Additive Manufacturing Emerges from a Multiyear Trough
After several difficult years, 3D printing stocks recovery signs are becoming clearer as demand returns for production-scale additive manufacturing. Industry executives describe the recent period as a “multiyear trough” marked by curtailed capital spending and macro uncertainty. Now, mission-critical sectors such as defense aerospace additive manufacturing, medical devices, and dental applications are reigniting growth, signaling that 3D printing is again being treated as a strategic production technology rather than a lab experiment. This shift is especially visible in companies that maintained research and development investment during the downturn and refreshed their product portfolios. As new platforms reach the market, customers are moving beyond prototypes and pilot lines toward full-scale manufacturing programs. Parallel momentum in Asia-Pacific, where roughly 30 additive manufacturing announcements were tracked across eight countries in late April and early May 2026, underlines that the recovery is geographically broad, not confined to a single region or niche.
3D Systems Turns the Corner with Healthcare and Aerospace Demand
3D Systems is one of the clearest examples of additive manufacturing growth 2026. The company reported first-quarter revenue of USD 95.5 million (approx. RM442.3 million), an 11% year-over-year increase and among its strongest performances in recent years. Healthcare Solutions led the way, rising 21% to USD 50.1 million (approx. RM232.0 million) and overtaking Industrial Solutions, which also returned to growth. Printer sales, materials, and parts manufacturing each saw double-digit increases, with metal printing for aerospace and medical uses providing a key boost. Profitability metrics improved as well: adjusted gross margin climbed to 36.1%, adjusted EBITDA turned positive at USD 2.1 million (approx. RM9.7 million), and net loss narrowed significantly. Management attributes the turnaround to disciplined cost control and a fully refreshed product line hitting the market as demand rebounds. Strong uptake in medical implants, oncology-related applications, and rapidly growing dental solutions, including the NextDent 300 Jetted Denture Solution, reinforces the company’s pivot toward high-value production workflows.
Velo3D Rides Defense and Aerospace into Full-Scale Production
Velo3D’s latest results show how defense aerospace additive manufacturing is driving a new phase of growth. The company’s first-quarter revenue reached USD 13.8 million (approx. RM64.0 million), up 48% year-over-year and 46% sequentially, as customers shifted from pilot programs into full-scale production. Gross margin improved to 17.2%, a sharp turnaround from the negative levels seen previously, helped by higher machine utilization, better manufacturing efficiency, and increased production volume. The firm’s Rapid Production Solution (RPS) model is central to this momentum. Instead of relying on one-off system sales, Velo3D enters longer-term manufacturing agreements, particularly with defense and aerospace customers. RPS contributed about 25% of quarterly revenue, and roughly half of the USD 30 million (approx. RM139.0 million) backlog is tied to these arrangements. Recent wins include an USD 11.5 million (approx. RM53.3 million) production contract with a defense prime and a USD 9.8 million (approx. RM45.4 million) five-year agreement with a major defense logistics agency, underscoring the sector’s role as a durable growth engine.
Defense Demand Reshapes the 3D Printing Business Model
The latest 3D Systems Velo3D earnings signals suggest that defense-driven demand is not only lifting revenue but also reshaping business models across the industry. Defense and aerospace programs tend to involve long qualification cycles, strict performance standards, and multi-year production horizons. Once 3D-printed components are validated, these customers often lock in extended manufacturing runs, providing additive vendors with visibility that was scarce during the earlier, prototyping-focused era. Velo3D’s shift toward RPS contracts and 3D Systems’ emphasis on metal printing for mission-critical parts illustrate how suppliers are aligning with these needs. The result is a growing mix of recurring revenue from materials, services, and long-term production agreements. For investors tracking 3D printing stocks recovery, this evolution suggests a move away from volatile, hardware-only cycles toward more stable, program-based income streams anchored by defense and aerospace adoption.
APAC Momentum and the Outlook for Additive Manufacturing Growth
Beyond Western markets, the APAC region has become a key contributor to additive manufacturing growth 2026. Industry trackers recorded around 30 additive manufacturing announcements across eight countries in late April to early May, pointing to an active pipeline of new installations, partnerships, and pilot-scale factories. Many of these initiatives intersect with sectors already leaning into 3D printing globally, including aerospace, medical devices, and industrial tooling. This breadth of activity suggests that the recovery is being reinforced by geographic diversification as well as sectoral strength. As more defense and aerospace organizations move from experimentation to production, suppliers in APAC are likely to mirror the strategies seen at 3D Systems and Velo3D—emphasizing metal capabilities, end-to-end solutions, and recurring service models. If current trends hold, additive manufacturing could be entering a new expansion phase where production-scale deployments, rather than prototyping, set the pace for technology adoption and revenue growth worldwide.
