mechscannable radiation collectors + controllers

[coolvape]

they're the only part of the singularity that can't be scanned and produced by mechanics, but they're also one of the only parts you'd even want to scan and produce that way(unless you're doing funny things with emitters and field gens, or replacing after a singuloose and want to save on cash)

there's even already frames for them in the kits - it feels like they should be mechscannable and reproduced with mats from mining, or something. currently, mining has interactions with engineering when it comes to the TEG engine as well as for hotspots on oshan, but they don't do much for engineers on singularity maps. having collectors be scannable and craftable, possibly requiring some rare materials, would give them a useful interaction with engineering on singularity maps, helping them contribute more to the rest of the station.

what do people think?

[Rilor]

i think this is reasonable, although the question is what rare material, uqil or starstone might be too rare

[zcrow]

What would make this preferable over ordering the kits from cargo?

[coolvape]

It'd just be another option - if QM was well off, it'd make more sense to buy the thing than build it, like many other mechscannable pieces of equipment. If QM isn't well off, but mining has gotten resources, then it might make more sense to build them from mechanics than order them from QM.
I'm not even suoer-tied to the idea of it requiring rare materials - if it was more a choice between "spend money on collectors" or "spend money on resources / use existing resources and some time to construct them with a bit of teamwork", that also seems reasonable to me.
Overall, I think it'd make optimizing singularity power through the teamwork of the engineering dept, something that already kind of exists(singularity feeder mechanics setups, using qm to order more parts), even more developed.