This new 2011 edition of the IMechE Engineers' Databook is heavily updated and replaces the previous editions of this best-selling pocket guide (1998, 2000, 2004), providing a concise and useful source of up-to-date essential information for the student or practising engineer. New material is provided on technical standards, presenting technical information, algebra & calculus, engineering logic, materials properties, manufacturing processes, anatomy of engineering design, and engineering and nature. The IMechE Engineers' Databook is divided into discrete sections, each containing specific "discipline" information. Units, conversions and basic data are covered in the earlier chapters of the book, with the later chapters dedicated to specific techniques and equipment as well as vital aspects of the structural integrity and reliability of engineering components.

Clifford Mathews is an experienced engineer with worldwide knowledge of mechanical engineering.

Foreword xi

Preface xiii

Introduction – The Role of Technical Standards xv

Section 1: Engineering Careers 1

1.1 Introduction: what is an engineer? 1

1.2 A rough guide to industry breakdown 3

1.3 Training and professional development 4

1.4 Degrees of (engineering) excellence 5

1.5 Degrees and how to pass them 9

1.6 Do you have any . . . experience? 12

1.7 Final cut – job interviews 14

Section 2: Units 18

2.1 The Greek alphabet 18

2.2 Units systems 19

2.3 Units and conversions 21

2.4 Consistency of units 32

2.5 Dimensional analysis 36

2.6 Essential engineering mathematics 38

2.7 Maths and the real world? 40

Section 3: Engineering Design – Process and Principles 49

3.1 Engineering problem-solving 49

3.2 Problem types and methodologies 49

3.3 Design principles 51

3.4 The engineering design process 52

3.5 Design as a systematic activity (the 'pugh' method) 53

3.6 The innovation model 53

3.7 Creativity tools 57

3.8 The product design specification (PDS) 58

3.9 Presenting technical information 60

3.10 The anatomy of mechanical design 79

3.11 Safety in design – principles and practice 89

3.12 Design by nature – project toucan 105

Section 4: Basic Mechanical Design 110

4.1 Engineering abbreviations 110

4.2 Datums and tolerances – principles 112

4.3 Toleranced dimensions 113

4.4 General tolerances 114

4.5 Holes 115

4.6 Screw threads 116

4.7 Limits and fits 117

4.8 Surface finish 119

Section 5: Motion 122

5.1 Making sense of equilibrium 122

5.2 Motion equations 123

5.3 Newton's laws of motion 124

5.4 Simple harmonic motion (SHM) 125

5.5 Understanding acceleration 126

5.6 Dynamic balancing 126

5.7 Vibration 128

5.8 Machine vibration 129

5.9 Machinery noise 130

Section 6: Deformable Body Mechanics 133

6.1 Quick reference – mechanical notation 133

6.2 Engineering structures – so where are all the pin joints? 135

6.3 Simple stress and strain 136

6.4 Simple elastic bending 138

6.5 Slope and deflection of beams 140

6.6 Torsion 142

6.7 Thin cylinders 145

6.8 Cylindrical vessels with hemispherical ends 146

6.9 Thick cylinders 147

6.10 Buckling of struts 148

6.11 Flat circular plates 149

6.12 Stress concentration factors 151

Section 7: Material Failure 155

7.1 How materials fail 155

7.2 LEFM method 156

7.3 Multi-axis stress states 157

7.4 Fatigue 158

7.5 Factors of safety 161

7.6 United states practice 161

7.7 Ultimate jigsaw – what everything is made of 162

Section 8: Thermodynamics and Cycles 166

8.1 Quick reference: symbols – thermodynamics 166

8.2 Basic thermodynamic laws 167

8.3 Entropy 169

8.4 Enthalpy 169

8.5 Other definitions 170

8.6 Cycles 170

8.7 The steam cycle 172

8.8 Properties of steam 172

8.9 Reference information 175

8.10 The gas turbine (GT) cycle 175

Section 9: Basic Fluid Mechanics and Aerodynamics 178

9.1 Basic properties 178

9.2 Flow equations 180

9.3 Flow regimes 186

9.4 Boundary layers 189

9.5 Isentropic flow 191

9.6 Compressible one-dimensional flow 191

9.7 Normal shock waves 192

9.8 Axisymmetric flows 195

9.9 Drag coefficients 195

9.10 General airfoil theory 197

9.11 Airfoil coefficients 198

9.12 Pressure distributions 200

9.13 Aerodynamic centre 200

9.14 Centre of pressure 201

9.15 Supersonic conditions 202

9.16 Wing loading: semi-ellipse assumption 204

Section 10: Fluid Equipment 206

10.1 Turbines 206

10.2 Refrigeration systems 207

10.3 Diesel engines 209

10.4 Heat exchangers 210

10.5 Centrifugal pumps 212

10.6 Impeller types 214

Section 11: Pressure Vessels 216

11.1 Vessel codes and standards 216

11.2 Pressure vessel design features 219

11.3 Cylindrical pressure vessel design stresses 220

11.4 Stress categories 221

11.5 Analysis of stress combinations 222

11.6 Vessel certification 223

11.7 Flanges 223

Section 12: Materials 225

12.1 Observing crystals: order and disorder 225

12.2 Carbon steels 226

12.3 Low-alloy steels 227

12.4 Alloy steels 227

12.5 Cast iron (CI) 228

12.6 Stainless steels 230

12.7 Non-ferrous alloys 233

12.8 Nickel alloys 233

12.9 Zinc alloys 234

12.10 Copper alloys 234

12.11 Aluminium alloys 235

12.12 Titanium alloys 236

12.13 Engineering plastics 237

12.14 Material traceability and documentation 238

12.15 Corrosion 239

Section 13: Machine Elements 244

13.1 Screw fasteners 244

13.2 Bearings 247

13.3 Ball and roller bearings 248

13.4 Bearing lifetime 249

13.5 Coefficient of friction 250

13.6 Gear trains 251

13.7 Seals 254

13.8 Shaft couplings 257

13.9 Cam mechanisms 259

13.10 Clutches 261

13.11 Pulley mechanisms 264

13.12 Drive types 266

Section 14: Quality Assurance and Quality Control 267

14.1 Quality assurance: ISO 9001: 2008 267

14.2 Quality system certification 268

14.3 The ISO 9001 standard 269

14.4 Taguchi methods 271

14.5 Statistical process control (SPC) 272

14.6 Normal distribution 272

14.7 The binomial and poisson distributions 274

14.8 Reliability 274

14.9 Improving design reliability: main principles 277

14.10 'Design for reliability' – a new approach 278

Section 15: Project Engineering 281

15.1 Project planning 281

15.2 Critical path analysis (CPA) 282

15.3 Planning with Gantt charts 283

15.4 Rapid prototyping 284

15.5 Value analysis 285

Section 16: Welding 286

16.1 Welding processes 286

16.2 Weld types and orientation 289

16.3 Welding symbols 292

16.4 Welding defects 295

16.5 Welding documentation 297

Section 17: Non-Destructive Testing (NDT) 299

17.1 Non-destructive testing acronyms 299

17.2 Visual examination 301

17.3 Dye penetrant (DP) testing 301

17.4 Magnetic particle (MP) testing 302

17.5 Ultrasonic testing (UT) 303

17.6 Radiographic testing (RT) 313

Section 18: Surface Protection 318

18.1 Painting 318

18.2 Galvanizing 320

18.3 Chrome plating 320

18.4 Rubber linings 321

Section 19: Metallurgical Terms 324