Upgrading your Workshop is key to progressing in ARC Raiders, and knowing where to gather materials early helps you avoid a lot of trial and error. Each station, including the Gunsmith, Medical Lab, Gear Bench, Explosives, Utility and Refiner, unlocks new gear, weapon upgrades, healing items and useful tools that make raids more rewarding. However, every upgrade tier requires specific resources, some of which can be tricky to locate. This guide explains how the Workshop system works, what each station unlocks and the simplest ways to farm the materials you need.
How the Workshop Upgrades Work
The Workshop is the foundation of your long-term progression. You will go out on runs to get supplies, return to the Raider Den in Speranza, and use those materials to upgrade the crafting stations. Each can upgrade to Level 3, and every level gives you access to more crafting options, as well as new blueprints for items.
Upgrading is easy. You can open the tab from the main menu, select the station you want to upgrade, see what materials you need, and when you have the materials, click upgrade to immediately unlock the next set of recipes.
All Gunsmith Upgrade Requirements & Unlocks
Since the Gunsmith handles all the weapon crafting, it’s ideal that you upgrade this first to improve the weapon performance:
| Level | Materials/Items | Unlocks |
| 1 | 30× Rubber Parts & 20× Metal Parts | Grants you access to basic weapons |
| 2 | 3× Rusted Tools, 5× Mechanical Components, 8× Wasp Driver | You get the expanded weapon roster and it also improves attachments |
| 3 | 3× Rusted Gear, 5× Advanced Mechanical Components, 4× Sentinel Firing Core | This grants you access to elite weapons and tier-3 modifications |
How to Get the Required Items
Rubber Parts
Rubber Parts are a common resource used to craft various useful items for your Raider while Topside. You can get them through scavenging, recycling, purchasing from Celeste, or by leveling up Scrappy.
Metal Parts
Metal Parts are quite common and very useful in crafting all sorts of refined materials, weapons, and gadgets. These can be acquired easily through scavenging, recycling, purchasing from Celeste, or by leveling up Scrappy.
Rusted Tools
Rusted Tools are important for upgrading Workshops and you can find them easily in Mechanical or Industrial areas in any of the maps. There’s a high chance of them being inside red tool boxes, so look out for these while searching. A good place to search is the Dam Battlegrounds map.
Mechanical Components
There are a couple of ways to get Mechanical Components. You can get them by looting certain areas. Though each map has an area where you can find them easily. One of the most high value loot areas is at the checkpoint at Bluegate but because of the bastion present here, it’s not exactly beginner friendly. The Dam Battlegrounds on the other hand is a good option, and this area is quite beginner friendly so you won’t face much trouble here.
A surefire way to get your hands on Mechanical Components is to refine them yourself. The refiner could be found in one of the workbenches located in Spironza’s hideout. You’ll need 60×Metal Parts and 5×ARC Power Cells to install the refiner. Once installed, you can craft Mechanical Components using 7×Mechanical Parts and 3×Rubber Parts. The quest “Water Troubles” also rewards you with 3×Mechanical Components upon completion.
Wasp Driver
The Wasp Driver is a unique item that can be obtained by eliminating Wasp ARCs. It can be recycled into crafting materials, so if you are looking to upgrade the Workshop (or get from Gunsmith 1 to Gunsmith 2), it can be used in that way as well. Recycling a Wasp Driver will give you one Arc Alloy and one Electrical Component.
Wasps are very common across all maps, so you will frequently come across them while exploring and shooting down these units. There is also a known spot to find Wasp Drivers near the Testing Annex area on the Dam Battlegrounds map, particularly around the small hill in that zone.
Rusted Gear
Rusted Gears are mainly used to upgrade the Gunsmith, but you can also recycle them to receive four Metal Parts and two Mechanical Components. This rare item can be found while raiding, with the best chances of locating it in maps that contain multiple Industrial areas. The two most reliable maps for scavenging Rusted Gears in ARC Raiders are Dam Battlegrounds and Spaceport, as both offer several Industrial zones where these items often appear.
Sentinel Firing Core
The Sentinel Firing Core is a rare drop you can obtain by taking down Sentinel units, and it can be recycled into useful crafting materials such as Arc Alloys and Mechanical Components. Although the drop is not guaranteed, one of the most reliable places to farm Sentinels for this item is the Research and Administration Building in the Dam Battlegrounds map, where they appear more frequently than in other locations.
All Medical Lab Requirements & Unlocks
The Medical Lab helps you with crafting medical supplies and healing items. The higher you go, the faster healing options become available to you:
| Level | Materials/Items | Unlocks |
| 1 | 6×Arc Alloy & 50× Fabric | This helps with unlocking basic medical access. |
| 2 | 8× Tick Pod, 2× Cracked Bioscanner & 5× Durable Cloth | This helps with unlocking advanced healing items |
| 3 | 5× Surveyor Vault, 3× Rusted Shut Medical Kit & 8× Antiseptic | Grants instant healing |
How to Get the Required Items
Arc Alloy
Arc Alloys are used in crafting guns and upgrading workbenches in the game. Getting your hands on these is quite simple, you just have to kill the robots you come across and they should have some amount of Arc Alloy on them. There’s no certainty on which types of robots have a better chance at this, so it’s all about luck here.
Fabric
Fabric is a commonly found item in the game and is useful for crafting items and upgrading Workbenches. You can also use it to restore a small amount of health. Plastic can be acquired easily through scavenging, recycling, purchasing from Celeste, or by leveling up Scrappy.
Tick Pod
Tick Pods are uncommon items that can be found on Ticks; these can be recycled into crafting materials or used for Workshop upgrades. Upon recycling 1×Tick Pod, you get 1×Metal Part and 1×Arc Alloy.
To get Tick Pods, you’ll have to focus on abandoned facilities where Tick enemies usually spawn. The high-risk or yellow/red zones where ARC units gather are a good option most of the time. Since Ticks are small and fast, you’ll have to keep moving around frequently while looking for them. They often lurk inside buildings.
Cracked Bioscanner
Cracked Bioscanners are rare items that can be used for Workshop upgrades and recycling crafting materials. Upon recycling 1×Cracked Bioscanner you get 3×Rubber Parts and 3×Batteries.
Though they’re available throughout the map inside hospitals. The best place to look for them is the Hospital in the Buried City map. Look through the wards and there’s a high chance of finding them just lying around on top of the hospital bed.
Durable Cloth
The most efficient way to get Durable Cloth is to recycle items that are cloth based, but another option that’s worth trying is, simply upgrade Scrappy and he will start collecting stuff like fabric for you which is what we need here. All you need to do is make sure that you have a refiner. Putting 14×Fabric through the refiner will give you 1×Durable Cloth.
Surveyor Vault
The Surveyor Vault is a rare item found by destroying Surveyors that can be recycled into crafting materials. Upon recycling 1×Surveyor Vault, you get 2×Mechanical Components and 2×Arc Alloys.
Surveyors are found in almost all maps but your best bet to find them is the Swamp Area in the Dam Battlegrounds map. They’re large and fully plated rolling ARCs and the easiest way to identify them is by the bright blue signal they send straight into the sky.
Rusted Shut Medical Kit
The Rusted Shut Medical Kit can grant instant healing when crafted with 8×Antiseptic and 5×Surveyor Vault. These can be easily found in hospitals and your best bet could be the Buried City map. Go to the hospital here and if luck’s on your side, you’ll find it in your first run there.
Antiseptic
Antiseptics are important for healing and are also an important part of the Doctor’s Order quest where you’re tasked with collecting Antiseptics. To get your hands on these, you’ll have to find pharmacies, and the best place to look for is the Buried City map. The pharmacy there has Antiseptics lying around on the counters or inside shelves.
All Gear Bench Upgrade Requirements & Unlocks
The Gear Bench is responsible for producing Raider augment suits and shields for you:
| Level | Materials/Items | Unlocks |
| 1 | 30× Fabric & 25× Plastic Parts | These unlock Light Shield, Medium Shield and some basic augments for you. |
| 2 | 5× Hornet Driver, 3× Power Cable & 5× Electrical Components, | Unlocks the Heavy Shield & Mk.2 augments |
| 3 | 6× Bastion Cell, 3× Industrial Battery & 5× Advanced Electrical Components, | Looting Mk.3 (Cautious) and advanced augments |
How to Get the Required Items
Fabric
Fabric is a commonly found item in the game and is useful for crafting items and upgrading Workbenches. You can also use it to restore a small amount of health. Plastic can be acquired easily through scavenging, recycling, purchasing from Celeste, or by leveling up Scrappy.
Plastic Parts
Plastic Parts are a common item in the game and are used to craft a wide range of items as well. You can get Plastic Parts easily through scavenging, recycling, purchasing from Celeste, or by leveling up Scrappy.
Hornet Driver
Hornet drones are quite common across most Arc Raiders maps, but you’ll usually spot them out in open areas. They’re often accompanied by other ARC units, such as Wasps, and are found mostly near red and yellow marked areas in the maps. Each Hornet has two propellers, and targeting those is the quickest way to bring them down—though how easily you can destroy them depends on the weapon you’re carrying.
Power Cable
Power Cables aren’t that common to find and are very useful for crafting various items as well as upgrading Workshops. Your best bet is to find them at the Power Generation Complex in the Dam Battlegrounds map. There’s a field depot nearby where you might have a chance to find the Power Cables inside the drawers.
Electrical Components
Electrical Components are uncommon in the game and used to craft utility items which can also be recycled into crafting materials. Electrical Components can be acquired through scavenging, crafting or recycling. 8xPlastic Parts and 4xRubber Parts through Refiner 1 give you 1xElectrical Component.
Bastion Cell
These Cells can be recycled into crafting materials. 1×Bastion Cell gives you 2×Arc Motion Core and 2×Advanced Mechanical Components. Since the Cell is an epic item, you can only get it by destroying a Bastion. While the Bastion appears on all maps, the best spawn location for them is the Buried City map.
You’ll usually find the Bastion wandering the north side of Piazza Roma in Buried City. Instead of fighting it at ground level, climb onto the surrounding rooftops and pick it off from a height. Be aware that it can still return fire upward, so don’t stay exposed, duck back when it starts unloading rounds. If other ARCs are hanging around with it, clear them out first so you’re not overwhelmed, then concentrate on taking down the Bastion.
Industrial Battery
Industrial Batteries are a rare but valuable pickup in the game, useful for early Workshop upgrades and efficient to recycle for Batteries and Chemicals. You’ll typically find them when scavenging in industrial areas or inside electrical/tech interiors. On Dam Battlegrounds, the most reliable spots are the indoor facility hallways and control rooms with dense computer and server equipment.
Advanced Electrical Components
These are used in crafting a wide range of items and can be recycled into crafting materials as well. To get Advanced Electrical Components, you can travel to the Pilgrims Peak in Bluegate. There are buildings here that you’ll have to raid to get these components.
Additionally, you can craft these by using 3×Wires and 2×Electrical Components at the Refiner 2 workbench.
All Explosives Station Requirements & Unlocks
This station upgrade helps you unlock specialized effects and grenades in the game:
| Level | Materials/Items | Unlocks |
| 1 | 6 Arc Alloys & 50× Chemicals | Unlocks Gas Grenade and Light Impact Grenade |
| 2 | 5× Pop Trigger, 3× Synthesized Fuel & 5× Crude Explosives | Grants fire damage. |
| 3 | 3× Laboratory Reagents, 3× Rocketeer Driver & 5× Explosive Compound | Unlocks Heavy Fuze Grenade for you |
How to Get the Required Items
Arc Alloy
Arc Alloys are used in crafting guns and upgrading workbenches in the game. Getting your hands on these is quite simple, you just have to kill the robots you come across and they should have some amount of Arc Alloy on them. There’s no certainty on which types of robots have a better chance at this, so it’s all about luck here. You can get them in almost every map, particularly in the technological regions.
Chemical
Chemicals are a common but essential resource that every Raider needs, especially for crafting ammunition and explosives used against ARC units or even other Raiders. You can obtain them through scavenging, recycling, buying from Celeste, or by leveling up Scrappy. For a higher chance of finding Chemicals, check the Ruby Residence area on the Dam Battlegrounds map.
Pop Trigger
The Pop Trigger is a common item you can get from Pops, and it’s useful because recycling it gives you important crafting materials like Crude Explosives and Arc Alloys. Pop Triggers come from The Pop, a small unarmored rolling machine often compared to a Fireball. These enemies are fast, impulsive, and usually move in groups, so you’ll often find several Pop Triggers at once. They’re mostly found in the houses or underground areas in the Bluegate map.
Synthesized Fuel
Synthesized Fuel is required for The Explosives Station which is an important Workshop upgrade that unlocks higher-tier explosive recipes. Beyond crafting, Synthesized Fuel also functions as a recyclable material and can be converted into an improvised explosive when necessary. The simplest way to obtain it is to purchase it from Celeste, the leader of the Speranza faction. This option becomes available at level 12 and each unit costs 14 Assorted Seeds. Additionally, there’s a chance of acquiring Synthesized Fuel at the Water Treatment Control in the Dam map.
Crude Explosives
The most efficient way to get Crude Explosives is through the Workshop. After you level up Scrappy, he’ll start collecting chemicals which you can use at the refiner to Crude Explosives. Currently, you can use 6×Chemicals to craft 1×Crude Explosive. You can also get it in the Dam Battlegrounds map. Additionally, you get 6×Crude Explosives as reward for finishing the quest “Echoes of Victory Ridge.”
Laboratory Reagents
Laboratory Reagents are a rare resource used for both crafting and Workshop upgrades, and they can be recycled for valuable materials. When you recycle one Laboratory Reagent, you receive sixteen Chemicals and three Crude Explosives. These are most commonly found through scavenging, with the laboratory area and Hospital area on the Dam Battlegrounds map being the most reliable place to search.
Rocketeer Driver
The Rocketeer Driver is an epic item that you can obtain by destroying Rocketeers or looting their husks, and it is useful for both crafting and workshop upgrades. Recycling one Rocketeer Driver gives you two Advanced Electrical Components and three Arc Alloys, making it a valuable resource to hold onto.
Rocketeers appear most often in a few key locations. In the northwest area of Dam Battlegrounds, you will find a high number of husks, making it easy to check multiple spots in one run. The South Swamp Outpost usually has one or two husks nearby, while both Old Battleground and Ben Welder’s Sunroof offer consistent Rocketeer debris spawns as well.
Explosive Compound
These are important for crafting explosives like the Heavy Fuze Grenade. 1×Explosive Compound plus 2×Canister can give you 1×Fuze Grenade. Upon recycling, it gives you 2×Crude Explosives. These compounds can be found in the Industrial section on the Dam map easily.
All Refiner Requirements & Unlocks
The Refiner is responsible for converting the most basic materials into advanced ones. If you have an abundance of resources, you could use the Refiner to get rare items.
| Level | Materials/Items | Unlocks |
| 1 | 60× Metal Parts & 5× ARC Powercell | Crude Explosives, Electrical Components & Mechanical Components |
| 2 | 3× Toaster, 8× Fireball Burner & 5× ARC Motion Core | Advanced components, gun parts & ARC Circuitry |
| 3 | 3× Motor, 6× Bombardier Cell, 10× ARC Circuitry | Power Rod & Mod Components |
How to Get the Required Items
Metal Parts
Metal Parts are quite common and very useful in crafting all sorts of refined materials, weapons, and gadgets. These can be acquired easily through scavenging, recycling, purchasing from Celeste, or by leveling up Scrappy.
Arc Powercell
ARC Powercells are essential so it’s important to hold onto them for Workshop use. They spawn clustered around the point of interest in Ancient Fort at Bluegate. You’ll find one by the northern road, another on the southern side beside a lever, and the third up high at the fort’s summit. A good route is to sweep the perimeter from the north road down to the south lever, then make the climb. That way you clear the ground-level cells fast and avoid unnecessary backtracking.
Toaster
You can find them without trouble in the Dam Battlegrounds map in the Pattern House next to the Generator Hall, which is a three-storeyed building with loot. The best place to find the Toaster inside the building is in the apartments that have the top shelf above the refrigerator. You can also find these Toasters inside cabinets and in the refrigerator, so check those areas carefully. When you recycle 1×Toaster you will get 5×Plastic Parts and 3×Wires.
Fireball Burner
Fireball Burners in ARC Raiders are obtained by defeating Fireball enemies and looting their remains. Although they look small and harmless, these fiery ARCs can deal serious damage if you get too close. They roll toward you and ignite you on sight, making them tricky to kill before they close the gap.
You’ll usually run into Fireballs inside buildings, especially in Buried City, with a few also appearing in Dam Battlegrounds and Spaceport, though rarely outdoors. These areas are usually marked with red or yellow color on the maps. Once you manage to destroy one, search it to collect a Fireball Burner.
Arc Motion Core
Arc Motion Cores are mostly used as important crafting materials used for Advanced Components and could be recycled into Arc Alloys as well. You get these from Probes which are rocket like machines that you randomly find on the map. Once you find a Probe, you’ll need to breach it to get your hands on the Arc Motion Core. Do remember that there are three loot tables, which means that you can loot it not once, but thrice.
Motor
The Motor is a rare item that can be recycled into crafting materials. 1x Motor can be recycled for 2x Oil and 2x Mechanical Components. Each map has an area where you’d be able to find these inside structures. A good place to look for them is the Primary Facility in the Dam Battlegrounds map. They can be found inside red and blue containers placed on shelves.
Bombardier Cell
The Bombardier Cell is an epic item that rewards you with two Advanced Mechanical Components and two Arc Alloys when you recycle it. To get Bombardier Cells in ARC Raiders, you will need to defeat the elite Bombardier ARC units. These enemies appear across all maps, and some of their known spawn areas include:
- Dam Battlegrounds: Between the Water Treatment and Loading Bay
- Buried City: Marana Park, Santa Maria Houses and Plaza Rosa
Arc Circuitry
Arc Circuitry is a fairly common resource you can get from defeating ARC enemies or through different in-game activities. It plays an important role in crafting more advanced gear, such as the Power Rod and Medium Shield, and can also be broken down if you need extra materials. When recycled, it gives you about two Arc Alloys per piece, making it valuable whether you want to use it for crafting components or convert it into something more versatile.
All Utility Station Options & Requirements
The Utility Station crafts tactical gear that complements different playstyles, offering tools for scouting and other strategic advantages.
| Level | Materials/Items | Unlocks |
| 1 | 6× Arc Alloy & 50× Plastic Parts | Grants Binoculars, Smoke Grenade & Door Blocker |
| 2 | 2× Damaged Heat Sink, 6× Snitch Scanner & 5× Electrical Components | Unlocks Lure Grenade |
| 3 | 3× Fried Motherboard, 4× Leaper Pulse Unit & 5× Advanced Electrical Components | Unlocks Snap Hook & Tagging Grenade |
How to Get the Required Items
Arc Alloy
Arc Alloys are used in crafting guns and upgrading workbenches in the game. Getting your hands on these is quite simple, you just have to kill the robots you come across and they should have some amount of Arc Alloy on them. There’s no certainty on which types of robots have a better chance at this, so it’s all about luck here. You can get them in almost every map, particularly in the technological regions.
Plastic Parts
Plastic Parts are a common item in the game and are used to craft a wide range of items as well. You can get Plastic Parts easily through scavenging, recycling, purchasing from Celeste, or by leveling up Scrappy.
Damaged Heat Sink
The Damaged Heat Sink is a rare item that can be used for upgrading Workshop (Utility Station 1 – Utility Station 2). It can also be recycled for 6×Metal Parts and 2×Wires. The best place to look for them is the Contral Tower in the Spaceport map. You’ll mostly probably find the Damaged Heat Sink by scanning cabinets and tables.
Snitch Scanner
To get a Snitch Scanner, you’ll first have to get your hands on a Snitch. Now, Snitches are usually found high up in the air and they have three flaps on them. All you have to do is take shots at them and hopefully they’ll come down. Loot the Snitch and you’ll find the Snitch Scanner easily.
Electrical Components
Electrical Components are a rarity in the game and used to craft utility items which can also be recycled into crafting materials. Electrical Components can be acquired through scavenging, crafting or recycling. 8xPlastic Parts and 4xRubber Parts through Refiner 1 give you 1xElectrical Component.
Fried Motherboard
The Fried Motherboard is a rare item that can be recycled into crafting materials and Workshop upgrades (Utility Station 1 – Utility Station 3). 1×Fried Motherboard could be recycled for 5x Plastic Parts and 2x Electrical Components.
Fried Motherboards could be found in all maps with the technological markings. What you’ll need to do is find breach and search the areas to find them.
Leaper Pulse Unit
The Leaper Pulse Unit is an epic item dropped by Leapers, and it can either be thrown to trigger a small but violent singularity or recycled for valuable crafting resources. Each unit provides two Advanced Mechanical Components and three Arc Alloys when recycled, and it also contributes to Workbench upgrades and leveling.
Leapers usually appear in high-risk zones, often protecting key objectives or patrolling with smaller, faster enemies, which makes encounters with them more challenging. A reliable spot to find them is on the Dam map, particularly in the area between Water Treatment and the Research and Administration building.
Advanced Electrical Components
These are used in crafting a wide range of items and can be recycled into crafting materials as well. To get Advanced Electrical Components, you can travel to the Pilgrims Peak in Bluegate. There are buildings here that you’ll have to raid to get these components.
Additionally, you can craft these by using 3×Wires and 2×Electrical Components at the Refiner 2 workbench.
Blueprint Recommendations
Blueprints are how you learn new crafting recipes at each crafting station. They can be found during raids in loot caches, locked areas or other high-value locations. Once you extract with them, they are permanent, however, if you are taken out before extracting you lose the blueprint. You can keep blueprints in your safe pockets so they remain protected if you’re downed. Once you extract the blueprint, you can go to the Workshop and learn.
