'To the surprise of some undergraduates, processes do not carry labels marking their variables nor, alas, are they conveniently classified into linear, nonlinear, stochastic, etc., categories. The ability to come to terms with this situation is a prerequisite for anyone proposing to succeed in an industrial environment.' This quotation from Chapter 1 characterises the viewpoint of the book, which is concerned with the application of control theory to real problems in their industrial context.

Concise highly readable book emphasising the concepts and principles that are prerequisite for understanding both traditional and recent control theory.

The book is concerned with understanding the structure of nonlinear dynamic systems within a control engineering context After a discussion of theoretical foundations, the development moves to specific techniques (describing function method, phase plane portrait, linearisation methods). The treatment then becomes oriented to qualitative analysis and maintains this emphasis to the end of the book. The broad aim is to develop methods that will allow the topology of system behaviour to be visualised. The main tools are Lyapunov methods, extending to include recent work on system decomposition. A bibliography lists both earlier seminal and recent literature to allow the reader to follow up particular aspects.

The temperature on earth varies over a wide range whereas man can only work comfortably in a quite narrow temperature range that has to be artificially maintained. In addition, many industries have extensive requirements for temperature control. Thus control engineers are called upon very frequently to design temperature control loops.