Set a fixed output

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Labor3
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Set a fixed output

Post by Labor3 »

Hello,

i have a problem with the circuit system, its too complicated for me =(

Sometimes some of my science factories have a overproduction.

I want to set a fixed belt output per minute but dont know how.

For example:
I produce 102 red, 105 green, 100 yellow, etc. each per minute.
The splitter should mix and limit them together.
All six output belts on the right behind the splitter should transport 100 science each per minute (600 all together).

Is this possible? Anyone knows how?
I would be very thankful for your help!
=)
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darkfrei
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Re: Set a fixed output

Post by darkfrei »

One yellow belt with two lines has throughput 13.(3) items/sec or 800 items/min. Just add two ballast items and your belt will be full. Ballast items goes back and your 600 items/min are going to science lab.

Aeternus
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Re: Set a fixed output

Post by Aeternus »

Given that science consumption down the line is done in equal ratios, you only need to filter one of the research streams to throttle the whole thing. So simply throttle red as you usuall overproduce on that anyway, basic as it is.

You want 100 science per minute. You will need:
- A box to load produced research into (a buffer of at least 100 capacity).
- A timer.
- A counter.

Set a blue inserter to move a single item out of the box (override stack size 1). Connect it to the counter in pulse mode, and read the counter, disable the inserter when the count is greater then 99 (it starts at 0, so once the counter reaches 100, 100 items are moved).
Set the timer to run continuously, and reset both the counter and timer when it reaches 3599 (3600 ticks per minute).

This will also help deal with fluctuating production as there's some minor buffering. You can find examples of a Counter and Timer on the Factorio wiki - tinkering with those and putting them together is half the fun :)

Labor3
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Re: Set a fixed output

Post by Labor3 »

Thats too complicated for me. My brain hurts everytime i try to figure out other peoples systems. thats why i usually avoid building circuits. so its no fun for me =/
And i dont want boxes or inserterts, since i wanna use it on a 1k science per minute base. only belts, splitter, and the circuit stuff.
but so far nothing i try works.

Zavian
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Re: Set a fixed output

Post by Zavian »

The simplest solution is to just limit the number of labs you have. If your science produces faster than the labs can use it, the belts of flasks will back up, at which point flask production production will slow to match what your labs are consuming.

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Re: Set a fixed output

Post by Aeternus »

Doesnt work - the infinite sciences increase in required research with each iteration, but keep the same time, so your labs will automagically speed up their consumption a little each time. Throttling needs to be done at at least one of the inputs.

I'll see if I can make such a counter/timer work. Need a similar mechanic anyway for throttling rocket launches. 10 per minute exactly will mean 10k white science per minute exactly.

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Re: Set a fixed output

Post by Jap2.0 »

Aeternus wrote:Doesnt work - the infinite sciences increase in required research with each iteration, but keep the same time, so your labs will automagically speed up their consumption a little each time.
Are you sure? Time is per research cycle.
There are 10 types of people: those who get this joke and those who don't.

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darkfrei
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Re: Set a fixed output

Post by darkfrei »

Simplest solution:
2018-05-16 21_43_48-Factorio 0.16.43.png
2018-05-16 21_43_48-Factorio 0.16.43.png (381.94 KiB) Viewed 4267 times
2018-05-16 21_07_24-Factorio 0.16.43.png
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2018-05-16 21_49_09-Factorio 0.16.43.png
2018-05-16 21_49_09-Factorio 0.16.43.png (297.19 KiB) Viewed 4265 times
blueprint
Last edited by darkfrei on Wed May 16, 2018 8:01 pm, edited 4 times in total.

Zavian
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Re: Set a fixed output

Post by Zavian »

Aeternus wrote:Doesnt work - the infinite sciences increase in required research with each iteration, but keep the same time, so your labs will automagically speed up their consumption a little each time. Throttling needs to be done at at least one of the inputs.

I'll see if I can make such a counter/timer work. Need a similar mechanic anyway for throttling rocket launches. 10 per minute exactly will mean 10k white science per minute exactly.
I think you are misunderstanding how research times work. For a 60 second research, each lab will consume one set of flasks approximately every 17 seconds (assuming max lab research speed, but no modules or beacons). Total time to research the technology will increase with the increasing cost of the technology, but if you keep the same number of labs, then flasks consumed per minute will remain the same.

Edit: But regardless, there is another way to achieve the same result. Work out how many packs you want to consume every minute, and only build enough science assemblers to make that many packs per minute. Technically you only need to actually limit one of the science flasks this way, and just let the belts for the other flasks back up, but typically I only ever build enough assemblers to produce my target number of flasks.

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Re: Set a fixed output

Post by Dune »

I think there are many great solutions here. But, if you need help with counting, I created a video explaining counting with circuits just a few days ago. Here: https://youtu.be/hq0lFBYUhTQ
Image

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Re: Set a fixed output

Post by Aeternus »

Darkfrei... that's an elegant solution - as long as the supply doesn't stutter, that's perfect. Much better UPS wise then a counter. I might need to pilfer that design :)
Just one question. What happens if Black research isn't being used? Scoop those off of the end and recirculate?

And Zavian: Thanks for clearing that up. It did look a bit odd to me. So 60s is the "consumption" time of the labs at crafting speed 1, if the recipe states it has that time.
Last edited by Aeternus on Wed May 16, 2018 9:46 pm, edited 2 times in total.

Labor3
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Re: Set a fixed output

Post by Labor3 »

Hello everyone, thanks a lot for your input and help.

With your help i understood what to look for.


I found Ansons blueprint and used it... then i had to edit it a bit
the solution took me a while but now it works as planned. it also fixed a problem, i didnt think of before...
The solution with this counter/timer was: doubling the display side (maybe it works without it, too? but its a nice bonus to see the numbers) connecting it together AND setting the beltthing on enable/disable too. then i only had to choose the item and < 1001.
Now all belts let 1000 science packs through every minute.

viewtopic.php?p=288603#p288603
by Anson » Tue Jun 13, 2017 8:46 am
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darkfrei
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Re: Set a fixed output

Post by darkfrei »

Aeternus wrote:Darkfrei... that's an elegant solution - as long as the supply doesn't stutter, that's perfect. Much better UPS wise then a counter. I might need to pilfer that design :)
Just one question. What happens if Black research isn't being used? Scoop those off of the end and recirculate?
Yes, if the science pack wasn't needed, it goes back and has higher priority than packs from production line.

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