Sandustry Machines & Buildings
Machines move, filter, and refine the falling sand. Every building below is gated by a Research node, so knowing what each one does helps you spend Gold in the right order.
Core Machine Mechanics
| Mechanic | Description | Priority |
|---|---|---|
| Wet Sand Rule | 1 Sand + 1 Water = 2 Wet Sand; density behavior governs how it flows and settles | Core |
| Diagonal Shakers | Gold separates cleanly on diagonal Shakers; flat placement wastes throughput | Core |
| Density Filters | Separate materials by density bands to keep lines sorted | High |
| Slag Recovery | Burn Slag into Burnt Slag, then press it for extra Gold | High |
| Phase Changes | Ice melts to water, water boils to steam and rains back down — manage heat and flooding | Medium |
| Drone Hauling | Drones relocate materials where conveyors and launchers can't reach | Medium |
All Machines
Shaker
Process: Wet Sand → Gold + Slag
Category: Processing
Unlocks: Refining 1
The core machine. Run Wet Sand across a diagonal Shaker; about 20-25% falls out as Gold per pass while Slag continues downstream.
Conveyor Belt
Process: Moves dry items
Category: Logistics
Unlocks: Logistics 1
Moves sand and items between machines. Keep lines unclogged or piles jam the belt.
Flux Emanator
Process: Voidbloom → Fluxite
Category: Processing
Unlocks: Mid-game
Only one per factory. Feed Voidbloom from above; Fluxite grows below for upgrade currency.
Launcher
Process: Throws items across gaps
Category: Logistics
Unlocks: Logistics 1
Flings items over cliffs and pits. Hold Shift while placing to skip an outlet.
Density Filter
Process: Sorts by density
Category: Sorting
Unlocks: Filters
Separates Sand, Wet Sand, Slag, RedSand, Lava, and Gold using density bands.
Pipe & Pump
Process: Moves water / steam / lava
Category: Fluid
Unlocks: Pipes
Routes water, steam, and lava. Watch for floods and phase changes (ice melts, water boils).
Kinetic Slag Press
Process: Burnt Slag → extra Gold
Category: Processing
Unlocks: Refining 2
Squeezes extra Gold out of Burnt Slag — often your second-biggest income source.
Digger Drone
Process: Relocates sand
Category: Automation
Unlocks: Drones 1
Automates sand and slag relocation when conveyors can't reach deep pits.
Hauler Drone
Process: Carries items
Category: Automation
Unlocks: Drones 1
Moves materials across vertical mines and gaps.
Planter Box
Process: Grows Flowers → Amethelis
Category: Farming
Unlocks: Mid-game
Grows Flowers that drop Amethelis petals for Voidbloom production.
Collector
Process: Picks up nearby items
Category: Utility
Unlocks: Early
Auto-picks up Gold and items, cutting down manual hauling.
Thermal Buffer
Process: Stores heat
Category: Utility
Unlocks: Mid-game
Buffers heat for temperature-sensitive reactions.