A successful engineer and entrepreneur shares his secrets for producing consistently superior designs at substantial cost savings. Minimum constraint design (MinCD) is a new systematic design strategy that yields major cost reductions and greatly improves the reliability of manufactured mechanisms. For the first time, this practical reference provides the 'how-to-do-it' information you need to put this powerful design tool to work right away -- no matter what your level of training or experience. Based upon the author's extensive experience in product design, this timely book clearly explains the advantages of MinCD and tells you how to create better, more cost-efficient product designs using readily available commercial components. Packed with original ideas, design tips, helpful examples, and references - including directories of component vendors - this unique blend of practical and theoretical knowledge will revolutionize the way you work. Contents include: Part 1 - Minimum Constraint Design (MinCD), Semi-MinCD, and Redundant Constraint Design (RedCD)- Chapter 1-General Description; Chapter 2-Degrees of Constraint; Chapter 3-Kinds of Constraint; Chapter 4- Beneficial Non-MinCD; Part 2-Designing with Commercial Components-Chapter 5-General Discussion; Chapter 6-Rotary Motion; Chapter 7-Linear Motion; Chapter 8-Power; Chapter 9- Other Components; Part 3-Topics in Design Engineering; Chapter 10-Designing with Uncommon Manufacturing Processes; Chapter 11-Manufacturing Engineering; Chapter 12-Optimum Level of Mechanization and Automation; Chapter 13-Robots; Chapter 14-Robot Grippers; Chapter 15-Selecting Power Forms; Chapter 16-Backlash; Chapter 17-Hype; Chapter 18-Prod Deterioration; Chapter 19-Electrical and Mechanical Technologies: Competition and Cooperation; Chapter 20- References and Bibliography. 'This is an outstanding book, both in the breadth of coverage and in the simplicity of explanations of the examples cited...Everyone who admires engineering of any kind will find the book fascinating. The book lists and more or less briefly describes some 500 items (I counted them!). There are many mechanical, electrical or related elements or systems that should interest students, practicing engineers, and all mechanical designers. Larry Kamm well points out that today the different areas of applied science are all intertwined and that a system designer must be aware of mechanics, electricity, electronics, computers and above all, economics...This book is a very condensed distillation of a lifetime of experience.' -Jacob Rabinow, Consultant. 'We can do little in competitive mechanical design unless we understand the interplay of creativity, viewpoint, insightful material properties (and their control), mathematical modelbuilding, uncertainty assessment, and economics. Schools do what they can do, but additional essential arts in creating mechanisms are scattered among (more successful) designers. If minimum constraint design (MinCD), semi-minimum constraint design (Semi-MinCD) and redundant constraint design (RedCD), are new to you, there are three cogent ideas already. All this and more is in Designing Cost-Efficient Mechanisms, by Lawrence J. Kamm. He has been there and says so, in simple direct language...'-Charles R. Mischke, Co-editor-in-Chief, Standard Handbook of Machine Design. 001 1560913932