Replicators

Replicators are basically advanced transporters. The station of ship maintains a supply of raw material, energy and recycled material and the replicator transforms it into food and equipment. Replicators come in two forms, industrial replicators for parts and food replicators.

Three factors limit replicators. Replicating large items requires a large amount of energy. They can only replicate items for which there is a pattern stored in the computer. Finally replicators can only reproduce down to the molecular level and not the quantum level meaning they can not replicate complex items correctly.