#10 The Ship Printer Finale (Print Happens) - Space Engineers: The Search for Intelligent Life

[@steala]

A friend and I made a very similar wall, and we had all components ready before we printed. A fairly large ship took 3-4 hours to print. Upon research, we learned that Conveyor Junctions is very inefficient, because for every junction, the game or server is having to calculate, find and pull (for every input side on a single Conveyor) the components through. We redesigned our wall to Conveyor Tubes and Conveyor T Junctions.. the same ship we reprinted in less than half the time. The calculations was exponentially less, which reduced our lag heaps as well. Additionally we learned the base needed careful planning with how we plumbed everything. Our Conveyor Tubes was contributing to an inefficient flow of components running through the system. When we fixed all of that, we had zero lag, and welding was much much quicker. Hope that helps!

[@JamesAlexanderMartin]

The limit is usually on sorters, they only transfer a set amount per second. Though your setup only uses the sorters as a valve for ingots rather than actively pulling so maybe not. You can add more sorters to move iron to the assemblers to increase flow, see if that works. Although it may just be some inventory lag due to all those assemblers. You also cannot weld a projection on to a grid that the projector is not attached to so your projection will never weld to your welder wall. Every time I see your video title I think of that Monty Python skit "pray to god there's intelligent life somewhere out in space because there's bugger all down here on earth" *dies in front of welder wall*

[@BossJones1981]

I was considering the sorters being a limiting factor and will experiment a bit in the future after i get the main base a little better laid out. The welders are attached albeit through subgrids thats why i wasnt sure how it would play out. Appreciate the input 100%

[@EngineeredCoffee]

That is an impressive wall o'welders. I removed my headphones bracing for the loadness of turning them all on simultaneously. I do think it's the sorters limiting your supply. But it is also kinda cool seeing it wave across the welders.

[@BossJones1981]

The sneaky sounds mod might dull the tool sounds, i also keep my in game audio turned down. The sorters i do believe limit me but im starting to wonder if it is how much i have queued in the assemblers not requesting enough resources to keep up with fully moduled assemblers

[@robertferrell2816]

Great job. It is totally awesome. Building on such a huge scale. The imagination to dream it and the game knowledge to bring it to fruition. Well done. 😮😊

[@kimjones8465]

Success! Well done, remember slow and steady wins the race.

[@DarkPrivateer]

Gantry with rails is something I've done in the past. These days, I've done a rotary with pistons, using 6-9 welders, would cover most of the ship you have shown here.

[@BossJones1981]

Gantry with rails and nested pistons ive seen many times too, the walker with the hinge rope was my take on something unique as far as rotary welders go, i would have needed to sequence the walker to not move until the rotor did a complete 360 sweep which in the end will take longer to weld i felt

[@DarkPrivateer]

@@BossJones1981 Its always a trade off of performance in most cases vs time. Setting up timing blocks with pistons and use connectors to connect to a fixed piping in the deck would work for your build, as well. Add merge blocks to the equation and that would help keep the alignment. Very similar concept to the auto mining rigs that are out there.

[@somelittleidiot8579]

In terms of paint job, I'd suggest a reddish of some sort, seeing as it was the first to have managed to kill you

[@kaygerry]

I mean, you could have put glass on the front of the welders. Then you wouldn't have to worry about anything sticking together

[@BossJones1981]

That absolutely would have worked and may be something i do when i start some greebling. Thanks for the suggestion

[@ToastGamingNCrew]

I wonder if having a smaller welder wall on wheels would be easier to manage, and then you can just have another set of rails on top for another one, depending on the size of ship you want to print. Although I haven't been a particular fan of printing a ship in some time

[@BossJones1981]

@@ToastGamingNCrew i tried one on wheels in my testing world and it clanged out really bad

[@Dave6i9]

big applause from me, i like how u think "big". Like @JamesAlexanderMarting i'd recommend large cargo instead of small fo each parts. About conveyor limitation, its seems like @james has more experience but im wondering if thats caused by that long (awesome) chain? Game kinda calculate hinge and itmes going through?! Just and idea Btw... why not creative world? Why no experimental? Why no self propeling machine? PS. the mod could help u: Industrial Sized Good job and keep it up -Dave.

[@BossJones1981]

I used mods in my first 3 episodes and suspect they caused the crash :(

[@travistharp4215]

I built a wall like that but have it above and lower it down then start to print as it retracts upwards

[@BossJones1981]

@@travistharp4215 thats a very good idea depending on the dimensions of what you are printing. Did you use a clang hinge rope too?

[@travistharp4215]

@ no I have it built in section so basically I have pistons going vertically and horizontal so if the ships to big I can do half then slide it over to do the rest of it

[@jaydawgg0001]

Any plans on putting it on workshop?

[@BossJones1981]

Eventually I might consider it once it is a little more pleasing to look at and confirmed its not going to explode!

[@justcallmedots8339]

hey i wonder if i can try out your welder. can you please post a workshop link to the world?

[@BossJones1981]

I may eventually once i have made it look better and further tested.