WORKS STANDARD

Terms and designations

Rules for their formation

February 2000

BMW S

113 91.0
Part 1

Descriptors: Terms and designations

Supersedes 09.94 edition

Scope and purpose

This works standard shall be used to formulate terms and designations.

Its purpose is to formulate the terms and designations required in drawings and written documents as well as
information processing systems and to express them linguistically in such a way as to ensure unambiguous
communication and make possible evaluation by means of information processing systems.

Components of designations

2.1

Word elements

A designation is comprised of one or more word elements.

A word element is the smallest indivisible semantic unit in the natural language.
Example:

Hand/brake

In this example, the two word elements are separated by slashes.

2.2

Words

A word is made up of one or more word elements:

Distinctions are made between the following types of words:
a) Root words (e. g. screw, brake, engine)
b) Compound words (e.g. driveshaft, speedometer, crankcase)
c) Derived words (e. g. connection, inspector, occurrence)
These words are formed through the use of prefixes and suffixes (e.g. co-, pre-, -tion, -sive, etc.)

2.3

Word groups

A word group consists of at least two separate words.

Examples:

Motor vehicle with rear wheel drive

Maximum permissible gross weight
Cylinder head with valves

Fundamental principles of forming designations

3.1

Formal requirements of a designation

Designations should conform to linguistic convention.

Designations should be
-

as short as necessary
easy to remember
easy to pronounce
suitable for forming derivative words
Continued on pages 2 through 4

No guarantee can be given with respect to this translation. In all The German-English terminology of this document is listed along with
cases the latest German-language version of the original the respective literature in the BMW Termi data bank.
document will be considered as authoritative.
Observe copyright and protection mark acc. to DIN 34

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BMW S 113 91.0 Part 1 : 2000-02

3.2

Avoidance of ambiguities

The following points should be noted when forming and defining technical designations:
a)

Before forming a new designation, it is essential to make sure that no applicable designation already exists.

b)

If more than one synonymous designation exists, one should be chosen as a preferential designation
(standardized designation); the other designations shall no longer be used. Preference should be given to the
designation that is most applicable in the special field in question.

3.3

Interlinking of terms

The interlinking of known terms by means of word groups, compound words and derivative words is of great practical
importance when formulating designations.
In combinations of words, the following types of word are available for characterizing a designation:
Preposition
Noun
Adjective
Verb
Adverb
Numerals
Letter symbols

e.g. Up grade
e.g. Camshaft
e.g. Infrared locking system
e.g. Run-out tolerance
e.g. Selectively
e.g. Four-wheel drive
e.g. T-piece

The designation of the basic term usually comes at the end of compound words. This also applies to complex words.
Examples: Hexagon socket screw
Crank shaft
When forming three- or multiple-morpheme designations, it is important to check whether more than one interpretation
is possible. If it is not possible to dispense with a certain morphology, a hyphen can be used for the sake of clarity.
Example: in car computer or in-car computer

3.4

Short forms

Where the context is clear (e.g. in job instructions, parts lists, labor and test reports), short forms of long-winded
designations may be used without any loss of clarity. What part of the designation can be omitted depends on what
information is regarded as superfluous.
Examples: Spindle frame
Transmission
Terminal lug

3.5

from milling spindle frame

from manual transmission
from open barrel terminal lug

Abbreviations

To aid understanding, it may be useful to make an abbreviation out of a designation.

Example: ABS

instead of Anti-lock Brake System

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BMW S 113 91.0 Part 1 : 2000-02

3.6

Adoption of designations

Designations stemming from other areas may not be used in a different context. Fixed designations should only be used
in the context for which they are intended.
Example: As "pressure" is a term which is already defined in physics, it is wrong to speak of "cutting pressure" when
"cutting force" is meant.
Where possible, no foreign words should be used to formulate new designations. If no equivalent German terms are
available or if no meaningful German words can be created, designations can be formulated using foreign words or
borrowed words.
Examples: Computer
Crash
Brand names should be avoided. If this is unavoidable, the legal conditions should be checked first.
Example: not
but

3.7

Phillips head screwdriver

Cross-head screwdriver

International harmonization

When forming new designations, the desired international harmonization of terms and designations should be taken into
consideration. It is therefore important to check first of all whether there already exist standard international designations
which can be translated literally (borrowed translations).

Note:

3.8

English designations can be taken from "Anwendung von englischen Bezeichnungen in

Konstruktionsunterlagen der BMW AG" (Use of English designations in design documents of BMW AG).

den

Notation

Notation shall conform to the rules of German spelling.

Designations of parts shall be specified in drawings as well as information processing systems in the nominative singular.
In the case of designations in the form of word groups, the standardized part designation should, as a rule, be written first.
Supplements required to define the part more closely should follow the standardized designation.
Examples: POWER STEERING; speed-dependent
TRANSMISSION, mechanical
SEAT, front/rear
The following supplements for fully designating the part should precede the standardized part designation as a two-digit
abbreviation:
AO
AW
EG
li
LU
re
RT

=
=
=
=
=
=
=

layout
selection table
supplement
left
scope of supply
right
blank

ST
TB
WI
ZB
ZL
ZZ

=
=
=
=
=
=

set
table
reconditioning
assembly
convergence
intermediate standings

Examples: ST of tools
RT crankshaft
Multiple abbreviations may precede a standardized part designation at the same time.
Examples: AW ZB li INDIVIDUAL LOCK
ST LU SPLASH GUARD, front
Note:

Supplements for the dimensioning of the component or material specifications, production procedure or
replacement references are not permissible.

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BMW S 113 91.0 Part 1 : 2000-02

3.9

Additional rules for component designation

3.9.1 Combining of terms

A term for the designation should not be comprised of more than three individual words.
Example: not idle speed control valve air hose, but rather
air hose for the idle speed control valve
If normal abbreviations are used in the designation, they should be connected with a hyphen before the term [Translators
note: this relates primarily to the German language].
Example: Cyl.-head cover instead of
Cylinder head cover
Designations which are comprised of more than three words should be separated into terms of one to three words:
Example: Secondary throttle valve lever, front
Lever for secondary throttle valve, front

Document cited
Compendium "TERMI" Use of English designations in design documents of BMW AG

Other relevant standards

BMW S 113 90.0

Terms and designations; basic terms, general principles, overview

BMW S 113 91.0 Part 3

Terms and designations; quality management and statistics

BMW S 113 93.0 Part 1

Terms and designations; rules for the formation of abbreviations

DIN 820 Part 2

Standardization work, layout of standards

DIN 1463 Part 1

Preparation and further development of thesauri, single-language therauri

DIN 2330

Terms and designations; general principles

DIN 2331

Terminological systems and their representation

DIN 6790 Part 1

Annotation in technical drawings; individual specifications

Supplement 1 to DIN 6790 Annotation in technical drawings; individual specifications in English, French and Italian
Part 1
DIN 6790 Part 2

Annotation in technical drawings; annotation in clause construction

Previous editions
01.88, 09.94

Revisions
With respect to the September 1994 edition, the following revisions have been made:
- Sections Document cited and Other relevant standards have been revised.
- The works standard has been editorially revised