Looking for a reliable platform to perform complex calculations and solve problems with the utmost precision and transparency? Meet your perfect workflow companion. With PTC Mathcad Prime 9, engineers can seamlessly integrate calculations into their workflow, capturing crucial assumptions and decisions every step of the way. Because making it easier to communicate and collaborate with colleagues and stakeholders ensures complete transparency for better designs.

PTC Mathcad Prime 9 delivers numerous productivity and functionality enhancements. As with the previous release of Mathcad Prime 8, PTC continues to invest in the math engineering notebook software. PTC showcased some of the new functionality as part of the 2022 Mathcad Virtual Conference. Of note were demos of text styles coming to Mathcad Prime 9, but the new features don’t stop there.

In case you missed it, PTC hosted a webinar on April 4, 2023. In the webinar replay, Andy McGough, PTC’s Mathcad Product Manager, provided demos and commentary on the new functionalities, an update on the PTC Mathcad Prime development roadmap, and answered questions.

The software has been improved with new features such as enhanced geometry processing capabilities and new support for 3D modeling tools such as sketching, drawing, assembly design, and drafting (including 2D drawings).

In addition, PTC Mathcad Prime 9 offers an expanded library of functions for solving specific problems in mechanical engineering applications such as Fluid Dynamics and Thermal Analysis.

Mathcad Prime 9 New Features

The user interface has been redesigned. Now, engineers without any programming experience can create their own custom applications using PTC Mathcad Prime 9’s visual programming environment, also known as PTC Creo Elements/Pro.

Text Styles

Use text styles for all elements of the document, including equations and cell comments. This feature makes it easier to apply formatting consistently throughout documents.

Mathcad Prime 9 Internal Hyperlinks

As of the new release, you can create internal hyperlinks between cells or equations within Mathcad Prime documents by typing in the link text followed by an exclamation mark (!). When you hover over these links with your cursor, they will turn into live links that automatically open when clicked. For example: “!Cell 1”.

Internal Links are a game-changer when it comes to document navigation. They allow users to easily connect notes and calculations across worksheets. Reference important information with minimal effort. Say goodbye to tedious scrolling and searching!

Go-to Page

With the new Go-to Page feature, finding a specific page within a lengthy document has never been easier. Jump directly to a desired page, saving valuable time and effort. No more endlessly clicking through pages!

Current Page Tooltip

The Current Page Tooltip provides an easy tool for instant reference. It displays the current page number as you scroll through the document, allowing you to keep track of your progress effortlessly. Stay organized and never lose your place again!

Enhanced Color Selection Menus

Color selection menus have been enhanced in PTC Mathcad Prime 9. Now, you can select from a wide range of pre-set colors, as well as utilize a custom color picker. Whether you want to highlight specific sections, make equations or plots stand out, or simply add visual appeal, this feature allows you to choose the perfect color for the job.

Quick Text

Mathcad Prime 9 introduces a convenient feature that allows users to convert a new region from the default math region to a textbox by simply pressing the spacebar and eliminates the need to manually click on a text box to input text into a worksheet. This enhancement provides a more seamless and efficient way to incorporate text into your calculations and explanations. By utilizing this keyboard shortcut, users can save time and streamline their workflow. No more wasted time on numerous mouse clicks!

With these new enhancements, PTC Mathcad Prime 9 offers improved document navigation and customization options. You can now easily find what you’re looking for.

IMPROVED MATHCAD FUNCTIONS 

PTC Mathcad Prime 9 has a new Symbolic Engine that delivers improved performance and new functions. This includes faster symbolic calculations, new functions such as trigonometric and hyperbolic functions, and more operators available to work with expressions. New logarithmic integral functions and elliptic integral functions have also been added.

Mathcad Prime 9’s Solve Block

PTC updated the Solve Block, which now expands the range of solvable problems. The pdesolve function is now available in the Solve Block. The function makes it easy to resolve equations and inequalities with multiple variables. You can also use this new feature to find solutions for single-variable problems by setting all other variables equal to zero. This allows you to solve for any variable that is not explicitly given as a constraint or independent variable.

Additionally, inside a Solve Block, users can now use the find function to symbolically solve a system of equations.

Symbolic Calculations, Functions & Solutions

Calculus operators, such as derivatives, limits, integrals, and summations, have been enhanced for symbolic calculations and can be applied to a wider range of scenarios.

The functionality and utility of various symbolic keywords and functions have been expanded. For instance, the assume keyword enables users to specify assumptions about the result of a function.

Symbolic solutions for Ordinary Differential Equations (ODEs) are now supported, allowing users to solve first-order ODEs and higher-order ODEs that can be reduced to first-order systems.

The Gradient Operator calculates the gradient of a Scalar Function by providing both numerical and symbolic solutions.

Upgrade to Mathcad Prime 9

PTC Mathcad Prime 9 allows you to perform mathematical calculations faster and easier than ever while retaining the flexibility needed to handle complex models.

The latest updates bring a wide range of enhancements to the platform’s productivity and functionality.  As a result, Mathcad Prime 9 continues to empower users to solve, analyze, document, and share all their engineering calculations quickly and accurately.

Whether you’re a seasoned engineer or a novice, these new features ensure seamless and efficient workflows. As a result, companies can boost engineering productivity and create more innovative products.

Ready to upgrade to PTC Mathcad Prime 9 and experience these features for yourself? Talk to an EAC expert to continue the conversation or schedule a demo to learn more.

PTC’s Technical Specialist for Mathcad, Anji Seberino, joined us on today’s webinar called “Plotting Your Success with Mathcad Prime 5.0” to demonstrate how 2D plots have evolved in PTC Mathcad. This information technology and leading engineering calculations software is the number one tool for designers and engineers in the industry. Download the PTC Mathcad Prime 5.0 brochure.

Let’s talk about plots. PTC listened to their customers and responded to suggestions and requests needed for Mathcad Prime. The old plotting method is still available for those that need to use it, although the new improvements gave plots the abilities to add a title, a legend, gridlines, axis labels, a 2nd y-axis, and richer formatting options. 

Anji demonstrates how you can calculate stress using input variables of force and area on your Mathcad worksheet:

The original way to create a plot in PTC Mathcad Prime 4.0 was to go to the ‘plots’ tab and click ‘insert plot’ – this function is still here.

With the old way (which you can still use), you would follow these instructions:
-insert plot
-x-axis= force
-y-axis= σ2

You can see that ‘force’ and ‘σ2’ are names of variables that store our mathematical data – but they are NOT labels. You cannot add the labels using this old method (but you can with the new).

The new way is NOT on the plots tab – it’s on the math tab – called the ‘chart component’.

-go to ‘math’ tab
-click on ‘chart component’
-right click on the chart, click on ‘insert x-axis expression’
-right click on the chart, click on ‘insert y-axis expression’

On previous version of Mathcad you could not enter a 2nd y-axis. Now you can:
-right click on the chart, click on ‘insert y-axis expression’

In the chart component you can access all the rich format options in one place with a lot more room to make the plot the way you want it to look with styles, the legend, a title and where you’d like the location of all of these components to be while being able to change background, text, and line colors, borders, and opacity settings.

PTC Mathcad helps you calculate and solve engineering problems. Much more can be done in charting your 2D plots in Mathcad Prime 5.0 – watch the webinar replay here.

PTC Mathcad Prime delivers powerful engineering calculation management to help predict design behavior, drive critical parameters and dimensions, and enhance the visualization of your data with 2D plotting. Since there was a lot of feedback from users that there needed be improvements to the plotting features in previous Mathcad releases, Mathcad Prime 5.0 is almost entirely focused on enhancements to 2D plots.

New Capabilities of Mathcad Prime 5.0

The new capabilities dramatically improve user’s ability to customize the look and layout of their charts and graphs to better convey information to stakeholders. Prime 5.0 adds a new button under the Math tab called the ‘Chart Component.’ The plots tab will look the same as previous versions of Mathcad because nothing has been removed, only augmented for the addition of the new chart component.

This image shows users where they can find the new charting component in Mathcad Prime 5.0.

Previous to the new release, users were unable to fully control a title, a legend, gridlines, a 2nd y axis, or custom formatting when creating a plot graph under the plots tab. These capabilities are now available in Mathcad Prime 5.0!

Using the new ‘Chart Component’ in Mathcad

Insert a chart component under the math tab – this will insert an empty embedded charting object. If you double click on it, then you can activate the charting application.

This image shows users the activated charting application once the embedded object is double clicked.

The user can now access all the functionalities of the application that help customize the chart under the plot tab, the x tab, and the y tab such as the title, a border, gridlines, a legend, font, and colors.

Once you close this tab you will see your document again and notice that there is an area above your chart component that says ‘Inputs’. This is where you define the data or function that is needed for the chart to be plotted. You can define either functions or variables that store data. If you click on this section you will see a dropdown of various options in which you can choose to either ‘Insert X-Axis Expression’ or ‘Insert Y-Axis Expression’.

This image shows the user where they can access the insertion of an x and y axis expression in their chart.

Once you’ve entered your x and y axis data, you can double click on the plot again to access a preview of your plot and customize the chart details.

To see what else you can do with Mathcad Prime 5.0, watch PTC’s Anji Seberino demonstrate the advanced chart options available to users by clicking on the video below.