Diving into AE2 Tech Add-On
Applied Energistics 2 is already the gold standard for storage and autocrafting in Minecraft, but sometimes you want machines that feel like a natural extension of the ME Grid. That is exactly where AE2 Tech Add-On comes into play. This mod introduces a handful of thoughtfully designed machines and upgrade cards that blend seamlessly with your existing AE2 setup, making automation of tasks like ore processing smoother than ever. If you have ever wished for a furnace that talks directly to your network without using channels, or a pressure plate that dumps your entire inventory into the system, you are in the right place.
Key Machines and Items
The heart of this add-on lies in its compact but powerful machines. Each one is built with automation in mind, reducing the need for messy cable spaghetti and external interfaces.
Energetic Incinerator
This is your basic yet incredibly efficient furnace. It draws power directly from the AE2 Grid and, crucially, uses zero channels. With a base speed of 150 ticks per item compared to a vanilla furnace's 200 ticks, you already get a noticeable boost. Slot in a Performance Upgrade Card, and you can crank that down to a blistering 25 ticks per item. It is the perfect workhorse for early-to-mid game smelting arrays.
Advanced Energetic Incinerator
Think of this as the Energetic Incinerator’s overachieving sibling. It matches the base speed of 150 ticks per item but consumes a single AE2 channel. The real magic, however, is its built-in ME Interface, Import Bus, and Export Bus. That means it can automatically push finished products back into the network and pull raw materials for on-demand crafting without any extra blocks. Once AE2’s autocrafting support is fully realized, this machine will become a cornerstone of any self-sustaining factory.
Energetic Crumbler
Ore doubling is a staple of tech mods, and the Energetic Crumbler brings it into the AE2 ecosystem. This machine pulverizes ores into dust, with a chance for bonus outputs. It is still in the planning phase, but the concept promises a tidy, grid-powered alternative to bulky pulverizer setups.
Advanced Energetic Crumbler
Just like its incinerator counterpart, the advanced crumbler will feature integrated ME buses and an interface, allowing for fully automated ore processing chains that feed directly into your storage. Both crumbler variants are marked as in development, so keep an eye on future updates.
Unnamed Pressure Plate
This curious device is still being fleshed out, but the idea is brilliant. Step on it, and it will vacuum every item from your inventory straight into the AE system. Planned modes include ignoring the hotbar, whitelist/blacklist filters, and even the ability to restock your inventory based on predefined requests. It could completely change how you interact with your storage on the go.
Performance Upgrade Cards
Speed tuning is handled by a set of five upgrade cards: Redstone, Iron, Gold, Diamond, and Emerald. Each tier increases processing speed at the cost of higher power draw per operation and increased idle power consumption. There is also a Creative card that pushes machines to ludicrous speeds, limited only by your game’s tick rate. These cards give you granular control over how aggressively your machines operate, letting you balance energy usage against throughput.
Alpha Status and Community Involvement
AE2 Tech Add-On is currently in alpha, which means a few rough edges are to be expected. Some item names, icons, and finer polish might be missing, and bugs are almost guaranteed. The developer openly invites testers to grab the latest build and provide feedback. Crash reports are best shared via Pastebin to keep things readable. If you enjoy tinkering with early builds and shaping a mod’s direction, this is a great opportunity to contribute. For those who prefer a hassle-free testing experience, the mod can be easily installed via the foxygame.net launcher — a convenient, flexible, and modern Minecraft launcher where you can download mods right from the menu, making it simple to keep alpha versions updated without manual file juggling.
Installation and Modpack Use
Since the mod is released under the MIT license, you are free to include it in any private or public modpack without worrying about permissions. The source code is open and available on BitBucket at bitbucket.org/FireBall1725/ae2techaddon, so curious modders can fork, study, or contribute. The wiki is a work in progress, and the developer welcomes volunteers to help with documentation. To install manually, just drop the jar into your mods folder along with the required Applied Energistics 2 version. Because it is an add-on, you will need the base AE2 mod installed. The mod is compatible with standard Forge setups and should play nicely with most common tech packs.
Final Thoughts
AE2 Tech Add-On fills a niche that many AE2 enthusiasts have felt for a long time: tightly integrated machines that don’t break the visual or mechanical flow of the ME network. The channel-free Energetic Incinerator alone is worth the download, and the planned crumbler and pressure plate hint at an even more automated future. While the alpha status means you might encounter a hiccup or two, the open development model and responsive issue tracker make it easy to stay involved. Whether you are building a compact ore processing line or simply want a smarter furnace, this add-on deserves a spot in your next modded world.