A landmark HP SitePrint project delivering 45,000 layout points with robotic precision, demonstrating the speed, accuracy and scalability of automated setting out at industrial scale.
A global logistics operator instructed Plowman Craven to set out the key components for their new automation facility. The setting out was of a scale that had not been undertaken before and comprising tens of thousands of survey points across a very large floor slab and on multiple floors to a tight programme. The client had previously used different setting out solutions but commissioned Plowman Craven using HP SitePrint robotic technology to complete the project which on completion would enable the client to carry out the installation, but also help them compare the approaches on speed, accuracy and overall quality of the printing.
The challenge was clear from the outset. HP SitePrint had not been deployed at this scale before. As a member of HP’s global network of certified SitePrint Service Providers, with extensive experience using the technology, this project would push the survey team and the equipment to the limit. A strong performance would build confidence and open the door to further opportunities across the client’s portfolio. A poor performance could have caused long lasting damage to the technology’s reputation and to the close working relationship Plowman Craven has developed with HP.
The programme was ambitious: a two-week deadline per site, working across multiple floors at the same time, using a combination of multiple robots and experienced surveyors. During the printing, design changes were taking place continuously causing changes to workflow whilst the team were on site, which added further pressure to an already demanding schedule.
The survey control was already in place on each floor, although this was ground control rather than column-based control which is our preference for using HP SitePrint. We worked with the client to optimise the print ready drawing that would be used to print on the ground.
On site, the team used six HP SitePrint robots each connected to a Leica TS60 Total Station and with three surveyors each operating two robots. The survey was managed by the Lead Surveyor who ensured productivity on site was maintained and managed the team as they worked across the floor. Each floor was split into sections and each robot assigned to print a section of the floor. In addition to printing points, line work, symbols and text was printed to make the installation phase smoother and with less risk.
The project completed ahead of schedule, an outcome built on thorough pre-site planning and an experienced crew who understood both the technology and the environment. When design changes arrived mid-project, the team adapted their workflow in real time to keep the programme on track. Where site conditions restricted robot access, surveyors stepped in to maintain continuity. Across all floors, a robust manual QA process was in place, achieving a positional accuracy of 3mm throughout.
The project completed ahead of schedule and met the client’s quality requirements throughout. The direct comparison with the alternative technology validated the HP SitePrint approach, building the confidence needed to take the relationship forward.
“Printing 45,000 points with three people, in the same time it would have taken five surveyors to mark 4,500 manually, demonstrates what this technology is genuinely capable of at scale.”
▸ HP SitePrint robotic setting out
▸ 3D laser scanning
▸ As-built verification
▸ QA verification
▸ Floor printing
▸ Live operational warehouses
▸ Active construction sites
▸ Industrial fit-out
▸ Multi-floor programmes
▸ Poor network connectivity
▸ Design changes mid-programme
▸ Restricted robot access areas
▸ Dirty floors and site obstructions
▸ Tight two-week deadlines per site
▸ 6 HP SitePrint robots
▸ 6 countries deployed
▸ 7th country: July 2026
This project is one of many. Plowman Craven has now deployed HP SitePrint across six countries, with a seventh deployment in Australia scheduled for July 2026. Across that work, the team has operated in live warehouses, active construction sites and complex industrial environments, managing poor network connectivity, dirty floors and site obstructions, restricted access areas requiring manual supplementation, and the need to maintain consistent quality across sites running simultaneously.
The programme of work across industrial, logistics, manufacturing and commercial environments continues to grow, underpinned by an expanding team of trained operators and a fleet of six HP SitePrint robots.
