Imashini ziratandukanye kandi zishobora gushirwa mu migwi mu buryo bwinshi, nk’akarorero: hakurikijwe igikorwa (imashini zikoresha amashanyarazi, imashini zikoresha ibikoresho, imashini zimenagura, n’ibindi); ku nganda (imashini z’uburimyi, imashini z’ubucukuzi, imashini z’impuzu n’ibindi); kandi biciye ku ngingo ngenderwako y’ugukora (imashini z’ubushuhe, imashini z’amazi, imashini z’ibinyabuzima, n’ibindi).
Ikindi kandi, imashini zica mu ntambwe zitari nke zifise ibikorwa bitandukanye mu gihe ziriko zirakora ubushakashatsi, zitegura, zihingura, zikora be n’igihe zikoreshwa. Hashingiwe kuri izo ntambwe zitandukanye, ubuhinga bw’amashini burashobora kandi guca mu bice vyinshi bihuye kandi vyuzuzanya, nk’ubushakashatsi bw’amashini, uguhingura amashini, uguhingura amashini, n’ugukoresha no gucungera amashini.
Izo nyigisho zitandukanye, zishizwe mu mice itandukanye, zirahura kandi zigahurirana, bikaba bishobora gutuma habaho amajana y'inyigisho zitandukanye mu vy'ubuhinga bw'amashini. Nk’akarorero, imashini zikoresha amashanyarazi, zishizwe mu migwi hakurikijwe ibikorwa, zifise ubucuti bukomeye buhurikiyeko n’izindi nyigisho nk’imashini zikoresha ubushuhe, imashini zikoresha amazi, imashini zikoresha amashanyarazi, imashini zikoresha amashanyarazi, amashanyarazi akoresha umuriro w’umwotsi, amashanyarazi y’imishwarara, amashanyarazi y’umuriro wo mu mutima, n’amashini y’amashanyarazi yo hagati, hamwe n’amashini y’amashanyarazi yo hagati. ibikoresho, amahinguriro y’amashanyarazi, amagariyamoshi, ubuhinga bwo mu mazi, n’ubuhinga bwo mu modoka. Ivyuma bikoreshwa n’umwotsi wo mu kiyaga ni imashini zikoresha ubushobozi, hamwe n’imashini zikoresha ubushuhe, imashini zikoresha amazi, n’imashini zikoresha umuriro. Ni ivy’amahinguriro y’amashanyarazi yo mu kiyaga, amahinguriro y’amashanyarazi y’umwotsi, kandi bishobora no kuba ivy’amahinguriro y’amashanyarazi y’imishwarara, n’ibindi.
