What Automatic Restock Means
Automatic shelf replenishment matters because shop layouts can require extra floors and storage space when items must be fed into shelves from above. For alchemy factory automatic restock, the available community discussion identifies catapults and cannons as the currently discussed ways to supply shelves.
The current Version 1.0 wiki guidance advises players to treat the live build menu, device tooltips, and production display as the authority for exact behavior. The published 1.0 notes do not provide a complete specification table for every automation component.
That means the safest approach is to use the community layout ideas as practical starting points, then confirm that the relevant devices and shelf interactions work in your current game interface.
| Topic | What the sources establish | What to verify in-game |
|---|---|---|
| Shelf restocking | Community players discuss feeding shelves with catapults and cannons. | The current shelf input behavior and placement options. |
| Catapults | A community response describes catapults as good for sending items downward. | Their current trajectory and whether the layout reaches the shelf. |
| Cannons | A community response describes cannons as useful upward and across. | Their current direction, angle, and research availability. |
| Direct shelf inputs | A player says shelves do not have input slots on their backsides. | Whether this remains true in the current build. |
| Exact settings | The Version 1.0 page does not publish a full component table. | Costs, capacities, rates, and progression requirements. |
Community Shelf-Feeding Options
The Steam discussion began with a player asking whether catapults were the only way to automatically stock shelves. The replies point to catapults and cannons rather than a confirmed direct rear-input connection for shelves.
One player shared a setup fed from above. Another player said that this kind of arrangement could take space they did not currently have without rebuilding. This makes vertical routing a central consideration when planning automatic restock.
The discussion also includes a suggestion about a chute output, right-angle connection, and tunnel conveyor. It appears as a player question, not as confirmed guidance. Do not rely on that route without checking the current interface and testing it yourself.
| Option discussed | Reported use in the discussion | Important limitation or caution |
|---|---|---|
| Catapult | Good for downward delivery. | The original poster said a catapult-from-above approach did not always work. |
| Cannon | Described as a later option that removes some angle issues. | Another player reported angle issues can still occur when shooting downward. |
| Feeding from above | A player shared an example of this layout. | It can require additional floors and storage space. |
| Rear shelf input | A player wished shelves had backside input slots. | The same post says only catapults and cannons are available “for now.” |
| Chute and conveyor idea | Raised as a possible alternative by a player. | No source confirms that it works for shelf restocking. |
If your shelves are below the supply route, a catapult is the community-described option for downward delivery. If you need to move stock upward or across, cannons are the option discussed by players.
However, “upward and across” should not be read as a guarantee for every shape of build. The same conversation specifically warns that cannons can still have angle problems when firing downward. Test the full route before committing to a large rebuild.
Build and Verification Checklist
For alchemy factory automatic restock, start with the smallest practical version of the route. The sources support checking live behavior rather than assuming that a layout from a discussion thread will behave identically in the current build.
Before placing a permanent production line, confirm the shelf, delivery device, and intended direction in the current interface. The Version 1.0 page explicitly recommends confirming named items, devices, quests, and systems before acting.
- Check the current build menu for the delivery device you intend to use.
- Read the live device tooltip before basing a layout on a community report.
- Test whether the shelf accepts the delivered item in your chosen position.
- Confirm that the delivery direction matches the route: down, up, or across.
- Recheck the layout after hotfixes if official notes mention an affected system.
- Avoid treating older walkthroughs or databases as current specifications without a current primary source.
The wiki’s automation category lists conveyors, splitters, processing machines, elevators, boilers, and wagon logistics as parts of reliable production lines. That category context is useful for planning the path to the shop, but it does not prove a specific shelf-restock connection or provide exact values for it.
| Verification step | Why it is useful | Source basis |
|---|---|---|
| Confirm the device name | Prevents acting on an unverified item or system. | Version 1.0 verification checklist. |
| Read current tooltips | Current build information is the stated authority for behavior. | Version 1.0 current guidance. |
| Inspect production displays | Helps verify live behavior rather than relying on historical reports. | Version 1.0 current guidance. |
| Test the completed route | Community reports identify possible angle and placement issues. | Steam discussion. |
| Recheck after hotfixes | Layouts may need review when official notes mention affected systems. | Version 1.0 verification checklist. |
Layout Considerations
The Steam thread makes clear that space is part of the automatic-restock problem. The original poster described needing extra floors and storage when feeding shelves from above, while another participant suggested a shop floor of at least a 3x3 area for simplicity.
That 3x3 suggestion is community advice, not an official rule. Use it as a planning reference only, and compare it with the space and behavior shown in your own build.
A vertical layout can make sense when stock is supplied from above, but it may introduce the same space pressure that prompted the discussion. A route that appears compact in one area may require more room for storage or delivery positioning elsewhere.
Keep the delivery test focused. First determine whether the item reaches the shelf reliably. Then assess whether the supporting storage and floor arrangement remains practical for your shop.
The sources do not establish exact shelf capacity, device range, projectile rate, conveyor speed, unlock requirements, or research costs. Avoid calculating throughput or designing around assumed numbers until the current game interface provides them.
| Planning question | Supported answer |
|---|---|
| Can catapults be used in automatic shelf supply discussions? | Yes; players discuss them as a shelf-feeding option, especially for downward delivery. |
| Are cannons a discussed alternative? | Yes; players mention them as a later option for upward and across movement. |
| Do cannons eliminate every angle problem? | No; a player reports continuing issues when attempting downward shots. |
| Are backside shelf input slots confirmed? | No; a player says shelves lack them at the time of the discussion. |
| Is a conveyor-and-chute shelf route confirmed? | No; it is posed as a question rather than confirmed functionality. |
| Are exact automation values published in the supplied 1.0 guidance? | No; the page says complete current tables are not published. |
FAQ
What is the best starting point for alchemy factory automatic restock?
Use a small test route based on the community-described options: catapults for downward delivery, or cannons for upward and across delivery. Then verify the current device behavior through the build menu, tooltip, and live production display.
Are catapults the only way to stock shelves automatically?
The Steam discussion says catapults and cannons are the currently discussed options. It does not confirm any other method.
Should I use cannons for downward delivery?
Be cautious. One community player says cannons can still have angle issues when attempting to shoot downward. Test the intended angle before rebuilding around it.
Can shelves accept items from a backside input slot?
The supplied discussion says players wanted backside input slots, but describes catapults and cannons as the available options at that time. Confirm the current shelf interface before planning around direct inputs.
Does Version 1.0 provide complete restock specifications?
No. The supplied Version 1.0 guidance says the notes do not publish complete current recipe, rate, cost, capacity, or progression tables for every automation component.