<img src="https://github.com/majormer/SmartFoundations/blob/main/images/Smart-Logo.png?raw=true" width="150" alt="Smart! Logo"> Smart! Mod

      

> Multiplayer note: As of v32.0.0, every Smart! feature works in multiplayer on dedicated servers (Windows and Linux) — including Smart Walking and the new-in-v33.1.0 Hyper Tube support. If you hit something odd in a multiplayer session, please report it on [GitHub](https://github.com/majormer/SmartFoundations/issues) or [Discord](https://discord.gg/SgXY4CwXYw).

Quick links: [Watch videos](#-watch-smart-in-action) • [First-time setup](#-first-time-setup) • [Extend explained](#-extend-explained-copy-an-existing-manifold) • [Supported buildings](#-supported-buildings) • [Wiki](https://github.com/majormer/SmartFoundations/wiki) • [Discord](https://discord.gg/SgXY4CwXYw) • [Report bugs](https://github.com/majormer/SmartFoundations/issues) • [Source](https://github.com/majormer/SmartFoundations)

---

<div align="center">

▶ [Watch the Official Smart! Trailer](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FTlTEfIbBxw)

[](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FTlTEfIbBxw)

New to Smart!? Start here — a four-minute tour of everything it does.

</div>

---

🚀 What is Smart!?

Smart! is a building-assist mod for Satisfactory. It helps you place repeated layouts faster while still using normal Satisfactory buildings and normal material costs.

If you already know Satisfactory, think of Smart! as a set of building tools for the jobs vanilla building makes repetitive:

- Place a grid at once instead of clicking one foundation, wall, machine, or storage container at a time.
- Adjust spacing, height steps, stagger, and rotation before you place the build.
- Auto-connect belts, pipes, and power when Smart! can safely infer the intended layout.
- Copy a working factory module with its belts, pipes, power poles, recipes, and distributor configuration.
- Upgrade existing infrastructure in batches instead of replacing belts, lifts, pipes, and poles one by one.

Smart! does not create custom production machines or free materials. It places and upgrades standard game buildables for you.

---

🎬 Watch Smart! in Action

If you are new, videos explain Smart! much faster than a list of controls.

| Smart! Feature Spotlight by [Enderprise Architecture](https://www.youtube.com/@EnderpriseArchitecture) | Smart V22 Overview by [RightMindGamming](https://www.youtube.com/@rightmindgamming) |
|:---:|:---:|
| [](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U5PNgasYbP8) | [](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QZVNIQXYnNg) |

More videos are listed near the bottom of this page in [More Videos](#-more-videos).

---

🧠 Key Terms

Smart! uses a few Satisfactory and factory-building terms throughout this page.

| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Hologram | The blue/orange build preview you see before placing a building. Smart! changes the hologram preview before you click. |
| Grid | A repeated layout of the same buildable, such as `10 × 10 × 1` foundations or a row of constructors. |
| Axis | A direction Smart! can scale or offset: X for width, Y for depth, and Z for height. |
| Distributor | A belt logistics building that distributes items, usually a splitter, merger, smart splitter, programmable splitter, or priority merger. |
| Manifold | A repeated factory layout where a main belt or pipe line runs past several machines, and each machine branches off that line through a splitter, merger, or junction. |
| Factory module | One repeatable chunk of a factory, usually one machine plus its nearby belts, pipes, splitters, mergers, power pole, recipe, and related connections. |
| Extend | Smart!'s feature for copying an existing factory module and continuing it in a chosen direction. |
| Auto-Connect | Smart!'s feature for creating belts, pipes, or power lines automatically when the preview layout has clear, valid connection targets. |
| Through-line | The straight part of a manifold that continues to the next splitter, merger, junction, or machine module. |
| Side branch | The branch from the manifold's through-line into or out of a factory building. For Extend, this is usually the splitter/merger side port facing the factory. |

🧭 Should You Install Smart!?

Smart! is useful if you enjoy designing factories but do not enjoy repeating the same placement action hundreds of times.

Smart! is probably for you if you want to:

- Build large foundation grids, walls, roads, ramps, or storage rows quickly.
- Place many production buildings with consistent spacing.
- Build manifolds with splitters, mergers, belts, pipes, and power more quickly.
- Copy a working production block and repeat it somewhere else.
- Batch-upgrade belts, lifts, pipes, and power infrastructure after unlocking better tiers.
- Keep a vanilla-like save: Smart! places standard Satisfactory buildings.
- Build together: Smart! works in multiplayer on dedicated servers (Windows and Linux).

Smart! may not be what you want if you expect:

- Free buildings or free resources.
- A creative-mode replacement.
- Perfect compatibility with every modded buildable or every other building-assist mod.

Source Availability

Smart! is source-available, not open source. The source code is published to support community transparency, code review, and pull request contributions. It is not published for reuse in other projects or redistribution of modified builds.

What you can do:
- View and study the source code for learning
- Submit contributions via pull requests
- Build locally for testing contributions

What requires permission:
- Redistribution of modified builds
- Reuse in other mods or projects
- Publication of derivative Smart!-like mods

See [LICENSE.md](https://github.com/majormer/SmartFoundations/blob/main/LICENSE.md) for the full terms. Source available as of April 26, 2026.

---

⚡ The 60-Second Version

1. Equip a buildable in the build gun.
2. Change the Smart grid with the Smart! keybinds or press `K` to use the Smart Panel.
3. Preview the full layout before committing.
4. Click once to place the whole layout, paying normal material costs.
5. For existing factory modules, use Extend by holding the same building type over an existing building and selecting a valid direction.

---

📰 What's New in v33.5.4: Auto-Connect on Stacked Grids

Current Release: v33.5.4 makes Auto-Connect far more reliable on stacked, multi-level distributor grids. Connections now stay on their own level instead of running diagonally between floors, the belt and pipe "lanes" between splitters and mergers fill in on every level, port choices are stable and repeatable — identical machines connect identically, and growing a grid no longer reshuffles connections you'd already set up — and belts and pipes now connect anywhere the game itself would let you place one by hand. The HUD also now tells you, right while you're aiming, whenever a connection had to be skipped and why. See the [full changelog](https://github.com/majormer/SmartFoundations/blob/main/CHANGELOG.md) for all the details.

Belts and pipes connect wherever you could place one by hand

Auto-Connect used to reject a belt or pipe whenever the straight line between two connectors was too steep — even when a real conveyor or pipe would just run out flat and curve to reach it. A stack of splitters (or pipe junctions) placed close to a machine would leave its upper members unconnected until you moved the stack away or staggered it. Now the game itself judges the actual routed shape: if it's a belt or pipe you could place manually, Smart! builds it.

Auto-Connect stays on the level it should

When you scale a grid of splitters or mergers across two or more height levels (especially with stagger), Auto-Connect used to sometimes wire a distributor to a machine or neighbor on a different level, producing steep diagonal belts and crossovers — and the connecting "lanes" between distributors could come up short or go missing. Connections now strongly prefer the same level (only reaching across when there's genuinely no same-level option), and those lanes form consistently on every level.

Port choices you can rely on

Identical machines in a row could each pick a different input/output port for no visible reason, and simply scaling a grid larger could reshuffle the ports on machines earlier in the line. Port selection is now deterministic: identical layouts connect identically, and growing a grid leaves already-correct connections undisturbed.

The HUD tells you what got skipped

When a belt or pipe connection can't be made, it used to just be silently absent. The Smart! HUD now shows a short summary while you aim — for example, "2 belt connection(s) skipped: too steep" — so you know something didn't connect and why. Nothing is blocked; the rest of the grid still builds.

---

📦 Previously: v33.5.3 — Restore, Reorganized

v33.5.3 rebuilt Smart Restore into two clear tabs — Grid Presets and Modules — docked to the Smart Panel, gave Smart Upgrade's network scan precise tier-to-tier targeting, and added configurable per-notch scroll increments.

Smart Restore, reorganized into Grid Presets and Modules

The old Restore panel mixed two very different things together and was hard to follow. It's now split into two tabs, docked to the Smart Panel as a single unit. Grid Presets save everything you set up in the Smart Panel — grid size, spacing, steps, stagger, rotation, the building and its recipe, and your auto-connect settings — as named presets you load back with one click, ready to fine-tune or build. Modules capture a whole Extend manifold — a wired unit of buildings with their belts and pipes — that you can stamp down repeatedly and rescale on the fly. Each tab shows a plain-language summary of what a preset or module holds, and both still support sharing via import/export codes.

Smart Upgrade goes tier-to-tier

Smart Upgrade's network scan used to only let you pick a target tier and then upgrade everything below it. Now you can pick a specific source tier as well — bump only your Mk.2 belts to Mk.3 and leave the Mk.4s untouched — matching the tier control the radius scan already had. It also fixes aiming (the scan now anchors on whatever you point at, whatever tier you're holding), follows pipes through cross and T junctions, and refreshes its results automatically after an upgrade.

Also in v33.5.3

- Configurable scroll increments — Spacing, Steps, Stagger, and Rotation each get their own per-notch increment under Building Behavior in the mod settings, instead of the fixed 0.5 m / 5°. Drives Extend, Restore, and Smart Walking too. (Issue #217)
- Power pole auto-connect wires follow the grid again after the 33.4.0 scaling update — every Grid Axis mode lines up instead of running diagonally. (Issue #459)
- Reverse-scaling a Restore module no longer wires its manifold belts backward. (Issue #460)
- Scaled conveyor lift floor holes sit flush on dedicated servers instead of building a half-step too high. (Issue #458)
- Zooping a sign no longer collides with Smart scaling — Smart stands aside for the Zoop, the same way it does for foundations. (Issue #330)
- Middle-click-sampling a factory no longer blocks placing it in a Blueprint Designer. (Issue #461, reported by Tonka Beans)

Previously, in v33.4.0: Scaling at Scale

v33.4.0 was a scaling performance release: previewed buildings hold their own position instead of being nudged back every frame, so grids of tens of thousands stay responsive; growing a grid only adds the new part instead of redrawing everything; huge grids fill in progressively instead of freezing; and — the big one — large grids build on dedicated servers without freezing the server and dropping every connected player. (Issue #418)

Previously, in v33.3.0: Real Routing, Everywhere

v33.3.0 put all of Smart!'s auto-connect belt, pipe, and hyper tube routing onto the game's own routing — with the correct build mode active, so each routing style produces the same shape you'd get building it by hand. Floor-hole pipes finally behave, and when a routing style genuinely can't produce a buildable shape, the preview turns red with the game's own "Invalid Pipe Shape" message instead of silently building a bad pipe. It also fixed a batch of Smart Panel / HUD auto-connect preview issues (Issues #450, #451, #452, #453, #454).

Previously, in v33.2.0: Playing Nice with Other Mods

v33.2.0 changed how Smart! shares the mouse wheel with other mods while it's holding a building — the fix for a long-standing conflict with Infinite Nudge, where scaling with a Smart! modifier held would also spin the building. Smart! now claims the scroll wheel only for the moments it's actually managing the building (a modifier held, or Auto-Hold keeping a scaled grid pinned); everything else, including a building you lock yourself, keeps working with Infinite Nudge exactly as before.

Also in the v33.2 line

- Blueprints with auto-connected power wires no longer corrupt circuits on dedicated servers — wires Smart! creates inside a Blueprint Designer are now saved into the blueprint correctly. (Issue #421, reported by SonarClouds)
- Zoop and Vertical build modes no longer swallow a scaled Smart! grid on placement. (Issue #296, reported by SysC0mp)
- The Smart Panel shows pipe auto-connect settings for wall pipe supports, matching stackable supports and floor-hole pipes. (Issue #404)
- The hyper tube "too long" message reports its real ~95m limit instead of the belt/pipe 56m cap. (Issue #417)
- Turning off Chain no longer erases auto-connect belts to your factory buildings, only the manifold lane between distributors. (Issue #436)
- Floor-hole pipe auto-connect renders less distorted in every routing mode — a full fix is still in progress. (Issue #437, reported by tendrils)

Previously, in v33.1.0: Hyper Tubes

v33.1.0 brought Hyper Tubes into the Smart! family. Both Auto-Connect and Smart Walking understand Stackable Hyper Tube Supports — scale out a row of them and Smart! lays the hyper tube run between them automatically, or walk a steered hyper tube route that turns and climbs, exactly the way you already do with belts and pipes. Place Stackable Hyper Tube Supports and Smart! treats them like the conveyor poles and pipeline supports it already knows; hold one, press `K`, and start a Smart Walking run that steers a hyper tube around corners and up slopes, with its own routing style and the same red-when-invalid feedback you get on belt and pipe runs.

Also in the v33.1 line

- Bug-fix patch (v33.1.2) — Smart Upgrade of a conveyor lift running through a floor hole no longer flips it or over-charges tall lifts; a multiplayer water-extractor placement crash is fixed; Extend no longer strands a wall hole on a lane it can't rebuild; plus several Auto-Connect manifold ordering and connector fixes and a clearer double-tap disable message. (Issues #399, #432, #428, #431, #422, #423, #424, #425, #426)
- Rotation along the Y axis spaces its rows correctly (v33.1.1) — with the Rotation transform building up along the Y axis, the Spacing Y value was being ignored and the rows bunched into an overlapping fan; spacing now follows the Y axis the way it already does on X. (Issue #419)
- Build axis arrows return on Linux (v33.1.0) — the X/Y/Z direction arrows Smart! draws above a hologram weren't appearing for players on Linux; they now load and draw correctly. (Issue #415, reported by regnare on the Smart! Discord)

Previously, in v33.0.0: Smart Walking

v33.0.0 introduced Smart Walking — a build mode that lays a single connected run that turns, climbs, and routes to a destination, instead of a rigid uniform grid. Hold a stackable conveyor pole or pipeline support, press `K`, and click Smart Walking; scroll to advance and lay each segment, steer the leading segment to turn/rise/shift, back up to undo, and commit the whole run in one build. Belts and pipes are both supported, an editable Smart Walking panel lists every segment with a compass exit heading, and with the Smart! Camera the picture-in-picture follows the head of the run across the map. (Hyper Tubes, above, are the v33.1.0 extension of this mode.) The v33.0.0 release also refreshed the Smart! Panel (a Smart Walking button, an X to close, bigger Apply/Reset) and broadened translation coverage across all ~20 languages.

Also in the v32.x line

- v32.1.x — recipe handling in blueprints and multiplayer, stackable-pipeline scaling, Extend clearance, the remembered recipe clearing with the build gun, the Smart Camera and Smart Restore following Extend runs, belt/pipe routing modes taking effect, progressive rotation along the X run or the Y rows, Smart! inside the Blueprint Designer, Pipeline/Wall Supports joining the scaling family, and a big logging-noise cleanup. See the [changelog](https://github.com/majormer/SmartFoundations/blob/main/CHANGELOG.md) for the full per-patch detail.
- v32.0.0 — Multiplayer. Every Smart! feature works when you play as a client on a dedicated server (Windows and Linux) — grid scaling, auto-connect, Extend, Smart Upgrade, Smart Restore, and Smart Dismantle — with normal build costs charged exactly as the preview shows. Install the same Smart! version on the server and on every client (the mod manager keeps these paired).

Earlier in the 31.x line: Satisfactory 1.2

- Rebuilt for Satisfactory 1.2 (v31.0.0) — Smart! was migrated to Unreal Engine 5.6 and the plugin model that 1.2 uses. Every Smart! feature carried over, and 1.2's new Pipeline T-Junction works everywhere Smart! handles pipes. (One-time note: settings were reorganized in 31.0.0, so saved Smart! settings reset to defaults the first time you load a 31.x-or-later build from 30.x or earlier.)
- Extend can daisy-chain building power (v31.0.0) — once you research Upgraded Power Connectors, Extending a row of buildings wires power directly building-to-building along the lane, with settings to control it under Options > Mods > Smart!.
- Rock-solid belt runs between conveyor poles (v31.1.0) — standard Conveyor Poles joined the auto-connect family, and auto-connected belt runs across pole lines were rebuilt to transport correctly and survive save/reload, fixing a long-standing stall/crash risk.
- Plus a series of quality fixes across 31.0.1–31.1.0: free building in Creative Mode, power-cable previews for Extend, corrected auto-connect costs, and Smart! Panel fixes — all in the [changelog](https://github.com/majormer/SmartFoundations/blob/main/CHANGELOG.md).

---

🛠️ First-Time Setup

Smart! has many keybinds, but you do not need to learn them all immediately.

Recommended first use

1. Install Smart! with Satisfactory Mod Manager.
2. Start with a simple item like foundations.
3. Equip a foundation.
4. Press `K` to open the Smart Panel.
5. Set a small grid such as `3 × 3 × 1`.
6. Place it.
7. Try Spacing, Steps, and Stagger after the basic grid makes sense.

Important controls to learn first

| Action | What it is for |
|---|---|
| `K` | Open the Smart Panel for visual controls |
| Scale X / Y / Z | Change how many items are placed across each axis |
| Spacing mode | Change the gap between placed items |
| Steps mode | Add height changes across a grid |
| Stagger mode | Offset rows for diagonal or shifted patterns |
| Double-tap `Num0` | Toggle Smart Auto-Connect and Extend off (and on again) for the session |

Keybinds can be changed in Satisfactory's controls menu.

---

🧱 Core Features

1. Grid Scaling

Grid Scaling is the core Smart! feature.

Instead of placing one buildable, you place a grid of the same buildable:

- `10 × 10` foundations.
- A row of constructors.
- A wall of storage containers.
- Multiple power poles or pipeline junctions.
- Vertical stacks where the building supports it.

You can scale on X, Y, and Z independently. Smart! shows a preview before placement and charges the normal material cost for every item in the grid.

2. Spacing, Steps, Stagger, and Rotation

Smart! can modify how the grid is laid out:

- Spacing: Add or remove gaps between buildables.
- Steps: Raise or lower each copy progressively, useful for stairs, ramps, and terraced layouts.
- Stagger: Offset every row or column, useful for diagonal-looking layouts and compact factory patterns.
- Rotation transform: Create arcs, curves, circular roads, and spiral-like layouts.

These tools are useful for both factory efficiency and aesthetic building.

3. Auto-Connect

Auto-Connect creates belts, pipes, or power lines when Smart! can safely understand your intent.

Examples:

- Scale a row of splitters near production inputs and Smart! can preview belts into those machines.
- Scale pipeline junctions near pipe inputs and Smart! can route pipes.
- Scale power poles near buildings and Smart! can wire them.
- Scale stackable conveyor, pipeline, or hyper tube supports and Smart! can connect the supports in a line.

Auto-Connect is conservative. If a connection angle or distance does not look valid, Smart! may refuse to create it rather than produce a broken layout.

4. Extend

Extend copies an existing factory module instead of creating a blank grid.

Use it when you already built one working block and want another copy of that same block.

Extend can copy:

- The selected factory building.
- Nearby splitters, mergers, belts, lifts, junctions, pipes, wall holes, floor holes, pumps, valves, and power poles when they belong to the source module.
- Recipes and supported distributor configuration.
- Connections needed to make the cloned module work.

Extend is one of Smart!'s most powerful features, but it needs a valid source layout. See [Extend Explained](#-extend-explained-copy-an-existing-manifold) below.

5. Smart Upgrade

Smart Upgrade helps replace infrastructure after you unlock better tiers.

Open it while holding a belt, lift, pipe, power line, or wall outlet. You can scan by radius or follow a connected network, preview the material cost, and upgrade many items at once.

Supported upgrade families include:

- Conveyor belts and lifts.
- Pipelines.
- Power poles and wall outlets.

6. Smart Restore Presets

Smart Restore is a preset system for saving, applying, sharing, and replaying Smart Panel setups.

Presets can capture grid size, spacing, steps, stagger, rotation, production recipe, auto-connect settings, and a restored Extend topology — a whole factory module layout. Use the Smart Panel's `Presets >>` button to save your current setup, apply a saved setup later, export or import a shared preset, or turn the last Extend layout you built into a reusable preset. Shared presets are checked against your current unlocks before they can be imported or applied.

7. Smart Walking

Smart Walking is a build mode for laying a single connected run that turns, climbs, and routes to a destination — instead of a rigid uniform grid.

Hold a stackable conveyor pole or pipeline support, press `K`, and click Smart Walking. Then:

- Advance the run one segment at a time, laying a pole-and-belt (or pipe) cross-section as you go.
- Steer the active segment — turn to round a corner, rise for a slope, shift sideways, or set its spacing — using the same in-world controls you already use for scaling. Only the leading segment moves; everything behind it stays locked.
- Back up to undo the last segment.
- Commit the whole run in one build, paying the normal material cost.

Belts, pipes, and hyper tubes are all supported, with the run's tier, routing, and (for belts) flow direction set once for the whole path. The optional Smart Walking panel (`K`) lists every segment in an editable table with a compass exit heading. With the Smart! Camera companion mod, the picture-in-picture follows the head of the run so you can route across the map without leaving your spot. Smart Walking works in single-player and on dedicated servers.

---

🔄 Extend Explained: Copy an Existing Manifold

Extend is easiest to understand if you think of it as copying a finished factory cell.

In vanilla Satisfactory, middle-clicking a building copies that building into your build gun. Smart! builds on that idea:

> If you are holding the same type of building and aim it at an existing building of that type, Smart! can treat that as: “copy this building and the connected module around it.”

Basic Extend steps

1. Build one working factory module first.
2. Middle-click the main factory building, or otherwise equip the same building type.
3. Aim the hologram at the existing source building.
4. Smart! shows an Extend preview if the source layout can be copied.
5. Use the mouse wheel to choose the side/direction.
6. Use Smart! scaling controls if you want multiple copies or rows.
7. Click to place the clone.

What counts as a good source module?

A good Extend source is a clean, repeatable manifold cell:

```text
Main belt line → splitter → factory input
Factory output → merger → output belt line
```

For many buildings, the repeatable module is:

- A factory building in the middle.
- Splitters feeding its inputs.
- Mergers collecting its outputs.
- Belts or pipes arranged so the source module can continue into the next module.
- Power poles close enough to be considered part of the module.

Why splitter and merger side ports matter

For Extend manifolds, factories should usually connect to the side ports of splitters and mergers.

The reason is geometry:

- A splitter or merger has ports that form a straight-through line.
- Those opposite ports are best used for the manifold's continuing belt line.
- The side port is the branch that goes into or out of the factory.
- When Smart! clones the module, it needs the next cloned splitter or merger to connect cleanly to the next one.

If a factory uses a port that has an opposite port on the other side, that port may be needed for the manifold line. The next cloned module would require a belt to turn at an invalid or unreliable angle.

A simple rule of thumb:

> Use the splitter/merger side facing the factory for the factory connection. Leave the straight-through direction for the manifold line.

Valid manifold mental model

```text
Good pattern:

Input belt line ── Splitter ── continues to next splitter
│
▼
Factory
│
▼
Output belt line ─ Merger ── continues to next merger
```

In this pattern, Extend can understand two things:

- The straight line is the chain that continues to the next copy.
- The side branch belongs to the factory being cloned.

Patterns that may fail

Extend may refuse or produce incomplete previews when:

- The factory is connected to the through-line side of a splitter or merger.
- One belt is reversed compared to the others in the same manifold direction.
- Splitters or mergers are rotated inconsistently.
- Connections cross, backtrack, or require sharp angles.
- The source module is too tangled for Smart! to determine what belongs to one repeatable cell.

If Extend does not preview what you expect, try simplifying the source module into a cleaner manifold cell first.

Scaled Extend

After Extend activates, Smart! scaling can create multiple clones at once.

Examples:

- Extend one constructor module into a row of constructors.
- Extend a refinery module across several repeated processing lines.
- Clone a nuclear pasta production cell into additional rows.

You can increase spacing to leave room for extra feed belts or mergers, or scale on another axis to create multiple rows.

---

🔌 Auto-Connect Explained

Auto-Connect is not magic routing. It is Smart! making a best effort based on nearby connectors, directions, distance, and game validation rules.

Use Auto-Connect for:

- Rows of splitters feeding rows of machines.
- Rows of mergers collecting outputs.
- Pipeline junctions feeding refineries, packagers, blenders, and other pipe buildings.
- Power poles near buildings.
- Stackable conveyor and pipeline supports.

Tips for reliable Auto-Connect

- Keep distributors aligned with the buildings they feed.
- Use consistent rotations across a row.
- Keep distances reasonable.
- Avoid crossing belts and pipes in the preview.
- Use double-tap `Num0` when you want one placement without Auto-Connect.

---

🎮 Controls and Feature Instructions

Smart! uses native Satisfactory keybinds that can be customized in Options > Controls > Mods.

> Looking for the complete keybind list? The [Controls](https://github.com/majormer/SmartFoundations/wiki/Controls) and [Settings Reference](https://github.com/majormer/SmartFoundations/wiki/Settings-Reference) wiki pages are generated from the mod's code and are the most accurate, always-current reference. The tables below cover the everyday controls.

Grid Scaling

Use Grid Scaling when you want to place multiple copies of the current buildable.

| Action | Default Key | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Increase/Decrease X | `NumPad 8` / `NumPad 5` | Adjust grid width |
| Increase/Decrease Y | `NumPad 6` / `NumPad 4` | Adjust grid depth |
| Increase/Decrease Z | `NumPad 9` / `NumPad 3` | Adjust grid height or layers |
| Adjust X with modifier | Hold `X` + `Scroll Wheel` or `NumPad 8/5` | Adjust X count using the shared increase/decrease controls |
| Adjust Y with modifier | Hold `Z` + `Scroll Wheel` or `NumPad 8/5` | Adjust Y count using the shared increase/decrease controls |
| Adjust Z with modifier | Hold `X` + `Z` + `Scroll Wheel` or `NumPad 8/5` | Adjust Z count using the shared increase/decrease controls |

How to use it: Equip a buildable, increase the X/Y/Z counts until the preview matches the layout you want, then click once to place the grid.

Spacing Mode

Use Spacing when the copies are too close together or you want room for walkways, belts, pipes, or decoration.

| Action | Default Key | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Activate Spacing Mode | Hold `;` | Enables spacing adjustments while held |
| Increase/Decrease Spacing | `Scroll Wheel` or `NumPad 8/5` while holding `;` | Adjust spacing on the active spacing axis |
| Cycle Axis | `Num0` while holding `;` | Switch between X, Y, and Z spacing axes |

How to use it: Hold `;`, adjust spacing with the mouse wheel, and press `Num0` while still holding `;` to change which axis you are spacing.

Steps Mode

Use Steps to make each copy progressively higher or lower than the last one.

| Action | Default Key | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Activate Steps Mode | Hold `I` | Enables step adjustments while held |
| Increase/Decrease Steps | `Scroll Wheel` or `NumPad 8/5` while holding `I` | Adjust vertical rise on the active step axis |
| Cycle Axis | `Num0` while holding `I` | Switch between X and Y step axes |

How to use it: Hold `I`, adjust the height change, and place the preview when it forms the stair, ramp, or terraced layout you want.

Stagger Mode

Use Stagger to offset rows or layers instead of placing every copy in a perfect rectangle.

| Action | Default Key | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Activate Stagger Mode | Hold `Y` | Enables stagger adjustments while held |
| Increase/Decrease Stagger | `Scroll Wheel` or `NumPad 8/5` while holding `Y` | Adjust offset on the active stagger axis |
| Cycle Axis | `Num0` while holding `Y` | Switch between X, Y, ZX, and ZY stagger axes |

Stagger axes:

- X/Y: Horizontal offsets for diagonal or shifted rows.
- ZX/ZY: Vertical lean patterns where higher layers shift sideways or forward.

Recipe Selection Mode

Use Recipe Selection to choose the production recipe before placing a scaled group of machines.

| Action | Default Key | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Activate Recipe Mode | Hold `U` while aiming a production building hologram | Enables recipe selection for that building type |
| Next/Previous Recipe | `Scroll Wheel` or `NumPad 8/5` while holding `U` | Cycle available recipes |
| Clear Manual Selection | `Num0` while holding `U` | Clear the manually selected recipe |

How to use it: Aim a production building hologram, hold `U`, choose the recipe, release `U`, and place the grid. Smart! applies the selected recipe to the placed machines.

Auto-Connect Settings

Use Auto-Connect settings when aiming a splitter, merger, pipe junction, or power pole hologram.

| Action | Default Key | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Activate Auto-Connect Settings | Hold `U` while aiming a supported logistics or power hologram | Enables context-specific Auto-Connect settings |
| Cycle Setting | `Num0` while holding `U` | Switch between available Auto-Connect options |
| Increase/Decrease Value | `Scroll Wheel` or `NumPad 8/5` while holding `U` | Change the selected setting |
| Session Toggle | Double-tap `Num0` with no modifiers | Toggle all Smart Auto-Connect and Extend off for the session, then double-tap again to re-enable |

For belt distributors: Enable/disable Auto-Connect, distributor-to-distributor connections, and distributor-to-building belt tier selection.

For pipe junctions: Enable/disable Auto-Connect, junction-to-junction pipe connections, junction-to-building pipe tier selection, and routing options.

For power poles: Enable/disable power Auto-Connect, adjust connection range, and reserve power slots.

Smart! Panel

Use the Smart! Panel when you prefer visual controls instead of keybinds.

| Action | Default Key | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Toggle Smart! Panel | `K` | Opens or closes the context-sensitive panel |
| Apply Changes | Click Apply | Applies panel changes to the hologram preview |
| Cancel/Close | `Escape` | Closes the panel without applying uncommitted changes |

K is context-sensitive:

- Holding a belt, lift, pipe, power line, or wall outlet opens the Smart Upgrade Panel.
- Holding most other buildables opens the Smart! Panel for grid, spacing, recipe, and Auto-Connect settings.

> Power note: To upgrade a power grid, aim while holding a Power Line instead of a Power Pole. This keeps `K` available for scaling power poles through the Smart! Panel.

Rotation Transform

Use Rotation Transform for arcs, curved roads, spiral-like ramps, and radial layouts.

| Action | Default Key | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Activate Rotation Mode | Hold `,` | Enables rotation adjustments while held |
| Increase/Decrease Rotation | `Scroll Wheel` or `NumPad 8/5` while holding `,` | Adjust rotation step in degrees |

How to use it: Hold `,`, choose a rotation angle, then scale X to preview an arc. Add Y scaling for parallel curved lanes.

Visual Aids

| Action | Default Key | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Toggle Arrows | `NumPad 1` | Show or hide axis direction arrows on holograms |

Smart Upgrade Instructions

Use Smart Upgrade when you want to replace existing infrastructure with a different tier.

1. Hold a belt, lift, pipe, power line, or wall outlet hologram.
2. Press `K` to open the Smart Upgrade Panel.
3. Choose radius mode or network traversal mode.
4. Select the target tier or family.
5. Review the cost preview.
6. Execute the upgrade.

Smart Upgrade supports belts, lifts, pipes, power poles, and wall outlets. It deducts the net material cost after refunds and aborts safely if materials are insufficient.

Extend Instructions

Use Extend when you want to copy a working factory module.

1. Build a clean source module first.
2. Equip the same factory building type as the source building.
3. Aim the hologram at the source building.
4. Wait for the Extend preview.
5. Use the mouse wheel to choose the side or direction.
6. Use X/Y scaling if you want multiple copies or rows.
7. Click to place the clone.

For manifolds, connect factories to splitter/merger side ports and leave the straight-through ports for the continuing manifold line.

Smart Walking Instructions

Use Smart Walking to lay one connected belt or pipe run that turns, climbs, and routes where you want it.

1. Hold a stackable conveyor pole or pipeline support on the build gun.
2. Press `K` to open the Smart! Panel, then click Smart Walking. (The button is hidden when the held buildable cannot be walked.)
3. Advance the run with the scaling control to drop each new segment.
4. Steer the active segment with the rotation, spacing, steps, and stagger controls to turn, set spacing, rise, and shift.
5. Back up to undo the last segment.
6. Press `K` any time to open the Smart Walking panel and edit any segment in a table.
7. Commit the run in one build, paying the normal material cost. (The preview turns red if you cannot afford it, or if a segment is too long or too steep.)

The keys match your scaling controls and can be customized in Options > Controls > Mods. See the [Controls](https://github.com/majormer/SmartFoundations/wiki/Controls) wiki page for the always-current list.

📦 Supported Buildings

Smart! supports many buildables, especially those with normal single-click placement.

Commonly supported categories

- Foundations, ramps, walls, barriers, railings, walkways, and catwalks.
- Production buildings such as constructors, assemblers, manufacturers, smelters, foundries, refineries, packagers, blenders, converters, quantum encoders, and particle accelerators.
- Storage containers and fluid buffers.
- Power poles, power towers, switches, generators, and power storage.
- Splitters, mergers, smart splitters, programmable splitters, priority mergers, stackable supports, pipeline junctions, pumps, valves, wall holes, and floor holes.
- Many signs, billboards, lights, and factory organization pieces.

Not supported by design

Some vanilla placements are multi-step or drag-based and do not fit Smart!'s grid-placement model:

- Manual belts and pipes as direct grid items.
- Conveyor lifts as direct grid items.
- Power lines and hypertubes as direct grid items.
- Railways and train signals.
- Blueprints as Smart-scaled buildables.

Smart! can still create belts, pipes, hyper tubes, lifts, and wires as part of Auto-Connect, Extend, or Smart Walking. They are just not usually the primary item you scale directly.

---

🧩 Compatibility and Save Safety

Smart! aims to stay vanilla-friendly.

- Smart! places standard Satisfactory buildables.
- You still pay normal material costs.
- Removing Smart! should not delete the buildings it placed.
- Some Smart-only convenience behavior is unavailable once the mod is removed.

Mod compatibility

Smart! works best with vanilla buildables and mods that use standard Satisfactory placement systems. It may not work perfectly with every custom building mod or every other build-assist mod.

If something behaves strangely, test with only Smart! and its required dependencies before reporting a bug.

---

💬 Getting Help

Start with the wiki for how-to guides, then the Discord for support, examples, testing updates, and feature discussion:

[](https://discord.gg/SgXY4CwXYw)

- Wiki and documentation: https://github.com/majormer/SmartFoundations/wiki
- Discord: https://discord.gg/SgXY4CwXYw
- Bug reports: https://github.com/majormer/SmartFoundations/issues
- Source: https://github.com/majormer/SmartFoundations

> The Smart! wiki and issue tracker now live on the main source repository above. They previously lived in a separate issue-tracker repository, before Smart! became source-available — please use the links here rather than any older tracker links you may have bookmarked.

Bug reports use structured issue forms — pick the type that fits: bug, crash, compatibility, Blueprint Designer, feature request, or a Satisfactory 1.2 report. (Blank issues are disabled; the form walks you through it.) Each form prompts for the details below, so it helps to have them ready:

- Smart! version and SML version.
- Satisfactory version and branch (for example, 1.2 stable, CL 491125).
- Session type (single-player or multiplayer) and save type.
- Steps to reproduce, what you expected, and what actually happened.
- Logs — `FactoryGame.log`, plus the crash-reporter text for crashes.
- Any other mods you have installed.
- Screenshots or video. For Extend issues, a screenshot from above is especially helpful.

---

📷 Smart! Camera Companion Mod

Smart! Camera is a separate companion mod by the same developer. It provides a picture-in-picture overhead camera view for Smart! layouts.

- Smart! Camera download: https://ficsit.app/mod/SmartCamera
- Smart! Camera is not required to use Smart!.
- Install both mods if you want the overhead camera preview experience.

---

💰 Support Smart! Development

Smart! is a passion project built for the community. Development, testing, documentation, and support all take time, and recent versions have also involved personal development expenses.

Support is completely optional, but if Smart! saves you time and you want to help keep development sustainable, Ko-fi contributions are appreciated.

Ways to Support

- Direct support via Ko-fi: [Support Finalomega on Ko-fi](https://ko-fi.com/finalomega)
- Help test releases: Join Discord and provide feedback on prerelease builds.
- Report bugs clearly: Include reproduction steps, screenshots, versions, and save context when possible.
- Share examples: Screenshots and videos help other players understand what Smart! can do.

No pressure. Smart! remains a community-focused project, and every kind of support helps.

---

🎥 More Videos

Smart! has had quite a few videos made for it, and the project is grateful for every creator who helped show players what the mod can do.

Smart! for Satisfactory 1.1+

These videos cover the rebuilt Smart! mod for current Satisfactory/SML versions.

| Video | Creator | Link |
|---|---|---|
| Smart! Feature Spotlight | [Enderprise Architecture](https://www.youtube.com/@EnderpriseArchitecture) | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U5PNgasYbP8 |
| Smart V22 Overview | [RightMindGamming](https://www.youtube.com/@rightmindgamming) | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QZVNIQXYnNg |

Legacy Smart! feature videos

These videos are for older Smart! versions. Some controls or details may differ, but they are still useful for seeing the kinds of layouts Smart! was built to support.

| Video | Link |
|---|---|
| Version 21 - Improved Nudge Mode Overview | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NyYymsMa5Gg |
| Version 20 Overview and Tutorial | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R1nEiSfskPA |
| Preview of the camera feature | https://youtu.be/bPHYtuWp2aI |
| Preview of the lift height counter feature | https://youtu.be/ZMSZaEa-3No |
| Version 17 | https://youtu.be/vKPQ5YPPsU8 |
| Version 16 | https://youtu.be/MmkfqByx0i0 |
| Version 15 | https://youtu.be/jxfJR3ullJI |
| Version 14 | https://youtu.be/-HbCKSABeWE |
| Version 12 | https://youtu.be/thC8RvniApQ |
| Version 11 | https://youtu.be/5qE3G4KbJXM |

Community reviews

| Review | Creator | Link |
|---|---|---|
| Mod review | [ImKibitz](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCz9qw5nupdzCGwHwQiqs7qA) | https://youtu.be/JSL6kSgzYJk |
| In-depth review | [Magenty](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCL8hC7X4mpAKdoP5gwdKkBQ) | https://youtu.be/O7jHpKhhqaY |
| First review | [TotalXclipse](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2SNK_S7tvROHS_KJdIiEFg) | https://youtu.be/wIfhqBxiufk |

---

❓ Frequently Asked Questions

Does Smart! cheat resources?

No. Smart! charges normal material costs for the buildings it places. If you cannot afford the layout, placement is blocked or limited just like normal Satisfactory building.

Can I remove Smart! later?

Smart! places normal game buildings, so your placed factories should remain. You lose Smart!'s building tools and UI when the mod is removed.

Does Smart! work with blueprints?

Smart! focuses on live build gun placement and factory modules. Blueprint scaling is not the same system and is not treated as a normal Smart-scaled buildable.

Does Smart! replace Zoop?

No. Smart! is a different system. It can place grids and factory modules in ways vanilla Zoop does not, but vanilla Zoop still exists. Smart! may disable scaling behavior when it detects normal Zoop placement to avoid conflicts.

Does Smart! work in multiplayer?

Yes — as of v32.0.0, every Smart! feature works in multiplayer on dedicated servers (Windows and Linux). Install the same Smart! version on the server and on every client. Multiplayer support is new, so if something behaves differently in a multiplayer session than in single-player, that's a bug — please report it with clear reproduction steps.

Why did Extend not copy my layout?

Usually one of these is true:

- You are not holding the same building type as the source building.
- The source module is not a clean repeatable manifold cell.
- Splitter or merger factory connections are using a through-line port instead of a side branch.
- Rotations or belt directions are inconsistent.
- The preview direction needs to be changed with the mouse wheel.

---

👥 Credits

Smart! exists because of Alex's original concepts, the current rebuild, testers, translators, content creators, and community members.

Current Team

- Alex - Original Smart! concept creator and Project Advisor, providing guidance, counsel, and permission for the Satisfactory 1.1 continuation.
- Finalomega - Lead Developer and Documentation Writer for the Satisfactory 1.1 rebuild.
- Raudoc2K1 - Support Staff, Tester, Discord Moderator, and Content Creator. Also known as RightMindGamming on [YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfy5lG-teOehpD9oYLjT7rA) and [Twitch](https://www.twitch.tv/rightmindgamming).
- Shaded - Support Staff, Tester, and Discord Moderator.

Original Contributors

- Robb - Update 8 port with partial functionality, SML expertise, and advice.
- Deantendo - Created the amazing mod icon.
- HWEEKS - Original description author.

Testers

Special thanks to the testers from the Smart! Discord who helped shape the v22-v29 rebuild with feedback, bug reports, and validation:

- Raudoc2K1
- Shaded
- PerseusDemigod
- -Alejandro - Creator of Early Free Blueprint Designer and Faster Hypertube Entrances.
- drewfarms
- Serjevski

Thanks from Alex

Huge thanks to Marcio for all his help from the beginning of my path as mod creator, TwoTwoEleven for his awesome code examples from MM, to Archengius for his fine example of overriding the default buildings and to Mircea for some fine thoughts. Thanks jay96 for your amazing idea about arrows.

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🤖 AI Disclosure

Smart! uses AI-assisted development. AI tools help with investigation, drafting, refactoring, documentation, and debugging support. Final decisions, testing, release preparation, and maintenance remain the responsibility of the project maintainer.

AI assistance does not replace community testing. Smart! features are validated through developer review, in-game testing, tester feedback, and bug reports.