[George W. Bush]

Just wait for the economic calamity when they finally figure out how to construct molecular fabricators - IN THE FUTURE!

Actually, many types of ordinary household electronic devices can already be fabricated using a PC and a 3D 'printer' which uses a set of 'cartridges' of various materials.

First desktop publishing, then desktop video. In 5-10 years, desktop fabrication. You'll buy the raw materials cartidges and pay to download the specs of devices you want to 'print'.

Just wait. It's coming.

Search Google for 'desktop fabrication' and 'printable computers'. We'll see it used first in large corporate prototyping and then in light industrial prototyping application, probably in 2-3 years.

The prototyping capability alone, whether it ever becomes a widespread consumer device, will make a big change in the ability of smaller companies to compete in the market. Think of how desktop publishing and desktop video have changed those industries.

[Poohbah]

First desktop publishing, then desktop video. In 5-10 years, desktop fabrication. You'll buy the raw materials cartidges and pay to download the specs of devices you want to 'print'.

Just wait. It's coming.

I saw one of these things demonstrated at a trade show a few years ago. They still have a fairly low MTBF (the one I saw demonstrated crapped out twice in a three-day trade show), but they are getting better by the year.

This technology should scare the crap out of the tool & die business.