Design of Machinery: An Introduction to the Synthesis and Analysis of Mechanisms and Machines [With CDROM]

The book was exactly as had been described and was in perfect shape. It was an old edition but that is why I got it for such a good price.

The scope of anaysis methods presented in this book is broad enough that a reader would be able to derive all of the kinematic relationships and determine all forces in designing a piece of machinery. In short, the methods presented typically involve normalizing lengths and distances in a machine to a specific dimension within that machine. Such a method results in equations with terms that are not easily disiphered into a phyisical meaning. The methods do not make intuitive sense. All the same, it could serve as a reasonable reference.

As another addition to my review, I wish to state the following things:1) I have taken the courses in machine design and kinematics and know what I am doing. I am not expecting an easy answer to my design problem or expecting the software on the disk to be another "Working Model" or "I-DEAS" or whatever. I did all calculations in my design courses by hand. 2)It's only that my expectation of a "WINDOWS" program is probably different from the authors'. I don't want bevelled buttons or colored text input boxes, however useful they may be. I want them to conform to windows like look and feel, that's all.

I wish to correct my earlier review based on the information the author has provided here. Yes, I tried closing it using File menu and everything worked normally. As far as suggestions to the user interface are concerned, I would suggest the following: 1) Please remove the red color titles etc., They are annoying and very hard to read. Atleast provide an option for changing it. 2) If possible, instead of cramming all the information on one screen, split it between a couple of screens with a next button or something similar. 3) A couple of tutorials would be helpful for learning to use the software. Thanks to the author for the clarification. I apologize if my earlier review was misleading. As I said earlier, the content of the book is excellent.

The text provides good understanding of linkages, cams, and gears common to mechanisms and machines. Working Model 2D (PC and MAC) is included with the second edition of the text (which is practically worth the cost of the book). There are also WM models of all the figures and examples from the book, which provide excellent supplemental instruction and enhanced visualization skills of mechanism movements. The author written programs also provide additional instruction (about four and five bar linkages, cam design, and engines to name a few) but they are not as user friendly as Working Model nor as easy to use. Also, the PC version of WM installed fine, but no success with the MAC version.