Manufacturing & Production
B2 Business English · Industrial Vocabulary
01 · Warm-Up
Getting Started
What does your company manufacture or produce?
Can you describe the main stages of your production process?
What are the most important quality standards in your industry?
How has automation changed manufacturing in your sector?
What are the biggest challenges in manufacturing today?
How do supply chain issues affect your production?
02 · Vocabulary
Key Vocabulary
| WORD | EXAMPLE |
|---|---|
| manufacture | We manufacture transformers for the energy sector. |
| assemble | The components are assembled on the production line. |
| component | Each component is tested before assembly. |
| prototype | We built a prototype to test the new design. |
| batch | The first batch of 500 units was completed on time. |
| tolerances | The parts must be made to tight tolerances. |
| specification | All products must meet the technical specification. |
| defect | Any defect found during inspection is recorded. |
| reject | Defective units are rejected and sent for rework. |
| rework | Some units required rework before they could be shipped. |
| throughput | We increased throughput by optimising the assembly line. |
| downtime | Unplanned downtime costs the company thousands per hour. |
| lead time | Our lead time for custom orders is six weeks. |
| yield | The yield rate improved after we upgraded the equipment. |
| subcontractor | We use subcontractors for specialist welding work. |
| IEC standard | All our products comply with IEC standards. |
| test field | The transformer is tested in the test field before delivery. |
| insulation | The insulation must withstand high voltages. |
| winding | The copper winding is a critical component of the transformer. |
| commissioning | The engineer oversaw the commissioning of the new unit. |
03 · Functional Language
Describing Manufacturing
First, the raw materials are...
The next stage involves...
Once [step A] is complete, [step B] begins.
The final stage is...
The finished product is then tested / inspected / dispatched.
0X · Discussion
Discussion Questions
Describe the main stages of production in your company.
What quality standards does your company follow?
How do you handle defects or rejected products in your production process?
What is the biggest cause of downtime in your facility?
How has automation affected the number of workers on your production line?
What is the most complex component or product your company manufactures?
How do you ensure that subcontractors meet your quality standards?
What changes would you make to improve your production process?