Mechanical Engineering Lab vs KIGAKU
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side β with what reviewers say about each.
Mechanical Engineering Lab
Read full descriptionHide full description
Mechanical Engineering Visual Learning Studio is the ultimate interactive reference and study companion for mechanical engineering students, working engineers, and educators. Whether you're preparing for exams, refreshing your fundamentals, or exploring how real machines work, this app delivers clear visual explanations across every core discipline β all in one place. WHAT'S INSIDE Illustrated Gallery Browse 30+ hand-crafted engineering diagrams spanning: - Statics and structural analysis (trusses, free-body diagrams) - Strength of materials (Mohr's circle, column buckling) - Thermodynamics (Rankine cycle, steam turbines) - Fluid mechanics (boundary layers, Venturi meters) - Machine design (gears, V-belts, disc brakes) - Mechanisms (cam-follower systems, linkages) - Control systems (Bode plots, PID) - Real-world systems (4-stroke engines, robotic arms, differentials, HVAC, planetary gears, wind turbines, and more) Each illustration is interactive. Tap any diagram for a full-screen view with a detailed explanation and key concepts. Structured Curriculum Follow a guided learning path through core mechanical engineering topics. Each module breaks complex subjects into digestible lessons with clear explanations and worked examples. Simulation Lab Step into the Lab and run interactive simulations. Visualize how parameters change system behavior in real time, ideal for building engineering intuition beyond the textbook. Sample Design Cases Explore 8 complete engineering use cases, from hydraulic circuit design to PID-controlled pump systems, showing how real problems are scoped, analyzed, and solved from start to finish. Reference Library Quick-access formulas, tables, and material property data across all major mechanical engineering disciplines. Learning Guide New to the app? The Guide tab walks you through every feature so you can hit the ground running. PERFECT FOR - Undergraduate and graduate mechanical engineering students - Engineers reviewing fundamentals for the FE or PE exam - Professors and instructors looking for visual teaching aids - Curious learners who want to understand how machines work TOPICS COVERED Statics, Dynamics, Strength of Materials, Thermodynamics, Fluid Mechanics, Heat Transfer, Machine Design, Mechanisms, Control Systems, Manufacturing Processes, Engineering Materials Download today and start seeing mechanical engineering, not just reading it.
KIGAKU
Read full descriptionHide full description
KIGAKU is a visual education app on machine elements and mechanisms. Volume 15 of the "RAKU" series. The "RAKU" series has covered math (SUUGAKU), physics, electricity, waves, heat, stars, light, quantum, fluid, probability, geometry, chemistry, microbes, and brain. Each title makes one discipline tangible by letting you see and move the ideas. KIGAKU does the same for the machines humans have built - from a pair of meshing gears to a 2-link robot arm. While the sister app BUTURAKU covers natural physical phenomena, KIGAKU focuses on engineered mechanisms. [Ten Simulations] - Gear Two meshing spur gears that show how tooth counts change the trade-off between speed and force. Vary Z1, Z2, and the input RPM and watch the speed ratio and torque ratio respond inversely - the bigger gear turns slower, with proportionally more torque. - Pulley A block-and-tackle that lets you lift a load with less force - in exchange for pulling a longer distance. Vary the supporting rope count N (1-6) and see how the required force W/N shrinks while the rope you must pull grows by the same factor, with total work conserved. - Lever Drag the fulcrum and see how a beam trades force for distance. Switch between 1st-, 2nd-, and 3rd-class levers, with the moment balance F1*L1 = F2*L2 holding at every position. - Linkage A four-bar linkage that turns rotation into complex motion. Change the bar lengths and watch how the path changes in real time. The mechanism type - crank-rocker, double-crank, or double-rocker - switches automatically based on Grashof's condition, with the coupler-point curve traced live. - Cam A rotating cam that drives a follower smoothly up and down. Watch how the cam's outline shapes the motion above it - a cycloidal profile gives a particularly smooth ride, with the relation between cam shape and follower motion shown side by side. - Crank The mechanism that turns rotation into back-and-forth piston motion - the heart of every internal combustion engine. Vary the crank radius r and connecting-rod length l and see how the ratio r/l deforms the piston motion away from a pure sine wave (its second-harmonic component). - Screw A power screw / screw jack that converts a small torque into a large thrust - the same principle as car jacks and clamps. Tune the lead L, input torque T, and efficiency Ξ· (eta) and read the resulting force F = 2ΟΒ·TΒ·Ξ·/L; a smaller lead means more force, at the cost of speed. - Hydraulic Pascal's principle - a small input force becomes a large output force when fluid pressure is shared across cylinders of different sizes. Vary the input and output piston diameters; the area ratio A2/A1 becomes the force multiplication, with the output stroke shrinking by the same factor - the foundation of construction machines and brakes. - Belt Drive Two pulleys connected by a belt - the speed ratio is simply the diameter ratio D1/D2. The same principle behind bicycle gears and machine spindles. - Robot Arm A 2-link planar robot arm where joint angles decide where the tip goes. Move the shoulder and elbow joints (ΞΈ1, ΞΈ2) and watch the tip position (x, y) update in real time - the basics of forward kinematics, with the reachable workspace drawn. [Features] - Each screen pairs the simulation with formulas and historical context - Textbook-level implementations of gear ratios, lever moments, Pascal's principle, forward kinematics, and more - Japanese / English UI - Dark / Light mode - Clean, intuitive Material Design 3 UI - Banner ad at the bottom only - no interstitials, no rewarded ads [Who it's for] - Students of mechanical engineering, robotics, and mechatronics - Self-taught engineers refreshing their intuition - Science teachers building visual demonstrations
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is price: KIGAKU at Free against Mechanical Engineering Lab's $6.99. KIGAKU also leads on update cadence (fortnightly vs monthly) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 17.0). Mechanical Engineering Lab's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and chart position (#198 vs unranked). On in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price Β· Rating Β· Positive reviews Β· Number of ratings Β· Update frequency Β· Ads Β· In-app purchases Β· Monetization Β· Best chart rank Β· Devices Β· Requires iOS
KIGAKU is free to download; Mechanical Engineering Lab costs $6.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
Mechanical Engineering Lab ships an update monthly, KIGAKU fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on October 12, 2026 and October 10, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Mechanical Engineering Lab | KIGAKU |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $6.99 | Free β better |
| Update frequency | Monthly | Fortnightly β better |
| Ads | No β better | Yes |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Best chart rank | #198 β better | β |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad, iPod β better |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | 13.0 β better |
| Further details β not scored | ||
| Size | 5 MB | 24 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Yuhsiu Lai | Fuji Bit Inc. |
In-app purchases
Mechanical Engineering Lab
No in-app purchases
KIGAKU
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Mechanical Engineering Lab free?
Is KIGAKU free?
Do Mechanical Engineering Lab or KIGAKU have ads?
Which is updated more often, Mechanical Engineering Lab or KIGAKU?
Other comparisons















