Ratios tell you how many machines each step needs. Getting them right means no line starves or backs up.
Why this matters
Guessing machine counts is why factories clog. A few minutes of ratio math saves hours of debugging.
Step-by-step
- Check each recipe’s input and output rates in-game.
- Note the machine speed for the recipe.
- Divide consumer demand by producer output.
- Round up to the next whole machine.
- Check the ratio again after any overclock.
- Write the ratio down for each chain.
- Re-check ratios when switching recipes.
Tips
- Round up, never down
- Overclocking changes every ratio downstream
- Alternate recipes change ratios too
- Keep a notes file of chain ratios
Practical notes
Ratio math starts at the slowest machine in the chain, not the fastest. Find the step that limits output, count how many of those machines you need, and work backward to the miners and extractors that feed them.
Overclocking changes every number downstream of the machine you touched, so redo the math after any boost. Write the chain down; the second rebuild is where the notes pay for themselves.
Write the ratio on a sign next to the line and future you will not redo the math.
Common mistakes
- Rounding down and starving the line
- Forgetting overclocks change the math
- Using default recipe math after switching
- Ignoring byproduct consumption rates