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I've created a smart belt balancer, using the new features of the belts. With this, you no longer have to have these giant belt constructions to balance a belt between an odd number of belts for example.

This example balances the resources evenly across 3 belts:



It's still just an early version and there's some kinks. At the moment it will not function properly with a belt thats loaded on both sides, but I'm sure that can be fixed.

I'm sure I'm not the first with this idea, but I wanted to share it anyway.

nice job, was thinking about the same yesterday.

I understand that it turns belt off in order to balance things? If so, balancing will come at cost of lesser total throughtput of belts due to them being periodically off?

Avezo wrote:I understand that it turns belt off in order to balance things? If so, balancing will come at cost of lesser total throughtput of belts due to them being periodically off?

It may not be the case as I see it. When there is at least one line active at any given time splitters should send items to that line without loosing any throughput. Didn't actually test it though.

I made few test on different design that used circuit network on belt.
I find two differents design that can be used to make simple splitter.

In all design, all belt are connected together. Each belt in one column have the same configuration.

Simple balancer mk2

Image

Here we allow the output when the two previous belts are full.
It seems that two conseuctives belts always carry 14 items when full.
It increacre the precision and enable full throughput.

This design can be extend to any N to M balancer.
Make each input can reach all output.
Set the output condition be (14*M-1)

This can also be used for single lane balancer (when only one side is load) setting the output condition (7*M-1)

Perfect splitter

Image

The splitter wait until all output lane get two item and then deliver them.

This design suffer of a very low throughput:

• ~2.6 item/s for each yellow belt output
• ~5.3 item/s for each red belt output
• ~7.7 item/s for each blue belt output

This design can be extend to any N to M balancer.
Make each input can reach all output.
Set the output condition be > (2*M-1)
Set the output condition be <(2*M)

This can also be used for single lane balancer (when only one side is load) setting the output condition (M-1) and the input condition (M).

Simple balancer

Image

Here we allow the output when the previous belts are full.
Because each belt can handle between 6 and 8 item depending of the position of the items on the belts the condtion is not very precise.
If you increase the number of output the precision will decrease.

This design can be extend to any N to M balancer.
Make each input can reach all output.
Set the output condition be (6*M-1)

This can also be used for single lane balancer (when only one side is load) setting the output condition (3*M-1)

I don't understand factorio logic, but will it really balance belts in case of different consumption? Or will it just stuck totally all the belts?

Whats the advantage over splitter only N to M balancers? They can run at full compression for most scenarios.
https://www.reddit.com/r/factorio/comme ... balancers/

Optera wrote:Whats the advantage over splitter only N to M balancers? They can run at full compression for most scenarios.
https://www.reddit.com/r/factorio/comme ... balancers/

Splitter based N to M balancers tend to get very large if you try to balance n^2+1 outputs. For example 9 to 9 balancer requires a 16 to 16 balancer with 7 of the outputs fed back to the inputs.

jakolasku wrote:

Optera wrote:Whats the advantage over splitter only N to M balancers? They can run at full compression for most scenarios.
https://www.reddit.com/r/factorio/comme ... balancers/

Splitter based N to M balancers tend to get very large if you try to balance n^2+1 outputs. For example 9 to 9 balancer requires a 16 to 16 balancer with 7 of the outputs fed back to the inputs.

True, for n^2+1 or +2 they are really wasteful. But they do offer full compression throughput and work count perfect. In 99% I only needed 4-4, 4-6 or 8-8. All can be made very Space efficient.
Compared to the train stations i have that require a 16-16 balancer they seem rather small

tzwaan wrote:I've created a smart belt balancer, using the new features of the belts. With this, you no longer have to have these giant belt constructions to balance a belt between an odd number of belts for example.

This example balances the resources evenly across 3 belts:



It's still just an early version and there's some kinks. At the moment it will not function properly with a belt thats loaded on both sides, but I'm sure that can be fixed.

I'm sure I'm not the first with this idea, but I wanted to share it anyway.

What are the conditions for the decider and belts on your setup here? I havent seen anything else like it.