Electronic components distributor Digi-Key Corporation is shining a spotlight on its lighting initiative. Propelled by the goal of offering the industry’s widest breadth of product in lighting solutions, Digi-Key continues to add world-leading suppliers of lighting solutions to its expansive line card of more than 440 authorized supplier partners of semiconductor, interconnect, passive and electromechanical product.

Digi-Key offers more than 9,500 lighting solutions products in stock, and an additional 16,000 products at www.digikey.com, from more than 60 of the world’s leading suppliers of lighting solutions. The most recent addition to Digi-Key’s authorized lighting solutions suppliers is Seoul Semiconductor, whose global distribution agreement with Digi-Key was announced in March 2010.

“Digi-Key’s goal is to be the ultimate source for designers’ lighting solutions needs,” said Dave Doherty, Digi-Key’s vice president of semiconductor product. “By offering an expansive product line of lighting solutions and resources, we are providing design engineers with cost-saving and timesaving measures to help them complete their lighting designs.”
Digi-Key’s lighting initiative consists of three key elements:

1. Providing customers with the broadest offering of lighting solutions products
2. Accommodating customers’ specific needs from technologists working in their homes to design engineers and their procurement requirements
3. Providing customer support with Digi-Key’s Lighting Solutions Technology Zone, Design Support Services (DSS) application engineering support, PTM Online… On Demand® product training modules and 24-hour access to Digi-Key’s Technical Support

Digi-Key’s Lighting Solutions Technology Zone provides information on LEDs, optics, thermal management, indicators, CCFL, accessories and more. The Design Support Services (DSS) team is available to provide engineers with both general information and complimentary project-specific assistance. For more information about DSS, call 1-877-353-3744 or e-mail design@digikey.com.

Digi-Key’s exclusive library of more than 700 PTM Online… On Demand® product training modules includes 15 PTMs that cover a variety of lighting technologies including high power LEDs, thermal management, drivers, LEDs < 75mA, and accessories. These PTMs focus on specific lighting technology applications and provide both audio and non-audio versions as well as parts lists. Digi-Key’s lighting-focused PTMs and additional resources are available on the Lighting Solutions Technology Zone microsite, www.digikey.com/lighting.

Digi-Key’s Technical Support team is available 24/7 via telephone, e-mail, and live web chat. The Technical Support team members are trained by manufacturers to answer customer questions regarding product specifications. For more information, call 1-800-344-4539 or e-mail techs@digikey.com.

Digi-Key’s lighting strategy includes targeted marketing efforts on the Internet and in trade publications focused on lighting solutions. Digi-Key has participated in and sponsored various LED events including the 2010 Designing with LEDs workshop in March. In May, Digi-Key will host the PURE Lighting Technology Symposium live from Pure Nightclub Caesars Palace during LightFair in Las Vegas, Nevada. Additionally, Digi-Key will sponsor the One Bright Day virtual LED conference in June. More information about these upcoming events will be available in the next few weeks.

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New technology zone features sensor products, suppliers, resources and more

Electronic components distributor Digi-Key Corporation, recognized by design engineers as having the industry’s broadest selection of electronic components available for immediate shipment, today launched its new Sensor Solutions Technology Zone, a website dedicated to providing comprehensive sensor design resources for engineers. This new technology zone comes on the heels of a number of other Digi-Key initiatives to provide valuable, cost-saving and timesaving resources for design engineers. The Sensor Solutions Technology Zone is featured on Digi-Key’s website www.digikey.com/technologyzones.

“Digi-Key’s technology zones were created with the intent that design engineers would consider them essential tools and resources in the design process,” said Dave Doherty, Digi-Key’s vice president of semiconductor product. “Our Sensor Solutions Technology Zone is the newest addition to Digi-Key’s growing library of resources designed specifically for engineers. With access to product information, product training modules, application notes and a comprehensive list of the world’s leading sensor manufacturers, we believe our Sensor Solutions Technology Zone will be a destination for engineers when designing new devices.”

The Sensor Solutions Technology Zone provides technical resources for engineers to aid in the selection of various sensor parts including accelerometers/inclinometers, compass/navigational parts, current, environmental, imaging, liquid, positioning, pressure/force, temperature, development tools and evaluation boards distributed by Digi-Key.

A “Sensor Resources” section provides a product guide which lists more than 65 of Digi-Key’s world-leading sensor product suppliers/manufacturers; application notes; 36 sensor product training modules (from Digi-Key’s exclusive library of more than 700 PTMs Online…On Demand®); a glossary of terms; and a parametric search tool to find sensor products available through Digi-Key. Additionally, featured sensors products are updated regularly on the Sensor Solutions homepage.

“Not only will engineers have access to a wide range of product information and tutorials through the new Sensor Solutions Technology Zone, they will also be able to view real-time pricing and availability of sensor products distributed by Digi-Key,” said Tony Harris, Digi-Key’s chief marketing officer. “Engineers can also access sensor design support directly from the Sensor Solutions Technology Zone on Digi-Key’s website. With these resources available at their fingertips, engineers will save time and money when completing their sensor designs.”

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Digi-Key anticipates hiring 400+ employees in 2010 to maintain pace with business growth

In January, electronic components distributor Digi-Key Corporation launched an aggressive hiring campaign to maintain pace with the rapid growth of the business following a global economic downturn. Since the beginning of the year, Digi-Key has added 104 new employees and currently employs 2,090 people. The company anticipates those numbers will continue to increase throughout 2010.

“We expect 2010 to be one of the top hiring years in the history of the company,” said Rick Trontvet, Digi-Key’s vice president of human resources. “Our goal is to add enough people this year to keep pace with rapidly rising sales brought on by a number of key Digi-Key initiatives that are gaining traction and by a very strong electronics market.”

Digi-Key has recently started ramping up its advertising in the local community as well as throughout Minnesota and North Dakota to attract potential employees to apply at Digi-Key. The company has launched new television and print ad campaigns and has participated in several regional job fairs. Additionally, Digi-Key has added a relocation/housing incentive for new full-time employees who reside outside of a 60-mile radius of Thief River Falls, Minnesota and relocate to within a commuting distance of Thief River Falls. More information about Digi-Key’s relocation incentive is available at www.digikey.com/careers.

Steve Tsukichi, Digi-Key’s vice president of strategic operations, said the increase in Digi-Key’s sales is due in part to the recovery of the global economy and increased expansion of global markets. Digi-Key now has 31 international websites and plans to add more in the near future.

“We are a global company and international sales are increasing dramatically,” Tsukichi said. “Another driving factor for sales growth is the addition of new suppliers and new product from existing suppliers to increase our product offering, which allows us to appeal to a broader customer base.”

January and February were record sales months for Digi-Key. In response to the demand for electronic components, Digi-Key has amplified its order fulfillment processes. With its leading-edge procedures, Digi-Key has the capability to process an order from entry to shipping in as little as 15 minutes. More than 99 percent of Digi-Key orders received by 8 p.m. CST are shipped the same day.

“The growth Digi-Key has experienced in the past few months is a strong indicator of Digi-Key’s future. We have increased the numbers in our workforce to meet the increasing demand for quality electronic products,” said Mark Larson, Digi-Key’s president and COO. “With increasing sales, we are recruiting talented people to fulfill the various needs of our business. We are confident we will increase the number of career opportunities available at Digi-Key throughout the rest of the year and continue providing the outstanding service our customers deserve and have come to expect.”

Since 2002, Digi-Key has created nearly 900 jobs. The average age of a current Digi-Key employee is 41 years with an average length of employment at Digi-Key of at least seven years. Approximately 58 percent of Digi-Key’s employees reside in Thief River Falls, Minn. while the remaining 42 percent live in surrounding communities.

For more information about Digi-Key’s career options and benefits, visit www.digikey.com/careers.

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Over 2,750 STMicroelectronics products now available from RS direct-from-stock

RS Components today announced the introduction of over 750 additional semiconductor lines from STMicroelectronics, one of the world’s largest semiconductor companies, and number one in industrial applications. The enhanced product portfolio offers electronic design engineers a wide selection of the latest semiconductor technology available for rapid delivery from RS.

The extensive new product range incorporates 10 technology areas ranging from Linear Regulators, Controllers, RTC ICs and over 50 lines of new SuperMESH High Voltage power MOSFETs (up to 1000V with integrated Zener diode). The range also incorporates STripFet low Voltage MOSFET technology featuring low RDS(on) in DC-DC conversion.

The STMicroelectronics range is supplied in flexible quantities to enable customers to order the quantity they need. All products are available direct-from-stock for next-day-delivery, in industry-standard packaging, ready for direct insertion into automated production runs.

Commenting on the launch for STMicroelectronics, Michel Laloy, Region VP, Industrial & Multimarkets Business Unit, stated: “STMicroelectronics is excited by the commitment made by RS to increase the range of our components. RS has shown by its extensive customer reach and high quality service that they will enhance and extend the access of ST’s offering to our customers, where ease, speed and confidence in delivery during the design phase of a project is so important.”

For RS, Paul Webster, Head of Product Management, Electronics said: “STMicroelectronics is one of the premier brands that electronics design engineers and buyers look to when developing their latest applications. We are delighted to be increasing our STMicroelectronics portfolio to provide our customers with a comprehensive range at competitive prices and with a market-leading service.”

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Electronic components distributor Digi-Key Corporation, recognized by design engineers as having the industry’s broadest selection of electronic components available for immediate shipment, today announced it has stock on Molex’s Mini-Fit H2O™ sealed connector system.

Molex’s Mini-Fit H2O product family of plug and receptacle assemblies and male and female crimp terminals are available for purchase on Digi-Key’s global websites and will be featured in future print and online catalogs.

Additionally, Molex‘s Mini-Fit H2O sealed connector system is featured in one of Digi-Key’s more than 700 PTM Online…On Demand® product training modules. The Molex Mini-Fit H2O PTM introduces this sealed connector system, explains its features and advantages, and reviews its applications.

Designed for use in weatherproof applications requiring a sealed system, the Mini-Fit H2O system is IP67-rated, which ensures connector integrity when submerged in up to one meter of water. The Mini-Fit H2O plug and receptacle assemblies include pre-installed, integrated interface and wire seals to decrease cost and assembly time. A positive-locking system securely mates the connectors and prevents accidental un-mating.

The Mini-Fit H2O terminals have a new “wingless” design that will not damage seals upon installation or removal. Terminals can accept both 18 and 20AWG, UL 1015 wires. The Mini-Fit H2O housings are molded from a UV stabilized UL 94V-0 material that can be used in applications exposed to direct sunlight.

Applications include vending, industrial equipment, HVAC, recreational vehicles, medical and material handling equipment.

“Digi-Key strives to serve our customers by offering them various options and solutions for their design needs. The Mini-Fit H2O system’s pre-installed, integrated interface and wire seals will provide time saving solutions for our customers,” said Jeff Shafer, Digi-Key’s vice president of interconnect, passive and electromechanical product. “This product is one of thousands that Digi-Key offers for immediate shipment from our broad product offering.”

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Electronic components distributor Digi-Key Corporation, recognized by design engineers as having the industry’s broadest selection of electronic components available for immediate shipment, today announced it has signed an agreement with SANYO Semiconductor Corporation (USA) for global distribution.

Digi-Key stocks products from SANYO including discrete semiconductor products, integrated circuits, sensors and transducers. These products are available for purchase on Digi-Key’s global websites and will be featured in future print and online catalogs.

SANYO specializes in integrating analog and digital systems, and has made valuable contributions to several successful systems by developing original analog technology including analog IP, power-saving technology and other circuit technologies. SANYO offers a variety of products such as amorphous solar cells, resource-saving ultra-miniature transistors, unique hard-wired logic integrated chips and thick film integrated chips. With its proprietary technology, SANYO provides solutions for video, audio and other power applications, and allows their miniaturization and reduced power consumption.

“SANYO understands the importance of this opportunity to work with Digi-Key as they focus on selling to engineers and electronic circuit designers,” said President of SANYO Semiconductor Corporation (USA) Kazuto Tanahashi. “With the agreement, we expect to reach a broader customer base, a key to increasing our presence and leadership in the semiconductor marketplace.”

“SANYO is a leader in providing environment and energy related products,” said Digi-Key Vice President of Semiconductor Product Dave Doherty. “We are confident this global partnership with SANYO will benefit our customers around the globe.”

Digi-Key Corporation focuses on providing customers with superior service, which includes product selection and availability, on-time delivery, and responsiveness. Using leading-edge processes and state-of-the-art technologies, Digi-Key serves a global customer base from its 600,000 square foot facility in Thief River Falls, Minnesota, USA.

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Farnell, the leading multi-channel distributor, has enhanced its range of commodity electronic components. 9,000 new passive, semiconductor and optoelectronic products have been added from some of the electronic sector’s leading manufacturers; including Tyco, Vishay, Panasonic, Texas Instruments and Epcos.

The addition of these products aims to give engineers a greater choice for their new product designs and seeks to strengthen Farnell’s reputation as a market leader in the distribution sector. The total number of products offered by Farnell now exceeds half a million with over a hundred more added each day.

Great care was taken in the selection of the new components to ensure that they reflected the needs of customers working to produce the next generation designs for both the consumer and industrial markets.

“This program underlines the dynamicism of our business model,” said Mike Buffham, Director of Supplier & Product Management, Farnell. “The electronics industry continues to be an incredibly fast changing and innovative market sector. Our design engineering customer base is always seeking the latest components and technologies to give them an edge and to meet the tough demands of their customers. We see it as our job to reflect this in the type and choice of components we offer backed by support that makes best use of the latest functionality the Internet can offer.”

Farnell’s wide range of technical support tools that includes online data sheets, live technical chat and the now well established the element14 www.element-14.com online engineering community, help speed and simplify the informed selection of the most appropriate components for particular tasks. A range of flexible packaging options such as peel packaging, reels, tubes, waffle trays and loose quantities supports the customer with the exact quantity of parts required, supplied in environmentally sound packaging that affords appropriate levels of protection in transit and handling.

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Digi-Key Announces Availability of Kits for Popular Littelfuse TVS Diodes

Electronic components distributor Digi-Key Corporation, recognized by design engineers as having the industry’s broadest selection of electronic components available for immediate shipment, today announced the availability of kits for a broad range of TVS Diodes offered by Littelfuse.

These kits are in stock and available for purchase on Digi-Key’s website. Additionally, they are featured in Digi-Key’s print and online catalogs.

Ranging from industry standard package sizes of SMA to SMC with wattage ratings starting at 400W and going as high as 3000W in compact surface mount packages, Littelfuse’s TVS Diodes are designed to protect sensitive computer equipment from voltage transients in such applications as telecommunications, computer, industrial, and consumer electronics. The kits from Digi-Key include five pieces each of popular voltage values.

For an overview of voltage protection concepts and Littelfuse’s TVS Diode products, a PTM Online…On Demand® product training module is available on Digi-Key’s websites.

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Digi-Key Corporation Announces Stock on NXP Semiconductor’s Energy-Efficient Lighting Solutions

Electronic components distributor Digi-Key Corporation, recognized by design engineers as having the industry’s broadest selection of electronic components available for immediate shipment, announced today it has stock on NXP Semiconductor‘s energy-efficient lighting solutions.

NXP’s CFL, SSL, HID and TL lighting solutions are available for purchase on Digi-Key’s global websites. Additionally, they are featured in Digi-Key’s print and online catalogs.

While the compact fluorescent lamp (CFL), the most familiar energy-saving lighting option to consumers, has been available for years, consumers have often been dissatisfied with the variable quality, long warm-up time preceding full brightness, and the CFL’s incompatibility with dimmer switches. Now, these issues can be addressed by switching from existing discrete control solutions to NXP’s proven IC solutions that significantly reduce start-up times, enable deep dimming at high efficiency, and extend lamp lifetimes.

With the revolutionary promise of light-emitting diodes (LEDs), NXP is the first semiconductor company capable of demonstrating that its LED drivers match LED lifetimes. Small, highly integrated, and highly efficient, these drivers support the majority of available dimmers (TRIAC and transistor) and are ideal for small form-factor applications with closed casings.

In addition to integrated CFL and SSL controllers, NXP provides small form-factor IC solutions that cover traditional TL lighting and the latest High Intensity Discharge (HID) or Xenon lamps for projectors and automotive applications.

Digi-Key Corporation focuses on providing customers with superior service, which includes product selection and availability, on-time delivery, and responsiveness. Using leading-edge processes and state-of-the-art technologies, Digi-Key serves a global customer base from its 600,000 square foot facility in Thief River Falls, Minnesota, USA.

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24/7 direct access to mobile content and technical support for customers on the move

Farnell, the leading multi-channel, high service distributor of electronic components, today announces the launch of its very own iPhone and Google Android applications. Offering bespoke functionality, the new mobile tools will allow customers instant interaction by enabling direct access to the Farnell technical support staff and interactive linecards of the most popular products.

Customers in the UK will be the first to be offered these tools with a roll-out planned to other European regions in the upcoming months. The application has been created with several unique features including latest electronic industry news, a unit converter, interactive linecards and one touch button to call Technical Support or Sales departments. Further enhancements in the future are planned as the application evolves based on customer feedback.

Neil Harrison, President, Farnell Europe said: “With our continuous growth via the web supported by our web 2.0 strategy, our iPhone and Android launch is a testament to Farnell’s commitment towards improving our customer relationships. By accessing this application on their smartphones, customers can now be confident of accessing high quality information quickly and remotely improving their overall online experience.”

The features of the Farnell application include:

• Latest Electronic Industry news and updates
• Interactive Linecards with regular upgrades
• Unit Converter
• One touch button to call Farnell Sales or Technical Support departments

Today’s announcement follows a similar successful announcement by element14 – the company’s one–stop online technology resource and community created exclusively for electronic design engineers. element14 uses web 2.0 functionality to facilitate interaction, collaboration and information sharing among users and announced its mobile functionality in December.

The free Farnell applications are available to download direct from an iPhone or Android.

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