Rugged Robotics is modernizing construction and equipment layout. We use our proprietary Mark1 robots to print precise, build-ready instructions right on the floor, which makes installations faster, easier, and incredibly accurate—even for projects that demand tight tolerances. We currently specialize in large facilities like data centers, automated warehouses, and high-tech manufacturing complexes.
The idea for Rugged came from seeing how much time and money gets wasted not only with layout, but also during installation when a project relies on traditional layout methods. Manual processes leave a lot of room for interpretation, which often leads to mistakes, miscommunication, rework, and delays, especially as projects get larger and more complex. We knew there had to be a better way — so we built one. Now, with robot-powered layout, teams can focus on executing designs instead of fixing errors or trying to interpret confusing marks and non-standardized plans, and everything just runs more smoothly.
We’re completely changing the way people think about layout. For decades — centuries, really — it’s been done manually, using tape measures, string, chalk lines, and a lot of experience to figure out where things go. That process works, but it’s slow—and when extreme precision is required, even small mistakes can snowball into big problems. We’re offering a better solution by delivering layouts that are highly detailed, easy to follow no matter a crew’s experience level, and tailored to the needs of each installation.
One of the biggest shifts we’re driving is scalability. Layout doesn’t need to be a bottleneck anymore. With our robots, teams can tackle large projects or tight deadlines without losing accuracy. For example, with a million-square-foot warehouse or a high-tech manufacturing facility, we can deploy multiple robots to work simultaneously to keep things moving and prevent delays. Our record is 800K SF of detailed layout in 5 days, which unblocked the installation team and accelerated the project.
We’re creating a direct connection between the digital and physical worlds. Our team processes and preps digital CAD and BIM designs so our robots can translate them into detailed layouts printed in the physical world. This eliminates a lot of the back-and-forth that can happen when crews are left to interpret plans on their own. Everything is there, exactly where it needs to be, ready for installation, with “build-by-number” simplicity. Our work is already transforming downstream workflows, with crews working faster than ever, with fewer mistakes. Today they are manually building an agreed-upon design across trades with fewer conflicts, but in the not so distant future, replicating the digital design in the physical world unlocks more robotic use-cases, with humans and robots working together to codeliver adjacent scopes with seamless integration.
We’re also preparing for an exciting AI-driven future. We’re building rich data-sets that combine design information with real-world conditions and experience-based decision making. By capturing the field adjustments of an experienced worker, we can improve designs and simplify execution. This extends the career of an experienced worker, scales their knowledge, and ramps-up new hires, further assisting with the acute shortage of skilled craft labor this industry is already struggling with.
One of our biggest challenges is helping people trust a new way of doing things. Manual layout has been the standard for so long that switching to robotics can feel like a big leap. A lot of what we do is showing teams that this approach saves time, reduces rework, and makes installations more straightforward.
We measure success by the impact we have on projects. Are timelines shorter? Are there fewer errors? Are facilities going live sooner? Success often means hearing from clients that our layouts helped them hit an aggressive deadline or avoid rework. When a team tells us, “This would have been impossible without Rugged,” that’s when we know we’ve delivered.
