Manufacturing glossary

Manufacturing glossary

What is Prototype?

Prototype means an early version of a product used to test shape, function, size, customer reaction, or feasibility before supplier sampling or production. In product creation, this term matters because it affects how a founder explains the product, compares suppliers, controls cost, or reduces production risk.

Manufacturing glossary

What is Sample?

Sample means a supplier-made or production-like version used to confirm materials, finish, packaging, quality, and whether a manufacturer can make the product correctly. In product creation, this term matters because it affects how a founder explains the product, compares suppliers, controls cost, or reduces production risk.

Manufacturing glossary

What is Production run?

Production run means a planned batch of finished units made after the product, supplier, price, timeline, and quality expectations are approved. In product creation, this term matters because it affects how a founder explains the product, compares suppliers, controls cost, or reduces production risk.

Manufacturing glossary

What is MOQ?

MOQ means minimum order quantity, or the smallest number of units a supplier is willing to produce in one order. In product creation, this term matters because it affects how a founder explains the product, compares suppliers, controls cost, or reduces production risk.

Manufacturing glossary

What is RFQ?

RFQ means request for quote, the information sent to suppliers so they can estimate price, timeline, MOQ, samples, and production terms. In product creation, this term matters because it affects how a founder explains the product, compares suppliers, controls cost, or reduces production risk.

Manufacturing glossary

What is BOM?

BOM means bill of materials, the list of parts, materials, components, packaging, and quantities needed to make one product. In product creation, this term matters because it affects how a founder explains the product, compares suppliers, controls cost, or reduces production risk.

Manufacturing glossary

What is CAD?

CAD means computer-aided design, a digital model or drawing used to define product shape, dimensions, and sometimes manufacturing details. In product creation, this term matters because it affects how a founder explains the product, compares suppliers, controls cost, or reduces production risk.

Manufacturing glossary

What is DFM?

DFM means design for manufacturing, the practice of designing a product so it can be made reliably, affordably, and at the intended quality. In product creation, this term matters because it affects how a founder explains the product, compares suppliers, controls cost, or reduces production risk.

Manufacturing glossary

What is Tooling?

Tooling means custom production tools such as molds, dies, fixtures, or jigs needed to manufacture certain products. In product creation, this term matters because it affects how a founder explains the product, compares suppliers, controls cost, or reduces production risk.

Manufacturing glossary

What is Mold?

Mold means a shaped tool used to form materials into a specific product shape, often used in plastic, silicone, and other molded goods. In product creation, this term matters because it affects how a founder explains the product, compares suppliers, controls cost, or reduces production risk.

Manufacturing glossary

What is CNC?

CNC means computer numerical control machining, a manufacturing method that cuts material with computer-controlled tools. In product creation, this term matters because it affects how a founder explains the product, compares suppliers, controls cost, or reduces production risk.

Manufacturing glossary

What is Injection molding?

Injection molding means a manufacturing process where molten material is injected into a mold to create consistent parts at scale. In product creation, this term matters because it affects how a founder explains the product, compares suppliers, controls cost, or reduces production risk.

Manufacturing glossary

What is 3D printing?

3D printing means an additive manufacturing method that builds objects layer by layer, often useful for prototypes and some low-volume parts. In product creation, this term matters because it affects how a founder explains the product, compares suppliers, controls cost, or reduces production risk.

Manufacturing glossary

What is Soft goods?

Soft goods means products made from flexible materials such as fabric, foam, leather, textiles, or sewn components. In product creation, this term matters because it affects how a founder explains the product, compares suppliers, controls cost, or reduces production risk.

Manufacturing glossary

What is Hard goods?

Hard goods means durable physical products made from rigid materials such as plastic, metal, wood, glass, or composites. In product creation, this term matters because it affects how a founder explains the product, compares suppliers, controls cost, or reduces production risk.

Manufacturing glossary

What is Consumables?

Consumables means products customers use up, apply, ingest, refill, burn, clean with, or replace regularly. In product creation, this term matters because it affects how a founder explains the product, compares suppliers, controls cost, or reduces production risk.

Manufacturing glossary

What is Formulation?

Formulation means the recipe or composition for a consumable, cosmetic, cleaning, supplement-adjacent, or ingredient-based product. In product creation, this term matters because it affects how a founder explains the product, compares suppliers, controls cost, or reduces production risk.

Manufacturing glossary

What is Packaging?

Packaging means the container, box, pouch, label, insert, and protective materials that hold and present the product. In product creation, this term matters because it affects how a founder explains the product, compares suppliers, controls cost, or reduces production risk.

Manufacturing glossary

What is Co-packer?

Co-packer means a production partner that packages or manufactures consumable products for brands, often using defined formulas or specifications. In product creation, this term matters because it affects how a founder explains the product, compares suppliers, controls cost, or reduces production risk.

Manufacturing glossary

What is Private label?

Private label means a product made by a supplier and sold under another brand, often with limited customization. In product creation, this term matters because it affects how a founder explains the product, compares suppliers, controls cost, or reduces production risk.

Manufacturing glossary

What is White label?

White label means a ready-made product that multiple brands can sell with their own branding and minimal changes. In product creation, this term matters because it affects how a founder explains the product, compares suppliers, controls cost, or reduces production risk.

Manufacturing glossary

What is Landed cost?

Landed cost means the full cost to get one sellable unit to its destination, including product cost, packaging, freight, duties, and direct logistics costs. In product creation, this term matters because it affects how a founder explains the product, compares suppliers, controls cost, or reduces production risk.

Manufacturing glossary

What is Lead time?

Lead time means the amount of time between starting an order or step and receiving the finished result. In product creation, this term matters because it affects how a founder explains the product, compares suppliers, controls cost, or reduces production risk.

Manufacturing glossary

What is Manufacturer management?

Manufacturer management means the process of coordinating supplier communication, specs, samples, revisions, production milestones, quality checks, payments, and shipment readiness after choosing a manufacturer. In product creation, this term matters because it affects how a founder explains the product, compares suppliers, controls cost, or reduces production risk.

Manufacturing glossary

What is Supplier management?

Supplier management means the practice of keeping suppliers aligned on cost, quality, timelines, communication, approvals, and issue resolution. In product creation, this term matters because it affects how a founder explains the product, compares suppliers, controls cost, or reduces production risk.

Manufacturing glossary

What is Factory communication?

Factory communication means the written and visual exchange of product details, questions, updates, sample feedback, and approvals between a business and a factory. In product creation, this term matters because it affects how a founder explains the product, compares suppliers, controls cost, or reduces production risk.

Manufacturing glossary

What is Golden sample?

Golden sample means the final approved sample used as the quality reference for production and inspection. In product creation, this term matters because it affects how a founder explains the product, compares suppliers, controls cost, or reduces production risk.

Manufacturing glossary

What is Pre-production sample?

Pre-production sample means a sample made before full production to confirm materials, construction, packaging, and quality before the larger order starts. In product creation, this term matters because it affects how a founder explains the product, compares suppliers, controls cost, or reduces production risk.

Manufacturing glossary

What is Supplier audit?

Supplier audit means a review of a supplier's capability, quality process, documentation, facility, category fit, and reliability before or during production. In product creation, this term matters because it affects how a founder explains the product, compares suppliers, controls cost, or reduces production risk.

Manufacturing glossary

What is Inspection report?

Inspection report means a written record of product checks, defects, measurements, packaging review, and pass or fail status before shipment. In product creation, this term matters because it affects how a founder explains the product, compares suppliers, controls cost, or reduces production risk.

Manufacturing glossary

What is Corrective action?

Corrective action means the documented fix a supplier must make when a product, sample, process, or batch does not meet the approved standard. In product creation, this term matters because it affects how a founder explains the product, compares suppliers, controls cost, or reduces production risk.

Manufacturing glossary

What is Incoterms?

Incoterms means international trade terms that define buyer and seller responsibilities for freight, insurance, customs, risk transfer, and delivery. In product creation, this term matters because it affects how a founder explains the product, compares suppliers, controls cost, or reduces production risk.

Manufacturing glossary

What is Production deposit?

Production deposit means the upfront payment a supplier requires before starting a manufacturing order or buying materials. In product creation, this term matters because it affects how a founder explains the product, compares suppliers, controls cost, or reduces production risk.

Manufacturing glossary

What is Packaging dieline?

Packaging dieline means the flat layout file that shows where packaging should fold, cut, print, and place key design elements. In product creation, this term matters because it affects how a founder explains the product, compares suppliers, controls cost, or reduces production risk.

Manufacturing glossary

What is Tolerance?

Tolerance means the acceptable range of variation for a product measurement, fit, color, weight, or manufacturing detail. In product creation, this term matters because it affects how a founder explains the product, compares suppliers, controls cost, or reduces production risk.

Manufacturing glossary

What is Compliance testing?

Compliance testing means checks used to confirm that a product meets relevant safety, labeling, material, regulatory, or category requirements. In product creation, this term matters because it affects how a founder explains the product, compares suppliers, controls cost, or reduces production risk.

Manufacturing glossary

What is Purchase order?

Purchase order means a formal order document that confirms what a supplier should produce, how many units are ordered, agreed pricing, payment terms, and delivery expectations. In product creation, this term matters because it affects how a founder explains the product, compares suppliers, controls cost, or reduces production risk.

Manufacturing glossary

What is Production schedule?

Production schedule means the planned timeline for manufacturing milestones such as materials, production start, inspection, packing, shipment booking, and delivery. In product creation, this term matters because it affects how a founder explains the product, compares suppliers, controls cost, or reduces production risk.

Manufacturing glossary

What is Change order?

Change order means a written record of an approved change to product specs, materials, packaging, price, quantity, timeline, or production requirements. In product creation, this term matters because it affects how a founder explains the product, compares suppliers, controls cost, or reduces production risk.

Manufacturing glossary

What is Production milestone?

Production milestone means a tracked point in the manufacturing process used to confirm progress before the next production or payment step. In product creation, this term matters because it affects how a founder explains the product, compares suppliers, controls cost, or reduces production risk.

Manufacturing glossary

What is QC?

QC means quality control, the process of checking whether products meet the approved specification and defect standards. In product creation, this term matters because it affects how a founder explains the product, compares suppliers, controls cost, or reduces production risk.

Manufacturing glossary

What is AQL?

AQL means acceptable quality limit, a sampling method used to decide whether a batch meets an agreed defect threshold. In product creation, this term matters because it affects how a founder explains the product, compares suppliers, controls cost, or reduces production risk.

Manufacturing glossary

What is Freight?

Freight means the movement of goods in bulk by air, ocean, truck, rail, or another shipping method. In product creation, this term matters because it affects how a founder explains the product, compares suppliers, controls cost, or reduces production risk.

Manufacturing glossary

What is Tariff?

Tariff means a tax or duty applied to imported goods, often based on product classification and country of origin. In product creation, this term matters because it affects how a founder explains the product, compares suppliers, controls cost, or reduces production risk.

Manufacturing glossary

What is Fulfillment?

Fulfillment means the process of storing, picking, packing, and shipping orders to customers. In product creation, this term matters because it affects how a founder explains the product, compares suppliers, controls cost, or reduces production risk.

Manufacturing glossary

What is Unit economics?

Unit economics means the profit math for one unit after product cost, shipping, fees, returns, and other direct costs. In product creation, this term matters because it affects how a founder explains the product, compares suppliers, controls cost, or reduces production risk.

Manufacturing glossary

What is Preorder?

Preorder means a purchase or commitment taken before inventory is fully available, often used to test demand and fund production. In product creation, this term matters because it affects how a founder explains the product, compares suppliers, controls cost, or reduces production risk.

Manufacturing glossary

What is Pilot run?

Pilot run means a small early production run used to test quality, customer response, and operations before scaling. In product creation, this term matters because it affects how a founder explains the product, compares suppliers, controls cost, or reduces production risk.

Manufacturing glossary

What is Small batch?

Small batch means a limited production run used to reduce inventory risk and learn before larger manufacturing orders. In product creation, this term matters because it affects how a founder explains the product, compares suppliers, controls cost, or reduces production risk.

What is MOQ?

MOQ means minimum order quantity, or the smallest number of units a supplier is willing to produce in one order. Learn how it affects product development, prototyping, manufacturing, cost, and launch decisions.

What is Landed cost?

Landed cost means the full cost to get one sellable unit to its destination, including product cost, packaging, freight, duties, and direct logistics costs. Learn how it affects product development, prototyping, manufacturing, cost, and launch decisions.

What is MOQ?

What is landed cost?

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