5 Effective Ways to Automate Engineering Calculations and Documentation in TechEditor

TechEditor is an environment for developing technical documentation and performing mathematical calculations. It’s designed to get you up and running as quickly as possible. However, to work effectively, it’s important to know your end goal from the very beginning.

Today, I want to share five approaches that will help you automate your calculations and create technical documentation faster, more efficiently, and with greater accuracy.

TechEditor: At a Glance

1. Operating System: Microsoft Windows 11 or 12. The program can also run on macOS 12.0 and higher via an emulator like Parallels Desktop.
2. Display: for a comfortable experience, a resolution of 1920x1080 (Full HD) or higher is recommended.
3. Versions: available as an installer or a portable version.
4. Authorization: requires a Dystlab Store account and an internet connection to log in.
5. License: a Freemium model (not a trial). The Free license is powerful and available for commercial use, while Pro and Edu offer advanced features.

0001. TechEditor 5.7.2 (Python, FEM, AI / LLM integration included)

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Now, let's dive into the workflows.

How to Choose the Right Document Type?

In engineering, you typically face one of these scenarios:

• You need to write a report (without calculations).
• You need to perform calculations (without a report).
• You need to do both — perform calculations and write a report.

TechEditor is built to handle all of these scenarios. Think of it as an "office suite for engineers," with advanced features for both text processing and mathematical analysis.

Approach 1: Reports
Convenient Text Editing and On-the-Fly Calculations

Let's start with the most straightforward approach.

If your main goal is to prepare a text document — be it a technical report, a term paper, or a project specification — the Report will be your primary tool. Its interface will feel familiar, like a standard word processor (e.g., Word or Google Docs), where you can comfortably work with text, add images, and organize data in tables.

You can print the finished report or export it to DOCX, RTF, or PDF.

Formulas and LaTeX

We integrated a LaTeX-based editor for handling mathematical expressions. This means your formulas will look professional and clean, not like poorly inserted images. The editor includes plenty of ready-made templates to speed up the process, allowing you to create clear and academically correct expressions that are easy to read and verify.

Calculations and Automation in Reports

The real power, however, comes from adding special Math Objects into your text. This is a key feature of TechEditor: any analytical expression in your report can be automatically calculated by our internal math engine.

For calculations, TechEditor provides a range of tools on the "Automation" tab. You can use simple mathematical objects like the Math Object (which adds variables and functions to your report) or more advanced controls like Sliders, Checkboxes, and Selectors to manage variable values or change calculations on the fly.

You can work with various data types, from real numbers to vectors and matrices. But for an engineer, the crucial part is that the program supports physical quantities. TechEditor recognizes thousands of measurement units and automatically checks the dimensions in your calculations. This is a key advantage over spreadsheets, where such control is absent.

A unique feature of TechEditor is that you work with variable and function names, not cell addresses like in Excel. All formulas in reports are readable and understandable — just as physics and mathematics demand:

Multi-document Project Structure

It’s worth noting that a single TechEditor project can contain an unlimited number of reports. This is useful if your project consists of multiple volumes of documentation or if you need to create different versions of the same report. All reports are stored in a single project file, which significantly reduces file chaos on your desktop.

We recommend the Reports approach when you need to:

• Create a final, print-ready document.
• Perform linear, sequential calculations as part of a text-based explanation.
• Develop any kind of standardized documentation.

Approach 2: Diagrams
An Unlimited Canvas for Design, Analysis, and Experiments

What if your calculation isn't linear? What if you're experimenting, searching for the optimal solution, and need a creative space rather than the rigid structure of a page? This is where another document type comes into play: the Diagram.

The closest analogs are Mathcad (for calculations) and Figma (for visualization). A Diagram is an infinite canvas where you can freely place and connect various blocks: mathematical expressions, text, images, geometric shapes, arrows, and more. It's the perfect environment for brainstorming, developing algorithms, or mapping out complex calculation schemes.

Diagrams Integrated into Reports

While most diagram features are available in all versions, including TechEditor Free, Pro users get a fantastic bonus: they can use diagrams as "live" images in their reports.

This means you can seamlessly integrate any diagram with a report. For example, you could create an electrical circuit diagram and use Math Objects to define resistances, currents, and voltages. You can then control the values of these parameters directly from the report. As the integration merges the mathematical models of both documents, the diagram in your report will update interactively. It feels as if the drawing "comes alive" and responds to your calculations in real-time:

We recommend the Diagrams approach for:

• Non-linear, iterative, and experimental calculations.
• Visualizing algorithms, UML models, or electrical circuits.
• Creating an interactive illustration for a main report.

Approach 3: TechEditor + Python
NumPy, SciPy, Matplotlib, Pandas, and more — Now in Your Report

Many engineers and scientists today use Python with its powerful libraries like NumPy, SciPy, and Matplotlib for complex numerical analysis. If you already have your own scripts and libraries, you don't have to abandon them.

TechEditor allows you to integrate Python code directly into your project. This works in two key ways:

1. Content Generation: Your script can generate text that is automatically inserted into your report.
2. Data Transfer: You can pass numerical data directly from your Python script to your report.

The second method is where it gets really powerful, in my opinion.

For instance, say your script calculates a complex model. Using the Script Integration object, you can link variables in your report to variables in your script. In this setup, TechEditor acts as a user-friendly interface and a professional tool for formatting the final results, while Python does all the heavy computational work "under the hood." Furthermore, once you get the result back from Python, you can assign measurement units to it in the report for further validation by TechEditor's math engine.

We recommend the Python approach when you need to:

• Perform complex numerical analysis, simulations, or process large datasets.
• Use existing engineering libraries or modules written in Python.
• Run and remotely control CAD software via API (e.g., AutoCAD, Revit).
• Automatically retrieve data from BIM models.
• Tackle tasks that go beyond the standard capabilities of the built-in engine.

Approach 4: TechEditor Apps
Professional-Grade Automation for Engineering Tasks

This approach takes automation to a whole new level.

Apps are essentially mini-programs (or plugins) that you can create directly within the TechEditor Pro environment.

Imagine creating a small calculator with a window-based interface for a routine calculation that your entire department can use. An engineer enters the input data into simple fields, clicks a button, and the app automatically performs all calculations and inserts a finished, formatted block into a report template:

Imagine creating a small calculator with a window-based interface for a routine calculation that your entire department can use. An engineer enters the input data into simple fields, clicks a button, and the app automatically performs all calculations and inserts a finished, formatted block into a report template.

Apps are developed using the Object Pascal language, and the TechEditor Integrated Development Environment (IDE) provides all the necessary tools, including the visual Form Designer, the Object Inspector, the Tool Palette, and more.

A key advantage of this approach is its security. All the complex calculation logic is embedded ("hard-coded") in the app's code and hidden from the end-user. This not only standardizes the process and minimizes errors but also protects your intellectual property.

You can view and test examples of such apps in our engineering solutions hub.

Note: Apps can be run in all versions of TechEditor.

We recommend the Apps approach:

• For automating the company's frequently repeated, routine tasks.
• For creating standardized calculation tools.
• When you need to protect complex algorithms from accidental changes.

Approach 5: Artificial Intelligence
ChatGPT, Gemini, Grok, Claude, and Other LLMs in Close Conjunction with Your TechEditor Project

Artificial intelligence has stormed into our lives.

But in engineering, where the cost of error is critical, blindly trusting calculations from ChatGPT or Gemini is unacceptable. That’s why we’ve implemented a unique approach in TechEditor: use AI for speed, and our engine for reliability.

Here’s how it works: TechEditor acts as an intermediary. You write a prompt, the program sends it to the server of your chosen language model (TechEditor supports OpenAI, Gemini, Claude, DeepSeek, and others), and then inserts the response into your report.

And here’s the crucial part: if the response contains calculations, they are inserted as the Math Objects you're already familiar with. However, all computations are performed by our trusted MathSIV engine, not the neural network.

This means AI acts as an assistant: it quickly generates a report structure, suggests formulas, and outlines a sequence of actions. Meanwhile, TechEditor plays the role of the experienced engineer, meticulously checking every number and every unit of measurement. If the AI "hallucinates" an incorrect operation, our engine will simply refuse to execute it. This allows you to get the best of both worlds: the speed of idea generation and the rock-solid reliability of engineering verification.

We recommend the AI approach:

• For quickly creating a report template or a calculation based on a standard methodology.
• For generating ideas and exploring different approaches to solving a problem.
• When you need to account for specific conditions by attaching a file to the prompt, such as design codes, a third-party report, or a specialized handbook.
• When you need to quickly structure a large amount of information.

Which Path Is Right for You?

We've looked at five different approaches — from a simple text report to AI integration. These methods aren't mutually exclusive; on the contrary, they can be combined even within the same project. In fact, we recommend it!

But perhaps the best way to figure out what suits you is to try it for yourself.

Download TechEditor, experiment with the ready-made examples from our Dystlab Store, and join the discussion on our Discord server. We've built a community where everyone can ask questions and get help from fellow engineers and our developers.

Vitalii Artomov

"I am working to make «Made in Ukraine» a global symbol of quality and style"

CEO, co-founder of Dystlab, developer of TechEditor. Engineer, scientist, Ph.D. with over 20 years of experience in structural analysis and automation of engineering calculations. I advise engineering companies in Ukraine, Europe, and North America.

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