Will Nylon Be the Key to Stratasys, Ltd.'s Future?

At EuroMold 2013, Stratasys released its first-ever nylon material for its Fortus line of 3-D printers. Nylon is an important material for Stratasys because it allows the company to compete in a $200 million a year 3-D printing nylon material market that's currently dominated by competitors. Management estimates that Statasys' first offering -- FDM Nylon 12 -- opens up Stratasys' market opportunity to about $40 to $60 million of this market.

Nylon is known for its strength and durability, making it a great fit for automotive and aviation applications that undergo repetitive stress. Stratasys' newly fortified material offers up to five times greater resistance to breaking, and better impact strength compared to the strongest of its Fortus line materials. In other words, nylon should prove to be an attractive material offering for customers looking for more demanding 3-D printing applications.

In the following video, 3-D printing analyst Steve Heller discusses why nylon is such an important material for Stratasys, and whether it will improve the company's competitive positioning.

How to profit from the rise of 3-D printing
For the first time since the early days of this country, we're in a position to dominate the global manufacturing landscape thanks to a single, revolutionary technology: 3-D printing. Although this sounds like something out of a science fiction novel, the success of 3-D printing is already a foregone conclusion to many manufacturers around the world. The trick now is to identify the companies -- and thereby the stocks -- that will prevail in the battle for market share. To see the three companies that are currently positioned to do so, simply download our invaluable free report on the topic by clicking here now.

The article Will Nylon Be the Key to Stratasys, Ltd.'s Future? originally appeared on Fool.com.

Fool contributor Steve Heller has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool recommends Stratasys. The Motley Fool owns shares of Stratasys. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

Copyright © 1995 - 2013 The Motley Fool, LLC. All rights reserved. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.