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analog hardware description language / Anderson bridge
analog hardware description language
(AHDL) A modeling language that is capa-
ble of representing both the structural and
behavioral properties of analog circuits.
Structural refers to the connectivity or net-list
properties of a circuit; behavioral refers to the
mathematical equations for individual com-
ponents.
analog input 1. A continuously variable
input. 2. A termination panel used to connect
field wiring from the input device. See input,
analog.
analog input module An I/O module that
converts a process voltage or current signal
into a multiple-bit form for use in the PC.
The signal is the analog of some process vari-
able.
analog input point An alarm point for use
with an analog-monitored variable signal,
usually current or voltage. The logic circuit
initiates an alarm when the analog signal is
above or below a set point. [ANSI/ISA-18.1-
1979 (R1992)]
analog output 1. Transducer output that is a
continuous function of the measurand,
except as modified by the resolution of the
transducer. [ISA-37.1-1975 (R1982)] 2. A con-
tinuously variable output (generally 4-20 ma
or 3-15 psi). See also output, analog.
analog output module An I/O module that
converts a multiple-bit number calculated in
the PC into a voltage or current output signal
for use in control.
analog sampling The process by which the
computer selects individual analog input sig-
nals from the process, converts them into an
equivalent binary form, and stores the data
in memory.
analog signal An analog signal is a continu-
ously variable representation of a physical
quantity, property, or condition such as pres-
sure, flow, temperature, and so on. The sig-
nal may be transmitted as pneumatic, mech-
anical, or electrical energy. See signal, ana-
log.
analog simulation The solution of a set of
simultaneous equations that are similar in
form to the set of equations that describe the
dynamic behavior of the subject system.
analog-to-digital (A/D) 1. A device, or sub-
system, such as a microprocessor that
changes real-world analog data (as from
transducers) in to a form that is compatible
with binary (digital) processing. 2. The con-
version of analog data into digital data. See
analog-to-digital converter.
analog-to-digital converter (ADC) Any unit
or device that is used to convert analog infor-
22
mation into approximate corresponding digi-
tal information. See converter, analog to digital.
analysis The quantitative and/or qualitative
determination of the constituent parts of
some entity, object, or problem.
analysis, ultimate The chemical analysis of
solid, liquid, or gaseous fuels. In the case of
coal or coke, the determination of the constit-
uent carbon, hydrogen, sulfur, nitrogen, oxy-
gen, and ash.
analysis of variance A method for partition-
ing the total variance in experimental data
into components that can be assigned to spe-
cific sources.
analytical balance Any weighing device that
has a sensitivity of at least 0.1 mg.
analytical curve A graphical representation
of some function of relative intensity in spec-
troscopic analysis plotted against some func-
tion of concentration.
analytical gap The separation between the
source electrodes in a spectrograph.
analytical limit The limit of a measured or
calculated variable established by the safety
analysis to ensure that a safety limit is not
exceeded. [ANSI/ISA-67.04.01-2000]
analytical line The spectral line of an element
that is used to determine its concentration in
spectroscopic analysis.
analytical scale In spectroscopic analysis, the
scale that results when an analytical curve is
projected onto the intensity axis. It is often
used in lieu of an analytical curve to permit
direct reading of spectral intensity as element
concentration.
analyzer 1. Unattended instrumentation that
continuously monitors a process stream.
2. Any of several types of test instruments,
ordinarily one that can measure several dif-
ferent variables either simultaneously or
sequentially. 3. In an absorption refrigeration
system, the component that allows the mix-
ture of water and ammonia vapors leaving
the generator to come into contact with the
relatively cool ammonia solution entering
the generator. In this component, the mixture
loses some of its vapor content.
AND 1. Logic output D exists if and only if
all logic inputs A, B, and C exist. [ANSI/ISA-
5.2-1976 (R1992)] 2. A logic operator that has
the property that if P is an expression, Q is an
expression, R is an expression ..., then the
AND of P, Q, R ... is true if all expressions are
true, false if any expression is false.
Anderson bridge A type of AC bridge that is
especially suited to measuring the character-
istics of extremely low Q coils.
 ANDF / angular momentum flowmeter

ANDF Architecture-Neutral Distributed For-
mat; an O S F / 1 term.
A N D gate A basic electronic circuit used in
microprocessor systems. A logical 1 value on
output is produced only if all of the inputs
have logical 1 values.
anechoic chamber 1. A test room in which all
the surfaces are lined with a sound-absorb-
ing material. Also known as a dead room. 2. A
room that is lined with a material that
absorbs radio waves of a particular fre-
quency or band of frequencies. It is used
chiefly for tests at microwave frequencies,
such as a radar-beam cross section.
anemobiagraph A recording pressure-tube
anemometer, such as a Dines anemometer, in
which springs are used to make the output
from the float manometer linear with wind
speed.
anemoclinometer An instrument for deter-
mining the inclination of the wind to a hori-
zontal plane.
anemometer A device for measuring wind
speed. If it produces a recorded output, it is
known as an "anemograph."
anemoscope A device for indicating wind
direction.
aneroid Not containing or using liquid, as of
a device or system.
angle beam In ultrasonic testing, a longitudi-
nal wave from an ultrasonic search unit that
enters the test surface at an acute angle.
angle modulation A type of modulation in
which carrier-wave angle is varied in accor-
dance with some characteristic of a modulat-
ing wave. Angle modulation can take the
form of either phase modulation or fre-
quency modulation.
angle of elevation The angle between a hori-
zontal plane and the observer's line of sight
to an object that lies above the plane of the
observer.
angle of extinction The phase angle of the
stopping instant of anode current flow in a
gas tube with respect to the starting instant
of the corresponding half cycle of anode volt-
age.
angle of ignition The phase angle of the
starting instant of anode current flow in a gas
tube with respect to the starting instant of
anode current flow in a gas tube with respect
to the starting instant of the corresponding
positive half cycle of anode voltage.
angle of incidence The angle between the
direction of propagation of a ray of incident
radiation and a normal to the surface it
strikes. For a reflected wave, the angle of
reflection and the angle of incidence are
equal.
angle of repose A characteristic of bulk sol-
ids that is equal to the m a x i m u m angle with
the horizontal at which an object on an
inclined plane will retain its position without
tending to slide. The tangent of the angle of
repose equals the coefficient of static friction.
angle valve A valve design in which one port
is collinear with the valve stem or actuator,
and the other port is at a right angle to the
valve stem. [ANSI/ISA-75.05.01-2000]
angstrom (A) A unit of length defined as
1/6438.4696 of the wavelength of the red line
in the Cd spectrum. It equals almost exactly
10 -10 meters. Angstrom was once used almost
exclusively to express the wavelengths of
light and x-rays, b u t it has now been largely
replaced by the SI unit nanometer, or 10-9
meters.
angular accelerometer A device for measur-
ing the rate of change of the angular velocity
between two objects.
angular frequency A frequency expressed in
radians per second. It equals two times the
frequency in Hz.
angular misalignment In fiber-optic cables, the
loss of optical power that is caused by a devi-
ation from the o p t i m u m alignment of the
fiber to the fiber at the coupling.
angular momentum The product of a body's
m o m e n t of inertia and its angular velocity.
angular momentum flowmeter A device for
determining mass flow rate. An impeller
turning at constant speed imparts angular
m o m e n t u m to a stream of fluid passing

23
angular velocity / antialias filter
through the meter. A restrained turbine
located just downstream of the impeller
removes the angular momentum, and the
reaction torque is taken as the meter output.
Under proper calibration conditions, the
reaction torque is directly proportional to
mass flow rate. Also called an "axial flowme-
ter."
angular velocity The rate of motion along a
circular path, measured in terms of angle tra-
versed per unit time.
animation The process of making an object
move across a video screen by rapidly dis-
playing a series of static pictures of it (icons),
each in a slightly different position.
anisotropic Exhibiting different values of a
property when characteristics of that prop-
erty are measured along different directions
or axes.
anisotropy Exhibiting different properties or
other characteristics—strength or coefficient
of thermal expansion, for instance—in differ-
ent directions with respect to a given refer-
ence, such as a specific lattice direction in a
crystalline substance.
annotate To add explanatory text to com-
puter programming or any other instruc-
tions.
annotation A comment, note, or descriptive
remark added to a printout, screen view, or
even in memory itself.
annular nozzle A nozzle whose inlet opening
is ring shaped rather than an open circle.
annulus 1. Any ring-shaped cavity or open-
ing. 2. A plate that protects or covers a
machine.
annunciator 1. A device or group of devices
that call attention to changes in process con-
ditions. An annunciator usually calls atten-
tion to abnormal process conditions, but may
be used also to show normal process status.
Usually included in this category are
sequence logic circuits, labeled visual dis-
plays, audible devices, and manually oper-
ated push buttons. [ANSI/ISA-18.1-1979
(R1992)] 2. An electromagnetic, electronic, or
pneumatic signaling device that either dis-
plays or removes a signal light, metal flag, or
similar indicator or sounds an alarm, or both,
when it detects the occurrence of a specific
event. In most cases, the display or alarm is
single-acting and after being tripped must be
reset before it can indicate another occur-
rence of the event.
anode 1. The metal plate or surface that acts
as an electron donor in an electrochemical
circuit. Metal ions go into solution in an elec-
trolyte at the anode during electroplating or
24
electrochemical corrosion. 2. The negative
electrode in a storage battery, or the positive
electrode in an electrochemical cell. 3. The
positive electrode in an X-ray tube or vac-
uum tube, where electrons leave the inter-
electrode space.
anode circuit A circuit that includes the
anode-cathode path of an electron tube con-
nected in series with other circuit elements.
anode supply voltage The voltage across the
terminals of an electric power source con-
nected in series in the anode circuit.
anodic coating An oxide film that is pro-
duced on a metal by treating it in an electro-
lytic cell with the metal as the cell anode.
anodic protection Reducing the corrosion
rate of a metal that exhibits active-passive
behavior by imposing an external electrical
potential on a part.
anodize To form a protective passive film
(conversion coating) on a metal part, such as
a film of A12O3 on aluminum. This is done by
making the part an anode in an electrolytic
cell and by passing a controlled electric cur-
rent through the cell.
anodizing A method of producing film on a
metal surface that is particularly well suited
for aluminum.
anomalous dispersion Inversion of the
derivative of the refractive index with
respect to wavelength in the vicinity of an
absorption band.
ANSI American National Standards Insti-
tute; nonprofit, independent organization
supported by trade organizations, industry,
and professional societies for standards
development and coordination in the United
States. They represent the United States to
the ISO; they defined ASCII.
ANSI screen control An ANSI standard that
specifies a specific set of character sequences
that instruct the computer to perform certain
actions on the computer screen.
ANSI X3J3 Name given to the ANSI PL/I
Language Standardization Committee.
antenna A device for sending or receiving
radio waves. The term does not refer to the
means for connecting the device to a trans-
mitter or receiver. See also dipole antenna and
horn antenna.
antenna array A single mounting that con-
tains two or more individual antennas cou-
pled together to give specific directional
characteristics.
antialias filter A low-pass filter that is
designed to block frequencies greater than
one-half the measuring rate.

antialiasing In digital graphics, a technique
for reducing the jagged appearance of
aliased bitmapped images, usually by insert-
ing pixels that blend boundaries, especially
color boundaries.
anti-cavitation trim A trim style for control
valves that by its geometry reduces or elimi-
nates the tendency of the controlled liquid to
cavitate. [ANSI/ISA-75.05.01-2000] It is a
combination of plug and seat ring or plug
and cage that by its geometry permits opera-
tion without cavitation or reduces the ten-
dency to cavitate. This minimizes damage to
the valve parts and to the downstream pip-
ing. [ANSI/ISA-75.05.01-2000]
anticipatory action See rate action.
anticipatory control Changing a control sig-
nal to one of the inputs to a process in
response to a change in another input of the
same process. Such control does not have
self-correcting action as does closed loop
(feedback) control. Anticipatory control is
also called feedforward control or open-loop con-
trol.
anticoincidence circuit A circuit with two
inputs and one output that produces an out-
put pulse only if either input terminal
receives a pulse within a specified time inter-
val. It does not produce a pulse if both input
terminals receive a pulse within that interval.
anticorrosive Containing, as of paint or
grease, a chemical that counteracts corrosion
or produces a corrosion-resistant film by
reacting with the underlying surface.
antifriction Used to describe a device, such
as a bearing or other mechanism, that
employs rolling contact with another part
rather than sliding contact.
antihunt circuit A circuit designed to prevent
oscillation in a feedback process control loop,
thereby stabilizing it.
antimagnetic Made of nonmagnetic materi-
als or employing magnetic shielding that
blocks the influence of magnetic fields dur-
ing operation, as of a device.
antinodes The points, lines, or surfaces in a
medium that contains a standing wave
where some characteristic of the wave field is
at maximum amplitude. Also known as
loops.
anti-noise trim A trim style for control valves
that by its geometry reduces the noise gener-
ated by fluid flowing through the valve.
[ANSI/ISA-75.05.01-2000]
antireflective coating A coating designed to
suppress reflections from an optical surface.
anti-reset windup A device, circuit, or soft-
ware that prevents the saturation of the inte-
25
antialiasing / aperiodic
gral mode of a controller, which occurs when
control cannot be achieved. It helps to pre-
vent the controlled variable from overshoot-
ing its set point when the obstacle to control
is removed.
antiresonance A condition that exists
between an externally excited system and the
external sinusoidal excitation, such that any
small increase or decrease in the frequency of
the excitation signal causes the peak-to-peak
amplitude of a specified response to increase.
antiresonant Having very high (approach-
ing infinity) impedance, as of an electric,
acoustic, or other dynamic system.
antiresonant frequency A frequency at
which antiresonance exists between a system
and its external sinusoidal excitation.
antiskid Used to describe a material, surface,
or coating that has been roughened or that
contains abrasive particles in order to
increase the coefficient of friction and pre-
vent sliding or slipping. Also known as
"antislip."
antisurge control Control that avoids the
unstable operating mode of compressors
known as "surge." See surge.
anvil 1. The part of a machine that absorbs
the energy of a sharp blow. 2. A heavy block
made of wrought iron, cast iron, or steel and
used to support metal being forged in a
smith. 3. The base of a forging press or drop
hammer that supports the die bed and lower
die. 4. The stationary contact of a micrometer
caliper or similar gauging device.
AOE Application operating environment;
design for UNIX by AT&T.
AOX Adsorbable organic halides, a consider-
ation in EPA (United States) regulations.
AP Application process. [ISA-TR50.02, Part 9-
2000] Also application platform; part of soft-
ware systems management services that pro-
vide the environment for management
application development, debugging, and
execution.
APC Advanced process control; process con-
trol strategies beyond straightforward PID
loop control, which are usually defined as
"classical" advanced control; APC involves a
combination of PID loops, dead time com-
pensators, lead/lag feedforward function
blocks, and single-variable constraint
controllers.
APD Avalanche photodiode; diode that
exhibits internal amplification of photocur-
rent through avalanche multiplication of car-
riers in the junction region. See avalanche.
aperiodic Varying in a way that is not period-
ically repeated.
aperiodically damped / application layer
aperiodically damped Reaching a constant
value or steady state of change without intro-
ducing oscillation.
aperture A hole in a surface through which
light is transmitted. Apertures are sometimes
called spatial filters, a more descriptive term
when the aperture is placed in the Fourier
(focal) plane.
aperture time The time required in a sam-
ple-and-hold circuit for the switch to open
after the "hold" command has been given.
API Application programming interface; a
set of formalized software calls and routines
that can be referenced by some application
program so as to access underlying network
services. Programs that use API-compliant
calls can communicate with any others that
use that same API; the interface between
applications software and the application
platform. Also known as American Petro-
leum Institute.
APL "A Programming Language;" a com-
puter language developed by Kenneth Iver-
son and used mainly in scientific
applications; known for its scope compact-
ness, and facility with arrays, it has a highly
specialized character set that can be mapped
to keyboard.
APL "A Programming Language;" A power-
ful systems programming language devel-
oped by the International Business Machines
Corporation.
APM Advanced Power Management; a stan-
dard for saving power by automatically turn-
ing off computer hardware when it is not in
use.
APP Application Portability Profile; devel-
oped by NIST, includes X Windows, POSIX,
SQL, Information Resource Dictionary Sys-
tem (see IRDS) for database systems, Open
Systems Interconnections (see OSI), NFS (see
NFS), COBOL, C, and Ada.
apparatus and systems of category "ia"
Electrical apparatus and systems that contain
intrinsically safe circuits that are incapable of
causing ignition. This category has the fol-
lowing safety factor: the circuits remain safe
when up to two countable faults are applied
and, in addition, those non-countable faults
give the most onerous condition. [ISA-
12.02.01-1999 (IEC 60079-11 Mod)]
apparatus and systems of category "ib"
Electrical apparatus and systems that contain
intrinsically safe circuits that are incapable of
causing ignition. This category has the fol-
lowing safety factor: the circuits remain safe
when up to one countable fault is applied
and, in addition, those non-countable faults
26
give the most onerous condition. [ISA-
12.02.01-1999 (IEC 60079-11 Mod)]
apparent density The density of loose or
compacted particulate matter as determined
by dividing actual weight by volume occu-
pied. The apparent density of the matter is
always less than the true density of the mate-
rial that comprises the particulate matter
because the volume occupied includes the
space devoted to pores or cavities between
particles.
apparent flow The uncorrected volume flow
as indicated by the calibrator. [ISA-RP31.1-
1977]
apparent viscosity The resistance to continu-
ous deformation (viscosity) in a non-Newto-
nian fluid that is subjected to shear stress.
APPC Advanced peer-to-peer communica-
tions; network architecture definition by IBM
that is specified as featuring high-level pro-
gram interaction capabilities on a peer-to-
peer basis.
appearance potential The minimum elec-
tron-beam energy required to produce ions
of a particular type in the ion source of a
mass spectrometer.
applet A small application program fre-
quently received by Internet users as part of
a web page they are viewing.
applicable uncertainty (AU) That portion of
the channel uncertainty that is applicable to a
calculation of the minimum separation
between set points. [ANSI/ISA-TR67.04.08-
1996]
application 1. The system or problem to
which a computer is applied. Computation,
data processing, and control are often
described as the three categories of applica-
tion. 2. A program that provides functional-
ity to end users. 3. A software functional unit
that consists of an interconnected aggrega-
tion of function blocks, events, and objects,
which may be distributed, may have inter-
faces with other applications, and may con-
tain other applications. [ISA-TR50.02, Part 9-
2000]
application enabler A software product that
allows a software application to be devel-
oped rapidly by using productivity tools and
standard components and by reusing previ-
ously developed software.
application layer A logical entity of the OSI
digital communication model. It is the top-
most of seven layers and the one that inter-
faces with the network user. The application
layer performs network services like file
transfer and e-mail.
 application-oriented language / area
application-oriented language A problem-
oriented programming technique that
employs statements that resemble the termi-
nology of the user rather than of the pro-
grammer.
application program A program that per-
forms a task specific to a particular
end-user's needs. Generally, an application
program is any program written on a pro-
gram development operating system that is
not part of a basic operating system.
application program interface (API) A set of
formalized software calls and routines that
can be referenced by an application program
to access underlying network services. Pro-
grams that use API-compliant calls can com-
municate with any others that use that same
API. APIs are the interface between applica-
tions software and the application platform.
application software Software that is specific
to the user application in that it is the Safety
Instrumented System functional description
programmed into the PES (programmable
electronic system) to meet the overall Safety
Requirement Specifications. In general,
application software contains logic sequen-
ces, permissives, limits, expressions, and so
on, that control the appropriate input, out-
put, calculations, and decisions necessary to
meet the safety functional requirements.
[ANSI/ISA-84.01-1996] 2. Programs that are
unique to a specific process control system
installation or other specific installations
rather than of a general purpose and a broad
applicability.
application-specific software A computer
program that is adapted or tailored to spe-
cific user requirements for the purpose of
collecting, manipulating, or archiving data or
for process control.
applied load 1. The weight carried or force
sustained by a structural member in service.
In most cases, the load includes the weight of
the member itself. 2. Material carried by the
load-receiving member of a weighing scale,
not including any load necessary to bring the
scale into initial balance.
applied shock Any rapidly applied load or
other form of excitation that produces shock
motion within a system.
approach idler The last idler passed before the
material on a belt reaches the weighbridge.
[ISA-RP74.01-1984]
approved Acceptable to the authority that
has jurisdiction. The term is considered syn-
onymous with listed and certified. [ANSI/
ISA-RP12.6-1995]
27
apron The part of the control center that
encloses the area below the console mount-
ing panel.
APT Automatically programmed tools; com-
puter-aided part programming system for
numerically controlled machine tools devel-
oped for multiaxis milling machines and for
point-to-point and turning work.
aramid A liquid crystal polymer with excep-
tional tensile strength and a coefficient of
expansion near that of glass. Widely used in
fiber-optic cables.
arbitration A form of coordination control that
determines how a resource should be allo-
cated when there are more requests for the
resource than can be accommodated at one
time. [ANSI/ISA-88.01-1995]
arc 1. A segment of the circumference of a cir-
cle. 2. The graduated scale on an instrument
for measuring angles. 3. A discharge of elec-
tricity across a gap between electrical con-
ductors.
arc lamp A high-intensity lamp in which a
direct-current electric discharge produces
light that is continuous, as opposed to a
flashlamp, which produces pulsed light.
arc line A spectral line in spectroscopy.
architecture 1. The structure, functional, and
performance characteristics of a system,
specified in a way that is independent of the
system's implementation. 2. The arrange-
ment and interconnection of the hardware
components or modules that comprise the
Safety Instrumented System. [ANSI/ISA-
84.01-1996]
archival (archive) Long-term storage of data,
usually onto some auxiliary storage medium,
such as a separate disk or tape.
archival file In data processing, a store of sel-
dom used data that must be retained for sev-
eral years.
arcing device An electrical make/break com-
ponent that is generally interpreted as being
capable of producing an arc with enough
energy to ignite a specific ignitable mixture.
[ISA-12.01.01-1999]
ARCnet "Attached Resource Computer net-
work." A token-passing network developed
by Datapoint in 1977 that uses an active hub
star at 2.5 Mbs, specifies only the bottom few
layers of the ISO model, and combines a
token-passing scheme with star, bus, or tree
topologies rather than ring topology (such as
token ring).
area 1. A component of a batch manufactur-
ing site that is identified by physical, geo-
graphical, or logical segmentation within the
site. Note: An area may contain process cells,
area, air-conditioned / argentometer
units, equipment modules, and control mod-
ules. [ANSI/ISA-88.01-1995] 2. A physical,
geographical, or logical grouping deter-
mined by the site. An area may contain pro-
cess cells, production units, and production
lines. [ISA-95.00.01-2000]
area, air-conditioned A location that has a
temperature at a nominal value that is main-
tained constant within a narrow tolerance at
some point in a specified band of typical
comfortable room temperatures. Humidity is
maintained within a narrow specified band.
Note: Air-conditioned areas also feature
clean air circulation and are typically used
for instrumentation, such as computers or
other equipment, that requires a closely con-
trolled environment. [ANSI/ISA-51.1-1979]
area, control room A location with heating
and/or cooling facilities and whose condi-
tions are maintained within specified limits.
Such rooms may or may not provide features
for automatically maintaining constant tem-
perature and humidity. Note: Control room
areas are commonly provided for the opera-
tion of those parts of a control system that
require ongoing operator surveillance.
[ANSI/ISA-51.1-1979]
area, environmental A basic qualified loca-
tion in a plant that has specified environmen-
tal conditions dependent on severity. Note:
Environmental areas include air-conditioned
areas; control room areas, heated and/or
cooled; sheltered areas (process facilities);
and outdoor areas (remote field sites).
[ANSI/ISA-51.1-1979]
area, outdoor A location in which equipment
is exposed to outdoor ambient conditions,
including temperature, humidity, direct sun-
shine, wind, and precipitation. [ANSI/ISA-
51.1-1979]
area, sheltered An industrial process loca-
tion, area, storage, or transportation facility
that provides protection against direct expo-
sure to the elements, such as direct sunlight,
rain or other precipitation, or full wind pres-
sure. The minimum and maximum tempera-
tures and humidity in such areas may be the
same as outdoors. Condensation can occur,
and ventilation, if any, is provided by natural
means. [ANSI/ISA-51.1-1979]
area classification The classification of haz-
ardous (classified) locations by Class I, II ,or
III depending upon the presence of flamma-
ble gases or vapors, flammable liquids, com-
bustible dust, or ignitable fibers or flyings.
The classification can also be by Division 1 or
2 depending upon whether these materials
28
exist in an ignitable concentration under nor-
mal or abnormal conditions.
area classification (class) 1. Class I locations
are those in which flammable gases or
vapors are or may be present in the air in
quantities sufficient to produce explosive or
ignitable mixtures. 2. Class II locations are
those that are hazardous because of the pres-
ence of combustible dust. 3. Class III loca-
tions are those that are hazardous because of
the presence of easily ignitable fibers or fly-
ings, but where such fibers or flyings are not
likely to be suspended in the air in quantities
sufficient to produce ignitable mixtures.
area classification (division) 1. Division 1
(hazardous) locations are those where con-
centrations of flammable gases or vapors
exist (a) continuously or periodically during
normal operations, (b) frequently during
repair or maintenance or because of leakage,
or (c) due to equipment breakdown or faulty
operation, which could cause the simulta-
neous failure of electrical equipment. 2. Divi-
sion 2 (normally nonhazardous) locations are
those in which the atmosphere is normally
nonhazardous and may become hazardous
only if the ventilating system fails, pipe lines
are opened, or other unusual situations
occur.
area classification (group) Identified groups
of chemicals and compounds whose air mix-
tures have similar ignition and explosive
characteristics for the purpose of testing,
approval, and area classification. Group A:
atmospheres containing acetylene. Group B:
atmospheres containing butadiene, ethylene
oxide, propylene oxide, acrolein, or hydro-
gen (or gases or vapors equivalent in hazard
to hydrogen). Group C: atmospheres such as
cyclopropene, ethyl ether, ethylene, or gases
or vapors of equivalent hazard. Group D:
atmospheres such as acetone, alcohol,
ammonia, benzene, benzol, butane, gasoline,
hexane, lacquer solvent vapors, naphtha,
natural gas, propane, or gases or vapors of
equivalent hazard. Group E: atmospheres
that contain metal dusts. Group G: atmo-
spheres that contain combustible dusts that
have a resistivity of <105 ohm-cm2.
area meter A device for measuring the flow
of fluid through a passage of fixed cross-sec-
tional area, usually by using a weighted pis-
ton or float that is supported by the flowing
fluid.
argentometer 1. A hydrometer is used to find
the concentration of a silver salt in water
solution.
 argument / artificial intelligence (AI)
argument 1. In a mathematical function, the
variable that, when a certain value is substi-
tuted for it, determines the value of the func-
tion. If y =f(x), then x, the independent
variable, is the argument of the function. 2.
An operand in an operation on one or more
variables. See also parameter.
arithmetic ability The capability of perform-
ing (at least) addition and subtraction on the
personal computer.
arithmetic check See mathematical check.
arithmetic element The portion of a mechan-
ical calculator or electronic computer that
performs arithmetic operations.
arithmetic expression An expression that
contains any combination of data names,
numeric literals, and named constants that is
joined by one or more arithmetic operators in
such a way that the expression as a whole
can be reduced to a single numeric value.
arithmetic logic unit (ALU) A component of
the central processing unit of a computer in
which data items are compared, arithmetic
operations performed, and logical operations
executed.
arithmetic operation A computer operation
in which the ordinary elementary arithmetic
operations are performed on numerical
quantities. Contrast with logical operation.
arithmetic operator Any of the operators +
and - or the infix operators +, -, *, /, and **.
arithmetic unit The unit of a computing sys-
tem that contains the circuits that perform
arithmetic operations.
arm To make it possible for a hardware inter-
rupt to be recognized and remembered. Con-
trast with disarm. See enable.
armature 1. The core and windings of the
rotor in an electric motor or generator. 2. The
portion of the moving element of an instru-
ment that is acted upon by magnetic flux to
produce torque.
armored meter tube A variable-area meter
tube (rotometer) of all-metal construction
that utilizes a magnetic coupling between the
float and an external follower.
ARPA Advanced Research Projects Agency;
operates within United States Department of
Defense, which developed the first major
packet- switched digital computer network.
ARP Address Resolution Protocol; TCP/IP
process that maps Internet Protocol (IP)
addresses to Ethernet addresses; required by
TCP/IP for use with Ethernet.
ARPANet Advanced Research Projects Admin-
istration Network. A precursor to the Inter-
net, developed in the late 1960s and early
29
1970s by the United States Department of
Defense.
ARQ Automatic request for retransmission;
in digital communications, where a receiver
asks a transmitter to resend a block or frame,
generally because of errors detected by the
receiver.
array 1. An arrangement of elements in one
or more dimensions. See also matrix and vec-
tor. [Comp] 2. In a computer program, a
numbered, ordered collection of elements, all
of which have identical data attributes. 3. An
aggregate whose elements are of the same
data type and may be uniquely referenced by
subscripting. [ISA-TR50.02, Part 9-2000]
[Eng] 4. A group of detecting elements that
are usually arranged in a straight line (linear
array) or in two-dimensional matrix (imag-
ing array). 5. A series of data samples, all
from the same measurement point. Typically,
an array is assembled at the telemetry
ground station for frequency analysis.
array dimension The number of subscripts
needed to identify an element in the array.
array processing The capability of a com-
puter to operate at a variety of data locations
at the same time.
array processor A hardware device that pro-
cesses data arrays. Fast Fourier transforms
(FFT) and power-spectral density (PSD) are
typical processes.
arrester A device that impedes the flow of
large dust particles or sparks from a stack,
usually through screening at the top.
arrow keys Keys on a computer keyboard
that will move the cursor.
articulated arms (waveguides) A beam-
direction arrangement in which light passes
through a series of jointed pipes containing
optics.
articulated structure A structure that is either
stationary or movable, such as a motor vehi-
cle or train, that is permanently or semiper-
manently connected so that its different
sections can move relative to the others, usu-
ally by using pinned or sliding joints.
artifact 1. Any component of a signal that is
extraneous to the variable represented by the
signal. 2. In video development, the area
within an image or characteristic of an image
that is caused by system limitations, such as
weird shimmering, jaggies, or other undesir-
able distortion. Also, in digital graphics,
image imperfections caused by data com-
pression.
artificial intelligence (AI) That branch of com-
puting that studies capabilities that resemble
human thought processes, such as reasoning,
artificial language / aspiration
learning, vision, aural recognition, and even
self- improvement.
artificial language 1. A language specifically
designed for ease of communication in a par-
ticular area of endeavor, but one that is not yet
natural to that area. This is contrasted with a
natural language which has evolved through
long usage. 2. A programming language that
is based on a prescribed set of rules estab-
lished ahead of time, such as BASIC,
COBOL, Pascal, and the like.
artificial radioactivity Radioactivity that is
induced by bombarding a material with a
beam of energetic particles or with electro-
magnetic radiation.
artificial weathering Producing controlled
changes in materials, such as surface appear-
ance, under laboratory conditions that simu-
late outdoor exposure.
as built 1. A document revision that includes
all the modifications that were performed as
a result of actual fabrication or installation.
As-built documents may have various issues
that reflect various milestones such "as pur-
chased," "as manufactured," "as insured,"
and "as commissioned.". [ISA-RP60.4-1990]
2. During construction, changes that are
made in design and installation and marked
up on drawings as built.
ascender In typography, that part of a lower-
case letter that rises above the main body, as
in the characters b and d.
ASCII American Standard Code for Informa-
tion Interchange; a widely used code in which
alphanumerics, punctuation marks, and cer-
tain special machine characters are repre-
sented by unique, seven-bit binary numbers.
One hundred and twenty-eight different
binary combinations are possible (27 = 128),
thus 128 characters may be represented.
ASCII was defined in ANSI X3.4-1986 and is
normally used for asynchronous transmis-
sion.
ASCII file A text file that uses the ASCII
character set.
as-fabricated The condition of a structure or
material after assembly, without any condi-
tioning treatment such as a stress-relieving
heat treatment. Specific terms such as
"as-welded," "as-brazed," or "as-polished"
are used to designate the nature of the final
step in fabrication.
as-fired fuel Fuel in the condition it was as it
was fed to the fuel-burning equipment.
as found The condition in which a channel, or
portion of a channel, is found after a period
of operation and before recalibration (if
30
needed). [ANSI/ISA-67.04.01-2000; ISA-
RP67.04.02-2000]
ash The noncombustible inorganic matter in
the fuel.
ash content The incombustible residue that
remains after burning a combustible material
completely.
ash-free basis The method for reporting fuel
analysis whereby ash is deducted, and other
constituents are recalculated to total 100 per-
cent.
ASI Actuator sensor interface; European
"fieldbus" for binary sensors and actuators.
as left The condition in which a channel, or
portion of a channel, is left after calibration
or final setpoint device setpoint verification.
[ANSI/ISA-67.04.01-2000; ISA-RP67.04.02-
2000]
ASN.1 Abstract Syntax Notation One. An
ISO standard (DIS 8824) that specifies a
canonical method of data encoding. This
standard is an extension of CCITT standard
X.409.
ASN.1 Abstract Syntax Notation One; ISO IS
8824 and IS 8825 encoding and decoding
structures.
ASPC Algorithmic statistical process control;
closed loop version of normally open loop
SPC.
aspect ratio [Comp] 1. The ratio of a symbol's
height to its width. [ISA-5.5-1985] [Comm]
2. The ratio of frame width to height for a
television picture. It is 4:3 in the United
States, Canada and United Kingdom. [Eng]
3. In any rectangular structure, such as the
cross section of a duct or tubular beam, the
ratio of the longer dimension to the shorter.
4. A ratio of width to depth used to calculate
resistance to flow in a rectangular elbow.
aspheric Not spherical or flat, as of the sur-
face of optical elements. Lenses with
aspheric surfaces are sometimes called
"aspheres."
aspirating burner A burner in which the fuel
is in a gaseous or finely divided form and is
burned in suspension. The air for combus-
tion is supplied by bringing into contact with
the fuel air that has been drawn through one
or more openings by the lower static pres-
sure created by the velocity of the fuel
stream.
aspiration Using a vacuum to draw up gas or
granular material. This is often accomplished
by passing a stream of water across the end
of an open tube or through the run of a tee
joint, where the open tube or branch pipe
extends into a reservoir that contains the gas
or granular material.
 as-received fuel / astronomical theodolite
as-received fuel Fuel in the condition it is in
as it received at the plant.
assemble To prepare a machine-language
program from a symbolic language program
by substituting absolute code for symbolic
operation codes and absolute or relocatable
addresses for symbolic addresses.
assembler A program that translates sym-
bolic source code into machine instructions
by replacing symbolic operation codes with
binary operation codes and symbolic
addresses with absolute or relocatable
addresses.
assembly [Eng] 1. A unit constructed of
many parts or components and that func-
tions in service as a single device, mecha-
nism, or structure. [Comp] 2. A mid-level
computer language.
assembly language A computer program-
ming language, similar to a computer lan-
guage, in which the instructions usually have
a one-to-one correspondence with computer
instructions in machine language and that
utilizes mnemonics to represent instructions.
assembly list A printed list that is the
by-product of an assembly procedure. It lists
in logical instruction sequence all details of a
routine, showing the coded and symbolic
notation next to the actual notations estab-
lished by the assembly procedure. This list-
ing is highly useful when debugging a
routine.
assembly program See assembly system.
assembly system A system comprised of two
elements, a symbolic language and an
assembly program. The assembly program
translates the source programs written in the
symbolic language into machine language.
assign To designate a part of a system for a
specific purpose.
assignable Permitting the channeling (or
directing) of a signal from one device to
another without the need for switching,
patching, or changes in wiring. [ANSI/ISA-
5.1-1984 (R1992); ISA-5.3-1983]
assignment statement A program statement
that calculates the value of an expression and
assigns it a name (e.g., x = x + 5, y = 8).
associated apparatus An electrical apparatus
in which there are both intrinsically safe cir-
cuits and non-intrinsically safe circuits. The
latter can affect the safety of the former.
Note: An associated apparatus may be either
(a) an electrical apparatus that has an alter-
native type of protection for use in the appro-
priate explosive gas atmosphere or (b) an
electrical apparatus not so protected and that
should not therefore be used within an
31
explosive gas atmosphere. An example of the
latter is a recorder that is not itself in an
explosive gas atmosphere but is connected to
a thermocouple that is situated within an
explosive gas atmosphere where only the
recorder input circuit is intrinsically safe.
[ISA-12.02.01-1999 (IEC 60079-11 Mod)]
associated electrical apparatus An electrical
apparatus in which the circuits are not all
intrinsically safe but that contains circuits
that can affect the safety of intrinsically safe
circuits connected to it.
association [Sci] 1. The combining of ions into
larger ion clusters in concentrated solutions.
[Comp] 2. A program-to-program logical
relationship which may be dynamically
established and torn down; may be assumed,
may not be required. See connection.
associative memory A neural network archi-
tecture used in pattern recognition applica-
tions, in which the network is used to
associate data patterns with specific classes
or categories it has already learned.
associative storage A storage device in which
storage locations are identified by their con-
tents, not by names or positions. Synony-
mous with content-addressed storage. Contrast
with parallel search storage.
astable circuit A circuit that alternates auto-
matically and continuously between two
unstable states at a frequency that is depen-
dent on circuit constants, for example, in a
blocking oscillator.
astable multivibrator A multivibrator in
which each active device alternately con-
ducts and is cut off for intervals of time as
determined by circuit constants, without
using external triggers.
astatic Without polarity; independent of the
earth's magnetic field.
astigmatism A defect in an optical element
that causes rays from a single point in the
outer portion of a field of view to fall on dif-
ferent points in the focused image.
ASTM American Society for Testing and
Materials; scientific and technical organiza-
tion that develops material standards and
testing methods.
astrodynamics A practical application of fun-
damental science to the problem of planning
and controlling the trajectories of space vehi-
cles.
astrolabe An instrument formerly used to
find the altitudes of celestial bodies; a prede-
cessor of the sextant.
astronomical theodolite See altazimuth.
asymmetric rotor / attached equipment
asymmetric rotor A rotating machine ele-
ment whose axis of rotation is not the same
as its axis of symmetry.
asymmetrical compression A data compres-
sion system that requires more processing
capability to compress an image than to
decompress an image. Such systems are typi-
cally used for the mass distribution of pro-
grams on media such as CD-ROMs.
asymmetry potential The difference in
potential between the inside and outside pH-
sensitive glass layers when they are both in
contact with 7 pH solutions. This difference
is caused by the deterioration of the pH-sen-
sitive glass layers or by contamination of the
internal fill of the measurement electrode.
asynchronous [Comp] 1. Circuitry or opera-
tion without common clock or timing sig-
nals. 2. A mode of operation in which an
operation is started by a signal before the
operation on which this operation depends is
completed. When referring to hardware
devices, it is the method in which each char-
acter is sent with its own synchronizing
information. The hardware operations are
scheduled by "ready" and "done" signals
rather than by timer intervals. This implies
that a second operation can begin before the
first operation is completed. [Eng] 3. Not
synchronous with the line frequency as
applied to rotating a.e. machinery.
asynchronous transmission 1. Transmission
in which each information character, or
sometimes each word or small block, is indi-
vidually synchronized, usually by using start
and stop elements. The gap between each
character (or word) is not of a necessarily
fixed length. (Compare with synchronous
transmission.) Often called "start-stop trans-
mission." 2. A data transmission mode in
which the timing is self-determined and not
controlled by an external clock.
ATM Asynchronous transfer mode; type of
packet switching that transmits fixed-length
units of data, and being asynchronous the
recurrence of cells does not depend on the bit
rate of the transmission system, only on the
source requirements (packets include
address of their destinations). Provides a
very fast and efficient transfer mode for mul-
timedia applications (up to ten thousand text
pages per second), allowing, for example,
real-time video transfer and groupware slide
projection. Also, abbreviation for atmo-
spheres, a unit of pressure measurement.
atmometer A generic name for any instru-
ment that measures evaporation rates. Also
32
known as an "atmidometer," "evaporime-
ter," or "evaporation gauge."
atmospheric air Air under the prevailing
atmospheric conditions.
atmospheric communication Sending sig-
nals in the form of modulated light through
the atmosphere, without the use of fiber
optics to contain and direct the beam.
atmospheric corrosion Corrosion that occurs
naturally due to exposure to climatic condi-
tions. Corrosion rates vary by global location
because of variations in average tempera-
ture, humidity, rainfall; because of airborne
substances such as sea spray, dust, and pol-
len; and because of airborne pollutants such
as sulfur dioxide, chlorine compounds, fly
ash, and other combustion products.
atmospheric monochromator A monochro-
mator in which the optical path is through
air. This is the standard type of monochro-
mator used for visible and infrared wave-
lengths transmitted by air.
atmospheric pressure The barometric read-
ing of pressure exerted by the atmosphere.
At sea level it is 14.7 lb per sq in. or 29.92 in.
of mercury.
atomic mass unit A unit for expressing
atomic weights and other small masses. It
equals exactly 1/12 the mass of the carbon
12 nuclide.
atomic number An integer that designates
the position of an element in the periodic
table of the elements. It equals the number of
protons in the nucleus and the number of
electrons in the electrically neutral atom.
atomic weight The weight of a single atom of
any given chemical element. It is usually
taken as the weighted average of the weights
of the naturally occurring nuclides,
expressed in atomic mass units.
atomization Mechanically producing fine
droplets or mist from a bulk liquid or molten
substance.
atomizer A device by means of which a liq-
uid is reduced to a very fine spray.
atom probe An instrument that consists of a
field-ion microscope with a probe hole in its
screen that opens into a mass spectrometer. It
is used to identify a single atom or molecule
on a metal surface.
ATRAC Adaptive transform acoustic cod-
ing; coding method to create minidisks using
a varying number of bits per sample depend-
ing upon "critical" frequencies encountered.
attached equipment The auxiliary equip-
ment that must be located on the valve or
actuator. [ANSI/ISA-75.05.01-2000]
 attachment plug / authority having jurisdiction
attachment plug A connecting device for a
flexible cord that, when it is inserted into a
receptacle, establishes supply circuit connec-
tions between the flexible cord and the recep-
tacle.
attemperation Regulating the temperature of
a substance, for instance, by passing super-
heated steam through a heat exchanger or by
injecting water mist into it to regulate final
steam temperature.
attemperator A mechanical device used for
maintaining and controlling the temperature
of superheated steam. [ANSI/ISA-77.44-
1995]
attemperator (direct contact type) A mechani-
cal device in which the steam and the cooling
medium (water) are mixed. [ANSI/ISA-
77.44-1995; ANSI/ISA-77.44-1995]
attenuate To weaken or make thinner—for
example, to reduce the intensity of sound or
ultrasonic waves by passing them through
an absorbing medium.
attenuation 1. A decrease in signal magni-
tude between two points or between two fre-
quencies. 2. The reciprocal of gain, when the
gain is less than one. [ISA-RP55.1-1075
(R1983)] Note: Attenuation may be express-
ed as a "dimensionless ratio" or "scalar
ratio" or expressed in decibels as "20 times
the log10 of that ratio." [ANSI/ISA-51.1-1979
(R1993)] 3. The loss of amplitude in a signal
as it is transmitted through a conductor. The
opposite of "gain."
attenuator 1. An optical device that reduces
the intensity of a beam of light passing
through it. 2. An electrical component that
reduces the amplitude of a signal in a con-
trolled manner.
attitude 1. The relative orientation of a vehi-
cle or object as represented by its angles of
inclination to three orthogonal reference
axes. [ISA-37.1-1975 (R1982)] 2. The position
of an object in space as determined by the
angles between its axes and a selected set of
planes.
attitude error The error caused by the orien-
tation of the transducer relative to the direc-
tion in which gravity acts upon it. [ISA-37.1-
1975 (R1982)] See acceleration error.
attribute 1. A property or characteristic of an
entity. For instance, value and status are
attributes of an output parameter. [ISA-
TR50.02, Part 9-2000] 2. A characteristic qual-
ity of a data type, data structure, element of a
data model, or system. In object-oriented
programming, an attribute is some piece of
information that describes a characteristic of
the object.
33
attribute sampling A type of sampling
inspection in which an entire production lot
is accepted or rejected if the number of items
in a statistical sample has at least one charac-
teristic (attribute) that does not meet specifi-
cations.
auctioneering device See signal selector.
audible device A device that calls attention
by emitting a sound when abnormal process
conditions occur. An audible device may also
call attention to a return to normal condi-
tions. [ANSI/ISA-18.1-1979 (R1992)]
audible device follower See auxiliary output.
audio Pertaining to audible sound—usually
taken as referring to sound frequencies in the
range 20 to 20,000 Hz.
audio analyzer An instrument that displays
audio signal voltage or power as a function
of the signal's frequencies.
audio frequencies Frequencies that can be
heard by the human ear, usually between 15
and 20,000 cps (cycles per second).
audiometer An instrument used to measure
the ability of people to hear sounds. It con-
sists of an oscillator, amplifier, and attenua-
tor, and may be adapted to generate pure
tones, speech, or bone-conducted vibrations.
audit The action of corroborating the evi-
dence regarding the authenticity and validity
of data or procedures.
auger 1. A wood-boring tool that consists of a
shank with a T-shaped handle. 2. A feeding
device that consists primarily of a set of spi-
ral blades mounted on a central shaft or fas-
tened together to make a spiral rotating
assembly. The auger may rotate in a tube,
trough, or housing to move powdered, gran-
ular, or semisolid material axially. In some
applications, the auger may be constructed
of two counter-spiraled augers, which feed
material toward the midpoint or outward
from the midpoint of the axis, depending on
the direction of rotation.
AUI Access unit interface; attachment unit
interface; twisted-pair telephone wire IEEE
standard for Ethernet.
authoring system Software that helps devel-
opers design interactive courseware easily,
without the painstaking detail required in
computer programming.
authoring tools Software capabilities that
make it possible to create applications with-
out involving oneself in the tedious details of
programming.
authority having jurisdiction The organiza-
tion, office, or individual that has the respon-
sibility and authority to approve equipment,
installations, or procedures. Note: The term
auto answer / automatic/manual station
"authority having jurisdiction" is used
broadly since jurisdiction and approval
agencies vary, as d o their responsibilities.
Where public safety is primary, the authority
that has jurisdiction m a y be federal, s t a t e /
provincial, local, other regional department,
or an individual such as an inspector from a
labor or health department, electrical inspec-
tor, or others with statutory authority. An
insurance inspection agency, rating bureau,
or other insurance company representative
m a y be the authority with jurisdiction. An
owner or his designated agent may also
assume the role. At government-owned
installations, the commanding officer,
departmental official, or designated agent
m a y be the authority with jurisdiction. [ISA-
12.01.01-1999; ANSI/ISA-RP12.6-1995]
auto answer A m o d e m that can automati-
cally answer incoming telephone calls from
computers and provide data to that system.
autoclave An airtight vessel for heating its
contents and sometimes agitating them. It
usually uses high-pressure steam to process,
sterilize, or perform cooking steps using
moist or dry heat.
autocollimator A telescopic sight that
includes a light source and a partially reflect-
ing mirror, focused to infinity. It is used to
measure small angular motion and check
alignment.
autocorrelation In a time series, the relation-
ship between values of a variable taken at
certain times in the series and values of the
same variable taken at other, usually earlier
times.
auto dial A m o d e m capable of connecting to
a telephone system and dialing a number.
M o d e m and communications software that
performs proper procedures so computers
may exchange data.
autoexec.bat The n a m e of the file in MS-DOS
that contains the c o m m a n d s to be executed
w h e n the computer is booted.
autogenous ignition temperature (AIT) The
m i n i m u m uniform temperature that is
required to initiate or cause the self-sus-
tained combustion of a solid, liquid, or gas-
eous substance, independent of any other
ignition source. [ANSI/ISA-12.01.01-1999]
Formerly k n o w n as "auto-ignition tempera-
ture."
auto-manual station Synonym for control sta-
tion. [ANSI/ISA-5.1-1984 (R1992)]
automate To convert a procedure, a process,
or equipment into an automatic operation.
automatic 1. Self-acting or operating by its o w n
mechanism w h e n actuated by some imper-
34
sonal influence, as, for example, a change in
current strength, pressure, temperature, or
mechanical configuration. [ISA-12.01.01-
1999] 2. A machine that operates automati-
cally. 3. Functioning without intervention by
a h u m a n operator u n d e r specified condi-
tions, as of a process or device.
automatically programmed tools A numeri-
cal language.
automatic control The type of control in
which there is n o direct h u m a n action on the
controlling device.
automatic control engineering The branch of
science and technology that deals with the
design and use of automatic control devices
and systems.
automatic control panel A panel of indicator
lights and switches that display an indication
of process conditions and from which an
operator can control the operation of the pro-
cess.
automatic control system See control system,
automatic.
automatic controller Any device that mea-
sures the value of a process variable and gen-
erates a signal or some controlling action to
ensure that the value corresponds with a ref-
erence value, or set point.
automatic error correction A technique for
detecting and correcting errors that occur in
data transmission or data handling. Such
correction usually requires the use of special
codes or automatic retransmission, which
detects and corrects errors occurring in trans-
mission. The degree of correction depends
u p o n the coding and equipment configura-
tion.
automatic frequency control A device or cir-
cuit designed to maintain the frequency of an
oscillator within a preselected band of fre-
quencies. In a FM radio receiver, the circuitry
that senses frequency drift and automatically
controls an internal oscillator to compensate
for the drift.
automatic gain control An auxiliary circuit
that adjusts the gain of the main circuit in a
predetermined manner w h e n the value of a
selected input signal varies.
automatic lighter A means for igniting fuel
without manual intervention. Usually
applied to liquid, gaseous, or pulverized
fuel.
automatic/manual station A device that
enables an operator to select an automatic
signal or a manual signal as the input to a
controlling element. The automatic signal is
normally the output of a controller, while the
 automatic pilot / auxiliary output (auxiliary contact)
manual signal is the output of a manually
operated device. [ANSI/ISA-51.1-1979]
automatic pilot An automatic control system
that is adapted to maintain an aircraft in sta-
ble, level flight or to execute selected maneu-
vers.
automatic reset See reset.
automatic send/receive (ASR) A teletype-
writer unit with keyboard, printer, paper
tape, reader /transmitter, and paper tape
punch. This combination of units may be
based on line or off line and, in some cases,
on line and off line simultaneously.
automatic test equipment (ATE) Equipment
that analyzes the response of an instrument
under test to a well-defined electrical stimu-
lus in order to evaluate its performance with
minimum human intervention.
automatic test program generator
(ATPG) Computer software and/or hard-
ware that automatically generates programs
for automatic test equipment based on
device characteristics and test parameters.
automatic tracking The action of a control
system to automatically track a set point or
the process variable without any other cor-
rective mechanisms. [ANSI/ISA-77.13.01-
1999]
automatic utility translator (AUTRAN) A
process control language and system offered
by Control Data Corporation.
automatic zero- and full-scale
calibration Zero and sensitivity stabiliza-
tion by servos for the purposes of comparing
demodulated zero- and full-scale signals
with zero- and full-scale references.
automation 1. The implementation of pro-
cesses by automatic means. 2. The theory, art,
or technique of making a process more auto-
matic. 3. The investigation, design, develop-
ment, and application of methods for
rendering processes automatic, self-moving,
or self-controlling. 4. The conversion of a
procedure, a process, or equipment to auto-
matic operation.
autonomous system A system with no
inputs.
autoradiography A technique for producing
a radiographic image by using the ionizing
radiation produced by radioactive decay of
atoms within the test object itself.
autoranging The automatic selection of an
appropriate range setting so as to measure
the value of a signal applied to an instru-
ment's input.
auto-tracking antenna A receiving antenna
that always points to the transmitting site,
35
automatically tracking all movements of the
vehicle being telemetered.
autotransformer A type of transformer in
which certain portions of the windings are
shared by the primary and secondary circuits.
auto restart The capability to perform auto-
matic initialization functions so as to resume
operations after an equipment or power fail-
ure.
auto tuning A technique within a controller
that analyzes the effects of a change in the set
point of a closed loop or in the control output
of an open loop and adjusts or recommends
tuning parameters based upon that analysis.
The change is necessary because it allows the
tuner to learn the magnitude and period of
process response, which it is uses to calculate
new parameters. See self-adaptive tuning.
auto-tuning controller A controller feature
that calculates PID settings based on calcula-
tions using measured process dynamics and
combining those with the parameters of a
PID controller. Depending on who manufac-
tured the controller, open or closed loop tun-
ing may be used. Calculations may be based
on transient responses, frequency responses,
or parametric models.
auto-zero An automatic internal correction
for offsets and/or drift at zero signal input.
auto-zero logic module A component of a
digital controller whose function is primarily
to establish an arbitrary zero-reference value
for each individual measurement.
auxiliary contact See auxiliary output.
auxiliary device 1. Generally, any device that
is separate from a main device but is neces-
sary or desirable for the effective operation
of the system. 2. Specifically, any device used
in conjunction with an instrument to extend
its range, increase its accuracy, otherwise
assist in making a measurement, or perform
a function not directly involved in making
the measurement.
auxiliary location A location for panel instru-
ments that is somewhere other than the con-
trol room.
auxiliary means A device or subsystem, usu-
ally placed ahead of the primary detector,
that alters the magnitude of the measured
quantity to make it more suitable for the pri-
mary detector without changing the nature
of the measured quantity.
auxiliary output (auxiliary contact) 1. An
output signal that is operated by a single
alarm point or group of points so it can be
used with a remote device. [ANSI/ISA-
S18.1-1979 (R1992)] 2. A secondary output.
auxiliary output, audible device follower / average resolution
auxiliary output, audible device follower
(horn relay contact) An auxiliary output
that operates while the common alarm audi-
ble device operates. [ANSI/ISA-S18.1-1979
(R1992)]
auxiliary output, field contact follower An
auxiliary output that operates while the field
contact indicates an abnormal process condi-
tion. [ANSI/ISA-S18.1-1979 (R1992)]
auxiliary output, lamp follower An auxiliary
output that operates while the visual display
lamps indicate an alarm, silenced, or ack-
nowledged state. [ANSI/ISA-S18.1-1979
(R1992)]
auxiliary output, reflash An auxiliary output
that operates when any one of a group of
alarm points indicates an abnormal process
condition. The output usually returns to nor-
mal briefly when each alarm point changes
to an abnormal process condition and
returns to normal when all alarm points in
the group indicate normal process condi-
tions. [ANSI/ISA-S18.1-1979 (R1992)]
auxiliary panel 1. A panel that is not in the
main control room. The front of an auxiliary
panel is normally accessible to an operator,
but the rear is normally accessible only by
maintenance personnel. 2. Located at an aux-
iliary location.
auxiliary storage A storage device in addi-
tion to the main storage of a computer, for
example, magnetic tape, disk, magnetic
drum, or core. Auxiliary storage usually
holds much larger amounts of information
than the main storage, but the information is
accessible less rapidly. Contrast with main
storage.
availability The ratio of time in which a sys-
tem is operating correctly to the total hours
of scheduled operation. Before 1962, avail-
ability was calculated as the value of MTBF ÷
(MTBF + MTTR). After 1962, it was defined
by military specifications, as MTTF ÷ (MTTF
+ MTTR), which is a calculation of those
times, not a tested value. Very much depen-
dent on environmental conditions, the MTBF
of electronic equipment will drop by about
half for every 10°C increase. All other ambi-
ent factors will have a similar impact.
availability factor The fraction of the time
during which the unit is in operable condi-
tion.
available capability The portion of the pro-
duction capability that can be attained but is
not committed to current or future produc-
tion. [ISA-95.00.01-2000]
36
available draft The draft that may be utilized
to cause the flow of air for combustion or the
flow of products of combustion.
available energy Energy that theoretically
can be converted into mechanical power.
available heat In a thermodynamic working
fluid, the amount of heat that could be trans-
formed into mechanical work under ideal
conditions by reducing the temperature of
the working fluid to the lowest temperature
available for heat discard.
available power An attribute of a linear
source of electric power. It is defined as
Vrms/4R, where Vrms is the open-circuit rms
voltage of the power source, and R is the
resistive component of the internal imped-
ance of the power source.
available power gain An attribute of a linear
transducer that is defined as the ratio of
power available from the output terminals of
the transducer to the power available from
the input circuit under specified conditions
of input termination.
available work The capacity of a fluid or
body to do work if applied to an ideal
engine.
avalanche The production of a large number
of ions by cascade action in which a single
charged particle, accelerated by a strong elec-
tric field, collides with neutral gas molecules
and ionizes them.
avalanche photodiode (APD) A photodiode
that is designed to take advantage of ava-
lanche multiplication of photocurrent. As the
reverse-bias voltage approaches the break-
down voltage, hole- electron pairs created by
absorbed photons acquire sufficient energy
to create additional hole-electron pairs when
they collide with substrate atoms, producing
a multiplication effect.
average outgoing quality limit The average
percentage of defective units that remain
undetected in all lots that pass final inspec-
tion. It is a measure of the ability of sampling
inspection to limit the probability of ship-
ping defective product. Here, a defective unit
is considered to be one that contains at least
one attribute that does not meet specifica-
tions.
average-position action A type of control
system action in which the final control ele-
ment is positioned in either of two fixed
positions. The average time at each position
is determined from some function of the
measured value of the controlled variable.
average resolution The reciprocal of the total
number of output steps over the unit range
multiplied by 100 and expressed in % VR.
 averaging pitot tube / azimuth circle

[ISA-37.6-1982 (R1995); ISA-37.12-1982

(R1995)]
averaging pitot tube An adaptation of the
pitot tube in which a multiple-ported pitot
tube spans the process tube. Total pressure is
measured as a composite of the pressures on
several ports facing upstream, while static
pressure is measured using one or more
ports facing downstream. The device works
best for clean liquids, vapors, and gases, but
can be used for streams that contain sus-
pended solids or viscous contaminants if the
purging flow is supplied to the measuring
tube.
AVI Audio video interleaved; digital file for-
mat by Microsoft developed for dynamic
graphics.
AWG American Wire Gauge; United States
standard system used for designating the
size of electrical conductors; gauge numbers
are inverse to size.
axial In the direction parallel to the shaft
centerline.
axial fan Consists of a propeller or disk type
of wheel within a cylinder in which the air is
discharged parallel to the axis of the wheel.
axial-flow Describing a machine such as a
pump or compressor in which the general
direction of fluid flow is parallel to the axis
of its rotating shaft.
axial hydraulic thrust In single-stage and
multiple-stage pumps, the axial component
of the summation of all unbalanced impeller
forces.
axial runout For a rotating member, the total
amount that a specific surface deviates from
a plane that is perpendicular to the axis of
rotation in one complete revolution. It is usu-
ally expressed in 0.(301 in., or in some other
suitable unit of measure, taken at a specific
radial distance from the axis of rotation.
axle A rod, shaft, or other supporting mem-
ber that carries wheels and either transmits
rotating motion to the wheels or allows the
wheels to rotate freely about it.
azimuth angle An angular measurement in a
horizontal plane about some arbitrary center
point, in which true north or some other arbi-
trary direction is used as a reference direc-
tion (0).
azimuth circle A ring scale graduated from 0
to 360 and used with a compass, radar plan
position indicator, direction finder, or other
device to indicate compass direction, relative
bearing, or azimuth angle.

37