Steel

Steel is a refined resource used in crafting a number of advanced items and modules. It is one of the more practical late-game materials to automate because two of its three inputs are straightforward to produce: carbon and argon. The simplified in-game production of Steel most closely resembles a modern real-world process and skips pig iron as a separate intermediate step.

Steel is produced in the Chemistry Lab, and a basic production setup can be semi-automated by feeding the lab with the needed inputs:

• Carbon can be generated by attaching a Tapper to a Tappable Flora, then moving the organic into a furnace and the resulting carbon into the Chemistry Lab.
• Argon can be supplied directly from an Atmospheric Condenser, or moved to the lab with an Auto Arm.
• Iron should be stockpiled near the Chemistry Lab; a Large Resource Canister is a convenient storage option.

For automation, it is recommended to use filters on Auto Arms so they do not grab unintended items. The process can be power-intensive because it relies on both an Atmospheric Condenser and a Chemistry Lab.

Steel is used to craft several items and modules, and it appears in multiple recipes with varying material requirements. The exact recipe list is defined in the crafting tables for the resource.