For use with the receiving end (https://factorioprints.com/view/-NQM1gl2waQG2A4pcN9v)This is part of a system designed to fully automate multi-item cargo rocket logistics between planets in Space Exploration. Non of the solutions I had found satisfied all necessary conditions or had other flaws or limitation. This system was designed to be as flexible as possible while remaining simple to set up and configure.
Notes for the launcher:
- By default the rocket will launch when either 5 or more items are low (yellow signal), or if a single item has completely run out (red signal). These values can be adjusted for you use in the two decider combinators directly to the right of the substation below the dish. There are a yellow and red light directly below each to indicate when a low/out signal has been reached.
- You can add the rocket part return module onto a launch station that returns rocket parts and capsules to the planet(s) that manage them.
Full details and logic:
Inputs:
- Yellow signal from recieving end
- Red signal from recieving end
- Request count per item from receiving end
- Contents of rocket on launch pad
- Rocket ready state (rocket symbol = 1 when rocket is ready to launch)
- Contents of local planetary logistic network
Launch Conditions:
Send launch ready signal if:
- Any resource has completly ran out (Red > 0, can be controlled)
- Any 5 resources are low and being consumed from the buffer on recieving planet.
- Number of low resources can be controlled
Block launch signal if:
- Amount in the rocket is less than requested amount and amount on the logistics network is greater than 0 (rocket is still being filled)
Force launch (launch immediatly) if:
- Rocket is full (Launch on Green Signal of when Cargo Full setting in launch silo)
Launch Countdown:
- Countdown active as long as launch ready signal is active.
- If launch ready signal switches off, countdown resets.
- Countdown timer can be adjusted.
- Used to give bots and factories time to produce/move items if low quantities since items in bot travel or currently being produced dont count towards inventory.
Example 1:
- Destination is low on 5 resources and launch ready signal is sent.
- some of the resource requests have not been filled yet (items in rocket < request) and are low/have ran out on the supply planet, but are being produced.
- The countdown starts because there are no more available resources on the network.
- A requested item gets produced somewhere and placed into a provider chest, increasing the logistics count to greater than 0 (not 1 depending on # of items produced at once)
- Bots take time to deliver items to rocket. This ensures as long as we are activly producting items the countdown resets giving us time to deliver them to the rocket.
- May not work with items stored very far away that take a long time to deliver. They will get added to the next rocket though.
- May not work if countdown is shorter than the time it takes to produce 1 of the requested item.
- Launch signal is blocked since there is now items to provide the rocket
- Rocket launches when full regardless of contents.
Example 2:
- Destination has ran out of a resource completly (RED signal)
- Bots have grabbed a bunch of the resource required and are on their way to fill the rocket. They depleted the supply on the sending planet.
- The countdown starts because there are no more available resources since bot cargo isnt counted in flight.
- A requested item gets produced somewhere and placed into a provider chest, increasing the logistics count to greater than 0 (not 1 depending on # of items produced at once)
- Bots take time to deliver items to rocket. This ensures as long as we are activly producting items the countdown resets giving us time to deliver them to the rocket.
- Launch signal is blocked since there is now items to provide the rocket
- Rocket launches when full regardless of contents.