Official Factorio Wiki - User contributions [en]

Tutorial:Circuit network cookbook

2021-07-25T23:37:02Z

Swan: /* Inserters */

{{Languages}}
== Foreword ==

This page provides examples of simple circuit network designs and some not so simple designs that others can use, combine and modify. They are designed to be as easy to understand as possible. To see the settings of combinators without opening them, the option "Show combinator settings when detailed info is on" in the graphics options has to be checked and detailed info has to be turned on.

==Lamp showing chest content condition==
[[File:LightWiredToChest.png|right]]

This is the simplest possible use of circuit-network. A [[lamp]] is light depending on the number of goods (in this example empty barrels) in a chest.

===Setting up circuit connection===
* The lamp is connected to the chest.
* The lamp is set to light if the chest contain less than 10 empty barrels.
===To set the light condition===
* Open the lamp (left click on it).
* Set the input to barrels.
* Set the operator to < (less than).
* Set the constant number:
** Left click on the constant number
** Move the slider until 10 is shown, or edit the value box directly.
** Press set.

Depending on the condition you set, the lamp may light if the chest is empty, or if it contains the required quantity of items.

The drawback with this scenario is that the lamp has a white light , and is therefore difficult to differentiate from an ordinary lamp at night.
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== Oil Setups ==
[[File:LgtOilCracking.png|left|440px]]
=== Light Oil Cracking ===
* This circuit provides balanced light oil and petroleum gas production by cracking excess light oil into gas.
* The [[pump]] is connected to the [[storage tank]] by a [[red wire]].
* The pump has an enabled condition set to '''Light Oil > 20000'''.
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[[File:HvyOilCracking.png|left|440px]]

=== Heavy Oil Cracking ===
* This circuit extends on the previous circuit by adding optional heavy oil cracking to provide lubricant etc.
* The pump has an enabled condition set to '''Heavy oil > 20000''' .
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== Lights ==
[[File:ConditionalLights.png|left|440px]]
=== Conditional Lights ===
* In this circuit we connect a series of [[lamp]]s to a [[storage tank]].
* By setting different conditions on each lamp we can build an indicator strip.
* The Enabled condition of the first lamp is '''Petroleum gas > 100'''.
* The others light up when gas is greater than 200, 300, 400 and 500 respectively.
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In this scenario you can connect the storage tank to the lamps directly.

[[File:ColoredLights.png|left|440px]]

=== Colored Lights ===
* To light a [[lamp]] with a color rather than white, you need an intermediate device like an [[arithmetic combinator]] that can send a color signal.
Instead of directly connect the the [[lamp]] and the [[Storage tank]] you need: 
1 Add the arithmetic combinator. 
2 Connect the [[storage tank]] with the input of the arithmetic combinator. 
3 Connect the output of the [[arithmetic combinator]] with the lamp. 
4 Set up the arithmetic combinator: 
4.1 Setting the input to petroleum Gas + 0 (the constant 0 not the signal 0) 
4.2 Set the output to the pink signal (on the bottom row of the last tab of signals.) 
5 Set up the [[lamp]]: 
5.1 Select the "Use colors" check box on the lamp. 
5.2 Set the condition to the pink signal, and what value you want (i.e. > 100) 
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== Misc ==
[[file:MulitipleChestsAndPoles.png|left|430px]]
=== Multiple Storages ===
* If you connect multiple chests to a pole, the pole displays the sum of items in all the chests.
* This also works with [[storage tank]]s and [[roboport]]s.
{{clear}}

[[File:ConstantComb.png|left|430px]]

=== Constant Combinator ===
* With a [[constant combinator]] you can generate any signals you may need.
* In this example we have generated a signal of 50 Laser turrets and 200 Piercing round magazine.
* Constant combinators are not of much use on their own but we shall use them later.
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[[File:ThisASign.png|left|430px]]

=== Constant Combinator Signs (Words) ===
* You can use [[constant combinator]]s to make signs, just set the letter signals in the combinator, each combinator can display 2 characters side by side.
* Note that to see these letters, Alt-mode must be on and the Interface setting “Show combinator settings in “Alt-Mode”” must also be enabled.
{{clear}}

[[File:constant_combinator_signs2.png|left|430px]]

=== Constant Combinator Signs (Managing Belts) ===
* Somewhat similar to the previous example, constant combinator signals can be used with belts to help indicate what items should be on which belts. This is extremely useful when sharing blueprints, as it's possible for blueprints to be shared albeit with no indication on which items are meant for which belts.
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[[File:MemoryCell.png|left|430px]]

=== Memory Cell / Counter ===
* Basic memory cell that counts all the items moved by the inserter
* The [[fast inserter]] is connected to '''BOTH''' ends of the arithmetic combinator.

* If the fast inserter hasn't picked anything up this tick the input to the Arithmetic combinator is the same as and output and hence the values are persisted.
* When the fast inserter does pick something up its value is added to the output from the previous tick thus incrementing that item.
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== Inserters ==
[[File:LimitItemsPlacedIntoAChest.png|left|400x400px]]
=== Limit items placed into a chest ===
* The [[inserter]] is connected to the [[wooden chest]] using a [[red wire]].
* The inserter's enabled condition is '''Advanced Circuit < 10'''.
* In reality this means the inserter may place more than 10 Advanced circuits in the chest because it could pick up to 3 at once due to stack size bonuses.
* This effect can be even greater with Stack inserters because of their large carrying capacity.
* This technique still gives far greater control than limiting the inventory on the chest.
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[[File:BalancedChestInsert.png|left|400x400px]]
=== Balanced chest insert ===
Goal: Load n chests with approximately the same number of items.
* Place n chests and n inserters.
* Place 1 [[arithmetic combinator]]
* Set the combinator to take Each (yellow star) and divide by the negative number of chests. ie −n.
* Connect all chests to each other and to the input of the combinator using red wire.
* Connect all inserters to each other and to the output of the combinator using red wire.
* Connect each inserter to the box it inserts into with green wire.
* Set the enable condition on each inserter to be Everything (red star) < 0.

The combinator calculates the average number of items in the chests, and makes it negative. Each inserter gets the amount in the chest it is inserting to and adds the negative average, ie it calculates how many more than the average it has in its chest. Thus if that number is negative, it has less than the average in the chest and it enables.

Due to inserter stack bonus the count is not exact. If a precise count is needed, set the inserter stack size to 1.

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[[File:SmartOutpostUnloader.png|left|400x400px]]
=== Keeping outpost stocked with specified items ===
* This circuit keeps a [[storage chest]] at an outpost stocked with customized levels of different items.
* For example you could keep an outpost stocked with 50 laser turrets and 200 piercing magazine rounds but not have to worry about it being over filled.
* The [[storage chest]] is attached to the input of the [[arithmetic combinator]] (left side in the picture) with a [[red wire]].
* Another couple of [[red wire]]s join the output of the [[arithmetic combinator]] (right side) to the [[constant combinator]] and to the [[stack filter inserter]].
* The [[arithmetic combinator]] '''multiplies''' each input value (from the storage chest) by '''-1'''.
* Finally the filter stack inserter's mode of operation is set to '''Set filters'''.
* So the input to the [[stack filter inserter]] is '''<constant combinator> - <storage chest contents>''' and the filter is set to filter for the first item by inventory order.
{{clear}}

[[File:SolarAccumalatorBalancer.png|left|400x400px]]

=== Balanced Solar panel / Accumulator Production ===
* This circuit balances production of [[solar panel]]s and [[accumulator]]s to a desired ratio in my case 24:20.
* The first [[arithmetic combinator]] takes the number of accumulators in the chest and '''multiplies''' it by '''24'''.
* The second [[arithmetic combinator]] takes the output of the first combinator and '''divides''' it by '''20'''.
* This gives us the number of accumulators that we can directly compare to the number of Solar panels in both inserters.
* If the number of accumulators is greater we enable the Solar panels inserter, if the number of Solar panels is greater we enable the accumulators inserter.
* However, if they are equal, neither machine does anything. So we add a single accumulator to one of the inserters using a constant combinator and a wire of the other color, therefore breaking the deadlock.
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== Sushi Belts ==
[[File:SushiScience1.png|left|400px]]
=== Reading Belt Design ===
* Six belts in a row are connected with Red wire and set to '''Read belts contents''' and '''Hold'''
* This [[red wire]] is then connected to the inserters that insert onto the belt.
* Read hand contents is unselected for all inserters.
* Mode of operation is set to '''Enable/Disable''' on all inserters.
* The first inserter is enabled when '''Science pack 1 = 0'''
* The other inserters are set similarly for the other science packs.
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[[File:SushiScience2.png|left|400px]]
=== Memory Cell Design ===
* This circuit counts the number of items of each type on a looping belt by counting the numbers that are added and removed from the belt by inserters.
* Each inserter that takes items off the belt is connected together with Red wire and each of these inserters is set to '''Mode of operation none, Read hand content selected''' and '''Hand read mode pulse'''.
* These inserters are connected to the input of the left arithmetic combinator.
* The left [[arithmetic combinator]] multiples '''each''' input by '''-1''' and outputs it to '''each'''.
* The right [[arithmetic combinator]] is a '''memory cell''' as above.
* The memory cell's input is connected to the inserters that are placing items on the belt and the output of the left [[arithmetic combinator]].
* The inserters that place items onto the belt have an enabled condition that is based on the number of items on the belt.
{{clear}}

== Power ==
[[File:SteamBackup.png|left|400px]]
=== Backup steam power ===
* The [[steam engine]]s are not directly connected to the power network. They are connected to the power network through a [[power switch]].
* The [[power switch]] is connected to one of the [[accumulator]]s in the main network.
* The [[power switch]] turns on when A < 10. That is when the [[accumulator]]s are less than 10% full.
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=== Optimal usage of fuel for nuclear power ===
Unlike the normal steam power that adjusts fuel usage based on power usage, the [[Power_production#Nuclear_power|nuclear reactors]] spend fuel in fixed units of time. To be exact, the consumption of 1 fuel cell takes exactly 200 seconds.

Combined with the fact that creating the nuclear fuel cells are time consuming and expensive to create, it is therefore beneficial to optimize their use to match the actual consumed power.

[[File:NuclearCircuits.jpg|left|400px]]
==== First example ====
The above picture shows a setup with 4 reactors, that spend only 1 fuel cell each whenever steam runs low. 
''Note: The GUI in the image above has been altered to make sure all important info fits within the image size.''

There are a few elements in this setup:
* Storage tank that provides the [[steam]] signal. You should only read from one storage tank, and it should have pipe connections to all your other steam storage tanks.
* Chests containing [[uranium fuel cell]]s for the reactor.
* Output inserters that take [[Used_up_uranium_fuel_cell|empty fuel cells]] from the reactor. This is connected to the storage tank to listen for the steam signal, and to the chests to listen for the uranium fuel cell signal. If the steam level is low and there are uranium fuel cells available, it removes the empty fuel cells from the reactor and sends an empty fuel cell signal (since "Read hand contents" is checked).
* Input inserters that put uranium fuel cells into the reactor. This is connected to the output inserters and listens for the empty fuel cell signal. The "Override stack size" is set to 1, so that it only inserts 1 fuel cell at a time.

Since this design uses empty fuel cells as a signal to fill the reactor, you need to manually insert 1 uranium fuel cell into the reactor to get it started.

[[File:NuclearCircuits2.jpg|left|400px]]
==== Second example ====
A simpler setup can be made with inserters that drop a single [[uranium fuel cell]] in each reactor when the [[steam]] reaches a certain level.

Here, two inserters feeding two reactors are connected to a steam [[storage tank]] and are set to be turned on when it reaches 2K. 
The only drawback is that two cells are placed in the reactor (one when the steam volume drops to 2K and another when it is back up to that level), but this does not matter, as with only two cells the temperature cannot rise to 1000°C, so no energy is wasted.
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[[File:Nuclear Fuel Circuit Network.png|left|400px]]
=== Prioritize usage of uranium towards nuclear fuel production ===
Because a continuous supply of [[nuclear fuel]] is critical to maintaining a [[nuclear reactor]], the circuit network can be used to set up a system where [[uranium-235]] and [[uranium-238]] are conserved for the production of nuclear fuel before other uses.

Using a [[splitter]], divert the two types of uranium onto two parallel conveyors, with an [[inserter]] positioned to gather uranium from each conveyor (a [[long handed inserter]] will be needed for the far belt). Each of these inserters deposits their load into a container, from which two more inserters deliver the contents to an [[assembly machine]] making nuclear fuel. An inserter delivers the produced fuel to a third container, from which inserter(s) delivers the fuel to your nuclear reactor. Wire the two inserters gathering from the conveyors to the container each of them is delivering to, and to the tile of conveyor immediately after the tile the inserter is gathering from. Set each inserter's enable condition to "less than or equal to X amount of uranium", using the appropriate type of uranium the inserter is gathering and X being the number of reserve uranium desired (optimally, one uranium-235 and nineteen uranium-238, the amount needed to produce nuclear fuel; the amount may be increased if a greater stockpile is desired). Set each conveyor's enable condition to "greater than or equal to X amount of uranium" in the same manner. Finally, connect the inserters delivering uranium to the assembly machine up to the container the assembly machine is delivering nuclear fuel to, and set each of their enable conditions to "nuclear fuel = 0 (the enable condition can be set to "less than or equal to X amount of nuclear fuel" if a larger stockpile is desired).

This set-up accomplishes the following:

* When there is sufficient nuclear fuel and uranium stockpiled, the inserters will deactivate and the conveyors activate, allowing the uranium to continue down the conveyors to other facilities.
* When the nuclear fuel stockpile hits zero (or decreases below the desired amount), the inserters delivering to the assembly machine will activate and deliver uranium to resume production of nuclear fuel until quota is reached again.
* When there is not enough uranium stockpiled to produce a batch of nuclear fuel, the inserters gathering uranium will activate and and resume gathering uranium until they reach their quota. The conveyors carrying uranium will stop past the inserters, cutting off other facilities from that type of uranium until its respective inserter reaches quota.
* The assembly machine will only be provided with uranium when the stockpile of nuclear fuel hits zero (or decreases below the desired amount), preventing over-production of nuclear fuel and thus over-consumption of uranium.

== Latches ==
=== RS latch - single decider version ===
[https://forums.factorio.com/viewtopic.php?f=193&t=14556 This discussion] on the Factorio forums starts with the common 2 decider RS latch version, but the thread [https://forums.factorio.com/viewtopic.php?p=160896#p160896 goes on to explain] why this single decider version is better. In the thread, the latch is described as an SR latch. However, when both inputs are true, the latch will reset, so it is an RS latch.
==== Backup steam example ====
This example will turn on the steam generator when the Accumulator charge drops to 20%, but will "latch" (remember) the On state until the accumulator is charged to 90%.

Latching is used to introduce [[Wikipedia:hysteresis|hysteresis]] and avoid the power switch rapidly cycling on and off (as the accumulator falls to 19%, charges to 20%, falls to 19% and so on).
[[File:SR-01-Layout.png|850px|left]]
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{{BlueprintString|bp-string=0eNrFVk1vozAQ/SuVz1ABCaRBq5WqXntKjqsKOTBJR8IGGTtpFPHfd+w0HyU0G6pVewkxnnmemfdmzI4tSgO1QqlZumOYV7Jh6Z8da3AleWnf6W0NLGVrVNrQG49JLuyLvYU/Z63HUBbwxtKw9QZ4zs48o15P1CBObgXkWIDy80osUHJdqTOAUfviMZAaNcI+A7fYZtKIBSiK7YgjoEAjfCgh1wpzv65KoFPqqiHnStrzCdAPA49t6Rm1NrYOWjQY7QrY6FQZwcvyX1jJFajxEYrnuRGmdGW6DCe+jx1KcB9TDYl1raoyW8ArXyM5kFVldG10djObj6zdI0kKHp2Mdiy0PysFIM8pwYKldHyOKjeo3TI8y8Wup93tl7Yv3fiaOC6zjt6z9uk4VqDaR+rY7CvBO2ZGewUec1qiaobVxaE3mtseiwK7EjVXLsaU/SKPobWe7zHrLYVmpM6WqhIZSsJg6ZKXDQyiYkzF9Vhk9xUU3d3kNiaSQUwEB/l9Hw+uZg1YjGzYiPpA1+/vpKuHjk7fRNf7JrJTsZf05MLwoIFbzLvtOvlEFZNjKepqQ5poNqjz10s9jA6N+fk8Ohx/FMFXNXDqxeCC20F901vCJxN07UjVG9K4+x9YQp5M2LUZfbTpq+XDKRsNnG4cuULZcz089HZWD+D0a8Pz52bnNPgPzTj76dlJAnDfNenZp5fHSr4ACp/NZ3fPnHrkDt64qN31vwbVuFIn43GUjCdxHIVt+xcL2lBp}}
{{clear}}
[[File:SR-02-Accumulator.png|left]]Accumulator outputs the current charge level as % on signal [[File:Signal-A.png|21px]]
{{clear}}
[[File:SR-03-RangeDeciders.png|left]]First decider outputs "Set" ([[File:Signal-S.png|21px]] = 1) if Accumulator is less than 20%.
Second decider outputs "Reset" ([[File:Signal-R.png|21px]] = 1) once Accumulator is more than 90% full.
{{clear}}
[[File:SR-04-SRLatch.png|left]]

==== RS Latch configuration ====
'''The central decider and green feedback wire is the actual RS Latch.'''
It latches the Set signal [[File:Signal-S.png|21px]] until the Reset signal [[File:Signal-R.png|21px]] is received (and vice-versa). 
NB: the latch expects binary inputs ([[File:Signal-S.png|21px]] & [[File:Signal-R.png|21px]] must be 0 or 1) - this is why the previous two deciders are required. 
When both inputs are true, the reset signal takes priority and the latch resets. This means it is an RS latch instead of an SR latch.
 
[[File:SR-05-PowerSwitch.png|left]]The Power switch isolates the generator from the rest of the factory until [[File:Signal-S.png|21px]] = 1
 
----

=== RS latch ===
[[File:SRLatch.png|left|430px]]
* This should be familiar to anyone with any background in electronics.
* The signal is set and reset with the [[constant combinator]]s on the left by setting an A=1 signal.
* The latch "remembers" which one was last set and the light stays on until another signal is received.
{{clear}}

=== Usage of RS latch ===
[[File:SRlatchinaction.png|left|430px]]
* Here is an example of how you could use an RS latch.
* The two extra [[decider combinator]]s provide the set and reset conditions.
* Petroleum gas < 50 and petroleum gas > 100.
{{clear}}

=== Belt only latch ===
[[File:BeltLatch.png|left|430px]]
* To make it work, '''3''' pieces of raw wood must be placed on the inside lane of the belt.
* It will have higher latency than the combinator version, but in most situations you will not notice the difference.
{{clear}}

== Displays ==
[[File:5digitDisplay.png|left|400x400px]]
=== Numerical Display ===
* Each digit is driven by its own [[green wire]], that wire holds 15 signals, one for each lamp used in the digit.
* [[constant combinator]]s are used to define which lamp should light up for each value.
{{clear}}

[[File:BWDisplay.png|left|400x400px]]

=== Black and White Grid Display ===
* Each row has its own [[red wire]] connection and within that row each light has a numbered signal 0-9.
* We turn each light on by just setting or clearing the relevant signal.
{{clear}}

[[File:MultiColoredDisplay.png|left|400x400px]]
=== Multicolor Display by DaveMcW ===
* To understand how this works, you first need to understand how color lights choose which color to light up when there are multiple colored signals.
* The [[lamp]] will light up with the colored signal that is greater than zero and earliest in this list: red, green, blue, yellow, pink, cyan, white.
* We have a [[red wire]] per column, that wire has each of the colored signals on it at different values and a numbered signal for each row.
* There is a [[arithmetic combinator]] for each cell that subtracts the "row" value from each of the colored signals.
* And this enables us to choose the color for each cell.
* Simple!
{{clear}}

== See Also ==
* [[Arithmetic combinator]]
* [[Constant combinator]]
* [[Decider combinator]]
* [[Circuit network]]

File:BalancedChestInsert.png

2021-07-25T23:35:01Z

Swan:

File:Onetime Clock.png

2021-05-15T12:11:27Z

Swan: Swan uploaded a new version of File:Onetime Clock.png

{{Screenshot}}Clock that runs value T to Z+1 once and then stops. Can be resetted inputing R>0.
[[Category:needs blueprint]]

User:Swan

2020-08-01T00:14:46Z

Swan:

I've been playing factorio for about 4 years now, and have already clocked >3600 hours in the game. I'm a moderator on the factorio discord and subreddit, and I've been called a walking wiki in the past.
Definitely one of the biggest smartasses in the factorio community, mainly because I'm generally right.

I like testing stuff to their extremes, and really understanding why stuff works the way it does.

Logistic network

2020-08-01T00:12:57Z

Swan: /* Negative numbers */

{{Languages}}
[[File:RoboTrainStation_small.gif|thumb|420x336px|right|''This gif shows how robots can load or unload chests in a train station. The train delivers items that are filled into [[active provider chest]]s and then put into the [[requester chest]]s to be loaded onto belts.'' Logistics robots are ideal in train stations, since very high item throughput on a short distance is needed. Click [https://wiki.factorio.com/File:RoboTrainStation.gif here] for a larger image.]]

A [[logistic network]] is a series of different logistics chests and [[logistic robot]]s all covered by one or more connected [[roboport]]s.

Depending on the type and configuration of the chests and area of the logistic network the robots will transport items between these chests as a power-hungry alternative to moving items manually, or by [[Belt transport system|belts]] or [[railway]]. However, robots offer much higher mobility, since they can fly over obstacles in a beeline.

The player character can also act as [[requester chest]] in the logistic network, allowing them to 'request' various items be kept at a set limit within their personal inventory. After [[Research|researching]] [[logistic robotics (research)|logistic robotics]], they can configure an amount of items; and [[logistic robot]]s will start to move the specified items from the network to the character's inventory.

== Items ==
{| class="wikitable"
!style="width: 220px;" |Entity
!Description
|-
| {{imagelink|Roboport}} || Central component of the logistic network in which the robots operate. Roboport coverage defines the area of the logistic network. Robots need to periodically return here to recharge.
|-
| {{Imagelink|Logistic robot}} || Moves items between logistic chests.1
|-
| {{Imagelink|Construction robot}} || [[Repair pack|Repairs]] broken or replaces destroyed entities. [[blueprint|Builds]], [[deconstruction planner|deconstructs]] and [[upgrade planner|upgrades]] entities on command.
|-
| {{Imagelink|Active provider chest}} || Logistic chest: Pushes stored items into the logistic network.2
|-
| {{Imagelink|Passive provider chest}} || Logistic chest: Places stored items at the logistic network's disposal.2
|-
| {{Imagelink|Storage chest}} || Logistic chest: Stores items currently not requested. Can be filtered to only store one type of item. Supplies stored items to the Logistic network.2
|-
| {{Imagelink|Requester chest}} || Logistic chest: Will be filled by [[logistic robot]]s until the configured amount is reached, or the chest becomes full. Can request multiple different types of items.2
|-
| {{Imagelink|Buffer chest}} || Logistic chest: Functions as both a [[requester chest]] and [[passive provider chest]].2
|}

(1) Default capacity is 1 item per robot. This can be increased by researching [[Worker robot cargo size (research)]].

(2) Logistic chests can also be connected to the [[circuit network]] with [[red wire]] or [[green wire]].

== Usage ==

To start with, just use passive provider- and requester chests. Place the passive provider chests at the output [[inserters]] of [[assembling machine]]s and requester chests at the input (let them request the needed items). Place a [[roboport]], which covers these chests with the inner orange area. Place some logistic bots in the roboport. The robots will fly out of the top hatch and will begin to work. You can now limit the number of produced item with the [[Stack#Stack limitation|stack limitation]]-feature.

The logistic network makes it possible to create complex items in a relatively small factory area, but its throughput is limited by how many robot charge points (roboports) exist in the network.

[[File:Roboport_network_gui.png|thumb|right|200px|Supply area 50×50 tiles (orange); Construction area 110×110 tiles (green)]]
The basic thing needed for item transportation is [[roboport]]s. The roboport shows the orange logistic coverage and the green construction coverage when held in the cursor or hovered after placing.

* The orange zone is the logistic network coverage. This is also the maximum distance for connecting two roboports.
* The green zone is the construction area.

=== Expanding the logistic network ===

There can be many separate logistic networks. Two roboports are in the same network only if they are connected, so if their logistic areas are touching. Visually this is represented by a dashed yellow line connecting them.
To prevent roboports from linking, the player needs to build them far enough away from each other so that the orange zones don't touch.

Bots do not fly migrate from one network to another, unless their home network is destroyed in some way, for example when all roboports are removed or out of power.

== Mechanics ==

=== Losing bots ===

Worker robots are a priority target of biters, and the [[enemies]] will prioritize attacking them over many objects in the vicinity of the robots.

Robots may run out of charge on longer journeys which will reduce their flying speed to 20% of their normal speed. Robots that run out of charge will fly to the closest recharge point instead of their original target. This means that they may depart from the original route and even go into the opposite direction, depending on where the closest charging point is.

When the charging-queue for the bots gets too long, the bots (and their loads) will slow down. Generally, a roboport can charge between 50 and 70 bots per min, 4 at a time, but are not very efficient at charging large queues of bots and can quickly become overworked.

=== Negative numbers ===
It is possible to notice negative numbers on the 'Logistic Network'-Screen when looking at network storage or opening the logistic networks GUI the with {{Keybinding|L}}.

The logistic network reports the total number of items in provider, buffer and storage chests, ''minus the amount of items scheduled to be picked up by robots.'' When a bot starts its journey to pick up items from a chest, it reserves the items in advance by subtracting the items it wants from the total logistics storage. A bot will always reserve the maximum amount that it can carry, even when the box does not currently have that amount. This means that the number can go negative when a bot embarks on a pickup while the box is almost empty.
Negative numbers in the logistic network are *not* the deficit of the total number of requested items. If there are no bots picking up any items, there are no negative numbers in the network, regardless of requests in requester chests.

For example, with a full [[Worker robot cargo size (research)|worker robot cargo size]] bonus, a bot can carry 4 items. If there is only 1 iron plate in the logistic network, and a robot comes to pick it up, it will reserve the full 4 it can carry and the amount in the network will be displayed as follows:

{{icon|iron plate|-3}}

After the robot has picked up the item, the reservation is removed and the number goes back to 0.

The reason this happens is that a bot can be dispatched to pick up an item when there is only 1 item available. While it is travelling to pick up that item, additional items can be put into the chest, and once the bot gets to the chest, it has already reserved those items in advance and can pick them up immediately.

=== Receiving more items than requested ===

The delivered number of items in the requester chest can be higher than requested. This depends on the researched [[Worker robot cargo size (research)|Worker robot cargo size]]-bonus, since bots will always take as much as they can carry if an unlimited amount is available.

=== Choosing the post for charging ===
Normally a robot flies to the nearest roboport to recharge. If the queue on that roboport is too long, they eventually choose another port. This is specified by the ratio of <distance to different roboport in tiles> / <queue size of robots waiting>.

Currently, to choose the more distant roboport, the distance must be at most <Number of robots in the queue and on the way> / 2. So, to choose a roboport that is 10 tiles more distant, it has to have 20 less robots waiting in the queue.

== Priorities of robots ==

This overview reflects the priorities in which order the chests are filled/emptied.

Logistic robots on the logistic network look for orders by the chests in this order:

* A requested item is first ''looked up'' in active provider chests and in the player's trash slots, then in the storage chests and buffer chests, then the passive provider chests. So, the active provider chests are emptied first, then the storage chests and buffer chests, then the passive provider chests.

* Requests are ''assigned'' first for player logistics, then for requester chests, then for buffer chests.

{| class="wikitable"
! Source Priority
| {{icon|Character logistic trash slots (research)||logistic robotics (research)}}{{icon|active provider chest}} > {{icon|storage chest}}{{icon|buffer chest}} > {{icon|passive provider chest}}
! Target Priority
| {{icon|Character logistic slots (research)||logistic robotics (research)}}{{icon|requester chest}}1 > {{icon|requester chest}} > {{icon|buffer chest}}2 > {{icon|storage chest}}3
|}

(1) Requesters with "request from buffer chests" have higher priority than others, the same as a player.

(2) Buffer chests will only ever be a target when having requests specified.

(3) Storage does not "request" items on its own. It receives actively discarded items from a) active providers, b) player trash slots, c) deconstruction, and d) robots that have their orders cancelled while carrying items. Storage is the last priority, and receives only items that have nowhere else to go.

* To place items into storage chests, the bots search for a storage chest that already stores items of the same type, then for one which has its filter set to the item type. If that can't be found, they choose the first storage chest with a free slot from the list, which is sorted by the order they were built in. [https://www.reddit.com/r/factorio/comments/5udwkd/hey_devs_this_is_the_one_thing_that_really_bugs/ddwbr94/] This is to avoid having storage chests with different items inside, allowing greater organisation.

=== Distance ===
When looking to pick up requested items from multiple chests of equal priority, bots will always choose the closest one. [https://forums.factorio.com/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=40329&p=238918#p238901]

This is however only true when an item is being requested, not when an item is sent away via player trash slots or active provider chests. In the case of items being sent into the logistics network, distance does not matter, instead when chests have the same priority, for example two active provider chests, the bots will alternate between the chests in a round-robin fashion.

== Achievements ==
{{Achievement|you-have-got-a-package}}
{{Achievement|delivery-service}}
{{Achievement|logistic-network-embargo}}

[[Category:Logistic network]]

Logistic network

2020-08-01T00:07:51Z

Swan: /* Negative numbers */ Fix explanation of when negative numbers happen in the logistic network.

{{Languages}}
[[File:RoboTrainStation_small.gif|thumb|420x336px|right|''This gif shows how robots can load or unload chests in a train station. The train delivers items that are filled into [[active provider chest]]s and then put into the [[requester chest]]s to be loaded onto belts.'' Logistics robots are ideal in train stations, since very high item throughput on a short distance is needed. Click [https://wiki.factorio.com/File:RoboTrainStation.gif here] for a larger image.]]

A [[logistic network]] is a series of different logistics chests and [[logistic robot]]s all covered by one or more connected [[roboport]]s.

Depending on the type and configuration of the chests and area of the logistic network the robots will transport items between these chests as a power-hungry alternative to moving items manually, or by [[Belt transport system|belts]] or [[railway]]. However, robots offer much higher mobility, since they can fly over obstacles in a beeline.

The player character can also act as [[requester chest]] in the logistic network, allowing them to 'request' various items be kept at a set limit within their personal inventory. After [[Research|researching]] [[logistic robotics (research)|logistic robotics]], they can configure an amount of items; and [[logistic robot]]s will start to move the specified items from the network to the character's inventory.

== Items ==
{| class="wikitable"
!style="width: 220px;" |Entity
!Description
|-
| {{imagelink|Roboport}} || Central component of the logistic network in which the robots operate. Roboport coverage defines the area of the logistic network. Robots need to periodically return here to recharge.
|-
| {{Imagelink|Logistic robot}} || Moves items between logistic chests.1
|-
| {{Imagelink|Construction robot}} || [[Repair pack|Repairs]] broken or replaces destroyed entities. [[blueprint|Builds]], [[deconstruction planner|deconstructs]] and [[upgrade planner|upgrades]] entities on command.
|-
| {{Imagelink|Active provider chest}} || Logistic chest: Pushes stored items into the logistic network.2
|-
| {{Imagelink|Passive provider chest}} || Logistic chest: Places stored items at the logistic network's disposal.2
|-
| {{Imagelink|Storage chest}} || Logistic chest: Stores items currently not requested. Can be filtered to only store one type of item. Supplies stored items to the Logistic network.2
|-
| {{Imagelink|Requester chest}} || Logistic chest: Will be filled by [[logistic robot]]s until the configured amount is reached, or the chest becomes full. Can request multiple different types of items.2
|-
| {{Imagelink|Buffer chest}} || Logistic chest: Functions as both a [[requester chest]] and [[passive provider chest]].2
|}

(1) Default capacity is 1 item per robot. This can be increased by researching [[Worker robot cargo size (research)]].

(2) Logistic chests can also be connected to the [[circuit network]] with [[red wire]] or [[green wire]].

== Usage ==

To start with, just use passive provider- and requester chests. Place the passive provider chests at the output [[inserters]] of [[assembling machine]]s and requester chests at the input (let them request the needed items). Place a [[roboport]], which covers these chests with the inner orange area. Place some logistic bots in the roboport. The robots will fly out of the top hatch and will begin to work. You can now limit the number of produced item with the [[Stack#Stack limitation|stack limitation]]-feature.

The logistic network makes it possible to create complex items in a relatively small factory area, but its throughput is limited by how many robot charge points (roboports) exist in the network.

[[File:Roboport_network_gui.png|thumb|right|200px|Supply area 50×50 tiles (orange); Construction area 110×110 tiles (green)]]
The basic thing needed for item transportation is [[roboport]]s. The roboport shows the orange logistic coverage and the green construction coverage when held in the cursor or hovered after placing.

* The orange zone is the logistic network coverage. This is also the maximum distance for connecting two roboports.
* The green zone is the construction area.

=== Expanding the logistic network ===

There can be many separate logistic networks. Two roboports are in the same network only if they are connected, so if their logistic areas are touching. Visually this is represented by a dashed yellow line connecting them.
To prevent roboports from linking, the player needs to build them far enough away from each other so that the orange zones don't touch.

Bots do not fly migrate from one network to another, unless their home network is destroyed in some way, for example when all roboports are removed or out of power.

== Mechanics ==

=== Losing bots ===

Worker robots are a priority target of biters, and the [[enemies]] will prioritize attacking them over many objects in the vicinity of the robots.

Robots may run out of charge on longer journeys which will reduce their flying speed to 20% of their normal speed. Robots that run out of charge will fly to the closest recharge point instead of their original target. This means that they may depart from the original route and even go into the opposite direction, depending on where the closest charging point is.

When the charging-queue for the bots gets too long, the bots (and their loads) will slow down. Generally, a roboport can charge between 50 and 70 bots per min, 4 at a time, but are not very efficient at charging large queues of bots and can quickly become overworked.

=== Negative numbers ===
It is possible to notice negative numbers on the 'Logistic Network'-Screen when looking at network storage or opening the logistic networks GUI the with {{Keybinding|L}}.

The logistic network reports the total number of items in provider, buffer and storage chests, ''minus the amount of items scheduled to be picked up by robots.'' When a bot starts its journey to pick up items from a chest, it reserves the items in advance by subtracting the items it wants from the total logistics storage. A bot will always reserve the maximum amount that it can carry, even when the box does not have that amount currently. This means that the number can go negative when a bot embarks on a pickup while the box is almost empty.
Negative numbers in the logistic network are *not* the deficit of the total number of requested items. If there are no bots picking up any items, there are no negative numbers in the network, regardless of requests in requester chests.

For example, with a full [[Worker robot cargo size (research)|worker robot cargo size]] bonus, a bot can carry 4 items. If there is only 1 iron plate in the logistic network, and a robot comes to pick it up, it will reserve the full 4 it can carry and the amount in the network will be displayed as follows:

{{icon|iron plate|-3}}

After the robot has picked up the item, the reservation is removed and the number goes back to 0.

The reason this happens is that a bot can be dispatched to pick up an item when there is only 1 item available. While it is travelling to pick up that item, additional items can be put into the chest, and once the bot gets to the chest, it has already reserved those items in advance and can pick them up immediately.

=== Receiving more items than requested ===

The delivered number of items in the requester chest can be higher than requested. This depends on the researched [[Worker robot cargo size (research)|Worker robot cargo size]]-bonus, since bots will always take as much as they can carry if an unlimited amount is available.

=== Choosing the post for charging ===
Normally a robot flies to the nearest roboport to recharge. If the queue on that roboport is too long, they eventually choose another port. This is specified by the ratio of <distance to different roboport in tiles> / <queue size of robots waiting>.

Currently, to choose the more distant roboport, the distance must be at most <Number of robots in the queue and on the way> / 2. So, to choose a roboport that is 10 tiles more distant, it has to have 20 less robots waiting in the queue.

== Priorities of robots ==

This overview reflects the priorities in which order the chests are filled/emptied.

Logistic robots on the logistic network look for orders by the chests in this order:

* A requested item is first ''looked up'' in active provider chests and in the player's trash slots, then in the storage chests and buffer chests, then the passive provider chests. So, the active provider chests are emptied first, then the storage chests and buffer chests, then the passive provider chests.

* Requests are ''assigned'' first for player logistics, then for requester chests, then for buffer chests.

{| class="wikitable"
! Source Priority
| {{icon|Character logistic trash slots (research)||logistic robotics (research)}}{{icon|active provider chest}} > {{icon|storage chest}}{{icon|buffer chest}} > {{icon|passive provider chest}}
! Target Priority
| {{icon|Character logistic slots (research)||logistic robotics (research)}}{{icon|requester chest}}1 > {{icon|requester chest}} > {{icon|buffer chest}}2 > {{icon|storage chest}}3
|}

(1) Requesters with "request from buffer chests" have higher priority than others, the same as a player.

(2) Buffer chests will only ever be a target when having requests specified.

(3) Storage does not "request" items on its own. It receives actively discarded items from a) active providers, b) player trash slots, c) deconstruction, and d) robots that have their orders cancelled while carrying items. Storage is the last priority, and receives only items that have nowhere else to go.

* To place items into storage chests, the bots search for a storage chest that already stores items of the same type, then for one which has its filter set to the item type. If that can't be found, they choose the first storage chest with a free slot from the list, which is sorted by the order they were built in. [https://www.reddit.com/r/factorio/comments/5udwkd/hey_devs_this_is_the_one_thing_that_really_bugs/ddwbr94/] This is to avoid having storage chests with different items inside, allowing greater organisation.

=== Distance ===
When looking to pick up requested items from multiple chests of equal priority, bots will always choose the closest one. [https://forums.factorio.com/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=40329&p=238918#p238901]

This is however only true when an item is being requested, not when an item is sent away via player trash slots or active provider chests. In the case of items being sent into the logistics network, distance does not matter, instead when chests have the same priority, for example two active provider chests, the bots will alternate between the chests in a round-robin fashion.

== Achievements ==
{{Achievement|you-have-got-a-package}}
{{Achievement|delivery-service}}
{{Achievement|logistic-network-embargo}}

[[Category:Logistic network]]

Tutorial:Main bus

2019-11-02T22:35:24Z

Swan: Changed mention of solid fuel in chemical science pack to sulfur.

{{Languages}}
[[File:main_bus.jpg|thumb|400px|A main bus in use with several different items and some production]]

The concept of a '''Main Bus''' is to put the most used and useful ingredients in a central spot to use for assembling machines.
This is a good measure to combat "spaghetti factories" as it forces someone to plan a structured layout and move everything to use items from the bus.
Which is also a downside as there are more belts used and therefore more room for belt-buffer and everything is less compact.

Whether one uses a bus is often decided before starting a map or when first building an array of furnaces.

A bus often starts at the smelting of iron, copper and steel and then over time and distance gains more and more different items.
When one doesn't have enough production to saturate a belt (or splits it into more) then this can be called a "fake"-bus as it ''can not'' be saturated.
This is especially deceiving when the item isn't moving and all belts have filled up as these belts can't carry the amount they lead one to believe they can.
This can be done to reserve room for later expansion, blueprint-ghosts are a good usage for that as they don't allow the belt to be filled with non-usable items.

The direction of a bus, being horizontal or vertical depends on personal preference and how one likes to work on the production that splits off it, which can almost always be expanded for greater use later on.
The orientation of and how wide the players monitor is also plays a role in this decision.
A corner is not unheard of but very unusual and is often only necessary when a lake appears that is not planned for.

== Content ==
What items one puts on a bus is personal preference.
Some items are a good candidate to be built "on-site" meaning not carried by the bus but rather made where they are needed.
A good example for this are [[copper cable]]s as they consume more space on a belt than in form of copper plates.

Here are some things people have put on their bus in the past:
* Several belts of [[iron plate]]s, usually a multiple of four as that is the length one [[underground belt]] can pass under.
* Some belts of [[copper plate]]s. You need about as much copper overall as iron.
* [[Iron gear wheel]]s are seen on some buses as they take up half as much room than iron plates and see usage in a lot of recipes.
* [[Electronic circuit]]s. You will need many of these to handle [[advanced circuit]] and [[processing unit]] production later on.
* [[Advanced circuit]]s.
* [[Steel plate]]s.
* [[Processing unit]]s.
* [[Battery|Batteries]].
* [[Plastic bar]]s (sometimes replaced by [[coal]] from which plastic is produced).
* [[Stone]]. Needed for [[production science pack]]s and for [[stone brick]]s.
* [[Sulfur]]. This is an ingredient needed for the [[chemical science pack]].
Each of these Items would get a dedicated line of belts from which one would draw from if there is need for the item.

Some people like to have fluids part of their bus which could include:
* [[Sulfuric acid]] for processing units.
* [[Water]] for [[concrete]].
* [[Lubricant]] for [[express transport belt]].

== Advice and Limitations ==
Having all possible items on a bus results in a huge wide bus with a lot of belt-buffer for expensive items and standing belts of output-items that wont get used in another process.
These items are often just put into [[chests]] for personal use rather than on a bus.

The width of the bus can become a problem if it is very wide.
Players sometimes choose to only build on one side of the bus until they can estimate that they wont need more belts on the bus.

It is advisable to leave ''space'' between the groups of belts of one item for underground belt to surface and for other things to cross the bus.
A recommended numbers is two free spaces for every group of four belts, although leaving more space can be useful too.
Same with the production that is to the side of the bus, leave space ''between the builds'' for later expansion or belts that go between, at least three, six to ten is fitting.
Grouping differing items together can cause problems when splitting them off, hence only groupings of two differing items is recommended.
Having smaller groups of only one or two is also not a bad thing.

When [[logistic robot]]s are available one might start moving some items by robots instead of using the bus.
Some players eventually phase out the main bus entirely in favor of robots.
This may happen at a later stage in the game up to which a bus is a very good tool to reduce clutter.
But robots have their own difficulties and require a lot more resources and knowledge of the game.

For very large amounts of items [[railway]]s may be a better alternative that can not only carry large amounts of ore but also the intermediate and end-products.
This can lead to designs of a base consisting of only train-stations with small [[logistic network]]s without any belts.
For a comparison of belt, logistic robot and railway transport systems, refer to the [[Tutorial:Transport_use_cases|Transport use cases tutorial]].

One [https://redd.it/5gn30r reddit post] mentions the use of [[cargo wagon]]s as a means to increase throughput and reduce the size of a bus.

== Split-off ==
When one wants to use the items on their bus one could directly take items off the bus as if it is just a belt, though that would mean an extremely long bus and useless lengths of other belts.
This is sometimes done to get Items crafted into a chest for personal use like [[pipe]] which only uses Iron plates.
However in most cases a belt is split away from the main bus that can deliver the resource to the factory. Split-off designs aren't strictly necessary but help immensely. The following designs have the additional property that if the incoming belts are fully saturated then the split-off belt will be full (recall that a single splitter with a single full input belt will by default split off a half-filled belt).

With [[splitter]] priorities that were added in 0.16 it is very simple to split off a belt from a main bus while ensuring good throughput properties. The design shown here makes sure that the belts on the right side are filled first, so belts can be taken from the right every time without the need to further rebalance. Thus up to a full belt can be delivered and the remaining resources can go through on the main bus. One downside to this can be that all ressources are used up before every machine gets fed. This indicates not enough products being produced to need demand, this can be remedied with adding more lanes with corresponding more production further up the chain of production. Using a non-prioritizing split-off will only distribute the shortage, not magically create more production.

[[File:4-split-priority.png]]

Alternatively, one can make split-off setups without priority splitters. The idea is that one wants to draw from every belt (and lane even) equally to not have too few items at the current planned production and not have empty and at the same time standing belts of items.
That way at every step along the bus a few items are split off and used up and when the production comes to a stop the items go on to be used by the next production.

The following are 2 designs for a split-off off a 2-wide bus (by reddit user [https://www.reddit.com/user/unique_2 /u/unique_2]).
<gallery mode="nolines" widths=224px heights=320px >
File:2-split_variant_a.png|{{BlueprintString|bp-string=0eNqVld9ugyAUxl/FnKstwRbwT1sfY7fL0mhLHIlFh9DMGN99qO1mWrrCFfHI9+NwvgP0UFSaNZILBVkP/FCLFrL3HlpeirwaY6prGGRw5lJpE0Eg8tMYmGeEFAYEXBzZN2RkQB7Kt4WSWpVcsdNC1lRcKSYXsshBpmQu2qaWKixYpRbiePhAwITiirN509NHtxf6VJhlMvKIgaCpWyOrxbiqQYUUQWeGeBgTusFQdwz5BxN5ZxPZMLE3htowiTMGXykIjlyyw/wrtjBT70LdQKkFuvmFamO7LGVtxidY01bXXqq1avTYNXfgrW8hsa2Ou/v2tqS1SubEiA1BsKcX+HnVCPH1lzhAqb8X+M8KLh44QSKHIl6sxavEIVHvQ2I3JvEx13rMSOqCwBeEPYuN72as9wbZ+p5OgzEX7HQZZ4tnBkGVG52J0XDaUyB5+amCl6IL1nqtBf/SbE9fg9xMPTPZTuA0jmmabiihu2H4AQXcOK0=}}

File:2-split_variant_b.png|{{BlueprintString|bp-string=0eNqVlNFugzAMRX8F+WmTwkpSSlc+Y6/TVEEbdZZoYMGphir+fYZOHVrTijwhQu7J9Y3xGcrK6caiIcjPgLvatJC/n6HFgymqYY26RkMOJ7TkeEWAKY7DwmVHrKAXgGavvyGXvQhQvk2UyqtE0seJrKmQSNuJbDlDRrYwbVNbiktd0USc9h8CtCEk1Jeix5dua9yx5GNyeY8hoKlbltVmOJVRMW/t+JH2g6F/GDUbkzygLIPNLH2YNBijfJjVbMzVjIA9Wr27fFIeZnZ707cJvaweuFpfCY6v2B5szc/HWQ++ftumdtS4oUFuuK+hoSU+d5sZ9cXXAqUPIZPA3L1GpAy9Pb8ZFRx38pc2mjthy+BO97tLQ+L2tpNcBXSk30QWWov3p5XrwBHCFJ5t4xzMJxNeQFWwjNdUPFYUWTx8UvRUdtHCLZzBL6e36jkqeetJ23bkZmmqsmytpNr0/Q+uzw2D}}
</gallery>

Putting a lane-balancer after a split-off is not necessary most of the time as the rest moves on if the belt has no draw or if only one lane is used.
If there is enough input for the item to saturate a whole belt then putting a lane-balancer in wont help to get more items later on.
Putting a lane-balancer after an inherently balanced build that produces the item is also not necessary as then half of the production pauses and the other half fills the moving lane to saturation.
The following is a split-off off a 4-wide bus.

<gallery mode="nolines" widths=224px heights=256px >
File:4-split_l.png|{{BlueprintString|bp-string=0eNqlld1qhDAQhV+lzHUsxv/6DPsGpRTdDUvAjRLjUhHfvaPWVTBbMu1VcPR8OTOTMQOUVScaLZWBfAB5rlUL+fsArbyqoppipm8E5HCX2nQYYaCK2xRYvvAiGBlIdRFfkPOREZSnnTKwKqURt01mdKHaptbGK0VlduLwP+Jo/GAglJFGiiX1+aH/VN2tFBqTejA6VOirrnFdKAyaukVhraZ9EeYFDHpc0NFqo+5M000bHsABAewTuCHFMCeAo2fVPGAfVAsl/kM9+WZPqifuEmd3KxUPHVykFuflXWKBpu5Q7gzNtkloKmkMxo44/zVec7cg3qitCGwU7lMxVjOcuyTEfxLyrYiA2j27k9DBif+rkYg8lS6Hk8f0oXTiJsQO2suWUhpoP0oZofJIwJ/u/IPOdxcQg6pA7xiLvBnyMl0ad6HbZZSyNOBZmPhhNI7frCw6ag==}}

File:4-split_lr.png|{{BlueprintString|bp-string=0eNqdld9qgzAUxl9lnOs4TBq19Rl6tdsxhrahBGyUGMuK+O476jqFxpGzq+DR75fv/DHpoaw61VhtHOQ96FNtWsjfe2j1xRTVGHP3RkEON21dhxEGpriOgfmLSMLAQJuz+oKcD8yj1E5dF5mzhWmb2rqoVJVbiYVXvLXtcaXckZRvK6UcPhgo47TTas57erh/mu5aKosZ/ao7VNiLrXGdnTNo6haFtRk3RVgkGNxxQTsPD3Xnmm5M8gksCOCYwN1RDHMCWBLAFG7yjwrzBazNBjfdmrhNKg4gnLVVp/ld6oFmwdDYyxQe5j7cKA82elimvqm0cxh7xsWvyaOeHgSP6R0PaQznwQnz4CJyEZIw/0k49ua7o06Mv2wywEn8p5GEfDYE1T2lHw1B3IzYT3/Z9pQGCi/iQKg8EvDon66mfHUHMqgK9I4xGU2Ql2qE3JRt539NSpGmmeDiMAzfI+ZmDA==}}

File:4-split_r.png|{{BlueprintString|bp-string=0eNqlldFugzAMRX9l8nOYcEih5TP2Ok0TbaMqEgQUQjVU8e8LdAy0hirWniIM9+TajsMNjmUnG6O0hfwG6lTrFvL3G7TqootyjNm+kZDDVRnbuQgDXVRj4P5FJGBgoPRZfkGOAyMo31ZK7lUqK6tFZk2h26Y2NjrK0q7EyX/EYvhgILVVVsl76tND/6m76iiNS2qLwaCpWyer9birQ0WcQe+WZBgN/cHwX0znNjYXU7t1AxTPHDYnU3e26UbbD9yEwI2QABYEMIW7I9eT++qZkjHow2TBmHg2w+CsjDzdX3EPc7+c9KZU1rrYo6n4dffE1iHYFgbbwpjeUVw6qvRGQxFD8sWffGNfusip3fRWDZMAJ/FTI4I8pkEl2tGnNIibEs+Jv2wZpYHeacQ9ofKO4O7c6X7OV/8fBmXhvLuYiCbIy8i4StNOiFQInqYZR34Yhm/sYzpB}}
</gallery>

Taking two belts off of this wont produce two belts worth of output, the middle one only carries ''half a belt'' to each side!
As of 0.16 Splitters can prioritize one in- and output lane, therefore the above design can supply fully saturated belts, if the splitters are set up in a way that prioritizes the output belt (to earlier production) rather than letting items go on.

The following are two designs for a split-off off a 4-wide bus that feature an in-line lane-balancer(by reddit user [https://www.reddit.com/user/moomaka /u/moomaka]).
<gallery mode="nolines" widths=224px heights=288px >
File:4-split_l_lane.png|{{BlueprintString|bp-string=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}}

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The way in which materials are split off from the main bus determines which production setups in the factory are prioritized if the bus delivers less input than all the setups combined need.
The split-offs shown above generally prefer setups near the start of the main bus but will also supply some limited materials to the later setups.
There are alternative designs, for example using [[splitter]] priorities to fully prefer the setups near the start of the main bus and only allow materials to go through to a later setup if that earlier setup's needs are satisfied.
The priorities can be set in various ways but this should not distract from the fact that more resource input should be added whenever this becomes a concern.

== See Also ==
* [[Tutorial:Transport_use_cases|What Transport for which case?]]
* [[Belt transport system]]
* [[Logistic network]]
* [[Railway]]
* [[Splitter]]
* [[Balancer mechanics]]

Talk:Inserters

2019-05-27T15:19:26Z

Swan: /* Changes for 0.17 */

[https://forums.factorio.com/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=22#p71]

Removed. But eventually helpful. [[User:Ssilk|Ssilk]] ([[User talk:Ssilk|talk]]) 02:45, 31 December 2013 (CET)

== Changes for 0.17 ==

The faster belt speeds probably change the results for some of the entries in these tables. It looks like they haven't been updated yet. --[[User:Omnifarious|Omnifarious]] ([[User talk:Omnifarious|talk]]) 14:59, 27 May 2019 (UTC)

They have been updated by [[User:Bilka|Bilka]] in [[Special:PermanentLink/172015|This revision]]. --[[User:Swan|Swan]] ([[User talk:Swan|talk]]) 17:19, 27 May 2019 (UTC)

== Inserter speed ==

I updated this wiki to show ticks per turn in the inserter speed section. My results seem to clash with the previous information about rotation speed (102 ticks = 1.7 seconds, there is a discrepancy between the rotation time of burner inserters most notably). The experiment I performed was done on vanilla factorio 0.14.22. I used two steel chests with varying inserters for each experiment. The inserters were fully powered at all times. The first chest is wired to a combinator which tests for any items in the chest, and outputs 1 signal X. This signal is added to a tallying arithmetic combinator. This arithmetic combinator is wired to itself, and outputs T + X. The value of T at setup is 0. I begin this experiment by placing large stacks of items into the first chest. I place only 201 transfers worth of material into the chest. This will stop the timer as soon as the last item is removed, which occurs after 200 transfers. With this setup I obtained the results as I have reported them. The timer always stopped on a multiple of 200, indicating that the number of ticks per full turn is an integer number. This is why I decided to add a separate column for this value. I may in the future update the other rotation speed metrics to match my results. --[[User:Reububble|Reububble]] ([[User talk:Reububble|talk]]) 18:19, 8 March 2017 (UTC)
:Which orientation were the inserters? Inserters facing north have lower throughput, might mean they have slower rotation speed. --[[User:Artorp|Artorp]] ([[User talk:Artorp|talk]]) 20:47, 5 April 2017 (UTC)

== put the "Inserters And Transport Belt Interaction" examples in a table so they are side by side ==

i see why that was a bad idea, but i would rather see them side by side if it were possible to make a table that, when the horizontal space it has to display is smaller than all 4 makes it so there are 3 and on another "line" another 1 or 2x2 or all underneath one another like it is now.

: I put them in a 2x2 square; I think that's the best way to see all of them at once. -- [[User:Bilka|Bilka]] ([[User talk:Bilka|talk]]) - Admin 13:17, 14 August 2017 (UTC)

== Problem with translation ==

Could someone explain to me what it is '''Extension Speed''' and why it is expressed in '''Tiles per Tick'''.

I'm trying to make a translation and can not find a word - without knowing what it is ;){{unsigned|JakubSTR|08:43, 6 March 2018‎}}

:I'd describe extension speed as how fast the inserter "extends", so in this case how fast its arm gets longer/shorter to be able to reach an item on the far or near side of the belt. It's expressed in tiles per tick because that is a unit of speed, just like meters per second :) An inserter that has an extension speed of 1 tile per tick needs 1 tick to make its arm longer by a whole tile. I hope this helps. -- [[User:Bilka|Bilka]] ([[User talk:Bilka|talk]]) - Admin 11:11, 6 March 2018 (UTC)

Tutorial:Applied power math

2019-05-05T00:01:22Z

Swan: Updated to 0.17. Removed entire section about 50% boiler efficiency, since that has been removed from the game. Updated coal fuel values. Updated pictures.

{{Languages}}
In this tutorial we'll be answering the question: '''how much coal is needed to power a factory?'''

First off, we need to know: how much power does our factory use? That's easy - you can check the electricity tab by clicking on a power pole.

[[File:power-details.png|800px]]

Here we see one radar using 300 kW. Factorio uses real science here. A Watt (W) is a measure of energy transfer. A kilowatt (kW) is 1000 W, a megawatt (MW) is 1000 kW, and if you're lucky enough to ever make a factory big enough, a gigawatt (GW) is 1000 MW.

So that answers the question of how much power our factory uses. To keep our factory running at full speed we need to maintain 300 kW. For ease of comparison, we'll convert that to 0.3 MW.

Next question! How much power is stored in coal? That's also easy, because it tells us when we hover over it: 4 MJ.

[[File:coal-joules.png|300px]]

A Joule is another standard measure of stored energy. As with Watts a kilojoule (kJ) is 1000 J, and so on. There is a fixed relationship between Joules and Watts. '''1 Joule can provide 1 Watt of power for 1 second.''' As a formula:

J = W × s

So to run our factory at 0.3 MW, we need to consume 0.3 MJ every second.

== Quiz ==

How long could one piece of coal (4 MJ) run
our single radar (0.3 MW)?

<div class="toccolours mw-collapsible mw-collapsed">
'''Expand to reveal answer'''
<div class="mw-collapsible-content">
4 MJ = 0.3 MW × s
s = 4 MJ ÷ 0.3 MW
s = 13.33

A bit more than 13 seconds.
</div>
</div>

What is the maximum size factory (in watts)
a single piece of coal could run for 5 seconds?

<div class="toccolours mw-collapsible mw-collapsed">
'''Expand to reveal answer'''
<div class="mw-collapsible-content">
4 MJ = MW × 5
MW = 4 MJ ÷ 5
MW = 0.8

0.8 megawatts.
</div>
</div>

'''BONUS!''' A ton of real world coal [http://hypertextbook.com/facts/2006/LunChen.shtml contains about 21 GJ]. How much does a
piece of Factorio coal weigh?

<div class="toccolours mw-collapsible mw-collapsed">
'''Expand to reveal answer'''
<div class="mw-collapsible-content">
The energy ratios will match the weight ratios, so:

4 MJ / 21000 MJ = weight ÷ 1000 kG
weight = (4 MJ ÷ 21000 MJ) × 1000 kG
weight = 0.19 kG

About 190g! Still doesn't explain how our character can carry so much of it...
</div>
</div>

Now we have everything we need to answer our initial question: '''how much coal do we need to power our factory?''' Well, the question actually needs to be a bit
more precise: how much coal do we need ''per second'' to power our factory?

<div class="toccolours mw-collapsible mw-collapsed">
'''Aside: why did the radar run for 20s and not 13.5s (50% of 27s)?'''
<div class="mw-collapsible-content">
Because it doesn't turn on and off instantly. As you can see in the graph, it ramps up then ramps down. Technically, if you measured the area under the curve it would give you the expected 4 MJ.
</div>
</div>

== Quiz ==

How much coal per second is needed to power a 20 MW factory?

<div class="toccolours mw-collapsible mw-collapsed">
'''Expand to reveal answer'''
<div class="mw-collapsible-content">
Since <code>J = W × s</code>, a 20 MW factory will consume 20 MJ/s. Since coal contains 4 MJ, we'll need '''5 coal per second''' (<code>5 × 4 MJ = 20 MJ</code>).
</div>
</div>

'''BONUS!''' How many [[Mining|mining drills]] are needed to produce that much coal?

<div class="toccolours mw-collapsible mw-collapsed">
'''Expand to reveal answer'''
<div class="mw-collapsible-content">
Per the linked page, an electric mining drill produces 0.5/s, so we'll need '''10 electric mining drills''' (<code>10 × 0.5 = 5</code>).
</div>
</div>

'''SECOND BONUS!''' The average American household uses [https://www.eia.gov/tools/faqs/faq.php?id=97&t=3 3.2 GJ in a month] (typically expressed as ''888 kilowatt hours''). How much Factorio coal would be needed to power one of these homes for that period, and how many homes could a steam engine support ([[Steam_engine|900 kW]]), assuming the power is used at a constant rate? (Assume 30 days in a month.)

<div class="toccolours mw-collapsible mw-collapsed">
'''Expand to reveal answer'''
<div class="mw-collapsible-content">

3.2 GJ = 3,200 MJ
3200 MJ ÷ 4 MJ = 800

3200 MJ ÷ 30 days ÷ 24 hours ÷ 60 minutes ÷ 60 seconds = 1,235 W
900,000 ÷ 1235 = 728

800 pieces of coal per household, and a single steam engine could power 728 households by approximate.
</div>
</div>

File:Power-details.png

2019-05-04T23:45:18Z

Swan: Swan uploaded a new version of File:Power-details.png

File:Coal-joules.png

2019-05-04T23:40:19Z

Swan: Swan uploaded a new version of File:Coal-joules.png

Tutorial:Nuclear power

2019-05-04T23:26:52Z

Swan: /* First steps */ Fixed ore production and refining numbers. Ore processing uses 10 ore per process, so it's 1428 ore per u-235 instead of 143. Also centrifuge speed and recipe times changed, so number of seconds changed as well.

{{Languages}}[[Nuclear power]] is a major new feature introduced in version 0.15. It requires higher level technology compared to either solar power or steam boiler power, but it offers very high power output in exchange. It's a great solution for middle- to end-game power generation and it works well in combination with other power generation techniques.

This guide is written for people who want to know exactly how nuclear power works, but don't necessarily want all the solutions. It focuses on what you should do and what you should know to get Nuclear up and running, but doesn't tell you what to do or exactly how to solve the problems.

== First steps ==

:'''Technology required:''' [[Nuclear power (research)|Nuclear power]]
:''You can mine uranium ore sooner, but you'll need the nuclear power technology to do anything useful with it.''

=== [[Uranium ore]] ===
To start, you'll need uranium ore. It glows green, so you can't miss it. It tends to form smaller deposits, though, and you may have to search a while to find a good patch.

Like every other ore in the game, you can mine it with an [[electric mining drill|Electric mining drill]]. Unlike every other ore, however, only the [[electric mining drill| Electric mining drill]] will do. You also need to supply [[sulfuric acid]] to the drill. The drills conduct excess acid through themselves, so a row of drills can be supplied by acid from a single side.

:'''Mixed ores:''' If a mining drill covers even a single patch of uranium ore, acid must be supplied to the miner or the mining drill will stop running once it encounters the uranium ore. The miner will produce mixed ore, as usual.

=== [[Uranium processing|Ore processing]] ===
Once you've got raw uranium ore, you'll need to process it into [[uranium-235]] and [[uranium-238]]. You do this in a centrifuge.

In an un-moduled [[centrifuge]], you can process one ore every 13.3 seconds.

Centrifuges produce a combination of U-235 (the light green stuff) and U-238 (the dark green stuff). Every ten ore processed have a chance to become precisely one of these two products. Out of every 10k ore you process, you can expect to get, on average:

{| class="wikitable" |-
! Count !! Product
|-
| 7 || U-235
|-
| 993 || U-238
|}

That means you can roughly expect to get a single U-235 in one out of every 1428 ore. A centrifuge can then be expected to produce U-235 every 1716 seconds. Later on, this won't matter so much. However, when you first start out, this will be an important bottleneck.

:'''Regarding averages:''' Be aware, random is random. These values are ''average'' values. Which means that over the long term, they work out to about these figures. In reality, you'll see long stretches with no U-235 and short stretches with lots of them. Eventually, it won't matter much. But early on, make sure your generation rate is sufficiently high, or you have a sufficient reserve, so you don't find yourself without power when you hit an unlucky stretch.

=== Fuel ===
Before you can burn it in a nuclear reactor, you need to create [[uranium fuel cell]]s. You'll probably be using an assembling machine 2, so these will take 13.3 seconds to create as well. Which is fine because fuel cell creation will very rarely be the bottleneck.

You won't want to automatically convert all U-235 into fuel. Only convert what you need to fill your reactor. You're going to want a big fat stockpile of it when you research [[Kovarex enrichment process|kovarex enrichment]] later on.

Fuel cells are produced in stacks of 10, and to produce one such stack you need 1 U-235, 19 U-238, and 10 iron plate.

:'''Tip:''' It isn't a bad idea to use a chest and just stick a pile of iron in it rather than belting the iron in. A full chest of iron probably won't run out before you get bots and replace it with a requester.

Each fuel cell has a nominal energy value of 8 GJ, but it's possible to make them go even farther with reactor neighbor bonuses (more on that later).

=== [[Nuclear reactor]] ===
Once you've got fuel, you'll need to burn it in a nuclear reactor. This is the first step toward turning it into usable energy.

A reactor will produce exactly 40 MW of heat energy. Since a Watt is a Joule per second, this means the reactor will consume one fuel cell every 200 seconds.

Once expended, reactors will produce a "[[used up uranium fuel cell]]", which will need to be cleared. Initially, these will simply accumulate in a chest. Eventually, you can reprocess them into U-238.

:'''Working backward:''' A reactor consumes a fuel cell every 200 seconds and each U-235 gives 10 fuel cells, so every U-235 provides 2000 seconds of reactor power. A centrifuge requires about 1904 seconds to produce a U-235, so you'll need about one processing centrifuges per reactor.

The reactor needs input of fuel and produces heat that needs to be exported using [[heat pipe]]s that go to a [[heat exchanger]] (unless a [[heat exchanger]] is attached to the reactor).

=== [[Heat exchanger]] ===
The heat exchanger takes heat and uses it to convert [[water]] into [[steam]]. It works much like the boiler, but instead of burning fuel, you need to connect it to a heat source. The heat input is marked by a flame when you're placing it.

For simple reactor designs, you can connect it directly to your reactor (which produces heat at points also marked with a flame).

Heat exchangers also require water input, in precisely the way boilers do. They can heat up to 103.09 units/second of water into 500°C steam.

Heat exchangers produce nothing when they are below 500°C. Since they only cool as a consequence of heating water, they will never cool to below that temperature once they've reached it.

Heat exchangers transfer 10 MW of power, so you'll need 4 exchangers to fully consume the power produced by a lone reactor. (Neighbor bonuses can increase this significantly. Again, discussed later.)

The [[steam]] can then be transported to the [[Steam turbine]] using normal [[Pipe]]s

==== [[Heat pipe]]s ====
More complex designs will require heat pipes. Heat pipes work much like regular pipes. Like regular pipes, they have limited throughput, which means that shorter pipes are better.

Connect heat pipes point to point, flame to flame, exactly as you would with water pipes. Heat pipes cannot go underground, so if water pipes need to cross them, the water pipe will need to go under. They don't block movement, though, so you can walk right over them.

Throughput on heat pipes is far more limited than regular pipes, in part because there is no analogous "Heat pump". Here are some rough limits on transfer distance:

{| class="wikitable" |-
! Power !! Distance
|-
| 40 MW || ~140
|-
| 80 MW || ~80
|-
| 120 MW || ~55
|-
| 160 MW || ~45
|}

Past these distances, less than 100% of the power will be transferred. This is because at this distance, the heat from the reactor does not travel fast enough to heat the pipe to beyond 500ºC in a running setup. However, if the heat is unused, the heat will spread much farther, because there is no heat loss over time or distance, so it builds up until it is used again.

:'''Heat pipe storage:''' Heat pipes can store quite a bit of heat as well. A single heat pipe can hold as much energy as a tank with 5.1k steam in it, which makes them even more space efficient than tanks for holding energy (though considerably more expensive). Be cautious, however, with how slowly heat moves through the system. A reactor always burns fuel if provided but will never go above 1000 degrees. Insufficient heat pipes may not send enough heat to exchangers and will allow the reactor to hit 1000 degrees at which point fuel is being wasted - heat is going into nothing rather than exchangers.

=== [[Steam turbine]] ===
These are the steam engine's beefy big brother. Using regular fluid pipes, you'll pipe the steam produced by heat exchangers into these turbines.

:'''Perfect matches:''' The steam turbine is a perfect match for the heat exchanger. The steam engine is a perfect match for the boiler. Although it is possible to get energy out of mismatched systems, it's very wasteful and there's no real reason to do it.

Steam turbines consume up to 60 units of steam/second, so you need roughly two steam turbines for every heat exchanger. At large scales, however, you can use fewer turbines, since exchangers only produce 103.09 steam/second. You'll require a separate pump for every 20 turbines.

=== Simplest thing that works ===
At this point, you have all the parts to build your very first reactor:

* A few uranium miners, supplied with sulfuric acid
* 1 Centrifuge, processing uranium ore
* 1 Assembling machine, making uranium fuel cells
* 1 Nuclear reactor
* 4 Heat exchangers, supplied by a single off-shore pump
* 8 Steam turbines

And, of course, assorted belts, inserters, filter inserters, and other tools for moving things around. This will produce a maximum of 40 MW of power.

== Moving forward ==
Past your simplest reactor, there are some additional nuclear features of which you should be aware.

=== Neighbor bonus ===
This is a critical part of how nuclear designs scale, but it's not complicated. Simply put:

'''Every reactor gets +100% heating power for every active neighboring reactor.'''

Neighbors have to align completely on each side, so reactors will line up in a nice square grid. When they do, the neighbor bonus is activated. You can see the current bonus by hovering over an active reactor.

The bonus to heating power does not increase the fuel consumption. Rather, it simply increases the heat produced!

This, of course, means you'll need more heat exchangers and steam turbines to turn that heat into electricity.

{| class="wikitable" |-
! Configuration !! Reactors !! Exchangers !! Turbines !! Power !! Power per reactor
|-
| Single || 1 || 4 || 7 || 40MW || 40MW
|-
| 2x1 || 2 || 16 || 28 || 160MW || 80MW
|-
| 2x2 || 4 || 48 || 83 || 480MW || 120MW
|-
| 2x3 || 6 || 80 || 138 || 800MW || 133MW
|}

'''How to count heat exchangers:''' Count the number of edges where reactors fully touch. Double that. Add the total number of reactors. Then multiply it all by 4. That's your count of Heat Exchangers. You'll need 1.718 turbines per exchanger (rounded up). Each exchanger will provide up to 10 MW of power.

=== Always on! ===
Unlike every other power generation technique, nuclear reactors '''DO NOT''' scale down power usage. Nuclear reactors will continue consuming one fuel cell every 200 seconds, regardless of the need.

As the reactor consumes its fuel, it heats up to a maximum temperature of 1000°C. At that point, additional fuel burned is simply wasted. This is the only way to lose energy in the system as all heat transfers are perfectly efficient.

Turbines do scale their production (and steam consumption) to match demand. Likewise, exchangers won't consume heat if there's nowhere to put the steam.

:'''Turbines and engines:''' Be aware that steam turbines and steam engines are both the same "class" of energy producer, so they'll need to be scaled all together. This means that in a complete energy system, your coal boilers may be running when the nuclear plant could fully cover the load. And, worse yet, the nuclear power is just being wasted!
:Consider using accumulators, switches, and circuit logic to disable the coal boilers when nuclear systems can cover the demand.

The simplest solution to this problem is to just run the nuclear reactors part of the time. You can store steam in tanks. (And check out the "fill gauge"; the steam floats!) Since exchanges produce 120 steam/second and a tank holds 25k steam, a tank will keep 208 seconds worth of heat exchanger.

You can put a tank or two at the end of each heat exchanger and use circuit logic to only insert a fuel into the reactors when they get low. Make sure all reactors are fueled at the same time, or you won't get full reactor neighbor bonuses. If you can't keep it from over-fueling, you can also add extra tanks to lengthen the cycle.

=== Enrichment ===
:'''Required technology:''' [[Kovarex enrichment process (research)|Kovarex enrichment process]]
:''Kovarex Enrichment allows you to turn some U-238 into U-235, but it's slow and takes a lot of U-235 as catalyst.''

Your first few patches of uranium ore will last you a reasonable length of time, but eventually you will start running out of ore and places to put extraneous U-238. Enrichment helps solve both problems.

The enrichment process takes about 67 seconds in an un-moduled centrifuge. It requires 40 U-235 (!) and 5 U-238 and makes 41 U-235 and 2 U-238. In effect, it takes 3 U-238 and turns it into 1 U-235; it just requires an extra 40 U-235 and 2 U-238 along for the ride to act as a catalyst.

:'''All the things!:''' Before you ''enrich all the things!'', be aware that you do need 19 U-238 for each fuel cell, as well as requiring it for uranium ammo you will want for storing inside biters and their nests. Circuit logic can help you put a limiter on large-scale enrichment operations.

One Centrifuge enriching uranium is sufficient to supply 30 reactors with fuel, assuming plenty of U-238.

=== Reprocessing fuel ===
:'''Required technology:''' [[Nuclear fuel reprocessing (research)|Nuclear fuel reprocessing]]
:''Reprocessing turns your spent fuel into U-238.''

Eventually, you will run out of places to put spent fuel. You can use reprocessing to turn it back into U-238 to use for enrichment, fuel cells, or ammo. Of the 19 U-238 that go into each 10-pack of fuel cells, this returns 6. This significantly reduces the total ore requirement for nuclear fuel.

=== Weapons ===
:'''Required technology:''' [[Uranium ammo (research)|Uranium ammo]] / [[Atomic bomb (research)|Atomic bomb]]
:''Better bullets / Bigger bombs''

With the Nuclear Age comes nuclear weapons. Uranium ammunition is top-tier, especially when you load a tank with it. It mows down biter nests and clears swarms quite quickly. It uses U-238, so you've probably got plenty of it lying around.

On the other side, you can get [[atomic bomb]]s, which are rockets (shot by a [[rocket launcher]]) that do incredible damage. Be aware, they can easily kill you if you fire them anywhere near you, and even at max range, it's advised that you run in the opposite direction. Rather than a single explosion, they do damage in an expanding ring, giving you time to escape. They require a lot of U-235 and blue chips, so they're an expensive weapon.

== Version ==
This guide is compatible with Factorio 0.17, 0.16 and 0.15.13+.

: This guide was originally written by ''alficles'' and published on [https://gist.github.com/alficles/972796997d1bc40d57866b0a3725895a gist].
:'''License:''' [https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/ CC BY-SA 4.0]
:As an exception to the above, any or all of this work or adaptations thereof may be used on the official [https://wiki.factorio.com Factorio Wiki].

== Other power related [[tutorials]] ==
* [[Tutorial:Applied power math|Applied power math]]
* [[Tutorial:Producing power from oil|Producing power from oil]]

Nuclear reactor

2018-09-05T11:18:58Z

Swan: changed adjacency bonus to neighbour bonus since this is the term used in the game.

{{Languages}}
{{:Infobox:Nuclear reactor}}

The '''nuclear reactor''' generates heat by burning [[uranium fuel cell]]s. The heat can be used in a [[heat exchanger]] to produce steam which can be used to generate power. Unlike other forms of power generation, it is load-independent – each fuel cell will always be used completely in 200 seconds, regardless of load or the temperature of the reactor. To prevent wasting fuel, excess power can be stored in [[accumulator]]s, excess steam can be stored in [[storage tank]]s.

Instead of completely consuming the fuel, burning fuel in a nuclear reactor results in [[used up uranium fuel cell]]s. These used up cells can be [[nuclear fuel reprocessing|reprocessed]] in a [[centrifuge]] to get back some of the uranium used to create the fuel cells.

Nuclear reactors have a heat capacity of 10 MJ/C. Thus, they can buffer 5 GJ of heat energy across their working range of 500°C to 1000°C, and require 4.85 GJ of energy to warm up from 15°C to 500°C when initially placed.

== Neighbour bonus ==
Reactors receive a bonus for adjacent operating reactors, which increases their effective thermal output by 100% per each such link. For example, two reactors operating next to each other will output a total of 160 MW of thermal energy, with each reactor producing 40 MW base and receiving 40 MW of neighbour bonus.

The Neighbour bonus only applies if:
* 2 reactors are directly next to eachother with all 3 heat connections directly connecting the two.
* Both reactors are fueled.

=== Double-row layout ===
The most efficient practical layout is an aligned double row of arbitrary length (number of reactors as needed). For even numbers of reactors, the total output of the array is <code> 160n − 160 MW</code> (where ''n'' = total number of reactors, and assuming all are fueled). Splitting the row, while possibly logistically beneficial, reduces total power output by 160 MW per split.

Odd numbers of reactors are inefficient in maximizing the bonus, but, if needed, the odd reactor should be aligned with one of the rows. Offsetting the longer row instead would not gain the extra reactor any bonus, while the reactor on the other end of the same row would lose its bonus as well. Placing the odd reactor between the ends of aligned rows would also lead to one fewer bonus, and also make the design un-tileable.

In any case however, such concerns are unlikely to arise until one has a very large base, as the individual output of reactors is massive, particularly with neighbour bonuses. As an example, a 5×2 reactor grid would produce 1,440 MW (1.44 GW), the equivalent of 1,600 steam engines, or 24,000 solar panels.

=== Square layout ===
Theoretically, a perfectly square grid of reactors with no spaces between would provide maximum bonus, as it minimizes the number of reactors with unlinked sides. This setup produces <code>200n − 160×sqrt(n) MW</code> (where ''sqrt(n)'' is the square root of the number of reactors).

However, while the heat pipe links will allow energy flow from reactors within the square, with no room around inner reactors, there will be no way to insert and remove fuel cells except manually (heat pipes are traversable by the player), which makes this setup impractical.

Furthermore, the gains compared to the double-row design are not large. After some calculation, one arrives at the expression for the ratio of the two (double-row design in denominator) as <code>(1.25n − sqrt(n)) ÷ (n − 1)</code> which evaluates to, for example, 1 for 4 reactors, 1.07 for 16 reactors, 1.16 for 100 reactors (considering only numbers that both an equal-length double row and a square can be built from), and so on. In the limit (infinite number of reactors), the ratio approaches 1.25 as the edge corrections become insignificant.

== Explosion ==
If a reactor is destroyed when it is above 900°C, it will explode just like an [[atomic bomb]]. This explosion has enough power to destroy other reactors, so one explosion can lead to a chain reaction of exploding reactors. [https://clips.twitch.tv/KathishShakingPieBIRB]

== History ==
{{History|0.15.0|
* Introduced}}

== See also ==
* [[Power production#Nuclear power|Power production]]
* [[Heat pipe]]
* [[Steam turbine]]
* [[Tutorial:Nuclear power|Comprehensive guide on nuclear power]]

{{ProductionNav}}
{{C|Energy}}

Nuclear reactor

2018-09-05T11:17:23Z

Swan: Removed incorrect information about reactors being able to get an adjacency bonus while being offset.

{{Languages}}
{{:Infobox:Nuclear reactor}}

The '''nuclear reactor''' generates heat by burning [[uranium fuel cell]]s. The heat can be used in a [[heat exchanger]] to produce steam which can be used to generate power. Unlike other forms of power generation, it is load-independent – each fuel cell will always be used completely in 200 seconds, regardless of load or the temperature of the reactor. To prevent wasting fuel, excess power can be stored in [[accumulator]]s, excess steam can be stored in [[storage tank]]s.

Instead of completely consuming the fuel, burning fuel in a nuclear reactor results in [[used up uranium fuel cell]]s. These used up cells can be [[nuclear fuel reprocessing|reprocessed]] in a [[centrifuge]] to get back some of the uranium used to create the fuel cells.

Nuclear reactors have a heat capacity of 10 MJ/C. Thus, they can buffer 5 GJ of heat energy across their working range of 500°C to 1000°C, and require 4.85 GJ of energy to warm up from 15°C to 500°C when initially placed.

== Neighbour bonus ==
Reactors receive a bonus for adjacent operating reactors, which increases their effective thermal output by 100% per each such link. For example, two reactors operating next to each other will output a total of 160 MW of thermal energy, with each reactor producing 40 MW base and receiving 40 MW of adjacency bonus.

The adjacency bonus only applies if:
* 2 reactors are directly next to eachother with all 3 heat connections directly connecting the two.
* Both reactors are fueled.

=== Double-row layout ===
The most efficient practical layout is an aligned double row of arbitrary length (number of reactors as needed). For even numbers of reactors, the total output of the array is <code> 160n − 160 MW</code> (where ''n'' = total number of reactors, and assuming all are fueled). Splitting the row, while possibly logistically beneficial, reduces total power output by 160 MW per split.

Odd numbers of reactors are inefficient in maximizing the bonus, but, if needed, the odd reactor should be aligned with one of the rows. Offsetting the longer row instead would not gain the extra reactor any bonus, while the reactor on the other end of the same row would lose its bonus as well. Placing the odd reactor between the ends of aligned rows would also lead to one fewer bonus, and also make the design un-tileable.

In any case however, such concerns are unlikely to arise until one has a very large base, as the individual output of reactors is massive, particularly with adjacency bonuses. As an example, a 5×2 reactor grid would produce 1,440 MW (1.44 GW), the equivalent of 1,600 steam engines, or 24,000 solar panels.

=== Square layout ===
Theoretically, a perfectly square grid of reactors with no spaces between would provide maximum bonus, as it minimizes the number of reactors with unlinked sides. This setup produces <code>200n − 160×sqrt(n) MW</code> (where ''sqrt(n)'' is the square root of the number of reactors).

However, while the heat pipe links will allow energy flow from reactors within the square, with no room around inner reactors, there will be no way to insert and remove fuel cells except manually (heat pipes are traversable by the player), which makes this setup impractical.

Furthermore, the gains compared to the double-row design are not large. After some calculation, one arrives at the expression for the ratio of the two (double-row design in denominator) as <code>(1.25n − sqrt(n)) ÷ (n − 1)</code> which evaluates to, for example, 1 for 4 reactors, 1.07 for 16 reactors, 1.16 for 100 reactors (considering only numbers that both an equal-length double row and a square can be built from), and so on. In the limit (infinite number of reactors), the ratio approaches 1.25 as the edge corrections become insignificant.

== Explosion ==
If a reactor is destroyed when it is above 900°C, it will explode just like an [[atomic bomb]]. This explosion has enough power to destroy other reactors, so one explosion can lead to a chain reaction of exploding reactors. [https://clips.twitch.tv/KathishShakingPieBIRB]

== History ==
{{History|0.15.0|
* Introduced}}

== See also ==
* [[Power production#Nuclear power|Power production]]
* [[Heat pipe]]
* [[Steam turbine]]
* [[Tutorial:Nuclear power|Comprehensive guide on nuclear power]]

{{ProductionNav}}
{{C|Energy}}

Splitter

2018-07-17T16:11:54Z

Swan: Added UI section explaining priority and filtered splitting

{{Languages}}
{{:Infobox:Splitter}}
The '''Splitter''' is used to divide a single belt, combine two belts into one, or equally balance two belts together. The items are placed in 1:1 relation on the outgoing belts.

=== Splitter UI ===
After placement, clicking the splitter will open its UI.

[[File:Splitter_UI.png|frame|The splitter UI]]

==== Priority ====
For both the input and output side of the splitter it is possible to set the priority to either left or right.

A splitter where the input priority has been set will first try to consume the specified input side, and will only
consume the other input once there is a gap on the prioritized input belt.

Similarly a splitter where the output priority has been set will try to redirect all incoming items
to the specified output, and will only output on the other output once the specified output is full.

==== Filter ====
If a specific item is set in the splitter's filter slot, the slider for the output priority will
be used for the filter instead. All items of the set type will be redirected to that specific output
and all other items are directed to the other output.

=== Other basic belts ===
{|
| {{Imagelink|Transport belt|Transport belt}} || {{Imagelink|Underground belt|Underground belt}}
|}

=== Other [[Splitters]] ===
{|
| {{Imagelink|Fast splitter|Fast splitter}} || {{Imagelink|Express splitter|Express splitter}}
|}

== History ==

{{history|0.16.17|
* Added filter to splitter.
* Added input and output priority to splitter.}}

{{history|0.16.16|
* Changed splitters so they work more intuitively. The left and right lane splitting is now completely independent. The decision whether item goes to left or right output is now independent of the item type.}}

{{history|0.13.0|
* Renamed "basic splitter" to "splitter".}}

{{history|0.11.0|
* Fast/express splitters are now made from their lesser variants.}}

{{history|0.5.0|
* Added fast and express splitters
* New graphics.}}

{{history|0.4.1|
* Draw ending/starting pieces of underground belt and splitter.}}

{{history|0.3.0|
* Splitter now has a maximum memory of 5 items when forced to send items on one side because the other one is blocked.}}

{{history|0.2.9|
* Introduced}}

== See also ==
* [[Belt transport system]]
** [[Transport belts]]
** [[Underground belts]]
** [[Inserters]]
* [[Crafting]]

{{LogisticsNav}}
{{C|Belt transport system}}

File:Express splitter gui.png

2018-07-17T15:35:07Z

Swan: {{Screenshot}}The UI of splitters once you click on them.

{{Screenshot}}The UI of splitters once you click on them.

User:Swan

2018-06-10T23:47:31Z

Swan:

I've been playing factorio for about 2.5 years now, and have already clocked >2500 hours in the game. I'm a moderator on the factorio discord, and I've been called a walking wiki in the past.
Definitely one of the biggest smartasses in the factorio community, mainly because I'm generally right.

I like testing stuff to their extremes, and really understanding why stuff works the way it does.

Inserters

2018-06-10T18:24:29Z

Swan: /* Inserter Throughput */ Added a blueprint for the circuit used to gather the 0.16 experimental throughput data.

{{Languages}}
''For the common yellow electrical inserter, see [[Inserter]].''

'''Inserters''' are devices which are used to move items over short distances. When placed, they have a fixed direction. They can move items from behind and place them in front of them. By doing this, they can move items from one transport belt to another, but also extract items from—and insert items into—machines or storage devices.

== Types of inserters ==

{| class="wikitable"
| {{Imagelink|Burner inserter}} || The only [[fuel]]-powered inserter.
|-
| {{Imagelink|Inserter}} || The standard electrical inserter.
|-
| {{Imagelink|Long handed inserter}} || Capable of inserting and removing items from a greater distance.
|-
| {{Imagelink|Fast inserter}} || Much faster than the inserter.
|-
| {{Imagelink|Filter inserter}} || Variant of the fast inserter that can filter items by type.
|-
| {{Imagelink|Stack inserter}} || As fast as the fast inserter but can move many more items at the same time.
|-
| {{imagelink|Stack filter inserter}} || Variant of the stack inserter that can filter items by type.
|-
|}

==Mechanics==
Inserters '''will''':
* Pick up items off the ground, off of a [[Transport belts|Transport belt]], or from any object that has storage space, including [[Chests|chests]], [[furnace]]s and [[assembling machine]]s.
* Place the item onto the ground, onto a transport belt, or into any object that has storage space.
* Run at slower speeds when starved for energy.
* Pick up as many items as their [[inserter capacity bonus (research)|stack size]] allows at once, if they do not have to wait too long to pick them up.

Inserters '''will not''':
* Pick up any items that can not be inserted into the adjacent entity.
* Pick up any items if the adjacent entity is a blueprint.
* Pick up items to place into an entity with a full inventory.
* Place more than one item at a time onto the same ground tile.
* Place items into an entity that can not hold them, for example due to [[Stack#Filtered_stacks|filtered]] or [[Stack#Stack_limitation|limited slots]].
* Fill up the entire target inventory of [[boiler]]s, [[nuclear reactor]]s, [[:Category:Producers|production building]]s, [[furnace]]s, and [[turret]]s.

If two or more inserters are picking up from the same tile, the inserter who can grab the items the fastest will grab them first. Besides faster inserters, this favors inserters taking from the inner lane of a transport belt.

=== Insertion limits ===
Depending on where an inserter is moving items, it does not always fill up the entire target inventory. This allows other inserters taking from the same transport belt to pick up their share of the items. For example, if a boiler has 5 or more items of fuel in it, an inserter will not insert additional fuel. This allows the other fuel to travel further down the transport belt. When the fuel drops below 5 items, the inserter will resume inserting fuel, up to the limit of 5 items.

{| class="wikitable"
! Entity !! Item type !! Automatic insertion limit
|-
| [[Boiler]]s, [[burner inserter]]s, [[furnace]]s, and [[nuclear reactor]]s || [[Fuel]] || align="center" | 5
|-
| [[Gun turret]]s || Bullet Magazines || align="center" | 10
|-
| [[Artillery turret]]s || [[Artillery shell]]s || align="center" | 5
|-
| [[Assembling machine]]s, [[furnace]]s, [[centrifuge]]s, [[chemical plant]]s, and [[Oil refinery|oil refineries]]|| Items needed for the recipe || The ingredients for 1 craft additionally to ingredients for the number of crafts that can complete during one full inserter swing; but at least the ingredients for 2 crafts and at most the ingredients for 100 crafts.
|-
| [[Lab]]s || [[Science pack]]s || Double the number of science packs needed for one research unit.
|}

An inserter that has a higher [[inserter capacity bonus (research)|inserter capacity bonus]] than 1 can overfill the target building, due to the inserter picking up a higher amount of items than needed. Overfilling can also occur if multiple inserters are used to insert items into one building.

=== Inserters and transport belts ===
[[Transport belts]] have two lanes on which items can travel. Inserters only place items onto one side of the belt, either the far side from the inserter's perspective or if the belt is going the same or the opposite direction as the inserter the right side from the belt's perspective.

{|
| style="width:320px;" | [[File:Inserter_dropoff_locations.gif]] || [[File:Inserter_pickup_locations.gif]]
|-
| style="width:320px;" | Inserters place the item on the furthest lane. If a belt is in the same orientation as the inserter, the item will be placed on the right-hand lane, from the belt's perspective. In curves the inserter always places on the far side.
| style="width:320px;" | Inserters '''prefer''' taking items from the nearest lane. If the nearest lane is empty, the inserter will take from the far lane. If a belt is in the same orientation as the inserter, the inserter '''prefers''' taking from the left lane, from the belt's perspective. If the left lane is empty it will take from the right lane.
|}

=== Potential issues ===
Inserters may have problems picking up items:

* From very fast belts, because the items are moving too quickly.
* From the entry or exit of an underground belt (because the time they have to pick up is shorter)
* From turning belts if the item is on the inside of the corner

== Power usage ==
* Electric inserters drain energy even when they are not moving, as idle power
* The amount of energy used is the same for every turn
* The [[burner inserter]] does not drain energy when idle, but uses more energy when it is active.

== Inserter speed ==

{| class="wikitable"
! Type
! Rotation-speed (turns per [[Game-tick]]) Extension-speed ([[Tile]]s per Tick)
! Turns per [[Game-second]] Tiles per Game-second
! Game-second per full turn Game-seconds per Tile
! Ticks per full turn Ticks per Tile
|- align="center"
| align="left"| {{Imagelink|Burner inserter|Burner inserter}} || 0.01 0.0214 || 0.59 1.284 || 1.7 0.833 || 102 76
|- align="center"
| align="left"| {{Imagelink|Inserter|Inserter}} || 0.014 0.03 || 0.83 1.8 || 1.2 0.56 || 72 54
|- align="center"
| align="left"| {{Imagelink|Long handed inserter|Long handed inserter}} || 0.02 0.0457 || 1.15 2.742 || 0.867 0.416 || 52 36
|- align="center"
| align="left"| {{Imagelink|Fast inserter|Fast inserter}} {{Imagelink|Stack inserter|Stack inserter}} {{imagelink|Stack_filter_inserter|Stack filter inserter}} || 0.04 0.07 || 2.31 4.2 || 0.433 0.238 || 26 24
|-
|}

'''Note:''' These numbers come directly from the [https://github.com/wube/factorio-data/tree/master/base/prototypes/entity factorio-data github repository].

===Rotation Speed===
Convention: 2π rad = 100% of a circle rotation = '''1 turn''' (or one full rotation).

Note: an Inserter doesn't always need to make full turns. When grabbing from a transport belt, it is slightly faster when grabbing items from the closest lane.

===Extension Speed===
The extension-speed is normally not visible (only when compared to other inserters), but there are measurable speed differences when taking - for example - from the near or the far side of a belt. Also Some mods can alter the pickup and drop locations of inserters, making this stat more relevant.

==Inserter Throughput==

The following is based on experimental from both [https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1OzlP2v6P1OGxK1xCFr77aqVfNNEaEKHlA89aSVmqBGw/edit?usp=sharing 0.15] and [https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1i9EFqTfBze69nmnRwbzpEmILZKSXO__KF6ohv1LWbe8/edit?usp=sharing 0.16].
All 0.16 experimental data was gathered using the following circuit blueprint to measure the exact tick difference between inserter swings. A lot of the data on this page (specifically the belt to chest data) relies heavily on the conditions of the setup on which the measurements are done. If your setup differs from the ones tested on this page, you can use the following blueprint to do the measurements yourself.

{{BlueprintString|bp-string=0eNrtXO1u2zYUfRcB+zPIG79JGd2APMdQGIrNNMJs2ZDlYEHgd58kp7ZM+Uq8qtyWSFEghSPpijznfvGQzlv0uD7YXZHlZTR/i7LlNt9H83/eon32JU/X9e/K152N5lFW2k0UR3m6qT+lRVY+b2yZLWfL7eYxy9NyW0THOMrylf0vmtNjPGhjv0nX69k63exaD7Lj5ziyeZmVmT2NpPnwusgPm0dbVJYHxhBHu+2+enqb1y+uLM5MHL1W//E/ZPWaVVbY5emqiKNqumWxXS8e7XP6klVPV49czC6qy6vG1L6+8JQV+3LRmdRLVpSH6jeXeTV3zB7qWe1tbaM2tC/TGmNK4mi7s0V6GkP0Z/Xc9lDuDjjLx2Mz+Pw0l2Z4tP5R2FUbtKz6xKs7s2J5yMrmIz1+rp5lwM1UVpePNXkO7AwNu/4xsNt0+dxCHkdXm5lPn0ZQc3o7gh3ZYSeOvhTW5gM0sguNN2+nCiCSo4lUP3P8/Hb3+KEuQ/HVZcYHmGDd+LvFi0DzIj52XlOYvNawdAt2iYad/8prHuyw/qjRYJ5TuDzHBECsQhPLPnaeE/2McTrAhPTLc/o8yq+T7WeFvrNyvM3CU7YubQH0rBAwJGqsHWqgZ5RonXBFmRnoXiFr9MoaN4Iywlmro8UYY1fGEkIITTS9WOMoa7xlrZon14IaJs7GBMqYuBoa1UYmiWhZkyhr8pqDRGjKubhYUyhrqmWNUcGZSdrGNMqYvhqalNQkTBhytmZQ1syVNcWpNIJJdbaWoKwlV9ZY9U9y07JGCcrcw82pXqydgn5sL3udQRK/BGGwiZt87D6IUkwjxCHYEyzs9Fcf5MEO3Oi4vA11OpwBzNUu9z7KlV1mK1v08lYRdmJOXPOmbvP2bvLbSEvz1/I5y7+css3XWCH1h80uLZqBzqO/RxBSQ94Y3b0umjy2eCq2m0WWV1ai+VO63luIrdus8H59hHVIg+j1XPdRtKD1wftUM9CnJgNx5FmGKFrxOgcW9wqsqXh5j4AOM3Xn3Gbm97HRhYsfAma1W+HUudshU3mSdVG1qtkv/51l+d4W1cKgy5LuX098fdtmu7KL7dOihWBLgStsulo8pye8y2owFSplcbCXO5qLzW21pcZNx4MITlvcEtO7a6jkNGeGGYMg0EsvksnGrrLDZmbXlcWiio7ddm3h19PRmhtY+ZTf/M3V/EHOz2E4IgpJf2n7FKGiiPWHBTUQINoPEH1/QOikgNAEmrFBuQC944zZtDNWDukCjIIERfo9IeDTQqBdCCAVlxE/CFRwiQAinVG/GcsxqV9DL2UomO/paWJamInradD2GePY6ifR1U8MNEV+zQHzbA5EaDEh++FhIHXSDxAeWnFkYLwqlAuEUxyZcEiXULfKNIr0cIojky4EYCLwbJFYaImAg6R7dkR0RHGU0AkZTlAwB1Qcjetp0J4rp9jiSNHF0fRnf0/BgPt1MiS0kEgGWgeQOe6FBw2tNHIwWgXGAcKpjNylXEJaAZcYysMpjJy7CEDaAVfjNk7Y99s4OW9v/CR7Jn5bIr36u/LcGOF+nVt4XQsYkAYz4XD6B+7KOAqScXiC7B84XlkeOM6ptZ/0LAhGeico2ctd3AjwzCjFDIIi5X+HNGhZLRhGgSV3dFs5rfrotr0Cap4Exwiw90RATS26OwhA3ZQQGB+4Z+rSkyIgOssLSGoREuMD4XRTwu2mFFS+hMKIw+HkAeb6gAAR0BhNHlUTmFunBNTUCoOh4Z6OaKZ1RHc/TIEIJBgaKHJnxGkXIAlKEoz0GlA0uDRIqEOSFKO8hlMVmesDEvxuCcP4QDhVUbq9oYYaVMkxPhBOVZSdZQMYBQKjCoeTB7jrAxJaH0iJEeNxVdFtUCXUnkmFoSGcqijdtaIGk5HG0ECRWyLOIKCVkjQI1TWgYHBZUGBbkCBE13BqInc9QEEVQRGEBwRUEl2xQENLZUURHhBQRXRTsYbqgWKjVHdyLbqz7ym68w42U4vu9eFhFN6K4U5O95/DVsL3zxD4qveKI8TsgDK9G+cKjHMxys3pD3RzF5u/xn2XY7KdpSEfd7X6oW8o37r/JnUS4bvh9IrKlfI0JGQphdlXwJ0tBUHXGAn5ntt9ybS6lfAVUJXBSMj3ROBhWr/T3W0ETylPJRgxkwVTRpTx1ZQ1wYiZuFCEUNcUo1uFE4qS+ao2mmF0q3BCUdOudumpH2iOUVDCCUXNfIUsLTAKCu5QKaRbaYlYLocTiYr4rha1QiyXAwrEG4KJZ3Om9aiFBfuBCws2wfr5YeTq+ZtWu93TQHGvpf5Vdv3V9PjbliYac0YsoCSsbi+rK7iavxk6b/2Z0jh6scX+dPLSaMaUMYSQ4/F/sZ3s5g==}}

Inserter throughput between chests and other [[stack|stacks]] is a simple function of stack size and arm speed:

<blockquote>
''n'' = Stack size

''t_arm'' = Time to move the arm back and forth

Time per item = ''t_arm'' / ''n''

Throughput (items/sec) = 1 / Time per item = ''n'' / ''t_arm''
</blockquote>

When moving items to or from belts, the time to pick up or put down items also becomes a factor:

<blockquote>
''t_item'' = Time to pick up or put down one item

''t_cycle'' = Time to complete an arm cycle = ''t_arm'' + ''n''*''t_item''

Time per item = ''t_cycle'' / ''n'' = ''t_item'' + ''t_arm'' / ''n''

Throughput (items/sec) = 1 / (''t_item'' + ''t_arm'' / ''n'')
</blockquote>

===Chest to chest===

'''Note:''' Experimental data from 0.16

{| class="wikitable"
! rowspan=2 | Type
! rowspan=2 | Arm cycles per second
! colspan=6 | Items/second at [[inserter capacity bonus (research)|capacity bonus]] level (stack size)
|-
! colspan=2 | No capacity bonus
! colspan=2 | Capacity bonus 2
! colspan=2 | Capacity bonus 7
|- align="center"
| align="left"| {{Imagelink|Burner inserter|Burner inserter}} || 0.59 || 0.59 || (1) || 1.18 || (2) || 1.76 || (3)
|- align="center"
| align="left"| {{Imagelink|Inserter|Inserter}} || 0.83 || 0.83 || (1) || 1.67 || (2) || 2.50 || (3)
|- align="center"
| align="left"| {{Imagelink|Long handed inserter|Long handed inserter}} || 1.15 || 1.15 || (1) || 2.31 || (2) || 3.46 || (3)
|- align="center"
| align="left"| {{Imagelink|Fast inserter|Fast inserter}} {{Imagelink|Filter inserter|Filter inserter}} || 2.31 || 2.31 || (1) || 4.62 || (2) || 6.92 || (3)
|- align="center"
| align="left"| {{Imagelink|Stack inserter|Stack inserter}} {{imagelink|stack_filter_inserter|Stack filter inserter}} || 2.31 || 4.62 || (2) || 9.23 || (4) || 27.69 || (12)
|-
|}

===Chest to belt===

Throughput going from chest to belt depends on how full the belt is. An inserter will not put down an item on a belt that have items back-to-back (aka full compression) - it waits until there is a gap. However, if the gap is narrower than the item then the items upstream on the belt will stop to make room for the item being inserted. The direction of the belt compared to the inserter does not matter however.

In these measurements inserters move items onto an empty belt. Values are given for the stack sizes at three different [[inserter capacity bonus (research)|capacity bonus]] levels.

'''Note:''' Experimental data from 0.16

{| class="wikitable"
! rowspan=3 | Type
! colspan=12 | Items/second at [[inserter capacity bonus (research)|capacity bonus]] level (stack size)
|-
! colspan=4 | No capacity bonus
! colspan=4 | Capacity bonus 2
! colspan=4 | Capacity bonus 7
|-
! [[File:Transport belt.png|link=Transport belt]] || [[File:Fast transport belt.png|link=Fast transport belt]] || [[File:Express transport belt.png|link=Express transport belt]] ||
! [[File:Transport belt.png|link=Transport belt]] || [[File:Fast transport belt.png|link=Fast transport belt]] || [[File:Express transport belt.png|link=Express transport belt]] ||
! [[File:Transport belt.png|link=Transport belt]] || [[File:Fast transport belt.png|link=Fast transport belt]] || [[File:Express transport belt.png|link=Express transport belt]] ||
|- align="center"
| align="left"| {{Imagelink|Burner inserter|Burner inserter}} || 0.59 || 0.59 || 0.59 || (1) || 1.17 || 1.17 || 1.17 || (2) || 1.62 || 1.70 || 1.71 || (3)
|- align="center"
| align="left"| {{Imagelink|Inserter|Inserter}} || 0.83 || 0.83 || 0.83 || (1) || 1.64 || 1.64 || 1.64 || (2) || 2.22 || 2.37 || 2.40 || (3)
|- align="center"
| align="left"| {{Imagelink|Long handed inserter|Long handed inserter}} || 1.15 || 1.15 || 1.15 || (1) || 2.26 || 2.26 || 2.26 || (2) || 2.95 || 3.21 || 3.27 || (3)
|- align="center"
| align="left"| {{Imagelink|Fast inserter|Fast inserter}} {{Imagelink|Filter inserter|Filter inserter}} || 2.31 || 2.31 || 2.31 || (1) || 4.44 || 4.44 || 4.44 || (2) || 5.14 || 6.00 || 6.21 || (3)
|- align="center"
| align="left"| {{Imagelink|Stack inserter|Stack inserter}} {{imagelink|stack_filter_inserter|Stack filter inserter}} || 4.44 || 4.44 || 4.44 || (2) || 5.45 || 6.86 || 7.50 || (4) || 6.21 || 10.14 || 12.86 || (12)
|-
|}

To calculate the throughput for [[Stack inserter]] and [[Stack filter inserter]] at any capacity level, you can use these linearly fitted factors with the belt/chest throughput formula above:

'''Note:''' Experimental data from 0.15

{| class="wikitable"
! rowspan=2 | Type
! colspan=2 | {{Imagelink|Transport belt|Transport belt}}
! colspan=2 | {{Imagelink|Fast transport belt|Fast transport belt}}
! colspan=2 | {{Imagelink|Express transport belt|Express transport belt}}
|-
! ''t_item'' || ''t_arm''
! ''t_item'' || ''t_arm''
! ''t_item'' || ''t_arm''
|- align="center"
| align="left"| {{Imagelink|Stack inserter|Stack inserter}} {{imagelink|stack_filter_inserter|Stack filter inserter}} || 0.142 || 0.292 || 0.073 || 0.360 || 0.049 || 0.384
|-
|}

See the [https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1OzlP2v6P1OGxK1xCFr77aqVfNNEaEKHlA89aSVmqBGw/edit?usp=sharing source spreadsheet] for the corresponding factors for the other inserter types. Their errors are generally well below 1%.

===Belt to chest (perpendicular)===

'''Note:''' Experimental data from 0.15

When picking items from a belt, many more factors come into play besides belt fullness:

* How fast the items move (i.e. if they are queued up on the belt or move at belt speed).
* Whether the belt is perpendicular to the inserter or approaches it head on.
* Whether items are on the near or far lane of a perpendicular belt.
* Whether the belt turns or not, and whether the items are in the inner or outer side of the bend.
* If the belt is an underground entrance or exit. This shortens the time items are visible to the inserter for pickup.
* All sorts of intricate timing factors between the inserter and the items on the belt, since the game simulates the arm homing in on every item.

The test setup used below is with an inserter taking items from a perpendicular belt with items on the far lane only. The belt is fully compressed and timings are both for items that move at full speed and queued up as much as possible. Values are given for the stack sizes at three different [[inserter capacity bonus (research)|capacity bonus]] levels.

{| class="wikitable"
! rowspan=4 | Type
! colspan=15 | Items/second at [[inserter capacity bonus (research)|capacity bonus]] level (stack size)
|-
! colspan=5 | No capacity bonus
! colspan=5 | Capacity bonus 2
! colspan=5 | Capacity bonus 7
|-
! colspan=3 | Items at belt speed
! rowspan=2 | Items queued up
! rowspan=2 |
! colspan=3 | Items at belt speed
! rowspan=2 | Items queued up
! rowspan=2 |
! colspan=3 | Items at belt speed
! rowspan=2 | Items queued up
! rowspan=2 |
|-
! [[File:Transport belt.png|link=Transport belt]] || [[File:Fast transport belt.png|link=Fast transport belt]] || [[File:Express transport belt.png|link=Express transport belt]]
! [[File:Transport belt.png|link=Transport belt]] || [[File:Fast transport belt.png|link=Fast transport belt]] || [[File:Express transport belt.png|link=Express transport belt]]
! [[File:Transport belt.png|link=Transport belt]] || [[File:Fast transport belt.png|link=Fast transport belt]] || [[File:Express transport belt.png|link=Express transport belt]]
|- align="center"
| align="left"| {{Imagelink|Burner inserter|Burner inserter}} || '''0.56''' || '''0.56''' || 0.51 || 0.65 || (1) || '''1.11''' || 1.07 || 0.98 || 1.18 || (2) || 1.43 || '''1.54''' || 1.43 || 1.75 || (3)
|- align="center"
| align="left"| {{Imagelink|Inserter|Inserter}} || '''0.83''' || 0.74 || 0.77 || 0.90 || (1) || '''1.57''' || 1.48 || 1.45 || 1.62 || (2) || 2.00 || '''2.11''' || 2.07 || 2.40 || (3)
|- align="center"
| align="left"| {{Imagelink|Long handed inserter|Long handed inserter}} || '''1.16''' || 1.11 || 1.11 || 1.22 || (1) || 2.22 || '''2.22''' || 2.11 || 2.31 || (2) || 3.08 || 3.08 || '''3.16''' || 3.33 || (3)
|- align="center"
| align="left"| {{Imagelink|Fast inserter|Fast inserter}} {{Imagelink|Filter inserter|Filter inserter}} || '''2.22''' || '''2.22''' || 2.14 || 2.40 || (1) || '''4.17''' || 3.81 || 4.00 || 4.29 || (2) || '''5.71''' || 5.45 || 5.46 || 6.21 || (3)
|- align="center"
| align="left"| {{Imagelink|Stack inserter|Stack inserter}} {{imagelink|stack_filter_inserter|Stack filter inserter}} || '''4.17''' || 3.81 || 4.00 || 4.29 || (2) || '''6.67''' || '''6.67''' || 6.15 || 6.67 / 7.50 / 7.74 * || (4) || 6.67 || 10.00 || '''12.00''' || 6.67 / 11.61 / 13.58 * || (12)
|-
|}

<nowiki>*)</nowiki> Throughput for basic/fast/express belt.

Since there are many more factors involved, these measurements exhibit a more complex pattern than chest-to-belt.

* Boldface cells show for which belt each inserter has the best throughput on each bonus level when items move at belt speed. Higher speed belts mean that inserters have to work harder to catch the fast moving items. The effect is most noticeable for slower inserters and smaller stack sizes.
* When items are queued up the belt type hardly matters, so there is only a single column for that. The exceptions are the stack inserters - for basic transport belts it's the belt that sets the limit for stack sizes above 4, and there is also a notable difference between fast and express belts.

Here are linearly fitted factors to get the [[Stack inserter]] and [[Stack filter inserter]] throughput at any capacity level, by using the belt/chest throughput formula above:

{| class="wikitable"
! rowspan=2 | Type
! colspan=2 | {{Imagelink|Transport belt|Transport belt}}
! colspan=2 | {{Imagelink|Fast transport belt|Fast transport belt}}
! colspan=2 | {{Imagelink|Express transport belt|Express transport belt}}
|-
! ''t_item'' || ''t_arm''
! ''t_item'' || ''t_arm''
! ''t_item'' || ''t_arm''
|- align="center"
| align="left"| {{Imagelink|Stack inserter|Stack inserter}} {{imagelink|stack_filter_inserter|Stack filter inserter}} || 0.045* || 0.403* || 0.063 || 0.387 || 0.049 || 0.416
|-
|}

<nowiki>*)</nowiki> Since the belt is the limiting factor above stack size 4, these figures are only accurate up to that size. More than that and the throughput is fixed at 6.67 items per second.

=== Belt to Chest (facing inserter) ===

'''Note:''' Experimental data from 0.16

When picking up items from a belt facing the inserter, there are multiple small differences between different setups. The following throughput tests are performed with [[express transport belt]]s and [[stack inserter]]s with the maximum [[inserter capacity bonus (research)|capacity bonus]].
Each setup in the following picture shows the amount of ticks per cycle of the inserter and the amount of items per second the inserter moves.

[[File:Inserter_belt_to_chest_throughput.png]]

These measurements are consistent in all orientations of the setup, except for the one in the following picture, which has a slower cycle speed due to it facing south. This is the only inconsistency currently known.

[[File:Inserter_belt_to_chest_throughput_exception.png]]

==See Also==
* [[Electric system]]
* [[Belt transport system]]
* [[Inserter capacity bonus (research)]]: Inserter moves more than an item per turn.

{{C|Inserters}}

Inserters

2018-06-10T18:13:27Z

Swan: /* Belt to chest */ Added more belt to chest tests/examples from 0.16 tests, and the currently only know inconsistency with belt orientation in this part of the game.

{{Languages}}
''For the common yellow electrical inserter, see [[Inserter]].''

'''Inserters''' are devices which are used to move items over short distances. When placed, they have a fixed direction. They can move items from behind and place them in front of them. By doing this, they can move items from one transport belt to another, but also extract items from—and insert items into—machines or storage devices.

== Types of inserters ==

{| class="wikitable"
| {{Imagelink|Burner inserter}} || The only [[fuel]]-powered inserter.
|-
| {{Imagelink|Inserter}} || The standard electrical inserter.
|-
| {{Imagelink|Long handed inserter}} || Capable of inserting and removing items from a greater distance.
|-
| {{Imagelink|Fast inserter}} || Much faster than the inserter.
|-
| {{Imagelink|Filter inserter}} || Variant of the fast inserter that can filter items by type.
|-
| {{Imagelink|Stack inserter}} || As fast as the fast inserter but can move many more items at the same time.
|-
| {{imagelink|Stack filter inserter}} || Variant of the stack inserter that can filter items by type.
|-
|}

==Mechanics==
Inserters '''will''':
* Pick up items off the ground, off of a [[Transport belts|Transport belt]], or from any object that has storage space, including [[Chests|chests]], [[furnace]]s and [[assembling machine]]s.
* Place the item onto the ground, onto a transport belt, or into any object that has storage space.
* Run at slower speeds when starved for energy.
* Pick up as many items as their [[inserter capacity bonus (research)|stack size]] allows at once, if they do not have to wait too long to pick them up.

Inserters '''will not''':
* Pick up any items that can not be inserted into the adjacent entity.
* Pick up any items if the adjacent entity is a blueprint.
* Pick up items to place into an entity with a full inventory.
* Place more than one item at a time onto the same ground tile.
* Place items into an entity that can not hold them, for example due to [[Stack#Filtered_stacks|filtered]] or [[Stack#Stack_limitation|limited slots]].
* Fill up the entire target inventory of [[boiler]]s, [[nuclear reactor]]s, [[:Category:Producers|production building]]s, [[furnace]]s, and [[turret]]s.

If two or more inserters are picking up from the same tile, the inserter who can grab the items the fastest will grab them first. Besides faster inserters, this favors inserters taking from the inner lane of a transport belt.

=== Insertion limits ===
Depending on where an inserter is moving items, it does not always fill up the entire target inventory. This allows other inserters taking from the same transport belt to pick up their share of the items. For example, if a boiler has 5 or more items of fuel in it, an inserter will not insert additional fuel. This allows the other fuel to travel further down the transport belt. When the fuel drops below 5 items, the inserter will resume inserting fuel, up to the limit of 5 items.

{| class="wikitable"
! Entity !! Item type !! Automatic insertion limit
|-
| [[Boiler]]s, [[burner inserter]]s, [[furnace]]s, and [[nuclear reactor]]s || [[Fuel]] || align="center" | 5
|-
| [[Gun turret]]s || Bullet Magazines || align="center" | 10
|-
| [[Artillery turret]]s || [[Artillery shell]]s || align="center" | 5
|-
| [[Assembling machine]]s, [[furnace]]s, [[centrifuge]]s, [[chemical plant]]s, and [[Oil refinery|oil refineries]]|| Items needed for the recipe || The ingredients for 1 craft additionally to ingredients for the number of crafts that can complete during one full inserter swing; but at least the ingredients for 2 crafts and at most the ingredients for 100 crafts.
|-
| [[Lab]]s || [[Science pack]]s || Double the number of science packs needed for one research unit.
|}

An inserter that has a higher [[inserter capacity bonus (research)|inserter capacity bonus]] than 1 can overfill the target building, due to the inserter picking up a higher amount of items than needed. Overfilling can also occur if multiple inserters are used to insert items into one building.

=== Inserters and transport belts ===
[[Transport belts]] have two lanes on which items can travel. Inserters only place items onto one side of the belt, either the far side from the inserter's perspective or if the belt is going the same or the opposite direction as the inserter the right side from the belt's perspective.

{|
| style="width:320px;" | [[File:Inserter_dropoff_locations.gif]] || [[File:Inserter_pickup_locations.gif]]
|-
| style="width:320px;" | Inserters place the item on the furthest lane. If a belt is in the same orientation as the inserter, the item will be placed on the right-hand lane, from the belt's perspective. In curves the inserter always places on the far side.
| style="width:320px;" | Inserters '''prefer''' taking items from the nearest lane. If the nearest lane is empty, the inserter will take from the far lane. If a belt is in the same orientation as the inserter, the inserter '''prefers''' taking from the left lane, from the belt's perspective. If the left lane is empty it will take from the right lane.
|}

=== Potential issues ===
Inserters may have problems picking up items:

* From very fast belts, because the items are moving too quickly.
* From the entry or exit of an underground belt (because the time they have to pick up is shorter)
* From turning belts if the item is on the inside of the corner

== Power usage ==
* Electric inserters drain energy even when they are not moving, as idle power
* The amount of energy used is the same for every turn
* The [[burner inserter]] does not drain energy when idle, but uses more energy when it is active.

== Inserter speed ==

{| class="wikitable"
! Type
! Rotation-speed (turns per [[Game-tick]]) Extension-speed ([[Tile]]s per Tick)
! Turns per [[Game-second]] Tiles per Game-second
! Game-second per full turn Game-seconds per Tile
! Ticks per full turn Ticks per Tile
|- align="center"
| align="left"| {{Imagelink|Burner inserter|Burner inserter}} || 0.01 0.0214 || 0.59 1.284 || 1.7 0.833 || 102 76
|- align="center"
| align="left"| {{Imagelink|Inserter|Inserter}} || 0.014 0.03 || 0.83 1.8 || 1.2 0.56 || 72 54
|- align="center"
| align="left"| {{Imagelink|Long handed inserter|Long handed inserter}} || 0.02 0.0457 || 1.15 2.742 || 0.867 0.416 || 52 36
|- align="center"
| align="left"| {{Imagelink|Fast inserter|Fast inserter}} {{Imagelink|Stack inserter|Stack inserter}} {{imagelink|Stack_filter_inserter|Stack filter inserter}} || 0.04 0.07 || 2.31 4.2 || 0.433 0.238 || 26 24
|-
|}

'''Note:''' These numbers come directly from the [https://github.com/wube/factorio-data/tree/master/base/prototypes/entity factorio-data github repository].

===Rotation Speed===
Convention: 2π rad = 100% of a circle rotation = '''1 turn''' (or one full rotation).

Note: an Inserter doesn't always need to make full turns. When grabbing from a transport belt, it is slightly faster when grabbing items from the closest lane.

===Extension Speed===
The extension-speed is normally not visible (only when compared to other inserters), but there are measurable speed differences when taking - for example - from the near or the far side of a belt. Also Some mods can alter the pickup and drop locations of inserters, making this stat more relevant.

==Inserter Throughput==

The following is based on experimental from both [https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1OzlP2v6P1OGxK1xCFr77aqVfNNEaEKHlA89aSVmqBGw/edit?usp=sharing 0.15] and [https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1i9EFqTfBze69nmnRwbzpEmILZKSXO__KF6ohv1LWbe8/edit?usp=sharing 0.16].

Inserter throughput between chests and other [[stack|stacks]] is a simple function of stack size and arm speed:

<blockquote>
''n'' = Stack size

''t_arm'' = Time to move the arm back and forth

Time per item = ''t_arm'' / ''n''

Throughput (items/sec) = 1 / Time per item = ''n'' / ''t_arm''
</blockquote>

When moving items to or from belts, the time to pick up or put down items also becomes a factor:

<blockquote>
''t_item'' = Time to pick up or put down one item

''t_cycle'' = Time to complete an arm cycle = ''t_arm'' + ''n''*''t_item''

Time per item = ''t_cycle'' / ''n'' = ''t_item'' + ''t_arm'' / ''n''

Throughput (items/sec) = 1 / (''t_item'' + ''t_arm'' / ''n'')
</blockquote>

===Chest to chest===

'''Note:''' Experimental data from 0.16

{| class="wikitable"
! rowspan=2 | Type
! rowspan=2 | Arm cycles per second
! colspan=6 | Items/second at [[inserter capacity bonus (research)|capacity bonus]] level (stack size)
|-
! colspan=2 | No capacity bonus
! colspan=2 | Capacity bonus 2
! colspan=2 | Capacity bonus 7
|- align="center"
| align="left"| {{Imagelink|Burner inserter|Burner inserter}} || 0.59 || 0.59 || (1) || 1.18 || (2) || 1.76 || (3)
|- align="center"
| align="left"| {{Imagelink|Inserter|Inserter}} || 0.83 || 0.83 || (1) || 1.67 || (2) || 2.50 || (3)
|- align="center"
| align="left"| {{Imagelink|Long handed inserter|Long handed inserter}} || 1.15 || 1.15 || (1) || 2.31 || (2) || 3.46 || (3)
|- align="center"
| align="left"| {{Imagelink|Fast inserter|Fast inserter}} {{Imagelink|Filter inserter|Filter inserter}} || 2.31 || 2.31 || (1) || 4.62 || (2) || 6.92 || (3)
|- align="center"
| align="left"| {{Imagelink|Stack inserter|Stack inserter}} {{imagelink|stack_filter_inserter|Stack filter inserter}} || 2.31 || 4.62 || (2) || 9.23 || (4) || 27.69 || (12)
|-
|}

===Chest to belt===

Throughput going from chest to belt depends on how full the belt is. An inserter will not put down an item on a belt that have items back-to-back (aka full compression) - it waits until there is a gap. However, if the gap is narrower than the item then the items upstream on the belt will stop to make room for the item being inserted. The direction of the belt compared to the inserter does not matter however.

In these measurements inserters move items onto an empty belt. Values are given for the stack sizes at three different [[inserter capacity bonus (research)|capacity bonus]] levels.

'''Note:''' Experimental data from 0.16

{| class="wikitable"
! rowspan=3 | Type
! colspan=12 | Items/second at [[inserter capacity bonus (research)|capacity bonus]] level (stack size)
|-
! colspan=4 | No capacity bonus
! colspan=4 | Capacity bonus 2
! colspan=4 | Capacity bonus 7
|-
! [[File:Transport belt.png|link=Transport belt]] || [[File:Fast transport belt.png|link=Fast transport belt]] || [[File:Express transport belt.png|link=Express transport belt]] ||
! [[File:Transport belt.png|link=Transport belt]] || [[File:Fast transport belt.png|link=Fast transport belt]] || [[File:Express transport belt.png|link=Express transport belt]] ||
! [[File:Transport belt.png|link=Transport belt]] || [[File:Fast transport belt.png|link=Fast transport belt]] || [[File:Express transport belt.png|link=Express transport belt]] ||
|- align="center"
| align="left"| {{Imagelink|Burner inserter|Burner inserter}} || 0.59 || 0.59 || 0.59 || (1) || 1.17 || 1.17 || 1.17 || (2) || 1.62 || 1.70 || 1.71 || (3)
|- align="center"
| align="left"| {{Imagelink|Inserter|Inserter}} || 0.83 || 0.83 || 0.83 || (1) || 1.64 || 1.64 || 1.64 || (2) || 2.22 || 2.37 || 2.40 || (3)
|- align="center"
| align="left"| {{Imagelink|Long handed inserter|Long handed inserter}} || 1.15 || 1.15 || 1.15 || (1) || 2.26 || 2.26 || 2.26 || (2) || 2.95 || 3.21 || 3.27 || (3)
|- align="center"
| align="left"| {{Imagelink|Fast inserter|Fast inserter}} {{Imagelink|Filter inserter|Filter inserter}} || 2.31 || 2.31 || 2.31 || (1) || 4.44 || 4.44 || 4.44 || (2) || 5.14 || 6.00 || 6.21 || (3)
|- align="center"
| align="left"| {{Imagelink|Stack inserter|Stack inserter}} {{imagelink|stack_filter_inserter|Stack filter inserter}} || 4.44 || 4.44 || 4.44 || (2) || 5.45 || 6.86 || 7.50 || (4) || 6.21 || 10.14 || 12.86 || (12)
|-
|}

To calculate the throughput for [[Stack inserter]] and [[Stack filter inserter]] at any capacity level, you can use these linearly fitted factors with the belt/chest throughput formula above:

'''Note:''' Experimental data from 0.15

{| class="wikitable"
! rowspan=2 | Type
! colspan=2 | {{Imagelink|Transport belt|Transport belt}}
! colspan=2 | {{Imagelink|Fast transport belt|Fast transport belt}}
! colspan=2 | {{Imagelink|Express transport belt|Express transport belt}}
|-
! ''t_item'' || ''t_arm''
! ''t_item'' || ''t_arm''
! ''t_item'' || ''t_arm''
|- align="center"
| align="left"| {{Imagelink|Stack inserter|Stack inserter}} {{imagelink|stack_filter_inserter|Stack filter inserter}} || 0.142 || 0.292 || 0.073 || 0.360 || 0.049 || 0.384
|-
|}

See the [https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1OzlP2v6P1OGxK1xCFr77aqVfNNEaEKHlA89aSVmqBGw/edit?usp=sharing source spreadsheet] for the corresponding factors for the other inserter types. Their errors are generally well below 1%.

===Belt to chest (perpendicular)===

'''Note:''' Experimental data from 0.15

When picking items from a belt, many more factors come into play besides belt fullness:

* How fast the items move (i.e. if they are queued up on the belt or move at belt speed).
* Whether the belt is perpendicular to the inserter or approaches it head on.
* Whether items are on the near or far lane of a perpendicular belt.
* Whether the belt turns or not, and whether the items are in the inner or outer side of the bend.
* If the belt is an underground entrance or exit. This shortens the time items are visible to the inserter for pickup.
* All sorts of intricate timing factors between the inserter and the items on the belt, since the game simulates the arm homing in on every item.

The test setup used below is with an inserter taking items from a perpendicular belt with items on the far lane only. The belt is fully compressed and timings are both for items that move at full speed and queued up as much as possible. Values are given for the stack sizes at three different [[inserter capacity bonus (research)|capacity bonus]] levels.

{| class="wikitable"
! rowspan=4 | Type
! colspan=15 | Items/second at [[inserter capacity bonus (research)|capacity bonus]] level (stack size)
|-
! colspan=5 | No capacity bonus
! colspan=5 | Capacity bonus 2
! colspan=5 | Capacity bonus 7
|-
! colspan=3 | Items at belt speed
! rowspan=2 | Items queued up
! rowspan=2 |
! colspan=3 | Items at belt speed
! rowspan=2 | Items queued up
! rowspan=2 |
! colspan=3 | Items at belt speed
! rowspan=2 | Items queued up
! rowspan=2 |
|-
! [[File:Transport belt.png|link=Transport belt]] || [[File:Fast transport belt.png|link=Fast transport belt]] || [[File:Express transport belt.png|link=Express transport belt]]
! [[File:Transport belt.png|link=Transport belt]] || [[File:Fast transport belt.png|link=Fast transport belt]] || [[File:Express transport belt.png|link=Express transport belt]]
! [[File:Transport belt.png|link=Transport belt]] || [[File:Fast transport belt.png|link=Fast transport belt]] || [[File:Express transport belt.png|link=Express transport belt]]
|- align="center"
| align="left"| {{Imagelink|Burner inserter|Burner inserter}} || '''0.56''' || '''0.56''' || 0.51 || 0.65 || (1) || '''1.11''' || 1.07 || 0.98 || 1.18 || (2) || 1.43 || '''1.54''' || 1.43 || 1.75 || (3)
|- align="center"
| align="left"| {{Imagelink|Inserter|Inserter}} || '''0.83''' || 0.74 || 0.77 || 0.90 || (1) || '''1.57''' || 1.48 || 1.45 || 1.62 || (2) || 2.00 || '''2.11''' || 2.07 || 2.40 || (3)
|- align="center"
| align="left"| {{Imagelink|Long handed inserter|Long handed inserter}} || '''1.16''' || 1.11 || 1.11 || 1.22 || (1) || 2.22 || '''2.22''' || 2.11 || 2.31 || (2) || 3.08 || 3.08 || '''3.16''' || 3.33 || (3)
|- align="center"
| align="left"| {{Imagelink|Fast inserter|Fast inserter}} {{Imagelink|Filter inserter|Filter inserter}} || '''2.22''' || '''2.22''' || 2.14 || 2.40 || (1) || '''4.17''' || 3.81 || 4.00 || 4.29 || (2) || '''5.71''' || 5.45 || 5.46 || 6.21 || (3)
|- align="center"
| align="left"| {{Imagelink|Stack inserter|Stack inserter}} {{imagelink|stack_filter_inserter|Stack filter inserter}} || '''4.17''' || 3.81 || 4.00 || 4.29 || (2) || '''6.67''' || '''6.67''' || 6.15 || 6.67 / 7.50 / 7.74 * || (4) || 6.67 || 10.00 || '''12.00''' || 6.67 / 11.61 / 13.58 * || (12)
|-
|}

<nowiki>*)</nowiki> Throughput for basic/fast/express belt.

Since there are many more factors involved, these measurements exhibit a more complex pattern than chest-to-belt.

* Boldface cells show for which belt each inserter has the best throughput on each bonus level when items move at belt speed. Higher speed belts mean that inserters have to work harder to catch the fast moving items. The effect is most noticeable for slower inserters and smaller stack sizes.
* When items are queued up the belt type hardly matters, so there is only a single column for that. The exceptions are the stack inserters - for basic transport belts it's the belt that sets the limit for stack sizes above 4, and there is also a notable difference between fast and express belts.

Here are linearly fitted factors to get the [[Stack inserter]] and [[Stack filter inserter]] throughput at any capacity level, by using the belt/chest throughput formula above:

{| class="wikitable"
! rowspan=2 | Type
! colspan=2 | {{Imagelink|Transport belt|Transport belt}}
! colspan=2 | {{Imagelink|Fast transport belt|Fast transport belt}}
! colspan=2 | {{Imagelink|Express transport belt|Express transport belt}}
|-
! ''t_item'' || ''t_arm''
! ''t_item'' || ''t_arm''
! ''t_item'' || ''t_arm''
|- align="center"
| align="left"| {{Imagelink|Stack inserter|Stack inserter}} {{imagelink|stack_filter_inserter|Stack filter inserter}} || 0.045* || 0.403* || 0.063 || 0.387 || 0.049 || 0.416
|-
|}

<nowiki>*)</nowiki> Since the belt is the limiting factor above stack size 4, these figures are only accurate up to that size. More than that and the throughput is fixed at 6.67 items per second.

=== Belt to Chest (facing inserter) ===

'''Note:''' Experimental data from 0.16

When picking up items from a belt facing the inserter, there are multiple small differences between different setups. The following throughput tests are performed with [[express transport belt]]s and [[stack inserter]]s with the maximum [[inserter capacity bonus (research)|capacity bonus]].
Each setup in the following picture shows the amount of ticks per cycle of the inserter and the amount of items per second the inserter moves.

[[File:Inserter_belt_to_chest_throughput.png]]

These measurements are consistent in all orientations of the setup, except for the one in the following picture, which has a slower cycle speed due to it facing south. This is the only inconsistency currently known.

[[File:Inserter_belt_to_chest_throughput_exception.png]]

==See Also==
* [[Electric system]]
* [[Belt transport system]]
* [[Inserter capacity bonus (research)]]: Inserter moves more than an item per turn.

{{C|Inserters}}

File:Inserter belt to chest throughput exception.png

2018-06-10T18:05:53Z

Swan: An exception to the other measurements where the orientation of the setup matters.

An exception to the other measurements where the orientation of the setup matters.

File:Inserter belt to chest throughput.png

2018-06-10T18:04:13Z

Swan: Time per cycle and throughput per second of different belt to stack inserter setups.

Time per cycle and throughput per second of different belt to stack inserter setups.

Inserters

2018-06-10T16:43:43Z

Swan: /* Inserter Throughput */ Removed note that was is no longer relevant.

{{Languages}}
''For the common yellow electrical inserter, see [[Inserter]].''

'''Inserters''' are devices which are used to move items over short distances. When placed, they have a fixed direction. They can move items from behind and place them in front of them. By doing this, they can move items from one transport belt to another, but also extract items from—and insert items into—machines or storage devices.

== Types of inserters ==

{| class="wikitable"
| {{Imagelink|Burner inserter}} || The only [[fuel]]-powered inserter.
|-
| {{Imagelink|Inserter}} || The standard electrical inserter.
|-
| {{Imagelink|Long handed inserter}} || Capable of inserting and removing items from a greater distance.
|-
| {{Imagelink|Fast inserter}} || Much faster than the inserter.
|-
| {{Imagelink|Filter inserter}} || Variant of the fast inserter that can filter items by type.
|-
| {{Imagelink|Stack inserter}} || As fast as the fast inserter but can move many more items at the same time.
|-
| {{imagelink|Stack filter inserter}} || Variant of the stack inserter that can filter items by type.
|-
|}

==Mechanics==
Inserters '''will''':
* Pick up items off the ground, off of a [[Transport belts|Transport belt]], or from any object that has storage space, including [[Chests|chests]], [[furnace]]s and [[assembling machine]]s.
* Place the item onto the ground, onto a transport belt, or into any object that has storage space.
* Run at slower speeds when starved for energy.
* Pick up as many items as their [[inserter capacity bonus (research)|stack size]] allows at once, if they do not have to wait too long to pick them up.

Inserters '''will not''':
* Pick up any items that can not be inserted into the adjacent entity.
* Pick up any items if the adjacent entity is a blueprint.
* Pick up items to place into an entity with a full inventory.
* Place more than one item at a time onto the same ground tile.
* Place items into an entity that can not hold them, for example due to [[Stack#Filtered_stacks|filtered]] or [[Stack#Stack_limitation|limited slots]].
* Fill up the entire target inventory of [[boiler]]s, [[nuclear reactor]]s, [[:Category:Producers|production building]]s, [[furnace]]s, and [[turret]]s.

If two or more inserters are picking up from the same tile, the inserter who can grab the items the fastest will grab them first. Besides faster inserters, this favors inserters taking from the inner lane of a transport belt.

=== Insertion limits ===
Depending on where an inserter is moving items, it does not always fill up the entire target inventory. This allows other inserters taking from the same transport belt to pick up their share of the items. For example, if a boiler has 5 or more items of fuel in it, an inserter will not insert additional fuel. This allows the other fuel to travel further down the transport belt. When the fuel drops below 5 items, the inserter will resume inserting fuel, up to the limit of 5 items.

{| class="wikitable"
! Entity !! Item type !! Automatic insertion limit
|-
| [[Boiler]]s, [[burner inserter]]s, [[furnace]]s, and [[nuclear reactor]]s || [[Fuel]] || align="center" | 5
|-
| [[Gun turret]]s || Bullet Magazines || align="center" | 10
|-
| [[Artillery turret]]s || [[Artillery shell]]s || align="center" | 5
|-
| [[Assembling machine]]s, [[furnace]]s, [[centrifuge]]s, [[chemical plant]]s, and [[Oil refinery|oil refineries]]|| Items needed for the recipe || The ingredients for 1 craft additionally to ingredients for the number of crafts that can complete during one full inserter swing; but at least the ingredients for 2 crafts and at most the ingredients for 100 crafts.
|-
| [[Lab]]s || [[Science pack]]s || Double the number of science packs needed for one research unit.
|}

An inserter that has a higher [[inserter capacity bonus (research)|inserter capacity bonus]] than 1 can overfill the target building, due to the inserter picking up a higher amount of items than needed. Overfilling can also occur if multiple inserters are used to insert items into one building.

=== Inserters and transport belts ===
[[Transport belts]] have two lanes on which items can travel. Inserters only place items onto one side of the belt, either the far side from the inserter's perspective or if the belt is going the same or the opposite direction as the inserter the right side from the belt's perspective.

{|
| style="width:320px;" | [[File:Inserter_dropoff_locations.gif]] || [[File:Inserter_pickup_locations.gif]]
|-
| style="width:320px;" | Inserters place the item on the furthest lane. If a belt is in the same orientation as the inserter, the item will be placed on the right-hand lane, from the belt's perspective. In curves the inserter always places on the far side.
| style="width:320px;" | Inserters '''prefer''' taking items from the nearest lane. If the nearest lane is empty, the inserter will take from the far lane. If a belt is in the same orientation as the inserter, the inserter '''prefers''' taking from the left lane, from the belt's perspective. If the left lane is empty it will take from the right lane.
|}

=== Potential issues ===
Inserters may have problems picking up items:

* From very fast belts, because the items are moving too quickly.
* From the entry or exit of an underground belt (because the time they have to pick up is shorter)
* From turning belts if the item is on the inside of the corner

== Power usage ==
* Electric inserters drain energy even when they are not moving, as idle power
* The amount of energy used is the same for every turn
* The [[burner inserter]] does not drain energy when idle, but uses more energy when it is active.

== Inserter speed ==

{| class="wikitable"
! Type
! Rotation-speed (turns per [[Game-tick]]) Extension-speed ([[Tile]]s per Tick)
! Turns per [[Game-second]] Tiles per Game-second
! Game-second per full turn Game-seconds per Tile
! Ticks per full turn Ticks per Tile
|- align="center"
| align="left"| {{Imagelink|Burner inserter|Burner inserter}} || 0.01 0.0214 || 0.59 1.284 || 1.7 0.833 || 102 76
|- align="center"
| align="left"| {{Imagelink|Inserter|Inserter}} || 0.014 0.03 || 0.83 1.8 || 1.2 0.56 || 72 54
|- align="center"
| align="left"| {{Imagelink|Long handed inserter|Long handed inserter}} || 0.02 0.0457 || 1.15 2.742 || 0.867 0.416 || 52 36
|- align="center"
| align="left"| {{Imagelink|Fast inserter|Fast inserter}} {{Imagelink|Stack inserter|Stack inserter}} {{imagelink|Stack_filter_inserter|Stack filter inserter}} || 0.04 0.07 || 2.31 4.2 || 0.433 0.238 || 26 24
|-
|}

'''Note:''' These numbers come directly from the [https://github.com/wube/factorio-data/tree/master/base/prototypes/entity factorio-data github repository].

===Rotation Speed===
Convention: 2π rad = 100% of a circle rotation = '''1 turn''' (or one full rotation).

Note: an Inserter doesn't always need to make full turns. When grabbing from a transport belt, it is slightly faster when grabbing items from the closest lane.

===Extension Speed===
The extension-speed is normally not visible (only when compared to other inserters), but there are measurable speed differences when taking - for example - from the near or the far side of a belt. Also Some mods can alter the pickup and drop locations of inserters, making this stat more relevant.

==Inserter Throughput==

The following is based on experimental from both [https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1OzlP2v6P1OGxK1xCFr77aqVfNNEaEKHlA89aSVmqBGw/edit?usp=sharing 0.15] and [https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1i9EFqTfBze69nmnRwbzpEmILZKSXO__KF6ohv1LWbe8/edit?usp=sharing 0.16].

Inserter throughput between chests and other [[stack|stacks]] is a simple function of stack size and arm speed:

<blockquote>
''n'' = Stack size

''t_arm'' = Time to move the arm back and forth

Time per item = ''t_arm'' / ''n''

Throughput (items/sec) = 1 / Time per item = ''n'' / ''t_arm''
</blockquote>

When moving items to or from belts, the time to pick up or put down items also becomes a factor:

<blockquote>
''t_item'' = Time to pick up or put down one item

''t_cycle'' = Time to complete an arm cycle = ''t_arm'' + ''n''*''t_item''

Time per item = ''t_cycle'' / ''n'' = ''t_item'' + ''t_arm'' / ''n''

Throughput (items/sec) = 1 / (''t_item'' + ''t_arm'' / ''n'')
</blockquote>

===Chest to chest===

'''Note:''' Experimental data from 0.16

{| class="wikitable"
! rowspan=2 | Type
! rowspan=2 | Arm cycles per second
! colspan=6 | Items/second at [[inserter capacity bonus (research)|capacity bonus]] level (stack size)
|-
! colspan=2 | No capacity bonus
! colspan=2 | Capacity bonus 2
! colspan=2 | Capacity bonus 7
|- align="center"
| align="left"| {{Imagelink|Burner inserter|Burner inserter}} || 0.59 || 0.59 || (1) || 1.18 || (2) || 1.76 || (3)
|- align="center"
| align="left"| {{Imagelink|Inserter|Inserter}} || 0.83 || 0.83 || (1) || 1.67 || (2) || 2.50 || (3)
|- align="center"
| align="left"| {{Imagelink|Long handed inserter|Long handed inserter}} || 1.15 || 1.15 || (1) || 2.31 || (2) || 3.46 || (3)
|- align="center"
| align="left"| {{Imagelink|Fast inserter|Fast inserter}} {{Imagelink|Filter inserter|Filter inserter}} || 2.31 || 2.31 || (1) || 4.62 || (2) || 6.92 || (3)
|- align="center"
| align="left"| {{Imagelink|Stack inserter|Stack inserter}} {{imagelink|stack_filter_inserter|Stack filter inserter}} || 2.31 || 4.62 || (2) || 9.23 || (4) || 27.69 || (12)
|-
|}

===Chest to belt===

Throughput going from chest to belt depends on how full the belt is. An inserter will not put down an item on a belt that have items back-to-back (aka full compression) - it waits until there is a gap. However, if the gap is narrower than the item then the items upstream on the belt will stop to make room for the item being inserted. The direction of the belt compared to the inserter does not matter however.

In these measurements inserters move items onto an empty belt. Values are given for the stack sizes at three different [[inserter capacity bonus (research)|capacity bonus]] levels.

'''Note:''' Experimental data from 0.16

{| class="wikitable"
! rowspan=3 | Type
! colspan=12 | Items/second at [[inserter capacity bonus (research)|capacity bonus]] level (stack size)
|-
! colspan=4 | No capacity bonus
! colspan=4 | Capacity bonus 2
! colspan=4 | Capacity bonus 7
|-
! [[File:Transport belt.png|link=Transport belt]] || [[File:Fast transport belt.png|link=Fast transport belt]] || [[File:Express transport belt.png|link=Express transport belt]] ||
! [[File:Transport belt.png|link=Transport belt]] || [[File:Fast transport belt.png|link=Fast transport belt]] || [[File:Express transport belt.png|link=Express transport belt]] ||
! [[File:Transport belt.png|link=Transport belt]] || [[File:Fast transport belt.png|link=Fast transport belt]] || [[File:Express transport belt.png|link=Express transport belt]] ||
|- align="center"
| align="left"| {{Imagelink|Burner inserter|Burner inserter}} || 0.59 || 0.59 || 0.59 || (1) || 1.17 || 1.17 || 1.17 || (2) || 1.62 || 1.70 || 1.71 || (3)
|- align="center"
| align="left"| {{Imagelink|Inserter|Inserter}} || 0.83 || 0.83 || 0.83 || (1) || 1.64 || 1.64 || 1.64 || (2) || 2.22 || 2.37 || 2.40 || (3)
|- align="center"
| align="left"| {{Imagelink|Long handed inserter|Long handed inserter}} || 1.15 || 1.15 || 1.15 || (1) || 2.26 || 2.26 || 2.26 || (2) || 2.95 || 3.21 || 3.27 || (3)
|- align="center"
| align="left"| {{Imagelink|Fast inserter|Fast inserter}} {{Imagelink|Filter inserter|Filter inserter}} || 2.31 || 2.31 || 2.31 || (1) || 4.44 || 4.44 || 4.44 || (2) || 5.14 || 6.00 || 6.21 || (3)
|- align="center"
| align="left"| {{Imagelink|Stack inserter|Stack inserter}} {{imagelink|stack_filter_inserter|Stack filter inserter}} || 4.44 || 4.44 || 4.44 || (2) || 5.45 || 6.86 || 7.50 || (4) || 6.21 || 10.14 || 12.86 || (12)
|-
|}

To calculate the throughput for [[Stack inserter]] and [[Stack filter inserter]] at any capacity level, you can use these linearly fitted factors with the belt/chest throughput formula above:

'''Note:''' Experimental data from 0.15

{| class="wikitable"
! rowspan=2 | Type
! colspan=2 | {{Imagelink|Transport belt|Transport belt}}
! colspan=2 | {{Imagelink|Fast transport belt|Fast transport belt}}
! colspan=2 | {{Imagelink|Express transport belt|Express transport belt}}
|-
! ''t_item'' || ''t_arm''
! ''t_item'' || ''t_arm''
! ''t_item'' || ''t_arm''
|- align="center"
| align="left"| {{Imagelink|Stack inserter|Stack inserter}} {{imagelink|stack_filter_inserter|Stack filter inserter}} || 0.142 || 0.292 || 0.073 || 0.360 || 0.049 || 0.384
|-
|}

See the [https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1OzlP2v6P1OGxK1xCFr77aqVfNNEaEKHlA89aSVmqBGw/edit?usp=sharing source spreadsheet] for the corresponding factors for the other inserter types. Their errors are generally well below 1%.

===Belt to chest===

When picking items from a belt, many more factors come into play besides belt fullness:

* How fast the items move (i.e. if they are queued up on the belt or move at belt speed).
* Whether the belt is perpendicular to the inserter or approaches it head on.
* Whether items are on the near or far lane of a perpendicular belt.
* Whether the belt turns or not, and whether the items are in the inner or outer side of the bend.
* If the belt is an underground entrance or exit. This shortens the time items are visible to the inserter for pickup.
* All sorts of intricate timing factors between the inserter and the items on the belt, since the game simulates the arm homing in on every item.

The test setup used below is with an inserter taking items from a perpendicular belt with items on the far lane only. The belt is fully compressed and timings are both for items that move at full speed and queued up as much as possible. Values are given for the stack sizes at three different [[inserter capacity bonus (research)|capacity bonus]] levels.

{| class="wikitable"
! rowspan=4 | Type
! colspan=15 | Items/second at [[inserter capacity bonus (research)|capacity bonus]] level (stack size)
|-
! colspan=5 | No capacity bonus
! colspan=5 | Capacity bonus 2
! colspan=5 | Capacity bonus 7
|-
! colspan=3 | Items at belt speed
! rowspan=2 | Items queued up
! rowspan=2 |
! colspan=3 | Items at belt speed
! rowspan=2 | Items queued up
! rowspan=2 |
! colspan=3 | Items at belt speed
! rowspan=2 | Items queued up
! rowspan=2 |
|-
! [[File:Transport belt.png|link=Transport belt]] || [[File:Fast transport belt.png|link=Fast transport belt]] || [[File:Express transport belt.png|link=Express transport belt]]
! [[File:Transport belt.png|link=Transport belt]] || [[File:Fast transport belt.png|link=Fast transport belt]] || [[File:Express transport belt.png|link=Express transport belt]]
! [[File:Transport belt.png|link=Transport belt]] || [[File:Fast transport belt.png|link=Fast transport belt]] || [[File:Express transport belt.png|link=Express transport belt]]
|- align="center"
| align="left"| {{Imagelink|Burner inserter|Burner inserter}} || '''0.56''' || '''0.56''' || 0.51 || 0.65 || (1) || '''1.11''' || 1.07 || 0.98 || 1.18 || (2) || 1.43 || '''1.54''' || 1.43 || 1.75 || (3)
|- align="center"
| align="left"| {{Imagelink|Inserter|Inserter}} || '''0.83''' || 0.74 || 0.77 || 0.90 || (1) || '''1.57''' || 1.48 || 1.45 || 1.62 || (2) || 2.00 || '''2.11''' || 2.07 || 2.40 || (3)
|- align="center"
| align="left"| {{Imagelink|Long handed inserter|Long handed inserter}} || '''1.16''' || 1.11 || 1.11 || 1.22 || (1) || 2.22 || '''2.22''' || 2.11 || 2.31 || (2) || 3.08 || 3.08 || '''3.16''' || 3.33 || (3)
|- align="center"
| align="left"| {{Imagelink|Fast inserter|Fast inserter}} {{Imagelink|Filter inserter|Filter inserter}} || '''2.22''' || '''2.22''' || 2.14 || 2.40 || (1) || '''4.17''' || 3.81 || 4.00 || 4.29 || (2) || '''5.71''' || 5.45 || 5.46 || 6.21 || (3)
|- align="center"
| align="left"| {{Imagelink|Stack inserter|Stack inserter}} {{imagelink|stack_filter_inserter|Stack filter inserter}} || '''4.17''' || 3.81 || 4.00 || 4.29 || (2) || '''6.67''' || '''6.67''' || 6.15 || 6.67 / 7.50 / 7.74 * || (4) || 6.67 || 10.00 || '''12.00''' || 6.67 / 11.61 / 13.58 * || (12)
|-
|}

<nowiki>*)</nowiki> Throughput for basic/fast/express belt.

Since there are many more factors involved, these measurements exhibit a more complex pattern than chest-to-belt.

* Boldface cells show for which belt each inserter has the best throughput on each bonus level when items move at belt speed. Higher speed belts mean that inserters have to work harder to catch the fast moving items. The effect is most noticeable for slower inserters and smaller stack sizes.
* When items are queued up the belt type hardly matters, so there is only a single column for that. The exceptions are the stack inserters - for basic transport belts it's the belt that sets the limit for stack sizes above 4, and there is also a notable difference between fast and express belts.

Here are linearly fitted factors to get the [[Stack inserter]] and [[Stack filter inserter]] throughput at any capacity level, by using the belt/chest throughput formula above:

{| class="wikitable"
! rowspan=2 | Type
! colspan=2 | {{Imagelink|Transport belt|Transport belt}}
! colspan=2 | {{Imagelink|Fast transport belt|Fast transport belt}}
! colspan=2 | {{Imagelink|Express transport belt|Express transport belt}}
|-
! ''t_item'' || ''t_arm''
! ''t_item'' || ''t_arm''
! ''t_item'' || ''t_arm''
|- align="center"
| align="left"| {{Imagelink|Stack inserter|Stack inserter}} {{imagelink|stack_filter_inserter|Stack filter inserter}} || 0.045* || 0.403* || 0.063 || 0.387 || 0.049 || 0.416
|-
|}

<nowiki>*)</nowiki> Since the belt is the limiting factor above stack size 4, these figures are only accurate up to that size. More than that and the throughput is fixed at 6.67 items per second.

==See Also==
* [[Electric system]]
* [[Belt transport system]]
* [[Inserter capacity bonus (research)]]: Inserter moves more than an item per turn.

{{C|Inserters}}

Inserters

2018-06-10T16:16:44Z

Swan: /* Mechanics */ fixed typo and added blueprint pickup constraint.

{{Languages}}
''For the common yellow electrical inserter, see [[Inserter]].''

'''Inserters''' are devices which are used to move items over short distances. When placed, they have a fixed direction. They can move items from behind and place them in front of them. By doing this, they can move items from one transport belt to another, but also extract items from—and insert items into—machines or storage devices.

== Types of inserters ==

{| class="wikitable"
| {{Imagelink|Burner inserter}} || The only [[fuel]]-powered inserter.
|-
| {{Imagelink|Inserter}} || The standard electrical inserter.
|-
| {{Imagelink|Long handed inserter}} || Capable of inserting and removing items from a greater distance.
|-
| {{Imagelink|Fast inserter}} || Much faster than the inserter.
|-
| {{Imagelink|Filter inserter}} || Variant of the fast inserter that can filter items by type.
|-
| {{Imagelink|Stack inserter}} || As fast as the fast inserter but can move many more items at the same time.
|-
| {{imagelink|Stack filter inserter}} || Variant of the stack inserter that can filter items by type.
|-
|}

==Mechanics==
Inserters '''will''':
* Pick up items off the ground, off of a [[Transport belts|Transport belt]], or from any object that has storage space, including [[Chests|chests]], [[furnace]]s and [[assembling machine]]s.
* Place the item onto the ground, onto a transport belt, or into any object that has storage space.
* Run at slower speeds when starved for energy.
* Pick up as many items as their [[inserter capacity bonus (research)|stack size]] allows at once, if they do not have to wait too long to pick them up.

Inserters '''will not''':
* Pick up any items that can not be inserted into the adjacent entity.
* Pick up any items if the adjacent entity is a blueprint.
* Pick up items to place into an entity with a full inventory.
* Place more than one item at a time onto the same ground tile.
* Place items into an entity that can not hold them, for example due to [[Stack#Filtered_stacks|filtered]] or [[Stack#Stack_limitation|limited slots]].
* Fill up the entire target inventory of [[boiler]]s, [[nuclear reactor]]s, [[:Category:Producers|production building]]s, [[furnace]]s, and [[turret]]s.

If two or more inserters are picking up from the same tile, the inserter who can grab the items the fastest will grab them first. Besides faster inserters, this favors inserters taking from the inner lane of a transport belt.

=== Insertion limits ===
Depending on where an inserter is moving items, it does not always fill up the entire target inventory. This allows other inserters taking from the same transport belt to pick up their share of the items. For example, if a boiler has 5 or more items of fuel in it, an inserter will not insert additional fuel. This allows the other fuel to travel further down the transport belt. When the fuel drops below 5 items, the inserter will resume inserting fuel, up to the limit of 5 items.

{| class="wikitable"
! Entity !! Item type !! Automatic insertion limit
|-
| [[Boiler]]s, [[burner inserter]]s, [[furnace]]s, and [[nuclear reactor]]s || [[Fuel]] || align="center" | 5
|-
| [[Gun turret]]s || Bullet Magazines || align="center" | 10
|-
| [[Artillery turret]]s || [[Artillery shell]]s || align="center" | 5
|-
| [[Assembling machine]]s, [[furnace]]s, [[centrifuge]]s, [[chemical plant]]s, and [[Oil refinery|oil refineries]]|| Items needed for the recipe || The ingredients for 1 craft additionally to ingredients for the number of crafts that can complete during one full inserter swing; but at least the ingredients for 2 crafts and at most the ingredients for 100 crafts.
|-
| [[Lab]]s || [[Science pack]]s || Double the number of science packs needed for one research unit.
|}

An inserter that has a higher [[inserter capacity bonus (research)|inserter capacity bonus]] than 1 can overfill the target building, due to the inserter picking up a higher amount of items than needed. Overfilling can also occur if multiple inserters are used to insert items into one building.

=== Inserters and transport belts ===
[[Transport belts]] have two lanes on which items can travel. Inserters only place items onto one side of the belt, either the far side from the inserter's perspective or if the belt is going the same or the opposite direction as the inserter the right side from the belt's perspective.

{|
| style="width:320px;" | [[File:Inserter_dropoff_locations.gif]] || [[File:Inserter_pickup_locations.gif]]
|-
| style="width:320px;" | Inserters place the item on the furthest lane. If a belt is in the same orientation as the inserter, the item will be placed on the right-hand lane, from the belt's perspective. In curves the inserter always places on the far side.
| style="width:320px;" | Inserters '''prefer''' taking items from the nearest lane. If the nearest lane is empty, the inserter will take from the far lane. If a belt is in the same orientation as the inserter, the inserter '''prefers''' taking from the left lane, from the belt's perspective. If the left lane is empty it will take from the right lane.
|}

=== Potential issues ===
Inserters may have problems picking up items:

* From very fast belts, because the items are moving too quickly.
* From the entry or exit of an underground belt (because the time they have to pick up is shorter)
* From turning belts if the item is on the inside of the corner

== Power usage ==
* Electric inserters drain energy even when they are not moving, as idle power
* The amount of energy used is the same for every turn
* The [[burner inserter]] does not drain energy when idle, but uses more energy when it is active.

== Inserter speed ==

{| class="wikitable"
! Type
! Rotation-speed (turns per [[Game-tick]]) Extension-speed ([[Tile]]s per Tick)
! Turns per [[Game-second]] Tiles per Game-second
! Game-second per full turn Game-seconds per Tile
! Ticks per full turn Ticks per Tile
|- align="center"
| align="left"| {{Imagelink|Burner inserter|Burner inserter}} || 0.01 0.0214 || 0.59 1.284 || 1.7 0.833 || 102 76
|- align="center"
| align="left"| {{Imagelink|Inserter|Inserter}} || 0.014 0.03 || 0.83 1.8 || 1.2 0.56 || 72 54
|- align="center"
| align="left"| {{Imagelink|Long handed inserter|Long handed inserter}} || 0.02 0.0457 || 1.15 2.742 || 0.867 0.416 || 52 36
|- align="center"
| align="left"| {{Imagelink|Fast inserter|Fast inserter}} {{Imagelink|Stack inserter|Stack inserter}} {{imagelink|Stack_filter_inserter|Stack filter inserter}} || 0.04 0.07 || 2.31 4.2 || 0.433 0.238 || 26 24
|-
|}

'''Note:''' These numbers come directly from the [https://github.com/wube/factorio-data/tree/master/base/prototypes/entity factorio-data github repository].

===Rotation Speed===
Convention: 2π rad = 100% of a circle rotation = '''1 turn''' (or one full rotation).

Note: an Inserter doesn't always need to make full turns. When grabbing from a transport belt, it is slightly faster when grabbing items from the closest lane.

===Extension Speed===
The extension-speed is normally not visible (only when compared to other inserters), but there are measurable speed differences when taking - for example - from the near or the far side of a belt. Also Some mods can alter the pickup and drop locations of inserters, making this stat more relevant.

==Inserter Throughput==

The following is based on experimental from both [https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1OzlP2v6P1OGxK1xCFr77aqVfNNEaEKHlA89aSVmqBGw/edit?usp=sharing 0.15] and [https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1i9EFqTfBze69nmnRwbzpEmILZKSXO__KF6ohv1LWbe8/edit?usp=sharing 0.16].

Inserter throughput between chests and other [[stack|stacks]] is a simple function of stack size and arm speed:

<blockquote>
''n'' = Stack size

''t_arm'' = Time to move the arm back and forth

Time per item = ''t_arm'' / ''n''

Throughput (items/sec) = 1 / Time per item = ''n'' / ''t_arm''
</blockquote>

When moving items to or from belts, the time to pick up or put down items also becomes a factor:

<blockquote>
''t_item'' = Time to pick up or put down one item

''t_cycle'' = Time to complete an arm cycle = ''t_arm'' + ''n''*''t_item''

Time per item = ''t_cycle'' / ''n'' = ''t_item'' + ''t_arm'' / ''n''

Throughput (items/sec) = 1 / (''t_item'' + ''t_arm'' / ''n'')
</blockquote>

'''Note:''' [https://forums.factorio.com/viewtopic.php?t=9141#p280529 Before 0.15.14], inserters were 1-4% less efficient when moving items from south to north.

===Chest to chest===

'''Note:''' Experimental data from 0.16

{| class="wikitable"
! rowspan=2 | Type
! rowspan=2 | Arm cycles per second
! colspan=6 | Items/second at [[inserter capacity bonus (research)|capacity bonus]] level (stack size)
|-
! colspan=2 | No capacity bonus
! colspan=2 | Capacity bonus 2
! colspan=2 | Capacity bonus 7
|- align="center"
| align="left"| {{Imagelink|Burner inserter|Burner inserter}} || 0.59 || 0.59 || (1) || 1.18 || (2) || 1.76 || (3)
|- align="center"
| align="left"| {{Imagelink|Inserter|Inserter}} || 0.83 || 0.83 || (1) || 1.67 || (2) || 2.50 || (3)
|- align="center"
| align="left"| {{Imagelink|Long handed inserter|Long handed inserter}} || 1.15 || 1.15 || (1) || 2.31 || (2) || 3.46 || (3)
|- align="center"
| align="left"| {{Imagelink|Fast inserter|Fast inserter}} {{Imagelink|Filter inserter|Filter inserter}} || 2.31 || 2.31 || (1) || 4.62 || (2) || 6.92 || (3)
|- align="center"
| align="left"| {{Imagelink|Stack inserter|Stack inserter}} {{imagelink|stack_filter_inserter|Stack filter inserter}} || 2.31 || 4.62 || (2) || 9.23 || (4) || 27.69 || (12)
|-
|}

===Chest to belt===

Throughput going from chest to belt depends on how full the belt is. An inserter will not put down an item on a belt that have items back-to-back (aka full compression) - it waits until there is a gap. However, if the gap is narrower than the item then the items upstream on the belt will stop to make room for the item being inserted. The direction of the belt compared to the inserter does not matter however.

In these measurements inserters move items onto an empty belt. Values are given for the stack sizes at three different [[inserter capacity bonus (research)|capacity bonus]] levels.

'''Note:''' Experimental data from 0.16

{| class="wikitable"
! rowspan=3 | Type
! colspan=12 | Items/second at [[inserter capacity bonus (research)|capacity bonus]] level (stack size)
|-
! colspan=4 | No capacity bonus
! colspan=4 | Capacity bonus 2
! colspan=4 | Capacity bonus 7
|-
! [[File:Transport belt.png|link=Transport belt]] || [[File:Fast transport belt.png|link=Fast transport belt]] || [[File:Express transport belt.png|link=Express transport belt]] ||
! [[File:Transport belt.png|link=Transport belt]] || [[File:Fast transport belt.png|link=Fast transport belt]] || [[File:Express transport belt.png|link=Express transport belt]] ||
! [[File:Transport belt.png|link=Transport belt]] || [[File:Fast transport belt.png|link=Fast transport belt]] || [[File:Express transport belt.png|link=Express transport belt]] ||
|- align="center"
| align="left"| {{Imagelink|Burner inserter|Burner inserter}} || 0.59 || 0.59 || 0.59 || (1) || 1.17 || 1.17 || 1.17 || (2) || 1.62 || 1.70 || 1.71 || (3)
|- align="center"
| align="left"| {{Imagelink|Inserter|Inserter}} || 0.83 || 0.83 || 0.83 || (1) || 1.64 || 1.64 || 1.64 || (2) || 2.22 || 2.37 || 2.40 || (3)
|- align="center"
| align="left"| {{Imagelink|Long handed inserter|Long handed inserter}} || 1.15 || 1.15 || 1.15 || (1) || 2.26 || 2.26 || 2.26 || (2) || 2.95 || 3.21 || 3.27 || (3)
|- align="center"
| align="left"| {{Imagelink|Fast inserter|Fast inserter}} {{Imagelink|Filter inserter|Filter inserter}} || 2.31 || 2.31 || 2.31 || (1) || 4.44 || 4.44 || 4.44 || (2) || 5.14 || 6.00 || 6.21 || (3)
|- align="center"
| align="left"| {{Imagelink|Stack inserter|Stack inserter}} {{imagelink|stack_filter_inserter|Stack filter inserter}} || 4.44 || 4.44 || 4.44 || (2) || 5.45 || 6.86 || 7.50 || (4) || 6.21 || 10.14 || 12.86 || (12)
|-
|}

To calculate the throughput for [[Stack inserter]] and [[Stack filter inserter]] at any capacity level, you can use these linearly fitted factors with the belt/chest throughput formula above:

'''Note:''' Experimental data from 0.15

{| class="wikitable"
! rowspan=2 | Type
! colspan=2 | {{Imagelink|Transport belt|Transport belt}}
! colspan=2 | {{Imagelink|Fast transport belt|Fast transport belt}}
! colspan=2 | {{Imagelink|Express transport belt|Express transport belt}}
|-
! ''t_item'' || ''t_arm''
! ''t_item'' || ''t_arm''
! ''t_item'' || ''t_arm''
|- align="center"
| align="left"| {{Imagelink|Stack inserter|Stack inserter}} {{imagelink|stack_filter_inserter|Stack filter inserter}} || 0.142 || 0.292 || 0.073 || 0.360 || 0.049 || 0.384
|-
|}

See the [https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1OzlP2v6P1OGxK1xCFr77aqVfNNEaEKHlA89aSVmqBGw/edit?usp=sharing source spreadsheet] for the corresponding factors for the other inserter types. Their errors are generally well below 1%.

===Belt to chest===

When picking items from a belt, many more factors come into play besides belt fullness:

* How fast the items move (i.e. if they are queued up on the belt or move at belt speed).
* Whether the belt is perpendicular to the inserter or approaches it head on.
* Whether items are on the near or far lane of a perpendicular belt.
* Whether the belt turns or not, and whether the items are in the inner or outer side of the bend.
* If the belt is an underground entrance or exit. This shortens the time items are visible to the inserter for pickup.
* All sorts of intricate timing factors between the inserter and the items on the belt, since the game simulates the arm homing in on every item.

The test setup used below is with an inserter taking items from a perpendicular belt with items on the far lane only. The belt is fully compressed and timings are both for items that move at full speed and queued up as much as possible. Values are given for the stack sizes at three different [[inserter capacity bonus (research)|capacity bonus]] levels.

{| class="wikitable"
! rowspan=4 | Type
! colspan=15 | Items/second at [[inserter capacity bonus (research)|capacity bonus]] level (stack size)
|-
! colspan=5 | No capacity bonus
! colspan=5 | Capacity bonus 2
! colspan=5 | Capacity bonus 7
|-
! colspan=3 | Items at belt speed
! rowspan=2 | Items queued up
! rowspan=2 |
! colspan=3 | Items at belt speed
! rowspan=2 | Items queued up
! rowspan=2 |
! colspan=3 | Items at belt speed
! rowspan=2 | Items queued up
! rowspan=2 |
|-
! [[File:Transport belt.png|link=Transport belt]] || [[File:Fast transport belt.png|link=Fast transport belt]] || [[File:Express transport belt.png|link=Express transport belt]]
! [[File:Transport belt.png|link=Transport belt]] || [[File:Fast transport belt.png|link=Fast transport belt]] || [[File:Express transport belt.png|link=Express transport belt]]
! [[File:Transport belt.png|link=Transport belt]] || [[File:Fast transport belt.png|link=Fast transport belt]] || [[File:Express transport belt.png|link=Express transport belt]]
|- align="center"
| align="left"| {{Imagelink|Burner inserter|Burner inserter}} || '''0.56''' || '''0.56''' || 0.51 || 0.65 || (1) || '''1.11''' || 1.07 || 0.98 || 1.18 || (2) || 1.43 || '''1.54''' || 1.43 || 1.75 || (3)
|- align="center"
| align="left"| {{Imagelink|Inserter|Inserter}} || '''0.83''' || 0.74 || 0.77 || 0.90 || (1) || '''1.57''' || 1.48 || 1.45 || 1.62 || (2) || 2.00 || '''2.11''' || 2.07 || 2.40 || (3)
|- align="center"
| align="left"| {{Imagelink|Long handed inserter|Long handed inserter}} || '''1.16''' || 1.11 || 1.11 || 1.22 || (1) || 2.22 || '''2.22''' || 2.11 || 2.31 || (2) || 3.08 || 3.08 || '''3.16''' || 3.33 || (3)
|- align="center"
| align="left"| {{Imagelink|Fast inserter|Fast inserter}} {{Imagelink|Filter inserter|Filter inserter}} || '''2.22''' || '''2.22''' || 2.14 || 2.40 || (1) || '''4.17''' || 3.81 || 4.00 || 4.29 || (2) || '''5.71''' || 5.45 || 5.46 || 6.21 || (3)
|- align="center"
| align="left"| {{Imagelink|Stack inserter|Stack inserter}} {{imagelink|stack_filter_inserter|Stack filter inserter}} || '''4.17''' || 3.81 || 4.00 || 4.29 || (2) || '''6.67''' || '''6.67''' || 6.15 || 6.67 / 7.50 / 7.74 * || (4) || 6.67 || 10.00 || '''12.00''' || 6.67 / 11.61 / 13.58 * || (12)
|-
|}

<nowiki>*)</nowiki> Throughput for basic/fast/express belt.

Since there are many more factors involved, these measurements exhibit a more complex pattern than chest-to-belt.

* Boldface cells show for which belt each inserter has the best throughput on each bonus level when items move at belt speed. Higher speed belts mean that inserters have to work harder to catch the fast moving items. The effect is most noticeable for slower inserters and smaller stack sizes.
* When items are queued up the belt type hardly matters, so there is only a single column for that. The exceptions are the stack inserters - for basic transport belts it's the belt that sets the limit for stack sizes above 4, and there is also a notable difference between fast and express belts.

Here are linearly fitted factors to get the [[Stack inserter]] and [[Stack filter inserter]] throughput at any capacity level, by using the belt/chest throughput formula above:

{| class="wikitable"
! rowspan=2 | Type
! colspan=2 | {{Imagelink|Transport belt|Transport belt}}
! colspan=2 | {{Imagelink|Fast transport belt|Fast transport belt}}
! colspan=2 | {{Imagelink|Express transport belt|Express transport belt}}
|-
! ''t_item'' || ''t_arm''
! ''t_item'' || ''t_arm''
! ''t_item'' || ''t_arm''
|- align="center"
| align="left"| {{Imagelink|Stack inserter|Stack inserter}} {{imagelink|stack_filter_inserter|Stack filter inserter}} || 0.045* || 0.403* || 0.063 || 0.387 || 0.049 || 0.416
|-
|}

<nowiki>*)</nowiki> Since the belt is the limiting factor above stack size 4, these figures are only accurate up to that size. More than that and the throughput is fixed at 6.67 items per second.

==See Also==
* [[Electric system]]
* [[Belt transport system]]
* [[Inserter capacity bonus (research)]]: Inserter moves more than an item per turn.

{{C|Inserters}}

Pipe to ground

2018-06-10T16:08:46Z

Swan: /* Notes */ Wording change "squares -> tiles"

{{Languages}}
{{:Infobox:Pipe to ground}}

The pipe-to-ground is a distribution method for [[Fluid system|liquids and gases]]. Since a basic [[pipe]] is impassable, these are necessary to keep the factory open, as well as to cross belt lines, or environmental features.

Only one fluid can be inside a pipe at one time, and the flow rate in pipes is heavily dependent on differences of fluid levels in individual segments. More complete information on handling fluids can be found on the [[Fluid system]] page.

[[File:pipe_to_ground_underwater.png|200px|right|thumb|An example of a pipe to ground going under a patch of water.]]

== Notes ==
* While pipe-to-ground is the developer name for the entity, the community has taken to simply referring to this entity as "underground pipe". This is the most common reference.
* The maximum distance at which an underground pipe can connect is 10 tiles, resulting in a gap of 9 tiles in between.
* The gap between underground pipes does not store any fluids; a pair of underground pipes only has the same volume as two regular pipes, regardless of distance bridged.

== History ==

{{history|0.13.0|
* Underground pipes are now automatically placed at maximum distance when building by dragging.}}

{{history|0.10.1|
* Icon changes.}}

{{history|0.9.3|
* For two different pipe to ground types, the distance limit is now the minimum of the two connections.}}

{{history|0.9.2|
* Pipe to ground can now reach up to 10 tiles underground.
* A pipe to ground can have multiple underground connections.}}

{{history|0.9.0|
* Pipe to grounds are made in pairs, and are more expensive to craft.}}

{{history|0.2.1|
* Automatic 180 degree rotation of underground pipes when the first pipe is built.}}

{{history|0.2.0|
* Visualization of the connection between two underground pipes.}}

{{history|0.1.0|
* Introduced}}

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

{{LogisticsNav}}
{{C|Energy and fluid distribution}}

Inserters

2018-06-10T16:06:02Z

Swan: /* Inserter speed */

{{Languages}}
''For the common yellow electrical inserter, see [[Inserter]].''

'''Inserters''' are devices which are used to move items over short distances. When placed, they have a fixed direction. They can move items from behind and place them in front of them. By doing this, they can move items from one transport belt to another, but also extract items from—and insert items into—machines or storage devices.

== Types of inserters ==

{| class="wikitable"
| {{Imagelink|Burner inserter}} || The only [[fuel]]-powered inserter.
|-
| {{Imagelink|Inserter}} || The standard electrical inserter.
|-
| {{Imagelink|Long handed inserter}} || Capable of inserting and removing items from a greater distance.
|-
| {{Imagelink|Fast inserter}} || Much faster than the inserter.
|-
| {{Imagelink|Filter inserter}} || Variant of the fast inserter that can filter items by type.
|-
| {{Imagelink|Stack inserter}} || As fast as the fast inserter but can move many more items at the same time.
|-
| {{imagelink|Stack filter inserter}} || Variant of the stack inserter that can filter items by type.
|-
|}

==Mechanics==
Inserters '''will''':
* Pick up items off the ground, off of a [[Transport belts|Transport belt]], or from any object that has storage space, including [[Chests|chests]], [[furnace]]s and [[assembling machine]]s.
* Place the item onto the ground, onto a transport belt, or into any object that has storage space.
* Run at slower speeds when starved for energy.
* Pick up as many items as their [[inserter capacity bonus (research)|stack size]] allows at once, if they do not have to wait too long to pick them up.

Inserters '''will not''':
* Pick up any items that can not be inserted into the adjacent entity.
* Pick up items to place into an entity with a full inventory.
* Place more than one item at a time onto the same ground tile.
* Place items into an entity that can not hold them, for example due to [[Stack#Filtered_stacks|filtered]] or [[Stack#Stack_limitation|limited slots]].
* Fill up the entire target inventory of [[boiler]]s, [[nuclear reactor]]s, [[Category:Producers|production building]]s, [[furnace]]s, and [[turret]]s.

If two or more inserters are picking up from the same tile, the inserter who can grab the items the fastest will grab them first. Besides faster inserters, this favors inserters taking from the inner lane of a transport belt.

=== Insertion limits ===
Depending on where an inserter is moving items, it does not always fill up the entire target inventory. This allows other inserters taking from the same transport belt to pick up their share of the items. For example, if a boiler has 5 or more items of fuel in it, an inserter will not insert additional fuel. This allows the other fuel to travel further down the transport belt. When the fuel drops below 5 items, the inserter will resume inserting fuel, up to the limit of 5 items.

{| class="wikitable"
! Entity !! Item type !! Automatic insertion limit
|-
| [[Boiler]]s, [[burner inserter]]s, [[furnace]]s, and [[nuclear reactor]]s || [[Fuel]] || align="center" | 5
|-
| [[Gun turret]]s || Bullet Magazines || align="center" | 10
|-
| [[Artillery turret]]s || [[Artillery shell]]s || align="center" | 5
|-
| [[Assembling machine]]s, [[furnace]]s, [[centrifuge]]s, [[chemical plant]]s, and [[Oil refinery|oil refineries]]|| Items needed for the recipe || The ingredients for 1 craft additionally to ingredients for the number of crafts that can complete during one full inserter swing; but at least the ingredients for 2 crafts and at most the ingredients for 100 crafts.
|-
| [[Lab]]s || [[Science pack]]s || Double the number of science packs needed for one research unit.
|}

An inserter that has a higher [[inserter capacity bonus (research)|inserter capacity bonus]] than 1 can overfill the target building, due to the inserter picking up a higher amount of items than needed. Overfilling can also occur if multiple inserters are used to insert items into one building.

=== Inserters and transport belts ===
[[Transport belts]] have two lanes on which items can travel. Inserters only place items onto one side of the belt, either the far side from the inserter's perspective or if the belt is going the same or the opposite direction as the inserter the right side from the belt's perspective.

{|
| style="width:320px;" | [[File:Inserter_dropoff_locations.gif]] || [[File:Inserter_pickup_locations.gif]]
|-
| style="width:320px;" | Inserters place the item on the furthest lane. If a belt is in the same orientation as the inserter, the item will be placed on the right-hand lane, from the belt's perspective. In curves the inserter always places on the far side.
| style="width:320px;" | Inserters '''prefer''' taking items from the nearest lane. If the nearest lane is empty, the inserter will take from the far lane. If a belt is in the same orientation as the inserter, the inserter '''prefers''' taking from the left lane, from the belt's perspective. If the left lane is empty it will take from the right lane.
|}

=== Potential issues ===
Inserters may have problems picking up items:

* From very fast belts, because the items are moving too quickly.
* From the entry or exit of an underground belt (because the time they have to pick up is shorter)
* From turning belts if the item is on the inside of the corner

== Power usage ==
* Electric inserters drain energy even when they are not moving, as idle power
* The amount of energy used is the same for every turn
* The [[burner inserter]] does not drain energy when idle, but uses more energy when it is active.

== Inserter speed ==

{| class="wikitable"
! Type
! Rotation-speed (turns per [[Game-tick]]) Extension-speed ([[Tile]]s per Tick)
! Turns per [[Game-second]] Tiles per Game-second
! Game-second per full turn Game-seconds per Tile
! Ticks per full turn Ticks per Tile
|- align="center"
| align="left"| {{Imagelink|Burner inserter|Burner inserter}} || 0.01 0.0214 || 0.59 1.284 || 1.7 0.833 || 102 76
|- align="center"
| align="left"| {{Imagelink|Inserter|Inserter}} || 0.014 0.03 || 0.83 1.8 || 1.2 0.56 || 72 54
|- align="center"
| align="left"| {{Imagelink|Long handed inserter|Long handed inserter}} || 0.02 0.0457 || 1.15 2.742 || 0.867 0.416 || 52 36
|- align="center"
| align="left"| {{Imagelink|Fast inserter|Fast inserter}} {{Imagelink|Stack inserter|Stack inserter}} {{imagelink|Stack_filter_inserter|Stack filter inserter}} || 0.04 0.07 || 2.31 4.2 || 0.433 0.238 || 26 24
|-
|}

'''Note:''' These numbers come directly from the [https://github.com/wube/factorio-data/tree/master/base/prototypes/entity factorio-data github repository].

===Rotation Speed===
Convention: 2π rad = 100% of a circle rotation = '''1 turn''' (or one full rotation).

Note: an Inserter doesn't always need to make full turns. When grabbing from a transport belt, it is slightly faster when grabbing items from the closest lane.

===Extension Speed===
The extension-speed is normally not visible (only when compared to other inserters), but there are measurable speed differences when taking - for example - from the near or the far side of a belt. Also Some mods can alter the pickup and drop locations of inserters, making this stat more relevant.

==Inserter Throughput==

The following is based on experimental from both [https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1OzlP2v6P1OGxK1xCFr77aqVfNNEaEKHlA89aSVmqBGw/edit?usp=sharing 0.15] and [https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1i9EFqTfBze69nmnRwbzpEmILZKSXO__KF6ohv1LWbe8/edit?usp=sharing 0.16].

Inserter throughput between chests and other [[stack|stacks]] is a simple function of stack size and arm speed:

<blockquote>
''n'' = Stack size

''t_arm'' = Time to move the arm back and forth

Time per item = ''t_arm'' / ''n''

Throughput (items/sec) = 1 / Time per item = ''n'' / ''t_arm''
</blockquote>

When moving items to or from belts, the time to pick up or put down items also becomes a factor:

<blockquote>
''t_item'' = Time to pick up or put down one item

''t_cycle'' = Time to complete an arm cycle = ''t_arm'' + ''n''*''t_item''

Time per item = ''t_cycle'' / ''n'' = ''t_item'' + ''t_arm'' / ''n''

Throughput (items/sec) = 1 / (''t_item'' + ''t_arm'' / ''n'')
</blockquote>

'''Note:''' [https://forums.factorio.com/viewtopic.php?t=9141#p280529 Before 0.15.14], inserters were 1-4% less efficient when moving items from south to north.

===Chest to chest===

'''Note:''' Experimental data from 0.16

{| class="wikitable"
! rowspan=2 | Type
! rowspan=2 | Arm cycles per second
! colspan=6 | Items/second at [[inserter capacity bonus (research)|capacity bonus]] level (stack size)
|-
! colspan=2 | No capacity bonus
! colspan=2 | Capacity bonus 2
! colspan=2 | Capacity bonus 7
|- align="center"
| align="left"| {{Imagelink|Burner inserter|Burner inserter}} || 0.59 || 0.59 || (1) || 1.18 || (2) || 1.76 || (3)
|- align="center"
| align="left"| {{Imagelink|Inserter|Inserter}} || 0.83 || 0.83 || (1) || 1.67 || (2) || 2.50 || (3)
|- align="center"
| align="left"| {{Imagelink|Long handed inserter|Long handed inserter}} || 1.15 || 1.15 || (1) || 2.31 || (2) || 3.46 || (3)
|- align="center"
| align="left"| {{Imagelink|Fast inserter|Fast inserter}} {{Imagelink|Filter inserter|Filter inserter}} || 2.31 || 2.31 || (1) || 4.62 || (2) || 6.92 || (3)
|- align="center"
| align="left"| {{Imagelink|Stack inserter|Stack inserter}} {{imagelink|stack_filter_inserter|Stack filter inserter}} || 2.31 || 4.62 || (2) || 9.23 || (4) || 27.69 || (12)
|-
|}

===Chest to belt===

Throughput going from chest to belt depends on how full the belt is. An inserter will not put down an item on a belt that have items back-to-back (aka full compression) - it waits until there is a gap. However, if the gap is narrower than the item then the items upstream on the belt will stop to make room for the item being inserted. The direction of the belt compared to the inserter does not matter however.

In these measurements inserters move items onto an empty belt. Values are given for the stack sizes at three different [[inserter capacity bonus (research)|capacity bonus]] levels.

'''Note:''' Experimental data from 0.16

{| class="wikitable"
! rowspan=3 | Type
! colspan=12 | Items/second at [[inserter capacity bonus (research)|capacity bonus]] level (stack size)
|-
! colspan=4 | No capacity bonus
! colspan=4 | Capacity bonus 2
! colspan=4 | Capacity bonus 7
|-
! [[File:Transport belt.png|link=Transport belt]] || [[File:Fast transport belt.png|link=Fast transport belt]] || [[File:Express transport belt.png|link=Express transport belt]] ||
! [[File:Transport belt.png|link=Transport belt]] || [[File:Fast transport belt.png|link=Fast transport belt]] || [[File:Express transport belt.png|link=Express transport belt]] ||
! [[File:Transport belt.png|link=Transport belt]] || [[File:Fast transport belt.png|link=Fast transport belt]] || [[File:Express transport belt.png|link=Express transport belt]] ||
|- align="center"
| align="left"| {{Imagelink|Burner inserter|Burner inserter}} || 0.59 || 0.59 || 0.59 || (1) || 1.17 || 1.17 || 1.17 || (2) || 1.62 || 1.70 || 1.71 || (3)
|- align="center"
| align="left"| {{Imagelink|Inserter|Inserter}} || 0.83 || 0.83 || 0.83 || (1) || 1.64 || 1.64 || 1.64 || (2) || 2.22 || 2.37 || 2.40 || (3)
|- align="center"
| align="left"| {{Imagelink|Long handed inserter|Long handed inserter}} || 1.15 || 1.15 || 1.15 || (1) || 2.26 || 2.26 || 2.26 || (2) || 2.95 || 3.21 || 3.27 || (3)
|- align="center"
| align="left"| {{Imagelink|Fast inserter|Fast inserter}} {{Imagelink|Filter inserter|Filter inserter}} || 2.31 || 2.31 || 2.31 || (1) || 4.44 || 4.44 || 4.44 || (2) || 5.14 || 6.00 || 6.21 || (3)
|- align="center"
| align="left"| {{Imagelink|Stack inserter|Stack inserter}} {{imagelink|stack_filter_inserter|Stack filter inserter}} || 4.44 || 4.44 || 4.44 || (2) || 5.45 || 6.86 || 7.50 || (4) || 6.21 || 10.14 || 12.86 || (12)
|-
|}

To calculate the throughput for [[Stack inserter]] and [[Stack filter inserter]] at any capacity level, you can use these linearly fitted factors with the belt/chest throughput formula above:

'''Note:''' Experimental data from 0.15

{| class="wikitable"
! rowspan=2 | Type
! colspan=2 | {{Imagelink|Transport belt|Transport belt}}
! colspan=2 | {{Imagelink|Fast transport belt|Fast transport belt}}
! colspan=2 | {{Imagelink|Express transport belt|Express transport belt}}
|-
! ''t_item'' || ''t_arm''
! ''t_item'' || ''t_arm''
! ''t_item'' || ''t_arm''
|- align="center"
| align="left"| {{Imagelink|Stack inserter|Stack inserter}} {{imagelink|stack_filter_inserter|Stack filter inserter}} || 0.142 || 0.292 || 0.073 || 0.360 || 0.049 || 0.384
|-
|}

See the [https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1OzlP2v6P1OGxK1xCFr77aqVfNNEaEKHlA89aSVmqBGw/edit?usp=sharing source spreadsheet] for the corresponding factors for the other inserter types. Their errors are generally well below 1%.

===Belt to chest===

When picking items from a belt, many more factors come into play besides belt fullness:

* How fast the items move (i.e. if they are queued up on the belt or move at belt speed).
* Whether the belt is perpendicular to the inserter or approaches it head on.
* Whether items are on the near or far lane of a perpendicular belt.
* Whether the belt turns or not, and whether the items are in the inner or outer side of the bend.
* If the belt is an underground entrance or exit. This shortens the time items are visible to the inserter for pickup.
* All sorts of intricate timing factors between the inserter and the items on the belt, since the game simulates the arm homing in on every item.

The test setup used below is with an inserter taking items from a perpendicular belt with items on the far lane only. The belt is fully compressed and timings are both for items that move at full speed and queued up as much as possible. Values are given for the stack sizes at three different [[inserter capacity bonus (research)|capacity bonus]] levels.

{| class="wikitable"
! rowspan=4 | Type
! colspan=15 | Items/second at [[inserter capacity bonus (research)|capacity bonus]] level (stack size)
|-
! colspan=5 | No capacity bonus
! colspan=5 | Capacity bonus 2
! colspan=5 | Capacity bonus 7
|-
! colspan=3 | Items at belt speed
! rowspan=2 | Items queued up
! rowspan=2 |
! colspan=3 | Items at belt speed
! rowspan=2 | Items queued up
! rowspan=2 |
! colspan=3 | Items at belt speed
! rowspan=2 | Items queued up
! rowspan=2 |
|-
! [[File:Transport belt.png|link=Transport belt]] || [[File:Fast transport belt.png|link=Fast transport belt]] || [[File:Express transport belt.png|link=Express transport belt]]
! [[File:Transport belt.png|link=Transport belt]] || [[File:Fast transport belt.png|link=Fast transport belt]] || [[File:Express transport belt.png|link=Express transport belt]]
! [[File:Transport belt.png|link=Transport belt]] || [[File:Fast transport belt.png|link=Fast transport belt]] || [[File:Express transport belt.png|link=Express transport belt]]
|- align="center"
| align="left"| {{Imagelink|Burner inserter|Burner inserter}} || '''0.56''' || '''0.56''' || 0.51 || 0.65 || (1) || '''1.11''' || 1.07 || 0.98 || 1.18 || (2) || 1.43 || '''1.54''' || 1.43 || 1.75 || (3)
|- align="center"
| align="left"| {{Imagelink|Inserter|Inserter}} || '''0.83''' || 0.74 || 0.77 || 0.90 || (1) || '''1.57''' || 1.48 || 1.45 || 1.62 || (2) || 2.00 || '''2.11''' || 2.07 || 2.40 || (3)
|- align="center"
| align="left"| {{Imagelink|Long handed inserter|Long handed inserter}} || '''1.16''' || 1.11 || 1.11 || 1.22 || (1) || 2.22 || '''2.22''' || 2.11 || 2.31 || (2) || 3.08 || 3.08 || '''3.16''' || 3.33 || (3)
|- align="center"
| align="left"| {{Imagelink|Fast inserter|Fast inserter}} {{Imagelink|Filter inserter|Filter inserter}} || '''2.22''' || '''2.22''' || 2.14 || 2.40 || (1) || '''4.17''' || 3.81 || 4.00 || 4.29 || (2) || '''5.71''' || 5.45 || 5.46 || 6.21 || (3)
|- align="center"
| align="left"| {{Imagelink|Stack inserter|Stack inserter}} {{imagelink|stack_filter_inserter|Stack filter inserter}} || '''4.17''' || 3.81 || 4.00 || 4.29 || (2) || '''6.67''' || '''6.67''' || 6.15 || 6.67 / 7.50 / 7.74 * || (4) || 6.67 || 10.00 || '''12.00''' || 6.67 / 11.61 / 13.58 * || (12)
|-
|}

<nowiki>*)</nowiki> Throughput for basic/fast/express belt.

Since there are many more factors involved, these measurements exhibit a more complex pattern than chest-to-belt.

* Boldface cells show for which belt each inserter has the best throughput on each bonus level when items move at belt speed. Higher speed belts mean that inserters have to work harder to catch the fast moving items. The effect is most noticeable for slower inserters and smaller stack sizes.
* When items are queued up the belt type hardly matters, so there is only a single column for that. The exceptions are the stack inserters - for basic transport belts it's the belt that sets the limit for stack sizes above 4, and there is also a notable difference between fast and express belts.

Here are linearly fitted factors to get the [[Stack inserter]] and [[Stack filter inserter]] throughput at any capacity level, by using the belt/chest throughput formula above:

{| class="wikitable"
! rowspan=2 | Type
! colspan=2 | {{Imagelink|Transport belt|Transport belt}}
! colspan=2 | {{Imagelink|Fast transport belt|Fast transport belt}}
! colspan=2 | {{Imagelink|Express transport belt|Express transport belt}}
|-
! ''t_item'' || ''t_arm''
! ''t_item'' || ''t_arm''
! ''t_item'' || ''t_arm''
|- align="center"
| align="left"| {{Imagelink|Stack inserter|Stack inserter}} {{imagelink|stack_filter_inserter|Stack filter inserter}} || 0.045* || 0.403* || 0.063 || 0.387 || 0.049 || 0.416
|-
|}

<nowiki>*)</nowiki> Since the belt is the limiting factor above stack size 4, these figures are only accurate up to that size. More than that and the throughput is fixed at 6.67 items per second.

==See Also==
* [[Electric system]]
* [[Belt transport system]]
* [[Inserter capacity bonus (research)]]: Inserter moves more than an item per turn.

{{C|Inserters}}

Inserters

2018-06-09T23:45:11Z

Swan: Updated the tables for chest to chest and chest to belt throughput

{{Languages}}
''For the common yellow electrical inserter, see [[Inserter]].''

'''Inserters''' are devices which are used to move items over short distances. When placed, they have a fixed direction. They can move items from behind and place them in front of them. By doing this, they can move items from one transport belt to another, but also extract items from—and insert items into—machines or storage devices.

== Types of inserters ==

{| class="wikitable"
| {{Imagelink|Burner inserter}} || The only [[fuel]]-powered inserter.
|-
| {{Imagelink|Inserter}} || The standard electrical inserter.
|-
| {{Imagelink|Long handed inserter}} || Capable of inserting and removing items from a greater distance.
|-
| {{Imagelink|Fast inserter}} || Much faster than the inserter.
|-
| {{Imagelink|Filter inserter}} || Variant of the fast inserter that can filter items by type.
|-
| {{Imagelink|Stack inserter}} || As fast as the fast inserter but can move many more items at the same time.
|-
| {{imagelink|Stack filter inserter}} || Variant of the stack inserter that can filter items by type.
|-
|}

==Mechanics==
Inserters '''will''':
* Pick up items off the ground, off of a [[Transport belts|Transport belt]], or from any object that has storage space, including [[Chests|chests]], [[furnace]]s and [[assembling machine]]s.
* Place the item onto the ground, onto a transport belt, or into any object that has storage space.
* Run at slower speeds when starved for energy.
* Pick up as many items as their [[inserter capacity bonus (research)|stack size]] allows at once, if they do not have to wait too long to pick them up.

Inserters '''will not''':
* Pick up any items that can not be inserted into the adjacent entity.
* Pick up items to place into an entity with a full inventory.
* Place more than one item at a time onto the same ground tile.
* Place items into an entity that can not hold them, for example due to [[Stack#Filtered_stacks|filtered]] or [[Stack#Stack_limitation|limited slots]].
* Fill up the entire target inventory of [[boiler]]s, [[nuclear reactor]]s, [[Category:Producers|production building]]s, [[furnace]]s, and [[turret]]s.

If two or more inserters are picking up from the same tile, the inserter who can grab the items the fastest will grab them first. Besides faster inserters, this favors inserters taking from the inner lane of a transport belt.

=== Insertion limits ===
Depending on where an inserter is moving items, it does not always fill up the entire target inventory. This allows other inserters taking from the same transport belt to pick up their share of the items. For example, if a boiler has 5 or more items of fuel in it, an inserter will not insert additional fuel. This allows the other fuel to travel further down the transport belt. When the fuel drops below 5 items, the inserter will resume inserting fuel, up to the limit of 5 items.

{| class="wikitable"
! Entity !! Item type !! Automatic insertion limit
|-
| [[Boiler]]s, [[burner inserter]]s, [[furnace]]s, and [[nuclear reactor]]s || [[Fuel]] || align="center" | 5
|-
| [[Gun turret]]s || Bullet Magazines || align="center" | 10
|-
| [[Artillery turret]]s || [[Artillery shell]]s || align="center" | 5
|-
| [[Assembling machine]]s, [[furnace]]s, [[centrifuge]]s, [[chemical plant]]s, and [[Oil refinery|oil refineries]]|| Items needed for the recipe || The ingredients for 1 craft additionally to ingredients for the number of crafts that can complete during one full inserter swing; but at least the ingredients for 2 crafts and at most the ingredients for 100 crafts.
|-
| [[Lab]]s || [[Science pack]]s || Double the number of science packs needed for one research unit.
|}

An inserter that has a higher [[inserter capacity bonus (research)|inserter capacity bonus]] than 1 can overfill the target building, due to the inserter picking up a higher amount of items than needed. Overfilling can also occur if multiple inserters are used to insert items into one building.

=== Inserters and transport belts ===
[[Transport belts]] have two lanes on which items can travel. Inserters only place items onto one side of the belt, either the far side from the inserter's perspective or if the belt is going the same or the opposite direction as the inserter the right side from the belt's perspective.

{|
| style="width:320px;" | [[File:Inserter_dropoff_locations.gif]] || [[File:Inserter_pickup_locations.gif]]
|-
| style="width:320px;" | Inserters place the item on the furthest lane. If a belt is in the same orientation as the inserter, the item will be placed on the right-hand lane, from the belt's perspective. In curves the inserter always places on the far side.
| style="width:320px;" | Inserters '''prefer''' taking items from the nearest lane. If the nearest lane is empty, the inserter will take from the far lane. If a belt is in the same orientation as the inserter, the inserter '''prefers''' taking from the left lane, from the belt's perspective. If the left lane is empty it will take from the right lane.
|}

=== Potential issues ===
Inserters may have problems picking up items:

* From very fast belts, because the items are moving too quickly.
* From the entry or exit of an underground belt (because the time they have to pick up is shorter)
* From turning belts if the item is on the inside of the corner

== Power usage ==
* Electric inserters drain energy even when they are not moving, as idle power
* The amount of energy used is the same for every turn
* The [[burner inserter]] does not drain energy when idle, but uses more energy when it is active.

== Inserter speed ==

{| class="wikitable"
! Type
! Rotation-speed (turns per [[Game-tick]]) Extension-speed ([[Tile]]s per Tick)
! Turns per [[Game-second]] Tiles per Game-second
! Game-second per full turn Game-seconds per Tile
! Ticks per full turn Ticks per Tile
|- align="center"
| align="left"| {{Imagelink|Burner inserter|Burner inserter}} || 0.01 0.0214 || 0.59 1.284 || 1.7 0.833 || 102 76
|- align="center"
| align="left"| {{Imagelink|Inserter|Inserter}} || 0.014 0.03 || 0.83 1.8 || 1.2 0.56 || 72 54
|- align="center"
| align="left"| {{Imagelink|Long handed inserter|Long handed inserter}} || 0.02 0.0457 || 1.15 2.742 || 0.867 0.416 || 52 36
|- align="center"
| align="left"| {{Imagelink|Fast inserter|Fast inserter}} {{Imagelink|Stack inserter|Stack inserter}} {{imagelink|Stack_filter_inserter|Stack filter inserter}} || 0.04 0.07 || 2.31 4.2 || 0.433 0.238 || 26 24
|-
|}

===Rotation Speed===
Convention: 2π rad = 100% of a circle rotation = '''1 turn''' (or one full rotation).

Note: an Inserter doesn't always need to make full turns. When grabbing from a transport belt, it is slightly faster when grabbing items from the closest lane.

===Extension Speed===
The extension-speed is normally not visible (only when compared to other inserters), but there are measurable speed differences when taking - for example - from the near or the far side of a belt. Also Some mods can alter the pickup and drop locations of inserters, making this stat more relevant.

==Inserter Throughput==

The following is based on experimental from both [https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1OzlP2v6P1OGxK1xCFr77aqVfNNEaEKHlA89aSVmqBGw/edit?usp=sharing 0.15] and [https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1i9EFqTfBze69nmnRwbzpEmILZKSXO__KF6ohv1LWbe8/edit?usp=sharing 0.16].

Inserter throughput between chests and other [[stack|stacks]] is a simple function of stack size and arm speed:

<blockquote>
''n'' = Stack size

''t_arm'' = Time to move the arm back and forth

Time per item = ''t_arm'' / ''n''

Throughput (items/sec) = 1 / Time per item = ''n'' / ''t_arm''
</blockquote>

When moving items to or from belts, the time to pick up or put down items also becomes a factor:

<blockquote>
''t_item'' = Time to pick up or put down one item

''t_cycle'' = Time to complete an arm cycle = ''t_arm'' + ''n''*''t_item''

Time per item = ''t_cycle'' / ''n'' = ''t_item'' + ''t_arm'' / ''n''

Throughput (items/sec) = 1 / (''t_item'' + ''t_arm'' / ''n'')
</blockquote>

'''Note:''' [https://forums.factorio.com/viewtopic.php?t=9141#p280529 Before 0.15.14], inserters were 1-4% less efficient when moving items from south to north.

===Chest to chest===

'''Note:''' Experimental data from 0.16

{| class="wikitable"
! rowspan=2 | Type
! rowspan=2 | Arm cycles per second
! colspan=6 | Items/second at [[inserter capacity bonus (research)|capacity bonus]] level (stack size)
|-
! colspan=2 | No capacity bonus
! colspan=2 | Capacity bonus 2
! colspan=2 | Capacity bonus 7
|- align="center"
| align="left"| {{Imagelink|Burner inserter|Burner inserter}} || 0.59 || 0.59 || (1) || 1.18 || (2) || 1.76 || (3)
|- align="center"
| align="left"| {{Imagelink|Inserter|Inserter}} || 0.83 || 0.83 || (1) || 1.67 || (2) || 2.50 || (3)
|- align="center"
| align="left"| {{Imagelink|Long handed inserter|Long handed inserter}} || 1.15 || 1.15 || (1) || 2.31 || (2) || 3.46 || (3)
|- align="center"
| align="left"| {{Imagelink|Fast inserter|Fast inserter}} {{Imagelink|Filter inserter|Filter inserter}} || 2.31 || 2.31 || (1) || 4.62 || (2) || 6.92 || (3)
|- align="center"
| align="left"| {{Imagelink|Stack inserter|Stack inserter}} {{imagelink|stack_filter_inserter|Stack filter inserter}} || 2.31 || 4.62 || (2) || 9.23 || (4) || 27.69 || (12)
|-
|}

===Chest to belt===

Throughput going from chest to belt depends on how full the belt is. An inserter will not put down an item on a belt that have items back-to-back (aka full compression) - it waits until there is a gap. However, if the gap is narrower than the item then the items upstream on the belt will stop to make room for the item being inserted. The direction of the belt compared to the inserter does not matter however.

In these measurements inserters move items onto an empty belt. Values are given for the stack sizes at three different [[inserter capacity bonus (research)|capacity bonus]] levels.

'''Note:''' Experimental data from 0.16

{| class="wikitable"
! rowspan=3 | Type
! colspan=12 | Items/second at [[inserter capacity bonus (research)|capacity bonus]] level (stack size)
|-
! colspan=4 | No capacity bonus
! colspan=4 | Capacity bonus 2
! colspan=4 | Capacity bonus 7
|-
! [[File:Transport belt.png|link=Transport belt]] || [[File:Fast transport belt.png|link=Fast transport belt]] || [[File:Express transport belt.png|link=Express transport belt]] ||
! [[File:Transport belt.png|link=Transport belt]] || [[File:Fast transport belt.png|link=Fast transport belt]] || [[File:Express transport belt.png|link=Express transport belt]] ||
! [[File:Transport belt.png|link=Transport belt]] || [[File:Fast transport belt.png|link=Fast transport belt]] || [[File:Express transport belt.png|link=Express transport belt]] ||
|- align="center"
| align="left"| {{Imagelink|Burner inserter|Burner inserter}} || 0.59 || 0.59 || 0.59 || (1) || 1.17 || 1.17 || 1.17 || (2) || 1.62 || 1.70 || 1.71 || (3)
|- align="center"
| align="left"| {{Imagelink|Inserter|Inserter}} || 0.83 || 0.83 || 0.83 || (1) || 1.64 || 1.64 || 1.64 || (2) || 2.22 || 2.37 || 2.40 || (3)
|- align="center"
| align="left"| {{Imagelink|Long handed inserter|Long handed inserter}} || 1.15 || 1.15 || 1.15 || (1) || 2.26 || 2.26 || 2.26 || (2) || 2.95 || 3.21 || 3.27 || (3)
|- align="center"
| align="left"| {{Imagelink|Fast inserter|Fast inserter}} {{Imagelink|Filter inserter|Filter inserter}} || 2.31 || 2.31 || 2.31 || (1) || 4.44 || 4.44 || 4.44 || (2) || 5.14 || 6.00 || 6.21 || (3)
|- align="center"
| align="left"| {{Imagelink|Stack inserter|Stack inserter}} {{imagelink|stack_filter_inserter|Stack filter inserter}} || 4.44 || 4.44 || 4.44 || (2) || 5.45 || 6.86 || 7.50 || (4) || 6.21 || 10.14 || 12.86 || (12)
|-
|}

To calculate the throughput for [[Stack inserter]] and [[Stack filter inserter]] at any capacity level, you can use these linearly fitted factors with the belt/chest throughput formula above:

'''Note:''' Experimental data from 0.15

{| class="wikitable"
! rowspan=2 | Type
! colspan=2 | {{Imagelink|Transport belt|Transport belt}}
! colspan=2 | {{Imagelink|Fast transport belt|Fast transport belt}}
! colspan=2 | {{Imagelink|Express transport belt|Express transport belt}}
|-
! ''t_item'' || ''t_arm''
! ''t_item'' || ''t_arm''
! ''t_item'' || ''t_arm''
|- align="center"
| align="left"| {{Imagelink|Stack inserter|Stack inserter}} {{imagelink|stack_filter_inserter|Stack filter inserter}} || 0.142 || 0.292 || 0.073 || 0.360 || 0.049 || 0.384
|-
|}

See the [https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1OzlP2v6P1OGxK1xCFr77aqVfNNEaEKHlA89aSVmqBGw/edit?usp=sharing source spreadsheet] for the corresponding factors for the other inserter types. Their errors are generally well below 1%.

===Belt to chest===

When picking items from a belt, many more factors come into play besides belt fullness:

* How fast the items move (i.e. if they are queued up on the belt or move at belt speed).
* Whether the belt is perpendicular to the inserter or approaches it head on.
* Whether items are on the near or far lane of a perpendicular belt.
* Whether the belt turns or not, and whether the items are in the inner or outer side of the bend.
* If the belt is an underground entrance or exit. This shortens the time items are visible to the inserter for pickup.
* All sorts of intricate timing factors between the inserter and the items on the belt, since the game simulates the arm homing in on every item.

The test setup used below is with an inserter taking items from a perpendicular belt with items on the far lane only. The belt is fully compressed and timings are both for items that move at full speed and queued up as much as possible. Values are given for the stack sizes at three different [[inserter capacity bonus (research)|capacity bonus]] levels.

{| class="wikitable"
! rowspan=4 | Type
! colspan=15 | Items/second at [[inserter capacity bonus (research)|capacity bonus]] level (stack size)
|-
! colspan=5 | No capacity bonus
! colspan=5 | Capacity bonus 2
! colspan=5 | Capacity bonus 7
|-
! colspan=3 | Items at belt speed
! rowspan=2 | Items queued up
! rowspan=2 |
! colspan=3 | Items at belt speed
! rowspan=2 | Items queued up
! rowspan=2 |
! colspan=3 | Items at belt speed
! rowspan=2 | Items queued up
! rowspan=2 |
|-
! [[File:Transport belt.png|link=Transport belt]] || [[File:Fast transport belt.png|link=Fast transport belt]] || [[File:Express transport belt.png|link=Express transport belt]]
! [[File:Transport belt.png|link=Transport belt]] || [[File:Fast transport belt.png|link=Fast transport belt]] || [[File:Express transport belt.png|link=Express transport belt]]
! [[File:Transport belt.png|link=Transport belt]] || [[File:Fast transport belt.png|link=Fast transport belt]] || [[File:Express transport belt.png|link=Express transport belt]]
|- align="center"
| align="left"| {{Imagelink|Burner inserter|Burner inserter}} || '''0.56''' || '''0.56''' || 0.51 || 0.65 || (1) || '''1.11''' || 1.07 || 0.98 || 1.18 || (2) || 1.43 || '''1.54''' || 1.43 || 1.75 || (3)
|- align="center"
| align="left"| {{Imagelink|Inserter|Inserter}} || '''0.83''' || 0.74 || 0.77 || 0.90 || (1) || '''1.57''' || 1.48 || 1.45 || 1.62 || (2) || 2.00 || '''2.11''' || 2.07 || 2.40 || (3)
|- align="center"
| align="left"| {{Imagelink|Long handed inserter|Long handed inserter}} || '''1.16''' || 1.11 || 1.11 || 1.22 || (1) || 2.22 || '''2.22''' || 2.11 || 2.31 || (2) || 3.08 || 3.08 || '''3.16''' || 3.33 || (3)
|- align="center"
| align="left"| {{Imagelink|Fast inserter|Fast inserter}} {{Imagelink|Filter inserter|Filter inserter}} || '''2.22''' || '''2.22''' || 2.14 || 2.40 || (1) || '''4.17''' || 3.81 || 4.00 || 4.29 || (2) || '''5.71''' || 5.45 || 5.46 || 6.21 || (3)
|- align="center"
| align="left"| {{Imagelink|Stack inserter|Stack inserter}} {{imagelink|stack_filter_inserter|Stack filter inserter}} || '''4.17''' || 3.81 || 4.00 || 4.29 || (2) || '''6.67''' || '''6.67''' || 6.15 || 6.67 / 7.50 / 7.74 * || (4) || 6.67 || 10.00 || '''12.00''' || 6.67 / 11.61 / 13.58 * || (12)
|-
|}

<nowiki>*)</nowiki> Throughput for basic/fast/express belt.

Since there are many more factors involved, these measurements exhibit a more complex pattern than chest-to-belt.

* Boldface cells show for which belt each inserter has the best throughput on each bonus level when items move at belt speed. Higher speed belts mean that inserters have to work harder to catch the fast moving items. The effect is most noticeable for slower inserters and smaller stack sizes.
* When items are queued up the belt type hardly matters, so there is only a single column for that. The exceptions are the stack inserters - for basic transport belts it's the belt that sets the limit for stack sizes above 4, and there is also a notable difference between fast and express belts.

Here are linearly fitted factors to get the [[Stack inserter]] and [[Stack filter inserter]] throughput at any capacity level, by using the belt/chest throughput formula above:

{| class="wikitable"
! rowspan=2 | Type
! colspan=2 | {{Imagelink|Transport belt|Transport belt}}
! colspan=2 | {{Imagelink|Fast transport belt|Fast transport belt}}
! colspan=2 | {{Imagelink|Express transport belt|Express transport belt}}
|-
! ''t_item'' || ''t_arm''
! ''t_item'' || ''t_arm''
! ''t_item'' || ''t_arm''
|- align="center"
| align="left"| {{Imagelink|Stack inserter|Stack inserter}} {{imagelink|stack_filter_inserter|Stack filter inserter}} || 0.045* || 0.403* || 0.063 || 0.387 || 0.049 || 0.416
|-
|}

<nowiki>*)</nowiki> Since the belt is the limiting factor above stack size 4, these figures are only accurate up to that size. More than that and the throughput is fixed at 6.67 items per second.

==See Also==
* [[Electric system]]
* [[Belt transport system]]
* [[Inserter capacity bonus (research)]]: Inserter moves more than an item per turn.

{{C|Inserters}}

Tutorial:Circuit network cookbook

2018-03-05T21:44:48Z

Swan: Fixed error - right click should be left click

{{Languages}}
== Foreword ==

This page provides examples of simple circuit network designs and some not so simple designs that others can use, combine and modify. They are designed to be as easy to understand as possible. To see the settings of combinators without opening them, the option "Show combinator settings when detailed info is on" in the graphics options has to be checked and detailed info has to be turned on.

==Lamp showing chest content condition==
[[File:LightWiredToChest.png|right|218 × 412px]]

This is the simplest possible use of circuit-network. A lamp is light depending on the number of goods (in this example empty barrels) in a chest.

===Setting up circuit connection===
* The lamp is connected to the chest
* the lamp is set to light if the chest contain less than 10 empty barrels.
{{clear}}

[[File:LamponBarrelCondition.png|right|400x400px]]
===To set the light condition===
# open the lamp (left click on it)
# Set the input to barrels
# Set the operator to < (less than)
# Set the constant number:
## Left click on the constant number
## Move the slider until 10 is shown, or edit the value box directly
## Press set

Depending on the condition you set, the lamp may light if the chest is empty, or if it contains the required quantity of items.

The drawback with this scenario is that the lamp has a white light , and is therefore difficult to differentiate from an ordinary lamp at night.

== Oil Setups ==
[[File:LgtOilCracking.png|left|400x400px]]
=== Light Oil Cracking ===
* This circuit provides balanced light oil and petroleum gas production by cracking excess light oil into gas.
* The [[Pump]] is connected to the [[Storage tank]] by a [[Red wire]].
* The [[small pump]] has an enabled condition set to '''Light Oil > 2000'''.
{{clear}}

[[File:HvyOilCracking.png|left|400x400px]]

=== Heavy Oil Cracking ===
* This circuit extends on the previous circuit by adding optional heavy oil cracking to provide lubricant etc.
* The [[Pump]] has an enabled condition set to '''Heavy oil > 2000'''.
{{clear}}

[[file:BalancedPlasticSulfur.png|left|400x400px]]

=== Petroleum split evenly between plastic and sulphuric acid ===
* This circuit buffers gas in the tank until there is at least 100, then it lets the tank drain until there is less than 50 and the cycle repeats.
* It has a few elements that work together to do achieve this.
* Firstly the [[Pump]] is connected to the [[Wooden chest]] by a [[Red wire]] and the enabled condition on the [[Pump]] is set to '''Raw wood > 0'''.
* Both of the [[Inserter]]s are connected to the [[Storage tank]] by [[Red wire]]s.
* The enabled condition on the left inserter is '''Petroleum gas > 100'''
* The enabled condition on the right inserter is '''Petroleum gas < 50'''.
* You will need to insert a single "Raw wood" into the chest to make it all work.
 
* It is also possible to do this with [[decider combinator]]s instead of the inserters, belt and the Wood chest or even just belts.
{{clear}}

== Lights ==
[[File:ConditionalLights.png|left|400x400px]]
=== Conditional Lights ===
* In this circuit we connect a series of [[lamp]]s to a [[Storage tank]].
* By setting different conditions on each [[lamp]] we can build an indicator strip.
* The Enabled condition of the first [[lamp]] is '''Petroleum gas > 100'''.
* The others light up when gas is greater than 200, 300, 400 and 500 respectively.
{{clear}}

In this scenario you can connect the storage tank to the lamps directly.

[[File:ColoredLights.png|left|400x400px]]

=== Colored Lights ===
* To light a [[lamp]] with a color rather than white, you need an intermediate device like an [[Arithmetic combinator]] that can send a color signal.
Instead of directly connect the the [[Lamp]] and the [[Storage tank]] you need: 
1 Add the [[Arithmetic combinator]]. 
2 Connect the [[Storage tank]] with the input of the [[Arithmetic combinator]]. 
3 Connect the output of the [[Arithmetic combinator]] with the [[lamp]]. 
4 Set up the [[Arithmetic combinator]]: 
4.1 Setting the input to Petroleum Gas + 0 (the constant 0 not the signal 0) 
4.2 Set the output to the Pink signal (on the bottom row of the last tab of signals.) 
5 Set up the [[lamp]]: 
5.1 Select the "Use colors" check box on the lamp. 
5.2 Set the condition to the Pink signal, and what value you want (i.e. > 100) 
{{clear}}

== Misc ==
[[file:MulitipleChestsAndPoles.png|left|400x400px]]
=== Multiple Storages ===
* If you connect multiple chests to a pole, the pole displays the sum of items in all the chests.
* This also works with [[Storage tank]]s and [[roboport]]s.
{{clear}}

[[File:ConstantComb.png|left|400x400px]]

=== Constant combinator ===
* With a [[constant combinator]] you can generate any signals you may need.
* In this example we have generated a signal of 50 Laser turrets and 200 Piercing round magazine.
* Constant combinators are not of much use on their own but we shall use them later.
{{clear}}

[[File:LogicGates.png|left|400x400px]]

=== Logic gates ===
* In each case the two inputs can be connected with the same color wire or different colors. The inputs are powered by two [[Constant combinator]]s each of them output an A signal with value 1 for true and nothing or false.
* You can use [[Decider combinator]]s to make all of the common logic gates.
* The output for each should be set to 1 and the signal of your choice.
* Use the following settings to create different gates:
{{clear}}

NOT A=0
NOR A=0
NAND A<2
XOR A=1
AND A=2
OR A>0

{{clear}}

[[File:ThisASign.png|left|400x400px]]

=== Constant combinator signs ===
* You can use [[Constant combinator]]s to make signs, just set the letter signals in the combinator, each combinator can display 2 characters side by side.
{{clear}}

[[File:MemoryCell.png|left|400x400px]]

=== Memory Cell / Counter ===
* Basic memory cell that counts all the items moved by the inserter
* The [[Fast inserter]] is connected to '''BOTH''' ends of the arithmetic combinator.

* If the [[Fast inserter]] hasn't picked anything up this tick the input to the Arithmetic combinator is the same as and output and hence the values are persisted.
* When the [[Fast inserter]] does pick something up its value is added to the output from the previous tick thus incrementing that item.
{{clear}}

[[File:BeltCache.png|left|400x400px]]

=== Automatic Belt-Cache ===
* Some intermediate products are huge in demand during peak-production only. To bypass the need of providing a huge amount of factories in order to cover that peaks, a cache-unit can be used. The unit stores items while the belt has backed up (so there's obviously no current demand downstream) and releases items as soon as the belt gets too empty.
* The blue area is 3 parts of Express belts. According to the wiki, each belt can hold up to 7.11 items. This means the feeding fast belt can not provide 7.11 items for the express belts as long as the belt is moving. (And while the belt is moving, we don't want to cache items, but let regular production run, or even release items from the cache.)
* This means, once the counters on the two express belts are 7.11 each, the belt has backed up, so we can start "caching" items into our storage array.
* For this purpose, the counters are connected to the arithmetic combinator (A) which multiples the input (*100) into green signals. So, if the belt has backed up, B shows ">1422" green signals.
* This is the activation condition for the Belt (C), which will redirect the input tp the storage array.
* Since items should only be released if the belt starts to clear, the counter (D) is evaluated by the belt (E) which is only activated, if item-count on (D) is smaller than 6 (this number has to be adjusted to personal needs, when the cache should become "active" and release items)
* The layout can be extended to cache whatever amount of items is required. (Some balancing for the release-method would be required of course.)
{{clear}}

[[File:combinatorMultiplierDetailed.png|left|400x400px]]

=== Multiplier and Dictionaries/Arrays ===
* Multiplying two signals together is simple and requires only a single combinator, however multiplying a set of signals is more complicated.
* A proof is shown below for the equation and why it works.
* A dictionary is a system that allows a value on a specific signal to be accessed. For example, A can contain many signals (either from a constant combinator or memory cell) and B can contain 1 of a specific signal (such as blue signal). What remains is the blue-signal value from A. This is because all the other signals are multiplied by 0.
* Arrays are similar to dictionaries, but instead of using a signal as a key, we use a number. Constant combinators are placed mapping each signal to a unique number (such as 1 yellow belt, 2 red belt, 3 blue belt, 4 burner inserter, etc). Then, use a combinator of "each = index OUTPUT 1 of each" and plug that in as the input to a dictionary.
[[File:combinatorMultiplierMath.png|left|400x400px]]

((A+B)^2 - (A-B)^2)/4 = AB
(A+B)^2 - (A-B)^2 = 4AB
(A^2 + 2AB + B^2) - (A^2 - 2AB + B^2) = 4AB
4AB = 4AB

{{clear}}

== Inserters ==
[[File:LimitItemsPlacedIntoAChest.png|left|400x400px]]
=== Limit items placed into a chest ===
* The [[Inserter]] is connected to the [[Wooden chest]] using a [[Red wire]].
* The inserter's enabled condition is '''Advanced Circuit < 10'''.
* In reality this means the inserter may place more than 10 Advanced circuits in the chest because it could pick up to 3 at once due to stack size bonuses.
* This effect can be even greater with Stack inserters because of their large carrying capacity.
* This technique still gives far greater control than limiting the inventory on the chest.
{{clear}}

=== Balanced chest insert ===
Goal: Load n chests with approximately the same number of items.
* Place n chests and n inserters.
* Place 1 [[Arithmetic combinator]]
* Set the combinator to take Each (yellow star) and divide by the negative number of chests. ie −n.
* Connect all chests to each other and to the input of the combinator using red wire.
* Connect all inserters to each other and to the output of the combinator using red wire.
* Connect each inserter to the box it inserts into with green wire.
* Set the enable condition on each inserter to be Everything (red star) < 0.

The combinator calculates the average number of items in the chests, and makes it negative. Each inserter gets the amount in the chest it is inserting to and adds the negative average, ie it calculates how many more than the average it has in its chest. Thus if that number is negative, it has less than the average in the chest and it enables.

Due to inserter stack bonus the count is not exact. If a precise count is needed, set the inserter stack size to 1.

{{clear}}

[[File:SmartOutpostUnloader.png|left|400x400px]]
=== Keeping outpost stocked with specified items ===
* This circuit keeps a [[Storage chest]] at an outpost stocked with customized levels of different items.
* For example you could keep an outpost stocked with 50 laser turrets and 200 piercing magazine rounds but not have to worry about it being over filled.
* The [[storage chest]] is attached to the input of the [[Arithmetic combinator]] (left side in the picture) with a [[Red wire]].
* Another couple of [[Red wire]]s join the output of the [[Arithmetic combinator]] (right side) to the [[constant combinator]] and to the [[stack filter inserter]].
* The [[Arithmetic combinator]] '''multiplies''' each input value (from the storage chest) by '''-1'''.
* Finally the filter stack inserter's mode of operation is set to '''Set filters'''.
* So the input to the [[stack filter inserter]] is '''<Constant combinator> - <Storage chest contents>''' and the filter is set to filter the item of greatest demand.
{{clear}}

[[File:SolarAccumalatorBalancer.png|left|400x400px]]

=== Balanced Solar panel / Accumulator Production ===
* This circuit balances production of [[Solar panel]]s and [[Accumulator]]s to a desired ratio in my case 24:20.
* The first [[Arithmetic combinator]] takes the number of accumulators in the chest and '''multiplies''' it by '''24'''.
* The second [[Arithmetic combinator]] takes the output of the first combinator and '''divides''' it by '''20'''.
* This gives us the number of accumulators that we can directly compare to the number of Solar panels in both inserters.
* If the number of accumulators is greater we enable the Solar panels inserter, if the number of Solar panels is greater we enable the accumulators inserter.
* However, if they are equal, neither machine does anything. So we add a single accumulator to one of the inserters using a constant combinator and a wire of the other color, therefore breaking the deadlock.
{{clear}}

== Sushi Belts ==
[[File:SushiScience1.png|left|400x400px]]
=== Reading Belt Design ===
* Six belts in a row are connected with Red wire and set to '''Read belts contents''' and '''Hold'''
* This [[Red wire]] is then connected to the inserters that insert onto the belt.
* Read hand contents is unselected for all inserters.
* Mode of operation is set to '''Enable/Disable''' on all inserters.
* The first inserter is enabled when '''Science pack 1 = 0'''
* The other inserters are set similarly for the other science packs.
{{clear}}

[[File:SushiScience2.png|left|400x400px]]
=== Memory Cell Design ===
* This circuit counts the number of items of each type on a looping belt by counting the numbers that are added and removed from the belt by inserters.
* Each inserter that takes items off the belt is connected together with Red wire and each of these inserters is set to '''Mode of operation none, Read hand content selected''' and '''Hand read mode pulse'''.
* These inserters are connected to the input of the left arithmetic combinator.
* The left [[Arithmetic combinator]] multiples '''each''' input by '''-1''' and outputs it to '''each'''.
* The right [[Arithmetic combinator]] is a '''memory cell''' as above.
* The memory cell's input is connected to the inserters that are placing items on the belt and the output of the left [[Arithmetic combinator]].
* The inserters that place items onto the belt have an enabled condition that is based on the number of items on the belt.
{{clear}}

== Splitters ==
[[file:CondSplitter.png|left|400x400px]]
=== Conditional splitter ===
* This is the simplest circuit you can have for "controlling" a splitter.
* A signal X=1 is transmitted from off screen when the items need to be sent down the belt.
* The belt on the left is enabled when X=1.
* The belt on the right is enabled when X=0.
* The two belts are wired together and to a pole.
{{clear}}

[[File:PrioritySplitter.png|left|400x400px]]

=== Priority Splitter ===
* This circuit prioritizes items to the belt going of the screen to the left but will send items straight on if the belt to the left is backed up.
* Its not perfect and will leak some items but its good enough for most applications.
* The balancer means it will work even if the supply or demand is uneven.
* It is critical that the belts are setup as in this picture otherwise it may not work.
{{clear}}

== Power ==
[[File:SteamBackup.png|left|400x400px]]
=== Backup steam power ===
* The [[steam engine]]s are not directly connected to the power network. They are connected to the power network through a [[Power switch]].
* The [[power switch]] is connected to one of the [[accumulator]]s in the main network.
* The [[power switch]] turns on when A < 10. That is when the [[accumulator]]s are less than 10% full.
{{clear}}
=== Optimal usage of fuel for nuclear power ===
Unlike the normal steam power that adjusts fuel usage based on power usage, the [[Power_production#Nuclear_power|nuclear reactors]] spend fuel in fixed units of time. To be exact, the consumption of 1 fuel cell takes exactly 200 seconds.

Combined with the fact that creating the nuclear fuel cells are time consuming and expensive to create, it is therefore beneficial to optimize their use to match the actual consumed power.

[[File:NuclearCircuits.jpg]]

The above picture shows a setup with 4 reactors, that spend only 1 fuel cell each whenever steam runs low.

There are a few elements in this setup:

* Storage tank that provides the [[Steam]] signal. You should only read from one storage tank, and it should have pipe connections to all your other steam storage tanks.
* Chests containing [[Uranium_fuel_cell|Uranium fuel cells]] for the reactor.
* Output inserters that take [[Used_up_uranium_fuel_cell|Empty fuel cells]] from the reactor. This is connected to the storage tank to listen for the steam signal, and to the chests to listen for the uranium fuel cell signal. If the steam level is low and there are uranium fuel cells available, it removes the empty fuel cells from the reactor and sends an empty fuel cell signal (since "Read hand contents" is checked).
* Input inserters that put uranium fuel cells into the reactor. This is connected to the output inserters and listens for the empty fuel cell signal. The "Override stack size" is set to 1, so that it only inserts 1 fuel cell at a time.

Since this design uses empty fuel cells as a signal to fill the reactor, you need to manually insert 1 uranium fuel cell into the reactor to get it started.

== Latches ==
=== SR latch - single decider version ===
[https://forums.factorio.com/viewtopic.php?f=193&t=14556 This discussion] on the Factorio forums starts with the common 2 decider RS latch version, but the thread goes on to explain why this single decider version is better.
==== Backup steam example ====
This example will turn on the steam generator when the Accumulator charge drops to 20%, but will "latch" (remember) the On state until the accumulator is charged to 90%.

Latching is used to introduce [[Wikipedia:hysteresis|hysteresis]] and avoid the power switch rapidly cycling on and off (as the accumulator falls to 19%, charges to 20%, falls to 19% and so on).
[[File:SR-01-Layout.png|left]]

 
<div class="toccolours mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" style="width:50em;">
Blueprint string for above backup steam example
<div class="mw-collapsible-content"><pre style="white-space: pre-wrap;
white-space: -moz-pre-wrap;
white-space: -pre-wrap;
white-space: -o-pre-wrap;
word-wrap: break-word;">
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</pre></div></div>
 
[[File:SR-02-Accumulator.png|left]]Accumulator outputs the current charge level as % on signal [[File:Signal-A.png]]
 
[[File:SR-03-RangeDeciders.png|left]]First decider outputs "Set" ([[File:Signal-S.png]] = 1) if Accumulator is less than 20%.
Second decider outputs "Reset" ([[File:Signal-R.png]] = 1) once Accumulator is more than 90% full.
 
[[File:SR-04-SRLatch.png|left]]
==== SR Latch configuration ====
'''The central decider and green feedback wire is the actual SR Latch.'''
It latches the Set signal [[File:Signal-S.png]] until the Reset signal [[File:Signal-R.png]] is received (and vice-versa). 
NB: the latch expects binary inputs ([[File:Signal-S.png]] & [[File:Signal-R.png]] must be 0 or 1) - this is why the previous two deciders are required.
 
[[File:SR-05-PowerSwitch.png|left]]The Power switch isolates the generator from the rest of the factory until [[File:Signal-S.png]] = 1
 
----
=== SR latch ===
[[File:SRLatch.png|left|400x400px]]
* This should be familiar to anyone with any background in electronics.
* The signal is set and reset with the [[constant combinator]]s on the left by setting an A=1 signal.
* The latch "remembers" which one was last set and the light stays on until another signal is received.
{{clear}}

[[File:SRlatchinaction.png|left|400x400px]]
=== Usage of SR latch ===
* Here is an example of how you could use an SR latch.
* The two extra [[Decider combinator]]s provide the set and reset conditions.
* Petroleum gas < 50 and petroleum gas > 100.
{{clear}}

[[File:BeltLatch.png|left|400x400px]]
=== Belt only latch ===
* This is the most compact latch I am aware of.
* To make it work you need to place '''3''' raw wood on the inside lane of the belt.
* I believe it will have higher latency than the combinator version but in most situations you will not notice the difference.
{{clear}}

== Displays ==
[[File:5digitDisplay.png|left|400x400px]]
=== Numerical Display ===
* Each digit is driven by its own [[Green wire]], that wire holds 15 signals one for each lamp used in the digit.
* [[Constant combinator]]s are used to define which lamp should light up for each value.
* Blueprint string including decoder [https://www.dropbox.com/s/5o13xuwthalzzfe/Brain2.txt?dl=0]
{{clear}}

[[File:BWDisplay.png|left|400x400px]]

=== Black and White Grid Display ===
* Each row has its own [[Red wire]] connection and within that row each light has a numbered signal 0-9.
* We turn each light on by just setting or clearing the relevant signal.
{{clear}}

[[File:MultiColoredDisplay.png|left|400x400px]]
=== Multicolor Display by DaveMcW ===
* To understand how this works, you first need to understand how color lights choose which color to light up when there are multiple colored signals.
* The [[lamp]] will light up with the colored signal that is greater than zero and earliest in this list: Red, Green, Blue, Yellow, Pink, Cyan, White.
* We have a [[Red wire]] per column, that wire has each of the colored signals on it at different values and a numbered signal for each row.
* There is a [[Arithmetic combinator]] for each cell that subtracts the "row" value from each of the colored signals.
* And this enables us to choose the color for each cell.
* Simple!
{{clear}}

== See Also ==
* [[Arithmetic combinator]]
* [[Constant combinator]]
* [[Decider combinator]]
* [[Circuit network]]

Pipe to ground

2017-03-16T18:37:30Z

Swan: Fixed possible confusion in wording concerning the maximum connection length of pipe to ground

{{Languages}}
{{:Pipe to ground/infobox}}

The pipe-to-ground is a distribution method for [[Liquid network|liquids and gases]]. Since a basic [[pipe]] is impassable, these are necessary to keep the factory open, as well as to cross resource lines.

Only one fluid can be inside a pipe-to-ground at one time. Trying to mix two fluids can destroy one of the fluids. Read more on [[Liquid network#Mechanics|liquid mechanics]].

== Notes ==
* The maximum distance at which a pipe to ground can connect is 10 squares, resulting in a gap of 9 squares in between.
* Pipe-to-ground stores less liquid than basic pipes.
* While pipe-to-ground is the developer name for the entity, the community has taken to simply referring to this entity as "underground pipe". This is the most common reference.

== History ==

{{history|0.13.0|
* Underground pipes are now automatically placed at maximum distance when building by dragging.}}

{{history|0.10.1|
* Icon changes.}}

{{history|0.9.3|
* For two different pipe to ground types, the distance limit is now the minimum of the two connections.}}

{{history|0.9.2|
* Pipe to ground can now reach up to 10 tiles underground.
* A pipe to ground can have multiple underground connections.}}

{{history|0.9.0|
* Pipe to grounds are made in pairs, and are more expensive to craft.}}

{{history|0.2.1|
* Automatic 180 degree rotation of underground pipes when the first pipe is built.}}

{{history|0.2.0|
* Visualization of the connection between two underground pipes.}}

{{history|0.1.0|
* Introduced}}

== See also ==
* [[Liquid network]]
* [[Electric network]]

{{LogisticsNav}}

[[Category:Items]]
[[Category:Liquid network]]

Upcoming features

2017-03-16T10:10:36Z

Swan: Updated the new science pack yields and crafting speeds to new info from Rseding. http://pastebin.com/0fvbYc2k

{{Languages}}
This is a list of planned additions and changes for Factorio's next major release 0.15.

== Additions ==
=== [[Liquid wagon]] ===
The '''liquid wagon''', also known as the '''rail tanker''', will be able to transport [[liquids]] by [[rail]]. It is currently only possible to transport [[Crude oil|oil]] by rail, by putting it into [[barrel]]s first. To insert liquids into and extract liquids from the liquid wagon, a [[#Liquid wagon pump|new pump]] is also being added.

=== Liquid wagon pump ===
A new pump will be added that can extract liquids from and insert liquids into the new liquid wagon. The pump will be folded when no [[train]] is present, and unfold and extend its arm above the liquid wagon to insert or extract liquids. It is not currently known whether liquids will be both inserted and extracted through the top side of the liquid wagon using this pump.

=== Programmable speaker ===

The programmable speaker will be able to
* Show configurable GUI alerts and play audio alerts based on circuit conditions.
* Play audio samples as controlled by the circuit network in a way that simple songs can be created.

=== Research ===
Three new science packs will be added to make research less linear and to decrease the large jump in complexity between the different science packs (as there is currently a large jump between [[science pack 2]] and [[science pack 3]].
:; Military science pack.
:: Will be used for technologies about military and combat.
:: Will be available right after science pack 2.
:: Crafting it requires 1 [[piercing rounds magazine]], 1 [[grenade]] and 1 [[gun turret]], and will yield 2 military science packs.
:: Crafting time is 10 game-seconds.
:; Production science pack.
:: Will be used for technologies about higher tier production.
:: Will be available right after science pack 3.
:: Crafting it requires 1 [[pumpjack]], 1 [[electric engine unit]] and 1 [[electric furnace]], and will yield 2 production science packs.
:: Crafting time is 14 game-seconds.
:; High tech science pack.
:: Will be used for technologies about high tech items and concepts.
:: Will be available right after science pack 3.
:: Crafting it requires 1 [[battery]], 3 [[processing unit]]s, 1 [[speed module]] and 30 [[copper cable]], and will yield 2 high tech science packs.
:: Crafting time is 14 game-seconds.

Science pack 3's crafting recipe will be made simpler.
: Crafting time will remain at 12 seconds, but the recipe will change to 1 [[advanced circuit]], 1 [[engine unit]] and 1 [[assembling machine 2]], creating 1 science pack 3.

[[Alien science pack]]s will be removed.

In the research menu, every research icon will now display what science packs are needed for that research on the bottom of the icon.

Infinite research.
: Research that will give smaller and small gains, to spend your resources on after finishing all the regular research.

=== PvP scenario ===
Player versus player experience in Factorio
* The first player to create the scenario will be the gamemaster. He he can configure the game, i.e. determining the number of teams, starting tech level etc.
* Every team will have the same starting area, it will be copied from the original spawn.
* Each starting area will contain a [[rocket silo]].
* If your rocket silo is destroyed, your team has lost.
* If you launch a rocket, your team wins.
* If all other teams' silos have been destroyed, you win.
* Destroying another team's silo will make their base yours.

=== Other additions ===
* Universal barreling
* Advanced map gen settings
* Nuclear power
* Blueprint library
* "Red desert" biome
* Filtered deconstruction planner

=== Interactive tips ===
Because the game has many intricacies about it, and to not overwhelm the player with tutorial upon tutorial at the start of the game, interactive tips will be shown as the game progresses.
Small tutorial screens will pop up when a certain task is performed, to show the player what to do next.
Examples, though not finalised:
; You build the first [[Diesel locomotive|locomotive]]
: Tutorial to setup a train schedule unlocked.
; You build a second locomotive
: Tutorial of [[rail signal]]s unlocked.
; You build 50 rail signals
: Tutorial of [[Rail chain signal|chain signal]]s unlocked.

== Changes ==
* Bounding boxes of [[burner mining drill]]s, [[chemical plant]]s and [[pumpjack]]s will be decreased so walking in between them will be possible.
* Stack sizes of [[transport belts]], [[stone wall]]s and [[pipe]]s will be increased from 50 to 100.
* Crafting time of some items will be decreased.
** [[Engine unit]]s, from 20 to 10.
** [[Pumpjack]]s, from 20 to 10.
** [[Advanced circuit]]s, from 8 to 6.
* [[Crude oil]] yield will be dependent on the starting yield so better fields will be better later on.
* Fewer oil fields with better yield will be generated.
* Shift clicking (ghost placement) will go through [[tree]]s and rocks, similar to [[blueprint]]s.
* Resource growth from the center will be higher.
* The [[small pump]]'s size will be increased to 1x2 tiles. Its texture will also change because of this increase in size.
* The performance of belts will be optimized.
* The [[circuit network]] will be more optimized.
* [[Train stop]]s will be able to have different colors, similiar to [[diesel locomotive]]s.
* [[Boiler]]s will produce steam instead of hot water.
* [[Steam engine]]s will need steam, instead of hot water, to produce power.
* [[Beacon]]s now highlight the machines in their area of effect.
* [[Electric mining drill]]s will be connectable to the [[circuit network]].
* It will be possible to read train contents using the circuit network.
* [[Combinator]]s will have more [[Virtual signals#Logic signals|operators]].

== Technical ==
* High resolution textures
** Rails will look less flat and will get high resolution textures.
** Pipes and transport belts will get high resolution textures.
* Decorative entities will not be saved in the map anymore but instead will be saved per chunk in a very compressed format to improve performance.

== Support ==
* The game will no longer support 32-bit systems, as this limited further progress of developing Factorio.

== See also ==
* [[Roadmap/Coming_Releases|Planned releases]]
* [[Version history]]