Factorio Forums

I'm sure this has been done before, but i find it useful on occasion ....

In a line of machines it is useful to swap the content of the output belt to the other side to balance the output. using a splitter can shorten the usual method to only two track segments.

place the splitter and ensure the output priority is set to swap the content side.

Setting output priority works fine until the belt backs up, then the other lane gets filled too,
If you want to make sure the second lane stays empty, set a filter on the splitter, or use the classic method.

disentius wrote: ↑

Sun Jun 16, 2019 11:36 am

Setting output priority works fine until the belt backs up, then the other lane gets filled too,
If you want to make sure the second lane stays empty, set a filter on the splitter, or use the classic method.

indeed, but I only use it where space doesn't allow for the classic method.

disentius wrote: ↑

Sun Jun 16, 2019 11:36 am

Setting output priority works fine until the belt backs up, then the other lane gets filled too,
If you want to make sure the second lane stays empty, set a filter on the splitter, or use the classic method.

Yeah instead of output priority I always use a "fish filter" for things like these.

5thHorseman wrote: ↑

Sun Jun 16, 2019 12:29 pm

disentius wrote: ↑

Sun Jun 16, 2019 11:36 am

Setting output priority works fine until the belt backs up, then the other lane gets filled too,
If you want to make sure the second lane stays empty, set a filter on the splitter, or use the classic method.

Yeah instead of output priority I always use a "fish filter" for things like these.

I never thought of doing that.

Will the fish filter stop instead of spilling over over too when the belt overflows?

To be clear ....

When space is limited I use this on the output of furnace arrays. as the first output set of inserters can ONLY place on the far side of the belt, I cannot happen that the belt is 'overloaded' for that case - at most, the belt has the far side fully compressed. the only downside of this method is the additional resources that are required to produce the splitter.

If it gets to the situation where the system is backed-up, there will be furnaces that are unable to place on the belt when using either design.

one item on lane: Multiple items, (fish filter)

I think splitters use more ups than plain sideloading so I'll stick to the classic 3 long lane change from OP.

For really tight spots you can also side load to UG belts:

zOldBulldog wrote: ↑

Sun Jun 16, 2019 1:08 pm

Will the fish filter stop instead of spilling over over too when the belt overflows?

yes, as disentius shows:

disentius wrote: ↑

Sun Jun 16, 2019 1:34 pm

Multiple items, (fish filter)

The nice thing about the fish filter is, you can copy/paste the belts from one setup to another and they just work. No resetting the filter for each item.

Unless you need to sort fish. Then you're on your own

If you're spacelimited only in one direction there's also this, which saves a few splitters.

inserterlaneswap for very tight spots

That is the first underground belt abuse that didnt make me want to tear my hair out. Plus I have that specific issue often.

20 hours in and I finally figured out how to fill both lanes on my own. After seeing the rest of these designs I am in amazement. I could have saved so much time if I had checked the forums.

Deltasig wrote: ↑

Mon Jan 27, 2020 7:16 pm

20 hours in and I finally figured out how to fill both lanes on my own. After seeing the rest of these designs I am in amazement. I could have saved so much time if I had checked the forums.

Yes but it would have been way less satisfying to find the solution and you would be way less amazed from others design.
So you should ask yourself wouldn't it be sad if you had checked the forum before
Wasn't it worth it after all