Order Your Base with the MAIN BUS - Factorio 0.18 Tutorial/Guide/How-to

Step-by-Step Tutorial: Structuring Your Base with a Main Bus in Factorio

1. Understanding the Main Bus Concept

• The main bus is a communication system that transfers data between components inside a computer or between computers.
• In Factorio, the main bus consists of parallel lines of materials with forks and branches to serve specific production needs of the base.

2. Planning Your Main Bus

• Allocate sufficient space for the main bus, considering future expansions and potential resource needs.
• Account for water and oil obstacles and plan for smelting columns while designing the bus layout.

3. Determining Main Bus Size

• Recommended minimum size includes 4 iron, 4 copper, 2 green circuits, 1 plastic, 1 steel, and 1 red circuits.
• Recommended maximum size is 16 iron, 16 copper, 6 green circuits, 4 plastic, 2 steel, and 2 red circuits.

4. Selecting Items for the Main Bus

• Include items on the bus that are needed in multiple locations and have higher compression ratios for efficient transportation.

5. Branching Off the Main Bus

• Utilize strategies like dedicated lanes, split lanes, and prioritized lanes based on the production needs and scalability of the base.
• Avoid overusing prioritized lanes to prevent bottlenecks and maintain overall base efficiency.

6. Rebalancing Back onto the Main Bus

• Use balancers to evenly distribute materials back onto the main bus after splitting off lanes to maintain throughput and prevent bottlenecks.

7. Advantages of Using a Main Bus

• Self-balancing nature based on supply and demand.
• Easy identification of bottlenecks and scalability.
• Provides a structured framework for base expansion and modded playthroughs.

8. Disadvantages of Using a Main Bus

• Difficulty in scaling beyond pre-allocated space.
• Priority issues where early items consume resources before later items, potentially causing shortages.

9. Final Recommendations

• Main bus structure is recommended for beginners, intermediates, and experienced players to maintain base organization and efficiency.
• Ensure a clear path between the main bus and production units for smooth material flow.

10. Conclusion

• Implementing a main bus in Factorio provides a structured approach to base design, offering clear benefits in terms of organization and efficiency.
• Consider the advantages and disadvantages of using a main bus to make informed decisions about your base structure.

By following these steps and recommendations, you can effectively organize and manage your base using the main bus concept in Factorio.