Young engineer looking for reading recommendations...

[sdwndr]

Hello all,
I am a young engineer who recently got a job at an engineering consulting company. I will be working mostly in the refinery and chemical process industries. My job will be mainly to design and specify equipment (pumps, heat exchangers, pressure vessels, etc), obtain and evaluate bids, recommend a vendor, and then review vendor drawings from that vendor. We have another department that handles the process and initial sizing design, my job will be to specify the mechanical aspects of the equipment.

My question is....Are there any books that you all can recommend? I have come to realize that most of this stuff is not taught in college. And if I look at Amazon.com there are a ton of different choices, many of them over $100. I am willing to spend some money on these books if it helps with my job, but I want to make sure, before I spend that much money, that I am going to get a book that can be immediately useful to an inexperienced engineer like myself.

Are there any books you guys wish you had when you were my age? Or any that you did have that you couldn't do without?
Thanks in advance.

 

[KENAT]

Not my industry but...

Take a look on the shelves of your colleagues and see what they have. Maybe ask them which they refer to etc.

KENAT, probably the least qualified checker you'll ever meet...

 

[sms]

Anything by Heinz Bloch is worthwhile...

Don't know if you used Shigley for mechanical design in school, but I have cracked out Shigley over and over again in my career.

Machinerys Handbook has been helpful as well.

Kenat is exactly right, look around the offices of your co workers.





"Why don't you knock it off with them negative waves? Why don't you dig how beautiful it is out here? Why don't you say something righteous and hopeful for a change?" Oddball, "Kelly's Heros" 1970

Please see FAQ731-376 for tips on how to make the best use of the Eng-Tips Forums.

 

[desertfox]

Hi sdwndr

Why not try a libary first, you can reserve any book there
even one's that people recommend in this forum.
Once you review the book you can decide whether its what your looking for without spending lots of money and you can go and purchase book if you so desire at a later date.

regards

desertfox

 

[eromlignod]

Believe it or not, manufacturers' catalogs can often be a valuable source of information. Go through the company's catalog library and familiarize yourself with what products are available, features, accessories, types, sizes, brands, etc. Many catalogs will include a section that explains product selection and related calculations. Always study these parts.

Some manufacturers offer a free engineering guide or handbook that is separate from the actual product catalog (like pneumatics, hydraulics, bearings, o-rings, motor-starters, etc.). These are also invaluable.

This is often information you can't get from any textbook or reference book and it is along the lines of what it sounds like they hired you for. You need to train yourself as an authority on available and appropriate products.

I also concur that the Machinery's Handbook is an indespensible reference source as well (you can get used ones CHEAP on Ebay).

Don
Kansas City

 

[TheTick]

[ul][li]Jerks at Work: How to Deal with People Problems and Problem People[/li]
[li]Thick Face, Black Heart[/li]
[li]Atlas Shrugged[/li][/ul]

 

[jistre]

I sense bitterness...

 

[TheTick]

Au contraire...
The bitterness has been dealt with in a constructive manner.

 

[crjones]

Get yourself a 3-1/2 three ring binder and a couple packages of dividers. Have a divider for each area of concern and start constructing your own reference book with the data as you find it. Charts, definitions and sample calculations of projects to remind yourself, and pro forma specifications.

 

[bvanhiel]

Set Phasers on Stun: And Other True Tales of Design, Technology, and Human Error by S. M. Casey

http://www.amazon.com/Set-Phasers-S...bs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1195155607&sr=8-1

-b

 

[jte]

sdwndr-

With the type of equipment you'll be dealing with, a better understanding of how it all fits together will help. For this, I highly recommend

http://www.gulfpub.com/default.asp?page=14&productID=3568&VS=

As for the specifics of equipment design... if you will be dealing with pumps, exchangers, and vessels, it tells me that you are at a relatively small firm which does not have specific groups for each type of equipment. So you will most likely not be doing detailed mechanical design of any of the equipment, but mostly reviewing what the vendors are submitting. As others have mentioned, look at what's on your more experienced co-workers' bookshelves. Don't bother going to the library - just borrow the books from your co-workers until you figure out which type you refer to most often. One book you'll probably consider on your short list will be Roark's Formulas for Stress and Strain by Young. Or find a 4th ed or older which is actually by Roark.

jt

 

[tomwalz]

The Goal by Goldratt
Out of the Fiery Furnace - history of metals - fascinating

Go to

http://www.brazealloy.com

Ignore the picture – (the web site is being rebuilt and that is a joke on our customer service manager.)

Click on links
Feel free to copy what you wish

SIRI for MSDS is particularly good

Tom


Thomas J. Walz
Carbide Processors, Inc.

http://www.carbideprocessors.com

 

[Gymmeh]

I recommend

http://www.dilbert.com