Democratic Rep. Ilhan Omar (Minnesota) is reportedly drafting articles of impeachment against three Trump administration officials who discussed U.S. plans to bomb Yemen in a Signal group chat that came to light after a journalist was mistakenly added to the chat earlier this month. The controversy, which some in the media have dubbed Signalgate, has plagued the White House this week, with Trump administration officials scrambling to explain why such classified information was being shared so haphazardly on a messaging app. The leaked messages from that group chat show officials ordering and celebrating the bombing of civilians in Yemen, which is a war crime. Several Democratic lawmakers including House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (New York) have called for President Donald Trump to fire the officials involved, or for them to resign from their posts. On Thursday, Axios reported that Omar was planning to draft articles of impeachment against Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, National Security Advisor Michael Waltz and CIA Director John Ratcliffe, all of whom participated in the chat. Pete Hegseth is an embarrassment to Minnesota, Omar wrote on Bluesky on Wednesday. His incompetence and blatantly illegal actions demonstrate he is grossly unfit to lead the Department of Defense.Its currently unclear what specific articles Omar plans to charge the trio with; the charges need not be based on criminal statutes, although those can be included as well. Presidents and executive branch officials can be impeached for high crimes and misdemeanors, a centuries-old term that does not refer to literal crimes but rather abuses or negligence in office. Omars charging document will likely detail how Trump administration officials discussed the details of a highly sensitive military operation on an app and how that app does not save a long-term record of their conversations, which is likely a violation of the Federal Records Act and Administrative Procedure Act. Her articles of impeachment could also discuss how the U.S. airstrikes on Yemen were in violation of international laws relating to the killing of civilians; such laws prohibit targeting nonmilitary buildings, even if there is a military target inside.Rules of engagement that permit destroying an entire civilian apartment building to kill one alleged terrorist is part of Joe Bidens legacy. Its still a war crime though, and Waltzs [and the groups] text is a confession, Matt Duss, executive vice president for the Center for International Policy (CIP), recently said on social media.If Omar does complete the articles of impeachment, they will have little likelihood of being passed. However, she can force a vote on the matter using a privilege motion, which would mean that Republicans would have to publicly vote on whether the impeachment proceedings should commence. Meanwhile, pressure is mounting on Trump to fire at least one official who was involved in the group chat. Some allies close to Trump are saying that individual should be Waltz, NBC News reports, as he was the one who mistakenly invited The Atlantics Jeffrey Goldberg into the chat.Polling shows that most Americans are disturbed by the incident, with a new YouGov survey showing that 74 percent of Americans view the matter as serious, while only 13 percent say they arent concerned.Were not backing down in the face of Trumps threats.As Donald Trump is inaugurated a second time, independent media organizations are faced with urgent mandates: Tell the truth more loudly than ever before. Do that work even as our standard modes of distribution (such as social media platforms) are being manipulated and curtailed by forces of fascist repression and ruthless capitalism. Do that work even as journalism and journalists face targeted attacks, including from the government itself. And do that work in community, never forgetting that were not shouting into a faceless void were reaching out to real people amid a life-threatening political climate.Our task is formidable, and it requires us to ground ourselves in our principles, remind ourselves of our utility, dig in and commit.As a dizzying number of corporate news organizations either through need or greed rush to implement new ways to further monetize their content, and others acquiesce to Trumps wishes, now is a time for movement media-makers to double down on community-first models.At Truthout, we are reaffirming our commitments on this front: We wont run ads or have a paywall because we believe that everyone should have access to information, and that access should exist without barriers and free of distractions from craven corporate interests. We recognize the implications for democracy when information-seekers click a link only to find the article trapped behind a paywall or buried on a page with dozens of invasive ads. The laws of capitalism dictate an unending increase in monetization, and much of the media simply follows those laws. Truthout and many of our peers are dedicating ourselves to following other paths a commitment which feels vital in a moment when corporations are evermore overtly embedded in government.Over 80 percent of Truthouts funding comes from small individual donations from our community of readers, and the remaining 20 percent comes from a handful of social justice-oriented foundations. Over a third of our total budget is supported by recurring monthly donors, many of whom give because they want to help us keep Truthout barrier-free for everyone.You can help by giving today. Whether you can make a small monthly donation or a larger gift, Truthout only works with your support. This article is licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0), and you are free to share and republish under the terms of the license. We need your help to become less dependent on traffic from Facebook and X. Follow us on Bluesky today! Truthout

Not StonksWarframe's latest event has brought back a fan favourite boss, and crashed the stock market for a very special hammerCorpus stock exchange was in turmoil as parts for the Wolf Sledge dropped sharply last night.Image credit: Digital Extremes News by Connor Makar Staff Writer Published on April 3, 2025 Markets took a tumble last night and some traders have been seeing crying and calling family members on Saturn and Venus, as prices for the Wolf Sledge dropped sharply. Warframe, the Sci-fi MMORPG where you can ride a dragon and buy space cats with Platinum released a new event for the Easter season that has absolutely decimated a once reliable trade good.This event, called Wolf Hunt, reintroduces assassination missions for lovable prison reform activist The Wolf of Saturn Six. First added to the game back in 2019, the Wolf was a pretty tough big boss that came out alongside the game's first Nightwave battle pass. When killed by players, he had a chance to drop parts for his trademark hammer. It's a special hammer too, which you can throw at enemies to deal...ranged melee damage. Gimmicky sure, but fun. More importantly, rare!To see this content please enable targeting cookies. Not only were the original drop rates for the parts low, the Wolf was largely removed from the game alongside with his parts after Nightwave season one concluded. The only way to fight him again was by using a Wolf Beacon, a special item that can be occasionally bought by from the Nightwave store through Nightwave cred offerings. Even still, the drop rates remained low, forcing many players to group up into dedicated Wolf hunting groups to maximize their chances of getting the parts they wanted.A weapon people want, in limited supply? That sounds to me like the making of a valuable good! Enter the Warframe economy and trading community, the financial backbone that allows players to trade their in-game items for other items, or the in-game currency - Platinum. It's a popular-end game activity for those who have that one mod or digital goodie they desperately want, and more currency than time. It's also how some players have managed to play the completionist in the MMORPG without spending any money whatsoever, by farming stuff and selling it on to others.Wolf Sledge parts, with their low drop rate and relative scarcity, have proven invaluable for those looking to make a decent chunk of change over the years. If you go to Warframe Market and look at the last 90 days of trades for the Wolf Sledge set, the entire set was selling for around 70 Platinum in decent quantaties. 90 Platinum is around $4.70/3.70 or your regional equivalent. Not super expensive, but an honest paycheck for humble space farmers.But then the Wolf Hunt event comes in, which offers players all the parts and the blueprint for the Wolf Sledge guaranteed just for completing four Assassination missions, and the price for Wolf Sledge parts...well... It's a run on the bank! | Image credit: VG247 / Warframe marketOh no... As you can see from this screenshot, it's taken a tumble. Now, in the long run, this may well recover over time! But the sheer amount of extra Wolf Sledge supply that has hit the community will be felt for a while. It has also perhaps killed the Wolf Sledge farm groups, at least for now, which is sad. But they died for a good cause, spiritually ascending while the people get to throw around big hammers.All jokes aside, this is a cool event and a good thing for the vast majority of players. There'll be a few people out there with piles of Wolf Sledge parts in their inventory, but their financial loss is the world's gain. Finally, people will be able to try out a genuinely fun and niche weapon. If you want to invest some time and forma into it, here's a hint: grab your Chroma warframe and subsume in Kullervo's Wraithful Advance ability. Use it with Chroma's Vex Armour for massive melee damage boosts. Build your Chroma for ability strength and melee damage, some heavy attack mods on the Wolf Sledge itself, and go HAM.

SWITCH 2Nintendo Switch 2 first hands-on: more of the same is pretty brilliant when you're following up one of the best consoles of all timeThe Switch 2 is less that difficult second album and more like that triumphant extended edition victory lap Article by Alex Donaldson Assistant Editor Published on April 3, 2025 Nintendo is a company that has made reinventing the wheel into no big deal. For the house of Mario, overhaul is simply habitual - and in many ways, that dedication to rejuvenation and bringing a constant stream of the new has been the company's secret sauce. That reinvention gave us the Switch's unique form factor, and the Wii Remote. But, let's be fair - it also gave us the Wii U. Those greater leaps forward carry a greater risk of a fall.The Nintendo Switch 2 is different. Nintendo might be exceedingly careful with its words and make plain that the Switch 2 is somehow 'more', but let's strip away the polished veneer of marketing speak and say the quiet part out loud: the Switch 2 is a gently iterative upgrade to the Nintendo Switch. At a first hands-on, there is no loud 'wow moment' revelation about the hardware. Instead, I'm treated to a smorgasbord of minor surprises that add up to a greater whole. To deploy the cliche, the Switch 2 feels like more than the sum of its parts.Sometimes, its okay to be iterative. The Switch 2 is iterative in the exact way that the Super Nintendo was iterative - and thats one of the best consoles of all time.To see this content please enable targeting cookies. Lets talk about the hardware itself. I dont know what to say, really, other than to get real reductive and say that it is nicer. Its sturdier in the hands. Joy-cons now attach with powerful magnets, which means that weirdly cheap-feeling loose feeling of the joy-cons on rails is gone. The joy-cons are slightly larger, leading to a better feel in the hand. It generally just feels like a more high-end product - but perhaps more than that, it feels like Nintendo is comfortable with what theyre making here to a level that has a positive impact on the hardwares presence in the hand.The Switch 2 hides new tricks, of course. A lot of stuff is simply improved - HD Rumble is better, the machine is more powerful, the screen is nicer (though painfully, still an LCD). New gimmicks are, by Nintendos standards, relatively few and far between. But where they are, theyre screamers. In a good way.A favorite of mine is the ability to use joy-cons as a mouse device. On paper, in a trailer, this looks like that sort of vague gimmick that Nintendo will use a few times to great effect and then abandon. But in practice, no this is clearly something more. Its use in cute mini-games in the Welcome Tour delights - but the real test comes in Metroid Prime 4. Lots of new bits for the hardware.Playing a Metroid game at 120 frames per second with mouselook really feels illegal, and yet here it is - its real, on real hardware, and executed with a genius flourish. In Prime, mouse controls are constantly available; all you need to do is place the right joy-con into the mouse position, while the other continues to handle your movement. This means you can flick back and forth between traditional controls and mouselook instantly, with no menu navigation or settings flips. I integrated this into how I was playing the game proper - Id hold the joy-cons more traditionally when scanning stuff and solving puzzles, but whenever combat got intense Id slip into mouselook mode.Its a brilliant, clever addition. Metroid is one demo, but Nintendo has other implementations, and so do third-parties - including full-on mouse pointer implementation in the Switch 2 version of Civilization 7. That makes it, instantly, the best console version of that game, by the way. Chalk up a win there.And of course I mentioned 120fps, the signifier of the power of this hardware. It is more powerful. Looking at higher-end games running on it, games were used to playing on PS5 and Xbox Series X, one can see why Nintendo has secured so many ports with ease. The brilliant Split Fiction looks great by the standards of a piece of portable hardcore. Elden Ring and Cyberpunk likewise. Though problems already rear their head here and there.Cyberpunk runs pretty damn well in docked mode, on a telly - but in handheld, I was taken aback: as presented at this hands-on, that is frankly not a version of the game Id recommend - even if the docked version is. I was sort of surprised they were showing it in handheld at all, such was its performance in Dogtown, the heavy-load DLC area of the game which skipped last-gen hardware due to its heft. We saw all these sorts of caveats and balances with Switch - and its clear they will persist on Switch 2. Dock it and pull it. | Image credit: NintendoOver on Nintendos side, for its part, there seems to be a relishing in the power. Mario Kart is bigger and more expansive than ever, though it does admittedly look much the same. Donkey Kong Bananza both looks and feels like a suped-up Super Mario Odyssey, with the structure of solving many small puzzles to rapidly gather many bananas rather than explicit stages to complete. Its good looking, and the core mechanic of smashing everything up and deforming terrain appears to be a minor technological flex, even if this sort of tech appeared in Red Faction generations ago. Call this one Red Faction Gorilla. Geddit?Im going to write more about the specific games in the coming days, as I spent four-plus hours experiencing as many of them as I could. But the long and the short of it is well, you know that meme of that cover of the book titled Identifying Wood? In it, a bearded bloke is looking through an eyepiece, closely examining what is obviously, clearly wood. Well, playing the Switch 2 for the first time yep, thats a Nintendo Switch. Just better.I get the impression that Nintendo might be vaguely nervous about this. I can see why. Heres a relatively samey machine, with some relatively samey games - Mario Kart and Metroid are known quantities, and though there hasnt been a proper 3D Donkey Kong for over a quarter century, playing it I quickly drew parallels to Odyssey. A feeling of the familiar, and of the safe, pervades. If Im drawing a comparison in Nintendos hardware history, Im thinking about the jump from the Game Boy Color to the Game Boy Advance: its iterative, and mostly about things like the display and processing power rather than changing the way you play games forevermore. But thats okay.The Nintendo Switch is one of the best consoles ever made. But its also creaking and ancient technologically, and flawed, if softly, in its execution. The Switch 2 is less that difficult second album and more like that triumphant extended edition victory lap - but with enough extra power to justify the generational leap. As always, the ultimate barometer will be in software - but as a piece of hardware, Im already on board.

Image: NintendoMetroid Prime 4: Beyond being cross-gen was inevitable. After a near two-decade wait for a sequel and a handful of delays, including a return from series developer Retro Studios, the game needed to land with a bang. And boy did it when it re-emerged during the June 2024 Nintendo Direct.We've seen it twice since, and each time it's impressed more and more. Yet the latest time, during the Switch 2 Direct, all the gloves were off despite little gameplay. A Switch 2 Edition, 4K, 120fps in performance mode, and smooth 60fps in handheld? And then we got to play it.Subscribe to Nintendo Life on YouTube801kWatch on YouTube More than any other game we tried on Switch 2, Metroid Prime 4 makes the case for Nintendo's more powerful successor. All of our 15 minutes of demo time were spend savouring every single light particle, rain droplet, laser beam, and alien goo. It's safe to say that this is a stunning-looking game on Switch 2, and it was already looking fairly nice on the original hardware.Images: NintendoThe demo took us through the opening moments of Samus' adventure, where she and a crew of Galactic Federation soldiers are called to the planet Tenmaar after a distress call from one of the Federation's facilities. Watching Samus' spaceship throttle through the galaxy and descend on this new planet, it sets the tone for a hectic and dangerous opening section.Everything is so shiny; the spaceship, Samus' visor, and the glow of Samus' cannon as she blasts down the Space Pirates. It's hard not to gawk at the level of detail as you walk through the rocky pathway and see flames lick through the remains of Federation ships. If this is the standard for the Switch 2 Editions, then my goodness, Nintendo has set a high bar. This might be the best-looking game Nintendo has ever put out.Even though we wanted to admire the sights and sounds of this new planet, the game wastes no time throwing you into the action. Almost every single room was filled with Space Pirates in the demos and we had to work with the Federation Force to take them all out. This is essentially a tutorial stage after all, getting you to grips with donning the orange suit once again. Luckily, if you've played any other game in the series, you'll know immediately that this feels right in an almost back to basics sense.Images: NintendoSamus has access to her arm cannon, missiles, and charge shot, and she can use bombs when in Morph Ball mode. It's a seamless transition if you've played Metroid Prime Remastered, and it controls exactly the same. The gyro aiming is excellent too, and felt extremely accurate as we swapped seamlessly between using that, the control stick, and Mouse Mode.That last point is another area where Metroid Prime 4 shines if you like using Mouse controls, at least. Placing the right Joy-Con down, we could control Samus' movement as normal in our left hand, while essentially controlling her right arm and her "vision" with our right arm. Just like the gyro aiming, Mouse Mode is incredibly accurate and responsive, with no delays in turning and facing enemies quickly. You can still use lock-on by holding down the ZR here too, which helps you zip between foes even quicker.It's an adjustment if you've never played an FPS with a mouse before, but it makes so much sense in Prime 4. Plus, the fact that you can change your mind simply by lifting the right Joy-Con off of the desk (or your lap) is a little bit mind-blowing. This is going to be the preferred gameplay method for many, and it's a fantastic showcase for the new feature.Image: NintendoOf course, it wouldn't be a Prime game without a big boss, and Aberax forces you to put everything you've refamiliarised yourself with into action. It's built like a classic puzzle boss, encouraging you to aim for weak spots while using Samus' deft sidestepping abilities, space jump, and morph ball to avoid getting hit. But there's a catch the weak spots, actually infectious areas as a result of a Metroid bite, occasionally shield themselves from damage.Locking on during this boss fight might not always be the best option, and this is where Mouse Mode really clicked for us. The precision of being able to hover over the weak spot until it's vulnerable ups the tension and the ante, and as your jumping and moving around, even one stray movement from your right hand might be a missed shot or opportunity to blast the Metroid pustule away. It's stressful in the best possible way.Images: NintendoAs the fight progresses, the creature's pustules multiply, and it starts throwing out more attacks that require you to watch its arm movements or its positioning. One laser wall arm swipe might require a quick double jump, but the next might need you to roll into that lil' Morph Ball.Aberax's defeat marked the end of the demo, and even with the learning curve of using the mouse, we haven't been able to stop thinking about the possibilities of spectacle in the Switch 2 Edition. Samus is getting the big-budget, beautiful-looking game she deserves; we'll be scanning our way through Tenmaar as soon as we can.

A closer look at some Switch 2 gameplay.We're still recovering from yesterday's Switch 2 blowout, but Nintendo isn't hitting the brakes just yet.The first of two Nintendo Treehouse presentations is set to kick off in the next half an hour, promising to run us through some hands-on gameplay from a selection of the Switch 2 titles we saw yesterday.Read the full article on nintendolife.com

Spotify announced Gen AI ads, among other changes to its advertising business, at an event in New York City on Thursday. Notably, the company introduced a new programmatic offering, the Spotify Ad Exchange (SAX), which allows advertisers to reach Spotifys logged-in users via real-time auctions. Expanding on the SAX news, Spotify said it inked new partnerships with Googles demand-side platform, Dispay & Video 360, and Magnite, with Yahoo DSP, Adform, and others to come soon. The Trade Desk is also supported. SAX will offer full addressability and measurement capabilities, the company said.Partners will initially be able to advertise within Spotifys audio, video, and display formats across music, with podcast support on the way. SAX will be available in the U.S., Canada, Europe, Australia, New Zealand, India, Singapore, Brazil, and Mexico.In another major announcement, the company said its integrating AI into its advertising offerings by allowing marketers to use Gen AI to create scripts and voiceovers for their audio ads using Spotify Ads Manager in the U.S. and Canada. Spotify says the use of its AI tools will come at no additional cost to advertisers. Image Credits:SpotifyThe changes were pitched to marketers as a way to reach the coveted Gen Z demographic, who access the streaming service throughout the day, not just when theyre engaged directly with the app and looking at the screen. The company touted that it now has over 251 million Gen Z users on its service.

TechCrunch All Stage the ultimate founder summit is shaping up to be a powerhouse event where 1,200 founders and VCs across all stages will come together to forge meaningful connections and gain practical insights they can immediately apply to scale their startups. Join us on July 15 at SoWa Power Station in Boston and be part of the conversation with scaling experts. Register now and save up to $210!Image Credits:TechCrunchAdding even more value to this already-packed agenda, were excited to announce that Jahanvi Sardana, partner at Index Ventures, has joined the breakout session lineup. Sardana will dive into the critical elements of assessing total addressable market (TAM), revealing how the best startups dont just size markets they create them.Using case studies from high-growth companies such as Datadog, Adyen, Wiz, Shopify, and Airbnb, she will explore how these businesses identified emerging trends, eliminated friction, and expanded their TAM beyond initial projections. This session is essential for founders aiming to build companies that will shape the future of their industries.This is your opportunity to get direct answers from Jahanvi on scaling challenges and learn what it truly takes to propel your business forward.Meet Jahanvi SardanaAs a B2B investor, Jahanvi Sardana specializes in cybersecurity, enterprise software, and fintech, investing across seed to pre-IPO stages. She thrives on partnering with founders who embody grit the secret ingredient that sets high performers apart. Its the perfect mix of passion, persistence, and stamina that turns visionary ideas into reality.Prior to Index Ventures, Jahanvi was at Stripes, a growth equity firm in New York, where she focused on cybersecurity, fintech, and SaaS investments. Her career began in private equity at Aquiline Capital Partners.Unlock must-know strategies for startup successDont miss this session at TC All Stage plus more led by industry leaders like Charles Hudson, founder and managing partner at Precursor Ventures; Brandon Krieg, co-CEO and co-founder at Stash; and many others. This is your opportunity to ask scaling questions, build game-changing connections, and, for VCs, discover the next big investment. Register now and save over $200 on a Founder or Investor Pass!

Movie & Games TrailersBlack Mirror Season 7By Vincent Frei - 03/04/2025 Black Mirror is back! The dark and twisted anthology from Charlie Brooker returns in 2025 with six new episodesone of which revisits the sci-fi nightmare of USS Callister! Watch the first trailer now and prepare for another mind-bending season!The Production VFX Supervisor is James MacLachlan.The Production VFX Producer is Josie Henwood.Creator: Charlie BrookerRelease Date: April 10, 2025 (Netflix) Vincent Frei The Art of VFX 2025

Polish 3D printer manufacturer Sinterit has introduced SUZY, a compact Selective Laser Sintering (SLS) 3D printer designed to deliver high-resolution prints with consistency and efficiency.Engineered for precision, SUZY offers a layer height of 0.075 mm (0.003 in) on the Z-axis, aimed at producing intricate geometries and complex features that can be challenging to achieve with other methods. This fine resolution caters to applications requiring high detail, such as small-scale prototypes, functional components, and detailed end-use parts, setting a high standard for detail in the compact SLS market.The manufacturer has invited potential users to request a free sample print, offering a straightforward way for customers to evaluate SUZYs performance for themselves.SUZY SLS 3D printer. Image via Sinterit.High-resolution printing with PA12 compatibilityOptimized for PA12 Industrial, a widely used material in SLS technology, SUZY operates within a controlled environment to promote consistent print quality, minimize powder waste, and ensure robust mechanical properties in printed parts.PA12 Industrial is known for its durability, chemical resistance, and mechanical strength, making it suitable for producing parts that require both functional performance and reliability. This combination of efficiency, durability, and repeatability supports its use in various sectors, including automotive, aerospace, and manufacturing.SUZY also aims to balance performance and practicality. With a printing speed of up to 20 mm/h (0.79 in/h) and a relatively large build volume, it delivers capabilities comparable to industrial-grade systems while maintaining a compact footprint.Its speed and capacity are intended to facilitate rapid prototyping and small-batch production, which could appeal to businesses seeking high-quality SLS printing without substantial financial investment.The 3D printers compatibility with modern factory systems through API connectivity allows for remote monitoring and control, which aligns with Industry 4.0 standards. This approach could streamline workflows for companies aiming to automate their production processes or enhance scalability.Additionally, compliance with these standards may assist businesses in applying for European Union (EU) funding, where digitalization and smart manufacturing are often prioritized.Safety considerations have also been factored into SUZYs design, especially when working with PA12 Industrial powder. Its construction aims to minimize powder exposure, contributing to a user-friendly and clean working environment.Despite its compact size, the Performance Set requires less than 2m of workspace, potentially appealing to users with limited operational space.As a successor to its Lisa 3D printer, Sinterit has described SUZYs printing capabilities as a result of extensive testing and refinement, emphasizing its ability to address complex shapes and demanding design requirements.Part 3D printed on SUZY. Photo via Sinterit.Technical specifications and pricingThe new SUZY SLS 3D printer is priced at Starting at just 17,590 (approx. $19,490). For more details, interested customers can visit the website or contact the company, here.Dimensions650 x 610 x 1200 mm,25.6 24.0 x 47.2 inWeight150 kg, 330.7 lbsMax size of print diagonally398 mm, 15.7 inMax print volumePA: 130 x 180 x 330 mm, 5.16.713.3 inLayer height0.075 mm, 0.003 inBuild Speedup to 20 mm/h, 0.79 in/hLaser typeIR Fiber Coupled Diode Laser, 30(W); = 976 3 (nm) rated to > 30,000 hrsLaser scanner typeGalvoSoftwareSinterit StudioSupported file typesSTL, 3MF, OBJ, 3DS, FBX, DAEOS compatibilityMicrosoft Windows 10 or higherOperating voltage230 (V) AC, 50/60 (Hz), 7.5 (A) or 100-120 (V) AC, 50/60 (Hz), 15 (A)Average power consumption0.85 (kW)Max power consumption1.65 (kW)What3D printing trendsshould you watch out for in 2025?How is thefuture of 3D printingshaping up?To stay up to date with the latest 3D printing news, dont forget to subscribe to the 3D Printing Industry newsletter or follow us on Twitter, or like our page on Facebook.While youre here, why not subscribe to our Youtube channel? Featuring discussion, debriefs, video shorts, and webinar replays.Featured image shows the SUZY SLS 3D printer. Image via Sinterit.

A peer-reviewed article published via ScienceDirect in Procedia Computer Science investigates how additive manufacturing (AM) is reshaping key areas of supply chain management. Conducted by Andrea Balloni, Laura Monferdini, and Eleonora Bottani from the Department of Engineering for Industrial Systems and Technologies at the University of Parma, the study analyzed 157 academic articles published between 2014 and 2023.Using the Scopus database as a primary source, the researchers mapped how AM affects procurement, facility location, inventory strategy, distribution, and reverse logistics. The review highlights growing academic interest in the system-wide implications of AM and identifies gaps in modeling, material compatibility, and recycling research.Europe leads in output, but the United States dominates topic leadershipArticles were selected through keyword-based searches organized into supply chain topics. Europe contributed 43% of the publications, followed by the United States at 25%. India and China added 7.5% and 6.5%, respectively. Within Europe, the United Kingdom and Germany each produced 5.7% of the articles; Italy followed at 5.1%.In every topic categoryprocurement, facility location, inventory, distribution, reverse logistics, sustainability, and cross-sectional studiesthe United States had the highest number of contributions. India ranked second in system-wide studies, while Italy appeared frequently in discussions of location, distribution, and sustainability.Article frequency increased significantly after 2018, with nearly 80% of studies published between 2019 and 2023. The authors attribute this spike to increased industrial adoption of AM and global disruptions that exposed weaknesses in traditional supply chains.Papers addressing multiple supply chain topics simultaneously made up 20% of the corpus and received the highest citation rates. These studies focused on AMs broader impact on how companies source, produce, store, move, and recover materials and products.Inventory and distribution studies followed in frequency. In inventory-related work, AM was repeatedly cited as enabling a shift from make-to-stock models toward make-to-order configurations. Chekurov et al. studied this effect in spare parts supply chains, finding that AM reduced inventory requirements, minimized obsolescence risk, and lowered response times to fluctuating demand.Distribution-focused papers emphasized the consolidation of assembly stages. AM allows multiple parts to be fabricated in a single operation, reducing the number of transport steps and enabling localized final production. This alters the flow of logisticsfrom finished goods to raw materialsand decreases cross-border shipments in decentralized manufacturing systems.Distribution of topics in AM supply chain literature. Image via Science Direct.Procurement transitions toward material-centric sourcingSourcing practices are shifting from component acquisition to specialized raw materials. AM users often require metal powders or engineered polymers tailored to specific printer systems. These materials are commonly procured directly from equipment manufacturers.This reconfiguration of procurement could lead to market concentration. Firms focused on feedstock production may become more prominent as material quality increasingly determines the success of AM operations. Balloni and colleagues note that changes in material transport volumes may followprioritizing raw material movement over that of components or semi-finished goods.Additive processes support the decentralization of production, at least in principle. Several studies suggested that AM can reduce dependence on large, centralized manufacturing hubs by enabling smaller, strategically located production sites. This is particularly effective in industries with irregular demand, geometric complexity, or a need for customization.The authors challenged that assumption, arguing that economic and technical constraints still limit AMs viability for large-scale deployment. Issues include slower build speeds, reduced economies of scale, and high material costs. For now, organizations with pre-existing regional infrastructuresuch as maintenance depots or distributed service centersare better positioned to integrate AM at a localized level.Reverse logistics studies center on recycling feasibilityLiterature on reverse logistics and sustainability frequently overlapped. AM was seen as compatible with circular economy models, especially in relation to plastics. Santander et al. developed a mathematical model for decentralized recycling in fused deposition modeling (FDM), where recovered plastic waste is turned into printable filament locally. Their results showed economic benefits due to cost savings on virgin feedstock and environmental benefits from reduced emissions in material transport.In metal AM, recycling remains a technical challenge. Creating printable powders requires atomization processes that are rarely feasible outside centralized facilities. The authors note that this centralization continues to dominate due to the capital investment required and the consistent quality standards it enables.Research also identified doubts about customer perception of recycled inputs and whether decentralized treatment systems can meet performance criteria. Although there is theoretical alignment between AM and sustainable production, practical integration remains limited by infrastructure and cost.Across all supply chain areas, studies often failed to specify industry focus. In the reverse logistics category, 100% of articles omitted sectoral context. For sustainability, 86% did not mention application domains.Where industries were named, spare parts, aerospace, biomedical, and automotive were most commonly discussed. In inventory and distribution categories, the spare parts sector appeared in 20% of studies, reflecting AMs flexibility and relevance to unpredictable maintenance schedules. Aerospace and biomedical applications were cited in discussions on design complexity and customization.Research on the fashion sector, though sparse, highlighted AMs potential to enable innovative geometries and reduce production waste. Other sectorssuch as toys, eyewear, or plastic reformingwere mentioned only occasionally.Research methods by topic and keywords analysis. Image via ScienceDirect.Qualitative research dominates; modeling tools underusedQualitative methods, including literature reviews, case studies, and interviews, dominated the research landscape. These approaches were prevalent in procurement, distribution, and sustainability topics.Quantitative studies were more common in inventory management. Tools such as the Supply Chain Operations Reference (SCOR) model and multi-criteria decision methods (MCDMs) were used to simulate decision-making frameworks and system behavior. Simulation modeling also appeared in a few studies focused on facility location and distribution scenarios.The review notes that limited access to performance data across industries and the wide variability of AM technologies restrict the development of robust, cross-domain modeling. Researchers were more likely to analyze conceptual opportunities and constraints than to present statistically validated findings.A keyword analysis revealed recurring terms tied to technology and supply chain functionality. Additive manufacturing, 3D printing, spare parts, and distributed manufacturing were common across all categories. In inventory, frequently paired keywords included safety inventory and make-to-order, supporting observations about reduced buffer stock requirements.Spare parts supply chains received particular attention in studies on distribution and inventory, often in connection with aerospace components and high-value mechanical systems. Across the review, the authors observed that distributed manufacturing was most prevalent in studies on inventory, production location, and distributionindicating consensus on AMs potential to reduce centralized dependency, even if implementation remains constrained.Research gaps include bioplastics, material compatibility, and stock strategyFew studies investigated how recycled materials could be processed to meet the functional demands of different AM technologies. The review also found that bioplastics were rarely mentioned, despite growing interest in biodegradable and bio-derived feedstocks.While the shift toward make-to-order production was often described, few articles explored how this change affects inventory policysuch as safety stock levels, procurement cycles, or raw material holding strategies. Likewise, there was limited work on intellectual property issues in distributed production environments.Balloni, Monferdini, and Bottani conclude that additive manufacturings capacity to reshape supply chains is real but constrained by technological maturity, cost structure, and supply ecosystem dependencies. As AM continues to evolve, future research will need to address not only production methods but also the infrastructure, data models, and materials science that make integration viable.Ready to discover who won the 20243D Printing Industry Awards?Subscribe to the 3D Printing Industry newsletter to stay updated with the latest news and insights.Featured image shows annual publication trend across AM supply chain topics. Image via Science Direct.Anyer Tenorio LaraAnyer Tenorio Lara is an emerging tech journalist passionate about uncovering the latest advances in technology and innovation. With a sharp eye for detail and a talent for storytelling, Anyer has quickly made a name for himself in the tech community. Anyer's articles aim to make complex subjects accessible and engaging for a broad audience. In addition to his writing, Anyer enjoys participating in industry events and discussions, eager to learn and share knowledge in the dynamic world of technology.