Rand Simberg has an article with more information on the evolving science of Flextronics, or assembling stuff by printing it. We've already covered this concept as it applies to medical technology and human cells. What about other uses? Flextronics is already a manufacturing reality, via large machines that build models of new designs as part of the research & development process. Advances in "organic electronics" and nanotechnology, however, will put flextronics on a capability curve that could one day make the concept of "desktop manufacturing" a reality in much the same way desktop printing is reality today. When that happens, the value of plans, the ability to trade them, and ownership of intellectual property will become even bigger issues than they are today. Transterrestrial Musings has a couple of links on that subject, too.