Factorio Forums

So I was looking at my Factory setups and noticed something very consistent, I needed huge numbers of furnaces to the tune of 20-30+ each for both copper and Iron production for even medium-sized automated production.
So I suggest a late(?) game method, I felt it needed to be complicated enough to warrant more flexibility and possibly output.

Step 1: Raw minerals are inserted into a high-capacity blast furnace(possible offering both a fuel-powered and electric version) here the minerals are melted into a molten(liquid) form and outputted into a pipe for forging. Iron->Molten Iron, Copper->Molten Copper, Pig Iron->Molten Steel.
Step 2: Pig Iron: Molten iron and Coal is sent to a Pig iron furnace and Pig Iron is made, ready to be sent back to a blast furnace.
Step 3: Molten metal, water, and electricity is sent to a Forge. Metal is shaped into sized bars at the Forge. Metal bars now ready to use.
Step 3A:(Possible) Liquid metal sent to a assembler or a specialized forge, to be cast directly from liquid metal into a basic item (Wire, gear, ect)

Totals:
New liquids: 3: Molten Iron, Molten Copper, Molten Steel.
New buildings: 3(5): Blast furnace (Possibly 2 types), Pig iron furnace, Forge(Possibly 2 types).
New Items: 1: Pig iron

Higher output is a possibility, but the ability to split up raw material input and output would give you a lot more factory options.
Molten metals directly into basic items would help with the massive gear and wire needs of a large factory, and again more factory options.
It also gives you the ability to decide if you want to conveyor belt in raw materials, or set up a blast furnace and pipe over the molten metal to your factory.

Of course the crux here is if the pipes can handle specific amounts of liquids. It wouldn't work if pipes only say "Yes there is liquid".

sounds like a nice and intuitive upgrade to furnace.

This sounds really nice, we have been considering having molten metals as liquid before.

zergspartan wrote: Of course the crux here is if the pipes can handle specific amounts of liquids. It wouldn't work if pipes only say "Yes there is liquid".

Amount of liquid in pipes is preserved, so it wouldn't be problem.

P.S. I have seen SO MANY good ideas here these days, we will really need to upgrade the mod support to allow other people try their ideas too, as we can't possible do all

Yes, I like the idea of electrical furnaces and requiring fewer furnaces (even if the steps to produce iron are increased).

Basically this would mean fewer furnaces and more factories? I'm not too clear on that part.

That idea have some balance problem... and logical.
Simple example: let's remember some physics in school. When metal is get temperature, it expands, yes? Yes. Second - when it's temperature near to melting point - metal easily oxidising, breakes, etc?...
Hmm... one word - pipe SHOULDN'T use for that. That's not logical... although here laser burst are flying at one meter per second, and change direction, as if creepers is OMFG Black HOLE!11... hm. Anyway, idea good.

You could use buckets of molten metal that are transported on the standard belts. That's a bit more in line with the rest of the game.

But I would be happy with something like an induction furnace so you can power whole sites for making metals on solar and wind.