Merging Different Tier Belts

[Exsilium Games]

Ive noticed an issue with merging different tier belts.

I have 4 furnaces pushing 45 steel per minute.

Furnace 1 (45) is merging with Furnace 2 (45) on T1 belt. (60 each). From the Merge block to the next Merge block is T2 belt (120). With F1/F2/F3 we are now at 135 so we now need a T3 belt to the next Merge block which I have. F4 would add another 45 which puts us at 180 which a T3 covers easily. All the way to the end from that point on I have T3 belts. At the factories I have a T1 pull off from a Splitter but for the sake of figuring this out I left T3 belts between each splitter.

Now, if i go back to F1 and watch the belts going to the first Merge block I notice about a 3 second pause for each stack to go into the Merge block.

If I go to the T3 belt between F3 and F4 I see this same behavior. After it leaves the last merge block there are zero pauses.

All I can figure is there is something wrong with the Merge blocks that introduces unaccounted slowness and im wondering if its from using different belts. ......

Except.... if I upgrade all belts to T3 there is still this 3 second pause between each merge block.

[Huren Ogeko]

That shouldnt be an issue
The machines output all at once per cycle, so its possible that multiple machines will pout put at the same time and it will cause a delay but in the long run nothing should backup. Because in between outputs there is a long period of nothing coming out which will balance it all out.

check your machines and make sure the output stack empties before the next cycle completes. if it does then things are working fine.
if its a real concern you can stagger the cycles of each machine so they are not all outputting at the same time.

To explain a bit more the machines output instantly at the end of the cycle
so even though the machines say they make 45 per second they come out at 60 second because the whole stack instantely appears and will go out as fast as the belt allows.
so when two machines output at the same time they are both sending their stack at 60/min for this wont be continuous..only until the stack has left the machine.

so anyhow if you have a manifold merger row of t3 belts connected to a row of machines outputting 45/min connected with a t1 belt per machine it should work for up to about 6 machines. Even if you see occasional shutters it will all balance out in time. If you have less then 6 machines you will at some point see gaps in the t3 line and reduce the times where the t1 belts will pause waiting to get on the mk3 belt

[Kage Goomba]

What Huren said - don't think this is a bug.

[OwOmaltine]

To summarize the reply above, the issue of ressources being blocked is not a reduction of your flux of ressources (the flux being defined by the number of item being carried by minute), it is a reduction of the speed at which the item will get from your foundry to the next container / contraption, and it's a normal behavior (and it is most likely nothing to be worried about). (lol sorry if I did not understand correctly the issue)

[Kage Goomba]

Originally posted by OwOmaltine:

To summarize the reply above, the issue of ressources being blocked is not a reduction of your flux of ressources (the flux being defined by the number of item being carried by minute), it is a reduction of the speed at which the item will get from your foundry to the next container / contraption, and it's a normal behavior (and it is most likely nothing to be worried about). (lol sorry if I did not understand correctly the issue)

Pretty much - Mergers/Splitters work as fast as you feed them - and they are sequential.
Even if feeding them with multiple belt speeds - manifolds will balance it out at some point.

The issue to be concerned with is whatever is dependent on the product down the line - if that stutters - that means you got something slowing things down.

Only example I can give is I had a situation where I was feeding a Smart Splitter at 240/min and belts outputting at 120/min - the slower belts blocked ports and the Smart Splitter started tossing things into the overflow (ouch).

Granted this is an example in reverse - but the point remains - its doing what you told it to do - Mergers are the same really.

Check machines upstream - make sure you don't have a staggered/stuttering going on.

Also keep in mind Mergers/Splitters have a 5 stack built inside - tends to make things slightly confusing at times.

[Soylent_Boob]

Not everyone is convinced... but i am convinced splitters and mergers are indeed bugged in certain situations.
They will simply not process items in the same speed as the belts feeding into them.

I first noticed in the most basic of setups imaginable: merging 2x 600 ore into 1x1200 belt.... the merger is slowing it down only allowing about 1150p/m to be on the final belt

[Exsilium Games]

we need a mod we can place on a belt that has a readout of parts per minute

[Doc✪Hollywood]

Originally posted by Exsilium Games:

we need a mod we can place on a belt that has a readout of parts per minute

We need it In-Game.

It's okay to call for good things from the devs

[Doc✪Hollywood]

https://steamcommunity.com/app/526870/discussions/0/3084376689318796832/?ctp=79#c601892477917467152

[Exsilium Games]

Originally posted by Gordon✪Gekko:

https://steamcommunity.com/app/526870/discussions/0/3084376689318796832/?ctp=79#c601892477917467152

nice

[Doc✪Hollywood]

Originally posted by Exsilium Games:

Originally posted by Gordon✪Gekko:

https://steamcommunity.com/app/526870/discussions/0/3084376689318796832/?ctp=79#c601892477917467152

nice

Thank you

The best is you double up on their website, there it has the biggest impact:
https://questions.satisfactorygame.com/

[kLuns]

Originally posted by Soylent_Boob:

I first noticed in the most basic of setups imaginable: merging 2x 600 ore into 1x1200 belt.... the merger is slowing it down only allowing about 1150p/m to be on the final belt

I got a diamond machine using 1200 at 100% efficiency with 2 merged 600 lines.
The problems with mk6 are very situational and the problems do not always occur.

[>< V ><]

You're moving 45 on a 60 speed belt.

If your belt has saturated, for whatever reasons, then the belt is pushing 60 items on the belt not 45. This is why you see the slow down. The "extra" product comes from whats backed up in the machines. If you don't like seeing the slowdown, then you have to remove the excess product on the line so it flows at 45 and not at 60.

[Doc✪Hollywood]

Personally I just build all stuff with my highest tier belt. Upgrading old belts when appropriate.

Don't be stingy - think big.