Umatshini sisixhobo esidityaniswe kumalungu anokusebenza size sisetyenziswe ukuthabathel’ indawo abantu, ukuguqula amandla, okanye ukuvelisa umsebenzi oluncedo. Umatshini ngokubanzi uquka iyunithi yamandla, iyunithi yothumelo, iyunithi yokubulawa, kunye neyunithi yokulawula.
Ngokwembono yamandla, umatshini sisixhobo esisebenzisa okanye esiguqula amandla omatshini. Izixhobo eziguqula ezinye iindlela zamandla zibe ngamandla angoomatshini zibizwa ngokuba zii-prime movers, njengeenjini zokutsha zangaphakathi, ii-injini zomphunga, kunye neenjini zombane. Izixhobo ezisebenzisa amandla oomatshini ukwenza umsebenzi oluncedo zibizwa ngokuba ngoomatshini bokusebenza, njengezixhobo zoomatshini ezahlukeneyo, iikhreyini, kunye neecompressors. Ngophuhliso lwesayensi kunye nobuchwepheshe, ingcamango yomatshini ihlaziywa rhoqo kwaye iguqulwa.
