An updated edition of the August 10, 2026 article.

3D Printing, also known as additive manufacturing (AM), is emerging as a transformative force in modern manufacturing as it offers a faster, more flexible and cost-efficient way to produce complex products. By converting digital designs into physical objects layer by layer, additive manufacturing enables greater customization, cuts down material waste and can shorten production timelines compared with conventional manufacturing methods.

Since emerging in the 1980s, the technology has evolved well beyond its early use as a prototyping tool. Today, 3D printing is being adopted for production applications across aerospace, defense, healthcare, automotive, industrial and consumer markets. Companies are increasingly using additive manufacturing to produce lightweight components, customized medical devices, tooling, replacement parts and other geometrically complex products. Companies like Xometry (XMTR Quick QuoteXMTR - Free Report) , Proto Labs (PRLB Quick QuotePRLB - Free Report) and Stratasys (SSYS Quick QuoteSSYS - Free Report) remain key players in this space.

Additive manufacturing enables production of complex structures that were costly, once difficult or even considered impossible to produce. It enables localized production, thus shortening supply chains and lowering transportation costs. On-demand manufacturing reduces the need for large inventories, which is especially useful for industries with seasonal demand or urgent replacement-part needs. Companies are thus increasingly adopting 3D printing driven by its cost advantages and sustainability benefits. 

3D printing is gaining traction across healthcare, aerospace, automotive and consumer goods. Adoption is also being supported by advances in materials, software, Artificial Intelligence, simulation and automation. In aerospace, the technology is used to produce lightweight yet durable aircraft and spacecraft components. The automotive industry relies on 3D printing for prototyping, tooling and customized parts. In healthcare, it enables the production of patient-specific medical devices and prosthetics, and ongoing progress in tissue and organ printing could significantly influence the future of modern medicine.
More recently, the convergence of additive manufacturing with AI, digital twins and advanced simulation is helping manufacturers improve design optimization, predict potential print failures and accelerate the transition from prototypes to qualified production parts.

North America remains the leading market, accounting for more than 35% of global share due to strong research investments, supportive government policies and advanced manufacturing capabilities. Asia-Pacific countries, particularly China and India, are rapidly expanding adoption to strengthen their industrial competitiveness.

We believe 3D Printing presents compelling growth opportunities for investors, supported by an expanding addressable market and a strong innovation pipeline.

Our 3D Printing Screen makes it easy to identify high-potential stocks in this space. Currently, stocks like ATI Inc. (ATI Quick QuoteATI - Free Report) , NVIDIA (NVDA Quick QuoteNVDA - Free Report) , Avient (AVNT Quick QuoteAVNT - Free Report) , Proto Labs and Synopsys (SNPS Quick QuoteSNPS - Free Report) look lucrative.

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5 Must-Have 3D Printing Stocks for Your Portfolio

ATI provides capabilities across the additive supply chain, from metal powder and material science to the finished part. ATI Additive Manufacturing is one of the select providers with expertise in both Electron Beam Melting and Powder Bed Fusion, designed for highly demanding and precision-critical performance environments. ATI Additive Manufacturing has been at the forefront of aerospace additive manufacturing since 2014.

Given its extensive powder metals offering, ATI Additive can quickly respond to customers' needs for their additive part demands. Leveraging ATI’s metallurgical leadership, it can also develop new alloys for additive manufacturing on request or address industry challenges. The company continues to increase its production capacity for advanced metallic powders for use in next-generation aerospace products, including additive manufacturing applications.

ATI commissioned its 132,000-square-foot Additive Manufacturing Products facility in Margate, FL, in February 2025. The facility combines design, large-format metal printing, heat treating, machining and inspection under one roof and can produce parts up to 1.5 meters in height. From design to finished product, the company created a one-stop solution center to address challenges in high-performance markets like aerospace, defense and space. ATI currently sports a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy).

You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.

NVIDIA has an important role in the 3D-printing ecosystem through its AI, accelerated computing, simulation and computer graphics technologies. NVIDIA provides technologies that can improve several stages of the additive manufacturing workflow, including design, simulation, optimization and automation. Its contributions to 3D printing have become more pronounced in recent years, particularly through collaborations and technological advancements.

A notable example is NVDA’s partnership with HP Inc. (HP)’s HPQ 3D Printing division, with the latter using NVIDIA’s AI tool, Modulus, to boost efficiency and accuracy in manufacturing. HP has developed Virtual Foundry Graphnet, which helps streamline production by accurately predicting how metal powders will behave during the 3D Printing process, assisting manufacturers in optimizing the process, reducing errors and defects, and improving part quality.

NVIDIA has also backed startups that are pushing boundaries in 3D Printing. Freeform, a company founded by former SpaceX engineers, secured funding from NVIDIA's venture arm, NVentures, in October 2024. By utilizing NVIDIA's accelerated computing platform, Freeform is building the world's first AI-native, autonomous metal 3D printing factory.

NVDA has developed a generative AI tool called Magic3D, which can create high-quality 3D textured mesh models from text prompts. Another innovation, LATTE3D (Large-scale Amortized Text-To-Enhanced3D Synthesis), is a text-to-3D generator that creates 3D models in less than a second, leveraging the power of NVIDIA’s RTX A6000 GPU.  NVIDIA’s Omniverse platform and PhysX engine enable real-time simulation of materials and structures, which are useful for testing a 3D print before actually printing it. NVDA’s NeRFs (Neural Radiance Fields) is an AI model that reconstructs 3D models from 2D photos. This is useful for reverse engineering objects for 3D printing, turning real-world items into printable models, and converting video or image data into detailed 3D meshes. NVDA currently sports a Zacks Rank of 1. 

Proto Labs is widely recognized as the world’s fastest digital manufacturing platform for rapid prototypes and on-demand production parts. Since its inception, it has manufactured more than 700 million parts, catering to more than 300,000 customers. Originally focused on prototypes and simpler components, Protolabs has expanded into complex parts and full-scale production. 

Strategic acquisitions have strengthened its capabilities, including FineLine in 2014 to introduce 3D printing, Alphaform in October 2015 to expand 3D printing services in Europe and RAPID in 2017 to add sheet-metal manufacturing. Through the acquisition of 3D Hubs, Inc., which was rebranded to Protolabs Network in 2021, it provides customers access to a global network of premium manufacturing partners.

In February 2026, the company launched ProDesk, an Artificial Intelligence (AI) enabled manufacturing platform to accelerate projects from prototyping to production. It features AI-driven manufacturability analysis across injection molding, CNC machining and 3D printing services for instant feedback on parts before they enter production. The platform also allows users to customize quotes based on materials, finishes, secondary operations and lead-time requirements. 

Proto Labs is also positioning itself to capitalize on the expected surge in growth in the global drone market, driven by rising aerospace and defense spending and expanding commercial applications. In July 2026, the company announced a partnership with HP Additive to expand Multi Jet Fusion 3D printing for lightweight drone components. The company is also fulfilling on-demand manufacturing that is tailored to support robotics applications, which is another rapidly growing market. PRLB currently carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy).

Avient is exposed to 3D printing primarily through its specialty polymer materials, design capabilities and rapid-prototyping services. The company uses this technology for concepts, prototypes and prototype tooling, along with its design resources. It helps customers evaluate multiple design iterations and optimize manufacturing processes, while improving product performance and aesthetics. The company is also developing materials that enable customers to use 3D printing for higher-performance prototypes and production parts.

Avient's position in specialty polymer formulations, additives and colorants gives it an opportunity to participate in the materials side of additive manufacturing. The company has also highlighted 3D-printing applications involving high-performance materials, particularly where manufacturers require specialized thermal, mechanical or chemical properties. Its aerospace and rail business, for example, offers 3D-printing capabilities using high-temperature resin systems for low-volume and prototype applications. Avient currently carries a Zacks Rank of 2.

Synopsys has become increasingly relevant to the additive manufacturing theme following its acquisition of Ansys in July 2025. The deal combined leaders in silicon design, IP, and simulation and analysis to enable customers to rapidly innovate AI-powered products. Ansys Additive Suite is a powerful collection of tools from Ansys, Inc. dedicated to additive manufacturing simulation. Ansys Additive Suite provides an end-to-end solution for additive manufacturing processes. It covers every stage, from material characterization and design optimization to process simulation and validation.

It ensures high accuracy and reliability in predicting material behavior and thermal stresses during the printing process. The suite helps mitigate defects and optimize structures, reducing costs and enhancing product performance. Synopsys currently carries a Zacks Rank of 2.