Automation

Automation is a game mechanic that enables players to automate parts of their bases to run without needing to interact with control panels, move resources, or turn power on or off. It could help with automating the production of any resource, item, or machine. A good, automated factory to make is a Hydrazine factory or a Nanocarbon Alloy factory.

Automation Items
Automation uses a few items to help the player automate their modules and resource moving.

Auto Arm

 * The is a Tier 2 item that allows the player to move Tier 1 items to and from storages and modules and can also place items into the player's Backpack. It can be used for pulling items from Rovers to fill up dedicated storage areas of a player's base or moving items onto platforms to be used by connected Printers.

Auto Extractor

 * The can be used to give players a greater amount of resources from a single deposit. It gives up to 15 times the number of resources that the Terrain Tool would produce from the same deposit, but at a much slower speed.

Rails
Rail Posts/Tall Rail Posts, Rail Cars/Rail Engines and Rail Stations can send and receive signals, and Rail Junctions can only receive them.
 * The Posts send a signal out when the first car in a train passes it, and upon receiving a signal, it will call the nearest car to it.
 * Signals sent to Rail Cars and Rail Engines will toggle between it stopping and starting.
 * The Rail Station also sends out a signal when the first car of the train arrives into the station on either side. Signals sent into the signal inputs will a stopped car on its way, and conversely, a signal applied to anywhere else on the rail station will call the nearest car to the station.
 * Inputs sent into a Rail Junction will change its connecting sides, depending on if it's sent into one of three input slots or just send somewhere onto the object.

Resource Canisters
While not directly tied to Automation, Medium and Large Resource Canisters can be very useful when paired with the Auto Extractor, allowing players to leave the extractor running for a long time and coming back to a full canister.
 * The allows storage up to 160 units of a single atmospheric resource.
 * The allows storage of up to 24 Small Canisters of Hydrazine or Soil.
 * The allows storage up to 32 nuggets of a single resource.
 * The allows storage up to 400 nuggets of a single resource.

Repeaters

 * The is used to activate one or more items at a single time. The button can be pressed manually by the player, or signals from Sensors or other Button Repeaters can trigger it as well, allowing more advanced automation of creating items.
 * The is used to activate one or more items when activated a specified number of times.
 * The is used to activate one or more items when activated after a specified delay.
 * The is used to activate activate-able items in the area.

Storage, Battery and Power Sensors
Sensors allow players to have more control over when items and modules will run or activate. Sensors send signals to connected items when certain states are met.
 * The sends a signal when connected storages are either full or empty, when they are empty or not empty, or when they are full or not full.
 * The sends a signal when connected batteries gain or lose charge, when they are charged or not charged, or when they are empty or not empty.
 * The sends a signal when power flow is gained, when it is lost, or when it is lost or gained.

Motion Sensors

 * The activates targeted items when certain objects pass through its sensor zone
 * The activates targeted items when certain objects pass through its sensor zone
 * The activates targeted items when certain objects pass through its sensor zone
 * The activates targeted items when certain objects pass through its sensor zone
 * The activates targeted items when certain objects pass through its sensor zone
 * The activates targeted items when certain objects pass through its sensor zone
 * The activates targeted items when certain objects pass through its sensor zone
 * The activates targeted items when certain objects pass through its sensor zone

Switches

 * The is used to toggle the flow of power through a one-way cable, this can be useful if players wish to control which parts of their base receive power.

Storages

 * The is a convertible storage unit with slots that can be activated via repeaters! Use this for your lightboard setups or anything else you can think up!

Tips

 * An easy way to begin with Automation is to just use the Button Repeater connected to any module to toggle them on or off, with even more control if connected to more than one module. Using the button allows players to activate an array of printers or Research Chambers, for example.
 * Guide:Nanocarbon Alloy Automation illustrates how players could utilize Auto Arms to automate the crafting of.
 * Another easy way to automate is to start off by using Auto Arms to move items around, then move on to Storage Sensors once you get the hang of Auto Arms.
 * Power Switches can be toggled with a Repeater's or Sensor's target pin.

Automatización