Short answer
Use the production calculator when you want to compare rates observed in your current build. Use the local SandPrints gallery for screenshot references, then open the original SandustryVault SandPrints library when you need its live submissions or Blueprint-string workflow. For local-save viewing and Blueprint conversion, open the Sandustry Tools homepage and choose the function inside the app. These are community resources, not official Sandustry services.
Choose the right tool
- Balance a factory: enter your own observed rates in the local production calculator.
- Find a layout to study: browse the SandPrints gallery, then check the live SandustryVault library and verify Research and inputs before copying anything.
- Inspect or render a Blueprint string: read the Blueprint Inspector guide, then open Sandustry Tools and choose Inspector.
- Convert a Blueprint string and JSON: read the Blueprint Codec guide, then open Sandustry Tools and choose Codec.
- Preview a local save: read the Save Explorer guide, then open Sandustry Tools and choose Save Explorer; it is read-only and marked WIP upstream.
- Read player discussion: open the Community hub or the dated Reddit picks; comments remain on Reddit.
SandPrints and Blueprint sharing
The local SandPrints page is a screenshot gallery. Its search box and tags filter the visible gallery without creating separate indexable search pages; it does not contain Blueprint strings, invented author credits, or unverified performance claims. For an importable community Blueprint, use the original SandustryVault SandPrints library. Its documented game workflow is: select a build with C, copy it with Ctrl+C, save the clipboard selection in the Blueprints tab, and export that saved Blueprint when you want a shareable string. Import adds a shared string to the current save's Blueprint book.
Before using a community Blueprint, confirm its game version, required Research, material states, open outputs, and surrounding terrain. A copied shape is not proof that its inputs, throughput, or long-running behavior match your factory. Continue with the Blueprint guide for a safe test routine.
Official Workshop branch notice (checked 2026-08-28)
The official Steam Community hub published the v0.5.5 Update #2 notes on August 19, 2026. They say subscribed Workshop mods require the mods branch and warn that this branch is unstable and not yet up to date. Treat this as a dated testing note, not a stable-mod-support promise; verify the current branch before subscribing.
Production calculator
The Sandustry production calculator intentionally ships without unverified recipe presets. Enter the input, output, machine count, and cycle time you observe in the current Early Access build. It compares the output rate of each stage and highlights the slowest positive stage as the likely bottleneck. All entries stay in the current browser session.
Save Explorer
The external Save Explorer guide explains how to open the Sandustry Tools homepage and choose Save Explorer. It opens a local .save file, builds a read-only minimap, and offers zoom, layer, and cell-inspection controls. The upstream project labels it WIP: some layers, colors, and bundled content are not fully decoded. If you enable its remember option, data may be stored in that browser's local storage. Keep a backup and never treat a third-party preview as a save editor.
Blueprint Inspector and Codec
The Blueprint Inspector guide covers supported v2 strings and the external app can show bounds, structure types, filters, saved records, signal links, and a rendered map. It is an inspector, not a simulation: it does not prove that placement, power, fluid flow, or production behavior will work in the game.
The Blueprint Codec guide covers converting supported Blueprint strings to readable JSON and encoding valid JSON back to v2 binary or text. Legacy v1 conversion is available in the upstream tool, but v1 strings are not directly rendered by its Inspector. Always keep the original Blueprint string before converting or editing data.
SandustryVault reference pages
Flow, Database, and Research are useful community references for discovering relationships and planning what to verify next. Their pages identify incomplete or WIP data, so confirm names, costs, unlocks, and ratios in the current game or official Wiki before publishing them as facts.
Why these tools are linked instead of cloned
The Sandustry Tools repository is public but currently has no explicit software license. This guide therefore links to the original service and provides original, localized instructions rather than copying its source, catalog, graphics, or interface. GitHub Pages may return a 404 when /explorer, /inspect, or /codec is opened as a direct deep link, so use the tool homepage and choose the function inside the app. The local Community hub keeps player discussion and screenshot references separate from those external utilities.
Sources and safety notes
Checked 2026-08-28: SandPrints, Sandustry Tools, and its public source repository. Compatibility varies by game and tool version. Third-party sites have their own privacy policies and availability.