Drives & Controls Magazine February 2023

RS Group has introduced two levels of paid subscriptions for its DesignSpark suite of design tools which have previously been free and have built up a global online community of 1.3 million users. A “DesignSpark Explorer” level will continue to be free, but it will be joined by “Creator” and “Engineer” levels adding extra functions and costing £9.99 and £14.99 respectively per month. As part of the launch, RS is introducing a free trial period that will allow DesignSpark members to try out the Creator and Engineer options and to assess them before deciding which suits them best. The free trial period will run until 31 March 2023. RS reckons that the full suite of capabilities for paying subscribers is worth around £1,000. It points out that, through its subscription model, it will be offering these capabilities at a similar price to a monthly Netflix subscription. DesignSpark consists of a suite of design tools that includes DesignSpark Mechanical and DesignSpark PCB, as well as 2D/3D and electronics parts libraries, and design resources including articles, projects and forums. The new three-tier model will allow members to choose their own level of access. The still-free DesignSpark Explorer is aimed at users such as students and designers. It will give them the same community access, tools and design resources that they have had previously, allowing them to move from concepts to prototypes. These users will continue to have access to the DesignSpark Mechanical modeller that allows them to create and modify geometries with no previous experience of 3D CAD software. It supports rapid prototyping or reverse engineering of physical objects. The free level will also provide access to the DesignSpark PCB rapid-prototyping tool for circuit design, allowing users to create schematics, transfer them to PCB layouts, and prepare them for production. DesignSpark Explorer subscribers will also still have access to more than 100 million 3D models and 2D symbols for circuit design, and the ability to perform searches on a billion parts, accessing datasheets and lifecycle status information. They will also retain access to engineering support and forums in the DesignSpark community. For users looking for more advanced tools and resources, the new DesignSpark Creator subscription option, costing £9.99 a month, will provide an enhanced version of DesignSpark Mechanical, including a 3D mirror tool and detailing tools to annotate parts and create manufacturing drawings, as well as enhanced parts libraries. There will also be videos, tutorials and tips from experts. The top-level DesignSpark Engineer option, costing £14.99 per month, is aimed at professional design engineers. It expands DesignSpark PCB “significantly”with advanced new features. It also adds more parts intelligence data, including export compliance data and PCN/EOL notifications, plus help with component alternatives. “Today’s launch is the next phase in the lifecycle for our award-winning suite of design tools and design engineering resources”, says Mike Bray, vice- president of innovation and DesignSpark at RS. “RS is continually aiming to enhance and personalise the design experience for engineers and through engagement with the DesignSpark community and extensive research into the needs of its members, we have recognised that one size does not fit all. “Therefore, we are looking to bring the right level of resources suitable for the DesignSpark community from students and hobbyists to super makers, to professional design engineers in companies of all sizes and industries. And, importantly, we are offering a solution that puts DesignSpark members in control of what and when they use a higher level of capability.” www.rs-online.com/ designspark/home n NEWS February 2023 www.drivesncontrols.com 6 RS introduces subscription charges for DesignSpark p ABB is selling its UK technical engineering consultancy business, part of its Energy Industries division, to TÜV Rheinland . The consultancy, including a network of subcontractors and associates, has around 160 people operating from two main sites in the Northeast and the Northwest of England. Its experts help energy users to improve safety, and equipment and asset integrity, as well as designing industrial plants. TÜV Rheinland plans to integrate the consultancy into its Industrial Services and Cybersecurity business. p The global market for industrial robots was worth $42.3bn in 2021 and will expand with a CAGR of 12.3% in the period to 2030, when it will be worth $120.3bn, according to a new study from Emergen Research . There are now more than three million robots in operation around the world. Much of the growth is being driven by China which produced 366,000 industrial robots in 2021 – 67.9% more than the previous year. www.emergenresearch.com p Quicktron , a Chinese developer of AMRs (autonomous mobile robots) and associated software, has set up UK headquarters at the Innovation Birmingham technology hub. Quicktron, which has more than 1,000 customers in more than 20 countries, employs 400 r&d specialists and holds more than 400 patents. Its biggest installation in a single warehouse consists of more than 1,000 AMRs. p The German motors and drives manufacturer Nord Drivesystems has exceeded €1bn of sales for the first time in 2022/23. Its portfolio includes gearboxes, drive electronics and permanent magnet synchronous motors with efficiencies above IE5. It makes most of its products in its own facilities. p ABB has chosen the Cumbrian firm McMenon Engineering Services to manufacture a range of VA (variable-area) flowmeters after it decided to end production at its own facility in Germany. The deal, which follows a long partnership between the companies, will result in Workington-based McMenon increasing its workforce by almost a third. NEWS BRIEFS DesignSpark will continue to offer a free level aimed at users such as students