Factorio Forums

I've recently start playing again since version 11.22 so i'm not sure if the issue i'm about to discuss is a feature of version 12.29 or a bug? I thought I would post here first to see if anyone can confirm this is a feature of version 12.29 first before posting in the bug section.

The issue resolves around inserter balance where two inserters are trying to grab a resource from an assembler. In the old version, as the output resource was produced by the assembler each inserter would take turns to get an item from this assembler and thus it was balanced. But in version 12.30 I noticed now that one inserter can dominate the resource i.e. grab the output from assembler without letting any other inserter take the resources.

Here is an example of a setup where this occurs: . In this example only one of the fast inserters that takes the copper cable from the assembler will actual get a chance to take any copper cable, the other one will be starved out. Can anyone confirm that this is now a feature of version 12.29 or a bug?

I don't know exactly how it was before. But concerning your design, for an assembly of solar panel you need more than 1 copper cable assembly. Even if each inserter take turn to take copper cable, Each assembly will be working only half time.

If we consider all assembly same level, to have an assembly of solar panel working 100% you need 0.75 assembly electronic circuit and 1.13 assembly copper cable feeding this assembly.


If you want to keep you design put speed module to have the copper cable assembly working more than twice as fast as other factory (upgrade to assembly 3 is also an option). But you will need more inserter for copper cable (taking copper plate).

I think that you actual design lack of inserter for copper plate and your assembly is not working 100% time for copper cable.

Concerning inserter not taking turn to take, as far as I remember, when two inserter can take (arm over) from an assembly, the same inserter will take the item each time. To have the 2 working, the first need not to be ready to take item when it is produce, by reducing speed of first inserter or increasing speed of the assembly.

Maybe before in your design, the inserter haven't the stack size bonus so the first take an item and the other take a second item. As with stack size bonus, the first take all item at once when picking item.

To be honest I always remember it being like this. Don't recall that it ever did work evenly. However in your example, the problem could be that you aren't producing enough cables to begin with. :p The ratio for circuits to be built at full speed is 3 cable machines to 2 circuit machines. So unless you making more cables for the circuits somewhere else that can't be seen in the picture, your only producing 1/3rd the amount needed, so one will always be starved out. If you had 2 more cable machines feeding in to the circuits then it probably wouldn't be an issue anymore.

There has been some rebalancing between 0.11 and 0.12.30 for solar panels (and other things). Currently, you need a 3 copper cable + 2 green circuit (if only using blue assembling machines) to feed 2 blue assembling machines producing solar panels at full speed.