Module

Modules are items used to enhance existing buildings' capabilities. They are expensive, require appropriate research and are produced slowly, but can eventually greatly improve the efficiency of a factory.

Assembling machine 2 can hold 2 modules, Assembling machine 4 can hold 4, Lab 2, Basic beacon 2, Electric furnace 2 and Electric mining drill 3.

If you want more products per second, use a speed module.

If you want more products per input resource, use a production module.

If you want more products per watt of energy, use an efficiency module.

Recipe:	File:Advanced-circuit.png 5 + File:Electronic-circuit.png 5 + 15 => File:Speed-module.png 1 or File:Productivity-module.png 1 or File:Effectivity-module.png 1
Total raw:	File:Copper-plate.png 32.5 File:Iron-plate.png 15 File:Plastic-bar.png 10

Recipe:	File:Advanced-circuit.png 5 File:Processing-unit.png 5 + ( File:Speed-module.png 4 or File:Productivity-module.png 4 or File:Effectivity-module.png 4 ) + 30 => File:Speed-module-2.png 1 or File:Productivity-module-2.png 1 or File:Effectivity-module-2.png 1
Total raw:	File:Copper-plate.png 355 File:Iron-plate.png 190 File:Plastic-bar.png 70 File:Sulfuric-acid.png 2.5

Recipe:	File:Advanced-circuit.png 5 File:Processing-unit.png 5 + ( File:Speed-module-2.png 4 or File:Productivity-module-2.png 4 or File:Effectivity-module-2.png 4 ) + 1 + 60 => File:Speed-module-3.png 1 or File:Productivity-module-3.png 1 or File:Effectivity-module-3.png 1
Total raw:	File:Copper-plate.png 1645 File:Iron-plate.png 890 File:Plastic-bar.png 310 File:Sulfuric-acid.png 12.5 1

Speed Module

Used in many Modular armor recipes.

• Level 1: Speed bonus: +20%, Energy consumption +50%
• Level 2: Speed bonus: +30%, Energy consumption +60%
• Level 3: Speed bonus: +50%, Energy consumption +70%

Productivity Module

Productivity modules add a second "production bar" at item producing buildings and labs. It fills at the speed of (production - 100%). When it reaches 100%, an extra item (or items, in recipes that result in more than one) is produced.

• Level 1: Productivity: + 4%, Energy consumption +40%, Speed -15%, Pollution multiplier +30%
• Level 2: Productivity: + 6%, Energy consumption +60%, Speed -15%, Pollution multiplier +40%
• Level 3: Productivity: +10%, Energy consumption +80%, Speed -15%, Pollution multiplier +50%

Effectivity Module

Minimal energy usage is 20% of base energy usage.

• Level 1: Energy consumption -30%
• Level 2: Energy consumption -40%
• Level 3: Energy consumption -50%

Stacking penalty

More modules of the same type in one device will give diminishing returns. Because of that, it is more effective to have a mix of modules in the devices, and get more bonuses over the crafting cascade (assembly lines).

Examples of usage

Electric furnaces are huge power hogs at 180 W per furnace. 2 basic effectivity modules reduce it to 36 W - almost 2.5 Solar panels worth of power.

Electric mining drills create 9 units of Pollution with no effectivity modules and 1.8 with 2 basic ones.

Same Electric mining drill with 3 Productivity modules 3 would create 76.5 units of Pollution.

Efficiency

There where many discussions about the efficiency. This post brings the problems of calculating the efficiency to a point, where it becomes understandable.

Efficiency and Effectivity

For non-English speakers it's easy to mix up these two words. So here some links to see the differences:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Efficiency

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Effectiveness

http://www.usingenglish.com/forum/threads/142360-Is-effectivity-a-relevant-word

And this (lol): http://de.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=effectivity