LONDON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Premier Farnell plc (LSE:pfl), the leading multi-channel, high service distributor supporting millions of engineers and purchasing professionals worldwide, has introduced DesignLink, a new web service environment that provides an electronic interface to major CAD (Computer Aid Design) tools. This will allow electronic designer engineers to immediately search and find parts from within their CAD design environment without ever having to leave it.

Developed in close collaboration with EMA, the developer of Component Information Portal (CIP), a bridge software to Cadence’s OrCAD CAD tool, the new Coupling Interface allows the designer to take the manufacturer’s data and use it directly in their schematic design instead of the having to research them via the web; they can also be sure that they are using active parts and then simply import part attributes into the design or local parts database. The coupling interfaces directly with the Premier Farnell companies’ websites in 40 different countries giving access to over 4,000,000 items from 3,500 leading manufacturers, all with data and pricing in local language and currencies, and further underpins the distribution group’s commitment to understanding the needs of its design engineering customers and delivering leading edge solutions. The Group’s strategic direction has seen it focussed on providing products, information, software and services to meet the needs of electronic design engineers globally and DesignLink represents another major advance.

Randall Restle, Director of Global Technical Marketing, said: "This new capability maps out the future of integration in the design cycle. Our customers are the same as those of the CAD vendors and DesignLink will allow us to support them better in the early stages of the design cycle. It seamlessly links everything together; allowing a designer to see what parts can fit his design by part or keyword search. He can then check availability for next day delivery without ever having to leave his design environment – it integrates our product database right into the design environment. We invite CAD tool developers to get in touch so we can help them to integrate our extensive product database into their CAD tools. Our beta testing has indicated that designers love this product and it will become a key "must have" during CAD tool choice."

Premier Farnell invites all manufacturers of CAD tools to contact them directly to discuss implementing the DesignLink interface with their design environment. The Group will be rapidly increasing their global capability to interface with a wide range of CAD platforms this year as they expand their support to meet the unique needs of their electronic design engineering customers.

Whether CAD tool manufacturer or electronic design engineer, to learn more about this exciting new development, e-mail DesignLink@premierfarnell.com.

element14, a new technical portal and community for design engineers, provides a unique platform from which to launch new design tools and reach millions of electronic design engineers world-wide. A range of CAD Tools for electronic design engineers will also soon be available on element14. To follow or comment on this latest innovation visit www.element-14.com.

About Premier Farnell

Premier Farnell plc (LSE:pfl) is a leading high service, multi-channel distributor of electronic, and industrial products and specialist services throughout Europe, the Americas and Asia Pacific. It goes to market with a differentiated value proposition, world-class marketing, a stocked range of 450,000+ products, and access to 4,000,000 more items from 3,500 top manufacturers. The company has group sales of £823.1m and over 4,100 employees globally.

While global in scope, Premier Farnell recognizes the individual needs of each market and has continued to internationalize its model accordingly, trading locally under different brand names. Its primary electronics businesses trade as Farnell in the UK, India, Europe, Australia and New Zealand, Newark in the US, Canada and Mexico, and Premier Electronics in China and Hong Kong. In Singapore, Malaysia, and Brazil the operation is known as Farnell Newark.

For more information visit the website at www.PremierFarnell.com.

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