Editing Replicator (Star Trek) (section)

==Uses==
One of the most important pieces of [[technology]] in the ''Star Trek'' universe, the replicator is used primarily to provide [[food]] and [[water]] on board [[starship]]s, thus eliminating the need to stock most provisions (though starships, starbases, and other installations still stock some provisions for emergencies, such as in cases of replicator failure or an energy crisis.) On ''[[Star Trek: Deep Space Nine]]'', it was established that as long as there is an energy source to power life support, replication is used to provide breathable [[Atmosphere of Earth|air]] on ships and [[Space stations and habitats in fiction|starbase]]s (and to disassemble the [[carbon dioxide]] exhaled by the [[crew]]), thus providing a seemingly endless supply of [[oxygen]] and eliminating the need to carry air tanks.

The technology is also used for producing [[spare part]]s, which makes it possible to repair most ship damage without having to return to a starbase. Other applications include replication of [[Starfleet]] uniforms and everyday objects such as toys and souvenirs. Replication is also used by the [[Holodeck]] [[Computer program|program]] to allow [[food]], [[Clothing|clothes]], and other objects belonging within a [[simulation]] to be used or consumed by the participants.

[[Starfleet]]'s safety protocols prevent unauthorized replication of dangerous objects, such as weapons and poisonous substances.<ref>"[[Death Wish (Star Trek: Voyager)|Death Wish]]". ''[[Star Trek: Voyager|Voyager]]'' Season 2. No. 18. [[UPN]]. February 19, 1996</ref>

Replicators can also convert matter into energy. Following that principle, the device can dismantle any object into subatomic particles. The ensuing energy can then be stored for future use or immediately applied in a subsequent replication. This process is referred to as "recycling", and is applied to everything from dirty dishes<ref>Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, episode [[Hard Time (Star Trek: Deep Space Nine)|''Hard Time'']].</ref> to outgrown children's clothes.

Replicator technology, even if produced on a larger scale, had not been able to be used to create complex objects such as shuttlecraft or starships (the production staff felt that being able to replicate entire starships "at the push of a button" would severely impact dramatic potential). However, in the ''Star Trek: Deep Space Nine'' episode [[For the Cause (Star Trek: Deep Space Nine)|"For the Cause"]], industrial replicators are used to replicate large components of ships, [[Shuttlecraft (Star Trek)|shuttlecraft]], and other pieces of this sort, which are later used in shipyards to construct such vessels. In this manner, as few as 15 industrial replicators are enough to replicate the components needed to build a fleet of starships or to help a civilization recover from a planet-wide natural disaster.

This ability to reproduce complex machines is furthered during the first season of ''[[Star Trek: Prodigy]]''. A replicator is shown to have the capacity to replicate an entire starship in the second episode, "Lost & Found", when Gwyn is attempting to escape the Protostar. When she reaches the shuttle bay, she finds a replicator with the technology to manufacture a complete ship. The process by which it is replicated takes minutes rather than seconds though, and behaves more similarly to a 3D printer than a traditional replicator.<ref>{{Cite web | url=https://www.cbr.com/star-trek-prodigy-gives-starfleet-ship-replicators/#:~:text=The%20ship%20replicator%20reveals%20that,the%20franchise%20continues%20to%20boldly | title=Star Trek: Prodigy Gives Starfleet a Major Upgrade | date=4 November 2021 }}</ref>

By virtually eliminating material scarcity, replicator technology plays an important role in the moneyless human economy within the ''Star Trek'' universe.