Can
Can turns up in 3 fields: fiber optics, automotive, shop slang. Here is what it means to the people in each one.
Can in fiber optics
Outside plant slang for a splice closure, especially a cylindrical dome closure on a pole or in a vault.
A nickname from telephone plant for the cylindrical or dome-shaped housings that protect splices on aerial strand and in handholes. Crews talk about opening a can, re-entering a can or adding a tray to a can, and the splice records list every can by location and pole number. A can full of water or with broken seals is a common find on a troubleshooting call.
"Cut's between poles 41 and 42, open the can on 41 and see which tubes are still lit."
CAN in automotive
A controller area network bus that allows vehicle microcontrollers and devices to communicate.
A Controller Area Network (CAN) bus is the central nervous system of a vehicle. It is a robust vehicle bus standard designed to allow microcontrollers, sensors, and electronic control units to communicate with each other without a host computer. By using a twisted pair of wires, the CAN bus reduces massive wiring harnesses down to a single network, handling everything from engine timing to rolling down the windows.
"The scanner is throwing a U-code, which means we've a communication failure somewhere on the CAN bus."
Can in shop slang
To abruptly terminate a worker's employment or cancel a failing project.
Management uses this term when they abruptly fire an employee or shut down an initiative without warning. It implies a swift, decisive end to the work, often due to poor performance, budget cuts, or a major safety violation. When applied to a project, it means all funding and labor stop immediately, and the remaining materials are usually scrapped or reassigned.
"If you mess up the lockout procedure one more time, the site manager is going to can you."