Services
Sometimes objects are named in a certain way because of their similarity to everyday items. Technical equipment hasn't escaped this tradition. But which machines or parts exactly? This article will give you the answer.
Translating the names of technical equipment can be difficult because the words usually have different etymologies depending on the language and possible associations with everyday objects. Sometimes the design of the appliance is similar to that of a particular cutlery item. This naming practice provides a quick visual reference for customers, allowing them to associate the shape of the equipment with something they are familiar with, thereby facilitating ease of use.
Forklift trucks bear a resemblance to the versatile culinary utensil they take their name from – the fork. Just like a fork has several prongs extending from a handle, a forklift features two sturdy arms called forks. They protrude forward from the machine’s frame. These are designed to slide effortlessly under heavy loads, in much the same way that a table item pierces and lifts food. The analogy between these machines and forks goes beyond mere aesthetics: both are designed to grasp, lift and move objects efficiently and safely.
Spoon samplers in industrial settings are akin to the familiar kitchen spoon. Just as the latter is used to scoop and sample food, spoon samplers are used for a somewhat similar purpose, allowing operators to take samples of bulk materials in manufacturing and quality control processes. With elongated handles that mimic the design of culinary spoons, samplers allow easy and controlled collection of granular or powdered materials. The link between industrial and cooking spoons illustrates the universal nature of this shape and function in serving practical purposes across multiple domains.
In the metallurgical world, ladles too can be compared to the culinary counterparts. Just as a cooking ladle is used to scoop and serve liquid foods, their technical alternatives are large vessels specifically designed to transport molten metals or alloys in foundries and steel mills. Constructed from durable materials that can withstand extreme heat, these ladles deep reservoirs to match their counterparts. This underlines the principle of using a ladle-like utensil to manipulate and transfer substances, whether it's in the kitchen or in the industrial field of metallurgy.
This naming style helps to provide a point of reference, but the equipment itself also has unique characteristics, purposes or operational requirements that go beyond the functions of the associated cutlery piece. The fact that objects are named this way in English because of their similarity to tableware doesn't mean that they will have a matching name in another language. That's why, in such cases, it's possible to get confused when translating.
