Electric smelter

Electric smelter

Extracts usable metal from slag chunks and other mixed metal items. Consumes a lot of power.

Base Stats

Type

Building – Production

Market Value

400  ^[Note]

Mass

20 kg

HP

180

Flammability

100%

Path Cost

50 (21%)

Building

Size

3 × 1

Minifiable

True

Placeable

True

Passability

pass through only

Cover Effectiveness

50%

Blocks Wind

False

Terrain Affordance

Heavy

Power

-700 W

Light Radius

3.44

Heat Per Second

9

Creation

Required Research

Electricity

Skill Required

Construction 4

Work To Make

3,500 ticks (58.33 secs)

Resources to make

170 + 2

Deconstruct yield

85 + 1

Destroy yield

42 - 43 + 0 - 1

Technical

thingCategories

BuildingsProduction

The electric smelter is a production building used to extract steel from steel slag chunks and metal weapons and armor. Colonists assigned to crafting will make use of it.

Acquisition

Electric smelters can be constructed once the electricity research project has been completed. Each requires  170 Steel,  2 Components, 3,500 ticks (58.33 secs) of work modified by the construction speed of the builder, and a construction skill of 4.

Summary

Power consumption

Electric smelters are placed on the ground and require 700 W of power. The smelter has gizmos for designating toggle power and reconnecting the power supply between circuits just like many other electric appliances, to aid in managing its high power needs.

Light and heat

While powered, smelters output light in a 6 tile radius; the nearest 3.442 tiles are above 30% light level and considered "lit", negating the work speed penalty from darkness. Smelters also produce 9 heat per second while in process of smelting things (which is about half of the output of one heater). No heat is produced when idle, even if powered on.

Bills

Powered electric smelters can convert steel slag chunks, metal weapons, and metallic armor pieces into usable metal. All bills are affected by smelting speed which is not affected by any skill but can be increased by manipulation and global work speed.

Smelt metal from slag

"Use heat and strong electromagnets to extract useful metal from slag chunks."

— Smelt metal from slag description

Steel slag chunks can be melted into 15 steel after 400 ticks (6.67 secs) of work (modified by the smelting speed of the crafter).

Smelt weapon

"Use heat and strong electromagnets to break down weapons into useful resources."

— Smelt weapon description

Metallic weapons can be smelted to return 25% of the materials used to craft them, excluding any components or advanced components, after 1,600 ticks (26.67 secs) of work (modified by the smelting speed of the crafter). Smelting will produce the same amount of materials, regardless of quality, hit points or biocoding.

Smelt apparel

"Use heat and strong electromagnets to break down metallic apparel like armor into useful resources."

— Smelt apparel description

Metallic apparel can be smelted to return 25% of the materials used to craft them, excluding any components, advanced components, or chemfuel, after 1,600 ticks (26.67 secs) of work (modified by the smelting speed of the crafter). Smelting will produce the same amount of materials, regardless of quality, hit points or tainting.

Destroy weapon

"Use heat to destroy unwanted weapons. This process is faster than smelting, and works on non-smeltable items, but yields no resources."

— Destroy weapon description

Weapons can be destroyed after 400 ticks (6.67 secs) of work (modified by the smelting speed of the crafter). This works for smeltable and non-smeltable weapons alike, however no materials are returned. This bill is also available for the electric crematorium.

Destroy apparel

"Use heat to destroy unwanted apparels. This process is faster than smelting, and works on non-smeltable items, but yields no resources."

— Destroy apparel description

Weapons can be destroyed after 400 ticks (6.67 secs) of work (modified by the smelting speed of the crafter). This works for smeltable and non-smeltable apparel alike, however no materials are returned. This bill is also available for the electric crematorium.

Analysis

Smelters are undoubtedly useful for steel slag chunks, tainted clothes, and biocoded weapons, which are all outright unsellable. Meanwhile, as damage quickly reduces the value of an item, smelting may give more silver than directly selling. When making smelting bill(s), take these factors into account.

Destroying items is rarely worth it. The destroy bill can help get rid of unsmeltable items like cloth apparel and stone clubs. However, most of them can be sold for silver, which brings a little profit (as opposed to none at all). It could also be used for wealth management, though you can also create a caravan and drop items on the world map, destroying them all the same.

As smelting is unaffected by skill, the fastest smelters are those with bionic arms (or better), or have work speed modifying traits like Industrious.

Sell vs Smelt

This graph shows dependence item sell price multiplier($) from item hit points.

For items that you can both sell and smelt, the table below describes the sales value (excluding the pawns Trade Price Improvement but including the Sell Price Multiplier of the item) of the items at each quality, alongside the sales value of the raw resources that can be attained by smelting. Items that can be made of different kinds of stuff do not have data. In parenthesis are the hit point percentages at which the item's sales value is equal to that of the raw resources. Never means the sales value of the item is never as high as the sales value of the raw resources. Above this percentage it is better to sell the item, where as below the percentage it is better to sell the raw resources. Note that this only considers selling each, so if you would otherwise have to buy the resources you would get from smelting, it would be better to smelt the items more often than not.

In general, very damaged items are better to smelt (under 60% health remaining, the value of an item drops rapidly after 60 percent), as the sale price is reduced while the amount of resources recovered are unaffected. Note that items with 90% or more health remaining retain full value.

Sell vs Smelt table

Name	Material Return	Material Value	Awful Sale Value	Poor Sale Value	Normal Sale Value	Good Sale Value	Excellent Sale Value	Masterwork Sale Value	Legendary Sale Value
Steel slag chunk	15	28.5	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Gladius	12 (125*)	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?
Longsword	25 (250*)	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?
Knife	7 (75*)	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?
Ikwa	13 (125*)	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?
Spear	19 (188*)	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?
Mace	13 (125*)	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?
Club	10 (100*)	?	-	-	?	-	-	-	-
Axe	13 (125*)	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?
Warhammer	37 (375*)	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?
Autopistol	7
13.3	Autopistol	+ [[{{{R2}}}]] (Error: Page does not exist)  + [[{{{R3}}}]] (Error: Page does not exist)  + [[{{{R4}}}]] (Error: Page does not exist)  + [[{{{R5}}}]] (Error: Page does not exist)  + [[{{{R6}}}]] (Error: Page does not exist)		(never)	(never)	(never)	(never)	(never)	(never)	(never)
Revolver	7
13.3	Revolver	+ [[{{{R2}}}]] (Error: Page does not exist)  + [[{{{R3}}}]] (Error: Page does not exist)  + [[{{{R4}}}]] (Error: Page does not exist)  + [[{{{R5}}}]] (Error: Page does not exist)  + [[{{{R6}}}]] (Error: Page does not exist)		(never)	(never)	(never)	(never)	(never)	(never)	(never)
Pump shotgun	15
28.5	Pump shotgun	+ [[{{{R2}}}]] (Error: Page does not exist)  + [[{{{R3}}}]] (Error: Page does not exist)  + [[{{{R4}}}]] (Error: Page does not exist)  + [[{{{R5}}}]] (Error: Page does not exist)  + [[{{{R6}}}]] (Error: Page does not exist)		(never)	(never)	(never)	(never)	(never)	(never)	(never)
Machine pistol	11
20.9	Machine pistol	+ [[{{{R2}}}]] (Error: Page does not exist)  + [[{{{R3}}}]] (Error: Page does not exist)  + [[{{{R4}}}]] (Error: Page does not exist)  + [[{{{R5}}}]] (Error: Page does not exist)  + [[{{{R6}}}]] (Error: Page does not exist)		(never)	(never)	(never)	(never)	(never)	(never)	(never)
Bolt-action rifle	15
28.5	Bolt-action rifle	+ [[{{{R2}}}]] (Error: Page does not exist)  + [[{{{R3}}}]] (Error: Page does not exist)  + [[{{{R4}}}]] (Error: Page does not exist)  + [[{{{R5}}}]] (Error: Page does not exist)  + [[{{{R6}}}]] (Error: Page does not exist)		(never)	(never)	(never)	(never)	(never)	(never)	(never)
Assault rifle	15
28.5	Assault rifle	+ [[{{{R2}}}]] (Error: Page does not exist)  + [[{{{R3}}}]] (Error: Page does not exist)  + [[{{{R4}}}]] (Error: Page does not exist)  + [[{{{R5}}}]] (Error: Page does not exist)  + [[{{{R6}}}]] (Error: Page does not exist)		(never)	(never)	(never)	(never)	(never)	(never)	(never)
Sniper rifle	15
28.5	Sniper rifle	+ [[{{{R2}}}]] (Error: Page does not exist)  + [[{{{R3}}}]] (Error: Page does not exist)  + [[{{{R4}}}]] (Error: Page does not exist)  + [[{{{R5}}}]] (Error: Page does not exist)  + [[{{{R6}}}]] (Error: Page does not exist)		(never)	(never)	(never)	(never)	(never)	(never)	(never)
LMG	19
36.1	LMG	+ [[{{{R2}}}]] (Error: Page does not exist)  + [[{{{R3}}}]] (Error: Page does not exist)  + [[{{{R4}}}]] (Error: Page does not exist)  + [[{{{R5}}}]] (Error: Page does not exist)  + [[{{{R6}}}]] (Error: Page does not exist)		(never)	(never)	(never)	(never)	(never)	(never)	(never)
Heavy SMG	19
36.1	Heavy SMG	+ [[{{{R2}}}]] (Error: Page does not exist)  + [[{{{R3}}}]] (Error: Page does not exist)  + [[{{{R4}}}]] (Error: Page does not exist)  + [[{{{R5}}}]] (Error: Page does not exist)  + [[{{{R6}}}]] (Error: Page does not exist)		(never)	(never)	(never)	(never)	(never)	(never)	(never)
EMP grenades	10	19	-	-	63 (55.0%)	-	-	-	-
Chain shotgun	18
34.2	Chain shotgun	+ [[{{{R2}}}]] (Error: Page does not exist)  + [[{{{R3}}}]] (Error: Page does not exist)  + [[{{{R4}}}]] (Error: Page does not exist)  + [[{{{R5}}}]] (Error: Page does not exist)  + [[{{{R6}}}]] (Error: Page does not exist)		(never)	(never)	(never)	(never)	(never)	(never)	(never)
Minigun	40
76	Minigun	+ [[{{{R2}}}]] (Error: Page does not exist)  + [[{{{R3}}}]] (Error: Page does not exist)  + [[{{{R4}}}]] (Error: Page does not exist)  + [[{{{R5}}}]] (Error: Page does not exist)  + [[{{{R6}}}]] (Error: Page does not exist)		(never)	(never)	(never)	(never)	(never)	(never)	(never)
Incendiary launcher	19
36.1	Incendiary launcher	+ [[{{{R2}}}]] (Error: Page does not exist)  + [[{{{R3}}}]] (Error: Page does not exist)  + [[{{{R4}}}]] (Error: Page does not exist)  + [[{{{R5}}}]] (Error: Page does not exist)  + [[{{{R6}}}]] (Error: Page does not exist)		(never)	(never)	(never)	(never)	(never)	(never)	(never)
EMP launcher	19
36.1	EMP launcher	+ [[{{{R2}}}]] (Error: Page does not exist)  + [[{{{R3}}}]] (Error: Page does not exist)  + [[{{{R4}}}]] (Error: Page does not exist)  + [[{{{R5}}}]] (Error: Page does not exist)  + [[{{{R6}}}]] (Error: Page does not exist)		(never)	(never)	(never)	(never)	(never)	(never)	(never)
Smoke launcher	19
36.1	Smoke launcher	+ [[{{{R2}}}]] (Error: Page does not exist)  + [[{{{R3}}}]] (Error: Page does not exist)  + [[{{{R4}}}]] (Error: Page does not exist)  + [[{{{R5}}}]] (Error: Page does not exist)  + [[{{{R6}}}]] (Error: Page does not exist)		(never)	(never)	(never)	(never)	(never)	(never)	(never)
Charge rifle	13
117	Charge rifle	+ [[{{{R2}}}]] (Error: Page does not exist)  + [[{{{R3}}}]] (Error: Page does not exist)  + [[{{{R4}}}]] (Error: Page does not exist)  + [[{{{R5}}}]] (Error: Page does not exist)  + [[{{{R6}}}]] (Error: Page does not exist)		(never)	(never)	(never)	(never)	(never)	(never)	(never)
Charge lance	15
135	Charge lance	+ [[{{{R2}}}]] (Error: Page does not exist)  + [[{{{R3}}}]] (Error: Page does not exist)  + [[{{{R4}}}]] (Error: Page does not exist)  + [[{{{R5}}}]] (Error: Page does not exist)  + [[{{{R6}}}]] (Error: Page does not exist)		(never)	(never)	(never)	(never)	(never)	(never)	(never)
Shield belt	12 +  5
67.8	Revolver	+ [[{{{R2}}}]] (Error: Page does not exist)  + [[{{{R3}}}]] (Error: Page does not exist)  + [[{{{R4}}}]] (Error: Page does not exist)  + [[{{{R5}}}]] (Error: Page does not exist)  + [[{{{R6}}}]] (Error: Page does not exist)		(never)	(never)	(never)	(never)	(never)	(never)	(never)
Simple helmet	10 (100*)	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?
Flak helmet	10 (100*) +  2	? + 18	?	?	?	?	?	?	?
Recon helmet	8
72	Recon helmet	+ [[{{{R2}}}]] (Error: Page does not exist)  + [[{{{R3}}}]] (Error: Page does not exist)  + [[{{{R4}}}]] (Error: Page does not exist)  + [[{{{R5}}}]] (Error: Page does not exist)  + [[{{{R6}}}]] (Error: Page does not exist)		(never)	(never)	(never)	(never)	(never)	(never)	(never)
Marine helmet	10
90	Marine helmet	+ [[{{{R2}}}]] (Error: Page does not exist)  + [[{{{R3}}}]] (Error: Page does not exist)  + [[{{{R4}}}]] (Error: Page does not exist)  + [[{{{R5}}}]] (Error: Page does not exist)  + [[{{{R6}}}]] (Error: Page does not exist)		(never)	(never)	(never)	(never)	(never)	(never)	(never)
Cataphract helmet	13
117	Cataphract helmet	+ [[{{{R2}}}]] (Error: Page does not exist)  + [[{{{R3}}}]] (Error: Page does not exist)  + [[{{{R4}}}]] (Error: Page does not exist)  + [[{{{R5}}}]] (Error: Page does not exist)  + [[{{{R6}}}]] (Error: Page does not exist)		(never)	(never)	(never)	(never)	(never)	(never)	(never)
Prestige recon helmet	10 +  3 +  1
118	Prestige recon helmet	+ [[{{{R2}}}]] (Error: Page does not exist)  + [[{{{R3}}}]] (Error: Page does not exist)  + [[{{{R4}}}]] (Error: Page does not exist)  + [[{{{R5}}}]] (Error: Page does not exist)  + [[{{{R6}}}]] (Error: Page does not exist)		(never)	(never)	(never)	(never)	(never)	(never)	(never)
Prestige marine helmet	13 +  5 +  2
167	Prestige marine helmet	+ [[{{{R2}}}]] (Error: Page does not exist)  + [[{{{R3}}}]] (Error: Page does not exist)  + [[{{{R4}}}]] (Error: Page does not exist)  + [[{{{R5}}}]] (Error: Page does not exist)  + [[{{{R6}}}]] (Error: Page does not exist)		(never)	(never)	(never)	(never)	(never)	(never)	(never)
Prestige cataphract helmet	19 +  12 +  2
263	Prestige cataphract helmet	+ [[{{{R2}}}]] (Error: Page does not exist)  + [[{{{R3}}}]] (Error: Page does not exist)  + [[{{{R4}}}]] (Error: Page does not exist)  + [[{{{R5}}}]] (Error: Page does not exist)  + [[{{{R6}}}]] (Error: Page does not exist)		(never)	(never)	(never)	(never)	(never)	(never)	(never)
Plate armor	43 (425*)	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?
Flak vest	15 +  8
40.5	Flak vest	+ [[{{{R2}}}]] (Error: Page does not exist)  + [[{{{R3}}}]] (Error: Page does not exist)  + [[{{{R4}}}]] (Error: Page does not exist)  + [[{{{R5}}}]] (Error: Page does not exist)  + [[{{{R6}}}]] (Error: Page does not exist)		(never)	(never)	(never)	(never)	(never)	(never)	(never)
Flak pants	15 +  7
39	Flak pants	+ [[{{{R2}}}]] (Error: Page does not exist)  + [[{{{R3}}}]] (Error: Page does not exist)  + [[{{{R4}}}]] (Error: Page does not exist)  + [[{{{R5}}}]] (Error: Page does not exist)  + [[{{{R6}}}]] (Error: Page does not exist)		(never)	(never)	(never)	(never)	(never)	(never)	(never)
Flak jacket	17 +  13
51.8	Flak jacket	+ [[{{{R2}}}]] (Error: Page does not exist)  + [[{{{R3}}}]] (Error: Page does not exist)  + [[{{{R4}}}]] (Error: Page does not exist)  + [[{{{R5}}}]] (Error: Page does not exist)  + [[{{{R6}}}]] (Error: Page does not exist)		(never)	(never)	(never)	(never)	(never)	(never)	(never)
Recon armor	20 +  3
198	Recon armor	+ [[{{{R2}}}]] (Error: Page does not exist)  + [[{{{R3}}}]] (Error: Page does not exist)  + [[{{{R4}}}]] (Error: Page does not exist)  + [[{{{R5}}}]] (Error: Page does not exist)  + [[{{{R6}}}]] (Error: Page does not exist)		(never)	(never)	(never)	(never)	(never)	(never)	(never)
Marine armor	25 +  5
255	Marine armor	+ [[{{{R2}}}]] (Error: Page does not exist)  + [[{{{R3}}}]] (Error: Page does not exist)  + [[{{{R4}}}]] (Error: Page does not exist)  + [[{{{R5}}}]] (Error: Page does not exist)  + [[{{{R6}}}]] (Error: Page does not exist)		(never)	(never)	(never)	(never)	(never)	(never)	(never)
Cataphract armor	37 +  13
411	Cataphract armor	+ [[{{{R2}}}]] (Error: Page does not exist)  + [[{{{R3}}}]] (Error: Page does not exist)  + [[{{{R4}}}]] (Error: Page does not exist)  + [[{{{R5}}}]] (Error: Page does not exist)  + [[{{{R6}}}]] (Error: Page does not exist)		(never)	(never)	(never)	(never)	(never)	(never)	(never)
Prestige recon armor	25 +  3 +  3
273	Prestige recon armor	+ [[{{{R2}}}]] (Error: Page does not exist)  + [[{{{R3}}}]] (Error: Page does not exist)  + [[{{{R4}}}]] (Error: Page does not exist)  + [[{{{R5}}}]] (Error: Page does not exist)  + [[{{{R6}}}]] (Error: Page does not exist)		(never)	(never)	(never)	(never)	(never)	(never)	(never)
Prestige marine armor	30 +  5 +  3
411	Prestige marine armor	+ [[{{{R2}}}]] (Error: Page does not exist)  + [[{{{R3}}}]] (Error: Page does not exist)  + [[{{{R4}}}]] (Error: Page does not exist)  + [[{{{R5}}}]] (Error: Page does not exist)  + [[{{{R6}}}]] (Error: Page does not exist)		(never)	(never)	(never)	(never)	(never)	(never)	(never)
Prestige cataphract armor	48 +  12 +  4
544	Prestige cataphract armor	+ [[{{{R2}}}]] (Error: Page does not exist)  + [[{{{R3}}}]] (Error: Page does not exist)  + [[{{{R4}}}]] (Error: Page does not exist)  + [[{{{R5}}}]] (Error: Page does not exist)  + [[{{{R6}}}]] (Error: Page does not exist)		(never)	(never)	(never)	(never)	(never)	(never)	(never)
Locust armor	30 +  3
288	Prestige cataphract armor	+ [[{{{R2}}}]] (Error: Page does not exist)  + [[{{{R3}}}]] (Error: Page does not exist)  + [[{{{R4}}}]] (Error: Page does not exist)  + [[{{{R5}}}]] (Error: Page does not exist)  + [[{{{R6}}}]] (Error: Page does not exist)		(never)	(never)	(never)	(never)	(never)	(never)	(never)
Grenadier armor	25 +  5 +  19
291.1	Grenadier armor	+ [[{{{R2}}}]] (Error: Page does not exist)  + [[{{{R3}}}]] (Error: Page does not exist)  + [[{{{R4}}}]] (Error: Page does not exist)  + [[{{{R5}}}]] (Error: Page does not exist)  + [[{{{R6}}}]] (Error: Page does not exist)		(never)	(never)	(never)	(never)	(never)	(never)	(never)
Phoenix armor	38 +  12 +  18
448.2	Phoenix armor	+ [[{{{R2}}}]] (Error: Page does not exist)  + [[{{{R3}}}]] (Error: Page does not exist)  + [[{{{R4}}}]] (Error: Page does not exist)  + [[{{{R5}}}]] (Error: Page does not exist)  + [[{{{R6}}}]] (Error: Page does not exist)		(never)	(never)	(never)	(never)	(never)	(never)	(never)
Visage mask	4	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?

^{* return for small materials (namely gold and silver)}

Version history

• 0.4.460 - Added as Slag Refinery
• 1.3.3087 - Pawns no longer smelt relics , to avoid accidental mishaps.
• 1.4.3523 - Smelted armor no longer returns chemfuel.
• 1.4.3641 - Fix: Apparel that can be made of any non-smeltable stuff does not show up on the smelting bill UI. (Eg plate armor)

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Architect

Production | Neolithic

Art bench • Brewery • Butcher spot • Butcher table • Campfire • Crafting spot • Fueled stove • Fermenting barrel • Simple research bench

Medieval

Fueled smithy • Hand tailor bench • Stonecutter's table

Industrial

Biofuel refinery • Deep drill • Drug lab • Electric crematorium • Electric smelter • Electric smithy • Electric stove • Electric tailor bench • Fabrication bench • Hi-tech research bench • Hydroponics basin • Machining table • Nutrient paste dispenser (Hopper)

Related

Bioferrite shaper • Serum lab