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September 15, 2026Volume 22 Issue 35


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

  • Waterproof hybrid engine for off-road vehicles
  • NIST designs microbe-killing water heater
  • Dramatic impact response: New diamond composites
  • Honda Passport TrailSport reaches new heights
  • Monitoring humidity inside sealed enclosures
  • New metal extrusion system: Get into ShAPE
  • Universal Robots unveils Gen 7 robot platform!
  • Adaptor mount and hub options provide flexibility
  • Pneumatics: Dual guide rod cylinders and silencers
  • High-capacity benchtop video measurement system
  • Expanded injection molding capabilities
  • Videos+: Technologies and inspiration in action
    • Custom 3D-printed steering wheel for jet dragster
  • Most Popular Last Issue
    • Military: Ground-launched paraglider tech
    • Your smartwatch is lying to you
    • Czinger 21C Spyder: California hypercar dreamin'
  • New Products
    • Electrical, Mechanical, Motion
    Cover Image: 2027 Honda Passport TrailSport

News

Underwater solar cells can function 10 m below ocean surface

Graph-based AI discovers interpretable constitutive laws in solids directly from data

New track turns train movement into electrical power through kinetic energy conversion

Weird science: New modeling study sheds light on how the Earth got its moon



Feature articles

Image - Horse Powertrain reveals waterproof hybrid engine suitable for off-road vehicles
Horse Powertrain reveals waterproof hybrid engine suitable for off-road vehicles
UK-based Horse Powertrain has revealed its fully waterproof engine, the HORSE B20, which is a four-cylinder 2.0-liter turbocharged unit designed for hybrid vehicles that tackle extreme off-road terrains and deep-water wading. It features a range of innovations.
Read the full article.

Image - NIST receives patent for microbe-killing water heater
NIST receives patent for microbe-killing water heater
Researchers at the National Institute of Standards and Technology have been granted a patent for a water heater system that kills a class of harmful bacteria, reducing the risk of Legionnaires' disease and other life-threatening infections, while reducing the associated risk of scalding.
Read the full article.

Image - Dramatic impact response: New diamond composites
Dramatic impact response: New diamond composites
Researchers at Rice University have developed a way to stabilize diamond during high-temperature and low-pressure processing, creating a strong bulk composite and discovering that high-speed collisions can rapidly transform the diamond into graphite. The findings could help researchers design tougher materials for aerospace, defense, and other demanding environments.
Read the full article.

Image - Honda Passport TrailSport reaches new heights
Honda Passport TrailSport reaches new heights
Honda has advanced the rugged capability and bold styling of the 2027 Passport TrailSport models that will begin arriving at dealerships later this month. The extensively reengineered suspension along with styling and feature enhancements reinforce the position of Passport TrailSport as the ultimate Honda adventure SUV. About 80% of Passport buyers choose the TrailSport trim.
Read the full article.

Image - Options for monitoring humidity inside sealed enclosures
Options for monitoring humidity inside sealed enclosures
Opening a sealed enclosure to check for moisture can introduce the very humidity you're trying to control. Humidity indicators and monitoring devices give engineers a way to evaluate conditions inside an enclosure without disrupting the protected environment.
  • Monitor relative humidity without opening the enclosure
  • Identify when moisture levels begin to rise
  • Help determine when desiccant may need attention or replacement
  • Choose from visual indicators or electronic monitoring options
Learn how humidity indicators and sensors work.
→ Talk to an AGM Design Engineer or call (520) 844-0952.

Image - New metal extrusion retrofit system helps manufacturers get into ShAPE
New metal extrusion retrofit system helps manufacturers get into ShAPE
A new invention from the Department of Energy's Pacific Northwest National Laboratory could soon help manufacturers more easily adopt the lab's patented Shear Assisted Processing and Extrusion (ShAPE™) technology, enabling faster manufacturing of superior extrusion products while reducing costs and energy use.
Read the full article.

Image - Universal Robots unveils Gen 7 robot platform!
Universal Robots unveils Gen 7 robot platform!
Redesigned from controller to tool flange, the new Gen 7 robot platform is out-of-the-box AI-ready, giving companies the modern software tools and next-level connectivity they need to confidently take AI from the lab into industrial operations. Gen 7 represents a unified system upgrade designed to make even the most demanding tasks and setups easier. See all the new features -- they are significant.
Read the full article.

Image - Adaptor mount and hub options provide flexibility
Adaptor mount and hub options provide flexibility
Zero-Max's new CD Power-Series Flexible Shaft Couplings feature ISO Flange Adaptors matching ISO 9409-1 patterns on gear reducers and robotics. Eliminating custom transitions, this direct connection enhances torsional stiffness and positioning accuracy while saving space, weight, and inertia. Offering continuous torque up to 65,000 in.-lb and versatile hub options, these compact couplings deliver high power density.
Learn more.

Image - Pneumatics: Dual guide rod cylinders and exhaust silencers
Pneumatics: Dual guide rod cylinders and exhaust silencers
AutomationDirect has expanded its guided actuator lineup with compact 12-mm dual guide rod cylinders from Metal Work. Ideal for packaging and material handling, these double-acting cylinders feature 10-mm to 250-mm strokes, magnetic pistons, and integral sensor slots. Additionally, new durable acetal plastic silencers are now available in multiple NPT/BSPP sizes to reduce pneumatic exhaust noise.
Learn more.

Image - High-capacity benchtop video measurement system
High-capacity benchtop video measurement system
Optical Gaging Products has introduced the SmartScope® E18, a compact, benchtop video measurement system. Featuring a 12" x 12" stage, IntelliCentric™-E fixed-lens optics, and VIRTUAL ZOOM™ technology, it offers fully automatic 3-axis performance without taking up floor space. Standard LED lighting, a rigid fixed-bridge design, optional touch probes, and advanced metrology software ensure accurate, repeatable inspection.
Learn more.

Image - Expanded injection molding capabilities
Expanded injection molding capabilities
Pexco LLC has acquired Recto Molded Products and Legacy Extrusions, expanding its capabilities in complex injection molding, tooling, assembly, and engineered thermoplastic solutions for OEM manufacturers. The Cincinnati-based companies bring more than a century of manufacturing expertise, advanced production technologies, and value-added services that strengthen Pexco's ability to support customers from product design through full-scale production. Injection molding presses ranging from 55 to 500 tons.
Learn about Pexco and its value-added manufacturing services.

Most popular last issue

Image - Military: UK trying ground-launched paraglider tech for covert ops
Military: UK trying ground-launched paraglider tech for covert ops
British commandos could soon be equipped with portable powered paragliders for covert missions in hostile territory, thanks to a UK Ministry of Defence-funded invention by a UK startup. Unassembled, the paragliders fit in a rucksack-sized case. Soldiers could quickly assemble and then fly the machines -- complete with weapon mounts -- up to 200 miles for covert ops.
Read the full article.

Image - Your smartwatch is lying to you about how many calories you burned in your last workout
Your smartwatch is lying to you about how many calories you burned in your last workout
If you are depending on your smartwatch to tell you the truth about how many calories you burned during a workout -- well, don't. Researchers at Florida International University tested popular smartwatches -- including Apple, Garmin, Samsung, and Fitbit -- and found they all overestimated calories burned. Here's how to still get value from yours.
Read the full article.

Image - Czinger 21C Spyder: California hypercar dreamin'
Czinger 21C Spyder: California hypercar dreamin'
Los Angeles-based Czinger has created an entirely new species of hypercar with its 21C Spyder -- a 1,250-hp twin-turbo V8 hybrid two-seater with internal structures bearing greater resemblance to bones than car parts. It debuts a world-first braking technology and lots of other 3D-printed parts.
Read the full article.

Videos+: Technologies and inspiration in action
Custom 3D-printed steering wheel for jet dragster
Jet dragsters use General Electric J85 engines -- the same turbines pulled from U.S. military F5 Freedom Fighters -- mounted to a custom 26-ft chassis. The racers achieve quarter-miles in 5.5 sec, but standard metal parts can fail custom ergonomic needs. Traditional manufacturing of low-volume aluminum steering wheels demands long, 8-day lead times, high costs, and multi-piece assemblies. Larsen Motorsports solved this by replacing metal with continuous fiber 3D printing using the Markforged X7. Embedding continuous carbon fiber into an Onyx nylon matrix allowed them to target specific load paths, delivering a custom steering wheel that is stiffer, lighter, and faster to produce than aluminum.
View the video.

New products

Electrical/Electronics
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