Solid 3D printers have been available since the early 90's. They have just been well out of the range of affordable for the average person. The earliest ones employed a 3D solid modeling program driving a laser cured epoxy medium. The "printing" occurred at a thin slice boundary between the solid object and the liquid feedstock. It has been used for some time to generate prototype models and/or casting positives. The "printed" object isn't particularly strong or stable. Use it as a step enroute to an investment casting as used by Ruger and you have a great path from the computer to the factory floor.
but now they are saying the 3d printer will be able to produce THE ACTUAL END PRODUCT.
as the article in my post 50 said, forget your toothbrush and it will create one on the spot.
No more distribution needed for small scale objects. Just the copiable template code.