Factorio 0.9.1 Optimization Guide

[Marqee]

I'm trying to create some slide to help new player to build the "Perfect Factory"
If any have suggestion to better layouts can post them here.
Hope this help some newby player
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This guide aims to provide some basic indications, and it is not for certain applicable in each condition of the game.
All Layouts in this Guide are not absolutely valid cause all depends of raw material spot size, position , presence of tree, lakes and many more factors.
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Any slide has it's own code XX-YY-K. It is intended in this way :
XX is intended as the argument of the slide
YY is the layout type
K = is the optimization trick/variation

Example1: Slide 01-01 Means , we are speaking of argument 01 , with layout 01 with no optimization tricks or variations
Example2: Slide 01-01 and Slide 01-02 speak about the same argument , but with different layout.
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Argument INDEX :

01- Transport Belts
02- Coming Soon
03- Coming Soon
..
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01- Transport Belts:
The Aim Of this Initial Part is to find the best configuration to CAP the transport Belt Max Flow Output.
Starting from basic pieces and research tecnology and growing up with them as they evolve in the gameplay.


Basic Layout mining rig.

Keeping the same number of mining drills the layout can be optimized to gain some extra production.

With a little trick the Layout 01 can be boosted , giving the possibility to add some more Mining Drills and boost up Production Rate

The trick works also on the Layout 02 , so more drills are needed too. With this set, we are almost at the CAP of the Transport Belt (The Yellow One).
It is time to switch to Fast-Transport-Belt ( The Red One )


completely replacing the yellow transport belt with the red one the production increses a lot.

And again with a piece of Express-Trasport-Belt ( Blue One ) in the output intersection you can gain some more production throughput.
Production Grows but the Energeticy Efficency Lowers. That will be fixed with Modules Later.
Lets See What Happens Moving all the line to Express-Transport-Belt.

As I supposed the Ore spots Are not enough to fill the Blue Belt throughput ( 1775 items/min )

[BurnHard]

corrected "energetic efficiency per piece produced": 1620 [kilowatt] / (520 [pieces/minute] : 60 [seconds per minute]) = 1620 : 8,66666 = 187 kilojoule per piece produced
If you want the energy value in [kWh] (not kW or kW/h) it is 187 : 3600 = 0,052 kWh or 52 Wh. But kiloJoule [kW*s] will be more handy because always used ingame in accus etc.

You can calculate it backwards: One miner uses 90 kW, needs 2 seconds for producing one ore (when mining speed of 0.5 is correct and aquivalent to to assembler): 90kW*2s= 180 kJ



Build one tile of fast belt (the red one) at the merging point and you will be able to pack the things on the following belt a little more dense. (and thus gaining a little higher throughput)

[Marqee]

corrected "energetic efficiency per piece produced": 1620 [kilowatt] / (520 [pieces/minute] : 60 [seconds per minute]) = 1620 : 8,66666 = 187 kilojoule per piece produced
If you want the energy value in [kWh] (not kW or kW/h) it is 187 : 3600 = 0,052 kWh or 52 Wh. But kiloJoule [kW*s] will be more handy because always used ingame in accus etc.

You can calculate it backwards: One miner uses 90 kW, needs 2 seconds for producing one ore (when mining speed of 0.5 is correct and aquivalent to to assembler): 90kW*2s= 180 kJ

not going to make all calculation to set the right "international system of units of measurement".
i kown it is not right but it is only indicative to help players
i do not think while playing , people are going to check power output ( Km * m^2) / (s^3) = J/s
and then calculate how much is the energy (J) needed for 1 piece....
fast controll check watt/piece is not a I.S measure but i call it "Power Efficency"
=)

Build one tile of fast belt (the red one) at the merging point and you will be able to pack the things on the following belt a little more dense. (and thus gaining a little higher throughput)

They are at cap anyway =)
if you have a better layout post some screens pls

[BurnHard]

No offence meant, this thread is a good idea, so this will be my last post regarding units here Calculating the power efficiency in kW per piece produced is just mixing up units and is just something like saying "my cars engine uses up two horsepower for each kilometer driven". If you really want to keep your calculated value 3.11 the approiate unit is (kW*minute) / piece, because thats what you multiplying/dividing

[Marqee]

No offence meant, this thread is a good idea, so this will be my last post regarding units here Calculating the power efficiency in kW per piece produced is just mixing up units and is just something like saying "my cars engine uses up two horsepower for each kilometer driven". If you really want to keep your calculated value 3.11 the approiate unit is (kW*minute) / piece, because thats what you multiplying/dividing

Fixed. So now we are all happy

[BurnHard]

Build one tile of fast belt (the red one) at the merging point and you will be able to pack the things on the following belt a little more dense. (and thus gaining a little higher throughput)

They are at cap anyway =)
if you have a better layout post some screens pls

I beg the differ Please look at the following pictures and try for yourself, it really boosts the throughput.
I have build your arrangement: the one suggested red belt tile makes place on the normal yellow belt for capacity for 5 to 6 aditional miners. 23-24 in total each (straight) yellow belt line (with red ones in the turns)

Even in the last picture (with 22 miners) there is space for more on the yellow belt.

Screenshot 2014-02-25 19.44.52.jpg (234.79 KiB) Viewed 15437 times

Screenshot 2014-02-25 19.45.18.jpg (227.1 KiB) Viewed 15437 times

Screenshot 2014-02-25 19.45.49.jpg (249.35 KiB) Viewed 15437 times

[Marqee]

Tnx , i used it too , but before i want to make the "basic" constructions set with low lvl materials and low number of science research and later focusing on upgrades/improvements.
i'll post images with this tricks as soon as i finish the yellow belt tutorial, right before the start of red belt one. ( same trick applies with all red belt and a piece of blue, of course )

Any other sugestions are welcome , and i'll put in a slide at the right cronological moment.

[ssilk]

Pfff... first modules, then faster belts

[Marqee]

Pfff... first modules, then faster belts

maybe you have not understood teh purpose of thi thread

[Marqee]

...

Even in the last picture (with 22 miners) there is space for more on the yellow belt.

...

That is because the miners interfere each others. you have to leave one grid space ( better 2 ) to optimize their output on belt.

[BurnHard]

That is because the miners interfere each others. you have to leave one grid space ( better 2 ) to optimize their output on belt.

all of the 22 miners are working 100% of the time, the ingame measured output is 640items/sec

[ssilk]

Pfff... first modules, then faster belts

maybe you have not understood teh purpose of thi thread

Optimization:
- needed time
- needed energy
- number of miners
- number of belts
- number of poles
- throughput
- needed space
- keeping the trees
- optimized for solar-panels
- ...

Depending on your target you come to completely different results...


@BurnHard: I mean it should be possible to reach about 700 items/min with a single belt.

[BurnHard]

@BurnHard: I mean it should be possible to reach about 700 items/min with a single belt.

Yes somewhere in that region, thanks for your measurements. I wanted to point out that the whole thoughput can be increased by 10-20% of the stated "single belt max flow" 520 items/minute by just compressing the items with one single red belt (which I see as a quite big optimization way log before we are able to produce modules) And as I see things, if you are not able to produce red belts, you are way to early in the game to be able to utilize more than 500 items/minute anyways.

But I keep waiting for more pictures from OP and his ideas

[ssilk]

Well in that state I often use just double belts ( https://forums.factorio.com/wiki/inde ... uble_Belts ) . They are so cheap and from view of thruput nothing can be compared with them.

[Marqee]

Optimization:
- needed time
- needed energy
- number of miners
- number of belts
- number of poles
- throughput
- needed space
- keeping the trees
- optimized for solar-panels
- ...

Depending on your target you come to completely different results...


@BurnHard: I mean it should be possible to reach about 700 items/min with a single belt.

i know. and also depending of game start setting , the dimension of rought material source, the location etc etc.
But i'm doing some slides to help the people that are starting the game , or have played only few hours.
i know that every game start is different. I'm only giving some "generic" tips, that in some cases could not be implemented.
for example if the ore source is not big enough and can handle only 6-8 mining. there is no way to get 700 items/min and the belt will never reach the cap.
And the purpose is to give some "basic" info. We all know that the possibilities with the variety of conditions are nearly infinite.

[elkar]

Well in that state I often use just double belts ( https://forums.factorio.com/wiki/inde ... uble_Belts ) . They are so cheap and from view of thruput nothing can be compared with them.

Well if I'm using express belts (blue ones) then it doesnt really help does it?

[ssilk]

See URL:

Two Basic Belts are cheaper than one Fast:

Total cost of two Basic transport belt: 6 iron plates.
Total cost of one Fast transport belt: 11.5 iron plates.

And for express belts we are at 31.5! I But they are only 2.5 times faster then basic.
"What" you would say. "They are 3 times faster!"
"No" I said. "See this!"
And I showed you some link. https://forums.factorio.com/wiki/inde ... ed_Results
I use express belts only in some rare situations - as less as possible, because they are so expensive.

[rlerner]

I had suggested an item counter that sits on belts and simply retains the quantity of items that have passed beneath it, without interfering with the flow.

That would be a fantastic help for optimizing the factory in this way... Hopefully we can see it one day, it would be a lot of fun to play with.

[elkar]

See URL:

Two Basic Belts are cheaper than one Fast:

Total cost of two Basic transport belt: 6 iron plates.
Total cost of one Fast transport belt: 11.5 iron plates.

And for express belts we are at 31.5! I But they are only 2.5 times faster then basic.
"What" you would say. "They are 3 times faster!"
"No" I said. "See this!"
And I showed you some link. https://forums.factorio.com/wiki/inde ... ed_Results
I use express belts only in some rare situations - as less as possible, because they are so expensive.

Interesting. But messured or not, blue one is still fastest evenso its expensive. There are times towards endgame where you just need those. Or me in this case because i totally hate robots in this game so im not using em.

[rlerner]

I prefer to mass-produce ultra belts. I dump them into provider chests (fill them up) and have the player logistic chests on my person.

I find it a great way to use up a ton of gears (and plates), while providing a truly useful function.

Almost wish they were more expensive.