[Seeking Alpha]

Have you ever wanted to make a model airplane or car but didn’t want to have to assemble all the pieces? Have you ever cracked your phone case and wished you could make a quick replacement? Well thanks to 3D Systems (DDD) you can do that from home. It has a line of 3D scanners and 3D printers for home use or commercial production. In itslatest annual report it notes possible uses could be in schools, by garage entrepreneurs, or even for automotive parts and prosthetics. In addition to providing the printers the company also provides the printing materials and maintenance service on its proprietary systems.

3D Systems just launched the Cube, its first at home 3D printer. It also maintains a website where people can sell their designs to other people. The person could buy the design and print it right there in their own house. It recently acquired Z Corp for a print engine that is capable of printing in full color. It also recently acquired Vidar which gives it contacts into the healthcare industry. During 2011 it also acquired nearly a dozen other companies the each helped offer strategic growth.  …

As this is an emerging technology, anyone can invent a similar process and start a company. While 3D holds or has pending nearly 1,000 patents, it could still be overtaken by a better technology. Stratasys (SSYS) is a close competitor and based on its website, it focuses more towards the larger commercial versions of 3D printers.  …

See the full story here: http://seekingalpha.com/article/483721-first-3d-hdtv-next-3d-printers-the-long-case-for-3d-systems