Hi Spyglass, thanks for the PSA, I've had similar issues with a ship that uses different projectors for different weapon payloads, I think I might remove the second projector from this printer blueprint. Its easy enough to add for those that know what they're doing, and only confusing to those who don't yet.

Spite, Great simple printer setup. Have built it many times in the past couple of years. I use it for the Myxini Tunnel miner and Phoebe almost every time.

However, the latest update to SE has another bug I haven't seen mentioned here. Besides the "Can't find blueprint" error, there's also a strange bug that allows a projected blueprint to be welded even if its projector is turned off! I have to make sure that only one projector has a blueprint and the other is empty, otherwise I wind up welding a monster merge of 2 ships. Seems to happen about 80% of the time. Just an FYI for others who may have experienced strange things.

For the "Can't find blueprint" error, I only get it when I'm building the projector arm, not when building a ship. And I just make sure the merge block is the last thing to build and then clear the projector before I complete the final weld on the merge block.

Hi fiby, no worries its nice to see someone getting use out of these old blueprints.

The 2nd projector is just so you can have a different blueprints saved at the same time, often if I play with a friend, then he will use one projector, and I'll use the other, so we don't interfere with each others plans.

So no need to use two at once, in fact I think that might cause lag.

Thank you, Spite, for your support; I really appreciate it! Just one last question: should I load the blueprint onto both projectors? Currently, I am only using one.

Hi fiby,

It sounds like the issue you were encountering is that projections can't handle sub-grids, so anything on the heads of the pistons would have to be placed manually (unless you're using plug-ins).

The block you're seeing behind the welders is a set of conveyor tubes (the unarmoured ones) connecting the top and bottom rows of welders, so that both rows can withdraw components. With that in mind, you should conveyor up the back of the piston with the welders tot he rest of your base's cargo.

The right piston didn’t have a rotor, but I followed a comment below and that issue is now resolved. The left piston came without welders, which I will add tomorrow. My only question now is regarding the image above shows a block behind the piston and welder. What is that? Is it critical? Could you also provide a view from the other side, please?

Hi, totally confused how to install this! any video tutorial on this one?

Sorry about that, it does feel like projectors have been getting janky since the last major update (to be fair, it could have been earlier, I took a long break from SE).

I'll be sure to add some images with cut-outs of showing the important bits for the next one.

Yep. then when i started to weld it out i found i could only weld the frames around the rc but not to rc it's self. I ended up placing and rc block there by hand and building it and it seems to work now

Ok, so I can't seem to replicate the issue you're describing, so let me first confirm that these are the steps you're going through:

1. Build a LG rotor, grind of the rotor head.
2. Use the "add small rotor head" button for the Rotor
3. Place a projector on the small rotor head, and weld up both blocks.
4. Add the "Small Ship Printer Basic MK 3 Projector Head" blueprint to the small grid projector you just built.
5. weld up the projection. (I think this is where you were getting stuck?)

Hi BigDinkster, Not sure what is happening there, but I will look this evening (so in about 5 hours)

Hello again Spite

I'm trying this printer again and i am having an issue where i can't seem to weld the first block after the small grid projector? A remote control I think. The welder doesn't ever see it.

Enjoy!

Perfection

Thank you kind sir

You can just put the welders directly onto the piston, as long as you make sure the side conveyor connections are lined up you would only need 2 curved conveyors to make sure the top and bottom rows are piped to each other

Thanks for the rapid reply

yes i think i got it sorted. have to build the rotor the swap the head. i kept trying to change the piston head. one more question should the welders go straight on the piston or does one put conv junctions behind?

Thanks again for the help i cant wait to get some of your rigs built with this set up

Hi Big Dinkster,

Unfortunately, Space engineers doesn't support multiple grids on projections, so you would have to place the rotor onto the piston yourself, grid off the default large grid head, then go to the terminal and click the "add small head" button. There should now be a small grid rotor head that you can place the projector onto.

You can add the "Small Ship Printer Basic MK 3 Projector Head" blueprint to that projector and weld it up, then your printer should be ready to go.

Let me know how it goes!

Hello Spite

I'm trying to set this up in survival but i can't find the rotor to attach a projector to. am I missing a step?

Hi AssistMeister,

This seems to be a problem that quite a few people are experiencing, including me recently:

https://www.reddit.com/r/spaceengineers/comments/1gac3mk/cannot_find_blueprint_error/

There is even a report on Keen's support page.
We have been getting around it by grinding down the merge block instead of detaching it.

Hi ! I am getting the error prompt "Cannot find blueprint file" every time I hit the merge button after I've finished building a ship, which requires me to restart the game. I've tried turning off the projectors and deleting the blueprint before turning off the merge block.

Anyone else had the issue, and figured out how to fix it ?

Hi Frank, unless you are using mods, you won't be able to project a subgrid.

The usual procedure is to remove the large grid rotor's head, then go into the terminal and add a small head to the rotor, then place the small grid projector directly onto the rotor head.

Is that what you have been doing?

I'm not sure if this works anymore. I'm trying to put the projector on the rotor and it won't let me. as if there's a huge gap that doesn't enable me to place.

playing on official servers has the script blocked, also what else is on this ship printer, im constantly having to look at the photo

Gday, I just wanted to say thanks for this fantastic printing system, I've said it before but thought it deserved repeating. It's a great system and having the merge block link is great too as are the ISL vehicles. Thanks for all of it. Cheers mate.

@[PBS] Voape,

Have you tried locking the rotor?

The only other thing I could think of is the thrusters are sometimes powered on when built and that is causing you some problems, could try turning them off. Good luck!

2/2
I've tried in both survival and creative, single-player only.
I've tried perfect alignment and off by a tiny margin.
I've tried many different rotor settings.
I've tried to share inertia tension on the piston.
I've tried different "distances" on the welder.
I've doublechecked that I had all the required items (alignment script to be precise).
I've attempted several Quarry Miner Mk2's and Mk1's.

But it always has the same outcome. Rotor ends up having a fit.

Only other mods/scripts: Isy's Inv. Manager

Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance, and thanks for sharing these amazing blueprints!

1/2
I've recently got back into SE, and I remember getting this to work in the past (over a year ago), and it just worked. No issues.

But now, the rotor seem to have a fit whenever I try to weld. I've spent the past 3 hours trying to troubleshoot and read though comments. I've lost thousands of resources in both base repairs and semi-welded ships to whatever is happening. So before I give up completely on this and all the amazing blueprints, let me try to explain my issue, and see if you can think of a fix.

When I start welding it goes fine for a few seconds, maybe even the first layer, but out of nowhere the rotor turns back and forth, really fast, in a fit. Only way to stop it (I've tried everything in rotor settings) is to grind off the mergeblock and pray that what comes flying off doesn't destroy anything valuable.

there is also a mod that lets you add the needed components for a blueprint to the assembler all or just what your missing

Hi Spanky2129,

The best way is probably to use a script to keep things toped up, like Brianetta's printer Toner script

https://steamhost.cn/steamcommunity_com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2598466130

There are others out there, but this one is nice and lightweight

Spite, ok..maybe this is a dumb question (just getting started with printers & printing shps) ...but how do I tell from a blueprint which and how many 'parts' I need to have assembled / stored in my connected base cargo containers ...so the welder completes the build?

Sometimes over-engineering is half the fun ;)

But yes, it was quite a pain before that button was added. I used to build a small grid scaffolding until it was the right height, place a small rotor head on it then attach from the LG side.

Man, you wouldn't believe what I was trying to do to attach a small head to a large rotor, I dug a hole, put a piston facing up with a small head sitting on it facing up, slowly raised the piston attach the two. yeah it didn't work out at all.

Then I discovered the add small head button in the control panel... If I wasn't such a noob I wouldn't over-engineer everything.

Hi Herc, its been a while, but I believe after welding up the small grid projector arm, you change the name of the projector to "Control_Projector" so that the scrip recognises it.

Then you should be able to control the position and orientation of any projections by taking control of the remote control block on there called "Projector_Cockpit"

Can't seem to get the Projector Aligner script to work at all, and I'm not sure what i'm doing wrong.. what is the process of getting it to work after the projector head mk3 has been welded and attached?

Hi there, no you didn't do anything wrong, Space engineers is just unable to project subgrids.

So anything on the wrong end of a rotor, hinge or piston does not appear in a projection.

Unfortunately, this means that you'll have to place the six welders manually, which shouldn''t me too hard, just make sure they're conveyored up!

The welders did not appear in the projection. Any idea what i did wrong?

Thanks!

Hi itsDIETZ, to switch projectors, first check that both are in the ShipPrinter group by going into the custom data of both projectors and checking that it looks like this:

[projector]
group=ShipPrinter

You can also add more projectors, as long as they have this set up in their Custom Data.

Then control the "*RC* Printer projection" remote control, there should be commands for the projector aligner script on toolbar one.

To switch projectors, press 3 (apply) which should bring up a menu with a list of available projectors. Use 1 (up) and 2 (down) to pick one, then press 3 again to select it.

How do you select the other projector with the script, Projector 01?

Thanks DreadWingKnight!

And Ellesar, I'll take a look now

I've finally finished my Long Range Colonial Ship with slightly modified ISL printer, let me know what you think!
https://steamhost.cn/steamcommunity_com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2804818144

I've found that setting the welder piston's speed to 0.02 when in welding mode GENERALLY gives the welders enough time to complete each layer before moving on to the next assuming you have all the resources required.

In cases where you're using nanobot build and repair, you can also just not worry about it and make sure you have enough materials to start each block, and use the B.A.R.S. to complete them. Having the "Build New" option in the B.A.R.S. off while aligning the print and using the welders to start, then turning the build new option back on when the rest of the print is finished if not all projected blocks got started.

@Lord Dudeslack

As for the welding speed issue, the intended use is to print one layer at a time, then once all the blocks in that layer are finished, retract the piston slightly while the welders are off (either by quickly turning the pistons on then off again, or by manipulating its "minimum distance" setting). Just enough to weld the next layer. This way there are not half finished blocks in hard to reach places.

I'm not sure if that is the exact issue you were meaning, but you can let me know if it's not.

Finally, I just did a test print of the Anguilla-AO 1540 and this printer completed all 722 blocks without any issues, however I was testing in creative mode, in 0g.

So could you tell me what your set up was when it failed to print all the blocks? Perhaps this is something I can test for and fix.

I hope at least some of that helps!

@Beer Hunter, thanks!

@Lord Dudeslack, sorry to hear you are having trouble with the printer.

First, I agree with you that useing the mouse to control the pitch, yaw and roll of the projection is "kinda whacky", but the easy work around is to use the arrow keys instead, and the projection won't shift if you are holding down the Alt key while mouse-looking.

have to admit i dont like your printer which is a shame since i like your ships.
But the alignment with the mouse is kinda wacky ( trying to change the viewing angle, but rotiating the projection) and the printing process seems to be to slow for my survival mode to keep up with the print. also seems like the welders dont cover the printing area (atleast with the aguila atmospheric miner) sind upper and lower parts were missed out :(

Amazing work Spite, thank you for this collection and guide.

I'll check it out. I built three of these 1 at my first base and the other 2 at what I'm calling my shipyard where I am building a bigger ship. Like the printer. Even added another piston with rotor and magnetic plate to turn vehicles around to drive them away. At another I sure the rotor on the projector arm to rotate and lower ground vehicles. Modded a miner drone I made to have the merge block so I can print them easily verse building blocks out from the projector arm to meet the projected blueprint.

Hi Abacus, sounds like you're having a busy time 😁

I'm not exactly sure, since I haven't played in a while, but I believe Brainetta's projector Aligner script lets you create groups in the custom data?

You can find a link to the workshop page for the script under the "required items" section.

I am using multiple printers at the same base and the display screen at one printer keeps shifting to the other. Do you know how to stop this so the screen at each printer shows only that printers status?

thx