Filter — Sandustry Building Guide
Filter
| Description | A Conveyor Belt that can be configured to allow a certain pixel type to pass through instead of being carried onward. |
| Blocks Liquid | No |
| Blocks Gas | No |
| Blocks Player | Yes |
The Filter is a Tier 1 logistics building that routes solid resources based on type. Place it on a conveyor line to let one chosen material fall through while everything else continues along the belt.
Overview
Filters are a vital tool for sorting pixels that need to be sent to different areas. They can be configured to either allow only a single pixel type through or to allow everything except a single pixel type. For any other pixel, the Filter behaves exactly like a normal Conveyor Belt.
Allow and Block Modes
- Allow mode: only the selected pixel type can fall through the Filter.
- Block mode: every pixel type except the selected one can fall through.
Pixels that match the allowed condition drop straight down through the Filter and land below. Pixels that do not match are carried onward as if the Filter were a regular Conveyor Belt.
Mechanics
Filters work like normal Conveyor Belts for any pixels not in their configuration. For pixels that are allowed (or not blocked), the Filter enables them to fall straight down through the opening and be deposited below.
If a tall pile of mixed pixels passes over a Filter, the pixels at the top may not fall through if they have a lower density than the pixels beneath them, even when they are allowed. The exception is when a pixel is within 1 block (4 pixels) of the Filter: it can be pulled through denser pixels. This pull is not always reliable, so plan accordingly.
A pixel that changes type while passing through a Filter can become stuck. It will no longer fall through, but it will also not be pushed along by the conveyor part. You must remove it manually. Common examples include Sand or Seeds turning into Wet Sand or Wet Seeds when Water falls through the Filter at the same time.
Tips
- If a solid block is placed directly below a Filter, pixels can enter but have no way to exit. This is the basis of a lava trap: trap Cinders in a Filter, ignite them to create trapped Lava, then run Residue over it to create an automated Slag Burner.
- When filtering a mixed pile, remove the densest pixels first. Dense materials sit at the bottom of the pile and separate cleanly. For example, to extract Gold from Sand, allow Gold through the Filter so it drops out from the bottom of the pile.