THE BASICS
Each factory manufactures enough produce to supply one factory with it's needed resource, with the following exceptions: Silicon and Ore Mines (which produces 100% of a factory's resources when on a 26-yield asteroid) and Solar Power Plants (Which produce enough energy for eight or nine factories in a 100% sun sector).
Given this, we know that each factory needs to feed one factory. To produce Energy Cells we need Crystals. To produce Crystals we need Food, Silicon and Energy Cells. For Food we need the Food Ingredient and Energy Cells. For Silicon we need Energy Cells. For the Food Ingredient we also need Energy Cells.
Confusing, isn't it? Well it can be when described like that. It took me a while trying to visualise the logistical needs before I managed it, and now I have Zero-Credit loops happily running accross the Xverse.
LOGISTICS
I used the SDS for all of my loops. That is, of course, until the new Bonus Plugin Pack was released. Now I use the Logistics Software, but do not allow it to learn. this keeps it free, and identical to the SDS. In the diagrams, the arrows represent SDS deliveries. For the Solar Power Plants I have one ship supplying two or three factories.
KEY
The diagrams use two-character acronyms. Here's what they all mean:
- FI - Food Ingredient (eg Argnu Beef)
- FP - Food Product (eg Meatsteak Cahoonas)
- SM - Silicon Mine
- OM - Ore Mine
- CF - Crystal Fab
- SP - Solar Power Plant
- PF - Plasma Forge
This is the simplest enclosed loop, which leaves you with 50% of the Solar Power Plant's output to sell.
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Requirements:
1 Solar Power Plant
1 Silicon Mine
1 Food Product Factory (eg Cahoona Bakery)
1 Food Ingredient Factory (eg Cattle Ranch)
1 Crystal Fab
1 TS (XL requirement) - Logistics Software Equipped - shipping the Silicon.
5 other freighters - Logistics Software Equipped - two shipping Energy Cells to two stations each.
That 50% output can be put to another use. You can put some Energy-Cells-needed-only factories, like a Cattle Ranch or Silicon Mine and sell the produce, or you can go for the Double Energy Loop.
THE DOUBLE ENERGY LOOP
That's right! Twice the fun! This "double loop" puts all of it's resources into making a single sellable product: Energy Cells. This loop will leave you with 100% of a Solar Power Plant's output to sell.
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Requirements:
2 Solar Power Plant
2 Silicon Mine
2 Food Product Factory (eg Cahoona Bakery)
2 Food Ingredient Factory (eg Cattle Ranch)
2 Crystal Fabs
2 TS (XL requirement) - Logistics Software Equipped - shipping the Silicon.
9 other freighters - Logistics Software Equipped - three shipping Energy Cells to three stations each, one shipping Energy Cells to two stations.
But again, you can put that surplus energy to a much better use. You can supply eight Energy-Cells-needed-only factories, and sell their products. Or you can go for the Final Product Double Loop! (ooo!)
THE FINAL PRODUCT DOUBLE LOOP
This one's the Big Daddy of the loops. I have two of these running with zero credits in Seizewell, one producing Gamma High Energy Plasma Throwers, and the other producing Beta High Energy Plasma Throwers. I do not sell these, instead I make them for my fleet (that's not been built yet.. thinking ahead!). Each has a Dolphin docked for stockpiling the HEPT's.
[ external image ]
Click to enlarge
Requirements:
1 Solar Power Plant
1 Silicon Mine
1 Ore Mine
2 Food Product Factory (eg Cahoona Bakery)
2 Food Ingredient Factory (eg Cattle Ranch)
1 Crystal Fab
1 High Energy Plasma Forge
2 TS (XL requirement) - Logistics Software Equipped - shipping the Silicon and Ore.
8 other freighters - Logistics Software Equipped - three shipping Energy Cells to three stations each, one shipping Energy Cells to two stations.
FINANCES
I personally use Zero-Credit Loops to minimise the need for interaction with the stations. Using the Logistics software I "sell" the goods to the factory for 0cr. The disadvantage of this is it needs a manual injection of resources to get it going (though once it's going you need never touch it again, unless a ship is destroyed).
My way of manual injection is to send a TL to The Wall, and another to Akeela's Beacon. I then send one Dolphin to each Solar Power Plant with the command "Buy Ware -> Energy Cells". The TL's fill to the brim with Energy Cells and jump on back to the sector the loop is in. The Dolphins then spread out around the "bottom tier" factories (The Silicon mines, the food factories) and the Solar Power Plants and dump the Energy Cells. After a while, the resources filter round, and the loop starts storming along at full speed. Before you know it, you'll have GHEPT's being loaded aboard your fleet without having a single credit change hands during manufacturing.
Some people however prefer the "leaky loop" method, which involves using BHP or "Best Buy" ships to collect the resources, and setting prices to ensure your ships buy your products unless there is a REALLY cheap deal going with an AI factory. This can save some money, however BHP can cost a fair bit of money after a while, and the fluctuating AI economy means your Best Buy ships could get to a factory after prices have gone up. Ultimately, you may need to top up the cash in each of your looped factories.
HARDWARE
Personally I use Mantas for everything except that which requires XL cargo. For XL, I use Dolphins. They look cool. Mantas however will only hold about one fifth of the total maximum stock for a Solar Power Plant. Using Mantas with SDS stops one factory getting three thousand Energy Cells from a maxxed out Dolphin leaving the others with hardly any, and ensures a reasonably even spread of Energy throughout the loop.
So, there you have it. Looping, a'la pictures. Hopefully this (amazingly long for me) post will help someone, old or new, to properly visualise the logistical problems of three different types of loop.