Most survival games have a mechanic in which they let you build up your gear by working with scraps. This mechanic is there to inject a little more realism about what will happen if you have to survive on your own and have to fight against enemies without having proper gear. This mechanic is often called a workshop. It is present in almost all survival based open world games, like Rust, Shadow of the Tomb Raider, and the freshly released ARC Raider.
This system is great since it gives the in-game weapon upgradation a personal touch, something a player has to grind for, and when they work hard and wander around for hours in the world, the weapon they craft afterwards has a personal meaning to them, which is why you’ll rarely see people complaining about these workshops, gear builders, because it is actually enjoyable to build something from scratch.
Now, in this blog, we are going to talk about workshops in ARC Raider. I will be covering every workshop and how to upgrade it in this blog. After reading this blog, you’re going to know every workshop’s material requirements, where to get them, and how much to get them.
Many players hit a wall with ARC Raiders Workshop leveling due to poor material planning. A smarter leveling approach turns scattered farming into steady, predictable progress.
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Workshop types in the game?
So the game has different workshops for different purposes. I will list down what each workshop does and why you need to upgrade it.
Workshop Types Overview
| Workshop Type | What they do |
|---|---|
| Gunsmith | It lets you upgrade your weapon mods and attachments |
| Medical Lab | It lets you create Bandages, shield rechargers, and stimulants |
| Explosives Station | It lets you create Grenades and traps. |
| Gear Bench | It lets you create utility items, like gadgets and Raider Augments |
| Utility Station | It lets you create deployable tools like lures and barricades |
| Refiner | It lets you break down materials for metal parts and fabric. |
What this table shows:
A clear breakdown of every workshop type and its role so you can decide which upgrades matter most for your playstyle.
How to upgrade them?
So there are three levels of update for every workshop in ARC raiders, with each tier unlocking new Crafting recipes that will help you to survive more in the game. Each level needs different kinds of material in order to upgrade them, So i will list down all of the material requirements of each workshop and its every tier, and at the end i will also explain how to upgrade the tiers themselves.
Workshop Upgrade Requirements
| Workshop | Tiers | Material Requirement |
|---|---|---|
| Gunsmith | 1 | Metal Parts 20 Rubber Parts 20 |
| Gunsmith | 2 | Rusted Tools 3 Mechanical Components 5 Wasp Driver 8 |
| Gunsmith | 3 | Rusted Gear 3 Advanced Mechanical Components 5 Sentinel Firing Core 4 |
| Gear Bench | 1 | Plastic Parts 25 Fabric 30 |
| Gear Bench | 2 | Power Cable 3 Electrical Components 5 Hornet Driver 3 |
| Gear Bench | 3 | Industrial Battery 5 Advanced Electrical Components 3 Rollbot Part 3 |
| Utility Station | 1 | Plastic Parts 50 ARC Alloy 6 |
| Utility Station | 2 | Damaged Heat Sink 2 Electrical Components 5 Snitch Scanner 6 |
| Utility Station | 3 | Fried Motherboard 5 Advanced Electrical Components 3 Bison Driver 3 |
| Explosives Station | 1 | Chemicals 50 ARC Alloy 6 |
| Explosives Station | 2 | Synthesized Fuel 3 Crude Explosives 5 Pop Trigger 5 |
| Explosives Station | 3 | Laboratory Reagents 3 Explosive Compound 5 Rocketeer Driver 3 |
| Refiner | 1 | Metal Parts 60 ARC Powercell 5 |
| Refiner | 2 | Toaster 3 ARC Motion Core 5 Fireball Burner 8 |
| Refiner | 3 | Motor 5 ARC Motion Core 20 Queen Part 1 |
| Medical Lab | 1 | Fabric 50 ARC Alloy 6 |
| Medical Lab | 2 | Cracked Bioscanner 2 Durable Cloth 5 Tick Pod 8 |
| Medical Lab | 3 | Rusted Shut Medical Kit 5 Antiseptic 10 Bastion Part 3 |
| Scrappy | 1 | – |
| Scrappy | 2 | Dog Collar 1 |
| Scrappy | 3 | Lemon 3 Apricot 3 |
| Scrappy | 4 | Prickly Pear 6 Olives 6 Cat Bed 1 |
| Scrappy | 5 | Mushroom 12 Apricot 12 Very Comfortable Pillow 3 |
What this table shows:
Every workshop, every tier, and exact material quantities needed so you can plan upgrades without wasting resources.
If you’re short on time or struggling to farm high-tier components consistently, prioritizing the right workshop upgrades can make progression far smoother.
How do you upgrade your workshop?
That’s all of the materials, their quantity, and tiers you need them at. Now, how do you upgrade your workshop?
It is pretty simple, do this to upgrade your workshop tiers:
- Go to the workshop tab.
- Now select the station
- Click on the level up
And that’s it.
Where to find the materials?
I figure that it will be helpful for players to know where to find these materials. So I will list down each material needed and where you can find them.
Material Locations & Sources
Materials and Where to Find Them (Table)
| Material | Where to find |
|---|---|
| Metal Parts | You can loot them from everywhere or buy them from Celeste |
| Plastic Parts | You can loot them from everywhere or buy them from Celeste |
| Rubber Parts | You can loot them from everywhere or buy them from Celeste |
| Fabric | You can loot them from everywhere or buy them from Celeste |
| Chemicals | You can loot them from everywhere or buy them from Celeste |
| Arc Alloy | Destroy ARCs and loot them |
| Arc Powercells | Destroy ARCs and loot them |
| Rusted Tools | You can find this in industrial loot areas |
| Mechanical Components | You can find this in mechanical loot areas, or it could be recycled from guns and mods |
| Wasp Drivers | Destroying wasps and looting them |
| Rusted Gears | Loot cars and buses |
| Adv. Mechanical Components | You can find this in mechanical loot areas, or it could be recycled from guns and mods |
| Sentinel Firing Cores | Destroying sentinels and looting them |
| Synthesized Fuel | You can loot them from Stella Montis or buy them from Celeste |
| Crude Explosives | Destroying Pops and Fireballs, and looting them |
| Pop Triggers | Destroying Pops and looting them |
| Laboratory Reagents | You can find in Medical loot areas |
| Explosive Compounds | You can find this in breachable containers in Industrial areas |
| Rocketeer Drivers | Destroy and loot the rocketeer |
| Power Cables | You can find these office buildings across all maps |
| Electrical Components | You can find this in Electrical loot areas |
| Hornet Drivers | Destroy the Hornet and loot it |
| Industrial Batteries | You can find this in Industrial loot areas |
| Adv. Electrical Components | Recycle from Mk3 Augments |
| Bastion Cells | Destroy and loot the bastion |
| Cracked Bioscanners | You can find this in Medical Loot areas |
| Durable Cloth | You can find this in Medical Loot areas or commercial loot areas |
| Tick Pods | Destroy and loot the Tick |
| Rusted Shut Medical Kits | You can find this in Medical Loot areas |
| Antiseptic | You can find this in Medical Loot areas |
| Surveyor Vaults | Destroy and loot the Surveours |
| Damaged Heat Sinks | You can find this in Tech Loot areas |
| Snitch Scanners | Destroy and loot the snitch |
| Fried Motherboards | You can find this from Breachable containers in Electrical or Tech loot areas |
| Leaper Pulse Units | Destroy and loot the Leapers |
| Toasters | You can find this in Residential loot areas |
| Arc Motion Cores | Destroy ARCs and loot them |
| Fireball Burners | Destroy and loot the fireballs |
| Motors | You can find this by looting cars and buses |
| Arc Circuitry | Destroy ARCs and loot them |
| Bombardier Cells | Destroy and loot the Bombardier |
| Dog Collar | You can find this in Residential loot areas |
| Lemons | You can find this in Olive Grove in Blue Gate, Lush Blooms events |
| Apricots | You can find this in the Dam and the Olive Grove |
| Prickly Pears | You can find this in Red Lakes in the dam, on the southern border |
| Olives | You can find this in Olive Grove or the Village in Blue Gate |
| Cat Bed | You can find this in Residential loot areas |
| Mushrooms | You can find this in Water Treatment, Scrap Yard, Wreckage, Swamp in Dam Battlegrounds |
| Very Comfortable Pillows | You can find this in Santa Maria Houses and Plaza Rosa in Buried City, Residential loot areas |
What this table shows:
Exact farming locations so players can route their runs efficiently instead of guessing.
First-Hand Experience
What We’ve Seen In Live Boosting & Progression:
Players who delay upgrading the Refiner and Gunsmith early tend to struggle with material bottlenecks later. Efficient workshop progression reduces backtracking, lowers death penalties, and dramatically improves mid-game survivability.
Player Tip
Upgrading fewer workshops deeply is more efficient than upgrading all workshops evenly. Focus on what supports your weapon and survivability first.
Expert Note
Scrappy upgrades are deceptively grind-heavy due to food and household item requirements. Planning these ahead prevents long farming detours later in the game.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is workshop leveling in ARC Raiders?
Workshop leveling in ARC Raiders refers to upgrading different crafting stations to unlock new recipes, stronger gear, and better survival tools using specific materials at each tier.
How many workshop levels are there in ARC Raiders?
Most workshops in ARC Raiders have three upgrade tiers, while Scrappy has five levels, each requiring different materials and quantities.
Which workshop should I upgrade first in ARC Raiders?
Most players benefit from upgrading the Gunsmith and Refiner early, as these directly affect weapon performance and material efficiency, which impacts overall progression.
Why does ARC Raiders Workshop leveling feel slow?
Workshop leveling often feels slow due to poor material planning, upgrading too many stations at once, or farming inefficient locations instead of targeting specific loot areas.
Can I upgrade all workshops at the same time?
Yes, but upgrading all workshops evenly is inefficient. Focusing on fewer workshops deeply helps conserve resources and reduces unnecessary farming.