Factorio Forums

Is there any way to use splitters to separate 1/6 of every item. I'm trying to make it so that I can split my iron to make one steel plate for every iron plate kept.

You can use 3 splitters to do this.
Let's assume input in groups of 8, just for easy splitting math:
1) Split 8 into two belts of 4.
2) Split one belt of 4 into two belts of 2.
3) Split one belt of 2 into two belts of 1.
4) Join in any way you want, the belt of 4 and one of the belts of one and send to smelter.
5) Send the other belt of 1 to iron storage.
6) Loop the belt of 2 back into input.

While you can arrange however you want, if I were to do this and wanted the same output direction as the source output, I would split the belt of 2 that is between the belt of four and other belt of 2, so the belt of 1 joining the belt of 4 is already next to the belt of 4.

Hope this helps.

Edited for typo.

You could use multiple splitters, and then you just need to work out the fractions.

The wiki page on splitters might be helpful: https://forums.factorio.com/wiki/inde ... e=Splitter
There's a gif at the top showing how to split off every 8th.

There are a bunch of other things you can try too. For example, smelting times match up so that a furnace smelting iron makes the exact right amount to supply a furnace smelting steel. So you could have your steel production use it's own separate iron production that will still function efficiently.

Here's a way to split off 1/3, 1/5 and 1/7 of items:


1/6 is easily derived from 1/3 with one additional splitter.

Thanks for the help, didnt think about looping belts

Stick around the forums, there are all kinds of great tips like this to be had!

Another tip for splitting items, when trying to figure out the best way, start with a power of two greater than your total. In this case, you want 6 total, so go up to 8.
Next, in your favorite text editor, write the splits on each line, like this:
4
4

Next, split one of them again:
2
2
4

Next, separate what is needed,
2
--
2
4

Now, you know you need to loop the belt of 2 back to the input. In order to get the desired ratio from the remaining belts, do the same, need more than 4, so split the 2:
2
--
1
1
4

And in this case, finally, combine whats needed:
2
--
1
--
1
4


Hope this methodology helps.