Lab

2020-11-20T04:06:40Z

Saucy Pigeon: /* Equation simplification */ Added rearrangement for working out N from packs per second.

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{{:Infobox:Lab}}
[[File:Simplescience.png|thumb|right|Science packs put into the front lab will be passed to labs behind it.]]
'''Labs''' are buildings that perform [[research]] for [[technologies]] by consuming [[science pack]]s. Use of a lab is required to progress in Factorio.

When [[productivity module]]s are used in labs, the productivity bonus is directly calculated and applied each [[Time#Ticks|tick]] so the productivity bar is simply cosmetic. This means that it does not matter that the productivity bar resets when the research is changed, no productivity bonus is lost. [https://forums.factorio.com/26860]

The player can only research one technology at a time, but can use multiple labs for faster results. The speed bonus of labs when [[lab research speed (research)|lab research speed]] is researched and modules are present can be calculated using this formula: <code>research_bonus × module_bonus = speed_bonus</code>; the percentage bonuses have to be converted to decimals (e.g. +140% = 2.4) before the formula is used.

==Production requirements==
Calculating the number of science packs needed per second is straightforward:
* <code>ERS = (1 + B[r] ÷ 100) × (1 + M[r] ÷ 100)</code>
* <code>ACT = T[r] ÷ ERS</code>
* <code>PPS = N ÷ ACT</code>

Where:
*'''''ERS''''' is "effective lab research speed"
*'''''B[r]''''' is the Lab Research Speed bonus as reported by the game, in percent
*'''''M[r]''''' is the sum of all module speed effects (Speed modules - positive; Productivity modules - negative), in percent
*'''''ACT''''' is "adjusted cycle time"
*'''''T[r]''''' is the research cycle time as displayed in the research screen
*'''''PPS''''' is "packs per second"
*'''''N''''' is the number of labs available.

Thus, for a 10-lab setup, researching Nuclear Power (30 second cycle time) with Lab Research Speed 4 (140% bonus) and no module effects, the calculation is:
*<code>ERS = 1 + (140 ÷ 100) = 2.4</code>
*<code>ACT = 30 ÷ 2.4 = 12.5 s</code>
*<code>PPS = 10 ÷ 12.5 = 0.8</code>

This means 0.8 science packs per second, of each type, would need to be produced to continuously supply the labs.

=== Equation simplification ===
Assuming all labs have the same ''B[r]'' (which they always will unless they are affected by different module configurations), the above calculations can be combined into one equation:

* <code>PPS = N × (1 + B[r] ÷ 100) × (1 + M[r] ÷ 100) ÷ T[r]</code>

Thus for the numerical example:
* <code>PPS = 10 × (1 + 140 ÷ 100) × 1 ÷ 30</code> = <code>(10 ÷ 30) × (1 + 1.4)</code> = <code> (1 ÷ 3) × 2.4</code> = <code> 2.4 ÷ 3</code> = <code>0.8</code> packs per second

If trying to find the amount of labs needed to consume a given amount of packs per second, use the following rearrangement:
* <code>N = ((1 + B[r] ÷ 100) × (1 + M[r] ÷ 100) ÷ T[r] / PPS) ^ −1</code>

== History ==
{{history|0.15.12|
* Lab speed info in the description contains the researched speed bonus as well.}}

{{history|0.12.6|
* The research speed of a lab is now not dependent on its electricity consumption, and can be scripted.}}

{{history|0.12.0|
* Lab research is now continuous; Science packs now have progress bars.}}

{{history|0.9.2|
* Labs are now named after early access backers when built from [[blueprint]]s.}}

{{history|0.7.2|
* Changed the recipe of Lab to require 4 transport belts, down from 5.}}

{{history|0.7.0|
* Added support for modules to labs.}}

{{history|0.6.0|
* New graphics.
* Labs are dedicated to backers (displayed in entity info).}}

{{history|0.2.7|
* Contents of the Lab is now shown in the entity info. }}

{{history|0.1.0|
* Introduced }}

==See also==
* [[Electric system]]
* [[Crafting]]

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{{C|Producers}}

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Lab