Alchemy Factory Blueprint 101

Building the same production setup for the tenth time gets old fast. You're placing crucibles, routing belts, and connecting portals while your brain screams "I've done this before!" That's where Alchemy Factory's blueprint system becomes your best friend. This powerful feature lets you save entire factory sections and recreate them instantly, transforming hours of repetitive work into seconds of smart automation.

Think of blueprints as your personal factory template library. Once you've perfected a sand production line or nailed down an efficient fertilizer setup, you can capture that design forever. Even better, you can share these templates with friends or grab proven designs from the community, skipping the trial-and-error phase entirely.

What Are Blueprints 

Blueprints are saved factory layouts that capture every machine, belt, and connection in a designated area. When you place a blueprint, the game recreates that exact structure wherever you want it. This isn't just about saving time (though you'll save mountains of it). Blueprints ensure consistency across your factory, eliminate placement errors, and let you focus on optimization instead of repetition.

The system works beautifully for both small components and massive production complexes. Need three identical sand factories? Blueprint one and stamp out copies. Want to rebuild your entire fertilizer operation on a higher floor? Save it as a blueprint and relocate in minutes.

How to Create Your First Blueprint

Creating a blueprint requires selecting the structure you want to save, making a copy, and then saving that copy to your blueprint library. Here's the exact process:

1. Build and test your production setup until it works perfectly
2. Select the entire structure you want to save
3. Press F to create a copy of the selected structure
4. Press H to open the blueprint menu
5. Name your blueprint something descriptive (like "Sand Factory Mk2")
6. Add a description to remember what it does
7. Click Confirm to save

Alchemy Factory Blueprint

The selection step is crucial. Make sure you've grabbed every machine, belt, portal, and connection. Missing a single belt can break the entire design when you place it later. Walk around your structure and verify everything's highlighted before hitting F.

Accessing and Placing Saved Blueprints

Your blueprint library lives inside the Build menu, making it accessible whenever you're ready to construct. Here's how to use your saved designs:

1. Press Q to open the Build menu
2. Select the Blueprints tab on the left (below the Build tab)
3. Browse your saved blueprints
4. Click the blueprint you want to place
5. Position it at your base using the placement preview
6. Click to confirm placement

The placement preview shows exactly where machines will land, letting you verify spacing and alignment before committing. You can rotate blueprints during placement to fit different orientations, which is perfect when building symmetrical factory wings.

Blueprint Organization

As your blueprint collection grows, organization becomes essential. Without a system, you'll waste time scrolling through dozens of templates hunting for the right one. Here's how to keep things manageable:

Naming Convention Best Practices:

• Include the production type: "Fertilizer," "Sand," "Coke Powder"
• Add version numbers: "Mk1," "Mk2," "Final"
• Note capacity: "120/min" or "60/min"
• Example: "Sand Factory Mk3 - 120/min"

Description Field Usage:

• List required inputs and their rates
• Note output quantities
• Mention special requirements (fuel type, fertilizer grade)
• Include any quirks or optimization notes

Sharing Blueprints with Other Players

The blueprint sharing system operates through file exchange, letting you trade factory designs with friends or the community. Blueprint files use the .af extension and live in your game directory.

To Share Your Blueprints:

1. Navigate to your game installation folder
2. Find the Blueprint subfolder
3. Locate files with .af extensions
4. Copy the desired blueprint files
5. Share them via Discord, cloud storage, or direct transfer

To Receive Blueprints:

1. Download the .af blueprint file
2. Place it in your game's Blueprint folder
3. Launch or restart Alchemy Factory
4. The blueprint appears in your Blueprints tab

Blueprint Locations

The Alchemy Factory Discord server hosts an active blueprint-sharing community where players post optimized designs for everything from basic production to advanced automation. You'll find compact layouts, high-throughput designs, and creative solutions to common bottlenecks.

Common Blueprint Problems and Solutions

Even experienced players encounter blueprint issues. Here are the most frequent problems and their fixes:

Missing Belts After Placement: This known bug randomly deletes belts when loading blueprints. The issue appears more frequently with compact designs where belts run close together. Solution: Avoid ultra-tight belt spacing in blueprints, and always verify belt connections after placement.

Blueprint Won't Place: Usually caused by insufficient space or overlapping with existing structures. Rotate the blueprint or clear more area. The placement preview turns red when collision occurs.

Machines Not Connecting: Happens when you saved the blueprint while machines were disconnected or when placement orientation changes. Solution: Manually reconnect affected machines after placement, or recreate the blueprint ensuring all connections are active.

Portal Targets Not Set: Blueprints don't save portal destinations. After placing a blueprint containing portals, you must manually configure their targets again.

Optimizing Blueprints for Reusability

The best blueprints work in multiple locations without modification. Here's how to design for maximum reusability:

Self-Contained Designs: Build blueprints that include everything needed to function. Don't rely on external belt connections or shared resources. Include input portals, output storage, and fuel systems within the blueprint boundary.

Modular Sizing: Design blueprints to fit standard grid sizes. A 10x10 blueprint fits anywhere, while an irregular 13x7 blueprint creates placement headaches. Round dimensions make factory expansion cleaner.

Stackable Layouts: Consider vertical space when designing. Blueprints that work on ground level should also function on upper floors. Avoid designs that require specific terrain features.

Clear Input/Output Points: Position inputs and outputs at consistent locations. If your sand factory always outputs from the front-right corner, every version should follow that pattern. Consistency simplifies factory integration.

The blueprint system shines brightest when scaling production. Once you've perfected a sand factory producing 120 per minute, blueprint it. When you need 240 per minute, place two copies. When you need 480, place four. That's the power of smart blueprinting.

For more production optimization strategies, check out our Alchemy Factory Best Blueprints guide showcasing community-tested designs for fertilizer, sand, and potion production. If you're still learning the fundamentals, our Alchemy Factory Beginners Guide covers essential automation concepts and early-game progression.

The blueprint system transforms Alchemy Factory from a building game into a design game. Instead of placing the same machines repeatedly, you're creating reusable templates and optimizing factory architecture. Master blueprints early, and you'll spend less time building and more time expanding your alchemical empire.