At EuroMold 2013, Stratasys (SSYS 0.47%) 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.
