Sandustry Tech Tree & Best Research Order
Quick answer
Start with Shaker and Logistics, then unlock Filters and Fluids when your first line needs control. Move into thermal, drones, and power only when the current bottleneck can pay for it.
Best research order for beginners
The best order is not a single universal speedrun. It is a bottleneck-first route:
- Shaker — turns Wet Sand into Gold and Residue; this is the first production anchor.
- Logistics — unlocks Conveyors and Launchers so the anchor can become a real line.
- Filter — separates mixed outputs before piles block the next machine.
- Fluids — unlocks Pipes, Pumps, and Liquid Vents when Water or other liquids become the constraint.
- Kinetic Press — use it once you can feed Burnt Residue slowly and remove Gold and Seed.
- Thermal and power research — add Steam, Snow, Steam Turbine, and Copper Mold systems when you can support their inputs.
- Drones — unlock Sweeper, Digger, Hauler, and Recon when manual mining or transport is consuming the run.
Current tech tree reference
The table follows the current official Research page. Costs are Gold costs where the reference gives a number; entries marked WIP should be checked in-game before a large investment.
| Tier | Research | Unlock | Listed cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Shaker | Shaker | 20 Gold |
| 1 | Logistics | Conveyor Belt, Launcher | 30 Gold |
| 1 | Hover | Hover mode | 50 Gold |
| 1 | Map | Map and Minimap | 100 Gold |
| 1 | Flare Gun | Flare Gun | 150 Gold |
| 1 | Filter | Filter | 250 Gold |
| 2 | Kinetic Press | Processes Burnt Residue | 500 Gold |
| 2 | Flamethrower | Burns Residue; melts Ice; vaporizes Water | 400 Gold |
| 2 | Burner Belt | Heated flammable-material transport | 500 Gold |
| 2 | Thermal Buffer | Stores and distributes heat | 1,000 Gold |
| 2 | Sweeper Drones | Collects ground materials | 800 Gold |
| 2 | Conveyor Portal | Crosses production lines without mixing | 750 Gold |
| 2 | Cryoblaster | Produces Snow and affects Water/Lava | 1,000 Gold |
| 3 | Fluids | Pipe, Pump, Liquid Vent | 1,250 Gold |
| 3 | Planter Box | Grows crops from Wet Seeds | 2,000 Gold |
| 3 | Vacuum | Collects materials in a tank | 2,000 Gold |
| 3 | Digger Drone | Digs autonomously | 2,500 Gold |
| 4 | Advanced Filter | Filters multiple element types | 1,500 Gold |
| 4 | Drying & Condensing | Steam Dryer and Condenser | 2,500 Gold |
| 4 | Logistics Mk.2 | Faster Conveyor and Launcher variants | 2,500 Gold |
| 4 | Hauler Drone | Automated material transport | 3,000 Gold |
| 4 | Recon Drone | Scouting | 2,500 Gold |
| 5 | Snowmaker | Converts Water into Snow using Energy | 2,500 Gold |
| 5 | Smelter | Smelts elements using heat | 3,000 Gold |
| 5 | Copper Mold | Casts the Power Brick | 2,000 Gold* |
| 5 | Steam Turbine | Automated power generation | 3,000 Gold |
| 6 | Synthesizer | Converts one material into another using Energy | 7,500 Gold |
* The official reference lists Copper Mold at 2,000 Gold and requires Smelter and Florinol Battery. The page is WIP, so verify prerequisites in the current build.
What to delay
Do not buy Logistics Mk.2 while a basic Filter would solve the jam. Do not buy Drones before there is a stable place for their output. Do not rush Steam Turbine or Copper Mold without a dependable Water/heat route and a clear power-storage plan.
Advanced watchlist
Stratacore, Clearing Frame, and other late-chain entities should be verified in the current Early Access build before you reserve a large factory bay for them. If the search data stays stable for a full week, a dedicated Stratacore entity page is the next sensible expansion.
Related pages
- Recipes & Production Flow Chart
- Production Chains
- Kinetic Press troubleshooting
- Steam Turbine
- Planter Box
- Plants & Seeds
Verification note
Checked against the Hooded Horse Research reference and the official Sandustry Wiki overview on 2026-08-16. Early Access costs, prerequisites, and tier placement can change.
Choose your next move
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