ECAD Libraries RIP

Before you read any further, take a moment to think about the last time you acquired some new music…  Perhaps you’re a retro vinyl fan or a CD-kleptomaniac, but I’d wager that most music lovers are making more and more use of streaming services to enjoy the music they want to listen to…Today’s music listener wants (expects!) the convenience of almost every tune ever recorded available on any device, on demand…and preferably for free.  And in this age of digital enlightenment, there are plenty of services that deliver exactly that! 

But what does the world of Spotify, Amazon Music, Tidal, Google Play Music etc, have to do with ECAD libraries?

Quite simply, the digital revolution has provided unlimited access to a music library of over 30 million tracks for listeners everywhere.  No longer do they have to buy hard copies or soft copies or even make their own mix tapes…the internet and the music loving community have done that for them!  Even for the very latest releases.  The sales of CD racks and compact cassette cases have dwindled to an all-time low.

Now draw a parallel with ECAD libraries – how have our ECAD model libraries evolved?!  Up until now, the truth is, they haven’t really!  One of the most common frustrations faced by engineers over the past few decades has been managing the library of component models within their particular CAD tool.  For every individual component, the basic ingredients necessary to incorporate it into a design are the schematic symbol and the PCB footprint.  For such fundamental and critical requirements of the electronics design process, it would seem a sensible notion that the industry has well-honed solutions, enabling designers to obtain any necessary component models quickly and easily…But if you’re a regular CAD user, no matter what your CAD tool of choice happens to be, you’ll recognise that sourcing these essential elements for newer components can be one of the most laborious and time-wasting parts of your day! 

The industry has struggled with this issue for over 30 years…  And on top of this, every time a new part is released, new models are needed!  Last year the industry unveiled circa 1 million new electronic components…

Putting a system framework in place to enable an ECAD evolution has been the vision of Samacsys for the last 4 years.  Samacsys are a company with deep roots in ECAD design, and their founders recognised that a truly universal solution would remove a huge burden from the industry!  The system framework has been built through collaborative efforts across the industry. It’s a system that’s been developed through feedback from designers to test and refine the integrity and quality of the models.  It accommodates the needs of component manufacturers to provide instant access to models for all their new parts in all popular formats, from multiple online sources.  And perhaps most importantly, through working with the tool vendors, the system integrates with all leading CAD tools, directly interfacing with parts libraries.

Electronics designers now have free access to fully IPC-compliant models of every component, available in all leading CAD formats, from multiple sources across the industry.  Each model is quality-checked within the Samacsys system and once checked and released, it is available to the entire community.  Users can also fracture a model into logical groups to suit design requirements as necessary.  For a quick overview, see the video:

So, very much like your personal music collection, your ECAD library can now enter the new age of digital enlightenment and convenience!

The premier partner for Samacsys has been DesignSpark, and part models are now available via the RS website, free to access, for every electronic component in the range and beyond!

For more details visit http://componentsearchengine.com/