本书入门性地介绍了机械工程领域所涉及的一些基本知识和分析问题、解决问题的方法。全书共8章，主要内容有：解决问题能力的训练；机械零件与机床；结构与流体力学；材料和应力；热和能量系统；机械的运动和机械设计。各章后有多种类型习题供学生思考、练习，篇幅适当，适合我国高等学校机械、能源、动力工程等相关专业的本科一、二年级学生使用。

1 THE MECHANICAL ENGINEERING PROFESSION
1.1 OVERVIEW
1.2 WHAT ISENGINEERING
1.3 WHO ARE MECHANICAL ENGINEERS
1.4 CAREER PATHS
1.5 TYPICAL PROGRAM OF STUDY
　　SUMMARY
　　SELF-STUDY AND REVIEW
　　PROBLEMS
　　REFERENCES
2 PROBLEM-SOLVING SKILLS
　2.1 OVERVIEW
　2.2 UNIT SYSTEMS AND CONVERSIONS
　2.3 DIMENSIONAL CONSISTENCY
　2.4 SIGNIFICANT DIGITS
　2.5 AN ERROR OF UNITS ON THE WAY TO MARS
　2.6 APPROXIMATION IN ENGINEERING
　2.7 PROBLEM-SOLVING METHODOLOGY
　　SUMMARY
　　SELF-STUDY AND REVIEW
　　PROBLEMS
　　REFERENCES
3 MACHINE COMPONENTS AND TOOLS
　3.1 OVERVIEW
　3.2 ROLLING ELEMENT BEARINGS
　3.3 FLEXIBLE SHAFT COUPLINGS
　3.4 GEAR TYPES AND TERMINOLOGY
　3.5 BELT AND CHAIN DRIVES
　3.6 MACHINE TOOLS
　　SUMMARY
　　SELF-STUDY AND REVIEW
4 FORCES IN STRUCTURES AND FLUIDS
　4.1 OVERVIEW
　4.2 FORCES AND RESULTANTS
　4.3 MOMENT OF A FORCE
……
5 MATERIALS AND STRESSES
6 THERMAL AND ENERGY SYSTEMS
7 MOTION OF MACHINERY
8 MECHANICAL DESIGN
APPENDIX A GREEK ALPHABET
APPENDIX B REVIEW OF MATHEMATICAL EQUATIONS
APPENDIX C PLANETARY GEARTRAINS
INDEX