor
bin 1. One spectral line in the frequency dis-
play of a fast-Fourier transform (FFT) ana-
lyzer. The bin can be viewed as a bandpass
filter with a bandwidth that is adjusted by
whatever frequency span is selected. 2. In
video development, a place for storing a
piece of video footage.
binary 1. A term applied to a signal or device
that has only two discrete positions or states.
When used in its simplest form, a s in "binary
signal" (as opposed to "analog signal"), the
term denotes an "on-off" or " h i g h - l o w "
state, that is, one that does not represent con-
tinuously varying quantities. [ANSI-ISA-5.1-
1984 (R1992)] 2. Pertaining to the characteris-
tic or property that involves a selection,
choice, or condition in which there are two
possibilities. [ISA-RP55.1-1975 (1983)] 3. Per-
taining to the numeration system that has a
radix of two. [ISA-RP55.1-1975 (R1983)] 4. A
computer numbering system that uses two
as its base rather than ten. The binary system
uses only 0 and 1 in its written form. 5. A
device, such as a computer, that uses only
two states or levels to perform its functions,.
binary cell An information-storage element
that can assume either of two stable condi-
tions and no others.
49
binary code A code that uses two distinct
characters, usually 0 and 1.
binary-coded decimal (BCD) Describing a
decimal notation in which the individual
decimal digits are represented by a group of
binary bits. For example, in the 8-4-2-1 coded
decimal notation each decimal digit is repre-
sented by a group of four binary bits. The
n u m b e r twelve is represented as 0001 0010
for 1 and 2, respectively, whereas in binary
notation it is represented as 1100. Related to
binary.
binary counter 1. A counter that counts
according to the binary n u m b e r system. 2. A
counter w h o s e basic counting elements are
capable of assuming one of two stable states.
binary digit 1. In binary notation, either of
the characters 0 or 1.2. Synonymous with bit.
3. See equivalent binary digits.
binary file An electronic term for a file that is
not a text file.
binary notation A method of numerical
representation with two as the base and thus
having only two digits, " 0 " and " 1 . " This
notation is easily represented in computing
and transmission by two states in frequency,
phase, amplitude, voltage, current, and so
on.
binary number A n u m b e r composed of the
characters 0 and 1, in which each character
represents a power of two. The decimal num-
ber 2 is 10; the n u m b e r 12 is 1100; the number
31 is 11111, and so on.
binary phase-shift keying (BPSK) A digital
form of phase modulation in which the out-
put phase is modulated between two states.
binary point The radix point in a binary
number system. See radix point.
binary scaler A signal-modifying device
(scaler) that has a scaling factor of 2.
binary search A dichotomizing search in
which the set of items to be searched is
divided at each step into two equal, or nearly
equal, parts. Also known as "binary chop."
binary synchronous A procedure for con-
necting many terminals that share a single
link.
binary synchronous communications
(BSC) 1. An IBM synchronous communica-
tions protocol also referred to as "bisync." 2.
A communications procedure that uses spe-
cial characters for the control of synchro-
nized transmission
binary unit 1. A binary digit. 2. A unit of
information content, equal to one binary
decision, or the designation of one of two
possible a n d equally likely values or states of
anything that is used to store or convey
binary word / bit duration
information. 3. See check bit and parity bit. 4.
Synonymous with bit.
binary word A group of binary digits that
have place values in increasing powers of
two.
binder 1. In metal founding, a material other
than water that is added to foundry sand to
make the particles stick together. 2. In pow-
der metallurgy, a substance added to the
powder to increase the green strength of the
compact, or a material (usually with a rela-
tively low melting point) added to a powder
mixture to bond particles together during
sintering that otherwise would not bond into
a strong sintered body.
Bingham viscometer A time-of-discharge
device for measuring fluid viscosity in which
the fluid is discharged through a capillary
tube instead of an orifice or nozzle.
bioinstrumentation Instruments that can be
attached to humans or animals to record bio-
logical parameters, such as pulse rate,
breathing rate, or body temperature.
biomedical engineering The application of
engineering principles to the solution of
medical problems, including the design and
fabrication of prostheses, diagnostic instru-
mentation, and surgical tools.
biometric To measure using biological tech-
niques, typically for security purposes but
also for interfaces for process control involv-
ing the recognition or matching of voice,
face, fingerprint, iris, retina, and so on.
BIOS Basic input/output system. Com-
mands used to tell a CPU how it will com-
municate with the rest of the computer. The
information that is typically needed when a
computer starts up. In some operating sys-
tems, that part of program that customizes it
to its specific computer.
biphase A method of bit encoding for serial
data transmission or recording in which
there is a signal transition every bit period.
bipolar meter The ability of a meter to dis-
play both positive and negative readings.
bipolar technology Technology that uses two
different polarity electrical signals to repre-
sent logic states of 1 and 0.
bipolar transistor A transistor created by
placing a layer of P- or N-type semiconduc-
tors between two regions of an opposite type
of semiconductor.
BIPS Billion instructions per second (rough
measure of processing power).
biquinary code A method of coding decimal
digits in which each numeral is coded in two
parts—the first being either 0 or 5 and the
50
second any value from 0 to 4. The digit
equals the sum of the two parts.
birefringent element A device that has a
refractive index that is different for light-
waves of different orthogonal polarizations.
Because of this difference, light of the two
orthogonal polarizations travels at different
speeds and is refracted slightly differently.
Birmingham wire gauge (BWG) A system of
standard sizes used in the United States for
brass wire as well as for strip, bands, hoops,
and wire made of ferrous and nonferrous
metals. The decimal equivalent of standard
BWG sizes is generally larger than for the
same gauge number in both the American
wire gauge and U.S. steel wire gauge sys-
tems.
bistable 1. A device that changes state when
a preselected signal value is reached. [ISA-
RP67.04.02-2000] 2. The capability of assum-
ing either of two stable states, hence of stor-
ing one bit of information.
bistable uncertainty (BU) That portion of the
channel uncertainty that is due to uncor-
rected possible errors associated only with
the bistable. [ANSI/ISA-TR67.04.08-1996]
bit 1. An abbreviation of "binary digit." 2. A
measure of failure rate that corresponds to
10"8 failures per hour. 3. A single character in a
binary number. 4. A single pulse in a group of
pulses. 5. A unit of information capacity for a
storage device. The capacity in bits is the loga-
rithm to the base two of the number of possi-
ble states of the device. Related to storage
capacity. 6. The smallest unit of information
that can be recognized by a computer.
bitbus Process control and data acquisition
communication by Intel using the seven-
layer OSI model, EIA-485 comms, plus SDLC
protocol, plus 8044 chip; twisted-pair, multi-
point, up to 28 stations per segment, up to
500 round-trip messages per second.
bit density A measure of the number of bits
recorded per unit of length or area.
bit depth In digital graphics, the number of
bits used to represent the color of each pixel
in an image: a bit depth of 2 = black and
white pixels, 4 = 16 colors or grays, 8 = 256
colors or grays, 16 = 65,536 colors, 24 = 16.7
million colors, and so on.
bit duration The time it takes for one
encoded bit to pass a point on the transmis-
sion medium. A relative unit of time mea-
surement used to compare delay times, such
as propagation delay or access latency, where
the data rate of a (typically high-speed)
transmission channel may vary.

bit error rate (BER) The ratio of bits received
in error to bits sent.
bit error rate/block error rate testing (BERT/
BLERT). An error-checking technique that
compares a received data pattern with a
known transmitted data pattern to determine
transmission line quality.
bit error rate tester A system that measures
the fraction of bits transmitted incorrectly by
a digital communication system.
bit fail map A diagnostic report from a mem-
ory device test that contains actual failure
modes and failure locations through a series
of characteristic patterns.
bit map 1. A table that describes the state of
each member of a related set. A bit map is
most often used to describe the allocation of
storage space; each bit in the table indicates
whether a particular block in the storage
medium is occupied or free. 2. In computer
imaging, the electronic representation of a
page or a chosen area of a page or illustra-
tion, indicating the position of every possible
spot (zero or one). A bit map is pixel-based
(typically providing higher resolution on a
video screen) rather than object-oriented
(typically providing higher resolution on a
printer).
bit pattern A combination of n binary digits
to represent 2 to the n possible choices. For
example, a three-bit pattern represents eight
possible combinations.
bit rate 1. The speed at which bits are trans-
mitted, usually expressed in bits per second.
(Compare with baud). 2. The rate at which
binary digits, or the pulses representing
them, pass a given point on a communica-
tions line or channel (clarified at baud).
bits per second In a serial transmission, the
instantaneous bit speed within one character,
as transmitted by a machine or a channel. See
baud.
bit stream A binary signal without regard to
grouping by character.
bit string A string of binary digits in which
each bit position is considered an indepen-
dent unit.
bit synchronizer A hardware device that
establishes a series of clock pulses in syn-
chronism with an incoming bit stream and
identifies each bit.
blackbody 1. A physical object that absorbs
incident radiation, regardless of the spectral
character or directional preference of that
radiation. A perfect blackbody is most
closely approximated by a hollow sphere
with a small hole in its wall—the plane of the
hole being the blackbody. A perfect black-
51
bit error rate (BER) / bleeding
body is used as an ideal reference concept in
the study of radiant energy. 2. Denotes a per-
fectly absorbing object, that is, one for whom
none of the incident energy is reflected. It
radiates (perfectly) at a rate expressed by the
Stefan-Boltzmann Law; the spectral distribu-
tion of radiation is expressed by Planck's
radiation formula. When a blackbody is in
thermal equilibrium, it absorbs and radiates
at the same rate.
blackbody temperature The true tempera-
ture of a blackbody source. When used to cal-
ibrate a radiation pyrometer, the radiation
pyrometer will measure the brightness tem-
perature of sources other than the blackbody.
To obtain the true temperature of nonblack-
bodies using a radiation pyrometer, multiply
the brightness temperature by the emissivity
of the observed source.
black box A generic term used to describe an
unspecified device that performs a special
function or in which known inputs produce
known outputs in a fixed relationship.
black-box testing See functional testing.
black-bulb thermometer A thermometer
whose sensitive element is covered with
lampblack to make it approximate a black
body.
blade-type consistency sensor A pneumatic
device for determining changes in consis-
tency of a flowing non-Newtonian substance
such as a slurry. It senses the force required
for a shaped blade to shear through the flow-
ing stock, and transmits a pneumatic output
signal proportional to changes in consis-
tency. Its normal operating range is 1.75 to
6.0 percent suspended solids, with a sensitiv-
ity of -0.02 percent in many applications.
blank In computer programming, the charac-
ter used to represent a space.
blank alarm point See alarm point.
blanking Inserting a solid disk at a pipe joint
or union to close off flow during mainte-
nance, repair, or testing.
blasting 1. Detonating an explosive. 2. Using
abrasive grit, sand, or shot carried in a strong
stream of air or other medium to remove soil
or scale from a surface.
bleeding 1. Allowing a fluid to drain or
escape to the atmosphere through a small
valve or cock. Bleeding is used to provide
controlled slow reduction of slight overpres-
sure, to withdraw a sample for analysis, to
drain condensation from compressed air
lines, or to reduce the airspace above the liq-
uid level in a pressurized tank. 2. Withdraw-
ing steam from an intermediate stage of a
turbine to heat a process fluid or boiler feed-

blend / blocked impedance
water. 3. Natural separation of liquid from a
semisolid mixture—such as oil from a lubri-
cating grease or water from freshly poured
concrete.
blend 1. To mix ingredients so they are indis-
tinguishable from each other in the mixture.
2. To produce a smooth transition between
two intersecting surfaces, such as at the
edges of a radiused fillet between a shaft and
an integral flange or collar.
blind hole A hole in a piece of material that
does not completely penetrate to the back
surface.
blind nipple A short piece of pipe or tubing,
one end of which is closed and sealed.
blind pressure transmitter A pressure trans-
mitter that does not have an integral readout
device.
blinking A periodic change of the hue, satu-
ration, or intensity of a video display unit
pixel, character, or graphic symbol. [ISA-5.5-
1985]
blip Any erratic signal on a computer screen.
blister 1. A small area on the surface of metal
or plastic where gas trapped between layers
has forced up a bubble of material from the
material underneath. 2. An enclosed macro-
scopic cavity in a glaze or other fired ceramic
coating. 3. A raised area where a paint, elec-
troplate, or other coating has become
detached from the substrate because gas or
moisture has accumulated at the coating-
substrate interface.
BLOB Binary large object; in object-oriented
programming, a BLOB can contain all kinds
of data, such as images, sounds, graphics,
programming codes, animations, and the
like.
block 1. A set of things, such as words, charac-
ters, or digits, handled as a unit. 2. A collec-
tion of contiguous records that are recorded as
a unit. The blocks are separated by interblock
gaps, and each block may contain one or more
records. 3. In data communication, a group of
contiguous characters formed for transmis-
sion purposes. The groups are separated by
interblock characters. 4. A group of physically
adjacent words or bytes of a specified size that
are particular to a device. With respect to I/O,
the smallest system-addressable segment on a
mass-storage device. 5. A logical processing
unit of software that comprises an individual,
named copy of the block and associated
parameters specified by a block type, which
persists from one invocation of the block to
the next. Note: The values of the data in a
block's data structure typically change each
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time the block is invoked. [ISA-TR50.02, Part
9-2000]
block, data A set of associated characters or
words treated as a unit.
block-and-tackle A hoisting gear consisting
of a rope or cable and one or more indepen-
dently rotating frictionless pulleys. Also
known as "block and fall."
block check character A character, usually
transmitted at the end of a block, that is the
result of a verification transmission algo-
rithm accumulated over all the characters in
a block (e.g., CRC, LRC).
block diagram 1. A graphical representation
of the hardware in a computer system. The
primary purpose of a block diagram is to
indicate the paths along which information
or control flows between the various parts of
a computer system. It should not be con-
fused with the term flowchart. 2. A coarser
and less symbolic representation than a flow-
chart. 3. A graphical representation of a com-
puter program. 4. A simple pictorial repre-
sentation of a control system. Block diagrams
have two basic symbols, the circle and the
function block. The arrows entering and
leaving the circle represent the flow of infor-
mation, and the head of each arrow has an
algebraic sign associated with it, either plus
or minus. Block diagrams graphically repre-
sent the hardware in a system.
block sequence A welding sequence in
which separated lengths of a continuous
multiple-pass weld are built up to full cross
section before gaps between the segments
are filled in. Compare with cascade sequence.
block size The number of voltage measure-
ments in a time block of data sampled by a
fast Fourier transform (FFT) spectrum ana-
lyzer. This number is usually 512 for a 200-
line frequency display, 1,024 for a 400-line
frequency display, and so on.
block switching A two-level multiplexing
technique used in data transmission,
whereby one level selects the input channel
to be transmitted, and the second level
selects the group of first-level input channels
to be addressed. The chief advantage of
block switching is that it reduces leakage
currents from "off" channels that interfere
with the data signals being transmitted. Also
known as submultiplexing.
blocked impedance Of an electromechanical
transducer; the electrical impedance at the
input terminals when the mechanical system
is "blocked," or prevented from moving.