Exploring Engineering: An Introduction to Engineering and Design

Exploring Engineering, Fourth Edition: An Introduction to Engineering and Design, winner of a 2017 Textbook Excellence Award (Texty), presents the emerging challenges engineers face in a wide range of areas as they work to help improve our quality of life. In this classic textbook, the authors explain what engineers actually do, from the fundamental principles that form the basis of their work to the application of that knowledge within a structured design process. The text itself is organized into three parts: Lead On, Minds On, Hands On. This organization allows the authors to give a basic introduction to engineering methods, then show the application of these principles and methods, and finally present a design challenge. This book is an ideal introduction for anyone interested in exploring the various fields of engineering and learning how engineers work to solve problems.

• Winner of a 2017 Textbook Excellence Award (Texty) from the Textbook & Academic Authors Association
• NEW: Chapters on Aeronautical Engineering, Industrial Engineering, and Design Teams
• NEW: Expanded content in the chapters "Defining the Problem," "Generation of 'Alternative Concepts'," and "Detailed Design"
• NEW: Material on sustainability issues in engineering
• Introduces students to the engineering profession, emphasizing the fundamental physical, chemical, and material bases for all engineering work
• Includes an Engineering Ethics Decision Matrix used throughout the book to pose ethical challenges and explore decision making in an engineering context
• Lists of "Top Engineering Achievements" and "Top Engineering Challenges" help put the material in context and show engineering as a vibrant discipline involved in solving societal problems
• Companion Web site includes links to several new drawing supplements, including "Free hand Engineering Sketching," (detailed instructions on free hand engineering sketching); "AutoCAD Introduction," (an introduction to the free AutoCAD drawing software); and "Design Projects," (new freshman level design projects that complement the "Hands On" part of the textbook).

Dr. Robert Balmer has worked as an engineer at the Bettis Atomic Power Laboratory and at various DuPont facilities. He has over 40 years of engineering teaching experience and has authored 70 technical publications and the Elsevier undergraduate engineering textbook Modern Engineering Thermodynamics.

Dr. William Keat has been teaching design for 20 years, in courses ranging from freshman engineering to a graduate course in design methodology. Has been awarded two Pi Tau Sigma Outstanding Teacher Awards and two first place finishes at the Mini-Baja East Competition while serving as an advisor.