PTC Mathcad vs. Rhino 3D

It is great for any manual calculation. You can lay it out as you would on paper, but the math is calculated instantly, similar to how it is in excel. It is superior to either method for most engineering calculations. Being able to copy-and-paste is very helpful for considering multiple scenarios. In some situations where you need to do the same calculation on an array of numbers, Excel is still faster.

Incentivized

One of the main highlights of Rhino is the built-in visual programming system "Grasshopper". It is widely used for parametric architectural design, by a variety of world-class architectural offices. It is also very popular within architectural schools and universities. Its usefulness has increased a lot by having add-ins, plug-ins, scripts, and integrations with Revit and ARCHICAD for BIM workflows.

Incentivized

• Conversion of measurement units (Imperial and Metric)
• Easy to use for writing detailed engineering worksheets
• Formulas can be written in the expanded form which facilitates verification
• Spell Checker feature is life saver.

Incentivized

• Parametric Modeling - Grasshopper allows for easy/rapid iterative process
• White box renders display - looks great as a quick diagram export with no post-production required.
• robust command prompts - rhino was originally made for industrial design and it flexes a lot of unique modeling commands that put it up there with SolidWorks

Incentivized

• Some of the math and text formatting aspects are a little cumbersome.
• Converting from older Matchcad versions to the newer Mathcad Prime platform could be made easier. It should be a direct import function.

Incentivized

• Rhino has very limited sheet layout tools.
• Grasshopper could be better integrated into the main interface.
• Lack of backwards file compatibility can be frustrating.

Incentivized

Higher-order math, despite symbolics, become tedious and variable nomenclature isn't as forgiving as other programs. Due to it's sheet-like nature, the greater the complexity the more bothersome the screen usage becomes. But it's a trade-off between a sketchpad-like interface or lines and lines of code. Pick your poison but MathCad was our choice.

Incentivized

A majority of the support for Rhinoceros 3D does not come from the company itself, but from online forums and boards where other Rhinoceros 3D users outline their issues and solutions. The Rhinoceros 3D website does not offer much in-depth support and just outlines general how to's. At the same time, online forums allow for more specific issues to be addressed and solved by the Rhinoceros 3D community.

Incentivized

MathCAD is easier to learn and faster to start with. It has more user-friendly interface and conventional style toolbox and GUI. It is really good for the beginners and those who are afraid of complex math.

Incentivized

It's hard to compare Rhino to other modeling software as Rhino is in a niche of its own. No other software (to my knowledge) is as customizable/programmable and has such a large community and such a large amount of free, open-source addons. Rhino (and Grasshopper) can be intimidating at first but once you get familiar with it and grow your toolbox with your own scripts, so much time will be saved

Incentivized

• Speeds up calculations (especially when corrections need to be made near the beginning).
• Ability to re-use old calculations as a template can save significant time.
• You can use consistent formatting for all calculations, allowing for more organized, clear calculations.

Incentivized

• Right away Rhino3D is useful for simple and accurate 3D model import, repair and export all in a variety of formats.
• Rhino3D is easy to use and learn. The time to productivity is very short with this modeling tool.
• The price is low for the value received, a great investment.

Incentivized