Smart Filters Guide
Use Ore Factory Squad Smart Filters on Splitter Belts and Pallet Drop Zones: item vs category rules, sorting tips, and co-op filter etiquette from v1.0.5.
What Smart Filters Are (v1.0.5)
Smart Filters arrived in Ore Factory Squad v1.0.5 as Phase 0 Part 1 headline factory QoL. Instead of mixed ore clogging every splitter output, you configure each Splitter Belt output or Pallet Drop Zone slot to accept specific items or entire categories — Copper ingots route left, Iron plates right, Gold bars to a dedicated smelter row without manual crate sorting.
Before v1.0.5, squads relied on separate shafts, manual forklift triage, or warehouse robots to untangle blended mining output. Smart filters reward single-shaft strategies where jackhammer teams bring mixed loads to the surface and automation handles separation. Read the v1.0.5 patch notes for the full changelog context.
Phase 0 Part 2 on the official roadmap teases smarter splitters, buffer belts, and 45-degree elevation pieces — plan trunk lines with expansion gaps near splitters if you expect Part 2 belt types to extend current filter logic.
Splitter Belts and Pallet Drop Zones
Splitter Belts divide one input stream across multiple outputs. With smart filters, each output accepts only whitelisted items or categories — unmatched ore backs up upstream or routes to overflow outputs depending on your layout, so always designate a catch-all lane for unexpected drops.
Pallet Drop Zones stage goods for warehouse robots or contract loading. Filtering drop slots by item or category prevents Copper pallets from blocking Gold staging areas during parallel contract crunches. Pair with conveyor automation diagrams when linking lift dumps to filtered splitters.
Test filters after placement by feeding one ore type at a time before enabling full mixed mining. Misconfigured category rules look like "broken belts" when the real issue is rejected items waiting at merger inputs.
Watch Video Guide
Item Filters vs Category Filters
Item filters pin exact products — a specific ingot, plate, or component. Use these when two outputs need different finished goods from the same smelter row or when contract staging requires precise SKUs visible on the warehouse board.
Category filters group related materials — all ores, all ingots, or broader buckets per in-game taxonomy. Categories scale better on mixed mining shafts where vein composition changes with depth; one category rule survives new ore tiers without reprogramming every splitter when you unlock Gold or Diamond processing.
Combine both on large factories: category splits at the lift exit, item splits before contract pallets. The automation guide throughput section helps size smelter rows behind each filtered branch.
Sorting and Routing Tips
Design overflow paths first — a filtered splitter without a junk lane stalls the entire shaft when miners bring unexpected stone or byproducts. Run overflow to temporary storage crates or a sell bin until you add processing for that material.
Label zones verbally in co-op even though the game lacks sign tiles — "north splitter Copper only" prevents guests from rewiring outputs mid-session. Hosts on public lobbies should restrict splitter edits to trusted roles via roles and permissions.
When upgrading from pre-v1.0.5 saves, revisit every splitter on mixed lines — legacy layouts assumed manual sorting and may starve smelters after you add filters that accidentally block valid inputs. Snapshot factory tours on voice or text chat before bulk reconfiguration.
Co-op Filter Ownership Etiquette
Agree who may edit smart filter rules: typically the builder or foreman, not every guest joining for a single contract turn-in. Accidental filter clears during co-op nights cause hours of debugging that look like machine failures.
Public lobby hosts should use Employee default permissions so strangers cannot rewrite splitter outputs — v1.0.5 shipped this partly because griefers disrupted factories before July security hotfixes. Invite-only friend groups can grant broader builder roles.
Link filter changes to contract board reviews — when v1.0.5 progression-based contracts unlock new goods, update drop zone filters before accepting jobs that need warehouse stock you cannot stage. See co-op guide for lobby and communication norms alongside filter ownership.
Frequently Asked Questions
When did Smart Filters release?
v1.0.5 on July 25, 2026 — Phase 0 Part 1 on Splitter Belts and Pallet Drop Zones.
Can I filter by category and item?
Yes — configure each output or slot for specific items or broader categories per official patch notes.
Do smart filters work on all belt types?
v1.0.5 lists Splitter Belts and Pallet Drop Zones. Phase 0 Part 2 may extend filtering to new belt types — watch roadmap news.
What happens to rejected items?
They back up upstream or need an overflow lane — always plan a catch-all output on mixed mining lines.
Can guests edit filters in public lobbies?
Default Employee role limits destructive edits — hosts configure custom roles in the computer app for trusted builders.