Ore Factory Squad Automation Guide: Splitter Belts & Pallets

Automation in Ore Factory Squad is not one machine that turns a mine into a finished delivery. It is a chain of separate systems: resources enter factory storage, machines produce physical product pallets, warehouse equipment moves those pallets, and contracts use their own packing and delivery route.

The most important rule is therefore simple:

Build and test one handoff at a time. Do not connect an entire factory before confirming what each machine accepts and where its output appears.

MAPHow the Confirmed Factory Systems Fit Together

The safest current model separates mining intake, production, warehouse automation, and contract delivery.

[ Dig Site ]
      │
      ▼
[ Packed Mining Box ]
      │
      ▼
[ Mining Lift → Surface Transport ]
      │
      ▼
[ Sorting Station ]
      │
      ▼
[ Internal Factory Storage ]
      │
      ▼
[ Selected Production Machine ]
      │
      ▼
[ Finished Product Pallet ]
      │
      ├──► [ Marked Storage / Stock Sell ]
      │
      ├──► [ Pallet Packer / Contract Output ]
      │
      └──► [ Warehouse Automation ]
             Palletizer + Drop Zone + Warehouse Robot

This is a system map, not a claim that every arrow can be replaced by a conveyor. Raw resources and finished products are handled differently:

• raw resources enter Factory Storage through the Sorting Station;
• production machines use the required stored inputs or physical product pallets, depending on the recipe stage;
• finished products remain on physical pallets;
• contracts require the exact finished product, not a related raw material or intermediate block.

New players should first understand the opening factory loop. For the complete underground route, use our Mining Lift guide. For delivery and cash flow, continue with the Contracts and Pallet Packer guide.

SPLITTERSplitter and Drop Zone Filters in v1.0.6

v1.0.5 introduced Smart Filtering. v1.0.6 reworked it into a toggle-based system and changed routing priority:

• each Splitter Belt output can be configured separately;
• an output can target a specific item or an item category;
• Pallet Drop Zones expose slot-based filters;
• different resources can be allowed or blocked on each direction or slot;
• an unfiltered output no longer takes priority when a specific filter exists;
• Warehouse Robots prioritize filtered Drop Zones more correctly.

Use the options shown by the current machine instead of copying a fixed ratio from an old layout. The patch notes do not establish a universal 50/50 or 33/33/33 throughput rule, and they do not confirm a formal Merger.

Elevated Belts and Buffer Belts are live, and v1.0.9 adds raised Merge, Splitter, and turn pieces. Their presence does not prove a universal layout: add one elevated piece where a crossing or robot lane has an observed conflict, verify that input and output, then add a buffer only where observed bursts are starving or blocking the next machine.

METHODA Reliable Build-and-Test Method

Step 1: Start with one product

Choose one product that your current machines can already make. Confirm:

1. the exact raw material or intermediate product;
2. the selected recipe;
3. where the input is stored;
4. where the finished pallet appears;
5. whether the output space is clear.

Do not begin with a mixed multi-product trunk line. A small working line gives you a reference when later automation fails.

Step 2: Watch the first complete cycle

After selecting the recipe, remain at the machine until the first correct output appears. Check the pallet label rather than relying on color or shape.

This catches several common problems immediately:

• the wrong recipe is still selected;
• the required resource is missing from Factory Storage;
• an intermediate product was skipped;
• no valid output pallet is available;
• another pallet blocks the output position.

Only increase the queue after one correct product has completed.

Step 3: Reserve physical space around every handoff

Leave clear access around:

• machine inputs;
• machine output pallets;
• Drop Zones;
• Palletizer positions;
• Pallet Packer input;
• Contract Output and Excess Output;
• Forklift approach lanes.

This is not a hidden “two-tile” or “four-tile” formula. It is a practical layout rule: if a pallet or vehicle cannot approach an interaction point, the system becomes difficult to inspect and recover.

Step 4: Add warehouse automation as its own system

The official achievement confirms that these three entities can form a working setup. The grouping below does not claim a universal direction or work order:

[ Palletizer ] ↔ [ Warehouse Robot ] ↔ [ Drop Zone ]

It does not publicly document every UI field, valid target, route limit, or machine-facing direction. Configure only the work orders shown in your current version and test with one pallet before leaving the system unattended.

Do not assume that Warehouse Robots:

• carry loose raw ore;
• feed loose products directly into a Palletizer;
• require batteries or charging stations;
• avoid or prefer illuminated paths;
• use fields named Pickup Target and Drop-off Target.

Those details require current in-game verification.

Step 5: Keep contract packaging separate

The Pallet Packer belongs to the contract workflow:

[ Accepted Contract ]
      │
      ▼
[ Correct Finished-Product Pallet ]
      │
      ▼
[ Pallet Packer ]
      │
      ├──► [ Contract Output ]
      └──► [ Excess Output ]
                   │
                   ▼
             [ Forklift → Truck → Delivery Gate ]

Selecting a contract on the computer does not automatically configure the Pallet Packer. Open the machine, select the accepted order, supply the exact finished product, and keep both outputs clear.

Storage Output → Filter → Merge / Split → Buffer
       → Pallet output → Robot / Packer / Delivery

FIXTroubleshooting Conveyor and Pallet Bottlenecks

STATUSCurrent Features vs Planned Features

PLANPractical Automation Priorities

1. Make one product reliably.
2. Keep its output pallet accessible.
3. Confirm the warehouse tracks the finished pallet.
4. Separate Stock Sell, contract packing, and warehouse automation.
5. Add a second product only after the first route is recoverable.
6. Recheck official patch notes before copying a filter-based blueprint across versions.

Automation is successful when you can see where an item stopped and fix that handoff quickly. A smaller observable system is more useful than a “100% automatic” layout built around features that are not in the current game.

FAQFrequently Asked Questions