Manufacturers of all stripes are realizing the benefit of using customized 3-D-printed parts in their production processes. The use of rapid prototyping, for example, in which various part designs are 3-D-printed and quickly modified, can help save valuable time in a manufacturing cycle. Companies that don't want to make the investment in specialized equipment are turning to 3-D-printing industry leaders for both parts and customized service solutions. The rise of the "service bureau" will be a significant story in the 3-D-printing industry for years to come.
In the accompanying video, Fool contributors Steve Heller and Asit Sharma discuss the potential winners in the move to outsource 3-D printing and services to the experts. Steve and Asit look at additive manufacturing providers Voxeljet (VJET +0.00%), ExOne (XONE +0.00%), and 3D Systems (DDD +2.89%) in particular and analyze their potential to benefit from the growing 3-D-printing outsourcing trend.
