DesignSpark Mechanical Customer Challenge FORT WOR

FORT WORTH, Texas, Oct. 14, 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, is spurring the world's engineers into creative combat with an invitation to pit their design skills against each other using DesignSpark Mechanical, the company's new free and intuitive 3D design software, co-developed with SpaceClaim.

The challenge is set for engineers of all backgrounds and disciplines to create an innovative, original design that takes into account the principles of mobility, accessibility or green living as key features of the end product. The aim of the challenge is to urge all engineers to road test DesignSpark Mechanical, and to join the more than 50,000 visitors to DesignSpark.com who have downloaded the tool and experienced the simplicity of the software first hand. The most popular design, as voted for by the DesignSpark engineering community, will be transformed into a physical prototype using a 3D printer, and presented to the winning engineer along with the top prize of £5,000. Two runners-up will each receive a prize of £2,500.

To take part in the challenge, participants need to simply download the free DesignSpark Mechanical software from www.designspark.com/mechanical , create a 3D representation of their design, and submit the final idea by uploading it to DesignShare, the collaborative project space on DesignSpark.com, where each idea will be posted and votes will be cast. All entries must be received by 17:00 GMT on November 22, 2013.

Last month, followers on DesignSpark.com and social media channels witnessed some of the world's leading engineers and inventors start the creative ball rolling at Manchester's Museum of Science and Industry in the UK, where they were tasked to design a world-changing invention in just 48 hours using DesignSpark Mechanical. At the end of challenge, each of the four teams showcased a 3D printed prototype of their design, proving the case that this easy-to-use 3D design tool is capable of achieving super fast results, cutting days or weeks off the average design cycle.

For details about how to enter the DesignSpark Mechanical customer challenge go to http://designshare.designspark.com/eng/ .

About RS Components

RS Components and Allied Electronics are the trading brands of Electrocomponents plc, the world's leading high service distributor of electronics and maintenance products. With operations in 32 countries, we offer more than 550,000 products through the internet, catalogues and at trade counters to over one million customers, shipping around 44,000 parcels a day. Our products, sourced from 2,500 leading suppliers, include electronics, automation and control, test and measurement, electrical and mechanical components.

Electrocomponents is listed on the London Stock Exchange and in the last financial year ended 31 March 2013 had revenues of £1.24bn.

For more information, please visit the website at www.rs-components.com .

A photo accompanying this release is available at:
http://www.globenewswire.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=21507

Elisa Weber 817-595-8613