I you’ve ever stared at your workbench in Arc Raiders and thought, “Seriously… what do I even do with this thing?”, trust me—you’re not alone.
On the surface, it looks basic. But this little hub? It’s actually the heart of your raid setup. Upgrade your stations the right way, and raids become smoother, faster, and way less painful. Do it wrong, and… well, let’s just say your enemies will thank you.
In this guide, we’re breaking down how to upgrade workbench in Arc Raiders. We’ll cover every station, required materials, farming tips, and the sneaky mistakes that waste your time. By the end, you’ll feel like a crafting pro, ready to crush even the nastiest raids.
What the Workbench Is in Arc Raiders
Think of the Workbench as your workshop HQ.
- It doesn’t level up. Nope.
- But everything else depends on it.
- From here, you unlock the stations where the real upgrades happen.
Without it, your crafting is basically like trying to fish with a toothpick—pointless and frustrating.
The workbench lets you craft:
- Basic weapons & ammo
- Essential consumables
- Unlock blueprints for advanced stations
💡 Pro tip: Make it a habit to check your workbench at the start of every raid. Even if it doesn’t get stronger, it keeps all your crafting neat and makes sure you don’t forget any blueprints or items.
Can You Upgrade the Workbench? (Important Clarification)
Here’s the deal: you cannot upgrade the workbench itself. If you’ve been trying to pump materials into it, stop right now—save those resources for stations that actually improve your raid life.
Instead, the workbench unlocks the upgradeable stations, which is where the real magic happens:
- Gunsmith → High-tier weapons & mods
- Gear Bench → Armor, shields, augments
- Medical Lab → Healing items, shields, survival boosts
- Refiner → Turn scrap into advanced components
- Explosive Station → Grenades, bombs, crowd-control tools
- Utility Station → Grapples, mobility gadgets, and tools
💡 Player insight: Unlock all stations first, then plan your upgrades by combat style and raid strategy. Doing this wrong is one of the most common beginner mistakes.
How Workshop Upgrades Actually Work
Here’s how upgrading stations works in Arc Raiders. Spoiler: it’s simple, but it demands planning and patience:
- Select the station and open the Upgrade Tab – here you’ll see all required materials.
- Track materials – hit the eye icon to mark them on your map; trust me, it’s a lifesaver.
- Collect & refine – raid efficiently and use the Refiner to turn basic components into advanced materials.
- Upgrade – return to the station and confirm your upgrade.
⚠️ Heads-up: Even if you have blueprints, crafting is blocked until the station reaches the required level. Missing this step is how even experienced players sometimes waste hours of loot.
All Workshop Stations You Can Upgrade
| Station | Purpose | Max Level |
| Workbench | Basic gear & ammo | 1 (cannot upgrade) |
| Gunsmith | Weapons & attachments | 3 |
| Gear Bench | Armor, shields, augments | 3 |
| Medical Lab | Healing items & shields | 3 |
| Refiner | Converts base materials into advanced ones | 3 |
| Explosive Station | Grenades & explosives | 3 |
| Utility Station | Mobility tools & gadgets | 3 |
Pro player advice: Upgrade stations based on your playstyle:
- Aggressive → Gunsmith first, gear secon
- Defensive/support → Gear Bench & Medical Lab first
- Resource-focused → Refiner first
💡 Tip: Never upgrade just because you can. Prioritize stations that improve your raid effectiveness first.
Upgrade Requirements by Station (Tables)
Gunsmith
| Level | Materials Needed | Farming Tips |
| 1 | 20x Metal Parts, 30x Rubber Parts | Common loot zones, roadside crates |
| 2 | 3x Rusted Tools, 5x Mechanical Components, 8x Wasp Drivers | Industrial zones, Hornet enemies |
| 3 | 3x Rusted Gears, 5x Advanced Mechanical Components, 4x Sentinel Firing Cores | Loot vehicles & Sentinel enemies |
Gear Bench
| Level | Materials Needed | Farming Tips |
| 1 | 25x Plastic, 30x Fabric | Residential areas, low-tier enemies |
| 2 | 3x Power Cables, 5x Electrical Components, 5x Hornet Drivers | Offices & Hornet nests |
| 3 | 3x Industrial Batteries, 5x Advanced Electrical Components, 6x Bastion Cells | Industrial zones & Bastion enemies |
Medical Lab
| Level | Materials Needed | Farming Tips |
| 1 | 50x Fabric, 6x Arc Alloy | Loot chests & ARC enemies |
| 2 | 2x Cracked Bioscanner, 5x Durable Cloth, 8x Tick Pods | Hospitals & Tick enemies |
| 3 | 3x Rusted Medical Kits, 8x Antiseptic, 5x Surveyor Vaults | Research labs & buried city |
💡 Insider tip: Check maps for rare enemy spawns before planning farming runs. It can save hours if you line up multiple materials in one raid.
How to Track Upgrade Materials
Tracking materials is half the battle. Here’s how to do it like a pro:
- Eye icon – marks all needed items on the map
- Map tooltips – shows spawn locations for quick reference
- Combine runs – farm multiple materials in a single raid
⚡ Efficiency tip: Players who track materials in advance finish upgrades 40–50% faster than those who loot randomly. Don’t be that random looter.
Best Upgrade Order (Priority Guide)
Here’s the optimal path most veteran raiders follow:
- Gunsmith → unlocks advanced weapons
- Gear Bench → shields & armor augments
- Refiner → makes advanced components from scraps
- Medical Lab → ensures you survive harder raids
- Explosive Station → grenades & crowd-control
- Utility Station → mobility tools, grapples, and special gadgets
💡 Pro tip: Follow this order for smooth progression, and avoid the frustration of hitting raid walls because a station isn’t ready.
Where to Farm Upgrade Materials Efficiently
- Industrial zones & Blue Gate → gears, mechanical parts, batteries
- Residential areas → plastic, fabric, low-tier materials
- Medical research areas → bioscanners, medical kits, antiseptic
- Night raids → rare materials spawn more often
- Enemy farming → Hornets, Bastions, Sentinels, Rocketeers
Insider tip: Plan routes that hit multiple zones in a single raid. You’ll save tons of time and energy.
Enemy Drops That Matter for Upgrades
| Enemy | Drops |
| Hornets | Hornet Drivers |
| Bastions | Bastion Cells |
| Rocketeers | Rocketeer Drivers |
| Fireball ARC | Fireball Burners |
| Bombardiers | Bombardier Cells |
| Sentinels | Sentinel Firing Cores |
💡 Player insight: Some enemies only spawn during specific events. Check your in-game calendar before farming for rare components.
Common Upgrade Mistakes to Avoid
- Skipping Refiner early → blocks advanced crafting
- Ignoring Level Up tracking → miss critical resources
- Prioritizing low-impact stations → slows progression
- Hoarding blueprints → cannot craft until station is leveled
- Random farming → wastes hours of effort
💡 Quick tip: Upgrade smart, not fast. Time is your most precious resource in Arc Raiders.
Final Upgrade & Progression Tips
- Upgrade stations by priority: Gunsmith → Gear Bench → Refiner → Medical → Explosives → Utility
- Always track materials before venturing out
- Combine multiple farming zones per raid to maximize efficiency
- Marketplace purchases are last resort, only for rare materials
- Fully upgrading all stations unlocks max crafting potential, turning you from a struggling newbie into a raid powerhouse
✨ Remember: A fully upgraded workshop isn’t just convenient—it’s your ticket to dominating raids, staying alive, and making every run feel smoother and smarter. Craft like a pro, farm like a veteran, and never let a missing component ruin your raid day.
