Show your work with Mathcad Prime
PTC Mathcad Prime is engineering math software that allows you to solve, analyze, document, and share your engineering calculations. You need a comprehensive, yet intuitive application that performs accurate calculations, enables traceability, protects intellectual property, and allows you to show your work.
Document your calculations in an engineering notebook with natural mathematical notation and units intelligence. Show your work using rich formatting options alongside plots, text, and images in a single, professionally formatted document.
What’s New in PTC Mathcad Prime?
PTC Mathcad Prime has two releases every year: a major release and a maintenance release.
Currently, the latest version is PTC Mathcad Prime 11.0.1.0, featuring custom unit systems, manual calculation mode, Python scripting for advanced controls, faster processing, new functions and symbolic keywords, usability updates and much more.
Top Mathcad features
Units
Mathcad provides a complete set of units in SI, USCS, and CGS unit systems, with support for defining your own units. Attach units to your variables and automatically convert between unit systems if necessary.
Solving and optimization
PTC Mathcad has many built-in solving and optimization functions for linear, nonlinear, and differential equations, or for finding the optimal (such as maximum or minimum) points of given functions.
Plots and charts
Visualizing your data is crucial to understanding the nature of your problems, as well as communicating to other stakeholders. Mathcad Prime comes with several plotting options, ranging from 2D XY charts to 3D plots, as well as polar plots and contour plots. These can be customized to become publication-ready.
Symbolic calculations
Mathcad has two engines: numeric and symbolic, giving you flexibility in your approach. Symbolic expressions can contain mathematical symbols, and Mathcad returns the results in symbolic form, allowing you to evaluate those expressions without assigning values to variables.
Programming
Add logic using familiar programming constructs and natural math notation for advanced flexibility within the Mathcad environment. These include loops and conditional statements.
Control structures
Add an extra layer of interactivity and automation to your worksheets with basic and advanced controls with scripting, unlocking new possibilities. These range from combo boxes to list boxes, sliders, check boxes, buttons, radio buttons, and configurable text boxes.
PTC Mathcad Capabilities
PTC Mathcad Prime is the industry standard for engineering mathematics software. With the full license, you’ll get access to the latest product enhancements and full functionality. PTC Mathcad Express is a limited functionality version of PTC Mathcad. After signing up for the free 30-day trial, your PTC Mathcad version will revert to PTC Mathcad Express if you choose not to upgrade to the full version.
Use the table below for a basic overview of the differences in capabilities between PTC Mathcad Express vs. PTC Mathcad Prime. Use this chart for more details.
Capabilities
PTC Mathcad Express*
PTC Mathcad Prime (Full License)
Required PTC Watermark & Marketing Start Page
Write Equations with Natural Math Notation
Algebra and Trigonometry Operators & Functions
Unit Support
Excel Component
Standardize Engineering Processes with Templates
Programming
Solve Systems of Linear & Non-linear Equations
Evaluate Expressions Symbolically
Design of Experiments & Differential Equations
Fourier Transforms & Signal Processing
Regression, Statistic, & Data Analysis
Basic Plots: X-Y
Advanced Plots: Polar, Contour, 3D
Basic Combo-box Input Control
Advanced Scripted Controls (Python, VBScript, JScript)
*PTC Mathcad Express is not usable for commercial purposes.
PTC Mathcad Prime buying options
Industry insights
How and why engineering calculation software—especially PTC Mathcad Prime—is used across different engineering disciplines.
What is engineering calculations software?
Dedicated engineering calculation software, like Mathcad Prime, offer clear documentation, natural math notation, and IP protection, ensuring that engineering knowledge is captured, shared, and leveraged for future projects.
Civil and structural engineering calculations
Civil and structural engineering calculations are the backbone of safe, reliable infrastructure. These calculations guide the design and analysis of bridges, buildings, dams, and other critical structures. PTC Mathcad Prime is trusted by civil and structural engineers for its intuitive interface, units' intelligence, advanced capabilities, and clear documentation. Easily solve, analyze, document, and share complex calculations – such as stress, strain, and load analysis – with confidence and accuracy.
Electrical engineering calculations
Electrical engineering calculations are essential for designing, analyzing, and optimizing electrical systems. These calculations cover a wide range of tasks, from circuit analysis and power calculations to signal processing and control systems modeling. Mathcad enables users to confidently and accurately solve, analyze, and share complex electrical calculations—including circuit analysis and signal processing.
Mechanical engineering calculations
Mechanical engineers rely on advanced calculation software to accurately document design decisions. From bolts to transmissions, intuitive calculations software optimizes designs and streamline workflows. Mathcad offers a comprehensive engineering calculations environment for mechanical engineers to analyze stress, dynamic motion, efficiency, friction, and more.
About using Excel for engineering calculations
Excel is widely used by engineers for organizing data, performing basic calculations, and creating charts for project documentation. Its flexibility makes it a popular choice for tasks such as managing project schedules, tracking materials, and conducting straightforward computations. However, Excel lacks built-in support for engineering units, advanced math notation, and complex calculations like differential equations, which present several challenges for engineering tasks. Learn how to integrate Excel and Mathcad so they can work together.