What are the best practices for setting up automated mining and processing systems

Best practices for setting up automated mining and processing systems in Space Engineers encompass a range of strategies aimed at optimizing efficiency, ensuring resource management, and leveraging both ship-based and station-based systems. Drawing insights from the provided sources, here are the key practices:

Ship-Based Systems #

1. Optimal Drill Configuration: Utilize an optimal number of drills (typically four) to balance speed and efficiency in mining operations. This setup allows for maximum speed and efficient mining, ensuring that resources are gathered quickly without leaving significant amounts unmined 1.
2. Automated Mining Drones: Implement automated mining drones equipped with the PAM (Path Auto Miner) script for autonomous mining operations. These drones can be programmed to mine specified areas, return to base to unload when full, and then continue mining, optimizing resource collection with minimal manual intervention 2 18.

Station-Based Systems #

1. Piston and Rotor Systems: For stationary mining rigs, use a combination of pistons and a rotor to extend the mining apparatus into the ground or asteroid. This setup allows for deep, efficient mining with the capability to extend the mining area by adding more pistons as needed.
2. Automated Mining Platform Script: Utilize scripts like Kezeslabas’ Automatic Mining Platform to automate stationary mining rigs. These scripts can manage the extension of pistons and the operation of drills, making the mining process seamless and efficient 1.

Resource Management #

1. Cargo Management: Integrate cargo blocks into your mining system and configure the script to monitor the fill level of these blocks. This ensures that mining operations pause automatically when storage capacity is reached, preventing resource overflow and loss 1.
2. Efficient Processing: Set up a processing system that includes refineries and assemblers near your mining operations. Use yield or speed modules to enhance the efficiency of resource processing, ensuring that raw materials are quickly turned into usable components 3.

Optimizing Efficiency #

1. Adaptive Extension and Speed: Adjust the structure of your mining setup to enhance efficiency. For example, adding more drills and configuring pistons and rotors to adapt their extension and rotation speed based on the mining setup can significantly improve resource collection rates 1.
2. Utilize Timers for Enhanced Functionality: Incorporate timers into your mining platform to automate additional functions, such as starting or pausing mining operations and managing power usage. This adds another layer of automation, further optimizing the mining process 1.
3. Monitor and Adjust: Continuously monitor the performance of your automated mining and processing systems. Make adjustments based on the observed efficiency, resource needs, and any new technologies or scripts that become available 2 3.

By adhering to these best practices, players can create highly efficient and autonomous mining and processing systems in Space Engineers, maximizing resource collection while minimizing manual effort and optimizing the overall efficiency of their operations.