tank fabricator

The Tank Fabricator is a production block that fabricates tanks from resources. It functions like other unit-producing fabricators and refabricators: it consumes specified items and power to produce a tank unit over time and holds up to twice the items required for a single unit (for example, 80 Beryllium and 100 Silicon capacity are available when those items are required). The building must be supplied with item inputs and electricity to operate and is typically placed on factory lines or near resource conveyors to minimize delivery time.

Tank Fabricators have predictable throughput relationships with upstream production blocks. For example, three Beryllium-producing tiles paired with unboosted Plasma Bores produce slightly less than one Tank Fabricator’s consumption, resulting in a 0.015/sec deficit for Beryllium in that configuration. For Silicon, a single Silicon Arc Furnace supports three Tank Fabricators while producing an excess of 0.5/sec. To maintain steady tank production it is recommended to split resource lines that also feed the core or other consumers so that fabricators receive a continuous supply without stalling other systems.

Tank Fabricator power usage has changed over the game’s history; it was added in early builds and had its power consumption reduced in a later update (power requirement decreased from 120 to 90 power units per second). When planning base power and logistics, account for the Fabricator’s sustained power draw and item throughput demands.

Practical notes for use and optimization:

• Place Fabricators close to storage or production hubs to reduce conveyor travel time and avoid frequent idle time.
• Use multiple upstream producers scaled to the number of Fabricators; reference the Beryllium and Silicon ratios above when balancing resource chains.
• The internal buffer (twice the item cost) allows short interruptions in supply without immediately halting production; design feedlines to refill that buffer during lulls.
• Monitor power provisioning: sustained Fabricator operation requires a reliable power source sized for the reduced but continuous draw.