TANIOBIS prints crack-free niobium alloy rocket nozzles on four-laser system
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This article was translated from a Chinese source.
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This article was translated from a Chinese source.
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On November 12, ATLIX (formerly TRUMPF's additive manufacturing business, spun off in 2025) announced its xBuild series production solutions ahead of Formnext 2026 (November 17-20, Hall 12.0 D99). The xBUILD 5000 four-laser (4×1kW) laser powder bed system is the centerpiece of the company's exhibit. The TruPrint brand was fully renamed on September 1 and integrated into the xWorld architecture (xBuild 1000/2000/3000/5000). Automation specifications: build chamber of 500×500×400mm, adjustable spot size of 80-200μm, automatic multi-laser calibration every two layers (40μm accuracy), bidirectional powder recoating that cuts non-productive time by up to 50%, automatic build module exchange (about 15 minutes of downtime per part change), and Build-Job Restart support after power loss. The first production unit worldwide has been commissioned by Oerlikon at its Huntersville, USA site, serving aerospace, defense, and semiconductor customers, with additional orders planned from 2027. Value for buyers: four lasers plus fast module exchange minimize cost per part (over 50% lower than the previous generation in some applications), while 24/7 continuous production improves powder turnover and places higher demands on powder batch consistency and automated recycling standards.
2026-11-12AltForm will unveil its ZENIT modular DED family at Formnext 2026 (Hall 12.0 E139): the ZENIT L (2x2 m, 1 robot), XL (4x2 m, 2 robots), and XXL (4x4 m, 4 robots). The inert atmosphere chambers support reactive alloys such as titanium and aluminum, are compatible with powder DED, wire feeding, and WAAM, and can be expanded and upgraded. Two new machines are also being launched on the powder bed line: the Print Sharp 200 (single laser, 200 mm cylindrical build chamber, open parameters) and the Print Brilliance 400 (four lasers, 420x420x450 mm build chamber), which share an AI-assisted software platform. The ZENIT line targets large parts for aerospace, defense, and energy applications, and the first chambers have already been sold. Value for buyers: inert-chamber DED offers a cost-controllable route for using titanium powder in large-part repair and manufacturing scenarios, while the combination of large-format DED and four-laser PBF covers the full range of small and large parts, creating a dual-channel pull on demand for titanium alloy and nickel-based powders.
2026-11-11On November 11, UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) opened the Manufacturing Scale-up R&D for Automotive and Aerospace funding opportunity under its Advanced Manufacturing priority programme (IS8+), with a total of £17.6 million available. Key dates: the Intent to Submit survey closes on November 11, and full applications are due on December 9. Priority areas are scalable additive manufacturing, automated assembly, and electrified propulsion systems. Funding levels: large awards of £4.5 million to £5.8 million (up to four years) and small awards of up to £600,000 (up to two years). UKRI covers 80 percent of full economic costs, and industry partners must co-fund and provide letters of support. Value for buyers: official UK funding continues to bet on scaling up additive manufacturing (the UK is the Formnext 2026 partner country), creating a supply chain opportunity window for powder and equipment suppliers exporting to the UK and Europe, with local certification and partnerships as the main barriers to entry.
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