IEEE Electrical Insulation Magazine parameters ... Part two is on the design of DC and AC magnetic ... a very useful and practical reference book on op amps ...
parameters, including inductance, capacitance, and impedance. There is also a short review of the finite-element method. Part two is on the design of DC and AC magnetic actuators. Again, this section contains very practical information such as how to improve the magnetic force using shading coils, effects of cuts in steel and equations for B-H curve approximations. There is also a section on transient operation, but this was a bit disappointing, as it did not include coupled dynamic equations but rather magnetic diffusion. Part three, sensors, covers many of the operations of Hall sensors, magneto-resistive sensors, and a few other sensors. It is not about the design of sensors themselves but rather the use of these sensors. The final part covers systems. This gets into coil design, wire size, thermal calculations as well as examples using finite elements, Maxwell and Spice modelers, and Simplorer and Matlab models, which are the only simulation software discussed in the book. This text would be well suited for magnetic actuator designers or those who use the types of magnetic sensors described in the book. It also would make for an excellent text for an upper level undergraduate or graduate course in mechatronics as it also contains problems at the end of each chapter.
Op Amp Applications Handbook W. Jung, Editor Newnes An Imprint of Elsevier Linacre House Jordan Hill, Oxford OX2 8DP Phone: (+44) (0) 1865 843830 Fax: (+44) (0) 1865 853333 In the United States 30 Corporate Dr. Burlington, MA 01803 Phone (800) 545-2522 Fax: (800) 568-5136 http://www.newnespress.com ISBN 0-7506-7844-5 894 pp. - $64.95 (Softcover), 2006 Op amps are ubiquitous components used in an ever-increasing wide range of electronic devices. This practical hand-
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book not only teaches the basic fundamentals of op amps, it also covers various op amp application areas in great detail. It contains much more than typical application notes for specific op amps, with details on circuit operation, component tradeoffs, and clear, concise writing and diagrams to convey to the reader a good understanding of the circuit being described. The eight chapters cover various uses of op amps. The first chapter reviews the typical basic operation of op amps seen in many texts. However, there are also very handy sections on single/dual supply considerations, precision and highspeed circuits and design methods. The next five chapters deal with various applications, including specialty amps, using op amps with data converters, sensor signal conditioning, analog filters, and signal amplifiers. Each one of these topics is comprehensively covered and contains a wealth of knowledge that any circuit designer would be glad to have handy in one reference book. The chapter on hardware and housekeeping techniques covers passive component issues, PCB design issues, power supply systems, I/O protection, thermal considerations, EMI/ RFI, simulations, and breadboarding. This is a very practical and useful chapter, even for general circuit design. The final chapter contains an interesting history on op amps. This is not a cookbook of circuit designs but rather a book to learn how the circuit and amplifiers actually function. If you are looking for only a circuit, there are many other books and application notes that can provide specific circuits. However, the designer typically cannot find the exact circuit and needs to modify an existing design. This is where this book can help by giving the reader an understanding of the circuit and pointing out the issues and tradeoffs of various designs. Circuit designers, electrical engineers, instrumentation engineers, or electrical engineering students, will find this to be a very useful and practical reference book on op amps and their application.
More Electronic Gadgets for the Evil Genius B. Iannini McGraw-Hill Books
Two Penn Plaza New York, NY 10121-2298 Phone (877) 833-5524 Fax: (614) 759-3749 http://www.mcgraw-hill.com ISBN 0-07-145905-7 333 pp. - $24.95 (Softcover), 2006 For anyone looking to build unusual electronic gadgets, this is the perfect book. It is filled with 40 build-it-yourself projects in cookbook format. Each chapter of the book contains a different project each with complete plans including an overview, theory of operation, circuit schematic, parts list, assembly steps, and testing steps. Each project is well illustrated, especially any unusual components that need to be made, the board layout, and even PCB foil traces. What really impressed me the most was the sophistication of some of the projects and the clear illustrations. Some of the projects are dogbark control, sonic insect repellent, laser property guard systems, magnetic cannon, snooper phones, ozone machines, wireless bugging devices, 50 kV DC generator, high-powered vacuum tube Tesla coil, TV and radio jammer, ultrasonic deterrents, and my favorite, sonic nausea machine. Those interested in high voltage would find the Tesla coil project very impressive. This is probably the most elaborate and sophisticated of all the projects. The instructions claim that the device can easily produce flaming arcs 1 to 2 feet long and other coils, with 8 kW of input flaming arcs up to 8 feet in length. Videos of this are seen at www.amazing1.com. Another project, the magnetic cannon device shoots aluminum washers at high velocity by using eddy currents induced in the washer to accelerate. Although perhaps not the most practical of devices, there are others such as a long-range FM voice transmitter, for security, a long-range telephone conversation transmitter, or a remote wireless FM repeater (transmits video and audio to nearby radio or TV). Some of you may remember the company Information Unlimited, which sold plans for making electronic projects. You had to pay for each set of project plans. This book is a compilation of many recent plans in one convenient book. Anyone who likes to build their own electronic projects would definitely find this book
IEEE Electrical Insulation Magazine
