Customer Reviews

The Metrology Handbook

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

I was repeatedly surprised at how poorly this book is written and edited. I'm not even sure where to start. The writing is terrible. Bucher's name is the credited author of the majority of the chapters. Bad idea Jay ... let the writers write. Large sections of his chapters are wholly quoted from other authors and industry standards. It's cumbersome and annoying. An author is supposed to strain the key points from standards and explain them in meaningful ways. I could have just bought the standards and read them myself.

His use of questions to introduce a topic is intensely distracting. He literally blows out 8 to 10 questions in a row without saying a thing. Whole paragraphs were only questions with no answers .... When sprinkled in, that technique is effective, but I assure you, its overuse will drive you up the wall in this book.

Maybe the really problem here is my concept of what THE Metrology Handbook should look like. Metrology is arguably the cornerstone discipline of quality and reliability engineering. And in recent decades, no one has stepped forward to edit and publish a handbook on the topic - and it certainly deserves one. So I will credit Bucher for his willingness. But to approach the topic with eighth-grade writing is shameful.

The Metrology Handbook should be an institution for the generations like Mark's Handbook for Mechanical Engineers or the Machinery Handbook. Teary-eyed grandfathers should hug their granddaughters on graduation day, and hand them their first Metrology Handbook. (I'm a little choked up just thinking about that.) The Metrology Handbook should be an honorable tome. This book is far from that.

And where was the publisher? The American Society for Quality checked out on this one. With `Quality' in your name publishing a topic like metrology ... this book should be nothing less than excellent. Only the best managing editors and contributing authors should have been selected. And it should have been peer-reviewed. ASQ has published excellent books for many years. They could publish a better book than this with one-hand tied behind their back. What happened???

P.S. I'd bet my left pinky toe that the first reviewer was paid to write those glowing comments. Way to hit the keywords big guy!

Yes! There is better information at internet for free about metrology. This book provides very general information and its mathematical level is for high school students, not metrologists. Do not waste your money.

Knowledgeably compiled and skillfully edited by Jay L. Bucher (Manager of Metrology Services, Promega Corporation, and President, Bucherview Metrology Services), The Metrology Handbook is an impressive and complete introduction that begins with the history and philosophy of metrological calibration, then proceeds to extensive presentations on "Quality Systems"; "Metrology Concepts"; "Mathematics and Statistics: The Use in Measurement"; "Uncertainty in Measurement"; Measurement Parameters"; and "Managing A Metrology Department or Calibration Laboratory". A core and seminal addition to professional and academic library collections, The Metrology Handbook is enhanced with a listing of professional associations, an article on "ASQ and Certification"; a glossary of meterology and classification terminology; "Common Conver-sions", and an accompanying CD.

I could not have been more disappointed in the quality of the writing and content of this book.

This book covered a huge body of knowledge, unfortunately it only skimmed the surface on almost all topics. The measurement uncertainty section is particularly weak. As stated in a previous review the author uses questions and quotes standards excessively which makes the book difficult to read.

The Metrology Handbook is definately not designed as reference material for someone working in the quality field.

I notice that there was an unfair bias against this book. The book was written as the BoK for ASQ's CCT Exam prep. As such, it is a good "bible" to keep on hand. As a book to introduce the layman to Metrology/Calibration, not so much. I gave it a 3 as a balance between CCT exam prep and as an intruduction to metrology. In other words, does a good job for the CCT, but not so good in preparing people for a career in the metrology field.