4. Machines in Motion

摘要

This attractively illustrated book, written for the general reader, shows how man invents and designs machines and how, in turn, this improves our understanding of nature. Practically everyone depends on machines of one sort or another and they have contributed far more than is commonly realised to the progress of civilizations. The natural phenomena of the physical world have been channelled through inventions and design to useful purposes, and, in reverse, the development of machines has increased our understanding of the natural world. Although most users are concerned only with operating a machine - be it a car, a robot or a satellite - the engineers who preside over research, design, development and manufacture must be capable not only of translating ideas into good working practice, but of doing so economically in time, cost, materials and energy. Such a transfer from thought to physical reality presents exciting challenges of many kinds: Machines in Motion illustrates how the challenges of creating useful motion have been met.