Daily Finance reports that “With patents expiring, intellectual property declining, crowdfunded projects drawing attention and competition heating up, many in the 3-D print industry believe that 2015 will be a breakout year. Printer sales are expected to double in 2015 to more than 217,000. One industry already making strides in 3-D printing is the military.”  

Areas of potential action include:

• Food
• Skin
• Weaponry and Equipment

The piece continues: “And then there’s 4-D printed objects, which can change when printing is complete.”  

“While 4-D printing could theoretically change various landscapes of the military, one aspect garnering much of the public and media attention is personnel uniforms. Adaptive uniforms adjust to changing surroundings. Could 4-D printed uniforms also protect people from shrapnel, debris and bullets?”