Machine Design: An Integrated Approach

This book is, without a doubt, the best text book I have ever purchased. The author is so clear. Information is presented in such a way that chapters may be read out of order, for the most part. The author provides more relevant support example and sources than any author I have read, and he does so in a very fluid way. This book is easy to read. It provides all relevant mechanical design information in an extremely clear way. I would buy anything this author writes or recommends.

The best review for this book is in the autor's preface: "This textbook is designed to be an improvement over those currently available and to provide methods and techniques that take full advantage of the graphics microcomputer. It emphasizes design and synthesis as well as analysis. Example problems, case studies, and solution techniques are spelled out in detail. While this book attempts to be thorough and complete on the engineering-mechanics topics of failure theory and analysis, it also emphasizes the synthesis and design aspects of the subject to a greater degree than most other texts in print on this subject. It points out the commonality of the analytical approaches needed to design a wide variety of elements and emphasizes the use of computer-aided engineering as an approach to the design and analysis of these classes of problems."

Norton is an awesome resource. For students going to college it may seem overwhelming. But it is the MOST up to date text on the market on the subject of Machine Design. While taking the PE exam I compared Shigley vs Norton on information, and Norton had all the answers. The author has done a monumental job in bringing the vast spectrum of Machine Design in a very well composed book. I have yet to come across a resource like Norton. In fact, I recommend this book to practicing engineers. Almost every section of the book has real world value. Its worth having on the shelf. I was always into Shigley but Norton is more in line with industry practice as opposed to academic excercises as presented by Shigley.

If you really want to learn and understand mechanical design, Mr. Norton is generous, he teachs everything there is to know. The chapters introduction it's something beyond you can expect from an engineering book. You must have it...

The use of examples and the clarity of presentation has made this book very useful in my collegiate curriculum of Mechanical Engineering. I have referred back to the equations and appendices of this book countless times and have found it extremely useful in other classes as well.