DesignSpark Mechanical download figures rocket to

FORT WORTH, Texas, Oct. 8, 2013 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- RS Components (RS) and Allied Electronics (Allied), the trading brands of Electrocomponents plc (LSE: ECM ), the world's leading high service distributor of electronics and maintenance products, have disclosed preliminary data showing that in the first two weeks since the launch of DesignSpark Mechanical, the new free 3D design tool has registered over 50,000 downloads from DesignSpark.com, the company's online engineering community. More than three quarters of these downloads were recorded in the first seven days of the tool's availability.

The urgency among engineers to try out this simple 3D modelling and assembly software, which RS co-developed with 3D design specialist SpaceClaim, is a strong measure of the requirement for freely accessible, time saving design tools. The statistics indicate that this requirement is global, stretching across more than 150 countries. DesignSpark Mechanical is available in multiple languages.

Mark Cundle, Global Head of Technical Marketing at RS, said, "If there was ever any doubt about the potential demand for a free 3D design tool, these staggering initial uptake figures are more than proof that engineers in every part of the world are hungry for tools that make it faster and easier to complete the design process and get their products to market. The simplicity and affordability of DesignSpark Mechanical opens up 3D design to a much wider engineering base and creates a level playing field for companies of all sizes to compete."

DesignSpark Mechanical is available for free download from www.designspark.com/mechanical . Support can be found on the DesignSpark community at www.designspark.com .

A photo accompanying this release is available at: http://www.globenewswire.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=21397

Elisa Weber 817-595-8613