The daily life of an engineer has evolved substantially in the past few years. Technologies like mobile, automation and the cloud have changed the way we work. At the same time, what brought so many improvements to the industry has underscored the importance of adopting new trends to stay competitive.
In your case, it could mean increasing your productivity to give yourself more time to further your studies. Perhaps it means learning the latest technologies to improve your career prospects. In any case, it’s worth looking into some useful tools that can help you achieve these goals. So, without further ado, here are 6 great software tools for engineers.
Plan
Whether you’re going over some theory notes or finishing up a project at home, staying focused is becoming more and more difficult in our distracted world. Both a calendar and a project management tool, Plan aims to automate your work life and save you time by bringing your focus towards the tasks that matter most.
TinyCAD
Let’s say that you just got started in engineering, or you’re still in school and yet to land your first job. In that case, you might want to download a free and simple CAD design tool such as TinyCAD.
This handy software is perfect for putting together circuit diagrams and schematic drawings. There’s also a decent library of components to utilize. It’s open-source, which means you can download more features or even add your own.
ScheduleOnce
Completing a project typically involves tackling a number of different stages before a certain date. ScheduleOnce makes sure that you never miss another deadline, as well as ensuring that those involved in meeting each deadline know about it. Thanks to integration with other calendar apps, it serves as a simple and effective addition to your productivity suite.
Altium
For many engineers, their PCB design software is the most important tool in their arsenal. It dictates the accuracy and reliability of your circuit boards, as well as how efficiently you can produce them.
Put simply, your circuit design tool of choice will influence your success. Altium is a great option in this space, with all the functionality and components you could ask for. It may be advanced, but it’s also still easy to use at all skill levels.
MechDesigner
If you’re responsible for designing anything with moving parts, chances are that you need a tool like MechDesigner. The software will ensure that your designs are stable and precise, regardless of complexity. You can compile, view and analyze your mechanisms in a user-friendly 3D environment. There are also kinematic equations for exact solutions.
SolidFace
SolidFace is a CAD modeling tool with both 2D and 3D environments. It enables you to accelerate your designs and improve your productivity by providing accurate visualizations and powerful testing features. It’s also surprisingly affordable, especially given the category it’s in. For students, lifetime access to SolidFace Pro is only $129.
Be sure to look out for new software that can help you get more done with less effort. There are bound to be more engineer-focused tools out there, it’s simply up to you to discover them.