wichita wrote:ProgD can correct me if I am guessing wrong here, but I think the technical issue that is keeping RD from being able to implement melting keys will prevent the addition of this key blank idea too.
If a key is recognized as a key (rather than key #999999) then we can go ahead with adding meltdown, no problem, we're all happy and about 100 metric tons of iron is released into the collective Cantr economy again.
There is no technical issue effecting melting keys down for iron
A key is a key is a key is an object like any other

... regardless of which lock it fits. The way in which it is displayed in an inventory adds the lock code , but it can be generically identified.
Machine based projects can have objects as requirements - there is no problem with this (though none have) - the only technical issue is that the output of machine based projects can only be a raw resource - not a problem at at all in this case where raw iron is the output.
It does create problems for when project cancellation is implemented, as the original key would be destroyed when added to the project (not on completion)
Of course we'll have to look at removing the free vehicle locks for all non-metal boats if this was implemented , as it would be a method of creating iron out of wood .. It's not always technical issues which hold back implementation.
EDIT Oh and its not metric tons it's around 20 kilos