Many players are having some problem with Sandustry Kinetic Press; Some of the materials get stuck over them or the process is not being done correctly. This guide covers what it does, how to unlock it, and how to stop it from jamming.
In This Guide:
What Does the Kinetic Press Do?
The Kinetic Press turns Burnt Residue into Gold and Seeds. For every piece of Burnt Residue that hits the press correctly, you get 1 Gold and 1 Seed. Both then fall out through the bottom of the machine.
How to Unlock the Kinetic Press
The Kinetic Press is a Tier 2 Research unlock, and it costs 500 Gold. If you do not see it yet, check your research tree before assuming something is broken.
The 25-Block Drop Rule
This is the single most important thing to know about the Kinetic Press: Burnt Residue has to fall at least 25 blocks before it hits the press. If it does not fall far enough, the press simply will not process it.
Sometimes gold and seed accumulate at the bottom of the press; therefore stopping the incoming residue from falling 25 blocks. So if your setup looks correct but nothing is happening, check the drop height first.
How to Stop the Kinetic Press From Clogging
The Kinetic Press has no built-in conveyor, unlike some other machines in Sandustry. It will not clear material off its surface on its own. Anything that is not properly dropped Burnt Residue, including Burnt Residue that fell short of 25 blocks, just sits on top. Once something is sitting there, it blocks the next pieces of Burnt Residue from landing cleanly.
The other thing you have to pay attention to is that Kinetic Press can handle a small amount of burnt residue at a time. So what you have to do is to pour burnt residue slowly on top of the press or automate the whole process in a way that not a lot of residue enters the Press at a time.
Using just a launcher wouldn’t be a good choice because a lot of burnt residue might accumulate in one spot. One of the solutions is to put a filter on top of the press. It’s not for filtering though. Filters allow the material to pass at a slower pace, so this would slowdown the falling of material into the press. Putting some blocks on top of the press would make this method even more effective.
You can make this system more advanced by using two columns of launchers to separate the residue into two parts. You can also separate golds and seeds at the bottom of the press to avoid filling the tank underneath the Kinetic Press. The following is a good sample of using this method by the YouTuber IdoraAlphyGaming:
Where to Get Burnt Residue
Burnt Residue comes from burning regular Residue, and only 25% of it survives the process. The rest is destroyed. You can burn Residue by hand, or automate it with a Pyro Dispenser or Lava trapped in Filters. If you want a closer look at working with Lava, check out our Sandustry lava guide.
Some players place the Kinetic Press directly beneath their burning stage, so Residue turns into Burnt Residue and drops straight into the press in one motion, combining both steps without extra machinery.
What to Do With the Gold and Seeds
The Gold is straightforward, it is currency you will use throughout the game. The Seed is where things continue: expose it to Water and it becomes a Wet Seed, which feeds into the next stage of your production chain. If you are not sure how Water behaves in Sandustry, our water guide covers it in detail.
The Kinetic Press is not a complicated machine once you understand its two rules: burnt residue should be poured into the press at a slow pace and keep the top clear so nothing blocks the next piece from landing. Get those two things right, and it runs itself.
