Programming for Mechanical Engineers

AI Thread Summary
For mechanical engineers specializing in mechatronics, the discussion emphasizes the importance of programming languages for embedded systems and mechanical design. C and Fortran are highlighted as foundational languages, with C being particularly beneficial for understanding system operations. While some suggest C++ for its advanced features, the consensus leans towards C for its practicality in embedded systems. The focus should be on mastering a few key languages rather than spreading efforts across many. Ultimately, proficiency in C is deemed essential for effective mechanical design and control system integration.
ZenOne
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I'm currently doing Mech Eng in Canada and I plan on choosing Mechatronics as my speciality, however, I was wondering which language would be best for embedded systems and mechanical designs.

I've heard so many conflicting reports: some tell me mechanical engineers should stick to fortran, MATLAB or java; some say C++ is the most important; others mention plain old C.

Bottom line: I'm motivated to learn the most useful one for my needs. I want to be able to both design (mechanically) and if necessary be able to embed the controlling system.

Thanks in advance.
 
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For "raw" engineering programming, I would focus on Fortran and C.
 
Learning C is good because it acquaints you with how things really work under the hood. Fortran is a legacy language. In general, don't waste your time learning a lot of programming languages. Good programming skills have little to do with learning languages.
 
Thank you for the replies.

Is C better than C++ in regards to embedded systems?
 

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