How do I properly make my own prototypers?

[Wonderlarr]

Hello! In my attempts to make my own prototyper (crafting station), I have it mostly working, where being near the custom prototyper will allow me to craft items set with the tech level matching it.

The issue is the UI doesn't seem to know when I'm near the structure or not, at least most of the time.

It will finally appear whenever it wants, usually after waiting next to the prototyper station for some time

Additionally, walking away from the prototyper station after the icon decides to appear will NOT clear it immediately (also waiting a random delay until presumably the crafting ui rebuilds itself or something)

I feel like I'm going insane and must have missed something obvious. I have an npc with the prototyper component as my crafting station, I used AddPrototyperDef() from ModUtil.lua to add my prototyper definition, I added a prototyper tree to TUNING using TechTree.Create(), and added a TECH level so I can use it in recipes. WHAT AM I MISSING??