Whilst I know of a few companies listed on the NYSE, is there any local companies listed on the ASX that sell and/or manufacture 3D printers? Incidently, what are peoples thoughts on investing in local or overseas companies that specialise in 3D printers?
I also tried searching for an asx listed 3D printer company a few months ago but got nothing. Every search engine hit was either a US or Chinese listed company. Thanks for posting
Best news site I've found for 3D printing would have to be 3ders.org. According to their up to date list of available 3d printers, Australia is yet to join the ranks of countries developing this tech. http://www.3ders.org/pricecompare/3dprinters/ Personally I think this technology is going to go the way of the plain paper printer, in that it will sit in every home office of the first world. I've been reading a great free ebook on it http://sdu.ictp.it/3D/book.html I think this tech has a massive future ahead of it, so now's the time to try and identify the Apple's & IBM's amongst the crown of fledgling developers. Seriously considering getting one myself .
I too believe 3D printing will be something in years to come! I own a few DDD shares on NYSE Wish an aussie business would jump on board!
I ended up with a small speculative investment in 3D Medical ASX (3DM). Bought in at 0.05 - currently trading at 0.135 - still holding
The problem is that what 3d printing is hasn't been quite sorted yet. I don't think simple polymer printing of monolithic or simple interworking parts is going to be enough to get this technology to really get out there. I think you'll have to wait until you see a good implementation of printed circuitry and other electronic parts and end to end automated complex product production. At the moment I don't think you can point to a company and say that this is the company that will put it all together and will create the pc of 3d printing that will be ubiquitous. You could look for companies that have a good collection of IP that will give them a share in whatever the future of 3d printing is because they have a few basic patents but you'd want to be pretty sure what's going to be inherently necessary to the future of 3d printing and really it's a cousin to investing in a patent troll company, or perhaps more accurately like investing today in RIM or Nokia because you can't use a smartphone without touching their patents, not exactly a shining future. I agree that this is a big part of the future but think about the state of gaming consoles between 2000 and 2010. Lots of enthusiasts getting excited by the new technologies and wanting to do something and ending up creating a huge amount of very exciting vaporware.
It's too hard to get funding for innovation in Australia. Most innovative companies/people end up going overseas. Yet it's easy to get funding for real estate. But that's another story.
Taking a high level approach I came across Kibaran Resources (KNL: ASX) Digging up the graphite used in 3d printers. Have been watching it for a month already, any input or opinions from SS is welcome.
noticed one of their top 20 investors is an engineering company in Perth that seem too specialize in construction and maintenance of mining equipment. Also a few other big names on that same list and what appeared to be a private investors holding in the top 20 aswell. not sure if it means anything just caught my eye having a quick read through.
3D printing for medical is where its at initially I think. Note also that companies like SpaceX are starting to use 3D printing for rocket engine parts. It's all very speculative at the moment. The idea of additive manufacturing is a good one, but picking winners will be hard.
Watch the Medgadget site to get a feel for innovative medical technologies - http://www.medgadget.com
The problem with 3D printers is that they are becoming a commodity and being built down to a price. It's a classic case of racing to the bottom. Look at the dozens and dozens of crowd source 3D printer startup companies. They are trying to outdo each other on price, they will almost all disappear. You had to have got in at the ground level the likes of Makerbot who got bought out for a ridiculous sum. Selective Laser Sintering is the one to bet on if anything, and the recent patents that have expired on that have helped that market along. Fused Deposition Modeling is ultimately a very finicky technology, don't back that. I would not back any company that cater to the consumer/hobbyist end of town (most of whom are FDM), too huge a chance of the having the rug pulled out from under your feet.
I've got a feeling (nothing based on serious research) that we're currently in something like the equivalent of the pre iPad era for 3D printers. At that time there were plenty of digital mp3 players around, but nothing really caught the imagination of the buying public until the iPod, and the rest is history. At the moment, home 3D printers are finicky and are really still at the hobbyist level. The risk with 3D printer investment is that draconian IP regulation could kill innovation. It may take a powerful corporation with serious legal muscle to get these things into the mainstream once the technology matures a little more.
