seePyou explains Factory Factors from X3 Terran Conflict – a guide on balancing production

Here I explain how the various factories and other stations can be balanced against production and resource consumption, discussing the various size classifications, what these mean, how not only the yield and size affects the mines but also how they can be converted into a number to show what factories need what, and also the requirement and production of energy cells by the solar power plants in order to create one closed loop without the need for planners.
Of course, a complex calculator is suggested and demonstrated for all those who just want to get the job done

Note: I do not trust the complex calculator at this URL:

http://grangegame.co.uk/x3tcocc.html

for the simple reason that it does not calculate a difference for Solar Power Plants production between 300% sun and 400% sun, while also not having the higher 50% intervals (250%, 350% etc).

Xadrian URL: http://kayahr.github.io/xadrian/

Credit for all the math goes to the egosoft forum posters, namely the following:

General Factors and mine calculations:
author:jlehtone
forum post: https://forum.egosoft.com/viewtopic.php?t=110986

Solar power plant calculations:
author: Spychotic
forum post: https://forum.egosoft.com/viewtopic.php?p=3289389
(in the section “Complex and loop production balancing”)