Questions about Fabrication Chambers

[J. L. Brown]

Page 7 of the updated / 2023 version of the Central Supply Catalog includes rules for 'Fabrication Chambers'. Generally the price is 'volume x price per volume for specific capability', which is fine. Fabbers of better capability become available (but not mandatory) at higher Technology Levels, which is also fine. So what is the price of a lower-capability fabber built one or more TLs above when the capability became available? What is the price difference between Basic / Improved / Enhanced fabbers of the same volume, all built at TL 14? TL 15? The text doesn't give any guidance that I have found.

Do the rules for 'Prototech' and 'Retrotech' computers and electronics (pages 10 & 11) apply to fabbers? Do higher-tech versions of the same capability (a TL 15 'Basic' fabber versus a TL 10 'Basic' fabber) work any faster?

 

[Geir]

Page 7 of the updated / 2023 version of the Central Supply Catalog includes rules for 'Fabrication Chambers'. Generally the price is 'volume x price per volume for specific capability', which is fine. Fabbers of better capability become available (but not mandatory) at higher Technology Levels, which is also fine. So what is the price of a lower-capability fabber built one or more TLs above when the capability became available? What is the price difference between Basic / Improved / Enhanced fabbers of the same volume, all built at TL 14? TL 15? The text doesn't give any guidance that I have found.

Do the rules for 'Prototech' and 'Retrotech' computers and electronics (pages 10 & 11) apply to fabbers? Do higher-tech versions of the same capability (a TL 15 'Basic' fabber versus a TL 10 'Basic' fabber) work any faster?

It wasn't the intent to include them in the Retrotech rules, as they have the ability to create items at TL-2, which would move (with restrictions on types of devices) with the TL. Prototech rules, on the other hand, could conceivable be applied to any item.

 

[alex_greene]

How small can they get? I'm thinking about fab chambers the size of cybertech, synthesising drug doses at need, something attached to the lungs to recycle air and oxygenate blood, and so on.

 

[Geir]

How small can they get? I'm thinking about fab chambers the size of cybertech, synthesising drug doses at need, something attached to the lungs to recycle air and oxygenate blood, and so on.

That sort of falls into the nanorobot category (see Robot Handbook - but that concerns itself with purchasing nanorobots). As written, the fabs can be arbitrarily small, but they just don't get cheaper than the one chamber litre cost.

 

[alex_greene]

That sort of falls into the nanorobot category (see Robot Handbook - but that concerns itself with purchasing nanorobots). As written, the fabs can be arbitrarily small, but they just don't get cheaper than the one chamber litre cost.

Sounds good to me. Cost is irrelevant, when you can have nanofabs inside you to regulate your body's health. Nanofabs could render anagathics as written obsolete.

 

[Geir]

Sounds good to me. Cost is irrelevant, when you can have nanofabs inside you to regulate your body's health. Nanofabs could render anagathics as written obsolete.

Yeah, I hedged on that in the Robot Handbook. The Medical Nanorobots section on pages 83-84 in the RBH talks about age reduction, but it's more aging rate reduction than anagathics age freeze. And since it deals with purchasing nano packages, it doesn't deal directly with an implant 'fab organ' producing them, though that is a cool cybernetics option to consider.

 

[alex_greene]

Yeah, I hedged on that in the Robot Handbook. The Medical Nanorobots section on pages 83-84 in the RBH talks about age reduction, but it's more aging rate reduction than anagathics age freeze. And since it deals with purchasing nano packages, it doesn't deal directly with an implant 'fab organ' producing them, though that is a cool cybernetics option to consider.

There's always a chance that some Traveller with Science (gerontology) and Science (nanomedicine) 4 or 5 can work it out. That's a whole story or even campaign for them to follow the clues, and then there are the first experimental cyberfabs ...

 

[J. L. Brown]

I am trying to fill in the following 'Credits per CL of Standard Fabricator Capacity' table:

Technology Level​	Basic​	Improved​	Enhanced​	Advanced​
6​	---**​	-----​	-----​	-----​
7​	----*​	-----​	-----​	-----​
8​	2000​	---**​	-----​	-----​
9​	?????​	----*​	-----​	-----​
10​	?????​	10000​	-----​	-----​
11​	?????​	?????​	---**​	-----​
12​	?????​	?????​	----*​	-----​
13​	?????​	?????​	50000​	-----​
14​	?????​	?????​	?????​	-----​
15​	?????​	?????​	?????​	---**​
16​	?????​	?????​	?????​	----*​
17​	?????​	?????​	?????​	200000​

A value of '-----' indicates such a fabricator is simply not possible.

I had previously thought that TL7 'Basic' Fabs (and TL9 'Improved', TL12 'Enhanced', and TL16 'Advanced Fabs) would be Prototech1*, mass x10, cost x10, and 1 quirk. Similarly, TL6 'Basic' Fabs (and TL8 'Improved', TL11 'Enhanced', and TL15 'Advanced Fabs) would be Prototech2**, mass x100, cost x100, unreliable & 2 quirks. All this is just following the rules for Prototech on pages 10 & 11.

Whether or not any of that is true, it still leaves unanswered all of the (far more important) values with question marks.

Also -- 'Advanced' fabricators initially become available at TL 17, and they can build items of up to their own TL -0, instead of the usual TL -2 of lesser fabs. What would be the maximum TL of the products of a Prototech1 TL16 Advanced Fab or a Prototech2 TL15 Advanced Fab?

A TL8 'Basic' fab requires 2 hours to finish building an item; a TL13 'Enhanced' fab requires only an hour to finish building an item. A TL13 'Basic' fab takes how long? A TL 11 'Improved' fab needs two hours to finish building an item; how long does a TL13 'Improved' fab take? A TL11 'Improved' fab -- could it be built at Prototech2 to make it a TL13 'Improved' fab?

 

[J. L. Brown]

In the absence of any replies to the questions of cost with regard to changing Tech Level in my first post, here is my solution.

Technology Level​	Basic (TL -3)​	Improved (TL -2)​	Enhanced (TL-1)​	Advanced (TL -0)​
6​	---**​	-----​	-----​	-----​
7​	----*​	-----​	-----​	-----​
8​	2000​	-----​	-----​	-----​
9​	1600​	---**​	-----​	-----​
10​	1280​	----*​	-----​	-----​
11​	1000​	10000​	-----​	-----​
12​	750​	8000​	---**​	-----​
13​	560​	6400​	----*​	-----​
14​	400​	5000​	50000​	-----​
15​	260​	3750​	40000​	---**​
16​	165​	2800​	32000​	----*​
17​	100​	2000​	25000​	200000​

A value of '-----' indicates such a fabricator is simply not possible. Entries with one asterisk (*) indicate a fabricator built using a single level of prototech; entries with a double asterisk (**) indicate a fabricator built with two levels of prototech .

External fabricators (up until 'Advanced' fabricators) can only produce items of up to one TL lower than normal (internal) fabricators of the same type and TL.

'Basic' items are items which can be made in a 'Basic' fabricator; this includes simple electrical devices with relays and vacuum tubes, but not superconductors, metamaterials, advanced textiles, or anything which requires precision greater than a tenth of a millimeter. 'Improved' items are items that can be made in an 'Improved' (but not in a 'Basic') fabricator, this includes advanced textiles and simple electronics with transistors, capacitors, diodes, and similar attached to a circuit-board -- but no integrated circuits; or anything which requires prcision greater than a micrometer. 'Enhanced' items are items which may be manufactured in an 'Enhanced' (but not 'Basic' or 'Improved') fabricator; this includes electronics, spin-tronics, photonics, and gravitonic devices, electrical and thermal superconductors, and many meta-materials; but nothing which requires precision greater than a nanometer.

The hours taken to produce a given Basic / Improved / Enhanced / Advanced item are as follows:

Technology Level	Basic (TL -3)	Improved (TL -2)	Enhanced (TL -1)	Advanced (TL -0)
6	72**/-----/-----/-----	-----/-----/-----/-----	-----/-----/-----/-----	-----/-----/-----/-----
7	48*/-----/-----/-----	-----/-----/-----/-----	-----/-----/-----/-----	-----/-----/-----/-----
8	24/-----/-----/-----	-----/-----/-----/-----	-----/-----/-----/-----	-----/-----/-----/-----
9	20/-----/-----/-----	18/56**/-----/-----	-----/-----/-----/-----	-----/-----/-----/-----
10	16/-----/-----/-----	14/36*/-----/-----	-----/-----/-----/-----	-----/-----/-----/-----
11	12/-----/-----/-----	10/18/-----/-----	-----/-----/-----/-----	-----/-----/-----/-----
12	12/-----/-----/-----	9/15/-----/-----	7/14/36**/-----	-----/-----/-----/-----
13	12/-----/-----/-----	8/12/-----/-----	6/11/24*/-----	-----/-----/-----/-----
14	12/-----/-----/-----	7/9/-----/-----	5/8/12/-----	-----/-----/-----/-----
15	12/-----/-----/-----	7/9/-----/-----	4/6/10/-----	3/5/8/18**
16	12/-----/-----/-----	7/9/-----/-----	3/4/8/-----	2/3/6/12*
17	12/-----/-----/-----	7/9/-----/-----	2/3/6/-----	1/2/4/6

 

[MasterGwydion]

Can the TL-13 Fabrication Chamber print coffee beans? Was designing some other components for the Common Area section. One of them was a small coffee shop, but then I thought, coffee might be hard to find. A tiny 1 or 2 slot fabricator would fix this and allow 100% recycling of organic matter into other organic matter. Then I thought... Wait. Maybe a fabricator can't do this. I should ask. lol.

What do you guys think? Yes or no? (Yes, I know it is pricey. lol) Think cruise ship or luxury megayacht

 

[Geir]

Can the TL-13 Fabrication Chamber print coffee beans? Was designing some other components for the Common Area section. One of them was a small coffee shop, but then I thought, coffee might be hard to find. A tiny 1 or 2 slot fabricator would fix this and allow 100% recycling of organic matter into other organic matter. Then I thought... Wait. Maybe a fabricator can't do this. I should ask. lol.

What do you guys think? Yes or no? (Yes, I know it is pricey. lol) Think cruise ship or luxury megayacht

Yes, but it might be a bland, generic bean. Or not - Referee's choice.

You might be better off with a bioreactor of TL10 or above - see the medical section (p.88-89) of the CSC'23 - then you could quick-grow a plant at x12 or x50 (at TL13) and harvest the bean. For the really fancy beans that get 'processed' by civets, well, you could clone the critter and use it as a 'secondary bean processor', but might want to keep that one out of customer view behind the counter.

 

[MasterGwydion]

Yes, but it might be a bland, generic bean. Or not - Referee's choice.

You might be better off with a bioreactor of TL10 or above - see the medical section (p.88-89) of the CSC'23 - then you could quick-grow a plant at x12 or x50 (at TL13) and harvest the bean. For the really fancy beans that get 'processed' by civets, well, you could clone the critter and use it as a 'secondary bean processor', but might want to keep that one out of customer view behind the counter.

hahahaha. Thanks for the answer.

 

[Terry Mixon]

hahahaha. Thanks for the answer.

The TL-15 advanced autodoc has a fabrication chamber. For a mere MCr 3, you could have a heathy crew and make your own coffee.

---

From the Central Supply Catalogue:

The advanced or ‘deluxe’ TL15 autodoc includes a fabrication chamber capable of both regenerating tissue and crafting simple augments. Its advanced sensors (bioscanner and NAS) and science toolkit allow it to perform investigative work to analyse unknown illnesses or other medical conditions. Its skills include Investigate, Medic, Science (biology) and (chemistry), all at skill level 4.

From the Robot Handbook:

The advanced autodoc, includes a more sophisticated brain than previous models, a small fabrication chamber capable of printing out biological and cybernetic parts, and a full suite of scientific instruments including a bioscanner and neural activity sensor. Its advanced brain is equipped with an Investigate skill package and detailed knowledge of both biology and chemistry, allowing it to diagnose novel illnesses and develop treatments.

The deluxe autodoc is capable of great feats, able to reconstruct every organ but the brain – and even some parts of the brain - but it can only repair , not improve a body.

It has a Fabrication Chamber (10 Slots enhanced). 1.5 liters in volume per slot, so ten slots is a lot (15 liters of volume or ~4 gallons of volume which an online converter says is ~17 pounds of coffee beans) of coffee, am I right?

 

[J. L. Brown]

Some additional notes about my house-rules for fabricators:
A Fabricator of a given technology level can build a fabricator of it's own complexity or less; but of appropriately lower TL. A TL 12 'Basic' fabricator can make a TL 9 'Basic' fabricator; a TL 12 'Improved' fabricator can make a TL 10 'Basic' or 'Improved' fabricator -- although the TL 10 'Improved' fabricator that resulted would suffer the disadvantages of being a 'Prototype'.

Fabricators of TL 7 and below are restricted to working with only a single material; they are useful for making molds and individual parts. Some TL 7 'Basic' fabricators can switch materials between jobs, but these are 50% more expensive.

Certain materials are restricted by Technology level -- armor is one example. Titanium steel and similar alloys cannot be made by any fabricator below TL 7; it requires a 'Basic' or better fabricator of TL 7 or higher. CrystalIron requires an 'Improved' fabricator of TL 10 or higher; no 'Basic' fabricator can produce it regardless of TL. Bonded Superdense requires a 'Enhanced' fabricator of TL 14 or higher; no 'Basic' or 'Improved' fabricator can produce it regardless of TL. Molecular Bonded requires an 'Advanced' fabricator of TL 16 or higher; no 'Basic', 'Improved', or 'Enhanced' fabricator can produce it regardless of TL.

Robot Brains (and Computers) are also restricted by complexity of the fabrication chamber. Basic Fabrication Chambers can build 'Primitive' robot brains (and computers of up to Complexity/0) of appropriate TLs; Improved Fabrication Chambers can build 'Basic' and 'Hunter/Killer' robot brains (and computers of up to Complexity of TL/4, maximum of Complexity/3) of appropriate TLs; Enhanced Fabrication Chambers can build Advanced and Very Advanced robot brains (and computers of up to Complexity of TL/3, maximum of Complexity/5) of appropriate TLs; and 'Advanced' fabrication chambers can build any robot brain (or Computer) of appropriate TLs.

At TL 13, an 'Enhanced' fabricator can function as an TL13 'Basic', 'Improved', or even an 'Enhanced' Bioreactor (the latter is an extra 50% cost at TL 13, assumed built-in at no additional cost at higher TLs & complexities). At TL 13 the 'Advanced' Bioreactor becomes available, but the functions of this type of bioreactor cannot be built into a fabrication chamber of less than 'Advanced' complexity -- Early Prototype 'Advanced' fabricators which can function as 'Advanced' bioreactors first become possible at TL 15.

(So yes, a TL 13 'Enhanced' fabricator can be fitted to build coffee beans -- but this is pricier than a normal fabricator, and the time to grow the coffee beans is compressed by a factor of 12. Better than this is directly printing just the tissue of the cotyledons of the coffee bean; something that any TL 13 'Enhanced' fabrication chamber can do.)

The mirror image of the Fabrication Chamber (and the Bio-reaction Chamber) is the Deconstruction Chamber. A given Deconstruction Chamber can deconstruct any material or item that a Fabrication Chamber of matching TL & complexity could produce. Deconstruction takes half the time, returns almost all of the material put into it as raw materials suitable for use by a 'Fabrication Chamber' or 'Bioreactor'; and full information on the measurements, materials, and characteristics of the deconstructed item. Items which fall outside the limits of the deconstruction chamber are dropped into the output bin unchanged, and with no information. Note that the information output by the deconstruction chamber is not sufficient, by itself, to rebuild a novel new item or make copies; the actual construction techniques are not conveyed -- but this information is sufficient to make copies of known items -- and the information can be used (as a large bonus) to design a viable construction process. Information to produce a new item may be bought; 'print as many as you like' licenses may typically cost 1000x as much as buying a single item; 'print just a few copies for personal use' is more likely to be 1/1000th of the usual price of an item. Rarity, law-level, and TL modifiers apply as normal as though the information was the item itself.

 

[Terry Mixon]

The current game I'm running, one of my NPCs is a robotics genius from Vincennes where he was one of the driving forces to push robotics to TL-16. He was already brilliant, but I stacked the deck and had him find an Ancient's bauble in his youth that could boost his INT by 5 for a couple of hours per day. His INT was 12 when he started college. It was 15 when he retired. A 20 INT for a few hours a day meant some serious boosts to his creative prowess.

By the time he retired and moved to Glisten where he was pulled into the adventure, he had created a TL-17 robotics lab with a deconstructor/fabricator built into a single unit. I'm assuming that at some point, that would happen given the similarity of the two.

Of course he disabled the copyright protections. He tosses things in, deconstructs them, and has a pattern for later. Robots, weapons, food, cargo. Goodness only knows what trouble he'll get up to. I know I've run roughshod over the rules but I'm backdooring my way into the Ancients campaign and dragging my players with me.

 

[MasterGwydion]

The current game I'm running, one of my NPCs is a robotics genius from Vincennes where he was one of the driving forces to push robotics to TL-16. He was already brilliant, but I stacked the deck and had him find an Ancient's bauble in his youth that could boost his INT by 5 for a couple of hours per day. His INT was 12 when he started college. It was 15 when he retired. A 20 INT for a few hours a day meant some serious boosts to his creative prowess.

By the time he retired and moved to Glisten where he was pulled into the adventure, he had created a TL-17 robotics lab with a deconstructor/fabricator built into a single unit. I'm assuming that at some point, that would happen given the similarity of the two.

Of course he disabled the copyright protections. He tosses things in, deconstructs them, and has a pattern for later. Robots, weapons, food, cargo. Goodness only knows what trouble he'll get up to. I know I've run roughshod over the rules but I'm backdooring my way into the Ancients campaign and dragging my players with me.

Remember the episode of Killjoys? The collector in the asteroid ship who kept all of his prized possessions deconstructed and rebuilt them when he wanted them? Sounds a lot like that. I always thought that was a cool idea.

 

[Terry Mixon]

Remember the episode of Killjoys? The collector in the asteroid ship who kept all of his prized possessions deconstructed and rebuilt them when he wanted them? Sounds a lot like that. I always thought that was a cool idea.

I loved Killjoys and wouldn't be surprised if that was percolating under the surface when I came up with the idea. The fact all my players are bounty hunters really brings the comparison home.

 

[J. L. Brown]

The current game I'm running, one of my NPCs is a robotics genius from Vincennes where he was one of the driving forces to push robotics to TL-16. He was already brilliant, but I stacked the deck and had him find an Ancient's bauble in his youth that could boost his INT by 5 for a couple of hours per day. His INT was 12 when he started college. It was 15 when he retired. A 20 INT for a few hours a day meant some serious boosts to his creative prowess.

By the time he retired and moved to Glisten where he was pulled into the adventure, he had created a TL-17 robotics lab with a deconstructor/fabricator built into a single unit. I'm assuming that at some point, that would happen given the similarity of the two.

Of course he disabled the copyright protections. He tosses things in, deconstructs them, and has a pattern for later. Robots, weapons, food, cargo. Goodness only knows what trouble he'll get up to. I know I've run roughshod over the rules but I'm backdooring my way into the Ancients campaign and dragging my players with me.

I am thinking that a 1 chamber-liter TL-16 prototype 'Advanced' external construction fabrication chamber (from Pashus or Vincennes) would be a game-changer in a Pirates of Drinax campaign. It can create any TL 16 device it has information/blueprints for... but, of course, TL 16 blueprints are NOT widely available. Still, a character who started with a "Ship's Boat" benefit, some ship-shares. and an appropriate background might be able to parlay that into ~10 MCr worth of other equipment; a cyberneticist / roboticist / PhD of Industrial Engineering might be able to get a prototype fabber like that & blueprints for larger copies & a TL-15 Deconstruction Chamber. The Fabber would cost 1.5 MCr; and blueprints for bigger chamber-liter fabbers would be:
10 CL = 0.1% x 15 MCr = 15 kCr
100 CL = 0.1% x 150 MCr = 150 kCr
1000 CL = 0.1% x 1500 MCr = 1.5 MCr
10k CL = 0.1% x 15000 MCr = 15 MCr

The 10000 Chamber Liter version takes up 75000 liters of space (75 m^3, about 5.7 dTons) and can produce 10000 liters of TL 15 goods in 6 hours -- that is 8.1 hours per dTon; ~20 dTons per week; 67.5 days to replace a Harrier. The 1 CL fabber they start with can build the 10000 CL version in 37500 days, which is time-prohibitive, so probably best to step up gradually. The time to produce the 10 CL fabber would only be 37.5 days -- and that fabber could make a copy of itself in only 3.75 days. The 10 CL fabber could copy itself in 3.75 days, and build a 100 CL fabber in 37.5 days; and so on. The 100 CL fabber could copy itself in 3.75 days (and since it can print out complete, living & complex designer organisms, making several copies seems like a good idea); and build the 1000 CL fabber in 37.5 days.

Given the (quite expensive) materials, it seems like a character might be able to go from start to a 10k CL Prototype 'Advanced' external-construction fabber in just 165 days. No guidance seems to be provided in the rules as to how much the materials would cost.

My personal take on this is as follows:
Any fabber can produce an item of the fabbers rated complexity for 50% of the price of the item in materials of the appropriate complexity. A fabber producing items of complexity lower than the fabbers own rating (an 'Advanced' making 'Enhanced' complexity items) for 5% less materials of the appropriate complexity. Higher complexity materials than the item provide no benefit in reduced cost or construction time; though they may be tougher or have some other minor benefit. Lower complexity materials cannot be used to directly produce an item at all (if all you have is 'Basic' complexity materials, you cannot make an 'Enhanced complexity item) -- although a high complexity fabber may process lower complexity materials into higher complexity feedstock materials; the yield is 50% of the value of the original materials in materials one complexity higher; the rest is 'dross', useful as feed material of one complexity lower. 8000 Cr worth of 'Basic' materials can become 4000 Cr worth of 'Improved' materials in any 'Improved' or better fabber (the other half is waste); 4000 Cr of Improved materials can become 2000 Cr of 'Enhanced' materials in any 'Enhanced' or better fabber (the remaining 2000 Crof materials are useful as 'Basic' materials); 2000 Cr of 'Enhanced' materials may become 1000 Cr of 'Advanced' materials in any 'Advanced' fabber (the other 1000 Cr is useful as 'Improved' material feedstock).

Using normal manufacturing plants of the appropriate TL (High Guard 2022 pg 67 & 68) to produce feed-materials is far more efficient than using fabrication chambers.

 

[Terry Mixon]

I am thinking that a 1 chamber-liter TL-16 prototype 'Advanced' external construction fabrication chamber (from Pashus or Vincennes) would be a game-changer in a Pirates of Drinax campaign. It can create any TL 16 device it has information/blueprints for... but, of course, TL 16 blueprints are NOT widely available. Still, a character who started with a "Ship's Boat" benefit, some ship-shares. and an appropriate background might be able to parlay that into ~10 MCr worth of other equipment; a cyberneticist / roboticist / PhD of Industrial Engineering might be able to get a prototype fabber like that & blueprints for larger copies & a TL-15 Deconstruction Chamber. The Fabber would cost 1.5 MCr; and blueprints for bigger chamber-liter fabbers would be:
10 CL = 0.1% x 15 MCr = 15 kCr
100 CL = 0.1% x 150 MCr = 150 kCr
1000 CL = 0.1% x 1500 MCr = 1.5 MCr
10k CL = 0.1% x 15000 MCr = 15 MCr

The 10000 Chamber Liter version takes up 75000 liters of space (75 m^3, about 5.7 dTons) and can produce 10000 liters of TL 15 goods in 6 hours -- that is 8.1 hours per dTon; ~20 dTons per week; 67.5 days to replace a Harrier. The 1 CL fabber they start with can build the 10000 CL version in 37500 days, which is time-prohibitive, so probably best to step up gradually. The time to produce the 10 CL fabber would only be 37.5 days -- and that fabber could make a copy of itself in only 3.75 days. The 10 CL fabber could copy itself in 3.75 days, and build a 100 CL fabber in 37.5 days; and so on. The 100 CL fabber could copy itself in 3.75 days (and since it can print out complete, living & complex designer organisms, making several copies seems like a good idea); and build the 1000 CL fabber in 37.5 days.

Given the (quite expensive) materials, it seems like a character might be able to go from start to a 10k CL Prototype 'Advanced' external-construction fabber in just 165 days.

The one he currently has is 128 slots and can make size 6 robots. That's 192 liters. He's been considering an upgrade to make size 8 robots, so that's 512 slots (I think) and 768 liters. He's inching up there...

Thanks for this great information. I foresee using it soon.

 

[Terry Mixon]

My personal take on this is as follows:
Any fabber can produce an item of the fabbers rated complexity for 50% of the price of the item in materials of the appropriate complexity. A fabber producing items of complexity lower than the fabbers own rating (an 'Advanced' making 'Enhanced' complexity items) for 5% less materials of the appropriate complexity. Higher complexity materials than the item provide no benefit in reduced cost or construction time; though they may be tougher or have some other minor benefit. Lower complexity materials cannot be used to directly produce an item at all (if all you have is 'Basic' complexity materials, you cannot make an 'Enhanced complexity item) -- although a high complexity fabber may process lower complexity materials into higher complexity feedstock materials; the yield is 50% of the value of the original materials in materials one complexity higher; the rest is 'dross', useful as feed material of one complexity lower. 8000 Cr worth of 'Basic' materials can become 4000 Cr worth of 'Improved' materials in any 'Improved' or better fabber (the other half is waste); 4000 Cr of Improved materials can become 2000 Cr of 'Enhanced' materials in any 'Enhanced' or better fabber (the remaining 2000 Crof materials are useful as 'Basic' materials); 2000 Cr of 'Enhanced' materials may become 1000 Cr of 'Advanced' materials in any 'Advanced' fabber (the other 1000 Cr is useful as 'Improved' material feedstock).

Using normal manufacturing plants of the appropriate TL (High Guard 2022 pg 67 & 68) to produce feed-materials is far more efficient than using fabrication chambers.

Any idea what and how those plants would produce the raw feed materials? Seems like a lot of things might go into different flavors for it. Raw materials for common items would be very different than high end computers for ships. What kind of setup would be needed and where would the supply lines come from to have what was needed? I suppose asteroid mining might get some of that is needed. There really aren't many details on feedstock.

What I'd been considering was using the spec trading categories to buy various goods if they were cheap and deconstructing them for raw materials. While it's not directly making the raw materials, I suppose I could use half the base cost as a marker for making those kinds of items. For example, Robots have a base cost of Cr 300,000. Maybe the raw materials to make that kind of thing are Cr 150,000 per ton base cost.

It still leaves gaps, but it would be funny as heck having people ask him what he's using all the trade goods he buys, yet has no ship and never resells any of it.