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February 24, 2026Volume 22 Issue 08


Image - 27,000 Stock Metric Gears from KHK
27,000 Stock Metric Gears from KHK
KHK USA offers the largest selection of stock metric gears in North America -- with over 27,000 configurations. KHK USA offers Metric Spur Gears, Metric Helical Gears, Metric Internal Ring Gears, Metric Gear Racks, Metric Bevel Gears, Metric Worms and Wormwheels all from stock! Free 3D CAD models, technical specs and 24/7 price and availability are all detailed online.
See what KHK USA has in stock for you today!

In this issue of Designfax

  • Exploding ammo makes Apache a drone killer
  • Multimaterial 3D printing produces linear motor
  • Weird science: World's smallest QR code
  • Can station wagons be cool? Genesis G90 Wingback
  • Precision-fit desiccants are functional parts too!
  • What they didn't teach you about fittings in school
  • Tech Tip: Why pins walk, how to ensure it doesn't happen
  • Crossed roller bearings: Lower weight and size
  • High-performance fastening for aerospace interiors
  • Linear voice coil motor tolerates tilting, misalignment
  • New materials and finishes from Quickparts
  • Videos+: Technologies and inspiration in action
    • How a wave spring improves valve performance
  • Most Popular Last Issue
    • Inside look: Repair of damaged B-2 bomber
    • New type of plastic breaks the rules
    • Bertone Runabout: 1969 showboating reborn
  • New Products
    • Electrical, Mechanical, Motion
    Cover Image: Genesis G90 Wingback Concept

News

'Incredibly resilient' nylon device creates electricity under tons of pressure

Warning: Cost of copper must double to meet basic copper needs

Are gyroscopes the key to harvesting ocean wave energy?

New way to design knee-like joints aims to make big strides for robotics



Feature articles

Image - New exploding ammo makes Apache copter a drone killer
New exploding ammo makes Apache copter a drone killer
The U.S. Army's Apache AH-64 Attack Helicopter has reached a new milestone in battlefield capability with the successful live fire test of its new APEX ammunition. In December 2025, the Apache demonstrated its first-ever air-to-air engagement using the ammo against unmanned aircraft systems targets.
Read the full article.

Image - Multimaterial 3D-printing platform produces linear motor
Multimaterial 3D-printing platform produces linear motor
MIT researchers have developed a multimaterial additive manufacturing platform that can produce a fully 3D-printed electric linear motor in a matter of hours using five materials. They only needed to perform one post-processing step for the motor to be fully functional.
Read the full article.

Image - Weird science: World's smallest QR code has practical applications
Weird science: World's smallest QR code has practical applications
A research team in Austria has created a QR code so small it can only be recognized with an electron microscope. The technology has enormous potential for long-term data storage. You will be surprised how it was made.
Read the full article.

Image - Can station wagons be cool? Genesis G90 Wingback Concept
Can station wagons be cool? Genesis G90 Wingback Concept
Genesis' new performance division, called Magma, is on a high-end design roll, recently debuting the ultra-cool Magma GT Concept supercar and now giving us a look at what a super station wagon could be. With a possible 400-hp V6 powerplant, the G90 Wingback Concept ain't your grandpa's people hauler.
Read the full article.

Image - Did you know: Precision-fit desiccants can be functional parts too!
Did you know: Precision-fit desiccants can be functional parts too!
Injection molding techniques enable desiccants to provide moisture adsorption in nearly any contained volume, regardless of the volume's shape complexity, and are tough enough for use as structural components. Specifically, injection molding allows for formed desiccants to occupy up to 100% of available space in order to maximize moisture adsorption -- especially in enclosures for sensitive instruments -- while bringing the low costs, repeatability, and precision tolerances typical of molded plastics. Great for electronics, aerospace and defense, and more.
Learn how to protect your project or products!
Message an AGM Design Engineer or call (520) 844-0952.

Image - Engineer's Toolbox: What they didn't teach you about fittings in engineering school
Engineer's Toolbox: What they didn't teach you about fittings in engineering school
Do you know why an old standard "Christmas-tree" barbed fitting may not be your best choice for your miniature fluid power application? Experts at Beswick Engineering run through the common types of fittings used in these smaller pneumatic applications, along with thread sizes and seals to help you make the correct choice. They also touch on pressure and temp ranges, chemical compatibility issues, rigid and flexible lines, and the ease of assembly and maintenance.
Read the full article.

Image - Tech Tip: Why pins walk and how to ensure it doesn't happen
Tech Tip: Why pins walk and how to ensure it doesn't happen
Lateral movement of installed solid, slotted, or coiled spring pins, commonly referred to as "walking," can occur within a dynamic application if proper design guidelines are not followed. Issues with different pin types may have different causes. Learn the many reasons why pins walk and the design best practices you should follow to avoid the condition.
Read this informative SPIROL Tech Tip.

Image - Crossed roller bearings dramatically lower weight and size for low- to medium-precision designs
Crossed roller bearings dramatically lower weight and size for low- to medium-precision designs
IKO International's LCRB Series crossed roller bearings use press-formed, heat-treated steel rings and high-contact rollers to deliver up to 60% less mass than comparable designs. Their bolt-on flanges, compact profile, and fast response suit rotary positioning, seating, warehouse systems, and lightweight aerospace needs. Two models are available: LCRB 50 and LCRB 70.
Read the full article.

Image - High-performance fastening for aerospace interiors
High-performance fastening for aerospace interiors
The ONSERT fastening element from Böllhoff and DELO PHOTOBOND FB4151 adhesive enable lightweight, flame-retardant, drill-free fastening for aircraft interiors. The UV-curing acrylate cures in seconds, delivers high strength and flexibility, and supports automated, scalable production for cable routing and other lightweight cabin structures. This tech has already demonstrated its potential in the fastening of cable routing in business class seats from Recaro.
Learn more and read about the Recaro seat application.

Image - Linear voice coil motor tolerates tilting and misalignment
Linear voice coil motor tolerates tilting and misalignment
Moticont's new LVCM-051-032-06 linear voice coil motor features an enlarged radial air gap to accommodate tilt and misalignment when clamping out-of-parallel objects or moving off-center loads. It delivers 40.8-N peak and 12.9-N continuous force, with low-inertia, zero-cogging performance suited for sorting, packaging, sampling, machining, and medical automation.
Learn more and find the right VC motor for your application.

Image - New materials and finishes from Quickparts
New materials and finishes from Quickparts
Quickparts has introduced DuraKor, ThermaKor, and vapor smoothing to expand its production-capable materials and finishing portfolio. The new plastics provide polypropylene-like toughness, chemical resistance, and high-temperature stability, while vapor smoothing improves sealing and surface quality. Together, these capabilities help engineers validate designs, refine performance, and transition efficiently from prototypes to scalable manufacturing.
Learn more.

Most popular last issue

Image - Inside look: Repair of damaged B-2 stealth bomber
Inside look: Repair of damaged B-2 stealth bomber
Four years ago, a B-2 Spirit experienced an incident resulting in significant damage to the bomber and raising serious questions about its future. What followed was a remarkable display of teamwork, ingenuity, and determination culminating in the aircraft's return to flight on Nov. 6, 2025.
Read the full article.

Image - New type of glassy plastic breaks the rules
New type of glassy plastic breaks the rules
Researchers in the Netherlands have developed a new type of plastic that, according to materials theory, should not be able to exist. Its properties sit somewhere between those of glass and plastic: It is easy to (re)shape, yet resistant to impact.
Read the full article.

Image - Bertone Runabout: 1969 Italian showboating reborn for the modern era
Bertone Runabout: 1969 Italian showboating reborn for the modern era
Legendary Italian car designing company Bertone is back, and 25 exotic car aficionados worldwide will get to own its reborn 475-hp Runabout, inspired by the brand's 1969 wedge-shaped prototype concept coupe that borrowed some of its design cues from speedboats.
Read the full article.

Videos+: Technologies and inspiration in action
How a wave spring improves valve performance:
Real-world applications

Discover how a Smalley Crest-to-Crest® Wave Spring enhances the performance of a sliding gate valve in this application spotlight snippet. The spring applies a constant load to keep the main shaft threads engaged, delivering precise and repeatable control of flow and pressure. Watch the video to see the internal motion and how this design can elevate your own applications!
View the video.

Video Image

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