Best Additive Manufacturing & 3D Printing Stocks for 2026

Additive manufacturing is entering a new era — one driven by aerospace, defense, medical devices, and on-demand industrial production. From high-end metal printing to digital manufacturing marketplaces, these companies represent the strongest opportunities in 2026.

Below are the Top 10 Additive Manufacturing & 3D Printing Stocks for 2026 — ranked using our Best List medal system and scored across Innovation, Sector Importance, Future Potential, and Moonshot Energy.

🥇 Gold Pick — Velo3D (VELO)

Innovation: ★★★★★
Sector Importance: ★★★★★
Future Potential: ★★★★★
Moonshot Energy: ★★★★★

Velo3D is the purest moonshot in additive manufacturing — a next-generation metal printing company unlocking previously impossible aerospace and defense geometries. Its Sapphire platform enables ultra-complex, support-free parts that legacy printers simply cannot replicate.

With defense adoption rising and new alloys coming online, VELO sits at the center of the precision-manufacturing revolution.

🥈 Silver Pick — Xometry (XMTR)

Innovation: ★★★★★
Sector Importance: ★★★★★
Future Potential: ★★★★★
Moonshot Energy: ★★★★☆

Xometry is the manufacturing marketplace of the future — an AI-powered platform that connects global buyers to on-demand 3D printing, CNC machining, injection molding, and custom manufacturing. Its role is foundational: XMTR is the infrastructure that routes industrial production itself.

As supply chains digitize, Xometry becomes one of the most powerful catalysts in the entire manufacturing stack.

🥉 Bronze Pick — Stratasys (SSYS)

Innovation: ★★★★☆
Sector Importance: ★★★★☆
Future Potential: ★★★★☆
Moonshot Energy: ★★★★☆

Stratasys is stabilizing after years of transition, with traction in aerospace, automotive, medical devices, and high-precision tools. Its partnerships with Toyota, GM, and Blue Origin reveal its expanding presence in enterprise-grade additive production.

A leaner cost structure and improving demand environment position SSYS as a high-quality industrial rebound play.

4. Materialise (MTLS)

Innovation: ★★★★☆
Sector Importance: ★★★★☆
Future Potential: ★★★★☆
Moonshot Energy: ★★★★☆

Materialise provides the software backbone of additive manufacturing — powering industrial workflows across automotive, aerospace, medical, and consumer product design. Its long-term stability and expanding US/EU adoption make MTLS a core pillar of digital manufacturing.

5. 3D Systems (DDD)

Innovation: ★★★★☆
Sector Importance: ★★★★☆
Future Potential: ★★★★☆
Moonshot Energy: ★★★★☆

3D Systems is undergoing a major pivot toward healthcare, dental, and metal additive manufacturing. With the NextDent platform gaining FDA traction, cost structures reset, and aerospace contracts expanding, DDD enters 2026 with significant asymmetric upside.

6. Nano Dimension (NNDM)

Innovation: ★★★★☆
Sector Importance: ★★★★☆
Future Potential: ★★★★☆
Moonshot Energy: ★★★★☆

Nano Dimension fuses additive manufacturing with nano-conductive materials to create 3D-printed electronics for defense, aerospace, and high-performance circuitry. It remains a high-variance, high-reward innovator inside the AM sector.

7. ATS Corporation (ATS)

Innovation: ★★★★☆
Sector Importance: ★★★★☆
Future Potential: ★★★★☆
Moonshot Energy: ★★★☆☆

ATS builds factory-automation systems used by top manufacturers worldwide. Its integration of high-precision robotics and AM workflows positions it as a key enabler of next-generation production lines.

8. Fanuc (FANUY)

Innovation: ★★★★☆
Sector Importance: ★★★★★
Future Potential: ★★★★☆
Moonshot Energy: ★★★☆☆

Fanuc is the global leader in industrial robotics. While not purely additive-focused, its robotic automation backbone is essential for scaling 3D printing into high-volume manufacturing.

9. Proto Labs (PRLB)

Innovation: ★★★★☆
Sector Importance: ★★★★☆
Future Potential: ★★★☆☆
Moonshot Energy: ★★★★☆

Proto Labs pioneered rapid prototyping and low-volume production through digital manufacturing. Its evolution into industrial 3D printing services keeps PRLB relevant as manufacturers seek faster design-to-production pipelines.

10. Carpenter Technology (CRS)

Innovation: ★★★★☆
Sector Importance: ★★★★★
Future Potential: ★★★★☆
Moonshot Energy: ★★★☆☆

Carpenter Technology produces high-performance alloys used in aerospace, defense, energy, and additive manufacturing. As demand for AM-optimized metals grows, CRS becomes an essential materials supplier for the entire ecosystem.

Final Ranking Table