Software engineering
Software engineering involves the writing of software programs and code that a gadget, machine or system needs to function in a particular way.
What is software engineering?
Any electronic device, website or mobile app that relies on some form of data processing needs software to control it. Software engineering involves writing the program or code that's needed to make gadgets, machines or whole systems behave in a particular way when we use them.
If you think about a mobile phone for example, its ‘hardware' (e.g. the case, screen, keyboard, battery etc.) is often very similar. The ‘user experience' you get from using it however can be very, very different. This depends on the software that's embedded deep within the product.
Like all other kinds of engineering, software engineering still uses the same structured and rigorous approach to problem solving. A software engineer or ‘programmer' will identify the system needs, the technical challenges to be solved, then design, develop and test the software for performance and reliability.
The software engineers at Renishaw produce all kinds of software needed for a wide range of innovative products, including machine tools, 3D printers and medical equipment. Software for website and mobile apps, 3D graphics and graphical user interfaces are just a few examples of the great variety of work they undertake.