Simple controller to auto add robots to logistic system

[User_Name]

This is my test factory.
Bots move copper to requester chest, working against a team of inserters and a yellow belt.



It needs 6 bots to operate. Not 4, not 5 and not 7.
Exactly 6.

This is controller.



Whenever logistic network is unable to keep up with the load, controller adds new bots to the system.
In my case, whatever happens with bots - if they die, if I catch them in the air or take them from roboport, controller will automatically restore my network to exactly 6 bots, no more, no less.

Bird's-eye view

pic

How does this work?
The idea is very simple.
Two science packs are placed on the belt simultaneously.
Red take a long route.
Green ends up in the provider chest, where it gets picked up by logistic bot and hauled back to the requester chest.
If logistic network is OK, 1 free bot will sit in the nearest roboport, and the green pack will always arrive home first, leading by one second.
But, if there is not enough bots in the system, while the green pack is chilling on the middle belt, the bot will leave this roboport to where it's needed the most, and the red science pack will win the race.

Whenever this happens, green inserter adds one more bot to the network, until demand is satisfied.



The sole purpose of inserter 4 is to cancel inserter/logistic bot stack bonus, and ensure that no more than 1 bot will be added per 1 cycle.


Upd: blueprint is incorrect due to API bug, I deleted it for now

GIF here:
http://imgur.com/a/UoJxo

Update: video, showing auto-insertion of both logistic and construction bots (thanks ssilk) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-YGDgJWnjlk

[User_Name]

If only we could do something like this for construction bots, because they getting killed at the outposts occasionally, and currently there are no solutions for automated resupply without overproducing.

[User_Name]

uber_kerbonaut on reddit suggested to use a sacrificial objects to sense if we need to add more construction bots in the roboport.

One way to do it: laser turret outside the wall. When it gets destroyed, inserters will pass alien artifacts. We time how many of these gets through, and add new construction bots if the turret wasn't replaced quick enough.

This is single sensor block, that can be embedded in existing wall.



Pros:
-very accurate and easy to adjust (step of ±1 second)
Cons:
-sensor is somewhat bulky
-extra turret will be lost for every attack
-small coverage


Another way to do it is to replace conventional double wall with smart wall



or smart double wall



Smart wall senses when it is breached (steam engine that the pipe is connected to stop producing power)

Pros:
-easy to set up around existing wall
-100% perimeter coverage
-replacing destroyed parts is cheap
Cons:
-huge latency due to amounts of water stored in long pipe
-latency is unpredictable - pipe can be breached near steam engine, or very far from it
-consumes fuel in standby mode
-needs water source nearby (unless you can afford running steam engine on crude oil)

[ssilk]

Hehe. This is a quite interesting thread. I hope the reason why it is used will be obsolete in the v0.12.

I like the idea behind both. They are so "thought around the edge".

For the second with the laser turret:

There was a known bug, that poles, standing very near at diagonal track get destroyed, if the train comes by.
https://forums.factorio.com/forum/vie ... f=7&t=2749

The thread ends with "can be used as a on/off switch". I never found a good reason to use this, but, now for testing, if enough construction bots are available, this might be useful. Place a small train loop, with some diagonal tracks, place a laser turret instead of the pole an then build the rest as seen above.

Maybe more solutions are possible (using poles, which powers an inserter would be cheaper for example, but requires to negate the logic). But it would be the first time, this "bug" was used.

[User_Name]

There was a known bug, that poles, standing very near at diagonal track get destroyed, if the train comes by.

Yes, it works, thank you! Much easier and precise way to test for construction bots.


We can set up track and 4 poles far from roboport and make train destroy them every 15 minutes.
Then we time how much seconds it takes to replace all 4, and if there are any delays, it means that we have less than 4 construction bots in the network.

The maximum waiting time on the station is capped at 200 seconds, but...


Very easy to set up, precise, scalable, cheap operational costs. Awesome.

[User_Name]

I made a video

Adding both construction and logistic bots when needed
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-YGDgJWnjlk

[User_Name]

See comment by manghoti on reddit for compact & beltless variant for logistic bots.