Smelter

The Smelter is a production building that converts scrap metal into Metal block. It functions as the central facility for turning harvested scrap into refined industrial material needed for advanced construction and machinery. The Smelter was introduced in the game's initial release and has received multiple updates; a notable change in a later update doubled its Metal Block production speed and refreshed the visual models for both factions.

To construct a Smelter the player must supply a fixed recipe of resources: 50 planks, 20 gears, and 30 scrap metal. These input resources come from other parts of the economy: planks are supplied by plank-producing facilities, gears come from gear-producing production chains, and scrap metal is harvested from scrap collectors or from mines. The Smelter consumes scrap metal and outputs Metal Blocks that feed into higher-tier buildings and equipment.

• Place Smelters near reliable scrap collection sources and transport routes to minimize hauling time for the bulky scrap input.
• Ensure a steady supply of gears and planks from their respective production chains before committing to Smelter construction to avoid stalling progress.
• Because the Smelter is a mid-to-late-stage production building, prioritize unlocking and stabilizing earlier supply chains (wood and basic industry) so the Smelter can run continuously.
• Upgrades and balance patches have increased Smelter throughput in later updates; check current patch notes to confirm exact production rates for Metal Blocks.
• Position storage for Metal Blocks conveniently near buildings that consume them to reduce transport overhead and to prevent production backups at the Smelter.