Advanced blueprint usage

Question

Throughout my time in Eve I've aquired many blueprints; at first it has only been for simple things (ammo, drones, etc), but more recently I've started purchasing rig and ship blueprints.

As these items take more time and resources to build, I've started to wonder about the usefulness of the advanced blueprint interactions that are available for my character (time/material research, invention and reverse engineering).

I have a couple of questions regarding this:

• What do these options actually do?
• Will these interactions allow for faster/cheaper/better manufacturing?
• Why is it so difficult to find an available 'slot' in the research stations for some of these options (most notably material research)?

Answer 1

• Time research reduces the time production runs take. I think level 20 is generally considered the sweet spot in terms of usability.

• Production efficiency reduces the amount of waste - and thus lets you produce the same amount of stuff for slightly less resources/components/etc. As with Time research, there are diminishing returns on higher levels. I think 20 is regarded as the sweet spot, but check the forums for specifics per blueprint.

• Invention is used to turn a tech 1 blueprint copy into a possible tech2 blueprint copy. This requires a lot of skills plus datacores. A succinct explanation of how the entire concept works can be found here.

• Reverse engineering is used with relics and artifacts found in archaeology sites, and can be used to develop specially modified hardware, as well as being crucial for tech3 ships.

• The reason publicly available slots tend to be full is because, well, they're publicly available -- and there are a LOT of pilots. Best bet is to join a player corp with their own stations and a research division.

• EDIT: This link on the forums has a lot of good articles to sort out what's what with inventions and industry in general, and this link in particular has pretty much everything you want to know about research in specific