Army researchers can use 3-D printers in conjunction with laser scanning to reverse-engineer practically anything. For example, an Army technician scans part of a protective mask; as the laser passes over every square millimeter of the object, the computer plots 3-D points in its memory. On screen, the mask comes into view immediately as a 3-D object. Sending the file to the printer results in the creation of a solid copy within a few hours. (U.S. Army Research, Development, and Engineering Command (RDECOM) photos by David McNally)
