Machines and Signs : A History of the Drawing of Machines - Rovida, Edoardo; SpringerLink (Online service) (Dordrecht : Springer Netherlands : Imprint: Springer, 2013)
1. Introduction: State of the art --  Some preliminary considerations about the history of drawing --  Conclusions --  2. Motivation of the history of technique: Culture --  Technique --  Aesthetics --  Ethic --  3. The first steps: Introduction --  Prehistoric Age --  Ancient times --  Middle Ages --  Conclusions --  4. Renaissance: General considerations --  The authors --  Introduction --  Examples --  The first steps of the scientific documentation --  The first "technical" drawings --  Some conclusions --  5. The 18th Century: Introduction --  Gaspard Monge --  The orthographic projections --  The first application of orthographic projections --  The encyclopedic books --  The drawing as didactic and popular tool --  The drawing as documentary tool for scientists --  The drawing instruments --  6. The 19th Century: Introduction --  The first modern industries --  First steps of the institutionalized teaching --  The drawing as documentation tool for scientists --  The drawing as tool for scientific-technical divulgation --  Drawing instruments --  7. The 20th Century: Introduction --  Drawing standards --  Historical background --  Standardization Institutions --  Drawing standards --  Development of industry --  Industries born in 20th Century --  Examples of drawings of 19th Century --  Development of technical schools --  General characters --  Fundamental steps --  Since 1900 to 1920 --  Since 1920 to 1950 --  Since 1950 to 1970 --  Since 1970 until today --  Application of the computer --  Drawing instruments --  8. Archives of historical drawings: Role of archives of historical drawings --  Steps to realize an historical archive --  Examples applied to the car suspensions --  General considerations --  Structure of the data base --  9. The critical observation of historical drawings: Technicians, engineers and designers --  Standardization organizations --  Teachers and students --  Historians --   The lesson of historical heritage --  Index.
Keywords: Engineering design; History; Popular works; Engineering Design; History of Science; Popular Science, general