Mechanical engineering in the medieval near east

MECHANICAL ENGINEERING IN THE MEDIEVAL NEAR EAST

Birth of Mechanical Engineering in the East

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Technology

Utilitarian Fine

Utilitarian Technology

Utilitarian Technology

Utility technology was brought about as an answer to the basic necessities of man• supplying irrigation at fields• processing crops into food• fulling of cloth• crushing of metallic ores• paper making • pulping of sugarcane

Water Raising/Lifting Methods and Machines

Shaduf

Water Rising/Lifting Methods and Machines


Screw/Water Snail

Screw Water Snail

Higher Lift - Noria


Most widespread: Saqiya


Spiral Scoop Wheel


Twin Cylinder: Water Driven Pump


Water Wheel

Horizontal Wheel

Vertical Wheel

Undershot Overshot

Wind Mills

Fine Technology

Fine Technology

Fine Technology were derived from the use of delicate mechanisms and controls.• astronomical observations• observation and computation. • amusement and aesthetic pleasure to

the members of courtly circles.

Arabic Treatises about Fine Technology

The Book of Ingenious Devices by Banu Musa

The Book of Ingenious Mechanical Devices by Al- Jhazari

Automata

Water Clocks and Flow Regulators

Closed-Loop System

Candle Clocks

Fountain

Musical Automata

Concepts introduced by Al Jhazari

• the lamination of timber to minimize warping• the static balancing of wheels• the use of wooden templates (a kind of

pattern)

Concepts introduced by Al Jhazari

• use of paper models to establish designs the calibration of orifices

• ginding of the seats and plugs of valves together with emery powder to obtain a watertight fit

• casting of metals in closed mold boxes with sand.

Mechanical Engineering of the East to the West

It seems probable that some elements of the rich vein of Islamic mechanical engineering were transmitted to Europe.

The most likely location for the transfer of information was Iberia during the long years in which Christians and Muslims coexisted.