The machine shop is equipped for the work of finishing castings and forgings to exact form and dimensions. This work is done principally by means of machine tools which cut off superfluous metal, and to a far less degree by chipping, filing, and scraping with hand tools.

In addition to finishing castings and forgings, there are made in the machine shop many articles for particular or general use from bars of iron, steel, brass and bronze supplied from the rolling mill.

An important supplementary work of this shop is that of assembling the finished parts of an engine or other machine and fitting them together in complete form ready for use. This assembling is done in the erecting shop where all parts composing a machine are brought to a final adjustment.

It will be noticed that the word "work" is much used in the machine shop to designate a forging, casting, or other piece of metal to be machined, i. e., finished to shape by means of machine tools.