Historically, the Engineering Data Book was a spiral-bound volume of charts, nomographs, and tables. Engineers manually plotted curves on graph paper.

In the modern era, the data within the book has been digitized:

However, the underlying math remains unchanged. The Data Book remains relevant because it provides the "source code" for these digital tools. Understanding the book is necessary to troubleshoot when software produces anomalous results.

The HI Engineering Data Book is structured into logical sections that guide the user from fundamental properties to advanced system analysis. Below are its primary content pillars:

It is important to distinguish the Engineering Data Book from the ANSI/HI Standards (such as HI 1.1-1.6 for Centrifugal Pumps).

While the Standards define the rules of the game, the Data Book provides the playbook.