Designfax – Technology for OEM Design Engineers was launched as an exclusive eMagazine in October 2005 following 25 successful years in print. Subscribers to the weekly publication (48 issues a year) are high-level OEM product design engineers and engineering managers who operate in a broad range of manufacturing industries, including automotive, aerospace, appliances, medical equipment, transportation, computer process controls, industrial equipment, and more. Primary content focuses on the latest exciting applications and products for Electrical/Electronic, Mechanical, Motion Control, Fluid Power, and Materials engineering, including articles on powerful software programs that serve as a primary engineering tool. Take a look at what Designfax offers and then subscribe.
| January 06, 2026 | Volume 22 Issue 01 |
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 | Precision Fastening Made Simple
From automotive to medical and more, Smalley's Spirolox® retaining rings ensure secure and efficient fastening. They provide 360° retention without gaps and without installation ears that interfere with mating components, unlike tapered section rings. They fit the same grooves and can be installed without special tools. Made from flat wire using our edgewinding process, they deliver superior strength and consistency over stamped parts.
Discover the Smalley advantage with free product samples. |
| | Feature articles |
 | Renault EV concept is super lab on wheels
Inspired by legendary Renault speedster models, the Renault Filante Record 2025 is no ordinary all-electric concept car. It's part Batmobile and part salt-flats racer designed for reaching ultra efficiency, and it uses the same real-world battery capacity as the brand's Scenic E-Tech SUV.
Read the full article. |
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 | AirCar set for real-world sales takeoff in 2026
Are we ready for real flying cars? Not electric mini helicopters or enlarged drones with ducted fans, but drive-on-the-highway cars that also take off from an airport runway? Well Slovakia-based Klein Vision is, and its two-minute transformable AirCar will officially go on sale this year.
Read the full article. |
 | Hennessey creates 850-hp SUPER VENOM Mustang
If an off-the-rack muscle car is not enough for you, Texas-based high-performance vehicle creator Hennessey has taken it up a notch. The new SUPER VENOM Mustang features a wide range of enhancements -- including power boosted 70% from the factory 5.0L V8 engine and 55% higher torque -- that create the ultimate Hennessey Mustang.
Read the full article. |
 | Add-on small gas engine extends EV range for OEMs
What may have sounded like a wacky idea five years ago when there was a push toward going full-on electric makes a lot of sense now. Horse Powertrain is trying to make it easy for battery electric vehicle makers to build in extra mileage and turn their vehicles into hybrids by providing an add-on, briefcase-sized internal combustion engine that could extend range by hundreds of miles.
Read the full article. |
 | Top Product: E-Z LOK expands line of press-in inserts
E-Z LOK, a leading manufacturer and master distributor of threaded inserts for metal, plastic, and wood, has expanded its E-Z Press™ press-in threaded inserts to include new lengths and thread sizes of stainless steel and brass versions for thermoset and thermoplastics. Learn all about press-in inserts, including for 3D printing, and see them in action.
Read the full article. |
 | Top Product: Copper filament for 3D printing
Virtual Foundry, the company that brought us 3D-printable lunar regolith simulant, says its popular Copper Filamet™ (not a typo) is "back in stock and ready for your next project." This material is compatible with any open-architecture FDM/FFF 3D printer. After sintering, final parts are 100% pure copper. The company says this is one of the easiest materials to print and sinter.
Learn more and get all the specs. |
 | Top Tech Tip: What is laser peening for metal components?
According to Curtiss-Wright, laser peening (also called laser shock peening) "drives deep plastic strain into a part that creates a high-magnitude residual compressive stress from 1 to 10 mm below the surface." This process involves hitting a part surface with a laser repeatedly through a stream of water. Benefits include enhancements to fatigue strength, durability, damage tolerance, and resistance to stress corrosion cracking.
Read the extensive Curtiss-Wright article. |
| | Most popular last issue |
 | New Corvette concepts: CX and CX.R
The eighth-generation (C8) Corvette design is six years old, and GM is looking to change it up -- at least conceptually. We may see an all-new model before the end of this decade. Will it be similar to the latest CX and CX.R concepts released by the company's designers?
Read the full article. |
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| | Videos+: Technologies and inspiration in action | Fly like you're a scout trooper in Star Wars: Volonaut Airbike
The Volonaut Airbike is a "superbike for the skies" powered by jet propulsion. It is designed to carry one person at speeds up to 63 mph. The vehicle's designer, Polish inventor and entrepreneur Tomasz Patan, says it is "seven times lighter than a typical motorcycle thanks to use of advanced carbon fiber materials, 3D printing, and a minimalistic (design) approach." Empty, it weighs 66 lb. It can carry up to a 209-lb rider using diesel, biodiesel, Jet-A1, or kerosene for fuel. So far, max run time is 10 minutes. Check out the website after the video for more details. [Credit: Video screenshot courtesy of Volonaut]
View the video. |
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Do thin oils destroy engines? Lessons from GM's massive recall
Engineering Explained's Jason Fenske takes a deep dive into why GM is recommending thicker oil as a potential solution to more than 28,000 reported engine failures. Why would this change help, and is oil viscosity the real culprit? A pretty hard-hitting look at the issues, backed by a lot of data review. You can always learn something from a Fenske video.
[Image credit: Video screenshot courtesy of Engineering Explained]
View the video. |
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Billionaire Dyson shows future of farming
Dyson Farming, started by high-end-vacuum mogul James Dyson, is a technology and sustainability development hotspot spread across 36,000 acres in the UK. See one example of the future of farming, where engineers have created the largest rig a Dyson company has ever made. The vertical system produces 2.5x more strawberries than traditional farming methods can yield in the same amount of space -- with year-round production to boot. [Credit: Screenshot courtesy of Dyson Farming]
View the video. |
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