Machines

Machines are powered processing units. Drop input items in, set up power, get output items. They're the factory layer of automation — the conversion functions between raw materials and processed goods.

Most players who engage with automation install at least a smelter and a generator. Advanced players run multi-machine chains routed by logistics pipes.

Core machines

Pulverizer

Crushes one item into multiple components.

• 1 ore → 2 raw material chunks (effectively doubling ore yields, a key reason to pulverize before smelting)
• 1 stone → cobble + dust
• Various other "break it apart" recipes

A pulverizer-then-smelter chain on iron ore gives you 2 iron ingots per ore, vs 1 for direct smelting. This is the core automation throughput multiplier.

Smelter

Faster, more efficient than vanilla furnaces. Processes multiple inputs in parallel. Smelts ore, cooks food, fires clay — same recipes as vanilla furnace.

A powered smelter clears an input chest of 64 raw iron in seconds, vs minutes in a vanilla furnace.

Alloy Mixer

Combines two metals into an alloy. Recipes:

• Iron + copper → some alloy
• Multiple ingredient combinations for various alloys
• Some alloys are required for higher-tier machines or upgrade items

Alloys are a real new resource — they don't exist in vanilla, and they unlock recipes the vanilla crafting table doesn't.

Generator

Produces power, the energy used by other machines. Different generator types use different fuels:

• Coal generator — burns coal/ charcoal for power
• Lava generator — consumes lava
• Solar generator — produces during daylight, slow but no fuel cost
• Other variants — depends on what you've built

A small operation needs one coal generator. A serious factory needs multiple generators or a big fuel buffer.

Power system

Machines need power to run. Power flows from generators through power lines or pipes (see Logistics) to machines.

Power is measured in units (FE / RF or similar). Generators produce X units per tick; machines consume Y units per operation. Match generation to consumption or your machines stall.

A common setup:

• 2 coal generators feeding 2 smelters and 1 pulverizer
• Coal supply auto-routed from a chest to the generators via pipes
• Smelter outputs auto-routed to a storage chest

Other machines

The plugin layer offers additional specialized machines:

• Crusher — heavier-duty pulverizer for harder materials
• Compressor — turns ingots into blocks automatically
• Decompressor — opposite, blocks to ingots
• Filterer — sorts mixed inputs
• Other specialized processors

Build them as needed for your operation.

Setup walkthrough

A starter automation base:

1. Build a power source — coal generator + a chest of coal next to it
2. Build a smelter — adjacent to the generator, fed power directly
3. Run a pipe from a "raw ore" chest to the smelter input
4. Run a pipe from the smelter output to a "smelted" chest
5. Drop raw ore in the input chest — it routes to the smelter, smelts, and lands in the output chest

Add a pulverizer between the input and smelter for the 2x throughput multiplier. Add an alloy mixer for advanced recipes.

Resource cost

Machines aren't cheap. Expect to invest:

• Iron, gold, copper, redstone for the chassis
• Specific alloys (built with the Alloy Mixer) for advanced parts
• Diamonds or netherite for top-tier components
• Power — coal/charcoal supply for early ops, larger fuel buffers for serious ones

Building a single smelter + generator + pulverizer setup is achievable in your first 20 hours. Building a 10-machine factory is a 100+ hour project.

When machines pay off

• Bulk mining — pair with hammers and a smelter
• Industrial brewing — auto-process brewing ingredients
• Big builds — auto-compress harvested logs into planks, planks into stairs, etc.
• Selling at scale — auto-pulverize → auto-smelt → auto-stock a chest shop

For casual players, one or two machines are enough. For serious tinkerers, the factory is the playground.

Common mistakes

Underpowered

Building 5 machines and 1 small generator. The machines stall waiting for power. Build power first.

Pipe routing errors

Pipes are particular about direction (input vs output). Misrouted pipes mean items get stuck or routed to the wrong place. Test your routes with a few items first.

Forgotten fuel

Coal generators stop without coal. Set up a steady coal supply before you commit to a coal-based factory.

Over-engineering

A 12-machine factory is impressive but unnecessary for most players. Build to your actual demand.

See also

• Hammers — the upstream feeder for raw materials
• Logistics — pipes and sorters
• Upgrades — push machines further
• Linked chests — alternative manual sorting layer