Acronyms Decoded: Technical Talk Explained

Booth Welsh offer services in a number of different disciplines and industries including Process Control Systems, Electrical and Instrumentation Design and Process Engineering and Consultancy. Part and parcel of working within a technical field, is understanding the engineering text-speak that comes along with it, which can often involves high-level acronyms. In an attempt to crack down on the technical talk, we asked our engineers to provide some of the most commonly used acronyms from within their respective fields along with a brief explanation.

Process Engineering & Consultancy:

URS – User Requirement Specification: As the name suggests, the final user of the documents what is required in terms of outcomes.

FDS – Functional Design Specification: Is in essence, how the user requirements are to be met – in Booth Welsh’s case, this would be the engineering hardware and/or software. A supplier would interpret the requirements in the URS and generate a FDS.

DDS – Detailed Design Specification: DDS is where all the elements are defined in sufficient detail to engineer and/or procure what is required to achieve the functions defined in the FDS.

Process Control Systems:

BPCS – Basic Process Control System: A BPCS is essentially a system that responds to input signals from the process and various other sources, and generates output signals which cause the process and any associated equipment to operate to programmed specifications within the production limits.

ICSS – Integrated Control and Safety System: An ICSS is a platform which combines elements of Process Control and Functional Safety in order to regulate the production process. An ICSS can help maximise operational and cost efficiency as well as allowing for the complete integration of process and safety programmes.

SIS – Safety Instrumented System: Made up of both hardware and software controls and particularly common within critical process systems.

Mechanical Engineering:

ISO – Isometric Drawing: In very complex or large piping systems, piping isometrics are essential to the design and manufacturing phases of a project. Piping isometrics are essentially shop fabrication spool drawings and are the most important drawings for installation contractors during the field portion of the project.

PWHT – Post Weld Heat Treatment: Post weld heat treatment, or stress relief as it is sometimes known, is a method for reducing and redistributing the residual stresses in a material that has been introduced by welding.

NPSH – Net Positive Suction Head: NPSH can be defined as two parts: NPSHA (the available pressure at the suction side of a pump) and NPSHR (the minimum pressure required at the suction side of a pump to prevent cavitation).

Nuclear Industry:

AMS – Asset Management System: This is an online system (database) for recording maintenance and operating data. Part of AMS provides functionality to manage preventative maintenance arrangements for associated equipment that you may find on a Nuclear power station. These can be easily identified by their equipment types and equipment names.

CDMS – Controlled Document Management System: This is a database that stores all controlled documents used in a power station. This can consist of drawings, procedures, check sheets, historical records etc.

OPEX – Operating Experience: OPEX is about capturing and learning lessons from industry mistakes and events both within our organisation and from external organisations and using the information to prevent making the same mistakes or repeating the same events.

PU&A – Procedural Use and Adherence: Procedural use and adherence is a set of principles and requirements to ensure that staff carry out activities following the intent, direction and approved process specified in written technical procedures.

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