Date: 30/06/2011

RS Components publishes 30,000 3D CAD Models for mechanical and electronics engineering

RS Components (RS) has published its 30,000 3D CAD models of components to 14 syndicated online communities and web sites for mechanical and electronic design engineers.

The models can be accessed in up to 30 different native file formats, making them suitable for most 3D CAD systems and eliminating the need for time-consuming model verification. The sites include the Autodesk Manufacturing Community, with 1.5 million users, TraceParts online with 870,000 users, SolidWorks' 3Dcontentcentral.com, a community of 612,000 users, and the Pro Engineer community, covering more than 370,000 users.

All the models have RS part numbers embedded within them so the parts become automatically included in the bill-of-materials (BOM) created by many CAD systems. According to research by TraceParts, when an engineer downloads a model there is an 80% chance of the part being designed into a product. This benefits RS's suppliers for whom the distributor provides demand creation services and the agreement will introduce hundreds of thousands of new customers to RS.

RS Components' technical marketing manager, Mark Cundle, commented: "3D software is an increasing proportion of all electronic design being undertaken today. For example, TraceParts estimates it accounts for 70% of all design in Europe, 45% in the US and 30% in Asia. Syndicating our 3D CAD models to these sites makes it even easier for engineers to streamline their find, design-in and buy process by using RS."

More details can be found at http://rswww.com/3d