R&D upgrades not working..

I've been having a problem upgrading panels. In a nutshell there seems to be a programming glitch when trying to upgrade from rare to ultra rare / ultra rare to epic (meaning I put all the technology research into a project to improve a panel and it came out the same as it started..). It has happened to me three times & at least five times (latest last night) with another friend/fleet member. Having gotten to the point when upgrading from xiv rare to xiv ultra rare I've had considerable experience using the R&D system. Meaning I've farmed the mats. & converted them into appropriate components then into research technology a lot and when doing upgrades I know what I should end up with (not to mention the game shows you). The first time it happened I had a normal countdown timer for the project to complete - when I clicked the completed project the panel came out the same. The last 2 times there was no count down to complete the project. After I put in all the technology and got over 100% in that regard, I clicked to start the project it completed instantly but the item remained unchanged. My friend reports an identical problem.

I was hoping after it happened that PW would simply upgrade the panel(s) in question after I made tickets on the issue. Such did not happen & according to the statement from PW while making the ticket - due to high volumes of tickets you may not get a response.. - I took my problem up the food chain to a GM. I don't find it necessary to include my message to the GM Kalos who responded. Again in a nutshell though he(?) tried to help, this problem was outside his domain & directed me here. I searched around for similar issues in forums I couldn't find any.. though I find it extremely unlikely that my friend and I are the only one's experiencing this problem.

This problem is a game changer to me.. I understand with such a total revamp of the R&D system there are bound to be bugs. To survive in this game to play on an advanced or elite level you need to upgrade. If these upgrades are not working and all the prep. time & mats. are wasted in the effort - why am I here?! I am not looking for a reward, just the appropriate credit (ie - panels upgraded) for time & materials spent. Each time it happened I made a ticket & included a cut/paste of the item that failed to upgrade. My friend who is German communicates well in English but has difficulty writing it and has yet to make tickets on the items that have failed upgrades, what is his recourse?

Bottom line I have no intention of playing/paying for anything in this game (except to refine Di) until this serious problem gets fixed. Just let me know when things in this regard gets sorted out I'll come back..