Keep solids in item form after element change

[Neotuck]

When solid items like fertilizer are heated up enough to change element into dirt they change into a tile of dirt that needs a dupe to dig again.  Also this reduces the mass by half which is a big loss

In the pics bellow I have 100 Kg of fertilizer on a metal tile heating up 

Once it is hot enough the fertilizer turns into 100 Kg tile of dirt

After a dupe digs it, it becomes 50 Kg dirt

My suggestion is don't allow solids to turn into tiles once they change elements.  This will prevent loss and allow automation with conveyor rails 

[crypticorb]

Is there any way to make effective dirt cookers? With the added value of dirt mid-late game, I've attempted to make something like what you've designed above, but had the same problem.

Now that dirt is a heavy consumable for meal lice (and glossy dreckos), sage hatches, and fast easy mush fry, it's in significantly higher demand.

[alown]

I would love this if we could do the same thing with the ice and water, but unfortunately, they turn into solid instead of tiles... xD

[Neotuck]

25 minutes ago, crypticorb said:

Is there any way to make effective dirt cookers?

there is no way to fully automate it,  No mater what you do you'll still need dupes to dig it up again and that will result in 50% loss

8 minutes ago, alown said:

I would love this if we could do the same thing with the ice and water, but unfortunately, they turn into solid instead of tiles... xD

ever put gulp fish in -10C PH2O? it's fun to watch them poop ice 

[alown]

3 minutes ago, Neotuck said:

there is no way to fully automate it,  No mater what you do you'll still need dupes to dig it up again and that will result in 50% loss

ever put gulp fish in -10C PH2O? it's fun to watch them poop ice 

Ha ! i'm still learning this game, and i'm not at this point ... xD (untill now, i never find any gulp fish)

And i'm still waiting a little for ranching, they seem to be working on it for now, so many change should came...

But, they poop solid ? and no ice tiles ??? Maybe i will put some in my cold biome x)

[Neotuck]

2 minutes ago, alown said:

But, they poop solid ? and no ice tiles ??? Maybe i will put some in my cold biome x)

they convert polluted water into clean water.

so if the polluted water is less than 0C then the water comes out as ice

[TheExceed]

I agree with this. I stated this in another forum too. Needing to constantly dig dirt when heating with a volcano is quite annoying.