Designfax weekly eMagazine

Subscribe Today!

Archives

View Archives

Partners

Manufacturing Center
Product Spotlight

Modern Applications News
Metalworking Ideas For
Today's Job Shops

Tooling and Production
Strategies for large
metalworking plants

Damping elements, stoppers, and rubber buffers

JW Winco provides a wealth of variants to serve every application when it comes to vibration damping elements for alternating tensile and compressive loads. JW Winco has 40 standard parts covering several hundred article numbers in its selection -- from simple rubber buffers like GN 353 to more complex designs such as GN 148.3 that can take up to 17,600 newtons of compression. These elements have a core of natural rubber, because this still offers the best damping values, unmatched by synthetic elastomers or silicone materials.
See the full line that JW Winco offers.

Stratasys moves beyond polymers: Metal 3D printing

Stratasys, the global leader in polymer additive manufacturing, is getting into metals by investing in industrial metal 3D-printing company Tritone Technologies. The agreement brings cutting-edge, production-grade metal and ceramic technology to Stratasys' service portfolio. At the core of Tritone's offering is its MoldJet^® technology, the only powder-free AM technology that enables the high-throughput production of metal and ceramic parts at industrial scale and speed that overcomes previous challenges.
Learn more about this exciting development.

TS0501: Pushing the limits of aerospace machining

Seco has launched TS0501, a Duratomic^® finishing grade engineered for exceptional performance in turning modern high-hardness superalloys as well as traditional materials such as Inconel 718. Designed for lights-out machining, TS0501 delivers unmatched tool life, surface finish, and reliability in demanding aerospace and energy applications. The insert's wear resistance and thermal stability make it ideal for industries where component integrity is critical.
Read the Seco article.

Most powerful heatsink: Extreme CPU cooling

Learn how 3D Systems played a crucial part in developing "the world's most powerful AI-designed and metal 3D-printed liquid nitrogen (LN2) heatsink for extreme CPU cooling." The heatsink was created using 3D Systems' Direct Metal Printing tech utilizing certified oxygen-free copper for superior thermal conductivity. An eccentric application that pushes the boundaries of thermal management.
Read the 3D Systems blog.

When metals can't survive: Machined ceramics as an alternative

Technical Ceramics are so hard and wear resistant that they cannot be machined with conventional tools -- but they can outlast and outperform other materials in demanding or harsh applications. INSACO's proprietary diamond grinding process and specialized techniques developed over many decades allow the company to produce and document parts to exacting specifications consistently. Learn all about the alternatives you have when metals just can't take it.
Read the INSACO article.

Build-to-order knobs and hand hardware

Rogan Corp.'s innovative use of two-shot plastic injection and insert molding has been providing customers with high-quality plastic clamping knobs, levers, and control knobs for more than 90 years. Rogan offers concurrent engineering, product design, and assistance in material selection to ensure customer satisfaction for standard or customized parts, with a focus on cost optimization and on-time delivery. Custom colors, markings, decorative inlays, or engineered materials to meet special requirements, such as adding extra strength or utilizing a flame-retardant material, are all offered.
Learn more.

Why switch from weld fasteners to clinch fasteners?

According to the experts at Penn-Engineering, engineers usually make the switch from weld fasteners to self-clinching fasteners due to two key motivators: environmental impact and cosmetic appeal. Additional benefits often materialize, though, that have positive effects on time, costs, and end-product quality. Find out how.
Read this PennEngineering PEM blog with real-world examples.

Tech Tip: How to create high-quality STL files for 3D prints

Have you ever 3D printed a part that had flat spots or faceted surfaces where smooth curves were supposed to be? You are not alone, and it's not your 3D printer's fault. According to Markforged, the culprit is likely a lack of resolution in the STL file used to create the part.
Read this detailed and informative Markforged blog.

Metal 3D printing: Right at your desktop

From prototyping to tooling or batch production of end-use parts, the Studio System 2 from Desktop Metal brings metal 3D printing to any office, studio, or lab setting. This powder- and laser-free system consists of an easy-to-adopt two-step process: print using pre-bound metal rod feedstock and then sinter. It requires minimal training and operator intervention. Combined with next-gen Separable Supports and a software-controlled workflow, the Studio System makes metal 3D printing simpler than ever. This platform offers more materials than any other metal extrusion 3D-printing system on the market. They include Inconel 625, titanium (Ti64), copper, tool steels, and stainless steels.
View the video and learn more.

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, offering designers the ability "to surgically engineer residual compressive stress into key areas of components." Benefits include enhancements to fatigue strength, durability, damage tolerance, and resistance to stress corrosion cracking of critical metallic components.
Read the extensive Curtiss-Wright article.

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.

New lightweight compound for structural car parts

Following four years of collaboration with the University of Toronto, Axiom is proud to announce the creation of AX Gratek PP40 -- a groundbreaking lightweight, high-strength alternative to heavy glass-filled 40-60% PP components. This hybrid composite features graphene nanoplatelets with glass fibers. Patent pending, this material has achieved up to 20% improvement in tensile strength while achieving an impressive 18% weight reduction compared to commercial PPGF60% parts.
Learn more.

Quickparts making big moves for part making

Quickparts has expanded its Seattle HQ to create an Aerospace & Defense Center of Excellence, strengthening the company's long-standing expertise in high-fidelity casting patterns and advanced stereolithography (SLA). Simultaneously, the company is launching its Quick Mold solution across North America, bringing production-quality molded parts to market in as little as five days.
Read the full article.

Print parts in M300 tool steel: Starter kit

Take your 3D printing to the next level with M300 Tool Steel Filamet™ -- a high-strength and wear-resistant material. Virtual Foundry has released a brand-new M300 Tool Steel Kit packed with everything you need to get started, including: 0.5-kg starter filament spool, Filawarmer, 1 kg of steel blend, 0.5 kg of sintering carbon, and an alumina crucible. From the company that brought us 3D-printable lunar regolith simulant.
Learn more, including print instructions.

Tank cleaning: 360° corrosion-resistant option

For processes requiring efficient tank washing, BETE's HydroWhirl Poseidon offers a unique solution that cleans effectively in tanks containing harsh chemicals or stubborn substances. This slow-spinning tank cleaning nozzle provides complete 360° coverage with longer dwell time on target surfaces; ideal for use in corrosive chemical environments, chemical processing tanks, food and beverage processes, IBC Totes, and more. The unit's bearing-free design delivers a slow, deliberate spray that provides a more effective washdown than conventional rotating designs.
Learn more. Available from EXAIR.

New low-cost carbon capture method for power plants uses only water and pressure

By Caitlin Clark, Texas A&M University

A new, low-cost method for capturing carbon dioxide emissions from power plants and industrial facilities relies on a simple physical phenomenon -- the same one that causes bubbles to fizz when popping a bottle of Champagne or cracking open a bottle of seltzer.

The process, called Pressure Induced Carbon Capture (PICC), uses water and pressure to pull carbon dioxide out of exhaust gases before it reaches the atmosphere, offering a cleaner and far less expensive alternative to traditional chemical methods.

Co-inventors Dr. Mark Holtzapple, professor of chemical engineering at Texas A&M University, and Jonathan Feinstein of ExcelThermic Enterprises have filed patents for licensing the technology to power plants, hydrogen facilities, cement kilns, steel blast furnaces, and other industrial emitters worldwide. Holtzapple said PICC is a practical solution to an urgent problem because fossil fuel combustion -- which releases greenhouse gases into the atmosphere -- remains an important component of the global energy mix.

"Our invention is a cost-effective way to address one of the greatest challenges facing humanity," Holtzapple said. "We can capture carbon dioxide from flue gas using only water and pressure, which makes the process simple, clean, and less expensive than competing technologies."

Traditional carbon capture systems rely on strong chemicals called amines that bind with carbon dioxide to remove it from exhaust gases. Amines struggle to pull more than 90% of the carbon dioxide out of the flue gas, Holtzapple said. Also, the amines are expensive and degrade when exposed to flue gases. Furthermore, permitting 10% of the carbon dioxide to escape into the environment is no longer tenable, he said.

In contrast, PICC uses physical absorption. Because PICC uses no chemical bonds, carbon dioxide pops back out of the water at reduced pressures just as easily as it dissolves in water at high pressure.

"Everybody knows that high-pressure carbon dioxide dissolves in water, and that when you open a bottle of Coca-Cola or beer you see that carbon dioxide bubble back out," Holtzapple said. Once released, the carbon dioxide can be safely stored or utilized.

How the system works
In operation, flue gas from combusting coal, natural gas, or biomass -- such as forest waste, crop residues, or municipal solid waste -- is first cooled and compressed. The high-pressure gas is then piped into an absorption column, where cold water flows downward while the gas moves upward through a structured packing that maximizes contact between the two streams. As the nearly clean gas reaches the top of the column, it contacts fresh water entering at the top. There, the last traces of carbon dioxide dissolve into the water, with clean gas releasing into the environment.

The water exiting the bottom of the column contains dissolved carbon dioxide and is transferred to a series of vessels, each operating at lower and lower pressures, where the carbon dioxide progressively bubbles out. Holtzapple said the released carbon dioxide is then ready for compression and injection into underground geological formations, such as saline aquifers, where it is permanently stored.

A lower cost path to near-total capture
Economic analyses show that PICC can capture and compress 99% of carbon dioxide emissions for $26 per metric ton. Other current technologies capture about 90% and cost $50 to $100 per metric ton, Holtzapple said.

Additionally, by adding a small amount of lime -- an alkali -- to the water, PICC captures 100% of carbon dioxide for an average cost less than $28 per metric ton. At that level of capture, even the carbon dioxide from the combustion air is removed, Holtzapple said.

"Without adding carbon dioxide to the atmosphere, PICC allows us to use abundant fossil fuels on which our civilization is built. Furthermore, by coupling PICC to biomass combustion, we can remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere cost effectively," he said.

Published November 2025

Rate this article