Builds in Satisfactory will always start off simple, but within a few hours, they can become a complete mess of spaghetti conveyors and crowded machines. This is part of the learning process; nobody gets their first build right. However, these tips and tricks will keep your factories completely satisfactory. Ahem.

How to avoid spaghetti conveyors

There are a few little things to pay attention to while building that will keep things clean in Satisfactory. They need to be observed from the start, really, as building on messy foundations is never a great place to begin. Depending on how much of a logistical nightmare you already have, you may have to strip things back to implement these or just start again.

Obey the grid

The first piece of advice I have for any aspiring Satisfactory layout artist is to stick to a grid system. Avoid anything other than straight lines and right angles as much as possible. This means running things in straight lines with splitters heading directly into smelters, then constructors, etc…

Go big

As lovely as it would be to have your factory neat and compact, built over a small square footage, this simply does not work. One of the fastest ways to end up with spaghetti conveyors and a complete mess of a build is to use too little space in Satisfactory.

Plan what you want to build in an area, determine how much space you need, and then double it. Satisfactory has an enormous map; use this to your advantage. Use all the space you need, and enjoy the much cleaner, easier-to-understand layout. This becomes a lot more feasible when you get your hands on certain alternate recipes, such as the Stitched Iron Plate or Steel Screws.

Foundations forever

Foundations are a considerably better place to start when beginning your build in Satisfactory. A flat, even foundation will avoid the highs and lows that often come with conveyor spaghetti in Satisfactory. A flat and level starting floor eliminates one axis of possible spaghetti conveyors. These will also help your machines and conveyors adhere to the structures of the grid. ALL HAIL THE GRID.

What lurks beneath

Sometimes, something is so ugly, freakish, and disturbing that the only thing to do is hide it in a basement and forget that it ever existed. Just ask my younger brother. You can apply the same strategy to make your build appear clean and de-spaghettified when really, it is a whirring helscape.

Build a floor above your current conveyor nightmare, and place machines and other structures on it. Then, hide all the conveyors under the floor and simply have them feed upwards using elevators where needed. It is a visual rather than a practical solution.

Many builds that may look very clean are actually just hiding a lot of the intricate conveyor work under floors. Don’t feel bad; we all hide a dirty secret or two.

Compartmentalise

Build specific buildings for purpose. Using the vertical conveyors in Satisfactory, it is possible to feed items into a top or bottom floor, move them through the floors, with each floor serving a purpose, and then back out of the building completely transformed.

These buildings, each serving a particular step in a process, are a fantastic way to clean up a whole build in Satisfactory, keeping things organized and without spaghetti. However, getting your build this tight the first time through is pretty much impossible. Remember, failure is just another lesson.

Failing to prepare is preparing to fail

Preplanning is the real key to success in any build, whether you want to keep it clean or just trying to figure out a train line. Before you start building anything, work out just what you need for the construction and what you hope to produce. This will give you an idea of the materials you need to feed into this section of your factory and exactly what machines will be required and where.

I recommend heading to somewhere like Satisfactory Tips for some amazing pre-built layouts. These are designed to produce everything from fuel to engines. Using one of these as a build guide will help you get to grips with just how a complete manufacturing build should look without the dreaded Satisfactory conveyor spaghetti.

If you want something with a bit more science and freedom, then I recommend using Satisfactory Tools. This will allow you to enter the desired output and then give you an easy-to-read diagram of exactly what is needed to construct the desired material. It’s then up to you to build it.

It’s always an idea to enter the console commands and tweak some things to make building easier in Satisfactory. I’m not talking about cheating, just a little bit of flying to oversee the build a little better.