DesignLink -- Premier Farnell's new CAD tool interface

LONDON, ENGLAND: Premier Farnell plc has announced that Altium and EMA Design Automation have integrated Premier Farnell's DesignLink, a new web service environment that provides an electronic interface to major Computer Aid Design (CAD) tools.

DesignLink allows electronic designer engineers to immediately search and find parts from within their CAD design environment, without ever having to leave the program.

Altium Designer with DesignLink offers engineers the ability to check local prices and delivery as well as vital product attribute information. It will be available to customers globally. Users of Cadence's OrCAD in the United States can now see similar information via EMA's Component Information Portal (CIP), a bridge software to Cadence's OrCAD tool.

The DesignLink Coupling Interface allows designers to take manufacturer’s data and use it directly in their schematic without additional research; it interfaces directly with Premier Farnell companies’ websites product data giving access to over 4,000,000 items from 3,500 leading manufacturers, all with data and pricing in local language and currencies.

“As we increase our focus on the needs of the global electronic design engineering segment, expand our online capability and continue to internationalise our business, DesignLink adds another innovative solution from Premier Farnell, which makes us a leading provider of product, information, software and services to meet the needs of our global customers,” said Harriet Green, CEO of Premier Farnell.

“We are excited about DesignLink, and the value it will add for our engineering customers globally in the early product design phase. Like element14, our new online community, DesignLink will give our customers access to significant product data and information.”

"We are very pleased that Altium has embedded DesignLink into Altium Designer, allowing electronic design engineers to search instantly for information and products,” said Randall Restle, Director of Global Technical Marketing at Premier Farnell. “This new innovation will also allow engineers to find product availability, pricing and even new products for their designs without having to leave their design environment."