Oerlikon announced the completion of the installation of an ATLIX xBUILD 5000 metal 3D printer at its Huntersville, North Carolina facility, marking the system's first production deployment globally. The new machine will expand the company's manufacturing capacity for customers in the aerospace, defense, and semiconductor industries. Oerlikon also plans to purchase additional xBUILD 5000 systems starting in 2027, though the number of units was not disclosed. The xBUILD 5000 is equipped with four 1 kW lasers, a build envelope of 500 × 500 × 400 mm, and an automated part-change system that can complete build swaps in approximately 15 minutes, reducing downtime and increasing part throughput. The machine is an extension of Oerlikon's existing ATLIX equipment fleet. The Huntersville facility was built in 2019 at a cost of $55 million, spans 125,000 square feet, and covers the full process chain from design and metal printing to heat treatment, machining, and inspection. Following the spin-off of TRUMPF's additive manufacturing business as ATLIX in September 2025, the two companies continue their collaboration. Oerlikon had previously accumulated six TruPrint 5000 systems among a total of 26 metal 3D printers, supporting applications such as heat exchangers, cold plates, and silencers. Value for powder buyers: (1) Oerlikon's expansion of large-scale metal printing capacity will drive sustained procurement demand for nickel-based, titanium-based superalloy, and stainless steel powders; (2) The batch installation of four-laser, 500 mm-class platforms signals accelerated production of large-format LPBF parts, and powder suppliers compatible with the equipment fleet can pursue long-term powder supply agreements; (3) Monitor the pace of additional purchases in 2027 and its impact on the North American powder supply chain.