Accumulated energy, or inertia, indicates how much rotational energy is currently stored in the shaft. Mechanical power producers, like turbines, increase inertia by spinning, while consumers, such as generators, draw power from it. If inertia drops too low, consumers won't function until the shaft's power is recharged to a sufficient level. The storage capacity for inertia can be increased by adding flywheels.
tooltip in a machine inspector explaining the accumulated energy (inertia) bar of a shaft
Throughput determines the amount of power being transferred through the shaft at any moment. Each shaft has a fixed maximum throughput. If the total power demand on a single shaft exceeds its capacity, split the machines into separate shafts to balance the load.
This machine is linked to a shaft that enables the exchange of mechanical power. All interconnected machines form a single shaft system, allowing seamless power transfer between them.