Automation Designs & Ideas

Simple how-to guide showing designs on how to automate parts of your base

INTRO

This guide is just designs for different stages in the game that you can copy, tweak to how you want it and give you ideas on how to automate.
The automation in the game is open-ended so there can be many designs, you are free to build how you like it.

This guide is aiming for minimalist design and efficiency, but also trying to reuse platform and item blueprints to reduce the need to research new items.

Through the use of Auto Arms as well as utilising transfer mechanics on same platforms, with some uses of the Sensor types and Button types, this helps create automation throughout your base be it small or large designs.

SIMPLE DESIGNS

- Combine / Transfer Resources

Combine same gas:

0 U/S Power required for automation

Combine soil:

0 U/S Power required for automation

Transfer to / from Medium Storage types EXAMPLE:

0 U/S Power required for automation


Transfer to / from Large Resource Canister:

0 U/S Power required for automation

Large Resource Canister to Large Resource Canister:

0 U/S Power required for automation

How it works:

Resources can transfer between storage types and canisters as long as they are on the same platform.
One storage type must be set to DISABLE OUTPUT and the other set to ENABLE OUTPUT (types like Medium Storage have no settings).

Pieces Required:

Combine same gas:

2x Medium Gas Canisters + Large Platform A

Combine soil:

2x Medium Fluid & Soil Canisters (with a Small Canister) + Large Platform A

Transfer to Medium Storage types EXAMPLE:

At least 1 Medium Resource Canister + additional Medium Resource Canister or Medium Storage type + Large Platform A


Transfer to / from Large Resource Canister:

Medium Resource Canisters or Medium Storages + Large Resource Canister + Large Platform B

Large Resource Canister to Large Resource Canister:

2x Large Resource Canisters + Extra Large Platform A

Notes:

- Make sure one canister is set to DISABLE OUTPUT and the other set to ENABLE OUTPUT.
- Transfer of resources can be used with any storage types (including ones like Large Storage Silo A) with the requirement that they are all on the same platform and outputs on canister/s are set accordingly.

- Generators & Batteries

THE FOLLOWING IS AN EXAMPLE, JUST TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA HOW TO SET IT UP

0 U/S Power required for automation

How it works:

*Having separated the Generators and Batteries onto their own platforms, it just makes it easier to add more without mixing the two types but your setup can be to your liking*

The Medium Resource Canister auto feeds (so does the platform if the resource is on a storage slot) the resource the Generators require once the current resource is consumed.
To stop the Generators from ALWAYS running when not needed, the Battery Sensor is used and set to Mode: Charged or Empty.
The Battery Sensor is attached to the platform itself so it monitors ALL Batteries on the platform.

This acts as a toggle that:
- If ALL Batteries on the platform are EMPTY, it sends a signal to the Generator platform turning ALL the Generators ON.
- If ALL Batteries on the platform are FULL, it sends a signal to the Generator platform turning ALL the Generators OFF and waits for ALL Batteries to be EMPTY again.

Pieces Required (for example):

Medium Resource Canister + (Medium Generators and / or Small Generators) + (Medium Batteries and /or Small Batteries) + Medium Storage (for stacking Small Batteries) + 2x Large Platform B + Battery Sensor

Notes:

- Medium Resource Canister set to ENABLE OUTPUT.
- Battery Sensor set to Mode: Charged or Empty.
- Can use the segments on a Battery Sensor to connect to other generator platforms.
- All Generators set to OFF when Battery Sensor is "waiting for batteries to fully drain".
- All Generators set to ON when Battery Sensor is "waiting for batteries to fully charge".

- Research Chamber

Medium Version:

0 U/S Power required for automation
Total Operating Power: 2 U/S

Large Version:

0 U/S Power required for automation
Total Operating Power: 2 U/S

How it works:

The Research Chamber automatically loads anything on the same platform to start researching. Once the current item has finished and becomes empty, it will load another item.
This repeats until there are no more items on the platform.

Pieces Required:

Medium:

Research Chamber + Large Platform B

Large:

Research Chamber + Extra Large Platform C

Notes:

- Research Chamber needs to be started for the first time, to make it always researching.
- Any items placed on the platform automatically loads into the Research Chamber if it is empty.
- Anything not researchable will lock up the Research Chamber.

- Medium version: Can store 2 medium sized research items.
- Large Version: Having 1x Research Chamber gives you storage for 6 medium sized research items.
Having 2x Research Chambers leaves you to store 4 medium sized research items.

- Smelting Furnace

Unpowered version:

0 U/S Power required for automation
Total Operating Power: 5 U/S

Powered version:

2 U/S Power required for automation
(2x Auto Arm)
Total Operating Power: 7 U/S

How it works:

Unpowered:
The Smelting Furnace will grab any smeltable resources near it and process them.
Once the refined resource is done, it will place itself onto a available slot or load itself into the Medium Resource Canister (if set to DISABLE OUTPUT and same resource type) and the Smelting Furnace will grab a new resource to smelt.
It will keep smelting until there are no more smeltable resources.

Powered:
The feeding Auto Arm grabs the resource from the platform (either loose on the platform, Medium Storage or Medium Resource Canister) and places it into the Smelting Furnace. It grabs the next resource and keeps loading the Smelting Furnace till its slots are full.
The second Auto Arm takes the refined resource and places it onto the Medium Storages (or Medium Resource Canisters if set up one type of resource) behind itself. This action causes the Smelting Furnace to start refining the next resource.

Pieces Required:

Unpowered:

(Medium Resource Canisters or Medium Storages) + Smelting Furnace + Large Platform B

Powered:

(Medium Resource Canisters or Medium Storages) + 2x Auto Arm + Smelting Furnace + Additional (Medium Resource Canisters or Medium Storages) + 3x Large Platform A + 2x Medium Platform A

Notes:

- Make sure the Medium Resource Canisters are set to ENABLE OUTPUT.
- Auto Arms have no set resource so they grab anything.
- Auto Arms have the GREEN circle on the area to pick up items and the BLUE circle where you want it to drop off items.
- No unrefinable resource is placed as this will lock up the feeding Auto Arm (since it will be an invalid resource to smelt).

- Unpowered version requires at least 4 small storage slot free if Smelting Furnace is already full.
- Powered version requires manual collection (or swapping out the Medium Resource Canisters or Medium Storages).
(Could use Storage Sensors to activate Auto Arms when required).
Can be upgraded later to automate refined resources into Medium Resource Canisters.

- Soil Centrifuge

0 U/S Power required for automation
Total Operating Power: 6 U/S

How it works:

The Small Canister fills with soil from the Medium Fluid & Soil Canister, then loads itself onto the Soil Centrifuge and empties the soil. The Small Canister reattaches to the Medium Fluid & Soil Canister and repeats the process.
Once the Soil Centrifuge has enough soil, it will start production.
After the Soil Centrifuge produces the resources you selected, they are loaded one by one into the Medium Resource Canister. Once the Soil Centrifuge is empty, the entire process starts again (until out of soil or Medium Resource Canister is full).

Pieces Required:

Medium Fluid & Soil Canister (with Small Canister) + Soil Centrifuge + Medium Resource Canister + Large Platform B

Notes:

- ENABLE OUTPUT on Medium Fluid & Soil Canister.
- Soil Centrifuge set to always produce resources.
- DISABLE OUTPUT on Medium Resource Canister.

- Atmospheric Condenser

0 U/S Power required for automation
Total Operating Power: 20 U/S

How it works:

Once the Atmospheric Condenser produces a full canister of gas, it will load the gas canister onto the Medium Storages or Medium Gas Canisters (depending on the setup) and then start to produce the next full gas canister.
The whole process continues until there is no more room to unload the gas canister.

Pieces Required:

(Medium Storages or Medium Gas Canisters) + Atmospheric Condenser + Large Platform B

Notes:

- Make sure Medium Gas Canisters are set to DISABLE OUTPUT.
- Atmospheric Condenser set to always produce.

- Chemistry Lab

0 U/S Power required for automation
Total Operating Power: 10 U/S

How it works:

Any resources required to make Composite Resources in the Chemistry Lab is automatically loaded (including gases).
This setup can be used to craft multiples of the same type, with the Composite Resource automatically placed onto a Medium Storage while it starts to produce the next one.

Pieces Required:

2x Medium Storages + Chemistry Lab + Large Platform B

Notes:

- Chemistry Lab needs to be set to always produce if crafting multiples of the same type and the resources required placed onto the Medium Storages.

- Large Rover Digger

1 U/S Power required for movement only
3 U/S Power required for moving and digging

How it works:

The RTG produces 4 U/S Power which is enough to power the Large Rover even when moving and digging.
When activated, both the Drill Strength and Paver work at the same time.
Activation keys:
PC: C or V,
XBOX: LB or RB,
PS4: L1 or R1,
SWITCH: L or R

The Drill Strength digs soil by creating a tunnel in front of the Large Rover and any soil dug is stored by the Medium Fluid & Soil Canister.
The Paver creates a road underneath the vehicle and requires soil to fill in any holes and even builds bridges over gaps, so the chance of falling into a void is not likely (unless there is no soil stored).

Pieces Required:

RTG + Rover Seat + Medium Fluid & Soil Canister + Drill Strength 1/2/3 + Paver + Large Rover

Notes:

- Make sure Medium Fluid & Soil Canister is set to DISABLE OUTPUT.
- Additional Medium Fluid & Soil Canister can be placed.
- Can swap out the Rover Seat for the Large Rover Seat.
- RTG is the ideal power source as it constantly produces power. Can use 3x Small Wind Turbines or even 1 Medium Wind Turbine to power it but be mindful of the Large Rover's battery level.

- Easy way to fill up Medium Fluid & Soil Canisters to be used in the Soil Centrifuge (can remove or place Paver somewhere else).
- Easy way to get to the planet's core when using Drill Strength 3.
- Can attach more Large Rovers and make something like a Mobile (Large Rover) Researcher or Mobile (Large Rover) Scraper, or just to hold storages for resources when digging.

- Auto Extractor

Single Medium Resource Canister:

8 U/S Power required for automation
(2x RTGs)

Double Medium Resource Canisters:

9 U/S Power required for automation
(2x RTGs + Auto Arm)

How it works:

Once the Auto Extractor harvests a resource, it is automatically stored into the Medium Resource Canister that sits on top. This process repeats until either the Medium Resource Canister is full or the resource deposit it sits on is empty (or out of range of remaining deposits).

For the Double Medium Resource Canisters setup, the process is the same except once the Medium Resource Canister sitting on top of the Auto Extractor is full, the Auto Arm picks up the resource and places into the second Medium Resource Canister that sits on the platform.

Pieces Required:

Single Medium Resource Canister:

Auto Extractor + Medium Resource Canister + 2x RTGs + Large Platform A

Double Medium Resource Canisters:

Auto Extractor + 2x Medium Resource Canisters + Auto Arm + 2x RTGs + Large Platform B

Notes:

- Make sure Medium Resource Canister/s are set to DISABLE OUTPUT.
- Make sure the Auto Extractor is turned ON.
- The Double Medium Resource Canisters design is short 1 U/S Power to operate always at 100%, you could add a QT-RTG (with platform), Small Solar or Small Wind Turbine if it bothers you.

ADVANCED DESIGNS

- Soil Centrifuge to Scrap setup

Small Version:

1 U/S Power required for automation
(1x Auto Arm)
Total Operating Power: 14.5 U/S

Medium Version:

1 U/S Power required for automation
(1x Auto Arm)
Total Operating Power: 14.5 U/S

Large Version:

1 U/S Power required for automation
(1x Auto Arm)
Total Operating Power: 14.5 U/S

How it works:

The Small Canister fills with soil from the Medium Fluid & Soil Canister, then loads itself onto the Soil Centrifuge and empties the soil. The Small Canister reattaches to the Medium Fluid & Soil Canister and repeats the process.
Once the Soil Centrifuge has enough soil, it will start production.
After the Soil Centrifuge produces Resin, they are automatically loaded onto the Small Printer which will produce Small Canisters.
The Auto Arm picks up the Small Canisters and loads them into the Large Shredder.
Once a Scrap resource is created, it automatically loads into the Medium Resource Canister/s / Large Resource Canister.

Pieces Required:

Small Version:

Medium Fluid & Soil Canister (with Small Canister) + Soil Centrifuge + Small Printer + Auto Arm (with Small Canister) + Large Shredder + Medium Resource Canister + 2x Large Platform B

Medium Version:

Medium Fluid & Soil Canister (with Small Canister) + Soil Centrifuge + Small Printer + Auto Arm (with Small Canister) + Large Shredder + 2x Medium Resource Canister + 2x Large Platform B + Medium Platform A

Large Version:

Medium Fluid & Soil Canister (with Small Canister) + Soil Centrifuge + Small Printer + Auto Arm (with Small Canister) + Large Shredder + Large Resource Canister + Large Platform B + Medium Platform A + Extra Large Platform A

Notes:

- ENABLE OUTPUT on Medium Fluid & Soil Canister.
- Soil Centrifuge set to always produce Resin.
- Small Printer set to always produce Small Canisters.
- Auto Arm to ONLY grab Small Canisters.
- Auto Arms have the GREEN circle on the area to pick up items and the BLUE circle where you want it to drop off items.
- DISABLE OUTPUT on Medium Resource Canister/s / Large Resource Canister.

- Each Small Canister gives 0.25 Scrap, a full Soil Centrifuge produces 2 Scrap (8 Resin / 8 Small Canisters).

- Soil Centrifuge to Research Chamber

0 U/S Power required for automation
Total Operating Power: 8 U/S

How it works:

The Small Canister fills with soil from the Medium Fluid & Soil Canister, then loads itself onto the Soil Centrifuge and empties the soil. The Small Canister reattaches to the Medium Fluid & Soil Canister and repeats the process.
Once the Soil Centrifuge has enough soil, it will start production.
After the Soil Centrifuge produces Clay, they are loaded into the Research Chamber one by one, slowly producing Bytes.

Pieces Required:

Soil Centrifuge + Medium Fluid & Soil Canister (with Small Canister) + Research Chamber + Extra Large Curved Platform

Notes:

Byte values every 5 minutes (total bytes per production):
Resin, Compound, Organic: 50 (x8 units = 400)
Clay: 75 (x6 units = 450) <- Best value
Quartz: 75 (x4 units = 300)
Graphite: 75 (x2 units = 150)
Ammonium: 75 (x1 unit)

Best hourly rate: up to 900 bytes (Clay)

- Research Chamber needs to be started for the first time, to make it always researching.
- Any items placed on the platform automatically loads into the Research Chamber if it is empty.
- Anything not researchable will lock up the Research Chamber.

- Mobile (Large Rover) Researcher

1 U/S Power required for movement only
3 U/S Power required for moving and digging
+ 2 U/S Power for an active Research Chamber

How it works:

Already having something like the Large Rover Digger to drive around, you can easily attach the Large Rover when needed and easily detach without having to rearrange anything, making it interchangeable.
Manual loading of research items is required, but any research items is automatically loaded (on the same Rover) once a research item has completed.
Having 2x RTGs produces 8 U/S (4 U/S each) means you can drive around while the Research Chamber is working.

Pieces Required:

Large Rover Digger

RTG (1 of 2) + Rover Seat + Medium Fluid & Soil Canister + Drill Strength 1/2/3 + Paver + Large Rover (1 of 2)

Large Rover Researcher

Research Chamber + RTG (1 of 2) + Large Rover (1 of 2)

Notes:

- Can leave spaces on a Large Rover to load medium (or smaller) research items to be researched later, while the Research Chamber is working and wish to drive to another location.
- Can have another Research Chamber but you will lose 2 storage slots to store medium research items (still can store 2 overall).
Alternatively, you can have another Large Rover with the Research Chamber on it and have more storage slots (no need for another RTG since power requirements are still met).
- Manual loading of research items is required.

- Mobile (Large Rover) Scraper

1 U/S Power required for movement only
3 U/S Power required for moving and digging
+ 10 U/S Power for an active Extra Large Shredder

How it works:

Already having something like the Large Rover Digger to drive around, you can easily attach the two Rovers when needed and easily detach without having to rearrange anything, making it interchangeable.
Manual loading of debris is required, but any Scrap produced is automatically loaded into any canisters onboard and empty spaces.
Having 3x RTGs produces 12 U/S (4 U/S each) means you can drive around while the Extra Large Shredder is working.

Pieces Required:

Large Rover Digger

RTG (1 of 3) + Rover Seat + Medium Fluid & Soil Canister + Drill Strength 1/2/3 + Paver + Large Rover (1 of 3)

Scrapping Large Rovers

(Large Resource Canisters or Medium Resource Canisters) + Extra Large Shredder + 2x RTGs (2 of 3) + 2x Large Rovers (2 of 3)

Notes:

- Make sure canisters are set to DISABLE OUTPUT.
- Can have a Large Shredder to start with.
- Can leave spaces on a Large Rover to load medium (or smaller) debris to be scrapped later, whilst the Shredder is working and wish to drive to another location.
Alternatively, you can have a Large Storage Silo A (8 Medium storage slots) or even a Large Storage Silo B (12 Medium storage slots) to store even more medium (or smaller) debris.
- Manual loading of debris is required.

- Galastropod Food (Seeds) Farm

1 U/S Power required for automation
(Auto Arm)
Total Operating Power: 1 U/S

How it works:

The first Proximity Repeater is initially manually triggered to create an endless loop that triggers the Delay Repeater nearby. This sends a signal to another Delay Repeater to then the Count Repeater that sits on top of it.
Once the Count Repeater hits the count of 2, it sends a signal to the Proximity Repeater in the hole that (depending on the status of the plants) either:
1) causes the plants that are ready to be harvested to drop seeds,
2) the seeds to be replanted, or
3) does nothing.
Once seeds have spawned, the Auto Arm now becomes active and collects a seed to then place it into the storage behind it. After the second seed is collected and stored, the timing should cause the seeds to be replanted (if all plants were planted at the same time).
The process keeps repeating and may result in a full storage of seeds and the hole overflowing with plants.

Pieces Required:

2x Proximity Repeater + 3x Delay Repeaters + Count Repeater + Auto Arm + (Medium Storage or Medium Storage Silo) + Large Extended Platform

Notes:

Replanting Plant / Seed List:
- Mutant Hissbine
- Mutant Boomalloon
- Mutant Spiny Attactus
- Mutant Volatile Attactus
- Mutant Noxious Cataplant
- Mutant Volatile Cataplant
- Mutant Noxious Spewflower
- Mutant Elegant Spewflower

There is some randomness to how the seeds spawn, by having them replanted in a hole reduces the chance that they are out of range of the Proximity Repeater.
It may still over time cause all seeds to be harvested / despawn and none are regrowing, but at low risk.
All plants spawn at least 2 seeds (exception is the Fractal Rose).

- ALL Delay Repeaters set to 25 (Maximum) and Count Repeater/s set to 2.
- Starting Proximity Repeater NEEDS to be ontop of a Delay Repeater AND manually triggered to create an endless loop.
It should only trigger the first Delay Repeater in the setup, eventually starting a chain reaction.
- Auto Arm has a seed in its slot to prevent pickup of Proximity Repeater and other items.
- Auto Arms have the GREEN circle on the area to pick up items and the BLUE circle where you want it to drop off items.
- Have a different seed in each Auto Arm if you wish to have a dedicated harvester, if growing multiple plants in the same area.
- The Auto Arm is timed to pick up 2 seeds per harvest, make sure you are planting a minimum of 3 plants and that they are planted at the same time (use the timing of the Proximity Repeater and disable Auto Arm temporarily).

EXPERT DESIGNS

- Mobile Scraper & Researcher

1 U/S Power required for movement only
3 U/S Power required for moving and digging
+ 10 U/S Power for an active Extra Large Shredder
+ 2 U/S Power for an active Research Chamber

How it works:

Combining the designs of Large Rover Digger, Mobile (Large Rover) Researcher and Mobile (Large Rover) Scraper into one ultimate vehicle, you can easily combine the two Large Rover setups when needed and easily detach without having to rearrange anything, making it interchangeable.
Manual loading of research items is required, but any research items is automatically loaded (on the same Rover) once a research item has completed.
Manual loading of debris is required, but any Scrap produced is automatically loaded into any canisters onboard and empty spaces.
Having 4x RTGs produces 16 U/S (4 U/S each) means you can drive around while the Research Chamber and Extra Large Shredder is working.

Pieces Required:

Large Rover Digger

RTG (1 of 4) + Rover Seat + Medium Fluid & Soil Canister + Drill Strength 1/2/3 + Paver + Large Rover (1 of 4)

Large Rover Researcher

Research Chamber + RTG (1 of 4) + Large Rover (1 of 4)

Scrapping Large Rovers

(Large Resource Canisters or Medium Resource Canisters) + Extra Large Shredder + 2x RTGs (2 of 4) + 2x Large Rovers (2 of 4)

Notes:

- Make sure canisters are set to DISABLE OUTPUT.
- Can have a Large Shredder to start with.
- Can leave spaces on a Large Rover to load medium (or smaller) debris to be scrapped later, whilst the Shredder is working and wish to drive to another location.
Alternatively, you can have a Large Storage Silo A (8 Medium storage slots) or even a Large Storage Silo B (12 Medium storage slots) to store even more medium (or smaller) debris.
- Can leave spaces on a Large Rover to load medium (or smaller) research items to be researched later, whilst the Research Chamber is working and wish to drive to another location.
- Can have another Research Chamber but you will lose 2 storage slots to store medium research items (still can store 2 overall).
Alternatively, you can have another Large Rover with the Research Chamber on it and have more storage slots (requires an additional RTG to met the new power requirements).
- Manual loading of debris and research items is required.

COMPLEX IDEAS DESIGNS ONLY

- Furnace to Storage

Once the resources have been loaded into the area to be smelted, they are automatically smelted and are then placed into their Resource Canisters through the use of Auto Arms with each arm set to pick up a certain smelted resource to match the Resource Canister.

Depending on the power generation of your base, you may want to use a Storage Sensor that activates the Auto Arms once a resource has been smelted and placed onto the storage area where the Auto Arms pick up from.

You could also replace the standard Smelting Furnace with 4x Portable Smelting Furnaces with the trade-offs being increase use of operating power (5 to 8 U/S) but smelting 4 resources at a time instead of 1.

- Scrap setup to Trade Platform

Simply extend your automation process to harvest Scrap and then load into the Trade Platform to produce the resources you need without having to swap out canisters of Scrap.

The Soil Centrifuge to Scrap setup design can help get you started with this project.

- Auto Sorting System

First would be an area to unload resources, that then gets sorted into two groups:
1. Resources to refine in a Smelter / Portable Smelters
2. Resources ready for storage (raw or already smelted)

Depending if you don't want to store Organics and Quartz, you could simply smelt everything first while having storage to hold unsmeltable resources / items that can be sorted further down the line.

Have a storage area at the end of the line for items that have no sorting in place (seeds, research items, items like Small Solar, etc).

- Nanocarbon Alloy Production

Create an assembly line to automate the entire process to produce Nanocarbon Alloy.

This process would require 5 separate Chemistry Labs with each one dedicated to producing a certain resource in the assembly line.

[Cubee]

And additionally, it could be recent, but the medium battery now produces 5 SU per second, which is better than the RTG, additionally being cheaper in research and production, making it pretty much useless. (maybe i am misunderstanding what the produces means but like if i am then that is not my fault they worded it that way)

[Cubee]

Few things to note:
Research chambers are compatible with Large Storage Units, so, if you have access to aluminum, you should instead use a T-Shape Large Platform along with the Large Storage Unit, because it provides 2 more slots, which is always good to have when you're processing a large amount of researchables.

[Adriano]

best guide ever

[Monkey]

Steam has a weird server-side bug that occasionally corrupts pictures. I have re-created all corrupted pictures and the guide should be complete again. Thanks for the heads-up.

[Advocated Edict]

For some reason, a lot of your images are gone or aren't loading. Especially the powered ones.

[SolarFlare1234]

a guide

[Fudgie]

Thanks for the guide! Very informative and helpful. Will surely look to this when trying to automate!