A Guide to the Automation Body of Knowledge, 2nd Edition 2nd Edition

This is the best book ISA has ever put out, but it's expensive no doubt.

The must have for Automation and Controls Engineers!!

Its a good technical overview of automation , I believe it can be used as a text book on a technical school.

It is ultimate guide for candidates who are seeking Certification from ISA as "Certified Automation Professional". This book contains all the modules prescribed in certification exam. One can use this book as a standard reference and start preparations. Although I found that, there is not much difference in the past editions of this book. - Print quality and language of the book is just awesome. - Important tables and formulas are separately mentioned.

The term "automation" includes all topics that have traditionally been identified as instrumentation, process control, and system integration, for example. Automation professionals are those individuals who are responsible for the direction, design, and deployment of systems and equipment for manufacturing and control systems. This book emerged from the work to develop ISA's Certified Automation Professional (CAP) program. However, it should be beneficial to more than those that wish to pass the CAP exam. While this book attempts to cover all of the topics in the scope of the CAP exam, many CAP exam questions will not be covered in this book since CAP questions can be drawn from any book or referred paper in automation. Still a good knowledge of the material in this book should be very helpful in preparing for the CAP exam. Since there are only approximately 13 pages per subject, you may need to go to one of the listed references in a particular section to get a more complete understanding of that topic. Also, note that this book reads more like a reference book than a textbook with lots of densely packed information. The table of contents is listed below:Part 1 - BASIC CONTINUOUS CONTROL1. Process Instrumentation2. Analytical Instrumentation3. Continuous Control4. Control Valves5. Analog Communications6. Control System Documentation7. Control EquipmentPart 2 - BASIC DISCRETE, SEQUENCING, AND MANUFACTURING CONTROL8. Discrete Input and Output Devices and General Manufacturing Measurements9. Discrete and Sequencing Control10. Motor and Drive Control11. Motion ControlPart 3 - ADVANCED CONTROL TOPICS12. Process Modeling13. Advanced Process Control14. Control of Batch Processes15. Environmental16. Building AutomationPart 4 - RELIABILITY, SAFETY, AND ELECTRICAL17. Alarm Management18. Reliability19. Process Safety and Safety Instrumented Systems20. Electrical Installations21. Safe Use and Application of Electrical ApparatusPart 5 - INTEGRATION AND SOFTWARE22. Digital Communications23. Industrial Networks24. Manufacturing Execution Systems and Business Integration25. System and Network Security26. Operator Interface27. Data Management28. SoftwarePART 6 - DEPLOYMENT AND MAINTENANCE29. Operator Training30. Checkout, System Testing, and Startup31. Troubleshooting32. Maintenance, Long Term Support, and System ManagementPART 7 - WORK STRUCTURE33. Automation Benefits and Project Justifications34. Project Management and Execution35. Interpersonal Skills

For me this book has been the gateway to what you need to understand for the CAP exam. If you understand all the diffrent sectors of automation covered by this book, then your well on your way to passing the CAP exam. This book has helped me to see and appreciate the Automation Industry as a whole.

In the few months since the release of the first edition of this book it has become a standard overview of the field. 'Overview' because this is a brief introduction to virtually all of the subjects which when lumped together can be called automation.The subjects covered include instrumentation, process control, motors, process modeling, reliability, safety, and of course a great deal about computer controls. In the computer area (about 40% of the book), the subjects include networks, security, operator interfaces, data management, software, operator training, troubleshooting and more.This book is intended for use by automation professionals, academicians either for their own knowledge or for teaching, and is probably the best single source to use in preparing for the ISA Certified Automation Professional (CAP) exam.Because of the large number of subjects covered and the depth given to each subject (which is not to say that if you want to go further you wouldn't find whole books on each of these subjects) the individual chapters are written by an expert in that particular field.In the short time that this book has been available, it has become the standard in the field. I know of no other book that goes into as many different subject areas in automation with as much depth as this one.

Good up to date information and give a good overview, very useful for control and System professionals and students in the process control field.