The purpose of the article is to present discrete visualization as a means of solving educational and research problems of mechanical engineering technology. Discrete visualization is considered as a method of dividing the studied machining process into sequential time fragments, followed by educational observation, fixation of the fragment by means of mobile video and interpolation of the obtained point data. As an example, an educational study of the influence of thermal phenomena during cutting on the processing accuracy is considered. The conclusion is made about the possibility of using the technology of discrete visualization and mobile video for laboratory work, research in student scientific societies, the development of video courses and virtual laboratory work for conditions of distance, correspondence and hybrid learning, as well as various kinds of experimental and grant activities of future technologists in universities and colleges.