This ISA author Q&A was edited by Joel Don, ISA’s community manager. ISA recently published the fourth edition of The Condensed Handbook of Measurement and Control by Nabil (Bill) E. Battikha, PE. In this Q&A feature, Bill highlights the value and importance of this new edition of his bestselling ISA book.
Q. Why were you compelled to publish an updated edition?
A. There have been many changes in technology over the past 10 years or so (since the publication of the third edition), particularly in the areas relating to control equipment symbology, sensors, and safety instrumented systems—among other topics. I also received some comments from my students, asking if a new edition was on the way.
The overall success of the previous printings (both the first and third editions were recognized by ISA as best sellers) also encouraged me to review the current book, update it, and publish a fourth edition.
Q. How would you describe the book’s core value to readers?
A. Its core value is that it covers—in a condensed format and practical approach—the fundamental knowledge required for applying process instrumentation and control. Readers are able to get answers to common, day-to-day questions relating to the implementation of process instrumentation and control systems.
Q. Why do you think the subject matter of this book continues to be relevant and important as a reference resource?
A. The book addresses the common challenges and concerns in process instrumentation and control implementations that are faced each day.
Q. What makes this fourth edition different or more useful than the third edition?
A. The fourth edition includes an entirely new chapter—on Check-out, Commissioning, and Start-up—a new appendix—on A Sample Specification for a Control Panel—and significant updates to all other 20 chapters and nine appendices.
Q. Do you have any other comments you would like to add?
A. This book is currently being used as the reference material for online courses offered at three North American universities. You can learn more by visiting my website at www.bergotech.com.
About the Author
Nabil (Bill) E. Battikha, PE, has more than 40 years of engineering, management and hands-on experience in the field of process instrumentation and control. He serves as president of Bergotech, Inc., a firm specializing in process control education. Over the course of his extensive career in the U.S. and Canada, Battikha has worked with suppliers of control equipment, consultants and end users in virtually all areas of process control engineering, management and training. His working experience covers diverse industries, including petrochemicals, power generation, specialty and bulk chemicals, paints, films, automotive, breweries, rotating machinery and turbines, municipal and industrial waste incineration, coal handling, explosives and steel. Bill has helped develop ISA standards (ISA84 and ISA91) and presently serves on several ISA standard development committees. Over the course of his career, he has performed plant audits and assessments, co-authored a patent and a commercial software package, and acted as a technical advisor in an international court case. An accomplished author, he has written numerous technical papers and four ISA books on process instrumentation and controls. They include four editions of The Condensed Handbook of Measurement and Control, The Management of Control Systems (1992), Developing Guidelines for Instrumentation & Control (1994) and Managing Industrial Controls (2014). Over the last 20 years, Bill has been highly involved as a process control educator. He has developed courses and conducted process instrumentation and control training at: Penn State University, the University of Wisconsin, the University of Kansas, the University of Toronto, Dalhousie University, and ISA. He also designed and conducted in-plant customized training courses and seminars for engineering/technical personnel, operators and sales staff. Bill earned a bachelor of science degree in mechanical engineering.
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