Ask any engineer, and there is a good chance they will use online calculators to some extent to carry out a variety of both electrical and mechanical calculations.
After all, many engineers don’t always have a physical calculator close to hand. So, they might instead simply Google something like “LED resistor value calculator” or “American Wire Gauge conversion calculator” to summon up the free online tool they need.
The Relevance of Easily Available Software for Engineering Calculations
Furthermore, these tools aren’t just duplicates of standard calculators. Often, they boast useful specialized functions akin to those found on dedicated scientific and engineering calculators.
Calculators, of course, are largely used as a means of speeding up vital calculations and making them easier to perform than would be the case if purely manual methods were used.
Professionals in such fields as civil, electrical, chemical, and mechanical engineering can all potentially benefit from the use of specialized and free online tools.
So, What Steps Can You Take to Get the Most Out of Free Online Calculators?
If there is a particular electrical or mechanical calculation that you need to do, and performing it manually is too awkward or difficult (or you don’t wish to invest in pricey top-of-the-line software), here are some ways to get the best out of the free online tools out there:
- Select The Right Tool for The Job in the First Place
As aforementioned, this could be as straightforward as performing a Google search. It shouldn’t take too much effort to find an attractive voltage divider tool or weight conversion calculator or to pick out a suitable free online LED resistor calculator for electronics projects.
- Look For Free Online Calculators from Reputable Sources
Although Google is good these days at giving the greatest search prominence to online tools that are accurate and dependable, it’s still a wise idea to check that a particular calculator is being provided by a website with a sound reputation.
If, for instance, the free online tool is provided by a widely trusted online store for industrial solutions or electrical components, such as RS Online, or is recommended by a well-known educational institution, this is likely to be a good sign.
- Cross-Check The Results of Calculations to Rule Out Glitches
There are so many free tools available online for staple mechanical and electrical processes that you should be able to easily run particularly critical calculations through multiple tools.
This will help you verify that the result of a specific calculation wasn’t adversely affected by a malfunctioning or inaccurate calculator.
- Read Up on The Associated Notes Before Performing Any Calculations
The best websites providing free online electrical and mechanical tools won’t simply throw a calculator interface at you while providing zero context or background guidance.
For example, when you’re next on the lookout for an LED resistor calculator, you might be interested in knowing more about such concepts as LED forward voltage and LED forward current. Or what about the role of Ohm’s Law when calculating the resistor needed for a basic LED circuit?
A website that goes into detail on these topics, explaining vital aspects in a clear and easy-to-understand way, will be one that you likely keep on trusting as a source of free online calculation tools for a long time into the future.
- Carefully Reference Your Own Datasheets
Last but not least, free online tools will not improve the outcomes of electrical or mechanical calculations if the inputs, such as material strengths or LED specifications, are inaccurate.
It will be critically important, then, to be precise and to take guesswork out of the equation to the greatest extent possible.
The Right Tools Can Help Ensure a Simpler And Less Stressful Experience
Apply these tips when you next find your thoughts wandering towards searching for a free online calculator to undertake certain conversions or equations, and you will be well-placed to get rapid and accurate results.
This, in turn, is likely to mean good things for your projects, without the errors and frustrations that pen-and-paper manual calculations can so often bring.
