Feels like something that should exist. Not sure if we'd want to add: "Sacrifice ~: Make a Thopter" to make it an artifact rather than an enchantment.

­Chief of the Foundry / Master of Etherium as a noncreature. Seems fine. Plenty of precedent in things like Caged Sun etc - no need for the token if you don't want it. The name currently sounds more enchantment-y than artifact-y though.

I could imagine this as a rare that have an activated ability that makes thopters.

An emergency sac-effect would be interesting, but an activated ability would play better, more likely. I'm happy with either. I think this would do fun things at uncommon, though, so let's try to keep it there.