Chronometer

The Chronometer is a time-based automation component that sends a signal based on the current time of day. Players can configure it to activate during work hours, leisure hours, or a custom time range, enabling precise scheduling of building operations. Costing 200 Science Points, the Chronometer allows colonies to optimize their daily routines by automatically adjusting production, power consumption, and other activities according to the time of day.

The Chronometer's signal integrates seamlessly with the rest of the automation network. Connect it to powered buildings to shut them down during nighttime or leisure hours when workers are unavailable, saving power for essential operations. Feed it into logic gates alongside other sensors for conditional scheduling: for example, an AND Gate combining a Chronometer (work hours) with a Resource Counter (low food stock) activates extra Food Factories only during work hours when food reserves are running low. This prevents unnecessary production while ensuring responsive output when needed.

One of the most effective uses of the Chronometer is power management. By connecting it to non-essential powered buildings set to deactivate during non-work hours, you free up power capacity for critical nighttime operations like the Bot Assembler or Smelter. Another popular circuit uses the Chronometer to control lighting, entertainment buildings, or other leisure facilities that only need to operate during specific hours. Place Chronometers in each district to enable independent scheduling, since different parts of your settlement may have different operational rhythms. The 200 Science Point cost is modest, making it practical to deploy multiple Chronometers for different schedule configurations.