The 1.10 patch notes say "Request Constructor Button currently builds a basic constructor instead of latest constructor". I have not found this to be the case. This image shows me requesting a constructor, while researching the Life Support tech.
The one and only shipyard on the map fulfilled that order with a Shaper M5.
A few turns later after the research on Life Support was complete, I requested another constructor. I did literally nothing else in that time.
The shipyard fulfilled that order, but with the latest model, the Shaper M7.
So it doesn't work as advertised. It queued the M7 instead of the M5, or ideally the M1. Did it ever work? EXE version 1.1.12.0