In Wikinomics, we argued that personalized manufacturing could at last make us genuine producers of the everyday objects that have long been the province of large-scale industrial manufacturers. Just as the information revolution placed the means to manipulate information and media in the hands of everyone within reach of a computer, a similar wave of digital fabrication technology could eventually put the means to produce physical objects in the hands of every household and community. Still the day when every home has a personal fablab looked a long way off in the distance.

Turns out we may misjudged the time frame. Derek Elley, chief strategy officer at Ponoko says his new outfit will bring peer production to the realm of physical things today. Here’s how he describes the service:

You upload your designs to the Ponoko website and select the materials. Ponoko then makes and delivers the product or product parts. You can use our making process to prototype and perfect your design.

You can post your designs in the Ponoko showroom for people to view and buy. Ponoko can make the product and deliver it direct to the customer. Or it can deliver the product or product parts to you for assembly, finishing and delivery to the customer. And Ponoko makes sure everyone gets paid.

Imagine the boon to small and medium size businesses should this take off. Low-cost global manufacturing and peer-to-peer commerce from your living room. They’re looking for beta-users if you’re interested.