Reviews (21)

There are better options
I own several books on Control Systems (including this one), but if you have to buy just one and you are in the process of choosing it, I would recommend Katsuhiko Ogata's Modern Control Engineering.
Sucks
Well first off the book does not do a good job of providing sufficient examples on how to do things. On top of that the solution manual you can get online through those 2 ppl that are selling it is useless. It has all the problems worked out wrong...just my luck!

Good Sections on PID and Multivariable
As a practicing engineer, I found the book's sections on PID controllers and Multivariable control to be more informative than my other references, including the venerable Ogata.
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Subjects:  1. Automation    2. Engineering - Electrical & Electronic    3. Engineering - General    4. Engineering - Mechanical    5. Feedback Control Systems (Engineering)    6. Feedback control systems    7. Science/Mathematics    8. Technology    9. Technology & Industrial Arts    10. Automatic control engineering    11. Electrical engineering    12. Electronics & Communications Engineering    13. Technology / Engineering / Electrical   

Reviews (1)

A Descriptive Non-mathematical Approach
Intended for use in an electronics based industrial/manufacturing course, this is an introductory text on process control. It stresses a hands-on operational approach rather than concentrating on mathematical design. The 24 chapters (including one chapter on the CD) can be conbined in various ways to teach courses in several areas including: electrical motors, solid-state variable-speed drives, programmable logic controllers (PLCs), servomechanisms, sensors, and various specialty areas such as instrumentation or process control.
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Subjects:  1. Automation    2. Control Engineering    3. Electronic Engineering (General)    4. Electronics - General    5. Engineering - Mechanical    6. Industrial Technology    7. Science/Mathematics    8. Technology    9. Technology & Industrial Arts    10. Electronics & Communications Engineering    11. Technology / Engineering / Electrical   

Reviews (3)

The Very Best Reference - From an Industrial Practitioner of Process Measurement & Control

InstrumentEngineers Handbook Vol1
Excellent book. I second Mr. Hills comments, although I have recently purchased the books based upon comments Mr.Liptak has made in the control mailing list. It is a very good investment. The book is easy to read/understand, covers the full spectrum of instrumentation,give relative costs and companies manufacturing the items. It is a good first book to turn to, and will save me much research time. I wish I would have known about it earlier.

Excellent book for the advanced field technician.
I have used this book for years and it has never failed to provide the information necessary to troubleshoot and repair problems with measurement systems.Liptak does a wonderful job presenting measurement theory and theprinciples of operation of various measurement strategies.The mosthelpful information Liptak includes is the discussion of the limitation ofvarious measurement devices.If you are responsible for the maintenance ofa wide variety of instruments and you desire to know how those instrumentswork, this book is worth every penny. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Automation    2. Engineering - General    3. Engineering - Industrial    4. General    5. Handbooks, manuals, etc    6. Measuring instruments    7. Process control    8. Science    9. Science/Mathematics    10. Technology    11. Industrial chemistry    12. Instruments & instrumentation engineering    13. Science / Chemistry / Technical & Industrial   

Reviews (4)

Only book which consolidates Audio coding & Standards
This book describes the basic details and the Signal Processing behind the Audio compression. It also describes PQMF and MDCT in continuation which is rare in books. Almost all the standard audio codecs are described with comparisons. I am delighted to read the book. At least my search end with this book on this topic. After getting this book, I need not look into IEEE & AES papers. For Audio engineers working on this domain should read this book to have a complete picture and overview of the technology and the domain.

Not satisfying for a nerd like myself...
The book gives a good review of the historical development of audio coding standards with emphasis on ISO. Generally speaking it is well written, but the technical details as well as theoretical aspects are frankly, quite superficial; therefore it is not satisfying for a (proud) nerd like myself. If one's goal is to implement a program to handle the MP3 bitstream, for instance, then the book does not help. If one's goal is to design a new filter bank to improve the MP3 coder, then the book does not help either. However, it is recommended for beginners to get a flavor of the audio coding field.

Touching the core mechanisms underlying digital audio codec.
For a long time in my school life and now as a audio engineer I look forward to this kind of book.Read more

Subjects:  1. Acoustics & Sound    2. Automation    3. Data compression (Computer sci    4. Data compression (Computer science)    5. Digital Audio Technology    6. Digital techniques    7. Engineering - Electrical & Electronic    8. General    9. Recording and reproducing    10. Science/Mathematics    11. Sound    12. Standards    13. Technology    14. Technology & Industrial Arts    15. Audio processing    16. Communications engineering / telecommunications    17. Medical-General    18. Sound, vibration & waves (acoustics)    19. Technology / Automation    20. Technology / Engineering / Electrical    21. Technology-Engineering - Electrical & Electronic   

Reviews (3)

great for agricultural machinery application
This is the best parallel mechanisms reference book I've seen thus far.

phenomenal content
an exciting book having phenomenal contents

A must see by Mech E grad students and advanced undergrads.
A very readable, and by far, the most detailed and modern account of the mechanics of both serial and parallel systems. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Automation    2. Engineering - Mechanical    3. Industrial Robotics    4. Manipulators (Mechanism)    5. Robotics    6. Science/Mathematics    7. Technology    8. Technology & Industrial Arts    9. Technology / Engineering / Mechanical    10. Technology / Robotics    11. Technology-Engineering - Mechanical   

Reviews (3)

Good Fundamentals Book by a Talented Writer
This is an excellent book for the modern fundamentals of aircraft control design. Most subjects are clearly treated with just the right amount of illustrations and examples. The author makes good effort of explaining procedures without resorting to function calls from some software package. The last of the book devotes relatively little space to modern control theory. I would hope this talented writer would create something more advanced in the future that would expand on his treatment of the state observer and the use of the cost function.

An excellent introductory book. Highly readable.
The best aspect of this book is the simplicity in the exposition of ideasand concepts while giving more than enough information for an introductorybook. Fully worked out examples are frequent throughout the chapters andhelps even further in getting good grasp of new materials. If the readerhas taken introductory courses in Vibration and/or Feedback Control, thebook should be an easy read.The book is roughly divided into two parts:The flight dynamics part and control part.In the flight dynamics part,the explanation smoothly leads the reader from equation of motion to theconcept of stability derivatives and how they relate to dynamic stability.The derivatives are very well explained and then summarized in tables for aquick reference.In the control part, the author starts from the classiclinear feed back control and proceeds to the modern state space method andintroduces optimal control design using linear quadratic regulator.Thecontrol part is an amazing time saver. I have never seen a more efficientintroduction to optimal control as applied to aircraft dynamics. If thereader wants a full fledged treatment of optimal control of aircraft, thematerials presented here are far from enough, but as an introductory book,this is an excellent exposition that lets the reader get to pace quicklyand have straight forward perspective on the subject. Although there weresome blatant typos, it is an excellent work and I highly recommend thebook.

A lot of info on aircraft control in a small textbook.
I found this textbook to include a large amount of concisely presented material on all aspects of aircraft stability and control and feedback control system design. It covers everything from the atmosphere, to development of forces and moments and equations of motion, to estimation ofstability derivatives, analysis of dynamics and modes of motion, and handyreduced degrees of freedom. It also includes many examples of designingautopilots and stability augmentation systems. I really liked the exampleswhich included both classical and state variable methods. Each chapter alsohas several interesting example problems. I would recommend this text foranyone in the field of aircraft or missile flight controls. The onlydissappointing aspect of the text is what I consider an excessive number oftypographical errors. I would caution anyone not to use the equations orformulas without first checking the derivation. The derivations are clearand concise enough that the reader should be able to find these errors. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Aeronautics & Astronautics    2. Aircraft Operation    3. Airplanes    4. Automatic control    5. Automation    6. Aviation - Commercial    7. Aviation - General    8. Aviation - Piloting & Flight Instruction    9. Control systems    10. Reference    11. Stability of airplanes    12. Technology & Industrial Arts    13. Transportation    14. Aerospace & aviation technology    15. Automatic control engineering    16. Technology / Aeronautics & Astronautics   

Reviews (4)

Not worth the money
Don't spend your money on this book, there is a lot of repetive stuff in it.Also, if you already work in the field of ASIC design, you will not learn much in this book, trust me.

Very useful in practice
This book pointed out many design problems that I just met before. Designer could avoid many of them by following the guidelines in this book. I think it would help me a lot in my design work. Thanks to the authors.

Recommend it to every designer as a handbook
The guidelines are not difficult to understand, and you may have the pieces here and there. But this book has a broad coverage. I got this book by luck draw at SNUG. Didn't pay attention at first until I read it. Very well organized, very accurate description of the real feelings of doing a real chip. The methodology it talks about is not limited to "reuse". I suggest the auther change the title for next edition. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Application specific integrate    2. Application specific integrated circuits    3. Automation    4. Computer Engineering    5. Design and construction    6. Digital Integrated Circuit Design    7. Electronics - Digital    8. Engineering - Electrical & Electronic    9. Logic Design    10. Modularity (Engineering)    11. Science/Mathematics    12. Systems on a chip    13. Technology    14. Technology & Industrial Arts    15. Applications of Computing    16. Computers-Logic Design    17. Electronic devices & materials    18. Technology / Automation    19. Technology / Electronics / Circuits / General    20. Technology-Engineering - Electrical & Electronic   

Reviews (3)

Too many errors and no errata
The book is decent - better than a few I have purchased but suffers from a common failing in technical books - it is repleat with errors. Really, a book which is used by some in technical schools or colleges should have only a few errors at most. This book has scores of errors, which makes learning very difficult. Like most subjects if you intend to teach yourself, you will need three or four references including PLC manuals in order to resolve the many ambiguous diagrams and statements in the text...

Great teaching material
I teach electricians about PLCs and use this book as the class textbook. It has very good coverage of the subject. There are other books that are less costly and cover the same basic material (but not in the same depth that this book does).

Excellent PLC Book
Stenerson's book is an exellent introduction to the subject of Programmable Logic Controllers.He uses several of the major brands in his discussion of automation.The book is not designed to make one fluent withone particular PLC, but rather to give one basic knowledge which isapplicable to all brands of PLCs.Read more

Subjects:  1. Automation    2. Counseling - Vocational Guidance    3. Digital Electronics    4. Electronics - Digital    5. Electronics - General    6. Engineering - Mechanical    7. Programmable Controllers    8. Science/Mathematics    9. Technology    10. Technology & Industrial Arts    11. Telecommunication systems    12. Automatic control engineering    13. Communications engineering / telecommunications    14. Electronic devices & materials    15. Technology / Electronics / General   

Reviews (2)

Great book for getting started
When I wanted to make a career change, this book was my primer on the basics of CNC programming and machining. It helped me to quickly pick up the essentials of this manufacturing process. I recommend it to anyone who wishes to get a foundation or refresher course in the basics, such as understanding shop math, G code programming, tooling, set-ups, speeds and feeds etc. These are the necessary building blocks for success in this field.

The best illustrated CNC text on the market
This book is probably one of the best Tech texts that I have yet seen. It covers a wide range of topics and keeps the reader interested with very good photograps and 3D drawings. There are several chapters for beginners to deal with shop trigonometry, metalworking data, blueprint reading, as well as a nice overview of CNC Mill and Lathe programming.Read more

Subjects:  1. Automation    2. Engineering - Mechanical    3. Machine-tools    4. Numerical control    5. Science/Mathematics    6. Technology    7. Technology & Industrial Arts    8. Algorithms & procedures    9. Automatic control engineering    10. Technology / Engineering / Mechanical   

Reviews (5)

High quantity, but average quality
This book covers a huge amount of topics related to the automation, organisation and control of production systems.
From a student point of view
Lacking important concepts from 1st edition that should have been in the chapters on production mathematical models. (Scrap, Time In Plant, etc.)Good descriptions of general machine automation processes.Good overview of NC, CNC machining, covering more in these chapters than some texts associated with only this topic.Good overview chapters of industrial robotics, PLC control and programming, in-plant material handling, manufacturing system schemes, assembly systems, quality control, Statisics, inspection and planning.Overall a very capable text.When coupled with a well developed laboratory, would be a text for a very complete college level Industrial Automation course.

comprehensive and informative
This books explains the fundamental principles as well as practicalapplications of computer-based manufacturing in a clear and effectivemanner.The illustrations complement the text well, and are worth theprice of the book alone. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Automation    2. Business/Economics    3. CAD-CAM - General    4. CAD/CAM systems    5. Cad/Cam    6. Computer Integrated Manufacturing (Cim)    7. Drafting & Mechanical Drawing    8. Manufacturing    9. Manufacturing processes    10. Production control    11. Reference    12. Robots, Industrial    13. Technology    14. Technology & Industrial Arts    15. Computers / CAD-CAM / General    16. Other Technologies   

Reviews (1)

Not for beginners butgood reference ...
This book is not for those just starting out in assembly language programming.This was basically my first time programming in assembly and this book was not a big help.It only skimmed the surface giving a general description of all the components of the 68HC12 microcontroller with no concrete examples to help visualize what was going on.Read more

Subjects:  1. Automation    2. Computer Books And Software    3. Data Processing - General    4. Digital Control Systems(Computer Science)    5. Digital control systems    6. Electronic controllers    7. Engineering - Mechanical    8. General    9. Programmable Controllers    10. Technology    11. Technology & Industrial Arts    12. Microprocessors    13. Technology / Engineering / Electrical   

Reviews (8)

Dinosaur (cold-war leftovers)
If your school or professor says otherwise, take a different prof. or transfer to another school.In fact, this text is purposely cryptic: Total BDSM engineering-style. If your course doesn't use the Schaum's outline, then you are probably being duped intentionally or by a naive prof.

Good, if you already familiar with...
Good if you've already familiar with Control Systems.
The best general book about control engineering
I had to use this book for my last semester in electrical engineering. It is really interesting, well explained and complete for a concise introduction about control engineering and design of controllers.
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Subjects:  1. Automatic control    2. Automation    3. Engineering - Electrical & Electronic    4. Science/Mathematics    5. Technology    6. Technology & Industrial Arts    7. Telecommunications    8. Automatic control engineering    9. Technology / Telecommunications   

Subjects:  1. Automation    2. Industrial Technology    3. Machinery    4. Manufacturing    5. Science/Mathematics    6. Technology    7. Technology & Industrial Arts   

Subjects:  1. Automation    2. Computer Books: Operating Systems    3. Engineering - Mechanical    4. Machine Tools Numerical Control    5. Machine-tools    6. Machinery    7. Numerical control    8. Programming    9. Technology    10. Technology & Industrial Arts    11. Computing and Information Technology    12. Technology / Engineering / Mechanical   

Reviews (1)

Bad
I really needed this book and after I ordered it I thought great. Then days later I got an email saying They didnt have it so I was being credited. If you dont have the book DONT POST IT!! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Automation    2. Buildings    3. Construction - General    4. Design & Drafting    5. Do-It-Yourself - Plumbing    6. Electric equipment    7. Intelligent buildings    8. Mechanical & Electrical Systems (Building Engineering)    9. Mechanical equipment    10. Science/Mathematics    11. Technology & Industrial Arts    12. Automatic control engineering    13. Electrician skills    14. Heating, lighting, ventilation    15. House & Home / Plumbing   

Reviews (7)

Easy read and a good introduction
The book is easy to read and a good introducion to behavior based programming. I always like it when the author uses some humor to turn a book that could have been a boring "must read" into an entertaining experience.

Accessible guide to behavior-based robotics
Behavior-based robotics is quite simply the design of robots where there are no internal "models" of the environment. Instead, the robot's action is state-machine driven via inputs gleaned from the robot's sensors. This book gives very practical advice on building and programming such a robot. Some mathematics is involved, so the reader who knows trigonometry, algebra, and the basics of computer programming would be best prepared to make good use of this book.
Great book!
I have many robot books and this is the best and most informative book of all. It is easy to understand and read; I personally couldn't put it down. I wish it was twice as long while still marinating the high info density... Most authors just babble and every few pages actually tell you something; this is not the case with this book!
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Subjects:  1. Automation    2. Programming    3. Robotics    4. Robots    5. Science/Mathematics    6. Technology    7. Technology & Industrial Arts    8. Computer Programming    9. Technology / Robotics   

Subjects:  1. Automation    2. Electronics - General    3. Engineering - Electrical & Electronic    4. Engineering - Mechanical    5. Industrial Technology    6. Logic Design    7. Programmable Controllers    8. Programmable Logic Design    9. Science/Mathematics    10. Technology    11. Technology & Industrial Arts    12. Automatic control engineering    13. Technology / Electronics / General   

Reviews (35)

A good general non-technical guide that is showing its age
Rebecca Blood of Rebecca's Pocket wrote this 200 page tome in 2002. I finished reading it in 2006. I would say about half of the information provided is dated or anachronistic. While her blog is full of interesting reading material for a technophile, the book needs a major overhaul.
Nicely Done
Rebecca Blood's account of blogging, her story from the early days to the present, woven into a neatly structured account of what blogging is and how to go about it, is a pleasant read. The book is not technically deep nor philosophically profound, but well written and pitched at an appropriate level for the average starting web-logger.
Answers the Right Questions
Covers all the information a totally uninformed but interest person would need to know to get started.It is obvious that Rebecca Blood not only enjoys blogging but wants it to be the best it can be.Her chapter, "Living on Line" discusses practical advice such as not writing when one is angry and the ethics of being a part of an on-line community.It was satisfying, enjoyable, thought provoking and useful. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Automation    2. Computer - Internet    3. Computer Books: General    4. Computers    5. Internet - Web Site Design    6. Internet - World Wide Web    7. Creative writing guides    8. Essays, journals, letters & other prose works    9. World Wide Web (WWW)    10. Current Events    11. Communications    12. Technology   

Reviews (9)

Projects that require the solution of complex problems
In the fall semester of 2003, I taught a special topics course in robotics at Mount Mercy College with two students. A Lego Mindstorms kit was purchased and in the first segment of the class, the students built a robot and programmed it to move around the halls. We then moved on and used a more advanced robot in the remainder of the class, because I did not consider the Lego kit to be sophisticated enough. From some of my professional communications, I learned that entire college classes are being taught using only Lego Mindstorms kits. Great stuff
This book is a great introduction to the world of LEGO Mindstorms robots.I've been working with the LEGO Mindstorms kits for about 6 months, and I've often been frustrated by the lack of detail in the manuals for the kits.This book provides quite a bit of the missing information.For instance, it explains that you lose your firmware if you take your batteries out of your RCX for more than a minute or two (I wish that I'd seen that in a manual somewhere!).It provides a broad overview of alternatives to programming in RCX code, together with examples from each alternative mentioned for comparison.These coding examples are discussed in the text and they are also included on the accompanying CD.In addition to the coding examples, the CD also includes videos and stills of the robots described in the book.The book includes descriptions of a broad range of robots, from the very simple Acrobot robot featured in the Constructopedia, to robots designed by school kids, to robots designed by parent-kid teams, to advanced robots using IR communication and data logging.In each case, Erwin provides the details of the development process, how the robot was first conceived, how it was developed,and how the design problems were identified and solved. This approach makes the book much more than a simple code cookbook- -it explains to parents, teachers, and older kids how robots actually come about.Scattered throughout the book are "Asides" that explain various topics such as LEGO geometry, how to calculate gear ratios, understanding compound gear trains, programming decisions, etc.The book includes appendices of useful information, a bibliography, an excellent glossary, and an index.

Geared towards a younger audience
I've read both this book and Dave Baum's Definitive Guide and both are excellent. I enjoyed Baum's book more because it caters to an older audience: Baum seems to be writing to an older reader,there's an emphasis on the programming aspect of Mindstorms, and there are more semi-advanced projects. Read more

Subjects:  1. Automation    2. Design and construction    3. Engineering - Mechanical    4. LEGO toys    5. Robotics    6. Robots    7. Science/Mathematics    8. Technology    9. Technology & Industrial Arts    10. Video & Electronic - General    11. Computer games    12. Computers / Networking / General    13. Model engineering   

Subjects:  1. Automatic control    2. Automation    3. Control systems    4. Engineering - Electrical & Electronic    5. Manipulators (Mechanism)    6. Robotics    7. Robots    8. Science/Mathematics    9. Technology    10. Technology & Industrial Arts    11. Technology / Engineering / Electrical