ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Parallels (engineering)

Hi there! "Parallels" in engineering are like two roads that run side by side. They are not touching each other, but they are always staying the same distance apart. People use parallels to make sure that things are straight and lined up correctly.

Imagine that you are building a bookshelf, and you want to make sure that the shelves are all level. You can use a pair of parallels to help with this. You would put one parallel on one side of the shelf, and the other parallel on the other side of the shelf. Then you would adjust the height of the shelf until it is level with both parallels.

Parallels can also be used in machines, like lathes. Lathes are machines that spin metal to make it smooth or to shape it into something specific. In order to make sure that the metal spins straight, the lathe needs to have two beds that run parallel to each other.

So in summary, parallels in engineering are tools that help people make sure that things are straight and lined up correctly. They are like two roads that are always the same distance apart and can be used in things like building bookshelves or in machines like lathes.