Open Circuits: The Inner Beauty of Electronic Components

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I thought this would be "just a picture book", not that that would be bad, But I want to contrast that then with what is actually in this book. All the gorgeous photos of cut and deconstructed components are accompanied by a few concise paragraphs explaining what they are, how they work, and often why they may be the way they are. The authors have done an outstanding job in etching and cleaning up the components, allowing readers to see the intricate details of each component in high-quality photos. Stunningly beautiful . . . While the component images stand alone as works of art, authors Schlaepfer and Oskay pair the pictures with clear and informative text that adds to the reader’s knowledge of the circuitry they are looking at. This book is sure to be a staple in many makers, educators, and engineers libraries.”

Leaving a comfortable job in graphic design to become a freelance illustrator, with Meredith Schomburg The only downside to this book is the omission of mechanical keyboards, which is a missed opportunity for those (like me) who are interested in learning about the inner workings of these devices - specifically I would have loved to see a switch cross-section. Inductors are fundamental electronic components that store energy in the form of a magnetic field. They’re used, for example, in some types of power supplies to convert between voltages by alternately storing and releasing energy. This energy-efficient design helps maximize the battery life of cellphones and other portable electronics. As you'd expect from such a forensic photographic collection, taking the images was no easy feat. Electronics can be risky to work with at the best of times, and when you start cutting them up and poking around, this danger is only multiplied. This book made me fall in love with electronics all over again . . . Part history book, part coffee-table book, and part journey into the inner lives of the electronics, [ Open Circuits] is a fascinating journey through the history of electronics.”

Success!

Aside from the impressive precision of these components (though there are exceptions, a particularly poorly made coax cable is roasted by the authors) the photography is really notable for bringing out glorious color in these components - sometimes included for manufacturing reasons, sometimes an artifact of the materials themselves - but normally not seen by human eyes at all, safely enclosed in plastic, ceramic, or metal boxes. Film capacitors are frequently found in high-quality audio equipment, such as headphone amplifiers, record players, graphic equalizers, and radio tuners. Their key feature is that the dielectric material is a plastic film, such as polyester or polypropylene.

This book is an absolute must-read for anyone interested in electronics, computer technology, or circuits.

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