Playing with Technical Expressions
We may look for an apparatus under commonly known technical terms, but we may not find it with all suppliers. This does not necessarily mean that more potential suppliers for this apparatus do not exist.
Some suppliers try to avoid “copy right” violation by using different terms and titles, which are not commonly known among end users, whereas others do it in purpose to confuse their competitors. Several examples can be given here; nonetheless, Column Buckling Apparatus may be listed as Strut Buckling Apparatus or Buckling of Struts Apparatus. Furthermore, the designation of the type of the equipment; whether it is a machine, system, apparatus, bench, unit, stand, .., etc.
Unfortunately, it has been noticed that many end users are someway confused with these apparantly different expressions. For example, Creep Testing Machine and Creep Testing Apparatus. Another example is TurbineTest Bench and Turbine Test Set or Turbine Test Rig.
It is advisable to carefully read the specifications of the equipment and what it can provide instead of going blindly after the title, which could be sometimes misleading.