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An Introduction to Mechanical Engineering, 5th Edition

Jonathan Wickert, Kemper Lewis

  • Copyright 2028
  • {{checkPublicationMessage('Available 19 January 2027', '2027-01-19T00:00:00+0000')}}
Starting At $137.95 See pricing and ISBN options
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An Introduction to Mechanical Engineering 5th Edition by Jonathan Wickert/Kemper Lewis
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Overview

Wickert/Lewis’ “An Introduction to Mechanical Engineering,” 5th Edition with WebAssign introduces first- and second-year students to the ever-emerging field of mechanical engineering.

Balancing design and engineering analysis within the context of hardware and modern technologies, this edition helps students gain appreciation for how engineers design hardware that builds and advances societies worldwide. With nearly 300 photographs and illustrations bringing these concepts to life, students strengthen problem-solving skills while exploring core mechanical engineering principles.

This edition helps you provide your students with an exciting view of what to expect in their program and future careers. By learning about mechanical engineers, what they do, and the impact they have, students develop a solid foundation in sound engineering analysis, technical problem-solving, and design skills.

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Meet the Authors

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Jonathan Wickert

A professor of mechanical engineering at Iowa State University, Dr. Jonathan Wickert teaches and conducts research in the areas of applied mechanics, dynamics, and mechanical vibration. As a researcher and consultant, he has worked with companies and federal agencies on a diverse range of engineering problems including computer disk drives and tape libraries, the manufacture of sheet metal, and various consumer products. Dr. Wickert received his B.S., M.S., and Ph.D. degrees in mechanical engineering from the University of California, Berkeley. He has served as associate editor of engineering journals, as a division chair in the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, and as chair of the undergraduate mechanical engineering program at Carnegie Mellon University. Dr. Wickert has received awards in recognition of his teaching and research from the Society of Automotive Engineers, the American Society for Engineering Education, and the Information Storage Industry Consortium. He was also elected a fellow of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers.

Kemper Lewis

A professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering at the University at Buffalo -- SUNY, Dr. Kemper Lewis teaches and conducts research in the areas of mechanical design, system optimization, and decision modeling. As a researcher and consultant, he has worked with companies and federal agencies on a wide range of engineering design problems. Dr. Lewis received his B.S. in mechanical engineering and B.A. in mathematics from Duke University and his M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in mechanical engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology. He has served as associate editor of the ASME Journal of Mechanical Design. He has also served on the ASME Design Automation Executive Committee and on the National Academies Panel on Benchmarking the Research Competitiveness of the United States in Mechanical Engineering. In addition, he has worked as the Executive Director of the New York State Center for Engineering Design and Industrial Innovation. Dr. Lewis has received awards in recognition of his teaching and research from the Society of Automotive Engineers, the American Society for Engineering Education, the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, and the National Science Foundation.

What's New

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  • AI-powered Student Assistant in WebAssign provides real-time, course-aligned support to students directly within their learning experience.
  • Expanded homework sets include 130 homework problems at different levels of difficulty, grouped by section in each chapter to reinforce key concepts.

Features

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  • WebAssign is Cengage's learning platform that helps you deliver a high-impact, guided learning experience to prepares students for what's next.
  • Students learn about designing functional items that are cost-effective to manufacture, safe to use, and responsible in terms of environmental impact.
  • Students use calculations, estimates, and approximations that mechanical engineers perform as they solve technical problems and communicate results.
  • Focus On boxes, vignettes, and case studies highlight interesting topics, accomplishments, challenges, and other emerging concepts in mechanical engineering.
  • Students explore recent global, technological, environmental, and social applications, including commercial space flight, developing fields, and more.
  • The authors’ accessible writing style motivates students and offers a glimpse of what they’ll study in later courses and practice during their careers.

Table of Contents

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1. The Mechanical Engineering Profession
Overview. What Is Engineering? Who Are Mechanical Engineers? Career Paths. Typical Program of Study
2. Mechanical Design
Overview. The Design Process. Manufacturing Processes
3. Technical Problem-Solving and Communication Skills
Overview. General Technical Problem-Solving Approach. Unit Systems and Conversions. Significant Digits. Dimensional Consistency. Estimation in Engineering. Communication Skills in Engineering
4. Forces in Structures and Machines
Overview. Forces in Rectangular and Polar Forms. Resultant of Several Forces. Moment of a Force. Equilibrium of Forces and Moments. Design Application: Rolling-Element Bearings
5. Materials and Stresses
Overview. Tension and Compression. Material Response. Shear. Engineering Materials. Factor of Safety
6. Fluids Engineering
Overview. Properties of Fluids. Pressure and Buoyancy Force. Laminar and Turbulent Fluid Flows. Fluid Flow in Pipes. Drag Force. Lift Force
7. Thermal and Energy Systems
Overview. Mechanical Energy, Work, and Power. Heat as Energy in Transit. Energy Conservation and Conversion. Heat Engines and Efficiency. Internal-Combustion Engines. Electrical Power Generation
8. Motion and Power Transmission
Overview. Rotational Motion. Design Application: Gears. Speed, Torque, and Power in Gearsets. Simple and Compound Geartrains. Design Application: Belt and Chain Drives. Planetary Geartrains
Appendix A: Greek Alphabet
Appendix B: Trigonometry Review

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  • ISBN-10: 8214600855
  • ISBN-13: 9798214600857
  • RETAIL $137.95
Instructor Next Steps
Students: Buy now