You can trust VideoGamer. Our team of gaming experts spend hours testing and reviewing the latest games, to ensure you're reading the most comprehensive guide possible. Rest assured, all imagery and advice is unique and original. Check out how we test and review games here Contents hide Dead By Daylight has a lot of plans outlined in the March 2025 roadmap. Unfortunately, these plans include a month-long sale for the Hellraiser DLC chapter thanks to Pinhead leaving. While it will be sad to say farewell to the BDSM torturer, the good news is that BeHaviour has confirmed some DBD Hellraiser content that will stay in the game after Pinheads removal.BeHaviour has confirmed that Pinhead is leaving Dead By Daylight as a killer on April 4th. This means the Hellraiser Chapter and Cenobite killer will no longer be purchasable.Right now, DBD fans can still buy the Hellraiser chapter and Pinhead cosmetics from the in-game store for 50% off. The chapter is no longer purchasable from the PSN, Microsoft, or Steam store, but it can still be bought from the Nintendo eShop until March 13th.BeHaviour hasnt provided any explanation as for why Pinhead is leaving Dead By Daylight, but its likely because of licensing issues. There was the removal of Stranger Things in the past in 2021, and it was brought back to DBD in 2023. Hopefully the same can happen for Hellraiser, but nothing is certain so fans should consider the master of pain well and truly gone.Hellraiser content that will stay in DBDIn an official FAQ, BeHaviour has confirmed Hellraiser content that will stay in Dead By Daylight despite Pinhead leaving.Per BeHaviour, The Cenobites three perks will remain unlockable in his bloodweb with the original names and flavour text, if you have already unlocked the character prior to April 4th. If you havent unlocked The Cenobite, the good news is that the perks will appear in the General perk pool to be available to unlock on any other Killer immediately. The only condition is that These General perks will appear under new names.In addition, after April 4th, owners of Pinhead will still be able to level him as normal and unlock his three Prestige Cosmetics as well as the three Perk Charms. While his Prestige cosmetics will remain unlockable, any other cosmetics will need to be purchased from the in-game store before his departure date.Achievements for Pineahd will remain also, but they will be made into generic achievements so they are not character specific. Furthermore, BeHaviour are making the Lament Configuration Charm available to ALL players who have unlocked The Cenobite, whether that was through the DLC or by Auric Cells within the game.Lastly, on X, BeHaviour has confirmed Pinheads voice lines will remain in the game for players who own The Cenobite. The developer will also continue to support the killer in future updates with balance changes and fixes if necessary, but fans should expect him to be lower down the totem pole compared to other killers.For more Dead By Daylight content, check out ourranking of the top 10 DLC expansions to buyalong with a ranking of thebest killer perksandbest survivor perks.Dead by DaylightPlatform(s):Google Stadia, Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series XGenre(s):Action, Survival Horror7VideoGamerRelated TopicsDead by Daylight Subscribe to our newsletters!By subscribing, you agree to our Privacy Policy and may receive occasional deal communications; you can unsubscribe anytime.Share

It is not only President Trump who believes the mainstream media is fake news. In fact, most of his fans agree, with a majority of Republicans saying that they have no trust in the mainstream media, according to recent Gallup polling.The key takeaway: 59% of Republicans polled by Gallup in late 2024 responded none at all when asked if they have faith that the media reports the news fully, accurately and fairly. That slice has more than doubled in size since 2015 the year President Trump first announced his candidacy for the 2016 election when 27% of Republicans said they had no trust in the media. Another 29% of Republicans answered that they have not much confidence in the media bringing it to 88% of self-identified conservatives who have little or no trust in the media. It is also worth noting how far apart Democrats and Republicans are on this issue; only 6% of Democrats told Gallup that they had no trust in the mass media to report stories accurately. That figure among Dems hit a high-point in 2015, when 16% said they had no trust in the media. Gallup, which initially released its media survey results in October 2024, took a deeper dive into its results last week. The chart below shows how Republican have become increasingly disillusioned with the media in the past decade.The same survey found American trust in the mainstream media is at an all-time low, with only 31% of citizens saying they trust the media to accurately report stories. In 1976, soon after the Watergate Scandal, 72% of Americans said they trusted the media. As TheWrap has previously reported, the decline in trust in the mainstream media has led to more people turning to YouTube for news. Gallups survey data is based on 1,007 respondents who were at least 18 years old.

Gimmie the EDWMonster Hunter Wilds's story may be mid, but it's also a great pay-off to one of the series' oldest mysteriesNow that we're in the ruins of the ancient civilization, there's one monster that appears to harken back to old lore.Image credit: Capcom Article by Connor Makar Staff Writer Published on March 5, 2025 Cards on the table: I'm a real story guy. I love me lore, wiki rabbit holes, and two-hour YouTube breakdowns. I have fallen to sleep to more gaming essays and deep dives than I'd care to admit, and as such have a fondness for obscure secrets in the games I play. Monster Hunter Wilds, story-wise, has people torn - and I totally get why - but it also might just have paid homage to one of the series' oldest mysteries.This article contains spoilers for the entire low rank story of Monster Hunter Wilds - you have been warned!That mystery is linked to the ancient civilisation, the ruins of which players have been able to discover and hunt around throughout the series' life. Wilds, however, places this era at the core of its narrative. Starting at the icy cliffs, you're surrounded by what's left of Wyveria, even moreso once you hop into the final major hunting zone - literally called the Ruins of Wyveria.To see this content please enable targeting cookies. Now, while Wyveria is this new-found aspect to the lore, the ancient civilization itself has been known about by players for a while. In short, we've known that people were vibing with all manner of technical advancements, we know they were killing monsters at absurd levels. They even used dragon parts to build massive towers all over the place. This, as you can imagine, perturbed the monsters somewhat. All of this culminated in the big naughty event dubbed "The Forbidden Act", in which the ancient civilization created artificial life, though doing so would require another living creature to die.That last part should immediately start raising the eyebrows of Monster Hunter Wilds players, as a good chunk of the game is spent discovering (and ultimately dealing with) "Guardian Monsters" - artificial monsters created ages ago and kept in cocoons. While this appears to be a direct link to this lore, there's still one important detail - beloved by fans - that might just make an appearance in Wilds. The Equal Dragon Weapon (or EDW).Now, the EDW first showed up in concept art for the very first Monster Hunter game, but never actually made its way into any other Monster Hunter project. It is, therefore, non-canon. It was this Frankenstein-esque creation made from 30 different monsters, cobbled together by metal plates and framework. It's proper grim stuff, and probably too dark for the original Monster Hunter games. In the minds of many fans, including myself, it appears as though Guardians (and a very special monster that we'll touch on in a second) are an evolution of, or at least callback to, this original EDW idea. I mean look at this thing! Very cool, if a little dark. | Image credit: CapcomEnter Zoh Shia, the final boss of the low-rank Monster Hunter Wilds story. This boss is an artificial monster, too, and has distinct features that looks as though they come from different dragons. As you proceed through the fight, the white head armour cracks open to reveal a black dragon face and massive black wings (itself a lore bombshell).It also appears to use attacks similar to the black dragon Fatalis in this later stage, lending merit to the idea that it was an ancient dragon created with the DNA of - or even straight up parts of - old dragons, all hidden behind a Wyvern Milk shell.In Wilds, Zoh Shia is described as the "ultimate weapon" of the ancient civilization and ultimately what caused it to collapse, sealed away by the keepers. In my mind, either Zoh Shia and the Guardian monsters are the canon version of the EDWs (with Zoh Shia as the pinnacle of that effort), or a later step in the ancient civilisations's artificial life creation process. Either way, it's a fantastic callback for older Monster Hunter players, and adds layers to the story the only deepens the appeal of the series. The Shia scale of it! | Image credit: VG247And it makes the setting of Wilds all the more exciting. There are bookshelves full of information on the ancient civilisations that the bozo Keepers can't even read, and nothing but time for the Hunters to dig through 'em and uncover more secrets. Older Monster Hunter games have established that discovered ancient civilisation files and notes detail mysterious monsters we've never seen. Maybe they'll show up!And maybe, just maybe, in a room, in a cocoon, behind some locked door The Keepers never bothered to open, an actual EDW is sitting there. The stage has been set for more information about the past to surface, and it opens up Wilds to all kinds of exciting reveals and revelations. It's got me damn excited to see what Wilds has coming in the coming months and years.

Squidding ItHelldivers 2's Illuminate massacred 83 million innocent murderers in their first 50 days, and despite moderately feeble backup, things on the squid front seem about to get worseYou may need to add to the running total of 275 million hugs given in order to feel a bit better about the war's current state.Image credit: Arrowhead News by Mark Warren Senior Staff Writer Published on March 5, 2025 Sorry, I come bearing bad news. I don't just say that because it involves maths. Ok, maybe I do. Helldivers 2 developer Arrowhead has shared some stats about the amount of stuff that's died in the Galactic War so far, and it's seemigly come at a bit of an ironic time, with Super Earth looking pretty on-the-ropes in the latest MO.Maybe it's natural this would happen after players were rightly given a bit of an auto-victory in their last order due to the whole Galactic War hiatus caused by a pesky bug (not the Terminid kind). Or perhaps that's why Arrowhead's shared this data - to try and serve as stat smelling salts and get everyone going again.To see this content please enable targeting cookies. Anyway, what to hear about death? Good, because as of January 31, the Helldivers had killed 280 billion baddies in total, while also wiping out 38.5 million of their own troops via frendly fire. This is according to a graphic tweeted by Arrowhead, which also confirms that the Illuminate killed 83 million divers in that timespan - so the roughly 50 days since the faction debuted around December 13.That's good going for a pretty titchy timespan, even if it's short of the bots' and bugs' lifetime death totals of 1.5 billion and 1.2 billion respectively. Meanwhile, 275 million hug emotes has been dished out as of the start of February, and given how the current major order's going that number's probably due another big bump soon. To see this content please enable targeting cookies.This order's been a tough one, to be fair - fend off eight attacks from the Illuminate in order to stop the Meridia death ball getting closer to eating a second course in the form of the planet Moradesh, while also wrestling control of Claorell from the automatons. As of writing, there are just under 24 hours to go, with only two attacks beaten, and Claorell sitting at around 75% liberated.Taking the latter looks to be the best chance of pulling out at least a partial victory, assuming the squids don't launch a bunch of last-minute offensives that are quickly put down, but even that'll be tough going at the current rate. There are just under 20k divers on Claorell right now, so here's hoping they can pull out the W.Especially since in-game propagand-, er news broadcasts have indicated that those "moderately feeble young adults" saved as part of the last order are being trained to serve. Bit of a crap example to set them, getting beat, eh?How many helldivers have you wiped out via a stray bullet, bomb or bout of flame from a gun you might have argued about on Discord? Let us know if you've lost count below.

Image: Nintendo LifeA Flamin' Hot Cheeto shaped like Pokmon's Charizard has sold for a mind-boggling $87,840 at a recent auction on Goldin (thanks, Polygon).Yes, the 'Cheetozard' started off at $250 before receiving a staggering 60 bids from auctioneers before ending on 2nd March 2025 with a winning bid of $72,000 (with the buyer's premium bringing it up to $87,840).The Cheeto has supposedly not been modified to look like Charizard and had formed that way naturally, and yes, while we do concede that it does look like the iconic fire-type Pokmon, it seems utterly baffling to us that there are folks out there who would willingly pay the equivalent of roughly 250 Switch OLED consoles for a single Cheeto. A Cheeto!Subscribe to Nintendo Life on YouTube797kWatch on YouTube Image: GoldinApparently, however, this isn't even the priciest Cheeto to be sold at auction. That particular accomplishment was achieved by a Harambe-shaped Cheeto back in 2017, selling for a ridiculous $99,900. However, according to the seller, the buyer actually backed out at the last minute, so maybe 'Cheetozard' is the record-holder after all.Look, we love Cheetos. Love 'em. But crikey, if it's this easy to make a bit of extra cash, we'll be thinking twice before shoving them into our gobs the next time we buy a pack. Maybe we can find one that looks like Mewtwo, or Lickitung?Either way, maybe stock up on a few packs of Cheetos next time you're doing the weekly Big Shop. You could discover a potential gold mine. Feet heatWould you pay over $80,000 for a Cheeto? What would you even do with it? Let us know with a comment down below.[source goldin.co, via polygon.com]See AlsoShare:00 Nintendo Lifes resident horror fanatic, when hes not knee-deep in Resident Evil and Silent Hill lore, Ollie likes to dive into a good horror book while nursing a lovely cup of tea. He also enjoys long walks and listens to everything from TOOL to Chuck Berry. Hold on there, you need to login to post a comment...Related ArticlesRandom: Honda Teases Real-Life Pokmon Scarlet And Violet MotorbikeThe official reveal takes place next monthOpinion: Pokmon Legends: Z-A Looks Cool, But It's Lacking Arceus' Unique StyleWe're getting Scarlet and Violet vibes'Pokmon Champions', A New Battle-Focused Game, Announced For Switch And MobileStay tuned for more info!Best Pokmon Games Of All TimeGotta rank 'em all

Playing with power.You're probably familiar with Taki Udon's work by now. The modder had previously managed to implement an OLED screen into the Switch Lite, and proceeded to sell the 'Super5' installation kits on the RetroRemake website.Now, however, with the help of fellow modder @AzkaliManad, the pair have gone one step further with their Switch Lite upgrades, implementing an OLED panel into the device that outputs at 1080p.Read the full article on nintendolife.com

Flex, which offers personal finance software and payments infrastructure for business owners, has raised $25 million in equity funding while securing a $200 million credit facility, it told TechCrunch exclusively.The equity funds were raised at a valuation of just under $250 million. The company last raised a $20 million Series A announced in September 2023.Flex was officially formed in 2022Flexbase Technologies) to a fintech for business owners. The company came out of stealth in September of 2023 with a business credit card and expense tracking product. Today, Flex markets itself as an all-in-one finance platform for mid-market business owners to manage their finances from the time the owner makes revenue, to the time they personally spend it, Rahman says.Rahman likens Flexs offering to that of fintech giants Ramp and Brex but with a focus on mid-market business owners who are also CEOs of their companies rather than enterprises or venture-backed startups.Business owners tend to co-mingle their personal and business expenses, deposits, and payments, leading to accounting reconciliation issues and cashflow gaps, Rahman said. Our growth validates the demand from business owners for an all-in-one ecosystem that simplifies their finances.Flex, he said, serves as more of a financial co-pilot for thousands of businesses and their owners, such as Shoreside Support, a logistics company; Freebird, a male grooming company; and MOD Partners, a construction business.All business entities and personal life sit in a single dashboard, Rahman explained to TechCrunch. They can decide in app which transaction business, which is personal. This can be complex from a software and compliance standpoint.Flexs average customer makes $25 million in revenue a year. Many of the startups customers, Rahman claims, have switched from the American Express Centurion Card, commonly known as the Black Card.Flex, he said, offers things like AI underwriting as well as AI invoice processing and expense management, which automatically ingests and schedules bill payments for owners.Its card also offers 0% interest for 60 days on all purchases.Titanium Ventures led Flexs $25 million equity round, which included participation from Companyon Ventures, Florida Funders, MS&AD Ventures, AAF Management, and First Look Partners. Victory Park Capital provided the $200 million credit facility.In total, Flex has secured $45 million in equity and $300 million in credit facilities with the debt exclusively funding its credit card offering, according to Rahman.Flex primarily makes revenue from transaction and interchange fees associated with its cards and bill pay products in addition to deposit products such as banking. Its personal platform is a subscription membership.Flex CEO Zaid RahmanImage Credits:FlexWhile Rahman declined to reveal hard revenue figures, he told TechCrunch that the company surpassed $1 billion in annualized total payment volume (TPV) in 18 months after launching its card and bill pay automation product. Its growing 25% month over month currently and Rahman expects to grow revenue by 5x in 2025.At the end of 2024, Flex had 64 employees, up from 28 at the end of 2023. It plans to use its new capital in part to build out an AI and B2B payments team in New York and San Francisco.Flex has found a segment of the large B2B market ignored by both innovators in B2B fintech and large incumbents owner-owned businesses, said Yash Patel, general partner at Titanium Ventures, who is joining Flexs board of directors.Want to reach out with a tip? Email me at maryann@techcrunch.com or send me a message on Signal at 408.204.3036. You can also send a note to the whole TechCrunch crew at tips@techcrunch.com. For more secure communications,click here to contact us, which includes SecureDrop (instructions here) and links to encrypted messaging apps.

If you spend any amount of time online, you probably noticed that your user experience keeps getting worse.Websites are waterlogged with autoplay ads, pop-ups, and tracking scripts. Customer service chatbots are useless, despite the promises of generative AI. Social media algorithms boost rage-bait to keep you scrolling and engaged. Dating apps hide all the good ones behind a paywall. Your printer wont work without a monthly subscription. Oh, and good luck canceling that subscription in three clicks or less.This is the backwash of the internets shift from a user-first experience to one designed to maximize engagement, ad revenue, and subscriptions.Ed Zitron, CEO of EZPR and host of the Better Offline podcast, calls it the rot economy, the result of a tech industry that has become so obsessed with growth that you, the paying customer, are a nuisance to be mitigated far more than a participant in an exchange of value.In a recent episode of the Equity podcast, I spoke to Zitron who is writing a book called Why Everything Stopped Working about why the stagnation of major companies creates the perfect opportunity for startups to challenge incumbents across various industries.Zitron didnt hold back when describing Big Techs decline, criticizing its obsession with quarter-to-quarter growth that leads to subpar products: Theyre ugly, theyre expensive, they dont work very well, you dont like using them. He argued that many of these dominant players have grown fat and lazy and overconfident, their business models based on the idea that its just easier to stay with us.You can beat that, Zitron said. Anything you see on the web that sucks right now is at threat.As Zitron sees it, there are numerous areas that are ripe for disruption. One of the most obvious is social media, where he notes that to use Instagram right now is to fight Meta to get to the things you want and get past what Meta wants you to see. And Facebook is even worse, he laments.This crummy user experience, combined with the political maneuverings on Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg, is why were seeing people defect from X and Meta and sign up for platforms on the decentralized web, which is a system of independent, privately owned servers that work together to provide private and secure access to information and services.Bluesky and Mastodon have emerged as popular alternatives to X, and many startups are throwing their hats in the ring to challenge Instagram and TikTok. In the decentralized space, Bluesky is launching a photo-sharing app called Flashes, and Pixelfed is already attracting users. Many TikTok users have downloaded RedNote as the ByteDance-owned app remains in limbo.Enterprise and productivity softwareZitron similarly sees massive opportunities when it comes to enterprise and productivity offerings like Microsoft 365 that arent great.Zitron said of Microsoft broadly, They dont make great products. They havent in some time. Here, he added that he would maybe put the gaming [division] aside from this complaint. I quite like the Xbox division, he said. Then he added: But they love laying people off and Im sure that that place is going to slop soon.But its not just Microsoft. Zitron argued that many once-beloved Silicon Valley darlings like Microsoft, Salesforce, Dropbox, and Zoom lost their way after going public. The pressure to deliver quarter-over-quarter growth to appease shareholders invariably forces companies to prioritize short-term gains over long-term product quality.He pointed to Google Docs as an example of growing corporate overreach designed to benefit a company at its users expense.Google Docs was beloved for being this really clean, easy-to-use thing, Zitron said. The problem is now its telling me that it needs AI. I must use Gemini in it now.Zitron called Adobe the weakest company in tech at the moment, calling them desperate and calling for a replacement. Some potential challengers weve seen include Figma, Affinity, and Blender.Generally, Zitron thinks consumers will have a role to play in this shift as they cotton onto the self-serving laziness of incumbents.I believe in the next year, were going to see a real shift in consumers, both business and otherwise, away from these shitty companies. And when I say shitty companies, I mean most of Big Tech.Search Google in particular is already facing an assault by numerous startups, and deservedly so in Zitrons mind. Google Search used to surface the best links for your query. Now it surfaces a page of sponsored links that dont answer your question.Google search is bad now, he said, noting that DuckDuckGo apparently makes money and may be able to rise if the judge in Googles search antitrust trial forces the company to share its datasets with competitors.Zitron didnt list all the other search competitors, but its worth mentioning a few. Perplexity, for example, is competing with chatbot style search that answers questions directly in a conversational way while citing resources. Diem is a female-focused social search engine with an AI chatbot thats fighting against data bias in a world designed for men. In the decentralized space, Marginalia Search boosts obscure, non-commercial sites rather than SEO-optimized junk, while OpenSearch is an independent, crawler-based engine.For users who prioritize not just a better search experience but also a more privacy-focused search, theres Kagi, a paid, private search engine with a focus on high-quality results and no ads.Theres also Brave Search, a fully independent search index that doesnt rely on Google or Bing. Brave also has a privacy-focused browser that blocks ads and trackers by default.EmailZitron believes email is another area that a startup could take on. While email is one of the dominant communication tools, most of our inboxes are cluttered with spam and disorganized due to clunky UX from giants like Outlook, Gmail, and Yahoo. The same is true for enterprise email, like Microsoft Exchange and Google Workspace.There are plenty of opportunities for disruption here, notes Zitron. He says an offering from the end-to-end encrypted email service Proton isnt as usable as it needs to be, but its not the only game in town (rival services include Tutanota and Skiff). At the same time, increasingly popular alternatives Superhuman, Hey, and Shortwave are trying to rethink user experience in email.Build products that dont suckZitron sees opportunities for disruption everywhere, and not just in a purely digital sense. He also sees an opportunity for startups to take on Amazons shipping and logistics business by creating a coalition of other companies with smaller businesses a Shopify for the delivery side.Whether its coming up with a new real estate technology to replace the fat and happy Zillows of the world, or a better version of Canva thats not bloated with AI offerings, Zitron has called for a fresh take on the venture capital model. He says VC has too long focused on growth at all costs, which has created a stranded generation of startups that raised too much money and have nowhere to go as a result.Zitrons PR business is to draw attention to startups, so its in his interests to underscore the many shortcomings of Big Tech in comparison. Still, it was an inspiring chat.If youre hankering for a better user experience, or youre working on something to take down the bigs, youll definitely enjoy it. Check out our chat here.

Tethon 3D, a U.S ceramic 3D printer manufacturer, has announced the acquisition of Technology Assessment and Transfer (TA&T), a materials specialist and subsidiary of Sintx Technologies. This strategic move is set to bolster Tethons manufacturing capabilities, expand its resin portfolio, and enhance its global market share.Founded in 2014 in Omaha, Nebraska, Tethon 3D develops photopolymer 3D printing resins for materials such as zirconia, alumina, and bio-inks. It has also collaborated with Carima, a South Korean 3D printer manufacturer, bringing the Gazelle printer to market while also developing the Bison DLP bioprinter.Sintx is known for its expertise in silicon nitride ceramics (SiN) a high-performance material that is typically difficult to manufacture and process. Following the acquisition Sintx will focus on silicon nitride medical devices.The acquisition of TA&T marks a significant step in Tethons growth strategy, as the company is now able to produce their own resins, as well as debind and sinter in-house, positioning it as a stronger competitor in the ceramic additive manufacturing sector.Trent Allen, CEO of Tethon 3D, expressed enthusiasm about the merger, stating, Together, as the U.S. leaders in ceramic additive manufacturing, we will continue our domestic and global growth, while continuing to innovate our resin portfolios and ensuring our materials are compatible with more hardware platforms than ever before.With the resources and expertise of Tethon, we are well positioned to scale and enhance our impact in ways we couldnt before. We are excited about this next phase of growth, said TA&T President Ann Kutsch.The Bison Bio 3D printer from Tethon 3D. Image via Tethon 3D.3D Printing with Advanced CeramicsSince 1983, TA&T has sold advanced ceramic coatings and composites to the aerospace, automotive, industrial, and medical sectors. For example, in 2013 they designed and manufactured ceramic heater bodies that were central to the Sample Analysis on Mars (SAM) instrument suite aboard the Curiosity Rover. Manufactured via Ceramic Stereolithography, these heaters withstand temperatures in excess of 1,500F.TA&T has developed several Ceramic Matrix Composite (CMC) fabrication approaches, utilizing Chemical Vapor Infiltration (CVI) and Polymer Infiltration and Pyrolysis (PIP). CMCs are highly attractive for engineering applications requiring lightweight materials with exceptional strength-to-weight ratios, oxidation resistance, and high-temperature capability. Requiring precise control over parameters such as porosity and directional matrix growth. The fabrication process is complex, involving advanced technologies such as CMC powders, sophisticated metrology equipment, and mathematical analysis to ensure that the desired material properties are achieved.Advances in Ceramic Additive ManufacturingCeramic additive manufacturing is becoming more complex as it incorporates increasingly sophisticated processes for the production of high-performance ceramic components. For instance, D3-AM has introduced its Micro-Particle Jetting (MPJ) 3D printing technology, which addresses limitations associated with traditional inkjet systems by enabling the processing of water-based ceramic slurries containing coarse and abrasive particles up to 62 m in diameter. This advancement facilitates the fabrication of complex ceramic structures with improved properties. At Formnext 2023, D3-AM showcased components developed from alumina and sintered silicon carbide (SSiC), demonstrating the technologys capability to produce high-performance ceramic parts.Separately, researchers at Jiangnan University have introduced a novel technique for 3D printing complex support-free ceramic structures. This method combines direct ink writing (DIW) with near-infrared (NIR) light-induced up-conversion particle-assisted photopolymerization, enabling in-situ curing of ceramic filaments ranging from 0.41 mm to 3.50 mm in diameter. The process involves extruding a ceramic slurry under pressure and immediately solidifying it using a 980 nm NIR laser, allowing for the creation of intricate ceramic structures that can be freely stretched in space without support.Future Outlook for TA&T Post-AcquisitionEarlier this year, Tethon 3D partnered with CONCR3DE to develop ceramic materials for binder jet 3D printing. These strategic collaborations and acquisitions underscore Tethons commitment to advancing ceramic additive manufacturing and meeting the growing demand for specialized 3D printing solutions across industries such as aerospace, automotive, biomedical, and architecture.Subscribe to the 3D Printing Industry newsletter to keep up with the latest 3D printing news.You can also follow us on LinkedIn and subscribe to the 3D Printing Industry Youtube channel to access more exclusive content.Featured image shows a 3D printed ceramic brick. Photo via Tethon 3D.Rodolfo HernandezRodolfo Hernndez is a writer and technical specialist with a background in electronics engineering and a deep interest in additive manufacturing. Rodolfo is most interested in the science behind technologies and how they are integrated into society.

Chinese metal 3D printer manufacturer Hanbang United 3D Technology (HBD) has opened a new facility in Guangdong.The fully-operational additive manufacturing site is vast, featuring a production hub, sizeable R&D workshop, research laboratories, office space, and a conference room. According to HBD, these resources will act as a critical enabler of technological advancements, allowing the firm to develop new, high-performance metal 3D printing technologies.HBD aims to grow its presence in the aerospace, automotive, energy, and healthcare sectors by extending its production capacity and design capabilities. At its new location, the firm will prioritize digitalization, artificial intelligence, and sustainable manufacturing, providing customers with customized solutions. These capabilities will reportedly improve production efficiency, cut lead times, and reduce production costs.Liu Jianye, HBDs CEO, stated that the new facility reflects the companys vision of long-term innovation and efforts to advance the smart manufacturing revolution. He added that the site will meet growing demand for metal 3D printing, while also offering customized services like factory planning, process optimization, and operational support.Aerial view of HBDs new facility in Guangdong. Photo via HBD.HBD opens new 3D printing facility HBD claims its new facility marks a key step in its broader strategy to lead advanced manufacturing and support the global transition to more sustainable production. The metal laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) specialist aims to enable deeper collaboration with clients, universities, and industry experts at its new premises. This will create an open and dynamic ecosystem to grow the adoption of metal additive manufacturing across new industries in China, according to HBD.Beyond internal R&D of its 3D printing technology, the company will also leverage its new resources to support its client-base. At the factory, HBD customers will be able to utilize metal 3D printing technology and access in-house support to help optimize their manufacturing operations.Additionally, the site has been designed with sustainability in mind, aligning with global trends around greener manufacturing practices. It features low-carbon technologies and was reportedly built to meet the rising demand for eco-friendly, efficient production processes.HBDs Guangdong facility inauguration comes two years after the Chinese OEM completed a $60 million Series A funding round. Led by Qianhai FOF, the financing was supported by Grand Flight Investment and CITIC Securities. HBD called the investment the largest first-ever round of its kind. At the time, the company outlined plans to build an R&D and production center in Shanghais Lingang New Area free trade zone with the capital. It also announced it intended to invest the new funds in high-tech R&D, technical team building and high-end manufacturing, to break technical bottlenecks. 3D printers and the R&D lab inside HBDs new facility. Image via HBD.New 3D printing facilities open for business HBD is the latest company to expand its metal 3D printing capabilities at a new facility. At the end of last year, US Defense firm Lockheed Martin opened a 16,000-square-foot additive manufacturing hub at its Missiles and Fire Control (MFC) site in Grand Prairie, Texas. The new location features large-format LPBF 3D printers from Nikon SLM Solutions, which are reportedly some of the largest multi-laser systems in Texas.Lockheeds 3D printing facility also features heat treatment and inspection equipment to support the rapid deployment of metal 3D printed aerospace parts. The American defense contractor will also utilize its expanded footprint to support its 1LMX digital transformation initiative. Announced in 2022, this sees Lockheed Martin optimize production capabilities and supply chains using artificial intelligence and process automation.Elsewhere, GE Renewable Energy, the wind turbine manufacturing division of GE, previously opened a R&D facility dedicated to 3D printing concrete wind turbine towers. At the site, located in Bergen, New York, the firm is researching how to 3D print the bottom portion of turbine towers on-site. It hopes this will lower transportation costs and create new employment opportunities.In other news, Japanese electronics firm Seiko Epson Corporation (Epson) is expected to begin operations at its new metal powder recycling plant in June of this year. Led by Epsons Atmix Corporation subsidiary, the Hachinohe City-based factory will be used to convert scrap materials into potentially 3D printable metal alloy powders. It is being outfitted with a high-frequency induction furnace to melt metals, an AOD refining furnace to remove impurities, and a casting machine to form ingots. Construction began in 2023, when Atmix announced plans to invest 5.5 billion Yen in plant and equipment to support construction efforts.Who won the 2024 3D Printing Industry Awards?Subscribe to the 3D Printing Industry newsletter to keep up with the latest 3D printing news.You can also follow us on LinkedIn, and subscribe to the 3D Printing Industry Youtube channel to access more exclusive content.Featured image shows HBDs new facility in Guangdong. Photo via HBD.