ISA publishes Measurement and Control Basics book

January 27, 2015 - The International Society of Automation (ISA) published the fifth edition of its Measurement and Control Basics book, extensively updated to reflect the latest advances in automation technologies and incorporate valuable new self-study exercises and challenge-solution examples.

“The book has always been intended to be used in classrooms and for self-study, and the new content and exercises significantly improve the book’s value in these contexts,” says Thomas A. Hughes, Ph.D., the author and a Senior Member of ISA who possesses more than 35 years of experience in the design and installation of instrumentation and control systems. “By reading the book and completing the exercises, a person can gain a clear understanding of the basic principles of instrumentation, measurement and control and build a solid foundation for more advanced study in the automation field.”

The continuing evolution in automation technologies, Dr. Hughes points out, called for adding important new sections  on computers, data communication networks and systems, programmable controllers, wireless devices and human machine interface (HMI) systems.

Specifically, the new content, he says, includes:

• A new chapter on liquid density measurement
• An updated and improved section on nuclear density measurement
• An expanded and improved discussion of the general requirements of a control system
• Coverage of decoupling control loops and selector (override) control loops
• A revised Appendix A to cover the latest ANSI/ISA-5.1-2009 standard and the electrical and control symbols used in automation.

To make the book more suitable for classroom and self-study use, Dr. Hughes introduced new and improved exercises at the end of each chapter and numerous example problems to aid in the understanding of technical information and contexts.

“There is also an appendix at the end of the book that includes the solutions to the exercises so students can check their work and confirm their understanding of all the industrial process control principles, technologies and strategies as they go.”

About the Author
Thomas A. Hughes is an accomplished author and instrumentation and control systems expert and instructor. His in-depth experience in the design and installation of instrumentation and control systems includes 25 years in the management of instrumentation and control projects for the process and nuclear industries.Dr. Hughes is the author of two books: Measurement and Control Basics, Fifth Edition, and Programmable Controllers, Fourth Edition, both published by ISA. He received a bachelor of science degree in engineering physics from the University of Colorado; a master of science degree in control systems engineering from Colorado State University; and a doctorate degree in engineering management from California Coast University.

He has held professional engineering licenses in the states of Colorado and Alaska, and has held engineering and management positions with Dow Chemical, Stearns Roger Engineering, Rockwell International, EG&G Rocky Flats, Topro Systems Integration and the International Atomic Energy Agency in Vienna, Austria. Dr. Hughes has taught numerous courses in electronics, mathematics and instrumentation systems at the college level and in industry during his career. He lives in Arvada, Colorado.

About ISA
Founded in 1945, the International Society of Automation) is a leading, global, nonprofit organization that is setting the standard for automation by helping over 30,000 worldwide members and other professionals solve difficult technical problems, while enhancing their leadership and personal career capabilities. Based in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, ISA develops standards; certifies industry professionals; provides education and training; publishes books and technical articles; and hosts conferences