It’s not news that Leonardo DaVinci was somewhat ahead of his time, and over the centuries many of the creations in his sketchbooks have been created and proved quite functional. The guys from the ...

They hold together everything from the most delicate watch to the largest bridge. The world is literally kept from coming apart by screws and bolts, and yet we don’t often give a thought to these ...

Tapping screws form mating threads in materials they are driven into. There are two basic types: thread forming and thread cutting. The thread-forming screw displaced material around the pilot hole so ...

Ball-screw drives have long been considered noisy by definition. But companies that buy and use them are increasingly requiring that their machine tools operate more quietly to improve the work ...

If you enjoyed this article, I’d like to ask for your support. Scientific American has served as an advocate for science and industry for 180 years, and right now may be the most critical moment in ...