There are great premium functions in Prime 5 some of which allow you to integrate with Excel, optimize solutions and solve for design variables, solve and calculate symbolically, programming and content protection. Each feature simple to use and powerful enough to calculate your needs.
Excel Integration/ Component
The excel component essentially allows us to embed an Excel spreadsheet inside a Mathcad worksheet. It can be found in the Input/Output tab within Mathcad Prime, you can insert the excel component once you click Excel component.
This is more powerful than reading from the excel file because this allows us to interact with the spreadsheet. When we say interact we mean being able to send inputs to the spreadsheet from the Mathcad document, read data out of the spreadsheet to Mathcad and activate the spreadsheet and conduct any calculations in excel.
Once you get your table like the one below you will notice the Input, Output section at the top and bottom of your table. The Input section (top) is for inputs from Mathcad to excel whereas the Output section (bottom) is from excel to Mathcad.
Since the excel spreadsheet is embedded onto the worksheet we have full functionality of excel- this means we are able to change formatting, display, and add any other functionality that could be found in excel.
Solving and Optimization
The Solve Blocks feature can be found in the Math tab within Prime 5. This allows us to find a solution for variables within a simultaneous system of mathematical requirements, equations constraints, etc. We can also optimize solutions and solve for design variables. Optimization refers to maximizing or minimizing the output of a function and allowing Mathcad to tell us what the input variables to that function should be while satisfying additional requirements at the same time.
When you click on solve block feature you will see three sections
- Guess Values
- Constraints
- Solver
Start by defining your constraints and don’t forget to inform the Solver where to start looking. Solve Blocks also allows you to solve for an object’s dimensions for instance as seen in the example below Mathcad solved for the dimensions of a bag that had a volume of 1.5 cubic feet.
Symbolics
In Mathcad, we have two math engines we have a numeric engine and a symbolics engine. While the numeric engine is used more often since it lets us solve and calculate numerically the symbolics engine allows us to evaluate symbolically.
In the Math tab, you can click on Symbolics and see all of the functionality it provides. If you want an answer in symbolic, say in variables you’ll use the -> symbol found in the Operators section. You can use this arrow anytime you want to evoke any of the keywords or modifiers.
The symbolic feature in Prime 5 is very robust! It allows you to solve all sorts of algebraic expressions, factor, collect like terms, combine variables and take laplace transforms, inverse laplace transforms and lastly substitute variables into expressions.
Programming
An analogous to macro in Excel, anybody can utilize programming. There is no need for a pre-existing skillset in scripting or coding and it doesn’t require you to use compilers. As long as you know the logic that you want to execute you can write a program.
Within the Math tab click on the Programming button which allows you to construct; such as if statement, also if, else, else if, while and for loop etc. When writing a program in Mathcad all the math still goes into the program using native math notation-allowing the math to be transparent.
Content Protection
Password protect your work and whether people can view or modify your calculations. You can lock it in an expanded or collapsed state, depending on need maybe its data that you would rather not share but need for calculations. In order to apply the content protection feature, you go to the Document tab which is located in the far left button for area.
In conclusion, Mathcad Prime 5 has many features that allow engineers to complete their calculations numerically and symbolically.
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