Layout best practices

[Pat_theBrat]

I'm trying to work on supply chain optimization. I struggle in finding the right balance between input and output units. I also don't use enough storage units.

For factories I use the manufacturer's guide shortcut

For store I use this setup with built-in advertising unit enabled. Is there a useful way to use that extra unit space ?

stores.png (12.73 KiB) Viewed 565 times

For natural resources, I can probably do a lot better. I often get shortages. Demand is usually cyclical. Probably a storage unit would help but I also wonder if I really need 1:1 ration between mining and sales.

mines.png (12.63 KiB) Viewed 565 times

Warehouses. I recently started using that layout. I use warehouses mainly to stabilize offer and avoid abusing a single factory while others are snoozing. For goods with very high demand I can have single factory feeding up to 9 warehouse inputs.

warehouses.png (15.84 KiB) Viewed 565 times

I don't use farming a lot but that's my current setup. Again, I can probably do better.

farming.png (14.39 KiB) Viewed 565 times

I play with all DLC and Real World mod. 15 cities at max capacities. Demand is huge and I end up with hundreds of factories to try feeding all my stores. I'm big on vertical integration and internal sales.

I'm curious to see your layouts. How do you maximize your supply chains ?

[Stylesjl]

I'm trying to work on supply chain optimization. I struggle in finding the right balance between input and output units. I also don't use enough storage units.

For factories I use the manufacturer's guide shortcut

For store I use this setup with built-in advertising unit enabled. Is there a useful way to use that extra unit space ?
stores.png


For natural resources, I can probably do a lot better. I often get shortages. Demand is usually cyclical. Probably a storage unit would help but I also wonder if I really need 1:1 ration between mining and sales.
mines.png


Warehouses. I recently started using that layout. I use warehouses mainly to stabilize offer and avoid abusing a single factory while others are snoozing. For goods with very high demand I can have single factory feeding up to 9 warehouse inputs.
warehouses.png


I don't use farming a lot but that's my current setup. Again, I can probably do better.
farming.png


I play with all DLC and Real World mod. 15 cities at max capacities. Demand is huge and I end up with hundreds of factories to try feeding all my stores. I'm big on vertical integration and internal sales.

I'm curious to see your layouts. How do you maximize your supply chains ?

Generally speaking I don't spend too much time trying to optimise the layouts, I usually use the saved versions.

For the store that is basically the most optimal example as you can't really use that extra space for a fifth product. That space could be used for advertising or perhaps a private label (which I don't really use).

For mining I usually try using the centre as an extra mining unit. But if you are getting shortages in your mines - try building more mines or cutting off other customers from buying your raw materials (which often causes the shortages).

For the warehouses - yes that is a good layout. Making sure all inputs connect to all storage units to ensure that no particular factory is too burdened with orders from the warehouse. Suggest however that you should also use the crossing pipes between Storage and Output as well.

For farms - don't use that layout. One sales unit is NOT enough to sell the entire crop (I had tried it before). Basically even if the sales is run at 100% it won't use up the whole crop/inventory units before the next crop arrives, leading to wasted product (and so the extra crop unit is just wasted). It also creates shortages as only one sales unit has a limited speed and it might not supply your factories fast enough. I always use two sales units on the farms for this reason.

[13thscholar]

I personally only use 1 central storage unit for warehouses as they don't increase capacity (training doesn't work). If your product is moving, it isn't going to overflow; just create a capacity backlog to maintain a consistent supply.

I will use your 3X3 setup if I am trying to move volume of natural resources such as gold/Silver when you are running a large jewelry and watch business, or leather/cotton for multiple sectors. You need the capacity backlog to maintain flow, hence the warehouse, or sometimes you want to pull a bunch of poor quality product in to use as a last resort/clear out.

Natural resources depends on demand. I personally find 2 mining, 3 max, is enough due to the price to purchase the units and their maintenance being as long as the life of the mine.
Again though, I use 1 central storage unit to build a capacity backlog so high demand can be met if I say build 4 factories needing the product.

I agree with Stylesji re: sales units in farms, minimum 2 sales units, I believe 3 if you have high volume items such as cotton or maybe wheat.

Just don't cut off a cell when you design the chains creatively, as it could be wasted (for instance, a storage unit only being able to reach 2 inputs), but that's more for animal farms and manufacturing.

[Pat_theBrat]

Thank you both for your answers.

I'll make some adjustments to my farms. I was hoping that there were go to layouts that I didn't know about.

[TheOscar]

For mining, I usually start with M-I-O along the middle row. If I see too much demand for the output unit and a low supply, I add a second mining unit connected to the middle inventory unit, as in 2M-I-O. If there is too much supply, the inventory unit will top off. If I'm looking to stock inventory, I can expand the number of inventory units as in M-2I-O. If the Output unit is utilized at 100%, I add a second unit connected to the inventory unit, as in M-I-2O.

So, unless I see evidence to expand from the initial M-I-O, the other units are blank to save costs. There are some resources where I have done M-7I-O, and I will stock up until the mine is exhausted. At this point, I removed the mining unit to save costs and installed an output unit if I needed more output.