The three real processors
- Shaker: turns Wet Sand into Gold and Residue
- Kinetic Press: mints Gold and Seeds from Burnt Residue
- Steam Dryer: presses Amethelis into Dry Amethelis
Processing buildings
Sandustry Processing: The Buildings That Actually Process Materials
Players often search for a "Processing Plant," but no single building carries that name in Sandustry. Processing is split across several machines, each with one clear job, so pick the machine that matches the material you want to transform.
No single "Processing Plant"
Shaker
Kinetic Press
Steam Dryer
Official wiki numbers
Build a Processing Line, Step by Step
Each processor takes one kind of feed and turns it into one kind of output. Follow the line in order and verify each stage before adding the next.
Start with the Shaker
The Shaker is the first processor most players build. Feed it Wet Sand and it separates the heavier Gold downward while leaving Residue stacked on top.
Checkpoint: Gold falls out below while Residue rides the top.
Add the Kinetic Press for Seeds
Drop Burnt Residue onto the Press from high enough and it mints Gold along with the Seeds that start your farming loop. Route the Shaker's Residue into the burn to feed it.
Checkpoint: Gold and Seeds start coming out of the Press.
Dry Amethelis late in the line
The Steam Dryer arrives at Tier 4 and presses Amethelis into Dry Amethelis using steam from below. It is the processor for the top crafting tiers.
Checkpoint: Dry Amethelis comes out while steam keeps flowing beneath.
When the Processing Line Stalls
A processor quietly does nothing when it gets the wrong feed. Match the material to the machine and the stage starts producing again.
Nothing is processing
Each machine wants one specific input: Wet Sand for the Shaker, Burnt Residue from a high drop for the Kinetic Press, and Amethelis plus steam for the Steam Dryer. Feed the matching material and the machine resumes.
The Press is not minting
The Kinetic Press only pays out once Burnt Residue lands from enough height. A drop that is too short leaves material sitting on the surface instead of turning into Gold and Seeds.
The Dryer will not dry
The Steam Dryer needs steam pressing against its bottom face, not just Amethelis on top. Without that contact it produces no Dry Amethelis at all.
Core processing split
- Sandustry does not expose one building literally named "Processing Plant" in this guide path; the processing role is split across named machines.
- The Shaker, Kinetic Press, and Steam Dryer cover distinct stages with distinct inputs and outputs.
- A stalled processing chain is often a feed mismatch, not a hidden universal processor problem.
What still depends on the chain you are fixing
- Players may still use "processing" loosely in community discussion, so always verify the exact machine and recipe first.
- Unlock order and recipes can change through Early Access updates, so treat this split as version-sensitive.
- The first processor worth optimizing still depends on which stage is actually starving or backing up.
Featured Questions
Is there an actual building called Processing Plant?
No. There is no single machine called Processing Plant; the name points to the individual processing buildings that convert one material into another.
Which processor comes first?
The Shaker is the early processor most lines start with, because it turns Wet Sand into Gold and Residue.
Why is my processing line idle even though materials are moving?
Check whether the machine is receiving the exact feed it expects. Wrong material, missing steam, or a too-short drop can all look like a dead processor.