Factorio Forums

TLTR:

Belt splitter should have a option to set ratio (may be depending on research or add an advanced splitter).
This may increase the usability of belts a little bit (regarding to last FFF about bots and belts).

Why?

Because it would be awesome ... and make belt supply more fun.
With this it is possible to equally spread input over every number of output belts. Currently it is only possible to equal over a number of belts which is power of two (2,4,8,16 ... ).
See picture ...

How

Add a Rio Button to splitter or add a new splitter type with ratio settings as in picture below.
You should able to enter a number or select a circuit network input signal.

To reduce need of performance such a splitter should stupidly count selected number to left side, and than the same for right side. So a ratio of 1:1 means not the same as 2:2 ... 1:1 would do what a splitter currently do: one item left one item right and 2:2 will put 2 items to the left than 2 items to right and so on.
By rising on of sides of an 1-by-1-splitter to 1000 by circuit network one can prioritize one side for special purposes as long network signal is present.
- unlimited possibilities ...

Ratio settings:

Something similar has already been suggested in the following thread:

viewtopic.php?f=6&t=23616#p148176 Smart Splitter (The Real One)

very similar - right. but much to complicated.
Why should I use constant combinators and NOT-Gates inside of the splitter. Logi work has to be done in logic entities not machines.

Filter settings will be implemented in newest Version (as promised in FFF) and therefor the only thing which is needed to be happy (in my opinion and by now) is a point to set ratio of splitters.

That filters and ratio should be influenced by network is obligatory.

I feel like these building blocks are getting too powerful. Create the network such that each branch goes through exactly the same number of splitters and loop some branches back to the input to create the proper ratios instead.

Caine wrote:I feel like these building blocks are getting too powerful. Create the network such that each branch goes through exactly the same number of splitters and loop some branches back to the input to create the proper ratios instead.

I tried thus mutch but never get it really to work.
As long as all output belts run there is no problem, but when from time to time the wrong output belt backs up, the whole balancer tends to jam up.

TheRaph wrote:tried thus mutch but never get it really to work.
As long as all output belts run there is no problem, but when from time to time the wrong output belt backs up, the whole balancer tends to jam up.

You can use a circuit network to avoid it from backing up.

TheRaph wrote:

Caine wrote:I feel like these building blocks are getting too powerful. Create the network such that each branch goes through exactly the same number of splitters and loop some branches back to the input to create the proper ratios instead.

I tried thus mutch but never get it really to work.
As long as all output belts run there is no problem, but when from time to time the wrong output belt backs up, the whole balancer tends to jam up.

That sound like your balancer isn't doing a good job balancing.

Zavian wrote:

TheRaph wrote:

Caine wrote:I feel like these building blocks are getting too powerful. Create the network such that each branch goes through exactly the same number of splitters and loop some branches back to the input to create the proper ratios instead.

I tried thus mutch but never get it really to work.
As long as all output belts run there is no problem, but when from time to time the wrong output belt backs up, the whole balancer tends to jam up.

That sound like your balancer isn't doing a good job balancing.

Right. I've had copied some of that blueprints with uneven outputs from forum. I've found 3 types. Fist have max throughout in every condition but do not balance well. Second balances mostly well but have throughput problems under some circumstances. Third seems to work well but are to large to git in my factory or to complicated for easy customizing or expansion.

So I never say "it will be impossible" to solve such a problem, and it may be fun to do it once ... but I hit this 3/5/7-belt balancing-thing more than once in my factory so like to have an easier way to handle it.
Someone suggested a expandable splitter (for up to 5 belts) ... but that's too easy for me. - A little challenge is OK but what's too much is too much.