Hello!
I have a question about science packs. The first ones are easy but I get in trouble when it comes to the second and third tiers of each pack. Do you have any suggestion about a sensible but effective setup? I tend to make it a mess with belts everywhere and it becomes a chore.
How many labs should I have?
Sorry if my question is lacking of information but I have not any idea how to else formulate myself.
Science packs help (setup)
Science packs help (setup)
The factory must grow...
Re: Science packs help (setup)
Like the rest of the factory, the number of labs must grow!
A red science pack takes 5 seconds to make; a good amount of early research takes 30 seconds to consume a pack, where later the research starts taking 60 seconds per pack. So one factory can support 6 to 12 labs. Of course the other packs take longer to produce so you will need more of those than the red science factories for the same number of labs. I tend to start with 6 and build up from there, usually adding ten labs at a time. Once your base is big enough, you can set a target of how much science per minute (SPM) you want to make, and calculate how many labs you need to reach that target.
I am not quite sure about the first part of your question, specifically the 'second and third tiers of each pack.' I think you mean additional factories making the same type of science pack. For that, I usually build in rows, with a belt (or two) on one side bringing the ingredients, and an output belt on the other side leading to the labs. I put the next row of factories so they output to the same belt, so for example I get a belt with red science on one side and green on the other. I hope this helps!
A red science pack takes 5 seconds to make; a good amount of early research takes 30 seconds to consume a pack, where later the research starts taking 60 seconds per pack. So one factory can support 6 to 12 labs. Of course the other packs take longer to produce so you will need more of those than the red science factories for the same number of labs. I tend to start with 6 and build up from there, usually adding ten labs at a time. Once your base is big enough, you can set a target of how much science per minute (SPM) you want to make, and calculate how many labs you need to reach that target.
I am not quite sure about the first part of your question, specifically the 'second and third tiers of each pack.' I think you mean additional factories making the same type of science pack. For that, I usually build in rows, with a belt (or two) on one side bringing the ingredients, and an output belt on the other side leading to the labs. I put the next row of factories so they output to the same belt, so for example I get a belt with red science on one side and green on the other. I hope this helps!
My own personal Factorio super-power - running out of power.
Re: Science packs help (setup)
An approach to how much science packs you should produce are the ratios of their production. If one tries to produce the same amount of every science pack, because they are consumed this way, he will end up with 5:6:5:12:7:7 (red, green, grey, blue, purple, yellow) assemblers. Try to build that ratio, preferable double the amount (some intermediate products are created with double the amount, so it makes some sense to end up with 10:12:10:24:14:14.
With this goal in mind, you can start designing a corresponding factory. At the start of the factory, put assemblers that create the required intermediate products, and feed this to a line of science pack assembling machines. Make one separate production line for every science pack type. Common intermediate products like the green and red circuits, or everything created in a furnace, should be created independently, and fed to a science pack factory just like any other source product, because at least the red circuits need a whole factory on their own to be produced.
You production will increase automatically if upgrade from assembling machine 1 to assembling machine 2, then again to assembling machine 3 without building a new factory.
As to how many labs you should create: create as many labs as required to fully consume your current science pack production.
With this goal in mind, you can start designing a corresponding factory. At the start of the factory, put assemblers that create the required intermediate products, and feed this to a line of science pack assembling machines. Make one separate production line for every science pack type. Common intermediate products like the green and red circuits, or everything created in a furnace, should be created independently, and fed to a science pack factory just like any other source product, because at least the red circuits need a whole factory on their own to be produced.
You production will increase automatically if upgrade from assembling machine 1 to assembling machine 2, then again to assembling machine 3 without building a new factory.
As to how many labs you should create: create as many labs as required to fully consume your current science pack production.
Re: Science packs help (setup)
There are all kinds of different layouts. There is a lot of personal preference in that. It's not just about what works best since tons of layouts work equally well.
Red and Green Science can be combined into one sub factory together right next to each other. The more complex sciences should have their own production lines that don't mix until the output belt.
Generally it works to just pull the materials from the bus and produce the intermediate products locally (things like belts, engines, inserters, pipes. Not circuits).
There are certain tricks that can help with getting enough materials to assemblers, especially as things get more complicated:
* side loading belts to put materials on a specific side. You can sometimes put the input material on one side and the output on the other (since inserters always place on the far side)
* using filtered splitters to stop input materials after a certain point, thus freeing up a belt lane
* direct insertion for certain things that move very fast or are in perfect/close ratios. Like gear wheels or iron sticks. Or engines into electric engines.
* having two belts next an assembler. More high volume materials on the inside belt to use fast inserters. Long inserters for the outer belt
https://codepen.io/Tickthokk/full/NBbKPZ/
Lab research speed technology for example reduces the number of needed labs significantly
Red and Green Science can be combined into one sub factory together right next to each other. The more complex sciences should have their own production lines that don't mix until the output belt.
Generally it works to just pull the materials from the bus and produce the intermediate products locally (things like belts, engines, inserters, pipes. Not circuits).
There are certain tricks that can help with getting enough materials to assemblers, especially as things get more complicated:
* side loading belts to put materials on a specific side. You can sometimes put the input material on one side and the output on the other (since inserters always place on the far side)
* using filtered splitters to stop input materials after a certain point, thus freeing up a belt lane
* direct insertion for certain things that move very fast or are in perfect/close ratios. Like gear wheels or iron sticks. Or engines into electric engines.
* having two belts next an assembler. More high volume materials on the inside belt to use fast inserters. Long inserters for the outer belt
That depends on a lot of things:How many labs should I have?
https://codepen.io/Tickthokk/full/NBbKPZ/
Lab research speed technology for example reduces the number of needed labs significantly
Re: Science packs help (setup)
For the second tire science packs start with one assembler making belts and inserters each and put them on 2 sides of a common belt. From that you can feed assemblers producing the science packs. That usually allows for a nice layout.