Graphics for Engineers with AutoCAD 2002 (6th Edition)

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New and Better
This sixth edition of Graphics for Engineers with AutoCAD 2002 is the best edition since its introduction in 1985 in all categories: content, format, readability, clarity, and quality of illustrations. The challenge with each revision has always been, "How can the book be written and illustrated to make it easier for the student to learn and the teacher to teach?" Also asked is, "What should be the content for today's course that will fit tomorrow's needs?"

Meeting this goal is difficult for an author in any discipline, but it is especially awesome in the area of engineering design graphics, where 1500 illustrations, 620 problems, and a multitude of topics must be merged into a cohesive textbook as compactly as possible. Content must include fundamentals, design, computer graphics, industrial applications, and meaningful problems. We believe that we have met these goals.

Classic Content
Every paragraph and illustration has been revisited for evaluation, revision, improvement, or elimination so that all content makes a worthwhile contribution. No space has been squandered to make room for exotic illustrations of examples that are beyond the scope of a beginning freshman course. Instead, that valuable space has been used to better illustrate and present concepts in an understandable format so that the amount of classroom tutoring needed by the student is reduced.

Major content areas covered in this text are:

• design and creativity,
• computer graphics,
• engineering drawing, and
• problem solving.

Design and Creativity
The eight chapters devoted to the introduction of design and creativity have been revised and improved. New examples of case studies from industry, along with examples of worksheets applying the steps of design guide the student through the process of design.

Care has been taken to offer realistic design problems that are within the grasp of beginning students, rather than overwhelming them with problems beyond their capabilities. Since the primary objective of design instruction is to introduce the process of design, meaningful design assignments are given to make the process fun and to encourage the application of creativity and intuition. Most problems are adequately challenging to encourage creative and inspirational solutions that may lead to patentable products.

Chapter 9 has a variety of design problems that can be used as quickie problems, short assignments, or semester-long design projects. Additional design exercises are included at the ends of the chapters throughout the book.

Computer Graphics
AutoCAD® 2002 is presented in a step-by-step format to aid the student in learning how to use this popular software, not just read about it in the abstract. Steps of each illustration show the reader what will be seen on the screen as the example is followed. Chapter 26 gives an introduction to two-dimensional computer graphics and Chapter 27 covers three-dimensional computer graphics, solid modeling, and rendering.

The main purpose of Graphics for Engineers is to help students learn the principles of graphics, whether done on the drawing board or on the computer. This book can be used in courses where the entire course is done by computer, none is done by computer, or the course is partly done by computer.

Format: Make it Easy
Much effort has been devoted to the creation of illustrations separated into multiple steps to present the concepts as clearly and simply as possible. A second color is applied as a functional means of emphasizing sequential steps, key points, and explanations. Explanatory information and text is closely associated with the steps of each example.

Many three-dimensional pictorials that will aid the student in visualizing the example at hand have been drawn, modified, and refined. Photographs of actual industrial parts and products have been merged with explanatory examples of principles being covered.

The author has personally developed and drawn the illustrations in this book. Only after years of classroom experience and trial-and-error testing is it possible to present principles of graphics in a format that enables the student and teacher to cover more content with fewer learning obstacles.

The two-color, step-by-step format of presentation with conveniently located text has been classroom-tested to validate its effectiveness over a number of years.

We believe the results justify this added effort and expense.

Streamlined
The content in all chapters has been compressed, but no material essential to the adequate coverage of a topic has been eliminated. Chapters on descriptive geometry, civil engineering applications, and vector graphics have been eliminated to save over 100 pages.

Many new problems and illustrations have been added, and most of the existing figures have been edited and improved to make them more effective. No space in this book has been wasted.

A Book to Keep
Some material in this book may not be formally covered in the course for which it was adopted due to time limitations or variations in emphasis by different instructors. These briefly covered topics may be the ones that will be needed in later courses or in practice. Therefore, this book should be retained as a permanent reference by the engineer, technologist, or technician.

A Teaching System
Graphics for Engineers, used in combination with the supplements listed below, comprises a complete teaching system.

Textbook problems: Approximately 620 problems are offered to aid the student in mastering the principles of graphics and design.

Teachers' Solutions Manual: A manual containing the solutions to most of the problems in this book is available from Prentice Hall to assist the teacher with grading.

Problem Manuals: Nineteen problem books and teachers' guides (with outlines, problem solutions, tests, and test solutions) that are keyed to this book are available from Creative Publishing. Fifteen of the problem books are designed to allow problem solution by computer, by sketching, or on the drawing board. A listing of these manuals is given on the inside back cover of this book.

About the Author
James H. Earle is a recognized authority in the field of engineering graphics. He received the bachelor of architecture and Ph.D. degrees in education from Texas A&M, where he has taught engineering design graphics since 1957. His books have introduced the concepts and techniques of engineering graphics to over half a million students.

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