Cut
Cut turns up in 2 fields: thermal spray, railroad. Here is what it means to the people in each one.
Cut in thermal spray
Shop word for a powder's particle size range, such as minus 45 plus 15 micrometers.
Size range of a powder, written as an upper and lower screen or micrometer limit and spoken as minus 45 plus 15, meaning particles pass a 45 micrometer screen and the fraction under 15 has been classified out. Each process favors a cut: fine cuts for gas-fuel HVOF and many plasma ceramics, coarser cuts for liquid-fuel HVOF, flame and some abradables. The wrong cut for a gun gives unmelts, spits or low deposition efficiency.
"That's the 45/15 cut, it's for the gas gun, the liquid-fuel gun wants the 53/20."
Cut in railroad
A group of cars coupled together and handled as one piece; as a verb, to uncouple them.
Crews describe their moves in cuts: a cut of ten, cut 'em behind the fourth, kick that cut into 12. As a verb, to cut means to separate cars by pulling the pin at a chosen coupling, and the cut lever is the handle that lifts the coupler pin. The size and weight of each cut decides how hard a crew can kick it and how many hand brakes it needs.
"Cut behind the eighth car, I'll kick those eight into 3 and then we'll come back for the rest of the cut."