3-D Systems Posts Its 1st Profitable Quarter

3-D Systems, which builds computerized machines that rapidly make plastic models of industrial parts and other products, earned $342,633 in the third quarter--the first quarterly profit in the company’s 3 1/2-year history.

The profit contrasted with a year-earlier loss of $1.1 million. The company’s sales jumped to $5.53 million from $1.1 million. For the first nine months of 1989, 3-D Systems lost $2.42 million, contrasted with a loss of $3.19 million a year earlier, and its sales soared to $10.8 million from $2.67 million.

3-D Systems is headquartered in Canada, but its production operations are based in Valencia. The models made by 3-D’s machines are aimed at helping manufacturers reduce the time and cost needed to design new products.