Communicating in Mechanical Engineering

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Specifications are what engineers write after reviewing the Codes (ASTM--the American Society of Testing and Materials--writes many Codes) affecting their projects. Codes are regulatory sets of rules, so Specifications "specify" the work that will be completed in order to comply with particular Codes. Engineers must take Codes into account because these prescriptive rules assist them in meeting the minimum performance standards.

For example, ASTM publishes Pressure Vessel Codes. Engineers who design oxygen tanks must refer to these Codes when they write Specifications. In their Specifications, they note what materials should be used to build a tank, how thick the welding has to be, and where valves should be placed. The Specifications are then implemented when a design moves into the production stage.