o think is not that

src/components/three/gameplay/RepairCaseModel.tsx

@@ -219,7 +219,11 @@ export function RepairCaseModel({
       parsedScale[2] * pop.current.scale,
     );
 
-    if (placeholderNodes.current.length > 0) {
+    // Placeholders are only consumed when the case is open (repairing). While
+    // floating (inspected/scanning) the case bobs every frame, so emitting here
+    // would fire a React setState on every frame, re-rendering the whole
+    // RepairGame subtree continuously. Only compute when not floating.
+    if (!floating && placeholderNodes.current.length > 0) {
       const placeholders: RepairCasePlaceholder[] = [];
       placeholderNodes.current.forEach((child) => {
         child.getWorldPosition(placeholderPosition.current);

src/components/three/gameplay/RepairGamePreloader.tsx

@@ -0,0 +1,37 @@
+import { useEffect } from "react";
+import { useGLTF } from "@react-three/drei";
+import { REPAIR_CASE_MODEL_PATH } from "@/data/gameplay/repairCaseConfig";
+import { REPAIR_MISSIONS } from "@/data/gameplay/repairMissions";
+import type { RepairMissionId } from "@/types/gameplay/repairMission";
+
+function getPreloadPaths(mission: RepairMissionId): string[] {
+  const config = REPAIR_MISSIONS[mission];
+  return [
+    ...new Set([
+      REPAIR_CASE_MODEL_PATH,
+      config.modelPath,
+      ...config.brokenParts.flatMap((p) => p.modelPath ?? []),
+      ...config.replacementParts.flatMap((p) => p.modelPath ?? []),
+    ]),
+  ];
+}
+
+interface RepairGamePreloaderProps {
+  mission: RepairMissionId;
+}
+
+/**
+ * Fires useGLTF.preload() for every asset used by a repair mission.
+ * Renders nothing — pure background loading.
+ */
+export function RepairGamePreloader({
+  mission,
+}: RepairGamePreloaderProps): null {
+  useEffect(() => {
+    for (const path of getPreloadPaths(mission)) {
+      useGLTF.preload(path);
+    }
+  }, [mission]);
+
+  return null;
+}