Production Slots

Production Slots are your gateway to manufacturing in ECON Galaxy. Rent space at NPC stations, install production modules, and build your own automated production chains.

What Are Production Slots?

A Production Slot is a rented workspace at a station where you can:

Install production modules (refineries, assemblers, factories)
Connect modules to create production chains
Store inputs and outputs in the slot's local storage
Run automated manufacturing 24/7

Think of it like renting industrial space in a business park – you don't own the station, but you control what happens in your slot.

Slot Sizes

Slots come in three sizes, each with different capacity:

Size	Capacity	Rent Cost	Best For
Small	1 module	Low	Single-step production, beginners
Medium	2 modules	Medium	Two-step chains, moderate output
Large	3 modules	High	Complex chains, high-volume production

Larger slots cost more but allow more complex production chains within a single rental.

Renting Your First Slot

Step 1: Find a Station

Travel to a station and look for available Production Slots. Stations at populated locations offer more slots. Check:

Available slot sizes
Rent rates (credits per hour)
Station location (close to resources or markets?)

Step 2: Rent the Slot

Open the station's Production Slots panel
Select an available slot
Choose rental duration
Pay the initial rent

Your rental starts immediately. You can view and manage it from Command Center → Production.

Step 3: Install Modules

Once you have a slot, you need modules to put in it. Production modules are commodities you can:

Buy at the market
Manufacture yourself
Trade with other players

The Flowchart Editor

Each rented slot has a visual Flowchart Editor where you manage your production:

Placing Modules

Open your slot from Command Center → Production
Drag modules from your inventory onto the grid
Position them to leave room for connections

Connecting Modules

Production flows through connections:

Input connections: Bring resources into modules
Output connections: Send products to storage or other modules
Cross-module connections: Link one module's output to another's input

Click and drag between module ports to create connections.

Configuring Recipes

Each module can run different recipes depending on its type:

Click on a placed module
Select a recipe from the available list
The module will show its input/output requirements

Module Types

Different modules handle different stages of production:

Module	Function	Example Output
Basic Refinery	Process raw materials	Refined Metals, Water
Assembler Mk1	Basic assembly	Alloys, Basic Components
Assembler Mk2	Advanced assembly	Electronics, Composites
Chemical Processor	Chemical synthesis	Plastics, Fuel
Electronics Fab	Circuit production	Computer Cores, Circuits
Module Factory	Equipment manufacturing	Ship Modules
Industrial Refinery	High-volume refining	Bulk refined materials

Higher-tier modules unlock more valuable recipes.

Managing Your Rental

Rental Payments

Rent is charged per hour
Enable Auto-Renew to automatically extend your rental
If rent isn't paid, production stops and modules return to inventory

Monitoring Production

The Flowchart Editor shows real-time status:

Module status (running, idle, waiting for inputs)
Connection flow rates
Storage levels

Terminating a Rental

When you're done with a slot:

Go to the slot in Command Center → Production
Click Terminate Rental
Your modules return to your inventory

Note: You won't get a refund for unused rental time.

Production Strategy

Single Slot vs. Multiple Slots

Approach	Pros	Cons
Large slot	All modules together, simpler logistics	Higher rent, single point of failure
Multiple small slots	Redundancy, spread across locations	More management, transport between slots

Location Matters

Choose slot locations based on:

Near raw materials: Lower input transport costs
Near markets: Quick delivery of finished goods
Low-sec stations: Cheaper rent, but higher risk

Vertical Integration

Build a production chain across slots:

Slot A (near asteroid belt): Refinery processes ore
Slot B (industrial station): Assembler makes components
Slot C (trade hub): Final assembly and sales

Use your ships to transport between slots, or set up trade routes.

Troubleshooting

"Module not producing"

Check inputs are connected and supplied
Verify the module is toggled ON
Ensure the recipe is configured
Check output storage isn't full

"Can't place module"

Slot capacity might be full
Module might not be in your inventory
Module type might not fit the slot

"Rental expired"

Your modules are returned to inventory
Production stops immediately
Re-rent a slot and reinstall modules