Lockning

Lockning is a term used in several languages to describe the act or result of locking or securing something. In engineering, it denotes devices and methods designed to prevent unwanted movement of parts.

In mechanical engineering, lockings include fasteners and methods that resist loosening under load and vibration. Common implementations are lock nuts and lock washers, thread-locking compounds, captive fasteners, and interference fits. Set screws and pins can be used to prevent rotation or translation, while splines and keys fix components in a defined position.

In computing and information security, locking refers to synchronization mechanisms that restrict access to shared resources to one process or thread at a time. Locks such as mutexes, spinlocks, semaphores, and file locks enforce mutual exclusion and coordinated access, while designs seek to avoid deadlock, starvation, and priority inversion.

In some languages, lockning can also describe the formation of a curl of hair, or a hair lock, though this usage is separate from the mechanical sense.

Standards and practice focus on reliability, safety, and maintainability. Selection depends on load, environment, and maintenance. Common guidance covers torque, thread engagement, material compatibility, and inspection to prevent loosening or mismatch.

Lockning practice thus spans engineering, computing, and everyday language, reflecting the broad idea of securing or fixing something in place.