I found a thread with a pic of an older HS3540 axle from back when they used to fit a key, you will notice in the pic you cant see a key way because it is on the opposite side to the wire channel, unlike the pic of the more recent broken one in my post a little further up.
http://endless-sphere.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=31&t=54417
Since they have been machining the axles with the key way on the wrong side they have not been using a key but relying purely on the grip of the "spline" to handle the torque reaction. I don't think anyone needs to worry about them slipping, the axles are made oversize and pressed in to a hole that is smaller than the axle. part of the splines purpose is to give the excess metal somewhere to go when it is displaced during installation. They are so tight if pressed out by applying force to the end of the threaded section it often snaps off, pushing from the shoulder at the und of the thread can also mushroom the shaft increasing its dia, what I am trying to say is that if the axle where clamped by its flats and the stator rotated in an attempt to make it slip the axle will snap before the stator slipped.
http://endless-sphere.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=31&t=54417
Since they have been machining the axles with the key way on the wrong side they have not been using a key but relying purely on the grip of the "spline" to handle the torque reaction. I don't think anyone needs to worry about them slipping, the axles are made oversize and pressed in to a hole that is smaller than the axle. part of the splines purpose is to give the excess metal somewhere to go when it is displaced during installation. They are so tight if pressed out by applying force to the end of the threaded section it often snaps off, pushing from the shoulder at the und of the thread can also mushroom the shaft increasing its dia, what I am trying to say is that if the axle where clamped by its flats and the stator rotated in an attempt to make it slip the axle will snap before the stator slipped.