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'''Lei Cheung''' is a ship Engineer based at '''Trader's Rest''' in the [[Laksak]] system. He is reached through [[The Dweller]] and is best known for providing '''Grade 5 Shield Generator Engineering'''. He also provides Grade 5 Engineering for Sensors and Detailed Surface Scanners, along with Grade 3 Shield Booster Engineering.<ref name="inara-lei">[https://inara.cz/elite/engineer/10/ Lei Cheung — Engineer], Inara | '''Lei Cheung''' is a ship Engineer based at '''Trader's Rest''' in the [[Laksak]] system. He is reached through [[The Dweller]] and is best known for providing '''Grade 5 Shield Generator Engineering'''. He also provides Grade 5 Engineering for Sensors and Detailed Surface Scanners, along with Grade 3 Shield Booster Engineering.<ref name="inara-lei">[https://inara.cz/elite/engineer/10/ Lei Cheung — Engineer], Inara.</ref><ref name="newp-engineers">[https://newp.io/engrhighlight Engineer Highlight], New Pilots Initiative.</ref> | ||
Lei is therefore useful beyond shields alone. His Grade 5 Sensors and Detailed Surface Scanner access also makes him a maximum-grade Engineer for several exploration and utility-focused builds.<ref name="inara-lei" /> | Lei is therefore useful beyond shields alone. His Grade 5 Sensors and Detailed Surface Scanner access also makes him a maximum-grade Engineer for several exploration and utility-focused builds.<ref name="inara-lei" /> | ||
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* '''System permit required:''' No | * '''System permit required:''' No | ||
Trader's Rest is a surface Engineer base located on Laksak A 1.<ref name="inara-traders-rest">[https://inara.cz/elite/station-market/52146/ Trader's Rest — Station Market], Inara | Trader's Rest is a surface Engineer base located on Laksak A 1.<ref name="inara-traders-rest">[https://inara.cz/elite/station-market/52146/ Trader's Rest — Station Market], Inara.</ref> | ||
== How to Discover Lei Cheung == | == How to Discover Lei Cheung == | ||
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# Enter the Engineer workshop and begin [[Engineer Reputation|increasing your reputation with Lei]]. | # Enter the Engineer workshop and begin [[Engineer Reputation|increasing your reputation with Lei]]. | ||
{{Important|'''Gold is an ordinary commodity.''' It is not a Raw, Manufactured, or Encoded Engineering material. Each unit occupies one tonne of cargo space.<ref name="inara-gold">[https://inara.cz/elite/commodity/42/ Gold — Commodity], Inara | {{Important|'''Gold is an ordinary commodity.''' It is not a Raw, Manufactured, or Encoded Engineering material. Each unit occupies one tonne of cargo space.<ref name="inara-gold">[https://inara.cz/elite/commodity/42/ Gold — Commodity], Inara.</ref>}} | ||
=== Obtaining Gold === | === Obtaining Gold === | ||
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You do '''not''' need to mine the Gold yourself. Purchased Gold satisfies Lei's unlock requirement. | You do '''not''' need to mine the Gold yourself. Purchased Gold satisfies Lei's unlock requirement. | ||
The full unlock requires '''200 tonnes''', but the donation can be completed over multiple trips if your ship cannot carry all 200 tonnes at once.<ref name="frontier-lei-gold">[https://forums.frontier.co.uk/threads/lei-cheung-200-gold-one-lump-sum.306239/ Lei Cheung — 200 Gold, one lump sum?], Frontier Forums | The full unlock requires '''200 tonnes''', but the donation can be completed over multiple trips if your ship cannot carry all 200 tonnes at once.<ref name="frontier-lei-gold">[https://forums.frontier.co.uk/threads/lei-cheung-200-gold-one-lump-sum.306239/ Lei Cheung — 200 Gold, one lump sum?], Frontier Forums.</ref> | ||
{{Tip|A ship capable of carrying 200 tonnes can complete the Gold donation in one trip, but using a smaller ship only means making additional deliveries.}} | {{Tip|A ship capable of carrying 200 tonnes can complete the Gold donation in one trip, but using a smaller ship only means making additional deliveries.}} | ||
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</pre> | </pre> | ||
Current Engineer data independently lists Ram Tah as being discovered through Lei Cheung.<ref name="inara-ram">[https://inara.cz/elite/engineer/18/ Ram Tah — Engineer], Inara | Current Engineer data independently lists Ram Tah as being discovered through Lei Cheung.<ref name="inara-ram">[https://inara.cz/elite/engineer/18/ Ram Tah — Engineer], Inara.</ref> | ||
{{Field note|A referral from Lei does not automatically unlock [[Ram Tah]]. Ram Tah has his own meeting and unlock requirements that must still be completed.}} | {{Field note|A referral from Lei does not automatically unlock [[Ram Tah]]. Ram Tah has his own meeting and unlock requirements that must still be completed.}} | ||
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=== Long Range Detailed === | === Long Range Detailed === | ||
'''Long Range Detailed''' increases probe radius in exchange for increased module mass and power draw.<ref name="inara-dss-long">[https://inara.cz/elite/blueprint/205/ Detailed Surface Scanner — Long Range Detailed], Inara | '''Long Range Detailed''' increases probe radius in exchange for increased module mass and power draw.<ref name="inara-dss-long">[https://inara.cz/elite/blueprint/205/ Detailed Surface Scanner — Long Range Detailed], Inara.</ref> | ||
Lei can apply the blueprint through '''Grade 5'''. | Lei can apply the blueprint through '''Grade 5'''. | ||
{{Important|'''Live only:''' Long Range Detailed was introduced with the Operations-era Engineering additions and is not available in Legacy. It can only be applied to compatible '''Merc modules'''.<ref name="frontier-operations">[https://www.elitedangerous.com/update-notes/4-4-0-0 Elite Dangerous: Operations — Update Notes], Frontier Developments | {{Important|'''Live only:''' Long Range Detailed was introduced with the Operations-era Engineering additions and is not available in Legacy. It can only be applied to compatible '''Merc modules'''.<ref name="frontier-operations">[https://www.elitedangerous.com/update-notes/4-4-0-0 Elite Dangerous: Operations — Update Notes], Frontier Developments.</ref><ref name="inara-dss-long" />}} | ||
== Experimental Effects == | == Experimental Effects == | ||
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=== Shield Generator === | === Shield Generator === | ||
Available Shield Generator Experimental Effects include:<ref name="inara-shield-generator">[https://inara.cz/elite/blueprint/20/ Shield Generator — Enhanced Low Power], Inara | Available Shield Generator Experimental Effects include:<ref name="inara-shield-generator">[https://inara.cz/elite/blueprint/20/ Shield Generator — Enhanced Low Power], Inara.</ref> | ||
* [[Double Braced]] | * [[Double Braced]] | ||
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=== Shield Booster === | === Shield Booster === | ||
Available Shield Booster Experimental Effects include:<ref name="inara-experimentals">[https://inara.cz/elite/experimentaleffects/ Engineering — Experimental Effects], Inara | Available Shield Booster Experimental Effects include:<ref name="inara-experimentals">[https://inara.cz/elite/experimentaleffects/ Engineering — Experimental Effects], Inara.</ref> | ||
* [[Blast Block]] | * [[Blast Block]] | ||
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* [[Didi Vatermann]] provides '''Grade 5 Shield Booster''' Engineering. | * [[Didi Vatermann]] provides '''Grade 5 Shield Booster''' Engineering. | ||
* [[Mel Brandon]] provides '''Grade 5 Shield Booster''' Engineering in Colonia.<ref name="inara-engineers">[https://inara.cz/elite/engineers/ Engineers], Inara | * [[Mel Brandon]] provides '''Grade 5 Shield Booster''' Engineering in Colonia.<ref name="inara-engineers">[https://inara.cz/elite/engineers/ Engineers], Inara.</ref> | ||
Lei is therefore a maximum-grade Engineer for Shield Generators, Sensors, and Detailed Surface Scanners, but Commanders seeking fully engineered Shield Boosters will eventually need another Engineer. | Lei is therefore a maximum-grade Engineer for Shield Generators, Sensors, and Detailed Surface Scanners, but Commanders seeking fully engineered Shield Boosters will eventually need another Engineer. | ||
Revision as of 04:32, 15 August 2026
EDFM // Engineering / Engineers
A Grade 5 Shield Generator, Sensors, and Detailed Surface Scanner Engineer based at Trader's Rest in Laksak, reached through The Dweller.
Lei Cheung is a ship Engineer based at Trader's Rest in the Laksak system. He is reached through The Dweller and is best known for providing Grade 5 Shield Generator Engineering. He also provides Grade 5 Engineering for Sensors and Detailed Surface Scanners, along with Grade 3 Shield Booster Engineering.[1][2]
Lei is therefore useful beyond shields alone. His Grade 5 Sensors and Detailed Surface Scanner access also makes him a maximum-grade Engineer for several exploration and utility-focused builds.[1]
Field note
Receiving The Dweller's referral does not automatically unlock Lei. You must also satisfy his trading requirement and provide 200 units of Gold before his workshop becomes available.
Location
- System: Laksak
- Facility: Trader's Rest
- Body: Laksak A 1
- Engineer type: Ship Engineer
- Referral required: The Dweller
- System permit required: No
Trader's Rest is a surface Engineer base located on Laksak A 1.[3]
How to Discover Lei Cheung
Lei Cheung is discovered through The Dweller.
Reach Grade 3 access and progress at least one-third of the way toward Grade 4 with The Dweller to receive his referral to Lei.[2]
Field note
Receiving The Dweller's referral makes Lei known to you. His separate market-trading requirement must still be completed before he can be unlocked.
How to Receive an Invitation
Trade at at least 50 unique commodity markets.[2]
The requirement tracks the number of different markets with which your Commander has traded. Repeated trading at the same market does not increase the number of unique markets used.
A reliable way to progress the requirement is to make at least one commodity sale at each new market you visit.
Tip
If you know you intend to unlock Lei later, begin building this requirement naturally while working on other activities. When visiting a new station with a commodity market, carrying and selling a small amount of ordinary cargo can gradually build your market count without requiring a dedicated 50-stop trip later.
See Trading at 50 Markets for Lei Cheung for a dedicated walkthrough, including how to track your progress and an efficient method for completing the requirement.
Important
The 50-market requirement and the 200 Gold donation are separate. Trading at enough markets allows you to meet Lei; the Gold is then required to unlock his workshop.
How to Unlock Lei Cheung
To gain access to Lei's Engineering workshop:
- Reach Grade 3 access and at least one-third progress toward Grade 4 with The Dweller.
- Receive The Dweller's referral to Lei Cheung.
- Trade at at least 50 unique commodity markets.
- Obtain a total of 200 units of Gold.
- Travel to Trader's Rest in Laksak.
- Donate the 200 units of Gold to Lei Cheung.
- Enter the Engineer workshop and begin increasing your reputation with Lei.
Important
Gold is an ordinary commodity. It is not a Raw, Manufactured, or Encoded Engineering material. Each unit occupies one tonne of cargo space.[4]
Obtaining Gold
Gold can be:
You do not need to mine the Gold yourself. Purchased Gold satisfies Lei's unlock requirement.
The full unlock requires 200 tonnes, but the donation can be completed over multiple trips if your ship cannot carry all 200 tonnes at once.[5]
Tip
A ship capable of carrying 200 tonnes can complete the Gold donation in one trip, but using a smaller ship only means making additional deliveries.
Because Gold prices and supply change with current market conditions, use current market information when choosing where to buy it rather than relying on a fixed station listed in an older guide.
Field note
Current Engineer data notes that station services may not become available immediately after Lei is unlocked. If the workshop or other expected services do not appear after completing the unlock, logging out and back in may make them available.[1]
Increasing Engineer Reputation
Reputation with Lei Cheung can be increased by:
- crafting Engineering modifications at Trader's Rest; or
- selling commodities at Trader's Rest.[1]
Higher Engineer reputation gives access to the higher grades Lei supports for each blueprint.
Reaching Grade 3 access and progressing at least one-third of the way toward Grade 4 also allows Lei to provide the referral to Ram Tah.[2]
See Engineer Reputation for how ship Engineer reputation, grade access, blueprint progression, referrals, and alternative reputation methods work.
Tip
If you still have ordinary commodities aboard after completing Lei's Gold donation, selling appropriate cargo through the commodity market at Trader's Rest can help increase your Engineer reputation without relying entirely on Engineering rolls.
Engineer Unlock Chain
Lei Cheung belongs to The Dweller branch of the ship Engineer network.
The route to Lei is:
The Dweller └── Lei Cheung
After reaching Grade 3 access and progressing at least one-third of the way toward Grade 4 with Lei, he provides the referral to:
The complete branch is:
The Dweller ├── Lei Cheung │ └── Ram Tah └── Marsha Hicks [Colonia]
Current Engineer data independently lists Ram Tah as being discovered through Lei Cheung.[6]
Field note
A referral from Lei does not automatically unlock Ram Tah. Ram Tah has his own meeting and unlock requirements that must still be completed.
See Engineer Unlock Guide for the complete referral network.
Available Engineering
Lei's Engineering coverage is shown below. The listed grade is the highest grade he can apply to that module.[1]
| Module | Available blueprints | Maximum grade |
|---|---|---|
| Shield Generator |
|
Grade 5 |
| Detailed Surface Scanner |
|
Grade 5 |
| Sensors |
|
Grade 5 |
| Shield Booster |
|
Grade 3 |
Lei therefore provides maximum-grade Engineering for three of his four module types. Only his Shield Booster capability stops below Grade 5.
Detailed Surface Scanner Engineering
Lei provides both current Detailed Surface Scanner blueprints through Grade 5:[1]
- Expanded Probe Scanning Radius
- Long Range Detailed
Long Range Detailed
Long Range Detailed increases probe radius in exchange for increased module mass and power draw.[7]
Lei can apply the blueprint through Grade 5.
Important
Experimental Effects
Experimental Effects are separate from the main Engineering blueprint. A compatible module can normally have one Experimental Effect in addition to its blueprint modification.
Of Lei's specialties, Shield Generators and Shield Boosters support Experimental Effects. Sensors and Detailed Surface Scanners do not currently have Experimental Effects available.
Shield Generator
Available Shield Generator Experimental Effects include:[9]
Shield Booster
Available Shield Booster Experimental Effects include:[10]
See Experimental Effects for the effects, tradeoffs, and material costs of each option.
Field note
Experimental Effects cannot be applied through ordinary Remote Engineering. The module must be taken to an Engineer who works on that module.
Recommended Engineering
Lei's most important capability for many ship builds is his Grade 5 Shield Generator Engineering.
Unlike several module types where one blueprint dominates general-purpose use, Shield Generator Engineering depends heavily on the type of shield fitted and the purpose of the ship.
Thermal Resistant
Thermal Resistant increases thermal resistance while reducing kinetic resistance and slightly reducing overall shield strength.
It is particularly useful when building shields around balanced resistances, including many Bi-Weave configurations.
Reinforced
Reinforced increases overall shield strength and shield-generator integrity at the cost of additional power draw and mass.
It is useful when raw shield capacity is more important than minimizing mass or balancing resistances.
Tip
There is no universal Shield Generator blueprint.
A resistance-focused Bi-Weave build may favor Thermal Resistant, while a build intended to maximize raw shield strength may favor Reinforced.
Choose the blueprint based on the shield type and the rest of the ship's Shield Booster configuration rather than treating one option as correct for every ship.
Sensors
Lei also provides Lightweight Sensors through Grade 5.
Reducing Sensor mass can be valuable on exploration and other mass-sensitive ships, while Long Range or Wide Angle can be preferable when scanner performance is the priority.
Blueprint Pinning
After earning sufficient reputation with Lei, one of his blueprints can be pinned for use through Remote Engineering.
Tip
EDFM recommendation: Thermal Resistant Shield Generator is a useful default blueprint to consider pinning at Lei if you regularly use balanced-resistance or Bi-Weave shield builds.
Lei provides the blueprint through Grade 5, making the entire progression available through Remote Engineering once the blueprint has been pinned.
If your fleet relies more heavily on raw shield strength, Reinforced Shield Generator may be the more useful pin instead.
The best pin depends on the shield configurations you use most often. Lei also provides Grade 5 Sensors and Detailed Surface Scanner Engineering, so those remain viable alternatives if your Shield Generator blueprints are already pinned elsewhere.
Important
A pinned blueprint does not allow you to apply Experimental Effects remotely. Experimental Effects still require visiting an appropriate Engineer workshop.
What Lei Cannot Fully Engineer
Lei provides Grade 5 Engineering for most of his specialties.
His maximum grades are:
- Shield Generator: Grade 5
- Detailed Surface Scanner: Grade 5
- Sensors: Grade 5
- Shield Booster: Grade 3[1]
For maximum-grade Shield Booster Engineering:
- Didi Vatermann provides Grade 5 Shield Booster Engineering.
- Mel Brandon provides Grade 5 Shield Booster Engineering in Colonia.[11]
Lei is therefore a maximum-grade Engineer for Shield Generators, Sensors, and Detailed Surface Scanners, but Commanders seeking fully engineered Shield Boosters will eventually need another Engineer.
What Next?
Progressing Lei's reputation opens the route to Ram Tah.
Sources
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 Lei Cheung — Engineer, Inara.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 Engineer Highlight, New Pilots Initiative.
- ↑ Trader's Rest — Station Market, Inara.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Gold — Commodity, Inara.
- ↑ Lei Cheung — 200 Gold, one lump sum?, Frontier Forums.
- ↑ Ram Tah — Engineer, Inara.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 Detailed Surface Scanner — Long Range Detailed, Inara.
- ↑ Elite Dangerous: Operations — Update Notes, Frontier Developments.
- ↑ Shield Generator — Enhanced Low Power, Inara.
- ↑ Engineering — Experimental Effects, Inara.
- ↑ Engineers, Inara.