Why Mechanical Components Are Essential
If you’ve spent any time trying to upgrade your weapons or craft better gear in Arc Raiders, you’ve probably hit the Mechanical Components wall. These Uncommon Refined Materials are absolutely critical for weapon crafting and upgrades, making them one of the most sought-after resources in the game.
Here’s what makes Mechanical Components so important: they’re the bridge between basic gear and quality equipment. You can’t progress meaningfully without them, yet they’re not exactly lying around everywhere. Understanding both how to craft them efficiently and where to farm them gives you a massive advantage in your progression.
The good news? There are two reliable paths to obtaining Mechanical Components: crafting them yourself at the Refiner, or hunting them down in Mechanical-tagged locations across the various maps. Let’s break down both approaches.
Two Ways to Get Mechanical Components
Method 1: Crafting (The Reliable Route)
Crafting is honestly your most consistent source of Mechanical Components once you’ve got the infrastructure set up. The randomized loot system means farming can be hit-or-miss, but crafting gives you guaranteed results.
Requirements to start crafting:
- Unlock the Refiner bench in your Workshop
- Gather basic materials: 7 Metal Parts + 3 Rubber Parts per craft
- Have available inventory space for the crafted component
Why crafting is superior for steady supply:
Metal Parts and Rubber Parts are Common Basic Materials that spawn abundantly across all maps. You’ll naturally accumulate these while looting for other resources like Rusted Tools or forageable items. This means you can convert common junk into valuable upgrade materials consistently.
The Refiner essentially lets you transform quantity into quality—trade abundant low-tier resources for scarce mid-tier components. It’s a no-brainer investment for anyone serious about progression.
Method 2: Scavenging (The Opportunistic Route)
While less reliable due to RNG, finding Mechanical Components in the field saves you crafting materials and time. The trick is knowing where to look and managing your expectations about spawn rates.
Key farming principle: Focus on locations with the Mechanical tag. Just like residential areas favor Dog Collars, Mechanical zones favor… mechanical loot. Shocking, I know.
The trade-off is that extraction shooters randomize loot spawns by design. You might find three Mechanical Components in one run, then go several raids without seeing any. This variability makes crafting your baseline strategy with scavenging as a bonus.
Best Locations to Farm Mechanical Components
Here’s where to focus your scavenging efforts across all four maps:
Dam Battlegrounds: Solid Starting Options
Water Treatment Control ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Industrial facility with strong Mechanical loot bias. Multiple containers to check, reasonable PvP risk, and conveniently located for most raid routes.
The Scrapyard ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ If the name doesn’t give it away, this is your premier Mechanical farming destination on the Dam map. High container density, excellent Mechanical spawn rates, and often worth multiple component finds per visit. This is also your go-to spot for Rusted Tools, making it doubly efficient.
Buried City: Limited but Worthwhile
Parking Garage ⭐⭐⭐ The Buried City map isn’t as mechanically focused as others, but the Parking Garage offers decent potential. Urban industrial setting means Mechanical loot appears reasonably often. Don’t make dedicated trips here, but check it if you’re in the area.
Spaceport: Industrial Paradise
Shipping Warehouse ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Large facility with numerous loot points. The industrial/logistics theme means heavy Mechanical component spawns. Expect moderate ARC machine presence, so come prepared for combat.
Container Storage ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Similar to Shipping Warehouse—lots of containers (literally), lots of Mechanical loot. The open layout means good sightlines but less cover from PvP threats. Use proper shield management when looting here.
The Blue Gate: Hidden Gems
Adorned Wreckage ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Don’t let the name fool you—this wreckage site is prime Mechanical farming territory. Crashed vehicles and machinery mean salvageable components. Often overlooked by other players, making it less contested.
Checkpoint ⭐⭐⭐ Military/security installation with Mechanical infrastructure. Decent spawn rates, though smaller than other locations. Good for quick hits if you’re rotating through The Blue Gate anyway.
Crafting Recipe Breakdown
Let’s talk specifics about the crafting economy:
Basic Mechanical Components:
- Cost: 7 Metal Parts + 3 Rubber Parts
- Output: 1 Mechanical Component
- Efficiency: Excellent ROI since basic materials are everywhere
Where to farm crafting materials:
Metal Parts and Rubber Parts are genuinely abundant. You’ll find them in almost any container on any map. Don’t specifically farm for them—just loot normally and they’ll accumulate naturally. Focus your inventory space on rarer resources and let these basics fill remaining slots.
Pro tip: After each successful extraction, immediately craft Mechanical Components from your accumulated Metal and Rubber Parts. This converts common materials into valuable refined resources before you run out of storage space.
Advanced Mechanical Components: The Next Level
Once you’ve established a steady Mechanical Component supply, you’ll want to upgrade to Advanced Mechanical Components for higher-tier crafting.
Upgrade requirements:
- Unlock: Refiner bench level 2
- Recipe: 2 Steel Springs + 2 Mechanical Components = 1 Advanced Mechanical Component
- Purpose: Craft higher rarity weapons and premium gear
This creates a progression chain: farm basic materials → craft Mechanical Components → gather Steel Springs → craft Advanced Mechanical Components → unlock best-in-class weapons.
Is the upgrade worth it?
Absolutely, but not immediately. Focus on establishing your basic Mechanical Component pipeline first. Once you’re comfortably crafting standard components and have weapon upgrades flowing, then invest in Refiner level 2.
The Advanced Mechanical Components unlock genuinely superior weapons that make challenging content significantly easier. But you need the foundation in place first.
Efficient Farming Strategy
Here’s my recommended approach for maximizing Mechanical Component acquisition:
Phase 1: Establish Crafting Infrastructure
- Unlock the Refiner bench ASAP
- Stockpile Metal Parts and Rubber Parts passively during normal raids
- Craft Mechanical Components consistently after each extraction
Phase 2: Optimize Loot Routes
- Plan raid routes through Mechanical-tagged zones
- Prioritize The Scrapyard (Dam) and Shipping Warehouse (Spaceport)
- Treat found Mechanical Components as bonuses, not primary goals
Phase 3: Advanced Production
- Upgrade Refiner to level 2 when materials allow
- Begin Advanced Mechanical Component production
- Unlock premium weapon crafting options
Phase 4: Specialized Farming
- If desperately short on components, run dedicated Mechanical zone farms
- Focus on lower-traffic maps to reduce PvP risk
- Use Safe Pockets for any components you find
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Farming before crafting infrastructure exists. Build the Refiner first. Farming without a crafting backup is inefficient since you’re at RNG’s mercy.
Ignoring basic materials. Those Metal and Rubber Parts seem worthless, but they’re your component factory’s fuel. Grab them consistently.
Overcommitting to dangerous zones. Yes, Shipping Warehouse has great loot, but dying and losing everything nets you zero components. Balance risk and reward.
Not upgrading the Refiner. Advanced Mechanical Components gate your late-game progression. Plan for the upgrade.
Hoarding components unnecessarily. Use them! They exist to upgrade weapons and gear. Don’t sit on 20 components while using starter weapons.
Integration with Overall Progression
Mechanical Components fit into your broader Arc Raiders journey:
- Early game: Focus on Refiner construction and basic component crafting
- Mid game: Establish consistent supply chain for weapon upgrades
- Late game: Transition to Advanced Mechanical Components for premium gear
Your component production should scale with your overall progression strategy. As you unlock better skills and workshop improvements, your component needs will increase. Plan accordingly.
Quick Reference: Best Farming Efficiency
For pure Mechanical Component farming:
- The Scrapyard (Dam Battlegrounds) – Best overall
- Shipping Warehouse (Spaceport) – High volume
- Adorned Wreckage (The Blue Gate) – Low competition
For passive component gathering while farming other resources:
- Water Treatment Control (Dam) – Multi-purpose location
- Container Storage (Spaceport) – Good for mixed farming
- Checkpoint (The Blue Gate) – Quick secondary checks
For crafting material farming: Honestly, anywhere. Metal and Rubber Parts spawn everywhere. Just loot normally.
Additional Resources
Expand your Arc Raiders knowledge:
- Official game pages: PlayStation Store | Xbox Store | Official Website
- Related farming guides: Rusted Tools | Mushrooms | Lemons & Apricots
- Upgrade guides: Weapon upgrades | Workshop improvements
- Survival essentials: Best tips & tricks | Shield management
- Quest help: A Bad Feeling walkthrough
- Advanced tactics: Security Lockers | Harvester looting
- Optimization: Increase storage space | Money farming
- Multiplayer & rewards: Play with friends | Twitch Drops | Best PC settings
Final Thoughts
Mechanical Components represent one of Arc Raiders’ key progression bottlenecks. Without a steady supply, your weapon upgrades stall and your competitive edge dulls. The good news is that with proper infrastructure (Refiner bench) and smart farming (prioritize Mechanical zones), you can maintain consistent production.
My recommendation: invest in crafting early, farm opportunistically, and upgrade to Advanced Mechanical Components once you’ve mastered the basics. This creates a sustainable resource loop that supports ongoing progression without constant grinding stress.
The Scrapyard remains your best friend for concentrated Mechanical farming, but honestly, the crafting route will carry most of your needs. Build that Refiner, convert your common materials, and watch your arsenal improve.
Now get out there and start building those components. Your weapons aren’t going to upgrade themselves.
