“That said, the really serious stuff in metal and ceramic is a while away”
3D systems makes LASER sintering printers and Arcam makes electron beam melting (EBM) printers.
And that's very impressive.
But when 3D Systems appointed will.i.am as its Chief Creative Officer and Stratsys bought MakerBot, some investors thought they were signaling that these two companies believed the future direction of 3-D was printing toys/action figures/design prototypes and retail.
Furthermore, 3D's heavy acquisition program has obscured their ability to achieve organic growth (i.e. growth from acquisitions might be unsustainable.).