Priority merging?

[A Rare White Stag]

I need input priority on one side of a merger. Are there any tricks or mods that can do this?

The smart splitter and current merger together arent any good since it clogs the machines on the lane you send overflow into if the belt reaches 780

[umop-apisdn]

pepe the krab a écrit :

I need input priority on one side of a merger. Are there any tricks or mods that can do this?

Smart Splitters, unlocked in the Caterium Tree of the MAM.

You can set a lane to "Overflow", thus prioritizing any others.
https://satisfactory.fandom.com/wiki/Smart_Splitter

... wait. What?

pepe the krab a écrit :

The smart splitter and current merger together arent any good since it clogs the machines on the lane you send overflow into if the belt reaches 780

If your overflow can't handle the full output of the belt, it's not a suitable overflow. Add an AWESOME Sink.

[A Rare White Stag]

did you even read my post

[umop-apisdn]

pepe the krab a écrit :

did you even read my post

Aye. Did you read mine?

I'll repeat: If the machines on the overflow line can't actually handle the full output of the belt, then your overflow line is not actually suitable for handling overflow; add an AWESOME Sink to pick up the slack (with another Smart Splitter).

[Wonderwill]

They definitely asked for input priority, not output priority.

[Wonderwill]

Hey umop, there is a mod called Advanced Logistics. It has gifs that look to do what you are asking in the description. Warning it and all other mods may break for a few days with the update today.

[kLuns]

What do you need it for? I haven't found a purpose for priority merging yet. What's wrong with the smart splitter and how do you get more items on one belt than the belt can handle?

[Man's Best Friend]

I can imagine silica recycling for making aluminum would be a good use for a priority merger. Prioritize the silica coming out of the first stage refinement into the forge for the final stage. That way you can attach the lower priority side of the merger to your general silica line for the remainder.

Personally I do similar with the water coming out the second stage back into the first stage since I'm using the sloppy alumina recipe. Though technically what I'm doing is effectively deprioritizing the main water flow with a valve. Same general effect though. The recycle line gets higher priority compared to the general line so it never backs up.

[umop-apisdn]

You're right, I misread; my mistake.

So, now that I have reread the question, you're looking to make sure 1 "feeder" line is always pulled from, with a second line that can back up? You might try feeding the second line into a smart splitter, shunting overflow into a loopback either to the primary line, or back into the secondary line, depending on whether it's acceptable to have the primary line back up at all or if you need continuous feed.

I still stand behind my point that if your line can clog, then it's a poor choice for an "overflow"... and reiterate that you can drop a smart splitter with "overflow" sent to a sink.

If this is an application-specific thing, such as teapot's mention of silica recycling, then perhaps you should look into how others have dealt with the situation, instead of looking for things that don't actually exist?

[A Rare White Stag]

kLuns a écrit :

What do you need it for? I haven't found a purpose for priority merging yet. What's wrong with the smart splitter and how do you get more items on one belt than the belt can handle?

im trying to pack a bunch of emptier belts with variable rates into full belts without output clogging at the machine specifically

[kLuns]

pepe the krab a écrit :

im trying to pack a bunch of emptier belts with variable rates into full belts without output clogging at the machine specifically

What exactly are you trying to do? I don't get it. The only conclusion so far seems too much items on too few belts to me.

[A Rare White Stag]

kLuns a écrit :

pepe the krab a écrit :

im trying to pack a bunch of emptier belts with variable rates into full belts without output clogging at the machine specifically

What exactly are you trying to do? I don't get it. The only conclusion so far seems too much items on too few belts to me.

https://i.imgur.com/cQaTljt.png

in this example i have 4 belts (assume theyre unfilled) that i want to fit into lets say 2.7 mk5 belts. we do this by shifting all the belts downwards using a priority split with smart splitters, until all the belts have a "stairway to the bottom" using the elevators.

but theres one problem. because theres so many items being forced to the bottom, the lowest cargo container/machine can no longer output there, which would cause that machine to clog.

the goal:
i need to simulate a priority merge, so the bottom lane can go all the way through without obstruction, to sucessfully compact the belts with maximum throughput.
so at the end of the system, there should be no excess on the 4th belt, and there should be 0.7 leftover on the 3rd belt, and the belts directly infront of the cargo cointainers/machines should not be stuttering at all.

this is currently not possible, or ive done something wrong here

[A Rare White Stag]

too long? yeah why did i bother explaining

[Salamander]

Priority mergers are kinda janky - basically are a line of like 5 splitters connected to a line of mergers above them (running in the opposite direction) at both sides via elevators.
High priority input is the splitters, low priority input is first merger in the chain (above the last splitter).
Works mostly by repeatedly cutting up the high priority belt and merging it back in repeatedly.
At every merger, there's a 1/3 chance of taking an item from behind it, and a 2/3 chance of taking from the sides (high priority belt) - math gets awkward as you go along, but it's basically just making it more likely to take from the HP belt first enough that it's "mostly" correct.

However it sounds like what you are actually after is a Belt compressor: https://satisfactory.fandom.com/wiki/Balancer#Belt_compressor

Alternatively, you could stick a belt balancer just before your downwards-splitters
However, 4-4 belt balancers are... large

[A Rare White Stag]

yes, a belt compressor

[A Rare White Stag]

any other ideas?