Master the Assembly Line
Plan complex production chains, optimize facility usage, and balance your power grid.
The Factory Meta Report
Based on data analyzed from top YouTube guides (okMuzzy, Naruvt0) and community blueprints. These are the standard loadouts for optimized progression.
Phase 1: Survival & Story
Prioritize self-sustaining power and unlocking story beats. Do not overbuild; focus on compact modules.
- Unlock Mining Rigs
- Stable 640W Power Grid
- Automate Industrial Explosives
Power Ignition Layout
Lv. 1-10Targets: LC Batteries + Thermal Banks.
A compact 6/min setup that raises your power cap to 640W without stoppages. Essential for combat facilities.
EFO01O4a546i90I89oe4Infinite Bio-Fuel
Lv. 10+Targets: Buck Capsule [C].
Uses the "self-sustained plant factory" trick (1 Seed-Picking + 2 Planting Units) to feed organics infinitely without manual harvest.
Phase 2: The "Bus" Era
Chokepoints emerge in electronics and plastics. Stop building spaghetti; start building Shared Resource Buses.
- Amethyst Fiber Shortage
- Power Cap (Need 1000W+)
- Belt Speed Cap (30/min)
Glass/Plastic Main Bus
Lv. 25+Targets: Buck Capsule [B] + Ferrium Bottles.
Cluster your lines for 30/min throughput. Use a 10:10 ratio with 4 Ferrium lines to prevent powder waste.
EFO01E50O51e69oi3uIaCircuit Board Setup
Lv. 30+Targets: LC/SC Batteries + Circuits.
Resolves the "Amethyst Parts" conflict. A dual-chain setup feeds 2 Packaging Units, expandable to 1080W.
Phase 3: Mega Factories
Late-game requires Elastic Goods trading and infinite loops via stock bills. Scale out to regional outposts. Use the calculator to plan Mega Lines (e.g., 30x Advanced Composite/min) that respect the belt speed cap.
Factory Reference Sheet
Conveyor Throughput
- Tier 1 Belt 300/min
- Tier 2 Belt 600/min
- Tier 3 Belt 1200/min
Base Power Usage
- Smelter 360 kW
- Assembler 580 kW
- Refinery 920 kW
Quick Terminology
The Main Bus: A central "highway" of belts carrying basic resources (Iron, Copper). production lines split off from it and merge products back in.
Manifold: A straight line of machines connected by splitters. Easier to build than a perfect Balancer, but takes time to "warm up" (fill internal buffers).
📊 How to Read This Dashboard
Total Rate/Min
Don't just look at the number. Ask: "Can my belt handle this?"
If you see 650/m but use a T2 Belt (600/m limit), the line will clog. Split the output into two lines.
Facility Count (Round Up!)
The math is perfect, but the game isn't. If it says 2.1 Smelters, you can't build 0.1 of a building.You must build 3. The third one will just run at 10% capacity.
Power Overhead
The displayed Power is the peak load. Always keep 20% extra power in your grid to survive "restart spikes" (when all machines turn on at once after a blackout).
🔰 Beginner's Guide: The "Copper Crisis"
New players often build separate lines for everything. Let's say you need Batteries AND Circuits. Both need Copper.
- 1Add Both TargetsDon't calculate one by one. Add both items to the list on the left.
- 2Check "Materials Table"The tool sums up the copper demand. E.g., you need 45 Copper/min total.
- 3Build ONE ArrayInstead of two small outposts, build ONE central Copper Smelting array, then split the belt to feed both factories.
Common Issues & Fixes
The tool says "Stable" but my belt is jammed?▼
It's likely the "Warm-up" phase. If you built machines in a straight line (Manifold), the first machines eat all the items. Wait 5-10 minutes for their buffers to fill, and the flow will eventually reach the end.
What does "Recursion" mean in the Tree?▼
It means you have a Circular Loop (e.g., Plant → Seed → Plant). The calculator stops showing it to prevent crashing. In-game, you just route the output back to the input using a Merger/Priority Splitter.