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.
- If you want more products per second, use a speed module.
- If you want more products per input resource, use a productivity module.
- If you want more products per watt of energy, use an efficiency module.
In addition to improving the efficiency of the factory, modules are also used in many late- and endgame recipes such as modular armor and its equipment.
Required research
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Recipes
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Speed Module
Used in many Modular armor recipes.
| Level | Speed bonus | Energy consumption |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | +20% | +50% |
| 2 | +30% | +60% |
| 3 | +50% | +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.
Productivity modules have some usage limitations!
| Level | Productivity | Energy consumption | Speed | Pullution multiplier |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | +4% | +40% | -15% | +30% |
| 2 | +6% | +60% | -15% | +40% |
| 3 | +10% | +80% | -15% | +50% |
Efficiency Module
Minimal energy usage is 20% of base energy usage.
| Level | Energy consumption |
|---|---|
| 1 | -30% |
| 2 | -40% |
| 3 | -50% |
Buildings that support modules
Buildings support different amounts of modules.
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Usage tips
More modules of the same type in one device will give diminishing returns. Because of that, it is generally more effective to add efficiency modules with speed and/or productivity modules to get more bonuses over the crafting cascade (assembly lines), especially when assembling machines are part of logistics network. This applies to situations where resources are plentiful but finite.
This is has been calculated through in this discussion.
Filling the device with speed modules is useful when a resource is infinite but the amount of resource pools is low. The best example would be oil deposits. Another good place to use speed modules would be for assembly machines which make products that take a long time to make. Examples would be engine units.
Filling devices with productivity modules is recommended when resources are scarce. Example would be alien artifact processing.
Filling devices with efficiency modules is recommended for electric furnaces as these use a lot of power.
Modules are also able to control Pollution, as pollution depends also on Energy usage. So reducing a machines energy usage by 40% with a efficiency module 2 will also reduce its pollution by 40%. Beware as this also works vica versa!
Examples of usage
Electric furnaces are huge power hogs at 180 kW per furnace. 1 basic efficiency module reduces it by 54 kW (-30%) - almost a Solar panel worth of power.
Electric mining drills create 9 units of Pollution with no efficiency modules and 1.8 with 2 basic ones.
Same Electric mining drill with 3 Productivity modules 3 would create 76.5 units of Pollution.
Limitations on Productivity Module
The productivity module has some limitations!
Efficiency and Effectivity
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
... So: Might be changed ...