Factory Chinese
Words you'll hear on the shop floor.
Short definitions of the Chinese terms that come up in quotes, WeChat chats and factory visits.
- 开模kāi móOpening a mold
- Commissioning a production tool (mold) from your final CAD. The point where design changes become expensive.
- 试模shì móMold trial (T1, T2…)
- Running a new mold for the first time to produce sample parts and check for defects. Numbered T1, T2 and so on for each round.
- 改模gǎi móMold modification
- Changing the steel of an existing mold after a trial or design change.
- 私模sī móPrivate mold
- A tool you paid for and own; parts from it are only made for you.
- 公模gōng móPublic / shared mold
- A factory-owned tool for its own standard parts, which it may sell to anyone.
- 模架mó jiàMold base
- The standard steel frame that holds the core, cavity and moving parts of a mold.
- 模仁mó rénCore & cavity inserts
- The steel inserts that form the actual shape of the part.
- 行位háng wèiSlide
- A moving mold component that forms undercuts on the side of a part.
- 斜顶xié dǐngLifter
- An angled ejector that releases internal undercuts.
- 热流道rè liú dàoHot runner
- A heated channel system that delivers plastic to the cavities with little waste.
- 咬花yǎo huāTexture (etched)
- Chemical texturing of a mold surface, e.g. MT-11010.
- 手板shǒu bǎnPrototype (model)
- A prototype part or model, today usually CNC-machined, 3D printed or cast, then finished.
- 打样dǎ yàngSampling
- Making samples before a production order.
- 复模fù móUrethane / vacuum casting
- Casting polyurethane parts in silicone molds made from a master; for about 10–50 parts per mold.
- 真空复模zhēn kōng fù móVacuum casting
- Silicone-mold casting done under vacuum to avoid bubbles.
- 来图加工lái tú jiā gōngMade to your drawing
- Custom machining or production from the customer's drawings or CAD.
- 来样加工lái yàng jiā gōngMade to your sample
- Production based on a physical sample the customer provides.
- 数控加工shù kòng jiā gōngCNC machining
- Computer-controlled milling and turning of metal or plastic parts.
- 五轴wǔ zhóu5-axis
- A CNC machine that moves on five axes, for complex shapes in one setup.
- 公差gōng chāTolerance
- The allowed variation of a dimension, e.g. ±0.05 mm.
- 钣金bǎn jīnSheet metal
- Cutting, bending and joining metal sheet into parts and enclosures.
- 折弯zhé wānBending
- Forming sheet metal on a press brake.
- 压铸yā zhùDie casting
- Injecting molten zinc or aluminum into a steel die.
- 阳极氧化yáng jí yǎng huàAnodizing
- An electrochemical finish for aluminum that adds colour and hardness.
- 喷涂pēn túSpray painting / coating
- Paint or powder coating applied to parts.
- 丝印sī yìnSilk-screen printing
- Printing logos and markings through a mesh screen.
- 镭雕léi diāoLaser engraving / marking
- Marking parts with a laser.
- 贴片tiē piànSMT assembly
- Placing surface-mount components on a PCB with pick-and-place machines.
- 插件chā jiànThrough-hole assembly (DIP)
- Inserting and soldering through-hole components.
- 钢网gāng wǎngStencil
- A laser-cut steel sheet used to print solder paste onto a PCB.
- 包料bāo liàoTurnkey (factory buys parts)
- The assembler sources all components for you.
- 来料加工lái liào jiā gōngConsigned parts
- You supply the components; the factory only assembles.
- 物料清单wù liào qīng dānBOM (bill of materials)
- The full list of parts and quantities in a product.
- 治具zhì jùFixture / jig
- A custom tool that holds parts for assembly or testing.
- 试产shì chǎnTrial / pilot production
- A small production run (EVT, DVT or PVT) before mass production.
- 量产liàng chǎnMass production
- Full-rate production after pilot builds are signed off.
- 金样jīn yàngGolden sample
- The signed reference unit every future unit is inspected against.
- 签样qiān yàngSample approval
- Formally signing off samples before production.
- 验货yàn huòInspection
- Checking goods against specs, often pre-shipment, sometimes by a third party.
- 验厂yàn chǎngFactory audit
- An assessment of a factory's capability, quality systems and compliance.
- 良率liáng lǜYield
- The share of units that pass inspection first time.
- 起订量qǐ dìng liàngMOQ (minimum order quantity)
- The smallest order a supplier will accept.
- 交期jiāo qīLead time
- How long from order to delivery.
- 报价bào jiàQuote
- A price offer for your specification and quantity.
- 定金dìng jīnDeposit
- Up-front payment, often 30–50% of an order or tooling.
- 现货xiàn huòIn stock
- Available now, off the shelf.
- 原装yuán zhuāngOriginal / genuine
- Genuine parts from the original manufacturer.
- 外贸wài màoExport trade
- A company or department that sells abroad, usually with English staff.
- 烫金tàng jīnHot foil stamping
- Pressing metallic foil onto packaging or print with a heated metal die. Gold and silver are the most common colours.
- 击凸jī tūEmbossing
- Pressing a design up from the back of the board with a matched pair of dies so it stands raised on the front.
- 压凹yā āoDebossing
- Pressing a design down into the front of the board so it sits below the surface.
- 局部UVjú bù UVSpot UV
- A clear, glossy coating printed only on chosen areas, such as a logo, and hardened with UV light. Often used on top of matte lamination for contrast.
- 覆膜fù móLamination (packaging)
- Bonding a thin plastic film (gloss, matte or soft-touch) over a printed sheet to protect it and change how it looks and feels. Also called 过膜 (guò mó). Not to be confused with 复模, urethane casting.
- 刀版dāo bǎnDieline / cutting die
- The flat drawing of a box showing where it is cut and folded, and also the steel-rule die made from it. Also called 刀模 (dāo mó); the drawing itself is often 刀版图.
- 白样bái yàngWhite sample
- An unprinted sample box made from the real board and structure, used to check size, fit and feel before printing.
- 精装盒jīng zhuāng héRigid box
- A premium box made from thick greyboard wrapped in printed paper. Ships assembled. Styles include lid-and-base (天地盖), magnetic flap and drawer boxes.
- 纸浆模塑zhǐ jiāng mó sùMolded pulp
- Packaging trays and inserts formed from wet paper fibre in a mold, then dried. Needs its own mold; recyclable.
- 潘通色pān tōng sèPantone (spot) colour
- A colour from the Pantone matching system, mixed as its own ink instead of built from CMYK dots. Used when a brand colour must match exactly. Also called 专色 (zhuān sè).