ARC Raiders Workshop Guide: Complete Bench Upgrades, Crafting Materials & Farming Locations

Upgrading your Workshop benches is foundational to progressing in ARC Raiders. Correctly managing and upgrading stations like the Gunsmith, Gear Bench, Medical Lab, Explosives Station, Utility Station, and Refiner allows you to craft stronger weapons, better healing items, powerful gadgets — and ultimately survive more dangerous raids.

While many guides explain what materials are needed, they often skip where to find rare components, how to efficiently use the Refiner, or which order of upgrades is optimal. In this guide, we bridge those gaps by combining both official and community-reported best practices.

How the Workshop System Works

Each specialized station (except the base Workbench) has three levels (Level 1 → Level 2 → Level 3). Higher levels unlock more advanced blueprints.

To upgrade a station, open the station’s “Level Up” tab in your Workshop UI — it shows exactly which materials you need.

Use “Track Resources” (the eye icon) to mark required items during raids. This helps you prioritize looting.

The base “Workbench” (main terminal) cannot be upgraded; it simply functions as access point to all other stations.

You also have a passive resource generator called Scrappy, which delivers crafting “junk” over time. While not a station per se, upgrading it helps for long-term materials.

Resource Catalog by Station & Where to Farm Them

Below is a detailed breakdown of all key crafting materials needed for station upgrades, including where to find them and tips for efficient farming.

Gunsmith (Weapon Crafting)

Upgrade Requirements
To reach higher Gunsmith levels, you need several critical materials.

Key Materials & Farming Sources:

1.Rusted Tools

Very important for early Gunsmith upgrades.
Best found in mechanical / industrial loot zones: red toolboxes, industrial crates, and containers.
Good POIs: Dam Battlegrounds (Scrapyard, Water Treatment, Primary Facility), Spaceport (Vehicle Maintenance, Container Storage), Blue Gate (industrial wreckage).
Pro tip: keep Rusted Tools in your safe pocket, because losing them on death is common.

2. Mechanical Components

Can be crafted in your Refiner using 7 × Metal Parts + 3 × Rubber Parts.
Also drop from mechanical POIs (“Mechanical”‑tagged zones).
Community note: some players never found enough mechanical components in the wild but used the Refiner precisely because of that.

3. Advanced Mechanical Components

Can be crafted in Refiner II: requires 2 × Steel Spring + 2 × Mechanical Components.
Drop in Mechanical-tagged high-tier loot zones: lockers, crates, and mechanical storage.

4. Rusted Gears

Very rare. Needed for Gunsmith 3.
Good places to loot them are industrial / vehicle areas: broken cars, large containers, garages.

5. Sentinel Firing Core

Dropped by Sentinel ARC units (turret-like).
Good farming spots: Dam Battlegrounds, notably the Research & Administration building.
Recycling Sentinel Firing Core gives you Mechanical Components and ARC Alloy.
Note: not all turret-like enemies are Sentinels; drop is rare.

Gear Bench (Armor & Augments)

Upgrade Requirements
You need items like Plastic Parts, Fabric, Electrical Components, Battery, Bastion Cells, etc.

Key Materials & Locations:

Plastic Parts — Common in residential, nature, or industrial loot areas.
Fabric / Durable Cloth — Found in medical zones, residential areas, or soft-loot POIs.
Electrical Components — Can be refined: 8 × Plastic Parts + 4 × Rubber Parts → Electrical Component. Also dropped in “Electrical”-tagged POIs.
Advanced Electrical Components — Crafted in Refiner II: 3 × Wire + 2 × Electrical Components.
Bastion Cell — Dropped by Bastion ARC enemies (large, heavy ARC machines). Recycling gives Advanced Mechanical Components and ARC Motion Core.

Blueprints / Unlocks:

Gear Bench unlocks Shields (Light, Medium, Heavy) and Augments (Combat, Tactical, Looting Mk I–III).

Medical Lab (Healing & Support)

Upgrade Requirements
You’ll need Fabric, Durable Cloth, Cracked Bioscanner, Antiseptic, and Tick Pod.

Resource Locations & Farming:

Fabric / Durable Cloth — Found in medical or residential zones.
Antiseptic — Loot from medical POIs: pharmacy cabinets, first-aid rooms.
Cracked Bioscanner — Rare recyclable; obtained in medical-themed loot containers / research labs.
Tick Pod — Dropped by Tick ARC enemies.
Rusted Shut Medical Kit — Important upgrade recyclable; do not recycle early.

Blueprints / Unlocks:

Bandage → Sterilized Bandage
Vita Spray
Shield Recharger → Surge Shield Recharger
Support consumables: Adrenaline Shot, Defibrillator

Explosives Station (Grenades, Mines, Ordnance)

Upgrade Requirements
Chemical reagents, ARC Alloy, explosive compounds, fuel, and ARC-enemy parts.

Key Materials:

Chemicals / Laboratory Reagents — Industrial chemical POIs.
ARC Alloy — Dropped by ARC machines.
Synthesized Fuel — Rare, found in high-risk industrial zones.
Crude Explosives — Armory crates, industrial containers.
Pop Trigger — Dropped by specific ARC units.
Fireball Burner / Rocketeer Driver — Dropped by Fireball or Rocketeer ARC units.

Blueprints / Unlocks:

Grenades: Light Impact, Heavy Fuze, Gas, Blaze
Ordnance: Mines, timed explosives, C4

Utility Station (Mobility, Recon, Stealth)

Upgrade Requirements
Materials include Plastic, Electrical Components, damaged electronics, ARC-enemy components.

Key Materials & Sources:

Plastic Parts — Residential zones, electronics containers.
Electrical Components — Tech / Electrical POIs.
Damaged Heat Sink — Technical POIs: server rooms, technical backrooms.
Snitch Scanner — Dropped by “Snitch” ARC units or found in tech loot.
Fried Motherboard — High-tier electronic component, tech POIs.
Leaper Pulse Unit — Dropped by Leaper ARC enemies.

Blueprints / Unlocks:

Mobility: Zipline, Snap Hook
Recon: Binoculars, Tagging Grenade
Stealth/Defense: Barricade Kit, Photoelectric Cloak

Refiner (Material Conversion)

Upgrade Requirements

Level 1: 60 × Metal Parts + 5 × ARC Powercell
Level 2: 3 × Toaster + 5 × ARC Motion Core + 8 × Fireball Burner
Level 3: 3 × Motor + 10 × ARC Circuitry + 6 × Bombardier Cell

Conversion Recipes & Strategy:

Mechanical Components: 7 × Metal Parts + 3 × Rubber Parts → 1 Mechanical Component
Advanced Mechanical Components: 2 × Steel Spring + 2 × Mechanical Components
Advanced Electrical Components: 3 × Wire + 2 × Electrical Components
Use the Refiner early to convert junk into higher-tier components efficiently.

Rare / Special Items:

Toasters: Found in kitchens of residential POIs.
ARC Motion Core, Fireball Burner: Dropped by specific ARC units.
Motor, Bombardier Cell: High-tier drops from boss ARCs.

Optimal Upgrade Strategy

Given drop rates, rarity, and utility, here’s a recommended upgrade path for your Workshop — but you can adapt it to your playstyle:

Gunsmith → Increase damage & unlock better weapon blueprints.
Refiner → Convert basic materials, reduce grind, and prepare for more advanced crafting.
Medical Lab → Unlock better healing / shield items, improving sustain.
Gear Bench → Better armor and augments to support your build.
Explosives Station → Enable powerful grenades or ordnance for elite fights.
Utility Station → Unlock mobility (ziplines), recon, and stealth tools for more flexible raids.
Continue upgrading Scrappy alongside — its passive gathering helps your long‑term crafting.

This isn’t the only valid path — for example, if you love gadget play, you might prioritize Utility earlier, or if you run high-risk raids, Explosives might be more valuable sooner.

Community Tips & Common Mistakes

Don’t recycle rare blue-tier recyclables too early

Many players make the mistake of recycling items like Rusted Tools, Bastion Cells, Sentinel Firing Cores, or Toasters before they realize these are required for higher-tier bench upgrades. Always check your upgrade list before discarding items. Consider keeping a separate “upgrade stash” for all critical recyclables.

Use Safe Pocket to protect rare items

Rare items such as Sentinel Firing Core, Rusted Gears, or ARC Motion Cores are often lost upon death. Always store them in the Safe Pocket or stash to ensure they are not accidentally dropped during high-risk raids.

Track resources before raids to optimize farming

Use the “Track Resources” function in the Workshop interface to mark items you need. This helps focus your looting path in each map, saving time and reducing frustration. Prioritize areas that reliably drop rare materials first.

Use the Refiner to save inventory space and craft mid/high-tier items

Converting low-tier materials into mechanical or electrical components early on prevents your inventory from becoming cluttered. This also ensures a steady supply of advanced materials without relying solely on random drops.

Be aware of drop rarity

Some items, like Sentinel Firing Core, Rusted Gears, and Advanced Electrical Components, have very low spawn rates. Plan multiple raids if necessary, and coordinate with teammates to increase efficiency. Understanding which ARC enemies drop these items can save time.

Prioritize Bench Upgrades Strategically

Avoid leveling every station equally. Focus on upgrades that provide immediate benefits based on your playstyle. For example, Gunsmith for weapon damage, Refiner for crafting efficiency, or Medical Lab if you struggle to survive raids.

Farm high-value POIs first

Not all loot locations are equal. Industrial zones, mechanical areas, and tech-themed POIs generally provide better materials than residential zones. Learn the spawn points of rare items and prioritize them.

Coordinate team farming runs

Rare components often drop from specific ARC enemies or mini-bosses. Coordinating with teammates can ensure you efficiently kill targeted ARC units, share loot, and prevent duplicate farming.

Don’t ignore mid-tier crafting materials

Advanced components rely on mid-tier items like Metal Parts, Rubber Parts, and Wire. Track these materials as well and use the Refiner to convert them when needed.

Keep an upgrade-focused inventory

Avoid carrying unnecessary items. Keep space for rare recyclables, crafting materials, and components that directly contribute to station upgrades. A cluttered inventory slows down crafting and progression.

Check for patch updates

Material drop locations and crafting requirements can change with patches. Staying updated with patch notes or community discussions helps prevent wasted runs and ensures you are farming the correct resources.

Master ARC Raiders Workshop: Complete Guide to Bench Upgrades, Materials, and Efficient Crafting

Mastering your Workshop in ARC Raiders goes far beyond simply collecting materials. To progress efficiently, you need a deep understanding of what crafting materials each station requires, where to reliably farm them, and how to use the Refiner to maximize resource efficiency. Strategic upgrading of your stations — Gunsmith, Gear Bench, Medical Lab, Explosives Station, Utility Station, and Refiner — ensures you unlock the most powerful weapons, armor, healing items, and utility gadgets for your raids.

Protecting rare materials is critical. Items like Sentinel Firing Cores, Bastion Cells, Rusted Gears, and Toasters are often lost if you recycle them too early or fail to store them safely. Prioritize these in your stash or Safe Pocket to avoid frustrating setbacks.

Planning your farming routes and focusing on high-value POIs drastically reduces time wasted during raids. Coordinating with teammates to target rare ARC enemies can increase your chances of acquiring the most elusive components.

Finally, leveraging the Refiner for crafting mid- and high-tier components transforms common loot into essential resources, allowing continuous upgrades without relying solely on rare drops.

Following this guide will not only accelerate your bench upgrades but also improve your raid survivability, streamline resource management, and ensure you are fully prepared for the most challenging encounters. By combining smart farming, strategic crafting, and targeted station upgrades, you can dominate ARC Raiders and maximize your gameplay efficiency.

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