Machine

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A machine is any mechanical or organic device that transmits or modifies energy to perform or assist in the performance of tasks. It normally requires some energy source ("input") and accomplishes some sort of work.

People have used mechanisms and machines to amplify their abilities since before written records were available. Generally these devices decrease the amount of force required to do a given amount of work, alter the direction of the force, or transform one form of motion or energy into another.

The mechanical advantage of a simple machine is the ratio between the force it exerts on the load and the input force applied. This does not entirely describe the machine's performance, as force is required to overcome friction as well. The mechanical efficiency of a machine is the ratio of the actual mechanical advantage (AMA) to the ideal mechanical advantage (IMA). Functioning physical machines are always less than 100% efficient.

Modern power tools, automated machine tools, and human-operated power machinery complicate the definition of "machine" greatly. Machines used to transform heat or other energy into mechanical energy are known as engines.

References

• Gear
• Lever
• Pulley
• Wedge
• Spring
• Wheel and Axle
• Bearings
• Belts
• Seals
• Chains
• Rack and pinion
• Fastener

• Atomic clock
• chronometer
• Pendulum clock
• Quartz clock

• Archimedes screw
• Eductor-jet pump
• Hydraulic ram
• Tuyau
• Vacuum pump

• Steam engine
• Stirling engine

• Pantograph
• Peaucellier-Lipkin

• Gas turbine
• Jet engine
• Steam turbine
• Water turbine
• Wind generator, Windmill (Air turbine)

• Sail
• Wing
• Rudder
• Flap
• Damper
• Propeller

Computing machines

• Calculator
• Analog computer
• Wind tunnel
• Digital computer

Automated machines

• Robots
• Vending machines

• Virus, Bacterium
• Cell (biology)
• Plant and animal
• Human being
• The mind - controversially

Types	Major fields of technology	[http://encycl.opentopia.com/ Edit]
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Athletics and Recreation	Camping equipment | Playground | Sports | Sports equipment
Information and Communication	Communication | Graphics | Music technology | Speech recognition | Visual technology
Industry	Construction | Financial engineering | Manufacturing | Machinery | Mining
Military	Bombs | Guns and Ammunition | Military technology and equipment | Naval engineering
Domestic / Residential	Domestic appliances | Domestic technology | Educational technology | Food products and production
Engineering	Aerospace engineering | Agricultural engineering | Bioengineering | Biochemical engineering | Biomedical engineering | Chemical engineering | Civil engineering | Computer engineering | Electrical engineering | Environmental engineering | Industrial engineering | Materials engineering | Mechanical engineering | Metallurgical engineering | Nuclear engineering | Petroleum engineering | Software engineering | Structural engineering
Health and Safety	Biomedical engineering | Bioinformatics | Biotechnology | Cheminformatics | Fire protection technology | Health technologies | Pharmaceuticals | Safety engineering
Transportation	Aerospace | Aerospace engineering | Marine engineering | Motor vehicles | Space technology | Transport

 

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