Is there such a thing as a replicating machine?

Question

Mick Smith FP comes out with some stories. Today he reckons that there is a machine out there that can replicate anything. Meaning if you wanted a new pair of shoes you'd press a button and a new pair of shoes would come out. He reckons it does this by adjusting the molecular structure somehow.

Answer 1

Such tails always remind me as an astro physicist why flying saucers never land at one of our labs, but seem to come down near the dude wearing the baseball cap backwards while driving his pickup with the near empty six-pack on the floor.  

Answer 2

no, it's science fiction.

Answer 3

It might work!

But it would mean having vast amounts of computing power and electricity. With the technology at the moment, not enough available!

However if London blacks out one night, they might have turned the gizmo on.

Answer 4

Such a thing does not exist right now, but google reprap to see the gains being made in that direction.

Answer 5

Yes, they have them on the star ship enterprise.

Answer 6

Perhaps if Mick Smith was placed in the machine, what would come out would be a pile of steaming bulls*it.  ;-)