Plastic is one of the most important composite resources in Astroneer, particularly handy in creating advanced products like the Large Rover, RTG, and other modules. As your base expands and your exploration reaches distant planets, becoming a master of how to create plastic in no time can hasten your advancement tremendously. In this guide, we will cover all you need to know about getting plastic in Astroneer, from materials needed, crafting points, helpful tips for mass production, and how to fit plastic into your overall resource plan.

What Is Plastic Used For in Astroneer?

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Plastic in Astroneer is a refined material that is used to create mid- to end-game buildings and vehicles. Unlike raw or smelted materials, plastic is an assembled resource whereby two specified materials are combined in a Chemistry Lab. Upon unlocking its schematic and mastering the process, you'll find plastic becomes an expansion backbone material.

Among the main uses for plastic in Astroneer include:

• Large Storage Units
• Medium Storage Silos
• Large Rover (transport and exploration)
• RTG (infinite power source)
• Trade Platform
• Recreational items like chairs or beauty modules Knowing in advance what products require plastic can enable you to pre-plan your production.

How to Produce Plastic in Astroneer

To produce plastic, you need access to a Chemistry Lab, which you can access using bytes from the Research Catalog. Materials Needed to Produce Plastic:

• Carbon
• Compound

Steps to Produce Plastic:

• Build a Chemistry Lab First, unlock and place a Chemistry Lab on a platform. It requires tungsten, glass, and ceramic to build. You’ll also need a steady power supply.
• Collect Carbon Carbon is produced by smelting Organic material in a Smelting Furnace. Organic can be harvested easily from the surface vegetation of any planet.
• Find Compound Compound is an abundant resource that can be found almost anywhere—look for small grey balls in groups on the surface or in caves.
• Load Chemistry Lab Insert one unit of Carbon and one unit of Compound into the Chemistry Lab.
• Initiate Crafting Turn on the lab and have it process plastic. One unit of plastic will appear on the output tray. You may have this procedure carried out by hand with resource canisters and auto arms for even greater efficiency.

Where to Gather Materials to Make Plastic

• Carbon: Practically every environment contains Organic content. Sylva is such a great planet on which to start your Carbon-producing activities, as its environment is full of plants and grass.
• Compound: On Sylva in large quantities, and in Desolo caves during the early stages. Keep a few tethers or portable oxygenators with you when you're navigating caves.
• Smelting Furnace Tip: To conserve time, Place Smelting Furnaces near large Organic fields. Collect a few units and smelt them collectively.

Why Can't I Craft Plastic in Astroneer?

If you're unable to craft plastic, there may be a few simple reasons:

• Chemistry Lab is missing You require a Chemistry Lab to produce plastic. Ensure that you have unlocked it from your Research Catalog if you have not already done so.
• You don't have the correct ingredients You need both Carbon and Compound in the Chemistry Lab positions. Without them, the crafting process will not be initiated.
• Not enough power supply The Chemistry Lab requires energy. If the power at your base is low, the lab will not function as it should. Utilize Medium Generators or connect to RTGs.

Automating Plastic Production

As your base grows, manually producing plastic can become tiresome. Automation is the route to successful late-game progression in Astroneer. Tools to Utilize:

• Auto Arms: Install them between storage units and the Chemistry Lab to feed Carbon and Compound automatically.
• Resource Canisters: Perfect for mass deposits of Organic and Compound.
• Medium/Auto Extractors: Harvest Organic and Compound automatically with extractors placed over rich deposits.

You can construct complete production lines that smelt Organic into Carbon, send it off, and produce plastic—all without player interaction.

Tips for Efficient Plastic Farming

• Construct a remote outpost on planets with plenty of Compound or Organic, and connect it to your main base via RTGS and platforms.
• Use centrifuges on soil to produce Compound when you're low.
• Automate based on full storage and start creating automatically using sensors. With sufficient setup, your factory will run itself while you venture into the stars.

Scalacube: Power Your Astroneer Multiplayer Experience

If you're going to play Astroneer with friends or create an empire of large-scale production, a solid server host is crucial. That's where Scalacube fits in.

Scalacube delivers high-performing server hosting for Astroneer and other sandbox games. Scalacube supports instant setup, 24/7 uptime, and full mod support, and allows your co-op adventures to continue unchallenged. Whether your co-op activities involve plastic production, launching spacehips, or keeping grids powered, Scalacube's easy-to-use dashboard affords total server configuration control, backups, and updates. Scalacube optimizes its servers for low-latency performance for mass factory-building and mining activity.

With Scalacube, you'll never have to worry about disruptions. Rejoice in creativity and exploration while Scalacube handles the technical work.

Ready to level up your Astroneer gaming? Start your dedicated multiplayer server with Scalacube and explore the universe together, unlimited.

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Conclusion

Plastic in Astroneer might seem like a small resource at first, but its value escalates very rapidly as you find higher-level objects and vehicles. By mastering the materials, becoming skilled in the Chemistry Lab, and automating production, you'll have a consistent supply for whatever challenges arise.

Whether you're creating RTGS, building Large Rovers, or experimenting with automation setups, plastic will be at the centre of your factory's expansion. And with a Scalacube server dedicated to your multiplayer universe, nothing stops you from becoming the best space engineer.

Want to build wiser and expand larger? Grab your resources, power up your lab, and let the plastic flow.