One of the most exciting technological innovations since the touchscreen smartphone is poised to take the market by storm: the 3D printer.
For the uninitiated, a 3D printer is exactly what it sounds like: it’s a printer that connects to a computer or tablet and can print three-dimensional objects; actual 3D objects, like a scale model of the Eiffel Tower or, in the very near future, medical prosthesis.
The technology hasn’t been perfected yet, but once it has, it is easy to see the almost-limitless potential such a machine will have. Most 3D printers in development now print using plastic, but there are other models that can use liquid metal to print circuit boards, hard drives, and other electronic objects. Very soon, that old inkjet printer printer in your office will be replaced by a 3D printer. Make no mistake, friends, 3D printers are not only a giant leap forward in terms of printing, it’s a giant leap forward in technology.
The stock market has already shown its support by boosting share prices for 3D printer manufacturers. 3D Systems Corporation (NYSE: DDD) has already seen its net income rise from $8.3 million a year ago to $9.3 million today.
And 3D printing is no overly-hyped, passing fad. It has the power and potential to transform manufacturing, technology services, and a host of other economic sectors.
Now is the time to invest. Now is the time jump aboard the ship before it sails away. Advances in 3D printing are continually being made in laboratories and universities around the world. And this new breed of printer has the potential economic impact of the advent of the internet.
Take a moment and think about: a printer that can print in three dimensions. A printer, in essence, that can print durable, functional objects. Not just documents, birthday cards, or garage sale fliers. These 3D printers will be able to create real, tangible goods that can be used and sold. It sounds like something out of Star Trek, but it has already become reality.
The potential for 3D printers will spark nothing short of a revolution in the fields of architecture, construction, industrial design, the automotive sector, engineering, and on and on. There are even medical applications that are being developed as we speak. The potential for growth and profit is hard to exaggerate. And now is the time to invest.
