Earlier quoted context omitted.
A bit of a non-sequiter, but I'll bite. Replicating toolboxes. Or self-replicating benchtop factories. Microcontrollers could be produced using dip-pen nanolithigraohy, or a few other techniques. Of course we need decent open source atomic force microscopes first. There will always be components that can't be produced on that kind of scale. In reprap parlance we call the "vitamins". An apt metaphor.
The production of integrated circuits is very much dictated by economies of scale. The capital require is simply too large to justify the creation of a production line for a small run. If you crack that particular nut then you're going to be the next Bill Gates.
The capital required to currently produce top-of-the-line ICs is too large. But we're getting closer - people are building their own CPUs. E.g. there was the article of someone breadboarding a CPU in the 10's of MHz range recently. And there are plenty of FPGA projects, which while still depending on ICs manufactured by a central manufacturer substantially reduces their role.