How To Use Truck Station Satisfactory

Overview

Dabbled with truck stations and vehicle automation but never actually could get it to work predictably? What if yous knew exactly how to set up them upwards so they run reliably, with that noesis exactly how far could y'all button them as a ship mechanic?

129 x Truck Station
x x Tractors
sixteen x Truck
iv x Explorer
12 x Cyber Railroad vehicle
107 x Factory Cart

Several unlike concepts were explored in this playthrough with varying results. Ultimately the fundamental things that were identified every bit issues were:

When you are in the vicinity of automated vehicles it'due south possible they will get stuck on objects
- Leaving the area will "prepare" the event as the vehicles simple become from node to node when y'all are non in their render distance
  - The term "node" in this context refers to the vehicle automation markers
- For vehicles that use a fuel source (mill carts don't) they can run out of fuel while stuck and crave manual intervention
- Factory carts will just appear fallen over on their side
The more vehicles used the more of a functioning impact they have
- Functioning impact means dropped FPS
- This is very similar to vertical factories where lots of calculations are performed, even though you tin't run into the objects on floors above and below you they are still calculated
- You will most likely not notice much of a deviation when using under thirty vehicles in an expanse, however it depends on how dumbo the area is
When multiple vehicles employ a truck station, if more than one vehicle passes through the station at the aforementioned fourth dimension(ish) and so only 1 vehicle volition have information technology's inventory loaded/unloaded
You tin drive a vehicle manually faster than when it is automated
- Information technology'due south not a pregnant speed difference but can exist annoying when recording a path using multiple vehicles, you can catch upward with the vehicle in forepart

Some useful mechanics identified were:

Factory carts don't use a fuel source and brand transporting materials between locations very efficient as you don't need to provide a fuel to the truck station fuel trophy
Factory carts will transport one stack of resource
- This allows you to use multiple carts to distribute the same resources to multiple locations from the one truck station
  - Normally other vehicles have a 24/25/48 slot inventory and hence can event in the bulk of the loading truck station inventory being taken
- In short distances where a recipe requires a small corporeality p/m, this is a very effective machinery
- Over longer distances or higher p/m requirements, multiple carts are required and this beginning to accept a negative outcome
The striking box of the truck station to trigger a load/unload operation can exist activated from below the truck station
- You need to remove foundations afterwards placing the truck station in the load/unload expanse
- The vehicle height requires the vehicle to go upwardly a ramp to reach the hit box

Vehicle automation aside, another features of this playthrough are:

Infinite Elevator automated before unlocking Tier 3/4
Cardinal storage with overflow before unlocking Tier five/6
Spiraling ramps to motion vehicles vertically, similar concept to a railway corkscrew
Compacted Coal and Geothermal Generators are the but power sources used

Fun Fact: This is the outset playthrough where I decided that the Hub will but be moved one fourth dimension after information technology'southward initial temporary location. I besides just placed the Space Elevator once. This is a master that I will endeavour to use in all hereafter playthroughs.