Distributor adds parametric searchability over component range

EDN Europe, 10 May 2010

RS Components has announced three new design resources designed to interact with engineers and the EDA systems they use. The first is a vendor-independent parametric database of electronic components; the second a free, certified library of 3D CAD models of components in the company's range; and the third, an extension of RS' existing EDP embedded development and product-concept demonstrator platform to inlcude ARM processors. Later in 2010, RS will extend this environment, adding free PCB design tools that enable engineers to carry out the whole of their design using online resources from RS, and also interact live with other engineers and RS technical support during the process.
Component Chooser is – RS claims – the world’s largest and most extensive parametric search engine of electronic components. It offers a searchable database of 260,000 passive, electromechanical and semiconductor components from RS' product lines. The software, which is entirely browser-based on the user side, will offer 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 says it has doubled the number of searchable attributes across its range of components, and completely normalised their presentation. The new search engine can be accessed directly at www.rswww.com/cc. The search results provide links to support documents such as datasheets, as well as 3D models where available; RS has outsourced the process of continuous database management, and has the agreement of its suppliers to feed new and revised parametric data into its system as soon as that data is available. Component Chooser allows you, RS adds, to normalise data from different vendors that is not directly comparable.
RS says that in discussions with its customers, it has established that a feature often missing from their design processes is availability of reliable and accurate mechanical models of components. It has therefore embarked on a programme of adding 3D CAD models to its component database; initially, the company is offering models of 20,000 electromechanical and interconnect products which can be imported into the designers CAD software through one of the 23 neutral and native formats freely available. Each model has the RS part number embedded in it, simplifying the order process for customers once they finish their design. RS has created its own CAD-system-independent representation: when you request a model in a given format, the system invokes a translator to deliver it in the correct file format for your CAD software. Each model is automatically displayed by an embedded viewer, compatible with all standard Java-enabled web browsers.
RS partnered with TraceParts, a 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. The first 20,000 of its 45,000 electromechanical components are available now. The TraceParts database also serves a number of other important CAD Vendor websites, giving users a number of different ways of accessing the models.
RS also recently announced a the strengthened Embedded Development Platform (EDP) board-level product line which enables rapid prototyping and proof-of-concept, incorporating a partnership with ARM to target microprocessors based on the mbed virtual development environment. Physically, a fast-prototyping environment is provided with the addition of an mbed module to EDP, itself a collection of reusable, reconfigurable personality and application modules that allow evaluation of processors from different vendors such as Infineon, NXP, Microchip and ST Microelectronics.in a common context; now, users will be able to move, build and test their mbed designs in the same hardware environment.