Arknights Endfield Factory and Production Optimization for Maximum Resource Gain

Factory optimization in Arknights: Endfield is about balanced ratios, short belts, and focused production lines, not sprawling spaghetti. Matching recipe timings to belt throughput and feeding Outpost Orders continuously gives the best long‑term resource gain.

Understand Ratios and Belt Throughput

Production speed is hard‑capped by recipe times and belt speed.​

• Belt throughput: one standard belt moves 1 item every 2 seconds, so it can carry 0.5 items per second.
• Recipe timing:
  • Example: an ore recipe that produces 1 bar every 2 seconds can be fully handled by one belt.​
  • A plant recipe like Buckflower that turns 1 flower into 2 powder every 2 seconds will overflow a single belt; you need two outputs or splitters to keep up.​
• Rule of thumb: “More belts do not mean more output. Correct ratios do.” One machine + one belt per recipe is ideal; add more machines, not extra belts, when inputs are insufficient.​

Before expanding, quickly check: units per cycle, cycle time, and belt capacity so no machine starves or backs up.

Build Tight, Clean Production Loops

Efficient factories follow a simple closed loop.

• Basic loop:
  • Mining / Seed‑picking → Smelter / Refinery → Specialized Units (Gearing, Moulding, Fitting, Filling, Packaging, Planting) → Depot/PAC.
• Layout tips:
  • Keep conveyors short and direct; avoid crossings where possible, as they cause congestion and confusion.
  • Every unit should have one clear input and output, forming a ring or line with no dead ends.
  • Use splitters/bridges only when needed to branch outputs or cross belts; otherwise keep flows linear.​

Guides call this a “closed loop”: every building is connected, no stray outputs, all products eventually feed storage or another unit.

Prioritize High-Value Production Lines

Not all recipes are equal; focus on lines that feed many systems.​

• Early–mid game priorities:
  • Core AIC batteries and Buck Capsules – fuel Outpost Orders and exploration tools.​​
  • Amethyst components/parts – base for gear, explosives, and advanced items.
  • Industrial Explosives – needed to clear Blight and open paths; require integrated plant + mineral lines.​
• Example: Industrial Explosives line.
  • Seed Picker → Planting Unit (Aketine crops) → Filling Unit + Amethyst Parts → Packaging/Explosive output.

Endgame factory guides recommend dedicating your main Hub AIC to battery lines and high‑tier Amethyst products, while using Valley/region AICs for smaller specialty chains.​

Use Blueprints, Then Refine Manually

Blueprints are strong for early and mid‑game setups.​

• Pros:
  • Instantly place functional production lines without worrying about ratios or wiring from scratch.
  • Copy/move working layouts and share them between areas.​​
• Limitations:
  • Blueprints are generic, not tailored to your exact resource needs; you’ll often need extra machines to fill gaps or fix slow steps.​

Best practice: drop a blueprint to get started, then adjust machine counts and belts once you see which step is over‑ or under‑producing.​

Global Optimization Tips for Maximum Gains

Across all guides, a few principles keep factories efficient.​

• Balance loads: match mining rigs, refining units, and factories so no stage idles due to missing inputs or full outputs.
• Add rigs, not belts: if a line is starving, add another miner or plant unit; if outputs are backing up, add a second consumer, not a second belt carrying the same items.​
• Keep power tight: cluster production around PAC/Sub‑PAC with short power lines; spread layouts only once Power upgrades are in place.
• Fill storage before logout: let factories run until Depots/PAC storage are near full; offline stockpiles make a big difference over time.​​

If you treat every production line as a small puzzle, checking recipe timing, belt capacity, and machine count, you will steadily approach “hands‑off” operation where Outpost Orders and upgrades are always supplied without micromanagement.