Calculator
Example Data Table
| Recipe | Target / Min | Machine | Craft Speed | Estimated Machines |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Iron Gear Wheel | 120 | Assembling Machine 2 | 0.75 | 1.3333 |
| Electronic Circuit | 90 | Assembling Machine 3 | 1.25 | 0.6000 |
| Steel Plate | 60 | Electric Furnace | 2.00 | 8.0000 |
| Advanced Circuit | 30 | Assembling Machine 3 | 1.25 | 2.4000 |
Formula Used
1. Convert target rate to per second
Target per second = target per minute ÷ 60
2. Adjust output for productivity
Effective output per craft = recipe output × (1 + productivity bonus ÷ 100)
3. Adjust crafting speed
Effective speed = machine speed × (1 + speed bonus ÷ 100)
4. Find crafts needed each second
Crafts per second = target per second ÷ effective output per craft
5. Estimate machines
Machines needed = crafts per second × recipe time ÷ effective speed
6. Find input rates
Ingredient rate per second = crafts per second × ingredient amount
How to Use This Calculator
- Pick the recipe you want to produce.
- Enter your target output rate.
- Choose items per minute or items per second.
- Select a machine preset that matches your factory.
- Add custom speed if your setup differs.
- Enter productivity and speed bonuses from modules or beacons.
- Press calculate to show results above the form.
- Review machine count, ingredient rates, and the graph.
- Download the result as CSV or PDF if needed.
Factorio Ratios Guide
Why ratios matter
Ratios keep a factory stable. They show how many machines you need. They also show how many inputs each line must deliver. Good ratio planning prevents starving belts and idle machines. It also reduces guesswork during expansion.
Match output to demand
Start with the final item you want. Set a clear target rate. That rate may be per second or per minute. The calculator turns that target into crafts per second. This makes every later step easier to read.
Recipe time changes everything
Each recipe has a craft time. Fast recipes need fewer machines for the same result. Slow recipes need more. Steel is a simple example. It uses one output, long craft time, and many iron plates. Machine demand rises quickly.
Machine speed matters too
Crafting speed directly changes machine count. Faster assemblers and furnaces do more work in the same time. This lowers the number of buildings required. If you use custom settings, enter the true speed value for more accurate planning.
Bonuses affect ratios
Productivity increases output from each craft. Speed bonus increases how fast each machine works. Both values shift the final result. A small bonus can remove whole machines from a design. It can also reduce upstream ingredient pressure.
Read the ingredient table
The ingredient table is useful for belt and bus planning. It shows how many materials enter the recipe every second and minute. This helps you size miners, smelters, train unloaders, or fluid lines. The graph adds a quick visual check.
Build cleaner production blocks
Use ratios before placing machines. Decide your target. Check the required buildings. Then lay out a block that can be copied later. This approach keeps production balanced. It also makes upgrades easier when you unlock better machines or modules.
Use practical rounding
Real factories use whole machines. The calculator shows decimals because they are useful. In practice, round up when shortages matter. Round down only when buffers exist. This gives cleaner builds and safer throughput during long production runs.
FAQs
1. What does this calculator solve?
It estimates machine counts, crafts per second, and ingredient rates for selected recipes. It helps you design balanced production lines with fewer bottlenecks.
2. Can I use rates per minute or second?
Yes. The form accepts both. The calculator converts the target into a per second rate, then uses that value for the ratio math.
3. Why do I get decimal machine counts?
Decimal counts represent exact theoretical demand. In a real factory, you usually round up to the next full machine to avoid shortages.
4. What does productivity bonus change?
Productivity increases output per craft. Because each craft yields more items, fewer total crafts and fewer machines may be needed.
5. What does speed bonus change?
Speed bonus raises effective crafting speed. Faster machines complete more crafts in the same time, which lowers required machine count.
6. Can I enter a custom machine speed?
Yes. Set the custom speed above zero. The calculator will use that value instead of the selected machine preset speed.
7. Does the calculator include every recipe?
This version includes common examples. You can expand the recipe array in the code to add more items, fluids, or modded recipes.
8. Why is the ingredient graph useful?
The graph shows which inputs dominate the recipe. This makes it easier to spot heavy demand and size belts, inserters, or train supply lines.
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