Extensions > Plugins > Add-ins > Add-ons > Libraries > Frameworks > Connectors
For big technical engineering software, the ecosystem built around add-ins, modules, extensions, and similar components stands out for its dynamism and versatility. These supplemental elements can be used to address the constant demand for new features, improved workflows, and novel industry requirements, rather than big core updates.
Prices for such additions can range widely, reflecting variations in sophistication, licensing agreements, and the depth of integration offered. Some solutions remain free or open-source, while others command higher costs due to advanced functionalities or specialized vendor support.
Notably, popular engineering platforms often gain mass appeal because of extensive plugin libraries or a robust framework encouraging third-party contributions.
Customization can serve as a major attraction; engineers select from modules, widgets, and utilities to construct work environments closely matching their unique workflows or researchers their unique field.
- Python Libraries
- Python Frameworks
- Excel Add-ins
- Excel
- 2D Graphics, Data Analytics, Engineering, Mathematics
- Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine (DICOM), Digital Twin, Graphical User Interface (GUI), Software, Software as a Service (SaaS), Software Development Kit (SDK), Statistical Analysis, User Interface (UI)
Software that digitizes (converts to XY data) graphical data from scanned images, plots, and graphs, with data export options including to Excel (likely via CSV or direct copy/paste).
Features:
- Graph digitizing, automatic line and point tracing, manual data entry, axis scaling (linear, log), area calculation, peak analysis, data smoothing, export data to clipboard or CSV file (for Excel)
Pricing:
- Paid
- Useful for extracting numerical data from hardcopy graphs or image files when original data is lost, can save significant time compared to manual measurement, supports various graph types.
- Commercial software, standalone application (not a direct Excel add-in), accuracy depends on image quality and user calibration, primarily for data extraction from 2D plots.
Best for:
- Scientists, engineers, and researchers who need to extract numerical data from existing graphs and plots (from images or scanned documents) for further analysis in Excel or other software.
- Excel
- Bioinformatics, Data Analytics, Mathematics, Quality, Statistics
- Process Improvement, Process Optimization, Quality Control, Quality Management, Statistical Analysis, Statistical Process Control (SPC), Statistical Tests
A comprehensive statistical data analysis add-in for Microsoft Excel, offering a wide range of statistical procedures and high-resolution graphics.
Features:
- Descriptive statistics, regression analysis (linear, nonlinear, logistic), ANOVA/MANOVA, time series analysis, multivariate statistics (PCA, factor analysis, clustering), survival analysis, quality control charts, biomedical statistics, charting capabilities
Pricing:
- Paid
- Powerful and extensive statistical analysis capabilities directly within Excel, user-friendly interface, produces high-quality charts, good alternative to standalone statistical packages for many tasks.
- Commercial software, can be expensive, some very specialized or cutting-edge statistical methods might still require dedicated academic packages, relies on Excel for data handling.
Best for:
- Statisticians, researchers, data analysts, and quality professionals who require a comprehensive suite of statistical analysis and graphing tools integrated within Microsoft Excel.
- Excel
- Data Analytics, Mathematics, Project Management, Statistics
- Analysis of Variance (ANOVA), Business Process Reengineering (BPR), Project Management, Risk Analysis, Risk Management, Statistical Analysis
An Excel add-in that helps users build and analyze decision trees directly within Microsoft Excel spreadsheets.
Features:
- Decision tree construction, influence diagrams, sensitivity analysis, expected value calculation, probability assignment, payoff definition, graphical representation of decision trees, policy suggestion
Pricing:
- Paid
- Simple and intuitive for creating decision trees in Excel, useful for decision analysis under uncertainty, helps visualize decision paths and expected outcomes, good for business and project decisions.
- Commercial software, primarily focused on decision tree analysis, may lack advanced features of dedicated decision analysis software, visual customization might be limited by Excel.
Best for:
- Business analysts, project managers, consultants, and students who need to build and analyze decision trees to support decision-making processes directly within Excel.
- Excel
- Aerospace, Automotive, Materials, Mechanical Engineering, Quality
- Composites, Computer Aided Design (CAD), Design for Additive Manufacturing (DfAM), Design for Manufacturing (DfM), Materials, Mechanical Properties, Process Optimization, Quality Management
A tool or feature associated with the Total Materia materials properties database that allows users to export materials data into various formats, including Excel, for further analysis or use.
Features:
- Export materials property data (mechanical, physical, chemical, etc.), support for various material standards (ASTM, ISO, EN, DIN, JIS), data for metals, plastics, ceramics, composites, export to Excel, XML, CAD formats (potentially)
Pricing:
- Paid
- Provides access to a vast materials property database, Excel export allows for easy data manipulation, comparison, and integration into calculations and reports, helps in materials selection.
- Requires a subscription to the Total Materia database, the exporter is a feature of the database service, not a standalone Excel add-in for general calculations.
Best for:
- Engineers, designers, and materials specialists who need access to comprehensive materials property data from the Total Materia database and want to export this data to Excel for analysis and reporting.
- Excel
- Chemistry, Manufacturing, Materials, Simulation, Thermodynamics
- Alloys, Design for Manufacturing (DfM), Engineering, Materials, Metallurgy, Phase Diagram, Process, Simulation, Thermodynamics
An Excel add-in that integrates with Thermo-Calc software, allowing users to perform thermodynamic and phase diagram calculations for materials directly within Excel.
Features:
- Thermodynamic calculations for alloys and materials, phase diagram calculations, property diagrams, process simulation (limited via TC-PRISMA integration), access Thermo-Calc databases, automate calculations from Excel, plot results
Pricing:
- Paid
- Combines Thermo-Calc's powerful materials thermodynamics engine with Excel's interface, useful for materials design, alloy development, and process optimization, enables parametric studies.
- Requires Thermo-Calc software and database licenses, specific to Thermo-Calc users, learning curve for both Thermo-Calc and its thermodynamic concepts.
Best for:
- Materials scientists, metallurgists, and process engineers using Thermo-Calc for thermodynamic and phase diagram calculations who want to integrate these capabilities with Microsoft Excel.
- Excel
- 3D Graphics, Aerospace, Data Analytics, Fluid Dynamics, Simulation
- Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD), Design for Manufacturing (DfM), Design Optimization, Engineering, User experience (UX)
Tecplot 360 is a CFD visualization and analysis software that includes an Excel add-in (or robust import features) to load data from Excel spreadsheets for creating plots and visualizations.
Features:
- CFD data visualization, engineering plotting (XY, 2D, 3D), contour plots, vector plots, streamlines, animations, data import from various formats including Excel, data analysis tools within Tecplot, automation via Python scripting (PyTecplot)
Pricing:
- Paid
- Powerful for visualizing and analyzing complex engineering and CFD simulation data, creates high-quality plots and animations, Excel add-in/import simplifies loading spreadsheet data.
- Commercial software (Tecplot 360), primarily a visualization and post-processing tool, Excel integration is for data input into Tecplot, not for performing Tecplot analysis within Excel.
Best for:
- Engineers and scientists working with CFD and other simulation data who use Tecplot 360 for visualization and need to import data from Excel spreadsheets.
- Excel
- Aerospace, Automation, Automotive, Manufacturing, PLM & ERP
- Document Management System (DMS), Engineering, Product Development, Product Lifecycle Management, Software, Software as a Service (SaaS), User experience (UX), User Interface (UI)
An Excel add-in that integrates with Siemens Teamcenter PLM software, allowing users to access, manage, and update PLM data directly from within Microsoft Excel.
Features:
- Access Teamcenter data (parts, BOMs, documents), import/export PLM data, bulk data editing from Excel, create and update Teamcenter items, manage workflows and revisions (potentially), data synchronization between Excel and Teamcenter
Pricing:
- Paid
- Seamless integration with Teamcenter PLM, improves productivity for managing large volumes of PLM data, allows using familiar Excel interface for data-intensive tasks, supports data consistency.
- Requires Teamcenter PLM system and the relevant integration licenses, specific to Teamcenter users, functionality is tied to Teamcenter's capabilities and data model.
Best for:
- Engineers, designers, and PLM users working within the Siemens Teamcenter environment who need to interact with and manage product lifecycle data using Microsoft Excel.
- Excel
- Data Analytics, Manufacturing, Process Control, Quality, Statistics
- Continuous Improvement, Control Chart, Process Capability, Process Improvement, Quality Control, Quality Management, Six Sigma, Statistical Process Control (SPC)
An Excel add-in from PQ Systems (provider of SQCpack and GAGEpack) that offers tools for Statistical Process Control (SPC) directly within Microsoft Excel.
Features:
- Control charts (X-bar & R, X-bar & S, Individuals, p, np, c, u, etc.), process capability analysis (Cp, Cpk, Pp, Ppk), histograms, Pareto charts, scatter diagrams, run charts, data input from Excel spreadsheets
Pricing:
- Paid
- Provides robust SPC charting and analysis within the familiar Excel environment, from a reputable vendor in quality software, helps monitor and improve processes.
- Commercial software, may have fewer features than their standalone SQCpack software, primarily focused on SPC (not a general statistics package).
Best for:
- Quality engineers, manufacturing professionals, and Six Sigma practitioners who need to perform Statistical Process Control analysis and create control charts directly within Excel using tools from a known quality software provider.
Disclaimer: due to complexity, the prices and the vast features of the software, the directory above is based on a mix of personal hands-on experience with some of them and an online information collected. In other words, we have tested some of them, but not all of them. Furthermore, many of these software have versions or plugins extending their features.
If you see any info that is not accurate anymore, or we made a mistake, or could be completed, or suggest another software solution, reach us via the comment section or the contact form.
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