diff --git a/code/datums/components/material_container.dm b/code/datums/components/material_container.dm
index e1886e2180..9e9d060ca5 100644
--- a/code/datums/components/material_container.dm
+++ b/code/datums/components/material_container.dm
@@ -79,39 +79,46 @@
 	user_insert(I, user)
 
 /// Proc used for when player inserts materials
-/datum/component/material_container/proc/user_insert(obj/item/I, mob/living/user)
+/datum/component/material_container/proc/user_insert(obj/item/I, mob/living/user, datum/component/remote_materials/remote = null)
 	set waitfor = FALSE
-	var/requested_amount
 	var/active_held = user.get_active_held_item()  // differs from I when using TK
+	var/inserted = 0
 
 	//handle stacks specially
-	if(istype(I, /obj/item/stack) && precise_insertion)
-		var/atom/current_parent = parent
+	if(istype(I, /obj/item/stack))
+		var/atom/current_parent = remote ? remote.parent : parent //is the user using a remote materials component?
 		var/obj/item/stack/S = I
-		requested_amount = input(user, "How much do you want to insert?", "Inserting [S.singular_name]s") as num|null
+
+		//try to get ammount to use
+		var/requested_amount
+		if(precise_insertion)
+			requested_amount = input(user, "How much do you want to insert?", "Inserting [S.singular_name]s") as num|null
+		else
+			requested_amount= S.amount
+
 		if(isnull(requested_amount) || (requested_amount <= 0))
 			return
-		if(QDELETED(I) || QDELETED(user) || QDELETED(src) || parent != current_parent || user.physical_can_use_topic(current_parent) < UI_INTERACTIVE || user.get_active_held_item() != active_held)
+		if(QDELETED(I) || QDELETED(user) || QDELETED(src) || user.get_active_held_item() != active_held)
 			return
-		var/amt = insert_stack(S, requested_amount)
-		if(S.singular_name)
-			to_chat(user, "<span class='notice'>You insert [amt] [S.singular_name]\s into [parent].</span>")
-		else
-			to_chat(user, "<span class='notice'>You insert [amt] into [parent].</span>")
-		return
+		//are we still in range after the user input?
+		if((remote ? remote.parent : parent) != current_parent || user.physical_can_use_topic(current_parent) < UI_INTERACTIVE)
+			return
+		inserted = insert_stack(S, requested_amount)
+	else
+		if(!user.temporarilyRemoveItemFromInventory(I))
+			to_chat(user, "<span class='warning'>[I] is stuck to you and cannot be placed into [parent].</span>")
+			return
+		inserted = insert_item(I)
+		qdel(I)
 
-	if(!user.temporarilyRemoveItemFromInventory(I))
-		to_chat(user, "<span class='warning'>[I] is stuck to you and cannot be placed into [parent].</span>")
-		return
-
-	var/inserted = insert_item(I)
 	if(inserted)
 		to_chat(user, "<span class='notice'>You insert a material total of [inserted] into [parent].</span>")
-		qdel(I)
 		if(after_insert)
 			after_insert.Invoke(I, last_inserted_id, inserted)
-	else if(I == active_held)
-		user.put_in_active_hand(I)
+		if(remote && remote.after_insert)
+			remote.after_insert.Invoke(I, last_inserted_id, inserted)
+	//else if(I == active_held)
+	//	user.put_in_active_hand(I)
 
 //Inserts a number of sheets from a stack, returns the amount of sheets used.
 /datum/component/material_container/proc/insert_stack(obj/item/stack/S, amt, multiplier = 1)
@@ -134,10 +141,12 @@
 	if(!amt)
 		return FALSE
 
-	//add the mats
+	//add the mats and keep track of how much was added
+	var/starting_total = total_amount
 	for(var/MAT in materials)
 		materials[MAT] += S.mats_per_unit[MAT] * amt * multiplier
 		total_amount += S.mats_per_unit[MAT] * amt * multiplier
+	var/total_added = total_amount - starting_total
 
 	//update last_inserted_id with mat making up majority of the stack
 	var/primary_mat
@@ -149,7 +158,7 @@
 	last_inserted_id = primary_mat
 
 	S.use(amt)
-	return amt
+	return total_added
 
 /// Proc specifically for inserting items, returns the amount of materials entered.
 /datum/component/material_container/proc/insert_item(obj/item/I, var/multiplier = 1)
diff --git a/code/datums/components/remote_materials.dm b/code/datums/components/remote_materials.dm
index 01038c11d3..896f09034b 100644
--- a/code/datums/components/remote_materials.dm
+++ b/code/datums/components/remote_materials.dm
@@ -15,13 +15,15 @@ handles linking back and forth.
 	var/category
 	var/allow_standalone
 	var/local_size = INFINITY
+	var/datum/callback/after_insert
 
-/datum/component/remote_materials/Initialize(category, mapload, allow_standalone = TRUE, force_connect = FALSE)
+/datum/component/remote_materials/Initialize(category, mapload, allow_standalone = TRUE, force_connect = FALSE, _after_insert)
 	if (!isatom(parent))
 		return COMPONENT_INCOMPATIBLE
 
 	src.category = category
 	src.allow_standalone = allow_standalone
+	after_insert = _after_insert
 
 	RegisterSignal(parent, COMSIG_PARENT_ATTACKBY, .proc/OnAttackBy)
 
@@ -103,7 +105,7 @@ handles linking back and forth.
 			return COMPONENT_NO_AFTERATTACK
 
 	else if(silo && istype(I, /obj/item/stack))
-		if(silo.remote_attackby(parent, user, I))
+		if(silo.remote_attackby(parent, user, I, src))
 			return COMPONENT_NO_AFTERATTACK
 
 /datum/component/remote_materials/proc/on_hold()
diff --git a/code/game/mecha/mech_fabricator.dm b/code/game/mecha/mech_fabricator.dm
index 002753c5d4..bf85253cbd 100644
--- a/code/game/mecha/mech_fabricator.dm
+++ b/code/game/mecha/mech_fabricator.dm
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@
 
 /obj/machinery/mecha_part_fabricator/Initialize(mapload)
 	stored_research = new
-	rmat = AddComponent(/datum/component/remote_materials, "mechfab", mapload && link_on_init)
+	rmat = AddComponent(/datum/component/remote_materials, "mechfab", mapload && link_on_init, _after_insert=CALLBACK(src, .proc/AfterMaterialInsert))
 
 	RefreshParts() //Recalculating local material sizes if the fab isn't linked
 	return ..()
diff --git a/code/modules/mining/machine_silo.dm b/code/modules/mining/machine_silo.dm
index b0055204f9..34b349b198 100644
--- a/code/modules/mining/machine_silo.dm
+++ b/code/modules/mining/machine_silo.dm
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ GLOBAL_LIST_EMPTY(silo_access_logs)
 
 	return ..()
 
-/obj/machinery/ore_silo/proc/remote_attackby(obj/machinery/M, mob/user, obj/item/stack/I)
+/obj/machinery/ore_silo/proc/remote_attackby(obj/machinery/M, mob/user, obj/item/stack/I, remote = null)
 	var/datum/component/material_container/materials = GetComponent(/datum/component/material_container)
 	// stolen from /datum/component/material_container/proc/OnAttackBy
 	if(user.a_intent != INTENT_HELP)
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@ GLOBAL_LIST_EMPTY(silo_access_logs)
 		return
 	// assumes unlimited space...
 	var/amount = I.amount
-	materials.user_insert(I, user)
+	materials.user_insert(I, user, remote)
 	silo_log(M, "deposited", amount, "sheets", item_mats)
 	return TRUE
 
diff --git a/code/modules/research/machinery/_production.dm b/code/modules/research/machinery/_production.dm
index 5a50120833..346c3399f6 100644
--- a/code/modules/research/machinery/_production.dm
+++ b/code/modules/research/machinery/_production.dm
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@
 	stored_research = new
 	host_research = SSresearch.science_tech
 	update_research()
-	materials = AddComponent(/datum/component/remote_materials, "lathe", mapload)
+	materials = AddComponent(/datum/component/remote_materials, "lathe", mapload, _after_insert=CALLBACK(src, .proc/AfterMaterialInsert))
 	RefreshParts()
 
 /obj/machinery/rnd/production/Destroy()
diff --git a/code/modules/research/machinery/circuit_imprinter.dm b/code/modules/research/machinery/circuit_imprinter.dm
index b80e96a1e9..7a5e08624b 100644
--- a/code/modules/research/machinery/circuit_imprinter.dm
+++ b/code/modules/research/machinery/circuit_imprinter.dm
@@ -31,3 +31,6 @@
 /obj/machinery/rnd/production/circuit_imprinter/offstation
 	offstation_security_levels = FALSE
 	circuit = /obj/item/circuitboard/machine/circuit_imprinter/offstation
+
+/obj/machinery/rnd/production/circuit_imprinter/AfterMaterialInsert() //doesnt use have an animation like lathes do
+	return
diff --git a/code/modules/research/rdmachines.dm b/code/modules/research/rdmachines.dm
index 2237284a64..f39f5b1584 100644
--- a/code/modules/research/rdmachines.dm
+++ b/code/modules/research/rdmachines.dm
@@ -94,13 +94,13 @@
 	..()
 
 /obj/machinery/rnd/proc/AfterMaterialInsert(item_inserted, id_inserted, amount_inserted)
-	var/stack_name
+	var/mat_name
 	if(istype(item_inserted, /obj/item/stack/ore/bluespace_crystal))
-		stack_name = "bluespace"
+		mat_name = "bluespace"
 		use_power(MINERAL_MATERIAL_AMOUNT / 10)
 	else
-		var/obj/item/stack/S = item_inserted
-		stack_name = S.name
+		var/datum/material/M = id_inserted
+		mat_name = M.name
 		use_power(min(1000, (amount_inserted / 100)))
-	add_overlay("protolathe_[stack_name]")
-	addtimer(CALLBACK(src, /atom/proc/cut_overlay, "protolathe_[stack_name]"), 10)
+	add_overlay("protolathe_[mat_name]")
+	addtimer(CALLBACK(src, /atom/proc/cut_overlay, "protolathe_[mat_name]"), 10)
diff --git a/icons/obj/machines/research.dmi b/icons/obj/machines/research.dmi
index 7dcd4e6bcb..8f9594c5dc 100644
Binary files a/icons/obj/machines/research.dmi and b/icons/obj/machines/research.dmi differ
diff --git a/icons/obj/robotics.dmi b/icons/obj/robotics.dmi
index 8d0627aa95..a9bf1fc261 100644
Binary files a/icons/obj/robotics.dmi and b/icons/obj/robotics.dmi differ