Design of Machinery: An Introduction To The Synthesis and Analysis of Mechanisms and Machines, Sixth Edition

Author: Robert L. Norton, Milton P. Higgins II Distinguished Professor Emeritus Worcester Polytechnic Institute
Publisher: McGraw Hill
Publication date: 2019
ISBN: 978-0-07-352935-6

Design of Machinery has proven to be a favorite of both students and educators across the globe. It is currently used in hundreds of schools in the U.S. and Canada and in many more worldwide in both English and several other languages. The book is praised for its friendly writing style, clear exposition of difficult topics, attractive appearance, thorough and relevant coverage, its emphasis on synthesis and design, and its useful computer programs. The foremost goal of the author is to convey the art of the design process and the fundamentals of kinematics and dynamics in order to prepare students to successfully tackle genuine engineering problems encountered in practice. While both thorough and complete on the topics of analysis, the book also emphasizes the synthesis and design aspects of the subject to a greater degree than any other similar book on the market today. Analytical synthesis of linkages is covered, and cam design is given a more thorough and practical treatment than in any other text.

Included with this text are downloadable videos containing animated models of over 100 of the examples from the text. Students can open, run, interact, and modify these Working Model simulations. Student editions of three custom programs for design and analysis of mechanisms: Linkages, DYNACAM, and MATRIX are also on the book’s website.  Linkages is a new program that incorporates the older programs Fourbar, Fivebar, Sixbar, Slider and Engine. (The programs with the book are limited functionality versions of the professional editions of the same programs available elsewhere on this web site.) Also included are many Matlab models for kinematic analysis.

The Sixth Edition has a collection of Master Lecture Videos and Tutorials made by the author over a thirty-year period while teaching at Worcester Polytechnic Institute. There are 82 instructional videos in total. Thirty-four are “50-minute” lectures. Thirty-nine are short “snippets” from the lecture videos that are linked to the relevant topics in a chapter. Seven are demonstrations of machinery or tutorials. Two are laboratory exercises that have been “virtualized” via video demonstration and the provision of test data so that students can simulate the lab.

What users say about the book:

Your text is the best of all the texts I have used—the balance of fundamentals and practice is especially important, and you have achieved that with aplomb!

-Professor John P. H. Steele, Colorado School of Mines

We picked your book (years ago) because it was (and still is) the most accessible undergraduate presentation of the material I have found; although clearly theoretically based (and not afraid of the math!), you have a style and method that brings the material alive to students.

-Professor Michael Keefe, University of Delaware

As an instructor who has been using Design of Machinery in my classes for over 12 years, I’ve been especially impressed throughout by Professor Norton’s care and attention in support of its users.

-Professor John Lee, San Diego State University

“Norton sets a new level of excellence for Kinematics texts.”

-University of California-Irvine

“The best text that I have seen on the subject”

-South Dakota School of Mines and Technology

“The book is a pure delight; I enjoyed the format, diagrams and quotes.”

-Michigan State University

From reviews on Amazon.com:

“This book gives you everything you need to learning the kinematics behind designing machinery.  The Student Resource DVD is also very informative and pertinent to the material.”

“A lot of useful information that engineers can refer to as a student and as a professional.”

“This book gives you everything you need to learn the kinematics behind designing machinery. The Student Resource DVD is also very informative and pertinent to the material.”

“I got this book for my design of machinery class at Purdue University. It’s a great book! I learned a lot with it and it comes also with a CD for more resourcing.”