Loading mass fabricator with logistics pipes

1st Official Post

    Hey all,


    So I'm starting to poke about in logistics pipes and being equally impressed as I am confused.


    I've currently got 8 chests full of scrap, which I'm sure you agree, is more than enough to shove into a mass fabricator.


    Instead of standing there and feeding it manually, I thought about using logistics pipes to automate the ordeal for me. In my test world, I'm trying to work out how to do this so only one pipe is touching the mass fabricator, so it both shoves scrap in, and pulls UU-Matter out. Sounds like a good idea! However I've run into a few issues making this a reality:


    Using a provider pipe at the chest full of scrap and a supplier pipe at the mass fabricator, this loads in scrap as required, as it's being consumed. Problem is, it's not pulling anything out. Understandably so, given that it's only a supplier pipe.


    Enter the chassis pipes.


    Currently having a Mk1 chassis pipe at the chest with scrap, Mk 2 chassis pipe at the mass fabricator, and a Mk1 chassis pipe at the chest that I was loaded with UU-Matter, which has the ItemSink module with it set as the default route.


    Here's where I'm having trouble, basically, which modules should I have where? I've tried all manner of combinations.


    At the mass fabricator, I sensibly have an extractor module, to pull out the UU-Matter, which goes to the default routed chest, perfect!


    Now which modules should I have to supply the mass fabricator with scrap? I've tried mixes of provider, quicksort, and passive supplier modules to no avail. It almost seems as if there's a missing non-passive supplier module, something that requests items as the inventory it's looking at is in need of whatever you tell it (like the supplier pipe, only as a module). Hopefully I'm wrong, as it seems like an obvious requirement.


    Here's the "simple" setup.


    Any help would be simply amazing, thanks in advance!

    It's been a while since I last played with Logistics Pipes, but if I recall correctly, isn't there a module that allows you the option of defining what materials are to go into the connected inventory? Or rather, keep a certain number of items in the inventory?


    I just looked at the wiki, try using an ItemSink module on the chassis attached to the Mass Fab and saying that it's a sink for scrap via the GUI.

    two things:


    1: provider pipes at the chest (or a mk2 chassis pipe with a provider module and itemsink module)
    2: supplier pipe on the bottom of the mass fab. (NOT a chassis pipe, the passive supplier can only fulfill a supply request if there's something traveling through the system)


    Though it'll work better if you store and supply scrap boxes and not scrap as they last longer.

    Quote from Mister_Omega

    I just looked at the wiki, try using an ItemSink module on the chassis attached to the Mass Fab and saying that it's a sink for scrap via the GUI.


    Tried that, didn't work. :(


    Quote from Ook

    two things:
    1: provider pipes at the chest (or a mk2 chassis pipe with a provider module and itemsink module)
    2: supplier pipe on the bottom of the mass fab. (NOT a chassis pipe, the passive supplier can only fulfill a supply request if there's something traveling through the system)


    Though it'll work better if you store and supply scrap boxes and not scrap as they last longer.


    Didn't work also, for having a supplier pipe, that's all good and well, but what about getting the UU-Matter out?


    Also I had no idea about the scrap-box thing! How much of a difference is there?

    Not sure but you may try this:
    MK2 at chest with scrap:
    - Item Sink module (configure to sink scrap and UU-matter);
    - Advanced Extractor module (configure to extract only scrap) OR QuickSort module;
    MK2 at bottom of massfab:
    - Passive Supplier module (configure to supply 64 scrap);
    - Advanced Extractor module (configure to extract UU-matter, sneaky: up)

    Just tried that setup; Using the advanced extractor module or the quicksort module to output the scrap produces an unnecessarily large amount of transactions throughout the network, as it dumps massive amounts of scrap into the system, the chassis attached to the mass fabricator takes what it needs (typically 8-12 at the time), and everything is bounced back into the chest of scrap. Not the best method it seems, not to mention it takes quite a large bite of power every time, too!


    Thanks for the suggestion though, it was worth a shot! :)

    • Official Post

    The fact that this method isn't efficiënt enough, I'd just forget about doing this with Logistics Pipes. USE ROUTERS.
    Let the router extract from a chest with scrap and output it into the top side (the Massfab is above the router).
    Then you can extract the UU with whatever you want.
    It also doesn't require any power or hassle with modules everywhere.


    But if you're really sure to use Logistics pipes only, use a passive supplier and extractor module(output from top) below the Massfab. And at the chest with the scrap; some Extractor modules (mk2).
    Do not use the quicksort module, because as you said, the scrap stacks bounce back and forth, costing huge amounts of power. And if you want to turn off the massfab when there is no scrap available, put a gate on the logistics pipe below the massfab with the following conditionals:

    If inventory empty - emit redstone signal.


    Hope this helps.

    Ok, so here's the end result: 2 Pipes are still required, darn.


    Here's what I've got set up


    and behind the scenes


    Attached to the mass fabricator is a supplier pipe on top, requesting scrap boxes, with a sneaky pipe upgrade (down), and on the back is a Mk 1 chassis pipe with an extractor module.


    So it seems my dream of one-pipe-fits-all isn't doable .. Yet? We'll see if any new modules come to us. I'm really starting to get the hang of logistics pipes and am finding them rather entertaining.


    Thanks for your input guys :thumbup: