Item: MATLAB
Rating: 10
Author: Verified User

Overall Satisfaction with MATLAB

Use Cases and Deployment Scope

MATLAB is used across the whole department and simplifies the handling of mass amounts of information and computations. Previously we would attempt to use Excel, which is okay but makes it much harder to visualize your equations. MATLAB also has a lot more well documents commands/functions that make computations and matrix operations tremendously easier than other comparable software. As an engineer I also think it is actually simpler to use than say Python.

Pros and Cons

Pros

Creating iterative solvers to arrive to an ideal answer or solution for something like a design or optimization problem
Performing mathematical operations on functions that also have functions nested within them
Plotting both 2d and 3d graphs with well labeled data

Cons

As with many coding software pieces, it sometimes can be tricky troubleshooting errors in your code.
Wish testing particular samples of the code was easier

Most Important Features

Nonlinear equation solving capabilities
Handling of complex functions and large matrix data sets
Extremely useful plotting functions and plot viewer

Return on Investment

Can create solvers for several different types of problems so employees can pull up one solver when they want to test out a certain set of inputs
Gives us a good set of theoretical data to base mechanical product designs off of

Alternatives Considered

Python IDLE and Oracle Java SE

The commands and coding language of MATLAB reads a lot more in plain English as opposed to all the periods and other special characters that are needed when typing in Python or Java. Additionally MATLAB has several different function packages that can solve all different categories of problems so you don't have to make a bunch of different code scrips from scratch.

Key Insights

Do you think MATLAB delivers good value for the price?

Yes

Are you happy with MATLAB's feature set?

Yes

Did MATLAB live up to sales and marketing promises?

Yes

Did implementation of MATLAB go as expected?

Yes

Would you buy MATLAB again?

Yes

Other Software Used

SOLIDWORKS, Autodesk Inventor, Rhinoceros 3D

Likelihood to Recommend

MATLAB really does best for solving computational problems in math and engineering. Especially when you have to use a lot of functions in your solving process, or if you have a nonlinear equation that must be iteratively solved. [MATLAB] can also perform things like integration and derivation on your equations that you put into it.

Comments

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MATLAB really does it all, but shines best with computations when no other program can!