FIELD NOTES: Better Tools, Same Fundamentals; What We’re Learning from HP SitePrint

by Michael Clark, Director of Field Engineering
4-minute read

HP SitePrint is a robotic layout system that prints digital design information directly onto the jobsite floor. We are piloting it to understand where it creates value, what preparation it requires, and how it supports field engineers’ work. Here’s what we’ve learned so far.

Fast Printing Starts with Good Information

Improving Through Field Feedback

Our experience with SitePrint did not begin with this latest pilot. We tested a demonstration model roughly three years ago and identified several areas for improvement, including layout accuracy, hardware-software connectivity, and the user interface. Since that initial test, we have remained closely engaged with HP, sharing feedback based on real job site conditions and our field teams’ needs. That collaboration has helped HP continue refining the technology into a tool that is more reliable, intuitive, and better suited to active construction environments.

The system we are using today operates like a completely different machine. The accuracy is substantially better, the hardware and software work together more reliably, and the user interface is easier to navigate. After approximately four hours of training, I was able to set up and operate the system independently.

The Fundamentals of Field Engineering Still Matter

SitePrint does not eliminate the need for an experienced field engineer. The workflow still relies on the same fundamentals as conventional layout with a robotic total station. We have to establish and verify control, select the right setup location, maintain line of sight, and review measurements to determine whether our setup can be trusted. We also have to understand how the design relates to actual field conditions. A knowledgeable field engineer knows how setup geometry, control, and equipment placement can affect the final layout. SitePrint changes how we physically put lines on the floor, but it does not change what is required to put them in the right place.

Where SitePrint Creates Value

The primary advantage is speed. It allows our Field Engineering team to support more project work without increasing overhead at the same rate. Rather than spending most of the day physically marking individual points and lines, field engineers can focus more of their time on verifying information, coordinating between trades, planning the work, and solving problems before they affect construction.

For budgeting purposes, we are using an estimated rate of approximately $0.25 per square foot of layout area. The charge is based on the total floor area, not the number of lines or trade scopes printed within it. This means walls, lighting, pipe hangers, ductwork, and other coordinated information can all be printed within the same footprint. The more scopes we can coordinate and prepare for an area, the more value we get from the initial charge.

Once an area has been laid out, additional linework or reprinting within that footprint does not create another SitePrint square-foot charge, although Field Engineering time may still apply.

The Biggest Challenges Happen Before Printing

The biggest challenge is the CAD file. Files have to be accurate, up to date, and prepared specifically for printing. Duplicate lines, incorrect layers, unnecessary information, and missing penetrations or obstacles can all create problems. This will require more review before files are released for layout. Trade partners will also need to provide their information in time for us to coordinate and prepare. Getting reliable information at the right time will likely be the largest obstacle to using the system consistently.

SitePrint also needs room to work. Its efficiency drops quickly when an area is filled with material, equipment, debris, or active crews. A robot may be advanced, but it still cannot move a stack of drywall out of its way.

Project teams will need to plan for clear, accessible work areas. This is one reason we see potential for performing layout during off-hours, when there are fewer people and less material movement on the floor.

What We’re Evaluating Next as We Continue Innovating

We will continue the pilot throughout August on additional projects and under different field conditions. The goal is not simply to see how fast the robot can print. We want to determine where it creates the most value, what preparation is required, and how to build a repeatable workflow that can scale across RO. Future field engineers will still need to understand surveying, control, and layout. They will also work with CAD, robotic total stations, automated layout, and other emerging technologies.

We are not taking the field engineer out of the process. We are giving field engineers better tools and more time to think, coordinate, and solve problems.

Interested in joining our field engineering team? Explore open roles at r-o.com/careers.