engrXiv (engrxiv.org) is a free, open preprint server for engineering and applied sciences, operated by the Center for Open Science on the OSF platform. It covers civil engineering, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, chemical engineering, computer engineering, materials science, environmental engineering, biomedical engineering, and related fields. Authors post manuscripts before or during peer review for immediate open access. All content is freely downloadable.

How does engrXiv compare to arXiv for engineering?

arXiv (cs, eess, and physics sections) covers computer science, electrical engineering, and physics, and is the dominant preprint server for these fields. engrXiv covers a broader range of engineering disciplines — particularly civil, mechanical, chemical, and biomedical engineering — that are less well-served by arXiv. For computer science and signal processing, arXiv is the primary venue. For structural engineering, fluid mechanics, and environmental engineering, engrXiv is often more relevant.

Do engineering preprints convert well to EPUB?

It depends on the paper. Narrative-heavy sections (introduction, literature review, discussion, conclusions) convert very well. Equations are rendered as images in the PDF and preserved as images in the EPUB — they're readable but not typeset at full quality. Complex multi-column layouts from IEEE or ASME-style conference papers are handled by toolkit.bot's column detection. For papers that are primarily tables of experimental results, the original PDF may be more useful for those sections.

Where else can I find free engineering preprints and papers?

Key sources include: arXiv (cs, eess, physics) — free, always; IEEE Xplore open access — growing collection of OA papers; ASME open access — some free papers; civil and structural engineering papers via ResearchGate (author self-archiving); NIH-funded biomedical engineering via PubMed Central; and institutional repositories (many engineering faculties deposit preprints). For standards (IEEE, ASTM, ISO), only some abstracts are free — full standards texts require purchase or library access.

Can I use engrXiv preprints in academic citations?

Yes, with the standard preprint caveat: cite the preprint as a preprint and note it's not yet peer-reviewed. Many journals now accept preprint citations with appropriate labelling. Once a peer-reviewed version is published, update your citation. engrXiv records link to the published version when available. For engineering theses and dissertations, citing preprints is generally acceptable when the published version is not yet available.

How to Convert engrXiv Engineering Preprints to EPUB for E-Reader Reading (2026)

Updated June 2026 · Research

engrXiv is the open preprint server for engineering and applied sciences — civil, mechanical, chemical, biomedical, and more. All preprints are freely available. Converting engineering preprint PDFs to EPUB makes the text sections — literature reviews, methodology, discussion, conclusions — much more readable on a Kindle, Kobo, or phone than the original two-column PDF.

Engineering preprint sources by discipline

Discipline	Best preprint source	Free?
Computer science / AI / ML	arXiv (cs, stat)	Yes
Electrical / electronic engineering	arXiv (eess), engrXiv	Yes
Civil / structural engineering	engrXiv	Yes
Mechanical engineering	engrXiv	Yes
Chemical engineering	engrXiv, ChemRxiv	Yes
Biomedical engineering	engrXiv, bioRxiv, medRxiv	Yes
Environmental engineering	engrXiv, EarthArXiv	Yes

How to download and convert an engrXiv preprint to EPUB

Go to engrxiv.org and search by topic, author, or discipline
On the preprint page, click 'Download' to get the PDF
Go to toolkit.bot/pdf2epub and upload the PDF
Download the EPUB — section headings become a navigable table of contents
Send to Kindle by email or transfer to Kobo by USB

Frequently asked questions

What is engrXiv?: engrXiv (engrxiv.org) is a free, open preprint server for engineering and applied sciences, operated by the Center for Open Science on the OSF platform. It covers civil engineering, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, chemical engineering, computer engineering, materials science, environmental engineering, biomedical engineering, and related fields. Authors post manuscripts before or during peer review for immediate open access. All content is freely downloadable.
How does engrXiv compare to arXiv for engineering?: arXiv (cs, eess, and physics sections) covers computer science, electrical engineering, and physics, and is the dominant preprint server for these fields. engrXiv covers a broader range of engineering disciplines — particularly civil, mechanical, chemical, and biomedical engineering — that are less well-served by arXiv. For computer science and signal processing, arXiv is the primary venue. For structural engineering, fluid mechanics, and environmental engineering, engrXiv is often more relevant.
Do engineering preprints convert well to EPUB?: It depends on the paper. Narrative-heavy sections (introduction, literature review, discussion, conclusions) convert very well. Equations are rendered as images in the PDF and preserved as images in the EPUB — they're readable but not typeset at full quality. Complex multi-column layouts from IEEE or ASME-style conference papers are handled by toolkit.bot's column detection. For papers that are primarily tables of experimental results, the original PDF may be more useful for those sections.
Where else can I find free engineering preprints and papers?: Key sources include: arXiv (cs, eess, physics) — free, always; IEEE Xplore open access — growing collection of OA papers; ASME open access — some free papers; civil and structural engineering papers via ResearchGate (author self-archiving); NIH-funded biomedical engineering via PubMed Central; and institutional repositories (many engineering faculties deposit preprints). For standards (IEEE, ASTM, ISO), only some abstracts are free — full standards texts require purchase or library access.
Can I use engrXiv preprints in academic citations?: Yes, with the standard preprint caveat: cite the preprint as a preprint and note it's not yet peer-reviewed. Many journals now accept preprint citations with appropriate labelling. Once a peer-reviewed version is published, update your citation. engrXiv records link to the published version when available. For engineering theses and dissertations, citing preprints is generally acceptable when the published version is not yet available.