An assembler head scans a target lattice and, on each cycle, grabs
one atom from the surrounding feedstock cloud and positions it at the
next open lattice site โ a simplified model of mechanosynthesis /
molecular manufacturing.
atoms_placed(t) = min(N_target, rate ยท t)
energy = ฮฃ (bond_formation_cost per atom)
completion% = atoms_placed / N_target
- Assembly rate โ how many atoms the assembler head places per second.
- Feedstock density โ how much raw material is available in the swirling cloud; low density starves the build.
- Target complexity โ cube, sphere or hollow shell โ more complex shapes need more precise placement per atom.
Real proposals for atomically-precise manufacturing (still largely
theoretical) rely on exactly this idea: positional control over
individual atoms, one deterministic bond at a time, rather than bulk
chemistry.