{"id":44097,"date":"2013-11-12T19:19:22","date_gmt":"2013-11-13T00:19:22","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/countingpips.com\/forex-news\/?p=44097"},"modified":"2013-11-12T19:27:19","modified_gmt":"2013-11-13T00:27:19","slug":"3d-printing-the-real-technology-story","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.investmacro.com\/forex-news\/2013\/11\/12\/3d-printing-the-real-technology-story\/","title":{"rendered":"3D Printing, the Real Technology Story"},"content":{"rendered":"

By MoneyMorning.com.au<\/u><\/a> <\/p>\n

The trouble with being an active investor is that you tend to look at the market every day. That’s a big problem when the market action is as boring as this.<\/p>\n

So today, we’ll take a break from the hum-drum and look at the exciting.<\/p>\n

For instance, in recent weeks all the big stock market<\/a> talk has been about technology stocks <\/strong>such as Twitter [NASDAQ: TWTR] and Facebook [NASDAQ: FB].<\/p>\n

Those are interesting stories.<\/p>\n

And our bet is over the next five to 10 years investors will do well from both those stocks – whatever some people say about them today.<\/p>\n

But as exciting as these stocks are, let’s be honest, their future revenue and profit growth is almost entirely predictable.<\/p>\n

So while we like them, when it comes to technology stocks, we prefer something even more<\/em> exciting. We like unpredictable and revolutionary technology stocks<\/a>…<\/p>\n

As we say, Facebook and Twitter are predictable businesses.<\/p>\n

If you think their business is about staying in touch with old friends, you’re wrong.<\/p>\n

Both businesses are just a way to generate ad revenue.<\/p>\n

And that’s fine. There’s nothing wrong with that. In fact, last month we wrote a full research report in Australian Small-Cap Investigator<\/a><\/em> tipping a home grown Aussie that’s directly involved in the ad market.<\/p>\n

But when it comes to revolutionary ideas, nothing comes close to this game-changing industry…<\/p>\n

Simple, Yet Game-Changing<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n

One of the hottest parts of the technology<\/strong> sector is 3D printing<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

We’ve followed the sector since launching the premium technology investment advisory service Revolutionary Tech Investor<\/em> in June.<\/p>\n

If you’re not familiar with 3D printing<\/a> it’s a simple yet game-changing concept. Most manufacturing involves tooling up a big manufacturing plant.<\/p>\n

It can be expensive to set up these facilities. A manufacturer will usually demand a minimum order run that could number in the thousands in order to manufacture a product.<\/p>\n

For that reason, companies that only needed a small product run looked for other methods. Most of these involved making products by hand. We’re thinking about architectural models or model prototypes made from wood, plaster or some other easy-to-form material.<\/p>\n

But it’s time-consuming. That’s where 3D printing enters the frame.<\/p>\n

3D Printing: The End of Globalisation<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n

In simple terms, 3D printing involves heating a strip of plastic that feeds from a spool through a heated nozzle.<\/p>\n

The nozzle guides the hot plastic onto a plate layer by layer. The plastic cools almost straight away, allowing it to set.<\/p>\n

This happens layer by layer until the product is finished.<\/p>\n

It’s a simple yet amazing invention. We even bought a 3D printer<\/strong> to check it out for ourselves. Of course, while it may be cool, no business will make much out of just printing a few prototypes or models.<\/p>\n

That’s where we see much bigger things for 3D printing.<\/p>\n

For a start we see this as the beginning of the end of globalised manufacturing. The ability to print components and complete products locally on demand will mean local firms can compete with cheap Chinese products.<\/p>\n

Not only that, but as the price of 3D printers falls, it means every household will soon have their own 3D printer. We’re not kidding.<\/p>\n

Right now a basic 3D printer costs less than $1,000. While that may still seem expensive, remember that 3D printing still hasn’t hit the mainstream. By the time it does our bet is you’ll pick up a cheap 3D printer for the same price as a cheap document printer; $99.<\/p>\n

But again, while this sounds great, why would anyone need one at home? For the same reason that you may have a document printer at home: the convenience of printing something for yourself rather than getting someone else to do it for you.<\/p>\n

What would you print? It could be anything…anything that’s small and plastic. A spare part for something. Something for the kids’ bedroom. Something for the kitchen, garden or garage.<\/p>\n

But this goes one step further than that…<\/p>\n

Just Because You Don’t Like it, Doesn’t Make it a Bad Investment<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n

One 3D printing firm in the US has just released an affordable 3D scanner that will sell for less than US$400.<\/p>\n

The great thing about this is that it’s building on the foundations of social media and mobile technology.<\/p>\n

This new 3D scanner lets users scan objects 3m x 3m and then print the scanned image as a scaled-down 3D printed model. As we wrote to Revolutionary Tech Investor<\/em> readers yesterday, you could print scale models of yourself, your family and even a small car!<\/p>\n

Now, you may think that’s pointless and self-indulgent. But that’s the nature of being a consumer. Consumerism is about buying things that satisfy a want or need.<\/p>\n

The 3D printing industry looks set to be part of that consumerism. You may not agree with it, approve of it, or like it. But that shouldn’t matter when it comes to investing.<\/p>\n

Successful speculative investing is about identifying trends, weighing up their chance of success and then investing in them as early as possible<\/a>.<\/p>\n

3D printing stocks<\/strong> have done well already this year, but if we’re right about this being the beginning of a new trend, there are more good times to come<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Cheers,
\n Kris+<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

From the Port Phillip Publishing Library<\/em><\/strong> <\/strong><\/p>\n

Special Report: Read This or Retire Poor<\/a><\/p>\n<\/p>\n

Join Money Morning on Google+ <\/u><\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

Join Money Morning on Google+ <\/u><\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

\n<\/img><\/a> <\/img><\/a> <\/img><\/a>\n<\/div>\n

<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By MoneyMorning.com.au The trouble with being an active investor is that you tend to look at the market every day. That’s a big problem when the market action is as boring as this. So today, we’ll take a break from the hum-drum and look at the exciting. For instance, in recent weeks all the big … <\/p>\n

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