Henry Paynter
Encyclopedia
Henry M. Paynter is known worldwide as the inventor of bond graphs.
can flow from one component to another and bond graphs are designed to keep track of these flows in an easy way .
Bond graphs were invented on April 24, 1959:
He has published on a wide variety of subjects in more than 100 papers, patents, articles, and book chapters, as well as several books. The Bond graph modelling approach was presented for the first time in the "Ports, Energy and Thermodynamic Systems" on April 24, 1959 at MIT, which was later published (Paynter, 1961). Paynter was elected to the National Academy of Engineering
in 1997, one of the highest professional distinctions accorded to an engineer.
. Paynter joined the Department of Civil Engineering in 1946 and became an assistant professor in 1951. He was regarded as a creative, charismatic, and passionate teacher who deeply influenced the careers of his students. He urged them to think "big" and "deep" about engineering and science. He joined the Department of Mechanical Engineering in 1954 on a half-time basis to initiate a Systems Engineering
curriculum. He became full time in mechanical engineering in 1959 and was promoted to associate professor the following year. He became a full professor in 1964. After he retired, Paynter was a senior lecturer in mechanical engineering.
In his work, he became one of the world's leading experts in analog computing. His work was closely associated with George Philbrick, who is credited along with Lovell as the developer of the operational amplifier
. Paynter's earliest research lead to the formation of the Pi-Square Engineering Company. This company applied fast electronic analog computing to industrial process control. Paynter also collaborated closely with the Woodward Governor Company on hydro plant control.
Bond graphs
Bond graphs are a unique way of describing dynamic models, designed to model the interaction between different kinds of physical systems, like electrical, mechanical, hydraulical and chemical. This is possible because one thing all these components have in common is power. PowerPower (physics)
In physics, power is the rate at which energy is transferred, used, or transformed. For example, the rate at which a light bulb transforms electrical energy into heat and light is measured in watts—the more wattage, the more power, or equivalently the more electrical energy is used per unit...
can flow from one component to another and bond graphs are designed to keep track of these flows in an easy way .
Bond graphs were invented on April 24, 1959:
He has published on a wide variety of subjects in more than 100 papers, patents, articles, and book chapters, as well as several books. The Bond graph modelling approach was presented for the first time in the "Ports, Energy and Thermodynamic Systems" on April 24, 1959 at MIT, which was later published (Paynter, 1961). Paynter was elected to the National Academy of Engineering
National Academy of Engineering
The National Academy of Engineering is a government-created non-profit institution in the United States, that was founded in 1964 under the same congressional act that led to the founding of the National Academy of Sciences...
in 1997, one of the highest professional distinctions accorded to an engineer.
Academic career
Henry M. Paynter received the B.S. in civil engineering in 1944, the M.S. in mathematics and science in 1949, and the Sc.D. in hydroelectric engineering in 1951, all from MITMassachusetts Institute of Technology
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology is a private research university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts. MIT has five schools and one college, containing a total of 32 academic departments, with a strong emphasis on scientific and technological education and research.Founded in 1861 in...
. Paynter joined the Department of Civil Engineering in 1946 and became an assistant professor in 1951. He was regarded as a creative, charismatic, and passionate teacher who deeply influenced the careers of his students. He urged them to think "big" and "deep" about engineering and science. He joined the Department of Mechanical Engineering in 1954 on a half-time basis to initiate a Systems Engineering
Systems engineering
Systems engineering is an interdisciplinary field of engineering that focuses on how complex engineering projects should be designed and managed over the life cycle of the project. Issues such as logistics, the coordination of different teams, and automatic control of machinery become more...
curriculum. He became full time in mechanical engineering in 1959 and was promoted to associate professor the following year. He became a full professor in 1964. After he retired, Paynter was a senior lecturer in mechanical engineering.
In his work, he became one of the world's leading experts in analog computing. His work was closely associated with George Philbrick, who is credited along with Lovell as the developer of the operational amplifier
Operational amplifier
An operational amplifier is a DC-coupled high-gain electronic voltage amplifier with a differential input and, usually, a single-ended output...
. Paynter's earliest research lead to the formation of the Pi-Square Engineering Company. This company applied fast electronic analog computing to industrial process control. Paynter also collaborated closely with the Woodward Governor Company on hydro plant control.
Personal life
Henry Martyn Paynter was born in Evanston, Illinois and grew up in New York City and its environs. He was married to Gayllis Anne Beasley and fathered six children.Further reading
- Paynter, Henry M., Analysis and design of engineering systems, The M.I.T. Press, Boston, 1961 ISBN 0-262-16004-8.
- Paynter, Henry M., The Gestation and Birth of Bond Graphs (c. 2000)
- John Baez, About bond graphs January 29, 2010
- Overview of Paynters academic work
- In memoriam Henry M. Paynter