Tools Every Electronics Engineer Should Bookmark

From telecommunications and manufacturing to robotics and aerospace, there are so many facets of our world that electronics engineers have played a fundamental part in building up.

We are indebted to such professionals for the work they have done through the generations to design and develop all manner of electronics solutions that have enhanced people’s lives.

Keep a Record of These 5 Online Tools for Electronics Engineers

But of course, if you are reading this as an electronics engineer, you will know that the effectiveness of your work won’t be down purely to your dedication, ingenuity, or even a deep understanding of engineering principles.

That’s because the right tools will also make a profound contribution to your success.

Below, we have set out a few of the online tools that you might look to add to your browser’s “bookmarks” tab.

#1. Altium Designer

This comprehensive software suite makes an electronics engineer’s work easier through its streamlining of the entire printed circuit board (PCB) design process – from initial schematic capture, right through to final manufacturing deliverables.

If you’re on the lookout for a unified platform incorporating such vital design stages as PCB layout, simulation, and 3D visualisation – thereby greatly helping to improve efficiency and minimise the scope for errors – you could barely hope for a finer package.

#2. RS’s Inductance Unit Conversion Calculator

Inductance is the property of a circuit that opposes changes in electric current. So, it is critically important for electronics engineers to be able to efficiently work with inductance values across various units of measurement.

Sure enough, the RS website presents an excellent online calculator for inductance units conversions, with henrys (H), kilohenrys, millihenrys, microhenrys, nanohenrys, and picohenrys all represented.

#3. The Parallel Resistor Calculator at AllAboutCircuits.com

As an electronics engineer, you ought to have at least one parallel resistor calculator in your browser’s “bookmarks”. Such a tool can allow you to determine the combined resistance of multiple resistors connected in parallel.

In that respect, the parallel resistor calculator on the AllAboutCircuits.com site is likely to suit your needs just fine. It enables the user to quickly work out the equivalent resistance of up to six resistors connected in parallel.

#4. DigiKey’s parametric search tool

Given its status as a widely trusted and authorised distributor of millions of electronic components, the DigiKey website in general is well worth bookmarking for an electronics engineer. The main UK version of the site, for example, is at www.DigiKey.co.uk.

Moreover, the parametric search tool is a great resource in itself for narrowing down the various electronic components on the site, based on their characteristics.

To use this feature, navigate to the site, and head to the product category or subcategory that interests you – for example, “Automation & Control”, “Controllers”, and then “Controller Accessories”.

On the page that then appears, you should see a tool that enables you to search on the basis of such filters as the specific manufacturer, series, product status, and accessory type.

#5. CircuitLab

This online circuit simulator and schematic editor is an extremely useful tool for constructing and simulating circuits directly within a web browser, with no need to install anything.

You can find it at www.circuitlab.com. When you do give it a go, you are likely to be impressed by how easy the schematic editor is to use, its drag-and-drop interface facilitating the rapid creation of high-quality designs.

Although professional engineers can certainly gain benefit from this web-based tool, students and hobbyists can also use it to help speed up their learning about electronics. The free tier is limited in its functionality compared to the paid subscription option, but it’s still good enough for small projects.

Make a note of all these tools, to help save time, minimise errors, and achieve better-quality outcomes from the broad variety of projects you may take on as an electronics engineer.