Pile Sorter

Pile Sorter is a sorter-class logistics device used to move items into or out of buildings. Like other sorters, it performs point-to-point transfers between structures and belts, but its principal distinction is the ability to carry multiple items in a single trip, allowing higher throughput per transfer action than a standard sorter.

The Pile Sorter is created by upgrading from the Mk3 sorter. Its interaction with belt transport is commonly paired with an Automatic Piler: the Automatic Piler accumulates stacks of components on belts or at a location so that the Pile Sorter can pick up multiple items efficiently. This combination is used when a production line requires grouped item movement rather than many single-item transfers.

Practical notes and usage considerations:

• The Pile Sorter functions as a sorter in all basic respects: it transfers items between buildings and between a building and a belt. Its unique capability is to move multiple items per trip rather than only single items.
• Use an Automatic Piler to aggregate items into piles for the Pile Sorter to take; this pairing reduces the number of trips needed to move a given quantity of material.
• The Pile Sorter is obtained by upgrading from the Mk3 sorter; plan production and research paths accordingly to unlock it.
• The device is intended for scenarios where grouped transfers are more efficient than individual-item transfers, such as moving bulk components between production hubs or consolidating outputs for shipment.
• Because the Pile Sorter still operates within the sorter family design, it integrates into existing sorter-based logistics layouts without fundamentally changing connection rules, while improving throughput where piles are available.

Do not assume specific numeric throughput values or stack sizes without consulting the game interface or up-to-date in-game data, as those details are not specified here. Use the Pile Sorter where grouped transfer behavior simplifies belt congestion or reduces the number of active sorter units required for a high-volume transfer path.