A quantitative measure of a material or mechanism's flexibility and willingness to yield to applied forces. In mechanical systems, high compliance means the component will stretch, bend, or compress significantly when subjected to stress, which can be desirable for shock absorption but detrimental for precision alignment.
Heard on the job
Check the compliance of those rubber mounts before we finalize the vibration isolation spec.
Insider tip
Engineers often deliberately design compliance into linkages to accommodate thermal expansion or manufacturing tolerances.