🚚 Satisfactory Logistics Optimization Guide
Last updated: July 2026 | Game version: 1.0+
Logistics is the heart of Satisfactory. Moving items efficiently from A to B — across belts, pipes, rails, or through the air — determines whether your factory hums at full capacity or sputters on bottlenecks.
This guide covers every logistics system in depth: throughput math, fluid physics, rail networks, drone routing, and factory-scale topology decisions.
1. Conveyor Belts — Throughput & Selection
Belt Speed Comparison
| Belt Tier | Tier Unlocked | Items/min | Items/sec | Splits Into 3 | Max Miner Input |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mk.1 | 0 | 60 | 1 | 20 each | Manual miner |
| Mk.2 | 2 | 120 | 2 | 40 each | Mk.1 on pure (60/min) |
| Mk.3 | 4 | 270 | 4.5 | 90 each | Mk.2 on pure (120/min) — needs OC |
| Mk.4 | 6 | 480 | 8 | 160 each | Mk.3 on pure (240/min) |
| Mk.5 | 7 | 720 | 12 | 240 each | Mk.3 on pure 250% OC (600/min) |
| Mk.6 | 9 (post-1.0) | 1,200 | 20 | 400 each | Any miner |
Belt upgrade urgency:
Tier 0-2: Mk.1 (60/min) — fine for starter base
Tier 3-4: Mk.3 (270/min) — critical upgrade before oil
Tier 6: Mk.4 (480/min) — matches Mk.2 miner on pure
Tier 7: Mk.5 (720/min) — needed for aluminum
Tier 9: Mk.6 (1,200/min) — endgame throughput
Belt Throughput Math
Each belt segment has a maximum throughput. Exceeding it creates a silent bottleneck — machines at the end starve while the belt is visually full.
Formula:
Example: 3 Mk.3 miners at 240 ore/min each = 720 ore/min total.
| Belt | Max | Can handle 720? |
|---|---|---|
| Mk.4 (480/min) | ❌ No | Bottlenecks at 480/min |
| Mk.5 (720/min) | ✅ Yes | Perfect fit |
| Mk.6 (1,200/min) | ✅ Yes | Headroom for expansion |
Belt Manifold Saturation Time
A manifold feeds machines sequentially. The last machine gets items last.
Saturation Time ≈ (Total Buffer ÷ Item Rate) × Machine Count
Example: 10 smelters, each with 100-stack input buffer,
fed by 480 items/min:
= (10 × 100 × 1) / 480 = ~2 minutes to fully saturate
But realistic (with stack size 50) ≈ 1 minute
💡 Tip: Pre-fill manifolds by hand-feeding the last 2-3 machines while the factory warms up. This cuts saturation time by 70%.
Belt Compression
Belt compression ensures items are touching (no gaps) on the belt for maximum throughput.
| Technique | How | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| Ore feed from miner | Natural — miner output is compressed | Perfect |
| Splitter cascade | Split a high-rate belt into sub-belts | Maintains compression |
| Merger cascade | Merge sub-belts into main line | Gaps may appear |
| Side-loading | Feed into the side of a belt segment | Fills gaps, improves compression |
| Industrial Container buffer | Buffer before main line | Smooths peaks |
2. Pipes & Fluid Mechanics
Fluids in Satisfactory are simulated with volume, head lift, and pressure. This is more complex than belts.
Pipe Throughput
| Pipe Tier | Tier Unlocked | Max Flow (m³/min) | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mk.1 Pipe | 3 | 300 | Water for generators, early oil |
| Mk.2 Pipe | 6 | 600 | High-volume oil, aluminum, nuclear |
Critical limitation: A Mk.1 pipe (300 m³/min) can feed at most 6.67 Coal Generators (each consumes 45 water/min). To feed 8 generators, you need either Mk.2 pipes or a dual-pipe manifold.
Pump Mechanics
| Pump Type | Max Head Lift | Power | Unlock |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pump | 20 m | 8 MW | Tier 3 |
| Mk.2 Pump | 50 m | 12 MW | Tier 6 |
| Valve | N/A (regulates flow) | 1 MW | Tier 6 |
Head lift rules:
- Every pipe segment has a maximum height it can push fluid upward
- One pump provides 20 m / 50 m of head lift from its placement point
- Multiple pumps stack — place a second pump at the height limit of the first
- Pumps only lift upward; they do NOT affect horizontal flow
Pump spacing for vertical pipes:
Vertical rise (m) Pump Type Spacing
0-20 Mk.1 Pump 1 pump at bottom
0-50 Mk.2 Pump 1 pump at bottom
20-40 Mk.1 Pump 2 pumps (at 0m, 20m)
50-100 Mk.2 Pump 2 pumps (at 0m, 50m)
Gravity & Fluid Flow
Fluids flow downhill naturally — no pump needed downward. But there's a catch:
| Terrain | Flow Direction | Pump Required? |
|---|---|---|
| Flat | Both directions | Only for flow rate boost |
| Uphill | Upward | ✅ Required (head lift) |
| Downhill | Downward | ❌ Not needed (gravity) |
| Downhill then uphill | Both | ✅ Pump at lowest point |
Fluid Buffer Strategy
| Buffer Size | Use Case |
|---|---|
| Small tank (1×1, 400 m³) | Byproduct storage, pressure stabilization |
| Big tank (2×2, 1,600 m³) | Water for nuclear, main oil storage |
| Multiple tanks | Reserve supply for fluctuating demand |
Best practice: Place a buffer tank at the high point of your pipe system. Gravity feeds machines below. The buffer dampens flow fluctuations from machine cycling.
Managing Byproduct Fluids
Byproduct fluids (water from aluminum, heavy oil residue from refineries) cause deadlocks when output pipes fill up.
Solution 1 — Priority valve: Place a valve on the byproduct return line set to slightly less than the consumption rate. Fresh water input fills the gap.
Solution 2 — Recycling overflow: Use a Junction + Pump to prioritize using byproduct over fresh input:
Fresh water ──[Valve set to 50%]──→ Mixing point → Machine
Return water ──[Pump]──→ Mixing point (pump is free-flow)
Solution 3 — Fluid sink: Pack the byproduct into containers and send to AWESOME Sink. Wastes resources but never deadlocks.
3. Railway System
Trains unlock at Tier 6 and are the only logistics system that scales to continent-wide distances.
Track Laying Fundamentals
| Component | Description | Max Speed |
|---|---|---|
| Railway | Standard track | 120 km/h |
| Electric Rail | Faster track (Tier 7) | 200 km/h |
| Train Station | Loading/unloading point | — |
| Freight Platform | Cargo loading | — |
| Fluid Platform | Fluid loading | — |
Track topology rules:
✅ Dual-track (one per direction): Maximum throughput
✅ Single-track with passing loops: Lower throughput, simpler
✅ Loops at ends: Trains turn around automatically
❌ Dead-end stations without loops: Trains get stuck
Railway Signalling
| Signal Type | Purpose | When To Use |
|---|---|---|
| Block Signal | Divides track into blocks | Standard signal between stations |
| Path Signal | Complex intersections | At junctions, crossings |
| No signal | Single train, single loop | Simplest setup |
Signal placement rules:
- Block signals every 2-3 train lengths on mainlines
- Path signal at intersection entrance, Block signal at exit
- Signal after every station — never leave a station without an exit signal
- Chain signals prevent deadlocks at complex junctions
Train Timetable — Beyond Basics
A good timetable is not just "go from A to B." Optimize with:
| Strategy | Effect |
|---|---|
| Load until full | Simplest, but wastes time waiting for fill |
| Time-based departure | Set a departure timer (e.g., 120 sec) — predictable intervals |
| Circuit-driven | Use station outputs → circuit → departure when stock below threshold |
| Round-robin (multiple stations) | One train serves 3 stations by order of need |
Standard timetable pattern:
1. Go to Station A (wait until fully loaded OR 120s timeout)
2. Go to Station B (wait until fully unloaded OR 120s timeout)
3. Go to Station C (wait until fully loaded OR 120s timeout)
4. Go to Station A (wait until fully unloaded OR 120s timeout)
→ Repeat
Train Throughput Calculation
Train throughput (items/min) =
(Wagon count × Stack size × Item per stack slot) ÷ (Round trip time in minutes)
Example: 4 wagons × 48 slots × 100 items (iron plate) = 19,200 items
Round trip: 8 minutes
Throughput: 19,200 ÷ 8 = 2,400 items/min
Compare with belt: 2,400 items/min = 4 Mk.5 belts or 2 Mk.6 belts. For distances >500m, trains win on throughput per material cost.
4. Drone Logistics
Drones unlock at Tier 7 and provide direct point-to-point aerial transport without tracks.
Drone Stats
| Stat | Value |
|---|---|
| Speed | ~120 km/h (varies by cargo) |
| Range | ~1.5 km without battery recharge |
| Capacity | 9 stack slots (variable by item stack size) |
| Battery consumption | 1 battery per round trip |
Drone Port Setup
| Port Type | Function |
|---|---|
| Drone Port | Landing pad, cargo exchange, battery charging |
| Cargo input | Items to be shipped (belt-fed) |
| Cargo output | Received items (belt-fed) |
| Battery input | Drone Port needs batteries to operate |
Minimum drone port setup:
┌──────────────────────┐
│ Drone Port │
│ ┌──────┐ ┌──────┐ │
│ │Input │ │Output│ │
│ └──────┘ └──────┘ │
│ ▲ Battery ▲ │
└──────────────────────┘
│
(battery factory)
Drone Network Design
| Topology | Use Case | Pros | Cons |
|---|---|---|---|
| Point-to-point | One resource, one destination | Simple, reliable | Doesn't scale |
| Hub-and-spoke | Central drone port serves outposts | Efficient for multiple inputs | Hub becomes bottleneck |
| Round-robin | One drone serves 3+ ports | Fewer drones | Complex scheduling |
Best practice: Drones excel at low-volume, long-distance transport — skip belts and trains for items like:
- Supercomputers (2/min from a single manufacturer)
- Radio Control Units (slow production)
- Batteries (for other drones)
- Packaged nitrogen gas (long-distance fluid without pipes)
5. Factory Logistics Topology
How you organize logistics at the factory scale — distributed vs. centralized — dramatically affects throughput and expandability.
Decentralized (Distributed) Factory
Each production stage has its own dedicated resource nodes:
[Iron Node A] → Smelt → Construct → Assembler → Storage (Iron Plates)
[Iron Node B] → Smelt → Construct → Assembler → Storage (Rods)
[Copper Node] → Smelt → Construct → Wire → Storage
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| No long belt runs | Harder to balance resources |
| Easy to expand per line | More total buildings/space |
| Clear ownership of resources | Over- or under-producing individual items |
| Good for early game | Late game node shortage becomes complex |
Centralized (Main Bus) Factory
All raw materials ship to a central processing plant:
┌─────────────────────────────┐
│ Central Factory │
│ [Smelting] → [Parts] → ... │
└─────────────────────────────┘
▲ ▲
│ │
[Iron Ore] [Copper Ore]
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Single location, easy to manage | Massive belt throughput required |
| Efficient resource sharing | One bottleneck halts everything |
| Good for UPS/performance | Gigantic building footprint |
| Endgame scalable | Requires trains to feed |
Hybrid (Recommended)
A mix of both — process raw ore into ingots at the mine, ship ingots to central, then distribute final parts:
[Mine] → Smelt on-site → Train Ingots → Central Factory →
→ Make parts → Train to satellite factories → Final assembly
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Best of both worlds | More complex to plan |
| No raw ore transport needed | Requires both trains + belts |
| Easy to scale each satellite | Higher initial infrastructure cost |
| Good UPS (less belt travel) |
6. Load Balancers vs Manifolds (Advanced)
When to Use Each
| Scenario | Manifold | Load Balancer |
|---|---|---|
| Large array of same machines (8+ smelters) | ✅ Best choice | ❌ Too complex |
| Small array (2-4 machines) | ✅ Fine | ✅ Also fine |
| One belt feeds different item types | ❌ Wrong tool | ❌ Wrong tool (use smart splitter) |
| Nuclear fuel rod production | ❌ Inconsistent flow | ✅ Mandatory |
| Perfect ratio factory (no warm-up) | ❌ Slow saturation | ✅ Instant |
| Space-constrained build | ✅ Compact | ❌ Bulky |
| Scalable to N machines | ✅ Just extend belt | ❌ Redesign needed |
Power of 2 Load Balancer
A 1→4 load balancer (using only splitters):
Each output receives exactly 25% of input. Works perfectly for 2, 4, 8, 16... machine counts.
Non-Power-of-2 Load Balancer (e.g., 1→3)
This balances 1 input to 3 outputs evenly. The concept extends to any N-machine count using combinations of splitters and mergers.
Hybrid Approach — Clustered Manifold
Use a load balancer to distribute to clusters of machines, then manifold inside each cluster:
Input → [1→3 Load Balancer]
├── Cluster 1: Manifold → 8 Smelters
├── Cluster 2: Manifold → 8 Smelters
└── Cluster 3: Manifold → 8 Smelters
This gives faster saturation than a pure manifold and simpler belts than a pure load balancer.
7. Logistics Decision Matrix
Choosing the right transport method:
| Distance | Volume | Best Method | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| <100m | Any | Belts | Simple, reliable, zero power for passive belts |
| 100-500m | High | Belts | Still efficient, belt cost is low |
| 100-500m | Low | Tractors/Trucks | Fun, no track needed, but fuel cost |
| 500-2000m | High | Trains | Best throughput per infrastructure cost |
| 500-2000m | Low | Drones | No tracks, no fuel (just batteries) |
| 2000m+ | High | Trains | Trains only realistic option |
| 2000m+ | Low | Drones | Cheaper than building 2km of track |
| Intercontinental | Any | Drones + Trains | Drone to shore, train across continent |
Bottleneck Troubleshooting Flowchart
Is a machine getting enough input?
├─ Yes → Check output (is output belt full?)
│ ├─ Yes → Check downstream consumption
│ └─ No → Upgrade output belt
└─ No → Follow the supply chain backward
├─ Belt? → Check belt speed vs required throughput
├─ Splitter? → Check if split is balanced
├─ Pipe? → Check pump head lift + pipe flow rate
├─ Train? → Check station loading/unloading speed
└─ Drone? → Check battery supply + drone port throughput
8. Performance (UPS) Considerations
Logistics systems affect game performance differently:
| System | Performance Cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Belts | Low-Medium | 1000+ belt segments = measurable cost |
| Pipes | Medium | Fluid simulation is more expensive than belts |
| Trains | Low | One train = ~few belts' worth |
| Drones | Medium | Pathfinding for airborne entities |
| Vehicles (trucks) | High | Physics simulation for each vehicle |
For megabases: - Prefer trains over vehicles (trucks have full physics) - Use belts for short distances, trains for long - Minimize pipe segments — use barreled delivery or trains for fluid - Drones are fine for low-count operations (5-10 drones)
🔗 Related Guides
- Satisfactory Complete Guide — Main hub
- Production Line Guide — Belts, manifolds, ratios
- Blueprint System Guide — Save time with modules
- Tier Progression — When each logistics option unlocks
- Power Systems — Power for your logistics
🎮 Get Satisfactory
🎮 Satisfactory on Steam — $34.99
This is an affiliate link. If you purchase through it, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
Last updated: July 2026 | Game version: Satisfactory 1.0+