Chemical Plant

This is a quick guide to get your chemical plant online. You may be confused (as I was) on how to build it, how many of what hatches, etc.

This guide is written assuming you're coming here trying to figure out how to get to Mars. Basically once progression requires you to have this multi-block. As such the shopping list below will either be what is required for the tier to make RP-1 Rocket Fuel or in the case of the coils and the pipe casings, the ones I chose to use.

Here is a video made by someone if you prefer that method (no talking): https://youtu.be/MZI_EOudK68

You can change this to whatever tier you need to process and NEI will show the tier required. This specifically refers to the Machine Casings and Solid Casings. The Coils and Pipe Casings just give bonuses or discounts.

Note: you can make the in game guide as show below:

Shopping List

27x Cupronickel Coil Blocks (See: Valid Coils, below).
18x Steel Pipe Casing (See: Valid Pipe Casings, below).
57x HV Machine Casing (See: Valid Machine Casings, below).
84x Clean Stainless Steel Machine Casing (See: Valid Solid Casings, below).
1x Catalyst Housing
1x Energy Hatch (Not higher than HV)
1x Maintenance Hatch
2x Input Hatch (Not higher than HV)
2x Output Hatch (Not higher than HV)
1x Input Bus (Not higher than HV)

Programmed circuits will go in the Input Bus, not the Catalyst Housing. The hatch tiers cannot be higher than the tier of the 57 machine casings.

Valid Coils

Tier 1: Cupronickel Coil Block
Tier 2: Kanthal Coil Block
Tier 3: Nichrome Coil Block
Tier 4: TPV-Alloy Coil Block
Tier 5: HSS-G Coil Block
Tier 6: HSS-S Coil Block
Tier 7: Naquadah Coil Block
Tier 8: Naquadah Alloy Coil Block
Tier 9: Trinium Coil Block
Tier 10: Fluxed Electrum Coil Block
Tier 11: Awakened Draconium Coil Block
Tier 12: Infinity Coil Block
Tier 13: Hypogen Coil Block
Tier 14: Eternal Coil Block

For your first Chemical Plant (going to Mars), use Kanthal or Nichrome.

Valid Pipe Casings

Tier 1: Bronze Pipe
Tier 2: Steel Pipe
Tier 3: Titanium Pipe
Tier 4: Tungstensteel

If you're making the chemical plant between Moon and Mars, use Titanium pipe.

Valid Machine Casings

Note: Don't turn these into the Machine Hulls!

Tier 1: ULV Machine Casing
Tier 2: LV Machine Casing
Tier 3: MV Machine Casing
Tier 4: HV Machine Casing
Tier 5: EV Machine Casing
Tier 6: IV Machine Casing
Tier 7: LuV Machine Casing
Tier 8: ZPM Machine Casing
Tier 9: UV Machine Casing
Tier 10: UHV Machine Casing

Valid Solid Casings

Tier 0: Strong Bronze Machine Casing
Tier 1: Solid Steel Machine Casing
Tier 2: Sturdy Aluminium Machine Casing
Tier 3: Clean Stainless Steel Machine Casing
Tier 4: Stable Titanium Machine Casing
Tier 5: Robust Tungstensteel Machine Casing
Tier 6: Vigorous Laurenium Machine Casing
Tier 7: Rugged Botmium Machine Casing

If you're making the chemical plant between Moon and Mars, you need at least Stainless Steel and likely cannot afford Titanium.

Layer by Layer Build Guide

Note: Catalyst Housing, Input Hatches, Output Hatches, Input Bus, Maintenance Hatch, Energy Hatch and Controller must all go in the bottom layer. You can see below the controller is colored orange. These blocks must replace one of the Solid Casings (in this case the Clean Stainless Steel Machine Casings). They cannot be the corner blocks. The Controller must be in the middle as pictured below.