Engineering Drawing and Design

I started using the fourth edition of Engineering Drawing and Design by Madsen when it first came on the market. This textbook is comprehensive and used in all drafting technology courses in our program, including mechanical from drawing views and annotations to complete sets of working drawings; mechanisms, belt and chain drives, welding representations, electrical, piping, HVAC, structural and civil. I think The Engineering Design Processes chapter is the most unique found in any textbook, taking an actual product from concept to market, as I have read many of these. This textbook provides the best and most complete compliance with the ASME and other related standards. The subject can be boring, but the conversation-style makes for easy reading. Terms, applications and concepts are clearly defined and well illustrated. The author also uses actual industry drawings throughout to reinforce learning. This textbook has more chapter ending drafting problems than any other textbook in this discipline. The first printing had a few errors in the problems, but these have been corrected in subsequent printings. The author has intentionally introduced errors into design problems as a real-world approach for students to engage. A new edition is expected early in 2011 according to the publisher. I was told that the fifth edition has expanded content, updated ASME Y14.5-2009 and other standards. New CADD Applications, Green Technology and correlated student CD content. Along with many more features recommended by educators and professional technical reviewers.

Easy understand and have lots of picture to explain the idea. Good for learner.

I work as a mechanical engineer, and although I know how to create digital models in modern CAD software of parts I'm designing, I was looking for a good reference book that I can refer to when working on production drawings. I found this book to be a solid source for information that I was looking for about drafting.

This book describes it all, gives the rules of the road for the changes that have occured in the last number of years in ANSI callouts, Geometric Tolerancing, ASME, and ISO practices. I've been in this business since '76 on the drafting board, and since '86 with CADD (Computer Aided Drafting & Design) and have watched the skills of knowing how to draft (a distinct language of its own) and the elements of design and engineering fall by the wayside in general as the focus now by our educators and companies is more about learning to and running a CADD program, making a picture than following the skills and practices of drafting, design, and engineering. Students today need to get back to "walking" (learning drafting) before they "run" with a CADD program. This book addresses what is necessary to create drawings and design the parts as they should be. I highly recommend it to anyone conscientiously wanting to really learn to do the job right and/or to hone their skills.