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Renishaw unveils revolutionary LIBERTAS™ 3DP tech

Renishaw's new LIBERTAS software technology addresses two of the most persistent challenges in metal AM: poor downskin surface finish and the need for support structures. Users have greater freedom to manufacture complex geometries.
Read the full article.

Innovate like a PRO: Protolabs' new AI-enabled manufacturing platform

ProDesk by Protolabs accelerates innovation for product development and procurement teams. It features real-time, AI-powered quoting with design for manufacturability (DFM) analysis across injection molding, CNC machining, and 3D printing. The platform enables seamless team collaboration and customizes quotes with instant feedback on materials, lead times, secondary operations, and finishes prior to production.
Learn more.

SDP/SI Shaftloc Fastening System

Shaftloc is a unique, reusable locking device for securely mounting mechanical components like gears and sprockets onto shafts without the need for keyways, set screws, or adhesives. Its simple, two-piece design offers a cost-effective alternative to traditional fasteners, providing high clamping force and vibration resistance. Installed with standard tools, Shaftloc is perfect for designers seeking flexible, hubless mounting solutions. Available in four styles.
Learn more from SDP/SI.

How Autodesk Research uses Markforged 3D printing

In advanced R&D, "good enough" doesn't cut it. To pioneer its Performance-Aided Design (PAD) workflow, Autodesk Research partnered with Markforged to close the gap between digital simulation and reality. Using sensors and digital twins, PAD replaces delayed field reports with real-time feedback. To test this high-stakes system, Autodesk built massive UAV platforms -- including a 300-lb aircraft. Facing extreme dynamic loads and weather, these drones provide the ultimate torture test for rapid design iteration.
View the video.

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.

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.

Radio Flyer cuts ebike prototype time radically with Fuse X1 large-format SLS 3D printer

Radio Flyer cut prototype lead times for its Flyer Loop cargo ebike frame from two months to two days using Formlabs' new Fuse X1 SLS large-format 3D printer. "We can now print an entire Flyer Loop cargo ebike overnight and be gluing it together the next day," said Agostino LoBello, product development engineer at Radio Flyer. "I can iterate three times as often with nine times less labor." The Fuse X1 delivers production-quality parts with 50% lower costs and triple the throughput of comparable industrial systems, featuring automated powder handling and a compact, easy-to-install design. [Credit: Image courtesy of Formlabs]
View the video.

Compact industrial sand 3D printer

ExOne has launched the S-Print Pro, a compact industrial sand 3D printer that brings production-grade binder jetting to smaller foundries, pattern shops, and print service providers. Aimed at businesses competing on cost and flexibility, it handles low-volume casting, spare parts, and custom components. The system processes furan binder with silica sand, CeraBeads, or silicon carbide.
Learn more about this capable machine.

Engineer's Toolbox: How to pin a shaft and hub assembly properly

One of the primary benefits of using a coiled spring pin to affix a hub or gear to a shaft is the coiled pin's ability to prevent hole damage. Another is the coiled pin absorbs wider hole tolerances than any other press-fit pin. This translates to lower total manufacturing costs of the assembly. However, there are a few design guidelines that must be adhered to in order to achieve the maximum strength of the pinned system and prevent damage to the assembly.
Read this very informative SPIROL article.

Get reliable labeling done right

Videojet Technologies has released the Videojet 9310 label applicator, designed to simplify everyday labeling on rigid and flexible packaging. Using Intelligent Motion technology, it digitally controls label tension and alignment to ensure consistent placement with minimal manual adjustments. The system features a simple label path, an intuitive touchscreen, and flexible mounting options to reduce downtime and keep production moving.
Learn more.

Your phone is now your smartest hydraulic tool

Commissioning a proportional valve traditionally requires cables, laptops, and complex software. The new Bosch Rexroth 4WRAE valve changes that. Featuring integrated digital electronics and Bluetooth connectivity, it pairs with the "easy2connect" app. Technicians can now visualize performance, adjust settings, diagnose errors, and force solenoids directly from their phones, simplifying setup for IO-Link or analog systems.
Learn more.

A new take on indexing plungers

JW Winco has expanded its extensive standard parts range with the GN 823 indexing plunger. Featuring an intuitive operating lever, it allows easy activation with a single finger, even when wearing gloves or out of sight. Available in screw-on or weldable stainless steel variants, this robust component suits both delicate installations and heavy-duty industrial applications. Available in two installation options: screw fastening or welding.
Learn more.

Fast-cure composite for aero and defense manufacturing

Toray Composite Materials America has launched 3960-FC, a fast-cure variant of its high-performance 3960 prepreg system for mission-critical aerospace and defense applications. This material reduces cure time by up to 45% while maintaining proven mechanical performance, stiffness, and exceptional toughness. It is highly compatible with automated manufacturing technologies like AFP and ATL, as well as traditional processing methods.
Learn more.

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.

Sand may provide a cheaper, more environmentally friendly option for building dampers

Engineers have been working to protect buildings, bridges, and other structures from severe weather and natural hazards damage for centuries, but one of the best methods may begin with sand, according to a new published study.

Many high-rise buildings, bridges, and other structures use dampers to mitigate vibrations and absorb vibration energy, reducing the amount of stress placed on the structure's beams and columns. These devices help increase the building's life span, but traditional, liquid-based dampers are costly and difficult to replace.

Sand-filled dampers could provide a less expensive, more sustainable alternative to traditional, viscous-liquid-filled dampers, an Ole Miss civil engineering professor and researcher says. [Credit: Graphic by Cole Russell/University of Mississippi]

The new study, published in the ASCE Journal of Structural Engineering, shows that pressurized sand dampers perform better under extreme temperatures and provide a cheaper, more environmentally friendly option for construction.

"The damper is an energy dissipation device that you use every day," said Liang Cao, incoming University of Mississippi assistant professor of civil engineering. "Every vehicle you drive has dampers to try to reduce vibrations. As civil engineers, we took that concept and applied it to modern structures, but typical dampers are oil-based or really complex mechanisms, and that makes it expensive to build.

"That's where the sand damper comes in. Sand is inexpensive, easy to maintain, and environmentally friendly."

Builders have long used dampers as energy absorbers to reduce damage from high winds, earthquakes, and other events. Traditional dampers are filled with oil or other viscous liquids, meaning if they fail, they can damage the surrounding environment and be expensive to replace, said Kostas Kalfas, assistant professor of structural engineering at Texas State University.

"When viscous dampers are subjected to continuous loading, this can increase the temperature inside the damper housing, resulting in the viscous heating effect that can, in turn, damage the end seals that protect the oil from leaking out," he said.

"We cannot just go and add more silicon oil, because viscous dampers are complicated mechanisms. It needs to be removed completely from the structure and sent back to the manufacturer for them to replace or repair it."

While the dampers are damaged or are in the process of being replaced, the building is more susceptible to vibrations. While severe weather events could cause damage during this time, even normal wind and other weather can affect the building's inhabitants, Cao said.

"In high-rise buildings, even if the structure is fine, too much vibration means people may get motion sickness and can no longer work in that building," he said. "So even if the building is structurally sound, you have an economic loss."

Swaying skyscrapers have also been associated with tiredness, low mood, and difficulty concentrating.

In comparison, pressurized sand dampers can be replaced or repaired within a few hours of being damaged, Kalfas said.

"The sand damper is very easy to build," he said. "This is something that a lay person or a machinist can repair with human strength alone, so you don't have to send it back to the manufacturer."

Cao, Kalfas, James Ricles, professor of civil engineering at Lehigh University, and Usama El Shamy and Nicos Makris, professors of civil and environmental engineering at Southern Methodist University, tested sand dampers at internal temperatures of up to 140 degrees and as low as 42 degrees to ensure they could withstand extreme conditions.

The researchers also analyzed whether wet sand changed the damper's ability to perform and found it did not.

"That means even if the humidity causes moisture to form in the damper, it's still functional," Cao said.

In the next phase, the researchers plan to test the sand dampers designed at Southern Methodist University both through simulations and in real-world situations using a large-scale structure.

"We have already shown that the damper is stable in different temperatures, different conditions, and now we need to do optimization tests for the dampers in dynamic conditions," Cao said. "We want to show the effectiveness and test how it works in a full-scale structural system."

Source: University of Mississippi

Published July 2026

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