If you are involved in the design of industrial, military, or consumer products and perform mechanical, electrical, and electronic design functions, this handbook will be of value in your work.

The handbook is not intended for specialists in the various engineering disciplines, but rather for those designers who create the majority of general products, parts, mechanisms, and assemblies used throughout industry.

The handbook does not attempt to show an individual how to be a designer, but does present the basic reference data and techniques used to perform the various design functions.

The term electromechanical designer is appropriate today because many designers are involved with components and assemblies that contain elements that are mechanical, electrical, and electronic in nature, all dependently combined to form the finished product.

In many small companies, the electromechanical or product designer is responsible for the entire product all aspects included. It is to the designer's advantage to be proficient in or to have reference data pertaining to as many of the disciplines involved in product design as possible.

Aside from containing a formidable amount of design data, the references listed in the bibliographies at the ends of chapters will be of assistance to many designers in carrying out their work, as will the listings of specification and standards authorities shown in Chap. 15. As stated in the handbook, the accumulation of accurate data is one of the basic design functions.

It was not my intent to show as many aspects of product design as possible, but...