BOSCH Automotive Handbook (Bosch Handbooks (REP)) (Turtleback)

by Robert Bosch GmbH (Author)
Key Phrases: adaptive cruise control, controller area network, comparative tracking index, Belt Lock, Quantity Unit, Electronic Stability Program (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
BOSCH Automotive Handbook, Sixth Edition- the latest update to the world's definitive automotive technology reference, is expanded by twenty-five percent and covers the entire range of modern passenger car and commercial vehicle systems. Detailed enough to address complex technical issues yet small enough to take everywhere, it is the reference of choice for designers, engineers, mechanicss, students and enthusiasts.

New topics include:

• Analog and digital signal transmission
• Coating systems
• Development methods and application tools for electronic systems
• Diagnosis
• Emission reduction systems
• Engine lubrication
• Environmental management
• Fleet management
• Fluid mechanics
• Frictional joints
• Hydrostatics
• Mechantronics
• Mobile information systems
• Multimedia systems
• Positive or form-closed joints
• Sound design
• Truck brake management as a platform for truck driver assistance systems
• Vehicle wind tunnels
• Workshop technology

Language Notes
Text: English (translation)
Original Language: German --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Turtleback: 320 pages
• Publisher: Wiley; 6th edition (January 14, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1860584748
• ISBN-13: 978-1860584749
• Product Dimensions: 7 x 4.6 x 1.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.5 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars See all reviews (31 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,102,244 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great reference book for any engineer, September 27, 2006

By	Davion Hill (Near Columbus, OH United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Automotive Handbook (Paperback)

I bought this book because I am nuts about cars, but in addition to that, I am also a professional in a technical field. I used this book as a reference during the writing of my doctoral thesis. I found that the Bosch Automotive Handbook had a very comprehensive section on hardness testing, which I used extensively in my research at that time. I am also using this book in calculating the suspension geometry for a car project at home - I use it at work so much that I'm considering the purchase of a second copy for home use.

The book is full of topics that are useful to anyone with a technical background who is interested in the general construction of complex things with moving parts. There is a section devoted to the "tightening of threaded fasteners", where all of the specifications of fasters are described and the forces that are involved are written out. There are fairly detailed sections on welding and other joining methods. There are sections on wheel offset, tire construction, NVH measurements (noise, vibration, and harshness), wear testing, fuel efficiency, coatings of surfaces, vehicle dynamics, the balance of forces in a piston engine, and fuel injection. There are a great couple of pages on "empirical values and data for calculation" which compares parameters between engine types, such as Diesel, gas, Stirling, and rotary engines. There are many pages dedicated to the calculation of engine parameters such as displacement, compression ratio, final compression temperature, piston acceleration, fuel supply, and piston pressure. I have actually used some of these once or twice and I love the fact that I have them on hand, even if I don't really need them.

Ever wonder what the difference between a screw-type and Roots-type supercharger is? It's in this book. Ever wonder how a wastegate works? It's right here. Fuel injector design, spark plug gaps... all of it is in here.

The best thing about the book is that even if it does not offer a lot of detail on a particular topic, there is at least a paragraph devoted to the subject with enough information and context so that the reader is armed with the tools to search for more meaningful literature on the topic.

Edit: 12/5/08
One gripe: at least in this edition, I don't see anything useful on controller area networks (CAN) or how one goes about programming them or controlling them. CAN is becoming an essential part of automotive manufacturing and I would expect that someday Bosch will cover this topic more thoroughly.

With that said, I consider this book to be one of the "must haves" for technical reference books. With a recent edition of the CRC Handbook of Chemistry and Physics, Perry's Chemical Engineer's Handbook, Mark's Standard Handbook for Mechanical Engineers, Machinery's Handbook, Metals Handbook, and the Bosch Automotive Handbook, one person has an excellent overview of the entire Industrial Revolution. I call this library of books the "Build-Your-Own-Civilization Library". If you like handbooks (I cherish them), get this one, then go buy the others.

25 of 28 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Overview for Gearheads, April 29, 2000

By	David Eilers (chicago) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Automotive Handbook (Paperback)

This book is an excellent overview of all aspects of vehicle design theory, basic principles, and reference information. It is NOT a guide to auto repair and is NOT for someone who is only interested in fixing and/or improving auto performance. The best description is to say it is the one single most useful book a newly graduated engineer should have and read upon entering the field of vehicle engineering and engine design. This is not to say it is beyond non-engineers, but only to say that if you are not interested in the theory and principles of automotive design and operation, this book is not for you.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars almost perfect..., May 28, 2001

By	MEHMET EROL IZBULAN (Istanbul, TURKEY) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Automotive Handbook (Bosch) (Paperback)

this is probably the best compact book about automotive. it includes a very comprehensive information about every system. Illustrations and tables can be used for training purposes. Definetely a must for people working in automotive industry. But i must say that it could have been more user friendly, you have to search through many pages, until you reach what you really look for.