MEDIA RELEASE PR40314
RS Components Launches New Design Resources and Unrivalled Gateway to Connect Engineers
SINGAPORE, July 6 /PRNewswire-Asia-AsiaNet/ --
Introducing RS' fully featured PCB tool and the industry's most comprehensive parametric search engine for
electronic components and free 3D model library
RS Components, the leading distributor of electronic, electro-mechanical and industrial products, today
announced the launch of DesignSpark, the centrepiece of its initiative to provide an authoritative online design
environment for engineers. DesignSpark will feature the first RS-created free design tool, DesignSpark PCB, a
PCB drawing and layout tool which comes with a unique range of functions and features.
DesignSpark is an online gateway that gives engineers trusted and reliable information and resources,
bringing together design information, user generated reviews and new free-of-charge tools to speed up the
design process. With the DesignSpark PCB drawing tool, users will have access to a full suite of video
tutorials, examples and a parts library. Engineers can create schematics that target any sized PCB with any
numbers of layers, and import designs created in other PCB design software
RS is also launching two brand-new online design tools for engineers - the industry's most comprehensive,
vendor-independent parametric database of electronic components and a certified 3D CAD model download
platform - under their initiative to build an authoritative online environment to support their latest design needs.
The new platforms help customers to simplify and speed up their design process, building a trustworthy
online environment with information, tools and services to support design concepts.
DesignSpark, an unrivalled gateway to online design support and resources with RS' revolutionary free
design tool, DesignSpark PCB
Richard Huxley, Regional General Manager, Asia Pacific at RS Components commented, "DesignSpark
cuts through the mass of inconsistently presented design information on the internet, providing engineers with
a reliable gateway to information, reviews and resources they can trust at every stage in the design process.
DesignSpark is more than just a website, it provides the electronic engineering community with an
environment where they can not only find design tips and reviews that help inform the start of new designs, but
also connect with partners, exchange ideas and contribute to a variety of valuable information sources
available from across the internet which are relevant for the whole design cycle."
Component Chooser -- the industry's most comprehensive parametric search engine for electronic
components
The world's largest and most extensive parametric search engine of electronic components, the Component
Chooser, provides an instantly accessible and consistent search and compare tool for 260,000
semiconductors, passive and electromechanical components from the world's leading suppliers.
Richard Huxley, Regional General Manager, Asia Pacific at RS commented, "RS is seen as a trusted and
reliable partner by electronics engineers around the world at every stage of their career. We sat alongside our
customers, looked at how they work today and considered the part that RS can play in helping them use their
time more effectively. The platforms we have created are based on that work and offer customers an end to
end online experience that will meet their needs today and tomorrow. It ensures that we will continue to be the
professional home for engineers as their work and personal lives change in the face of new information
sources and communication opportunities online." He continued, "Developing our online environment will be a
major part of our customer service focus in the years to come."
Component Chooser will enable engineers to rapidly speed up accurate search and selection of electronic
components across manufacturers with a number of unique characteristics, including side-by-side comparison
across the database of products. In implementing it, the company has doubled the number of searchable
attributes across its range of components, and completely normalised their presentation. The new search
Comprehensive Free 3D Model Library -- of certified 3D and 2D CAD models of electromechanical
components, downloadable free of charge The service provides free and simple access to the most
comprehensive online library of electromechanical CAD models available today.
RS partnered with TraceParts, a leading digital engineering 3D content supplier to offer the service. Visitors
to the RS website will see a rotating 3D model of parts where a model is available, with links to "classic"
images to show details of colour or surface finish. Registered users can request the model from the database,
which is converted into the file format chosen by the user depending on their CAD package. The first 20,000 of
its 45,000 electromechanical components are available now. The remainder are under development and will
continue to be added to the TraceParts database in up to 23 neutral and native formats freely available in the
coming months. The TraceParts database also serves a number of other important CAD Vendor websites,
giving users a number of different ways of accessing the models.
"The use of 3D CAD models in the electronics industry continues to increase," added Richard. "Creating
models for use in CAD packages can be a time-consuming process, hindered by the largely non-standardised
formats used by a wide variety of CAD packages. Some 3D CAD models are available from manufacturers but
these can be hard to find or only available on request. RS is offering a comprehensive range of certified 3D
models that can be downloaded in all major CAD file formats, free of charge, from a single source."
About RS Components
RS Components is the trading brand of Electrocomponents plc, the world's largest distributor of electronics
and maintenance products. The Group serves nearly 1.6 million customers worldwide. Through operations in
27 countries and 17 warehouses, RS distributes 500,000 products from over 2,500 suppliers. The Group has
an annual turnover of over GBP 972 million and is listed on the London Stock Exchange. For more details on
Press Contacts:
RS Components
Apple Lee
PR & Marketing Communications Manager
Tel: +65-6376-5639
Email: apple.lee@rs-components.com
The Hoffman Agency
Lynn Tan
Account Executive
Tel: +65-6238-0297
Email: ltan@hoffman.com
SOURCE: RS Components
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