Research

In order to unlock technologies in Factorio, the player must use Labs to research technologies with science packs. Technologies' effects can vary from unlocking machines to be crafted, to boosting the effects of already existing machines or weapons.

Achievements

Main article: Achievements

The concept of research is directly connected to the following achievement:

Tech maniac

Research all technologies

Basics

• Research is performed in Labs.
• Every technology has a certain amount of units that are needed for it to be researched, the logistics 1 technology in the example requires 20 units.
• Every unit requires a certain combination of science packs, these have to be created and transported into the lab before it can start the research.
• When the laboratory has all the needed ingredients, it starts researching one unit, the time to research the unit varies from technology to technology.
• The more laboratories are researching at the same time, the shorter time it takes to get all the units required.
• A lab must have all the science packs needed for the research, otherwise it will not function.

The GUI shown when the technologies menu is pulled up:

Example of research taking place. A progress bar is shown.

Automation

For the new player, the basic red research pack will be the first bigger item they try crafting by hand only to realise how slow it is. The idea to automate production of the red science packs (and their insertion into the labs) will occur and grow to automate the green and blue too.

This process forms a good part of the early/mid game to establish a reasonable progression speed through the tech tree.

A look at a Labs Red, Green, Blue and Alien Science Pack

See also

• Technologies
• Technology tree
• About needed time for one research
• Total Research Cost
• Science Pack Production vs. Number of Laboratories - about the needed number of assemblies for each type of science pack.