Symbolic language (engineering)
In engineering, a symbolic language is a language that uses standard symbols, marks, and abbreviations to represent concepts such as entities, aspects, attributes, and relationships.[original research?]
Engineering symbolic language may be used for the specification, design, implementation, management, operation, and execution of engineered systems.[original research?]
Communication using precise, concise representations of concepts is critical in engineering. The Nuclear Principles in Engineering book begins with a quote on symbolic language from Erich Fromm and its power to express and depict associations. The engineering employs symbolic language in a way that is not purely text-based and not purely image-based to represent and communicate knowledge.
Examples in chemical engineering include the symbolic languages developed for process flow diagrams and for piping and instrumentation diagrams (P&IDs).
In electrical engineering, examples include the symbolic languages developed for network diagrams used in computing.
Ladder logic was originally a written symbolic language for the design and construction of programmable logic control (PLC) operations in mechanical and control engineering.
See also
- Electronic symbol
- Engineering drawing
- Engineering drawing abbreviations and symbols
- List of symbols
- Mathematical Alphanumeric Symbols
- Notation (general)
- Symbolic language (other)