In 1998 the chairman of the Russian National Committee of TMM Professor Arcady Bessonov, recommended one of authors of this book to be come a member of the IFToMM Permanent Commission on the History of Mechanisms and Machines Sciences (PC HMMS). Willy-nilly from this time the history of technique, as hobby passed on to a serious the employment in the history of engineering science. Interest history of a subject is natural for Professor, a leading a course of Theory of Mechanisms and Machines in Bauman University. This interest is supported by the fact that Bauman University is one of the oldest technical universities in Russia, and the course "Applied Mechanics" - later "Theory of Mechanisms and Machines" was the first systematic course in Russia. The second author supervises a cycle of laboratory works on TMM. Models of mechanisms are placed in laboratory in show-windows of ancient cases quite possibly coevals of the first course. He became interested in contents of these cases: firstly in models, and then in their origin. Later he occupied himself with the creation of a web-site "The Collection of mechanisms in department TMM in Bauman University." Gradually both authors had the idea of cooperation, although several years previously, we could not imagine this happening. We took an active part in the work of PC HMMS from 2000. It was promoted by of chairman of the commission Professor Marco Ceccarelli.

The DARPA Grand Challenge was a landmark in the field of robotics: a race by autonomous vehicles through 132 miles of rough Nevada terrain. It showcased exciting and unprecedented capabilities in robotic perception, navigation, and control. The event took place in October 2005 and drew teams of competitors from academia and industry, as well as many garage hobbyists. This book presents fifteen technical papers that describe each team's driverless vehicle, race strategy, and insights. As a whole, they present the state of the art in autonomous vehicle technology and offer a glimpse of future technology for tomorrow s driverless cars. "

This volume contains the proceedings of the IUTAM Symposium on Ela- ohydrodynamics and Microelastohydrodynamics held in Cardiff from 1st to 3rd September 2004. The symposium focused on theoretical, experimental and computational issues in elastohydrodynamic lubrication (EHL) both in relation to smooth surfaces and in situations where the ?lm is of the same order or th- ner than the surface roughness (micro-EHL). The last IUTAM Symposium in this general area of contact of deformable bodies was in 1974. The emphasis in the Symposium was upon fundamental issues such as: solution methods; lubricant rheological models, thermal effects; both low and high elastic m- ulus situations; human and replacement joints; ?uid traction; dynamic effects, asperity lubrication and the failure of lubrication; surface fatigue and thermal distress under EHL conditions. Delegates were welcomed to Wales and the Cardiff School of Engine- ing by the head of the School, Professor Hywel Thomas. The opening l- ture was given jointly by Professor Duncan Dowson, FRS and Sir Gordon Higginson, the distinguished partnership which produced some of the most important numerical solutions to the fundamental EHL problem which led to the ?rst reliable ?lm thickness formula for isothermal, Newtonian conditions. Their presentation reviewed the early developments in the subject and included some fascinating details of the dif?culties overcome and the scienti?c pers- alities involved. A total of 33 presentations were given over a period of three days.

The International Section on Machine and System Safety was founded in 1975 to deal with questions on occupational risks in this ?eld at the inter- tional level. It is a member of the Special Commission on Prevention of the International Social Security Association (ISSA). The Special Commission is a body within ISSA that focuses on work-related risks. It has 11 inter- tional Sections as members. ISSA was founded in 1927 with its headquarters in Geneva. It is working worldwide in over 150 countries with nearly 370 member institutions from all ?elds of social security. TheSection on Machine and System Safety, when it was founded, had its focus on machine safety, particularly on the ma- facturing of safe machinery, on assisting developing countries to be able to buy safe used machinery, and on delivering clear operating instructions. Our members and partners are: * institutions for safety and health at work; * insurance companies dealing with work-related risks; * research institutions; and * various enterprises, e.g. manufacturers, importers and users of machines and systems/installations. We thus bring together the experiences of our members and partners. The role of the operators soon grew in importance, and their capability for ha- ling machinery became an important factor for the safety and success of enterprises. The growing importance and complexity of handling different man-machine-environment situations created new challenges and led to - larging the Section's tasks to machine and system safety.

"Advances in Human-Robot Interaction" provides a unique collection of recent research in human-robot interaction. It covers the basic important research areas ranging from multi-modal interfaces, interpretation, interaction, learning, or motion coordination to topics such as physical interaction, systems, and architectures. The book addresses key issues of human-robot interaction concerned with perception, modelling, control, planning and cognition, covering a wide spectrum of applications. This includes interaction and communication with robots in manufacturing environments and the collaboration and co-existence with assistive robots in domestic environments. Among the presented examples are a robotic bartender, a new programming paradigm for a cleaning robot, or an approach to interactive teaching of a robot assistant in manufacturing environment. This carefully edited book reports on contributions from leading German academic institutions and industrial companies brought together within MORPHA, a 4 year project on interaction and communication between humans and anthropomorphic robot assistants.

Computational Welding Mechanics (CWM) provides readers with a complete introduction to the principles and applications of computational welding including coverage of the methods engineers and designers are using in computational welding mechanics to predict distortion and residual stress in welded structures, thereby creating safer, more reliable and lower cost structures.

Drawing upon years of practical experience and the study of computational welding mechanics the authors instruct the reader how to:

- understand and interpret computer simulation and virtual welding techniques including an in depth analysis of heat flow during welding, microstructure evolution and distortion analysis and fracture of welded structures,

- relate CWM to the processes of design, build, inspect, regulate, operate and maintain welded structures,

- apply computational welding mechanics to industries such as ship building, natural gas and automobile manufacturing.

Ideally suited for practicing engineers and engineering students, Computational Welding Mechanics is a must-have book for understanding welded structures and recent technological advances in welding, and it provides a unified summary of recent research results contributed by other researchers.

FSR, the International Conference on Field and Service Robotics, is a robotics Symposium which has established over the past ten years the latest research and practical results towards the use of field and service robotics in the community with particular focus on proven technology. The first meeting was held in Canberra, Australia, in 1997. Since then the meeting has been held every two years in the pattern Asia, America, Europe. This books presents the results of the sixth edition of "Field and Service Robotics" FSR03, held in Chamonix, France, on 9th - 12th July 2003. The conference provided a forum for researchers, professionals and robot manufacturers to exchange up-to-date technical knowledge and experience. Field robots are non-factory robots, typically mobile, that operate in complex, and dynamic environments: on the ground (of Earth or planets), under the ground, underwater, in the air or in space. Service robots are those that work closely with humans to help them with their lives. This book offers a collection of a broad range of topics including: Underwater Robots and Systems, Autonomous Navigation for Unmanned Aerial Vehicles, Simultaneous Localization and Mapping, Climbing Robotics, Sensor Fusion."

Machining dynamics play an essential role in the performance of machine tools and machining processes in manufacturing. Current advances in computational modelling, sensors, diagnostic equipment and analysis tools, 3D surface metrology and manufacturing science are giving researchers and practising engineers a new perspective on the machining process.

Machining Dynamics: Fundamentals and Applications reflects the new integrated approach to studying machining dynamics by presenting state-of-the-art applications, practices and research in the field. Written by experts in each field, the first part of the book presents the basic theory, analysis and control methodology in addition to detailed modelling and diagnostic techniques for machining dynamics, while part two focuses on applying the fundamentals of machining dynamics in a variety of machining processes including turning, grinding, gear machining and non-traditional machining.

Advanced undergraduate and postgraduate students studying manufacturing engineering and machining technology will find Machining Dynamics: Fundamentals and Applications a comprehensive and up-to-date introduction to the subject while the book s thoroughness allows it to serve as a useful reference for manufacturing engineers, production supervisors, planning and application engineers and designers."

Traditionally, electrical machines are classi?ed into d. c. commutator (brushed) machines, induction (asynchronous) machines and synchronous machines. These three types of electrical machines are still regarded in many academic curricula as fundamental types, despite that d. c. brushed machines (except small machines) have been gradually abandoned and PM brushless machines (PMBM) and switched reluctance machines (SRM) have been in mass p- duction and use for at least two decades. Recently, new topologies of high torque density motors, high speed motors, integrated motor drives and special motors have been developed. Progress in electric machines technology is stimulated by new materials, new areas of applications, impact of power electronics, need for energy saving and new technological challenges. The development of electric machines in the next few years will mostly be stimulated by computer hardware, residential and public applications and transportation systems (land, sea and air). At many Universities teaching and research strategy oriented towards el- trical machinery is not up to date and has not been changed in some co- tries almost since the end of the WWII. In spite of many excellent academic research achievements, the academia-industry collaboration and technology transfer are underestimated or, quite often, neglected. Underestimation of the role of industry, unfamiliarity with new trends and restraint from technology transfer results, with time, in lack of external ?nancial support and drastic - cline in the number of students interested in Power Electrical Engineering.

It is a well acknowledged fact that virtually all of our modern-day components and assemblies rely to some extent on machining operations in their manufacturing process. Thus, there is clearly a substantive machining requirement which will continue to be of prime importance for the foreseeable future. Cutting Tool Technology provides a comprehensive guide to the latest developments in the use of cutting tool technology. The book covers new machining and tooling topics such as high-speed and hard-part machining, near-dry and dry-machining strategies, multi-functional tooling, diamond-like and atomically-modified coatings, plus many others. Also covered are subjects important from a research perspective, such as micro-machining and artificial intelligence coupled to neural network tool condition monitoring. A practical handbook complete with troubleshooting tables for common problems, Cutting Tool Technology is an invaluable reference for researchers, manufacturers and users of cutting tools."

This book presents the most up-to-date methods of three-dimensional modeling of the fluid dymanics and the solid-fluid interaction within these machines, which are still being developed. Adding modeling to the design process makes it possible not only to predict flow patterns more accurately, and also to determine distorting effects on rotors and casing of pressure and temperature distribution within the compressor. Examples outline the scope of the applied mathematical model.

Mechatronics is the synergistic combination of precision engineering, electronics, photonics and IT engineering. The main research task for mechatronics is development and control of advanced hybrid systems covering all these fields and supported by interdisciplinary studies.

This book presents recent state of advances in mechatronics presented on the 7th International Conference Mechatronics 2007, hosted at the Faculty of Mechatronics, Warsaw University of Technology, Poland. The chosen topics of the conference included: Nanotechnology, Automatic Control and Robotics, Biomedical Engineering, Design Manufacturing and Testing of MEMS, Metrology, Photonics, Mechatronic Products. The selected papers give an overview of the state-of-the-art and present new research results and prospects of the future development in this interdisciplinary field of mechatronic systems. This book will provide up-to-date and useful knowledge for researchers and engineers involved in mechatronics and related fields.

Machine tools are the main production factor for many industrial applications in many important sectors. Recent developments in new motion devices and numerical control have lead to considerable technological improvements in machine tools. The use of five-axis machining centers has also spread, resulting in reductions in set-up and lead times. As a consequence, feed rates, cutting speed and chip section increased, whilst accuracy and precision have improved as well. Additionally, new cutting tools have been developed, combining tough substrates, optimal geometries and wear resistant coatings. "Machine Tools for High Performance Machining" describes in depth several aspects of machine structures, machine elements and control, and application. The basics, models and functions of each aspect are explained by experts from both academia and industry. Postgraduates, researchers and end users will all find this book an essential reference.

This handbook is a comprehensive reference for engineers who design and build farm machinery, processing equipment, shipping containers and packaging, as well as storage equipment. The book is written by the world 's leading engineers and gives both a broad and technically detailed look at these critical aspects of any farm-to-fork operation. It addresses food, chemical, mechanical, and packaging engineers directly or indirectly involved with the food industry.

At the dawn of the new millennium, robotics is undergoing a major transformation in scope and dimension. From a largely dominant industrial focus, robotics is rapidly expanding into the challenges of unstructured environments. Interacting with, assi- ing, serving, and exploring with humans, the emerging robots will increasingly touch people and their lives. The goal of the Springer Tracts in Advanced Robotics (STAR) series is to bring, in a timely fashion, the latest advances and developments in robotics on the basis of their significance and quality. It is our hope that the wider dissemination of research - velopments will stimulate more exchanges and collaborations among the research community and contribute to further advancement of this rapidly growing field. The European Robotics Symposium (EUROS) was launched in 2006 as an inter- tional scientific single-track event promoted by EURON, the European Robotics Network linking most of the European research teams since its inception in 2000. Since then, EUROS has found its parental home under STAR, together with the other thematic symposia devoted to excellence in robotics research: FSR, ISER, ISRR, WAFR.

The first comprehensive monograph in blast cleaning technology, this book provides a comprehensive review of the technology, with an emphasis on practical applications. The author first systematically and critically reviews the theory behind the technology. Next you ll learn about the state of current blast cleaning, surface quality aspects, and the effects of blast cleaning on the performance of applied coatings. You ll also discover many of today 's cutting-edge applications, including micro-machining, polishing, maintenance, and surface preparation for coating applications. Finally, the author describes recent advanced applications in the machining industry, including blast cleaning-assisted laser milling.

The objective of this book, being the first one on magnesium injection molding, is to treat both the scientific background and the technological aspects as they are understood at present. All aspects of material development, manufacturing and engineering are covered. The book provides a single source of information covering the interdisciplinary field of net shape forming of magnesium alloys. It reflects a unique blend of science and industrial practice.

This book presents the methods of quantitative determination of solar irradiation incident amount on a surface on the Earth. It brings together information not found elsewhere in a single source, and includes an innovative exposition of expert system methodologies used in the domain of solar irradiation and energy. The book provides a background to the underlying physical principles of solar irradiation and energy, with explanations as to how these can be modelled and applied.

Compiling the expertise of nine pioneers of the field, Magnetic Bearings - Theory, Design, and Application to Rotating Machinery offers an encyclopedic study of this rapidly emerging field with a balanced blend of commercial and academic perspectives. Every element of the technology is examined in detail, beginning at the component level and proceeding through a thorough exposition of the design and performance of these systems.

The book is organized in a logical fashion, starting with an overview of the technology and a survey of the range of applications. A background chapter then explains the central concepts of active magnetic bearings while avoiding a morass of technical details. From here, the reader continues to a meticulous, state-of-the-art exposition of the component technologies and the manner in which they are assembled to form the AMB/rotor system. These system models and performance objectives are then tied together through extensive discussions of control methods for both rigid and flexible rotors, including consideration of the problem of system dynamics identification. Supporting this, the issues of system reliability and fault management are discussed from several useful and complementary perspectives. At the end of the book, numerous special concepts and systems, including micro-scale bearings, self-bearing motors, and self-sensing bearings, are put forth as promising directions for new research and development.

Newcomers to the field will find the material highly accessible while veteran practitioners will be impressed by the level of technical detail that emerges from a combination of sophisticated analysis and insights gleaned from many collective years of practical experience. An exhaustive, self-contained text on active magnetic bearing technology, this book should be a core reference for anyone seeking to understand or develop systems using magnetic bearings.

The International Symposium on Experimental Robotics (ISER) is a series of bi-annual meetings which are organized in a rotating fashion around North America, Europe and Asia/Oceania. The goal of ISER is to provide a forum for research in robotics that focuses on novelty of theoretical contributions validated by experimental results. The meetings are conceived to bring together, in a small group setting, researchers from around the world who are in the forefront of experimental robotics research.

This unique reference presents the latest advances across the various fields of robotics, with ideas that are not only conceived conceptually but also verified experimentally. It collects contributions on the current developments and new directions in the field of experimental robotics, which are based on the papers presented at the Ninth ISER held in Singapore.

"Nonlinear Oscillations in Mechanical Engineering" explores the effects of nonlinearities encountered in applications in that field. Since the nonlinearities are caused, first of all, by contacts between different mechanical parts, the main part of this book is devoted to oscillations in mechanical systems with discontinuities caused by dry friction and collisions. Another important source of nonlinearity which is covered is that caused by rotating unbalanced parts common in various machines as well as variable inertias occurring in all kinds of crank mechanisms. This book is written for advanced undergraduate and postgraduate students, but it may be also helpful and interesting for both theoreticians and practitioners working in the area of mechanical engineering at universities, in research labs or institutes and especially in the R and D departments within industrial firms.

This volume contains a collection of papers presented at the 3rd Interna tional Symposium on Autonomous Minirobots for Research and Edutainment (AMiRE 2005) that is held at Awara-Spa, Fukui, Japan, September 20-22, 2005. This is a biennial symposium, which started as AMiRE 2001 at the Heinz Nixdorf Institute of the University of Paderborn, Germany, in 2001, and was followed by AMiRE 2003 at Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Australia, in 2003. After these successful symposia, AMiRE 2005 is held under the sponsorship of the Faculty of Engineering, University of Fukui and under the co-sponsorship of the IEEE Robotics and Automation Society. It is funded by the Fukui Convention Bureau and the University of Fukui. Each full-length paper submitted to the symposium was independently reviewed by 3 referees from the world's front-line researchers, and 55 papers were accepted for oral presentation. We acknowledge generous support for those who gave excellent reviews in order to maintain the high standards of the symposium despite a very tight schedule."

Dear reader! In your hand you have the second book from the series "XXI Century Techno- gies. " The first book under the title "Manufacturing Technologies for Machines of the Future" was published by "Springer" in 2003. This book is aimed at solving one of the basic problems in the development of modern machine-building - working out of technologies and manufacturing equipment which would promote the continuous development and improvement of the final product design, rapidly "adaptable" to the requirements of the market as for the quantity, quality, and variety of products manufactured with the lowest cost and minimum time and labor of the product process. In this book the problems of theory and practice of development in the reconfigurable manufacturing systems and transformable factories for various machine-building branches with a focus on automotive industry are discussed. The problems concerning the development of a new class of production systems which in comparison to the flexible manufact- ing systems are composed of a far less quantity of machine-tools (reduced cost of production) are discussed. In comparison to the conventional automated lines (dedicated systems) they make it possible to rapidly transform the equipment for new products manufacturing. The book has some advantages concerning the art of scientific ideas and the presentation of developments.

The main concern of this book is to present the methods used to calculate the most important rope quantities as well as to explain how they are applied by means of a large number of calculations as examples. The book, based on the most important chapters of the German book DRAHTSEILE, has been kept up to date and takes into account the most recent developments.

ISRR, the "International Symposium on Robotics Research," is one of robotics pioneering symposia, which has established some of the field's most fundamental and lasting contributions over the past two decades. This book presents the results of the eleventh edition of "Robotics Research" ISRR03, offering a broad range of topics in robotics. The contributions provide a wide coverage of the current state of robotics research: the advances and challenges in its theoretical foundation and technology basis, and the developments in its traditional and new emerging areas of applications. The diversity, novelty, and span of the work unfolding in these areas reveal the field's increased maturity and expanded scope, and define the state of the art of robotics and its future direction. "