Online engineering community reaches 500,000 members

RS Components has announced that its DesignSpark online electronics engineering community, originally launched in 2010, has reached a total of 500,000 members.

DesignSpark offers online design resources and free downloadable tools such as DesignSpark PCB, a professional-grade schematic-capture and PCB design tool; DesignSpark Mechanical, a 3D CAD tool based on direct modelling techniques; and DesignSpark Electrical, a fully specified electrical CAD package for the design of control panel, machinery and electrical systems. Together, these tools have received hundreds of thousands of user activations since their respective launches.

The community also offers a library of PCB schematics, components footprints and 3D models, as well as the newly launched Obsolescence Manager tool to help engineers avoid risk due to product obsolescence. Customers using the tool will be able to anticipate component end-of-life issues against predicted project timelines, as well as find solutions for difficult-to-source parts.

“For DesignSpark to reach half a million members is a significant landmark,” said Alex Von Schirmeister, chief innovation officer at RS. “Today, in conjunction with the empowerment and democratisation of electronics design technology, there is a new way of working in our industry that involves greater collaboration. This offers something highly valuable not only to professional electronics, mechanical and electrical engineers from traditional electronics markets, but also to other industries interested in design, as well as the maker community and students at school and university. Our data shows that members are not only downloading information and free software tools, but are also using the DesignSpark community to share design know-how and create new content.”

The DesignSpark website now offers easy navigation, fast purchasing options via the local RS website and user-generated content for a wide range of electronics and automation/industrial applications. It is available at www.designspark.com.