Mechanism

From DwarfFortressWiki

Mechanisms are the only object created by mechanics at a mechanic's workshop. Building traps, levers, pressure plates, and gear assemblies requires one mechanism. Linking objects to a lever or pressure plate requires two mechanisms per linked item (one for the object, one for the lever). If you want to ever recover those mechanisms you need to remove both the linked object and the lever.

It is a mechanic's job to install mechanisms. Mechanisms can be linked to objects at any distance.

Mechanisms make surprisingly good trade items, due to their high base value of 30, but are heavy compared to crafts and so may not be a good trade good if wagons can't access your trade depot.

Mechanism quality has no effect on how fast it operates.

Mechanisms can only be made from stone. The only stones that can withstand the heat of magma are bauxite and raw adamantine, so make bauxite mechanisms if you plan on using floodgates to hold back magma and don't want to use your precious adamantine for such a task.

Toady One has stated that metal mechanisms will be available soon "probably" and that therefore iron mechanisms might be a solution to the problem of magma floodgates breaking under normal use.