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Best high-speed rotary bearing in THK history

THK's High-Speed, Double-Row Angular Contact Ring BWH is the fastest rotary bearing in company history. By utilizing balls inside a cage instead of rollers, this new structure achieves unprecedented speeds. It supports loads from all directions while matching the high rigidity and rotational accuracy of standard cross-roller ring design options.
Learn more.

100,000 hours: KNF diaphragm pump achieves exceptional lifetime

Reaching 100,000 hours of uninterrupted performance is a remarkable achievement for micro diaphragm gas pumps. It represents more than 11 years of continuous operation in a controlled environment, exceeding the demands of most real-world applications. This milestone highlights KNF's engineering expertise and the reliability built into every pump.
Get a closer look at the 100,000-hour lifetime test.

Metal finishing: With rising carbide prices, when cermet makes sense

As critical raw material access tightens, manufacturers are rethinking cutting tool usage. While essential, carbide is often unnecessary for finishing processes. Cermet -- a ceramic-metal composite -- offers an excellent alternative, delivering exceptional fracture and wear resistance for these specific machining stages.
Read the full article.

Crossed roller bearings for complex loads

Designed with a large contact area where the rollers meet the raceway surfaces, crossed roller bearings (CRBs) from IKO exhibit exceptional rotational accuracy with less deflection under load. Many mechanical designs can benefit from the rigidity, accuracy, speed, and compact size that IKO CRBs provide, and they come in a wide choice of sizes and constructions to fit various rotating mechanisms. Machine tools, industrial robots, and medical equipment are only a few of many applications.
See all your options, including slim and super slim models, from IKO.

Full-color 3D-printing Design Guide from Xometry

With Xometry's PolyJet 3D-printing service, you can order full-color 3D prints easily. Their no-cost design guide will help you learn about different aspects of 3D printing colorful parts, how to create and add color to your models, and best practices to keep in mind when printing in full color. Learn how to take full advantage of the 600,000 unique colors available in this flexible additive process.
Get the Xometry guide.

What's new in hyperMILL 2026?

OPEN MIND Technologies has announced a wide range of new and enhanced capabilities in its hyperMILL 2026 CAD/CAM Software Suite that save time and increase accuracy. For precise and efficient 2.5D, 3D, precision 5-axis, and mill/turn machining, hyperMILL offers users exceptionally productive programming and powerful machining strategies. Check out all the new features.
Learn more.

Clear, high-flexibility silicone meets NASA low-outgassing specs

Master Bond MasterSil 981-LO is a two-component, addition-cured silicone for bonding, sealing, coating, and encapsulating. Meeting NASA low-outgassing specs, its optical clarity suits aerospace, satellite, and optoelectronic applications. This 100% reactive, solvent-free system features a forgiving 1:1 mix ratio, minimal shrinkage, a 3- to 4-hr working life, and cures overnight at room temperature plus heat.
Learn more.

What's a high-helix (high-lead) screw and what can it do for you?

"High-helix (high-lead) screws are a crucial component in many motion control systems, offering increased efficiency and faster linear motion," says Christopher Nook, CEO and founder of Helix Linear Technologies. "Unlike standard lead screws, these specialized screws feature a steeper helix angle, allowing for greater lead per revolution." Learn their mechanics, advantages, and many applications.
Read the Helix Linear Technologies blog.

New interactive factory microsite helps manufacturers discover EXAIR solutions

EXAIR and BETE have launched a new interactive factory microsite designed to help manufacturers quickly identify products that can improve efficiency, safety, and performance throughout their facility. From conveying and cooling to blowoff, static elimination, and industrial cleanup, the platform demonstrates how liquid and air solutions integrate into everyday manufacturing challenges. The digital experience features a fully interactive factory floor map with clickable hotspots positioned throughout key production and maintenance areas. Each hotspot highlights how specific EXAIR and BETE products can be applied in real-world industrial processes.
Explore the interactive microsite.

Next-gen SLA materials rival traditional thermoplastics

Formlabs has announced two new SLA materials that bring 3D printing significantly closer to being a manufacturing method for end-use part production. Tough 1000 Resin and a significantly improved Tough 2000 Resin join Tough 1500 Resin, forming the new Tough Resin family. These resilient engineering materials stand up to harsh environments, impact, and repeated wear, all while delivering a dark, matte surface finish with crisp details when printed on Form 4 Series 3D printers.
Learn more.

SOLIDWORKS: Mastering sheet metal -- advanced tips and tricks

GoEngineer's Brady Daniels, Senior Applications Engineer, gives a master class in next-level sheet metal design. This on-demand webinar covers practical tips and techniques aimed at expanding your understanding and improving real-world workflows. Topics include bend calculations, comparing design approaches, how flat patterns work, and embracing multi-body design. Skip through or take in the whole presentation when you have time. [Credit: Screenshot courtesy of GoEngineer]
View the GoEngineer video.

SJT Industries SIM couplings and timing pulleys

Automation-Direct now offers SIM couplings and 8M timing pulleys for reliable power transmission in OEM and MRO applications. Designed for precise motion control, these components efficiently transmit torque and rotational power. Available in multiple bore sizes and configurations, they ensure accurate alignment, consistent torque transfer, and dependable tooth engagement for various industrial equipment systems.
Learn more.

Top Tech Tip: How do you 3D print STL files?

Learn the basics of 3D printing STL files -- the files that serve as the digital foundation for 3D printing -- and a whole lot more from the experts at Xometry. These files have advantages, of course, but did you know they have disadvantages too? Also learn about STL tools and programs, and how to reduce file size or even repair a file you are having trouble with.
Read the Xometry article.

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.

Ball screw assemblies: Ships in 2 to 3 weeks

Designed to simplify your projects and minimize assembly time, the BNK and SDA-VZ Ball Screw Assembly Series from THK are ready when you are. Each ball screw assembly includes: ball screw shaft (finished ends for standard THK support units), nut bracket, support units, housings, and coupling. Intermediate flange and coupling kit for your motor available.
Learn more.

Many Americans pessimistic about AI's impact -- want more regulation

As debate intensifies over data center construction and how to regulate artificial intelligence (AI), a new nationally representative survey finds that Americans are broadly pessimistic about the impact of AI and want more government action to regulate the technology.

The survey, conducted by the Annenberg Public Policy Center (APPC) of the University of Pennsylvania, finds that only 17% of Americans believe AI will have a positive impact on the United States over the next decade, while 42% expect its effects to be negative. Nearly two-thirds (65%) say the government has done "too little" to regulate AI -- a view by majorities of Democrats, independents, and Republicans alike.

Key findings
The survey, by the Annenberg Public Policy Center's Institutions of Democracy division, was conducted among a nationally representative sample of 1,330 U.S. adult citizens from Feb. 17 to March 20, 2026. (Download the topline here.) The survey finds that:

• Many Americans are pessimistic about AI's future impact: Only 17% say the impact of AI on the United States over the next 10 years will be somewhat or very positive, compared with 42% who say it will be somewhat or very negative.
• A bipartisan majority says the government has done too little to regulate AI: Nearly two-thirds (65%) say the government has done "too little," including 77% of Democrats, 72% of independents, and 53% of Republicans.
• Medical research is a bright spot: Over half (57%) expect AI to have a somewhat or very positive impact on medical research and discoveries.
• Building new data centers is unpopular: Nearly half of Americans (49%) oppose construction of new data centers in their area, while just 1 in 5 (21%) support it.

"These results tell a clear story: Americans are paying attention to AI -- nearly 8 in 10 say they've heard at least a moderate amount about it -- and what they see concerns them," said Shawn Patterson Jr., a research analyst at APPC. "The demand for regulation is not a partisan issue. Majorities across the political spectrum say the government has done too little."

Americans are broadly pessimistic about AI's impact
Despite widespread awareness of artificial intelligence -- 78% say they have heard at least a moderate amount about it, and 67% report using AI at least a few times in the past month -- the public outlook on AI's trajectory is negative. When respondents are asked what they think the impact of AI on the United States will be over the next 10 years, only 7% say "very positive" and 11% say "somewhat positive." In contrast, 22% say the impact will be "very negative" and 20% say "somewhat negative." About a third (32%) say the impact will be equally positive and negative.

Medical research stands out; other domains provoke concern
When asked about AI's expected impact across seven specific domains, Americans see one clear area of promise: medical research and discoveries, where over half (57%) expect a positive impact. However, optimism drops sharply elsewhere. Only 24% expect AI to have a positive impact on government effectiveness, 22% on creative arts, and 19% on the economy. The most pessimistic assessments are reserved for mental health and well-being (17% positive), household utility costs (14% positive), and U.S.-China relations (5% positive).

Bipartisan demand for AI regulation
Nearly two-thirds of Americans (65%) say the government has done "too little" to regulate AI, while only 8% say it has done "too much" and 26% say "about the right amount." The support for regulation is bipartisan: 77% of Democrats, 72% of independents, and 53% of Republicans say the government has done too little. When asked whether the federal government or state governments should take the lead, 52% favor the federal government.

The demand for regulation intensifies with pessimism about AI but is not confined to it. Among those who believe AI's impact will be "very negative," 83% say the government has done too little. However, even among those people who expect AI's impact to be "very positive," 43% say the government has done too little -- and a majority (57%) of those who think it'll be equally positive and negative agree with that view. Only among the most optimistic respondents, the small group that thinks AI's impact will be very positive, does a majority (53%) say the current level of regulation is "about the right amount."

Data centers and job concerns
As AI data centers proliferate across the country, drawing scrutiny from communities concerned about energy costs and local impact, the survey finds that 49% of Americans oppose new data center construction in their area, including 31% who strongly oppose it. Only 21% support it, and 30% are neutral. Among those who are currently employed, 41% say they are somewhat or very worried about losing their job or having their hours reduced due to AI, with Democrats (50%) expressing more concern than independents (41%) and Republicans (32%).

About the survey
The Annenberg Public Policy Center's Institutions of Democracy survey was fielded with a nationally representative sample of 1,330 U.S. citizens ages 18 and older from Feb. 17 to March 20, 2026. The survey was conducted for APPC by SSRS, an independent research company, primarily online, with a small sample of phone respondents. Respondents were weighted to align with population benchmarks. The margin of error for the full sample is +/-3.5 percentage points, and it is larger for subgroups.

Source: Annenberg Public Policy Center of the University of Pennsylvania

Published May 2026

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