Free access will be retained, through a service called DesignSpark Explorer.
“Likely to suit students, makers and designers, DesignSpark Explorer will enable members to retain the same community access and tools and design resources that they enjoy today, completely free,” said RS.
These include DesignSpark PCB, with libraries for parts stocked by the company, and the DesignSpark Mechanical 3D CAD programme – a cut-down version of Ansys’ SpaceClaim.
At £9.99/month, DesignSpark Creator will offer the same tools and resources available in Explorer, but DesignSpark Mechanical is enhanced and “will include a ‘3D mirror’ tool and detailing tools to annotate parts and create manufacturing drawings, and enhanced part libraries that provide further intelligence on component capabilities and status”, said RS, which will also offer Creator members videos, tutorials and tips “contributed by experts from the DesignSpark community”.
An important change over the base model of DesignSpark Mechanical is the ability to export (and import) mechanical files in STEP, IGES, AutoCAD DWG and DXF formats.
At £14.99/month, DesignSpark Engineer offers the same enhanced DesignSpark Mechanical package as Creator members get, plus access to an enhanced DesignSpark PCB that adds: blind and buried vias, custom pad shapes, differential pair routing for high-speed signals, a panels editor and hierarchical schematic block capability.
Engineer members also get Creator-level support and “even more parts intelligence data, including export compliance data and PCN/EOL notifications, plus aid with component alternatives”, according to RS.
Until 31st March, there will be free trials of Creator and Engineer level subscriptions.
Scroll down here for a summary of features available to different membership levels
(or see tables below, which may have errors because they have been transcribed)
| DesignSpark PCB | Explorer | Creator | Engineer |
| Unlimited schematic size and layer count (board size limited sometimes) |
Y | Y | Y |
| Export to mechanical software and Spice |
Y | Y | Y |
| Manufacturing plots and reports |
Y | Y | Y |
| Design rules checker and editor |
Y | Y | Y |
| Bill of Materials composer | Y | Y | |
| DRC checks for undrilled pads via to SMD pad distance |
Y | Y | |
| Blind and buried vias | Y | ||
| Heirarchical schematic | Y | ||
| Variant manager, TestLands and mechanical dimensions |
Y | ||
| Differential pairs and buses define, edit, trunk routing |
Y | ||
| Copper coverage report | Y | ||
| IPC-2581 Output | Y |
| DesignSpark Mechanical | Explorer | Creator | Engineer |
| Unlimited projects and design size |
Y | Y | Y |
| Pull, blend, fill and combine tools |
Y | Y | Y |
| Generate Bill of Materials and get quotes |
Y | Y | Y |
| Import PCBs in the IDF format | Y | Y | Y |
| Measure and quality tools | Y | Y | Y |
| Equation and constraint based sketching tools |
Y | Y | Y |
| Reverse engineer solid model from 3D mesh |
Y | Y | |
| 3D Mirror tool | Y | Y | |
| Detailing options for drawing sheets GD&T and support for JIS, ISO, ANSI) |
Y | Y | |
| Cosmetic threads | Y | Y | |
| Import/Export STEP, IGES, AutoCAD DWG and DXF |
Y | Y | |
| Edit 3D objects from drawing sheet |
Y | Y |
