So i've been thinking, using the same kind of coding/functionality as the slots in a Nuclear Reactor where you can place different components to change how the Reactor runs, why not do the same with machines?
I mean this with a smaller amount of slots and without components interacting with each other. So each machine (Macerators, Extractors, Compressors, Recyclers, Electro/Induction Furnaces and Canning Machines) would have 4 slots in the GUI on the side. And in these slots you could place different Machine Upgrade Components that change how the machine works. Right now I can think of 4 different upgrades off the top of my head.
Speed Upgrade-
Allows the machine operate 2x as fast with each upgrade
Energy Efficiency Upgrade-
The machine uses less EU per operation (dunno about exact numbers for that one)
Item Storage Upgrade-
The machine would have its own storage chamber so it has a Chest GUI on the side with 2 sections: Input and Output each being half a small chest.
That way you can stack operations without having to handle it yourself. (And add compatibility for pipes to fill up said chest)
(Only 2 of these per machine) So you can have a Large Chest worth of stuff for the machine to run for awhile without you needing to interfere
Voltage Input Upgrade-
Increases the maximum input for the machine. for this one I can suggest different tiers of upgrades: Medium Voltage, High Voltage and Extreme
This would also increase the actual energy storage the machine has alone. MFSU Intergrated Induction Furnace: HAYO!
Recipes:
First off a new sort of component for the upgrades: A Machine Upgrade Integrator, this allows the upgrades to actually 'plug-in' to the machine (If you wanted to get into the reason for having this extra recipe)
=Empty Slot
=Machine Upgrade Integrator
= Redstone Dust
= RE Battery
Machine Upgrade Integrator:
Speed Upgrade: (I don't really know what it would be lol, just an idea)
Energy Efficiency Upgrade:
Item Storage Upgrade
Voltage Input Upgrade
(Replace LV Transformer with respective Voltage Transformer to get Higher Tier upgrades)