Research Station

The Research Station is used together with the Quantum Computer to progress further in the game. It is first required in UV-tier to obtain the Data Stick required for the UHV-Mainframe. As TecTech multiblocks, they come with support for Laser-Hatches and Power Pass. The general idea is that the Research Station requires both power and computation packets to scan an item into a Data Stick. The computation packets are generated by Quantum Computers and sent to the Research Station via Optical Fiber Cables.

Construction

For general construction refer to the Multiblock Structure Hologram Projector. Only one Research Station is needed for any number of Quantum Computers.

The only flexible part of the structure are the nine blocks on the backside of the main body (between the computer heat vents). That is where your Maintenance Hatch, Energy Hatch, and Optical Slave Connector will go. Ensure both the controller and object holder are reachable as they will need to be interfaced quite frequently.

1 Research Station (As Shown)
1 Object Holder (Center of the Front Pillar)
1 Maintenance Hatch (Any Computer Casing on Backside of Main Body)
1+ Optical Slave Connector (Any Computer Casing on Backside of Main Body)
1+ Energy Hatches (Any Computer Casing on Backside of Main Body)
14 Computer Heat Vent
23 Advanced Computer Casing
52-61 Computer Casings

Research Station with two Quantum Computers chained together via Optical Fiber Cables.
Backside of the Research Station. The center 9 computer casings are the only flexible blocks.

Usage

The Research Station is very similar to a single-block scanner. All recipes take some sort of catalyst item (placed in the object holder) and a data stick (placed in the controller). The catalyst item is consumed as soon as the Research Station begins scanning, but WILL return to the player if the recipe is interrupted. All progress is still lost if that happens, however.

Scanning recipes first requires a minimum power threshold. This is simply some EU/t to keep the Research Station running and does NOT determine the length of the scan or contribute to the scanning process at all. How long a recipe takes will depends on how many computation packets are being generated by the attached Quantum Computer(s). For example, the UHV Wetware Mainframe requires 24,000 computation to scan which will take approximately 10 seconds if 2,288 computation packets are being generated every second.

Often the minimum power threshold of the Research Station is significantly higher than the power requirements of Quantum Computers so if power is an issue, the solution is likely adding more computer racks to generate more computation.

See also the Quantum Computer wiki page for more information regarding that multiblock.