Factory Builder Real-World Edition
The Real-World Edition adapts the Factory Builder engine to workshops, warehouses and small production environments. It focuses on quick planning, visual clarity and accurate throughput modelling.
Layouts, flows, and lines
At its core, Real-World Edition treats your factory or workshop as a set of connected segments: machines, manual stations, buffers, conveyors, and decision points. The goal is to make these layouts easy to explain to anyone on the team, not just engineers.
Segment-based line builder
Build a line as a series of clear blocks and connections instead of dense CAD. Each block can represent a machine, station, buffer, inspection point, or packaging area.
- Drag-and-drop segments on a simple canvas.
- Use clear icons for machines, manual stations, buffers, and labels.
- Show arrows for product flow and decision branches.
- Group segments into logical stages (e.g. "prep", "assembly", "pack").
Multi-line and multi-product flows
Real factories rarely run a single product in a straight line. The planner is designed for multiple products, shared resources, and changeover.
- Tag lines or branches by product type, SKU, or batch.
- Highlight shared machines that are potential bottlenecks.
- Sketch changeover paths and alternative flows.
- Future: overlay time / capacity information per branch.
Data, estimates, and conversations
At first, the focus is on making conversations easier: giving teams a shared picture to stand around and discuss. Over time, more numeric information can be layered on top without making the interface overwhelming.
Visual clarity
Start with clean, readable layouts before anything else.
- Simple per-segment notes ("operator here", "fragile product").
- Highlight potential clashes or over-complicated routes.
- Export snapshots to share in chats, documents, and meetings.
Basic capacity views
Add just enough data to support planning, without turning it into a full simulation or MRP system.
- Per-segment cycle time and rough throughput.
- Simple capacity flags (e.g. "likely bottleneck").
- Indicative outputs per hour / shift for a line.
Reports & exports (future)
Longer-term, Real-World Edition can export into other tools once layouts are stable.
- Export layouts and notes to PDF or image packs.
- Structured data export for spreadsheets or BI tools.
- Potential links into CAD / engineering tools (future).
Shared foundation with the Game Edition
Real-World Edition shares a lot of its DNA with the game-focused version of Factory Builder. That's deliberate: the interfaces and mental models that work well in Satisfactory or Planet Crafter planning also make sense for real factories, as long as the language and outputs are adapted.
Same app, different mode
- One shared Factory Builder app, with a toggle between Game and Real-World modes.
- Real-World mode uses more neutral / industrial icons and terms.
- Game mode stays playful; Real-World mode emphasises clarity and documentation.
- Layouts can often be adapted between modes as a starting point.
Future: AI-assisted suggestions
In time, Factory Builder can tap into Sidon AI for layout and improvement ideas:
- Spot obvious bottlenecks or long detours in flows.
- Suggest alternative routings for better balance.
- Highlight under-used segments or redundant steps.
Status and next steps
Factory Builder – Real-World Edition is currently in the planning and early interface stages. The priority is to keep it approachable: something a supervisor or operator can use in a meeting without needing training in heavier software.
If you're interested in using Real-World Edition in your own environment in the future, the best place to follow progress (and give feedback) will be the Sidon Systems community channels.