機械加工是指通過一種(zhong)機械設備對工件的(de)外形(xing)尺寸或性能進行改變的(de)過程。按加工方(fang)式上的(de)差別可分為切削(xue)加工和壓力加工。

在生(sheng)產過(guo)(guo)(guo)(guo)程中，凡是改變(bian)生(sheng)產對象的(de)(de)(de)(de)形狀、尺寸、位置和性(xing)質等，使(shi)其成(cheng)為(wei)(wei)成(cheng)品或者(zhe)半成(cheng)品的(de)(de)(de)(de)過(guo)(guo)(guo)(guo)程稱為(wei)(wei)工(gong)(gong)(gong)藝(yi)過(guo)(guo)(guo)(guo)程。它是生(sheng)產過(guo)(guo)(guo)(guo)程的(de)(de)(de)(de)主要部分。工(gong)(gong)(gong)藝(yi)過(guo)(guo)(guo)(guo)程又可分為(wei)(wei)鑄造、鍛造、沖壓、焊接、機(ji)械(xie)加工(gong)(gong)(gong)、裝配(pei)等工(gong)(gong)(gong)藝(yi)過(guo)(guo)(guo)(guo)程，機(ji)械(xie)制造工(gong)(gong)(gong)藝(yi)過(guo)(guo)(guo)(guo)程一般是指零件的(de)(de)(de)(de)機(ji)械(xie)加工(gong)(gong)(gong)工(gong)(gong)(gong)藝(yi)過(guo)(guo)(guo)(guo)程和機(ji)器的(de)(de)(de)(de)裝配(pei)工(gong)(gong)(gong)藝(yi)過(guo)(guo)(guo)(guo)程的(de)(de)(de)(de)總和，其他(ta)過(guo)(guo)(guo)(guo)程則(ze)稱為(wei)(wei)輔(fu)助過(guo)(guo)(guo)(guo)程，例(li)如運輸、保管、動力(li)供應(ying)、設(she)備維修等。工(gong)(gong)(gong)藝(yi)過(guo)(guo)(guo)(guo)程又是由一個或若干個順序排列的(de)(de)(de)(de)工(gong)(gong)(gong)序組(zu)成(cheng)的(de)(de)(de)(de)，一個工(gong)(gong)(gong)序由有若干個工(gong)(gong)(gong)步組(zu)成(cheng)。