Smelter

The Smelter is a production building that converts ore into Metal Blocks for use in advanced construction and industry. It occupies a single plot and must be supplied with Ore and power (if using powered variant upgrades) to function. Smelters serve as a mid-tier manufacturing step between raw mining and high-end machinery, turning extracted ore into the Metal Blocks required by many late-game buildings and upgrades.

Smelters accept Ore as their primary input and produce Metal Blocks as their output. Each Smelter requires workplaces (Beavers) assigned to operate; workers deliver ore from stockpiles and remove finished Metal Blocks. Placement near mines and conveyors or within an efficient transportation network reduces travel time and raises throughput. Smelters are affected by game updates that modify output rate and visual models; an early update doubled Metal Block production speed and refreshed models and sounds for faction variants.

• Smelters convert ore to Metal Blocks using a smelting process distinct from simple melting: the building performs the chemical separation that yields usable metal rather than merely liquefying material.
• Production speed can be influenced by building upgrades and game updates; plan production chains assuming the current version’s output rate (an update increased production to produce Metal Blocks twice as fast).
• Keep Ore supply steady with miners and conveyors or frequent haul routes; interruptions in ore delivery stall Metal Block production.
• Position Smelters close to storage and consumer buildings to minimize Beaver travel time for both raw inputs and finished output.
• Smelters require operators; ensure adequate population and workplace assignment to avoid bottlenecks during peak production.
• Visual and audio feedback for Smelters differs by faction due to separate models and selection sounds introduced in updates.