Product Description

2,501 mechanisms and mechanical devices – at your fingertips!

A one-of-a-kind pictorial directory, Mechanisms and Mechanical Devices Sourcebook, Third Edition, gives you drawings and descriptions of time-tested components, mechanisms, and devices. A carefully compiled index lets you quickly find a specific component which may very well be the exact problem-solving answer you've been seeking. You can count on this guide to help you:

* Recycle successful mechanical inventions into new products, with or without modifications
* Design basic mechanisms from scratch with a chapter of tutorial text and formulas
* Save time researching patents
* Get a refresher on the design and function of bearings, belts, brakes, clutches, couplings, cranks, feeders, gears, genevas, joints, latches, linkages, pumps, screws, springs, and switches
Stay on top of present and future trends in mechanical engineering and machine design, with up-to-date treatments of motion control systems; 2D and 3D CAD software; industrial robots and rapid prototyping (RP) systems; recent research and spinoffs of MEMS technology

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #801979 in Books
• Published on: 2001-06-13
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 500 pages

From the Back Cover
The only reference of its kind, this sourcebook contains drawings and descriptions of more than 2000 different mechanisms and mechanical devices that have proven themselves in modern products, machines, and systems. This encyclopedic guide offers:
*An extensive pictorial directory of time-tested components, mechanisms, and devices that have applications in new designs and modifications
*Illustrated technical articles summarizing important, expanding fields in mechanical, electromechanical, and mechatronic design and engineering
*A source of historical information about mechanical components and devices that have participated in design solutions in the past and can be recycled for new designs, or will offer ideas that will inspire original concepts

Whatever mechanical, electromechanical, or mechatronic device, product, or system you are designing or improving--motion-control components, appliances, machine tools, or spacecraft--you will find relevant illustrations and text in this book. Mechanisms and Mechanical Devices Sourcebook is a must addition to your personal technical library.

*Provides an introduction to or refresher on the design and function of classical mechanical elements including bearings, belts, brakes, clutches, couplings, cranks, feeders, gears, genevas, joints, latches, linkages, pumps, screws, springs, and switches
*Key equations and charts for designing mechanisms
*Features a complete index, making it easy to find references to specific components, devices, mechanisms, and systems

Inside--Preview New Directions in Machine Design

Encyclopedic coverage unmatched by any other reference
*Actuators
*Bearings
*Belts
*Brakes
*Cams
*Chains
*Clamps
*Clutches
*Controllers
*Couplings
*Cranks
*Drivers
*Encoders
*Feeders
*Gears
*Genevas
*Joints
*Latches
*Linkages
*Magnets
*Manipulators
*Motors
*Pumps
*Robots
*Screws
*Sensors
*Solenoids
*Springs
*Switches
*Transmissions

About the Author
Neil Sclater began his career as an engineer in the military--aerospace industry and a Boston engineering consulting firm before changing his career path to writing and editing on electronics and electromechanical subjects. He was a staff editor for engineering publications in electronic design, instrumentation, and product engineering, including McGraw-Hill's PRODUCT ENGINEERING mgazine, before starting his own business as a consultant and contributing editor in technical communication.

For the next 25 years, Mr. Sclater served a diversified list of industrial clients by writing marketing studies, technical articles, brochures, and new product releases. During this period, he also directly served a wide list of publishers by writing hundreds of by-lined articles for many different magazines and newspapers on various topics in engineering and industrial marketing.

Mr. Sclater holds degrees from Brown University and Northeastern University, and he has completed gradute courses in industrial management. He is the author or co-author of seven books on engineering subjects: six of these were published by McGraw-Hill's Professional Book Group. He previously revised and edited the Second Edition of MECHANISMS AND MECHANICAL DEVICES SOURCEBOOK after the death of Mr. Chironis.

The late Nicholas P. Chironis developed the concept for MECHANISMS AND MECHANICAL DEVICES SOURCEBOOK, and was the author/editor of the First Edition. He was a mechanical engineer and consultant in industry before joining the staff of Product Engineering magazine, as its mechanical design editor. Later in his career, he was an editor for other McGraw-Hill engineering publications. He had previously been a mechanical engineer for International Business Machines and Mergenthaler Linotype Corporation, and he was an instructor in product design at the Cooper Union School of Engineering in New York City. Mr. Chironis earned both his bachelor's and master's degrees in mechanical engineering from Polytechnic University, Brooklyn, NY.

Customer Reviews

Sclater's v. Parmley's books
I bought the largely similar books on mechanical components by Sclater and Parmley. Both have drawings of similar quality, to the point of having identical drawings in a number of cases (presumably because both authors used the same third-party source for the particular topic). A very few drawings were disappointing, but most were very good indeed -- and even the disappointing drawings probably would be fine for most engineers (I am not one).

There are differences. The Parmley book presents more examples of certain devices (for example, more types of linkages). But that is not true for all devices, and I'm not sure it matters in the end since both books offer quite a variety of most. For me, not being an engineer but being a fairly quick study if I'm presented with something to study, the Sclater book was preferable because it included, in most cases, more detailed introductory essays about the variouse sections: gears, screws, linkages, solenoids, etc. In some cases, though rarely, Parmley's explanations were skimpy.

I'm trying here to draw some helpful distinctions, and hope I have, but I'll close by saying that I think both are great. If I had to choose, Sclater's would win, but if you can do without the more detailed explanations and would prefer marginally more devices presented, Parmley's may suit you better.

*Excellent* reference source book for brainstorming
I used this book frequently in an undergraduate mechanical engineering design curriculum. Many of the images are self explanitory, and often provide a solution to a mechanism problem at hand. A must for every mechanical design engineer!

Informative and fun
this book is for the person who likes to fool around in the workshop inventing things. I like to do that as often as I can and this book has really boosted my productivity in the shop. Before I start on a new project I like to scan the book again and see if I can use any of the ideas. I never fail to find something I can use. The drawings are a big help in understanding the devices. There is no other book like this. It is a gathering of all the neat gadgets all in one book.