The heyday of 3D printing stocks was several years ago, but apparently someone forgot to tell industry bellwether company 3D Systems (DDD -1.44%). Data compiled by S&P Global Market Intelligence reveal that the company's stock was up 14% week to date as of Friday before market open. Investors clearly liked 3D Systems' new push into one very specific segment of the medical field.
3D Systems produced a cranial implant for a surgical procedure
The great promise of 3D printing has always been that the technology can reliably, and inexpensively, produce objects for a very wide range of uses. On Tuesday, it seemed that 3D Systems was at least partially fulfilling that promise.
The company announced on the day that a custom cranial implant it produced was used in a surgical procedure called cranioplasty. This is the repair of defects in the skull resulting from injury or medical operations. The patient undergoing the cranioplasty received it at University Hospital Basel in Switzerland.
3D Systems didn't hesitate to mention that the implant was produced on company technology that enables a medical facility to quickly manufacture such patient-specific products onsite.
In its press release on the event, 3D Systems quoted Director of Medical Devices Stefan Leonhardt as saying, "We are proud to be at the forefront of this medical revolution, leveraging our expertise in 3D printing to bring tangible benefits to patients."
This technology has loads of potential
The great revolution initially hyped by 3D printing companies didn't materialize quickly, and many investors moved on to other hot new industries. 3D Systems' latest news, however, illustrates the fact that the technology still has vast potential; it's just a matter of reaching it.
