diff --git a/docs/game-design/skills.md b/docs/game-design/skills.md
index 6faa606..13b7978 100644
--- a/docs/game-design/skills.md
+++ b/docs/game-design/skills.md
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ Domains are **content-shaped**, not a locked taxonomy. Early vision includes:
 | Domain | Examples (illustrative) |
 |--------|-------------------------|
 | **Extraction** | Pulling value from the world: **earth/subsurface** (mining, drilling), **consumer salvage & biology** (**Salvage**, **Harvest**), and **urban infrastructure materials** (**Quarry**) vs geological **Extraction** skill |
-| **Processing** | **Refine** (ores, glass, steel, physical scrap → usable material grades); **Synth-chem prep** (bio/chem inputs → precursors/reagents); other conversion |
+| **Processing** | **Refine** (ores, glass, steel, scrap → material grades); **Fab tech** (PCBs, chips, solenoids, electromechanical subassemblies); **Synth-chem prep** (bio/chem); other conversion |
 | **Fabrication** | Weaponsmith, armtech, synth-chem, cooking if we track it |
 | **Tech / intrusion** | Hacking, netsec, counter-intrusion, bypass, diagnostics—**combat-facing** net actions stay **gig** |
 | **Support craft** | Medtech fabrication, field repair kits, augment maintenance (**open** naming) |
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ New skills land here as **design + data** demand; a skill can sit in **multiple
 | Category | Rough scope |
 |----------|-------------|
 | **Gather** | Nodes, yields, field extraction |
-| **Process** | **Refine** (physical materials); **Synth-chem prep** (bio/chem); fab-tech intermediates; batch; intermediate goods |
+| **Process** | **Refine** (material grades); **Fab tech** (boards, chips, actuators—not smelting); **Synth-chem prep** (bio/chem); batch; intermediate goods |
 | **Make** | Finished goods, recipes, bench work |
 | **Tech** | Intrusion, netsec, counter-intrusion, electronics, signal—**not** combat gig kit |
 
@@ -77,8 +77,8 @@ Layout mirrors **[gigs.md](gigs.md) gig roster**: one **table per category**, **
 
 | Skill | What it covers | Open / merge |
 |-------|----------------|--------------|
-| **Refine** | **Physical material** feedstock: raw **ore**, **salvaged glass** and **steel**, scrap metals, bulk mineral inputs—**smelt, purify, grade** toward **usable material forms** (ingots, sheet, cullet, structural grades). **Not** the bio/chem lane (**Synth-chem prep**). | Separate from **Synth-chem prep** — **agreed** |
-| **Fab tech** | *Refine-adjacent (physical/industrial):* print circuits, micro-actuators, substrate prep—intermediates for **Make**. | Fold into **Refine** mastery only? **open** |
+| **Refine** | **Physical material** feedstock: raw **ore**, **salvaged glass** and **steel**, scrap metals, bulk mineral inputs—**smelt, purify, grade** toward **usable material forms** (ingots, sheet, cullet, structural grades). **Not** bio/chem (**Synth-chem prep**) or component fab (**Fab tech**). | Separate from **Synth-chem prep** & **Fab tech** — **agreed** |
+| **Fab tech** | **Electronics and electromechanical fab:** **chips**, **PCBs**, **solenoids**, micro-actuators, substrate and assembly steps—**built components**, not **Refine**’s job of turning raw ore/glass/steel into graded **bulk** material. Uses **Refine** outputs (and other inputs) as **feed**, but the skill fantasy is **manufacture**, not smelt/purify. | Separate from **Refine** — **agreed** |
 | **Synth-chem prep** | **Bio- and chemistry** streams: precursors, reagents, stable compounds, polymer feeds—inputs and outputs are **chem / organic / lab** oriented; feeds **Synth-chem (product)** and related **Make**. **Not** primary home for ore/glass/metal refinement (**Refine**). | Separate from **Refine** — **agreed** |
 | **Bioprocess** | Ferment, culture, grow feedstock for medtech or consumables. | — |
 | **Composite work** | Laminate layers, weave fibers, prep armtech “blanks” before final assembly. | — |
@@ -112,7 +112,7 @@ Layout mirrors **[gigs.md](gigs.md) gig roster**: one **table per category**, **
 **Cross-cutting notes**
 
 - **Overlapping production chains:** **Agreed**—shared **inputs** across **Process** / **Make** with **different outputs**; recipe UX and balance **open** (paragraph under **Process** in [Skill roster](#skill-roster-draft-ideas-by-category)).
-- **Merge candidates:** e.g. **Fab tech** folded into **Refine** vs separate. **Salvage** vs **Quarry** split (**consumer goods / vehicles** vs **urban infrastructure** materials) — **agreed**. **Refine** vs **Synth-chem prep** — **agreed** separate (physical materials vs bio/chem).
+- **Agreed Process boundaries:** **Salvage** vs **Quarry**; **Refine** vs **Synth-chem prep** (physical materials vs bio/chem); **Refine** vs **Fab tech** (base material grades vs chips/PCBs/solenoids and electromechanical fab). Further merge/split ideas — **open** as the roster evolves.
 - **Cut / defer:** **Food synth** if not a loop.
 - **Next pass:** pick **prototype trio** (one Gather, one Process/Make, one Tech) for Epic 2/3 slices—align with decomposition when ready.
 
@@ -206,6 +206,7 @@ Beyond raw level, **mastery tracks** and **perks** ([E2.M3](../decomposition/mod
 | Combat progression | **Per gig**—separate level/XP (and mastery) per gig; no shared combat rank | Agreed |
 | Social skills category | **No** dedicated **Social** skill family or tracked negotiation/fixer/fence skills—outcomes live in **rep**, **quests**, **economy**, and other systems if we need them | Agreed |
 | **Refine** vs **Synth-chem prep** | **Refine** = physical materials (ore, glass, steel, scrap metals → usable grades); **Synth-chem prep** = bio/chem streams (precursors, reagents, lab-oriented outputs) | Agreed |
+| **Refine** vs **Fab tech** | **Refine** = smelt/purify/grade **base** materials; **Fab tech** = fabricate **chips, PCBs, solenoids**, and similar **components**—may **consume** refined materials, does not **overlap** the refine loop | Agreed |
 | Low-gig specialist | **Viable** to focus progression on **skills** (gather/craft/tech) with **low gig levels**; economy loops must not **hard-gate** on high gig rank | Agreed |
 | Skill roster size | **Opening** v0 list is strong; **add skills** pre-launch as needed—**breadth** is a feature | Agreed |
 | Gig XP award | **Main gig only**; **sub-gig** earns no XP—see [gigs.md](gigs.md) | Agreed |