Pudu Robotics expands into industrial robotics market

Pudu Robotics, a provider of service robotics, has launched its first robot designed expressly for industrial applications – the Pudu T300.

The Pudu T300 features superior maneuverability with an ability to navigate efficiently through the variety of narrow passageways commonly found in industrial facilities.

The Pudu T300 also includes “map-and-go” functionality that allows for immediate use without network connectivity, unlike many industrial robots that depend on extensive network setup.

Manufacturers worldwide are struggling to adapt to changing market demands and production variability. As a result, creating more agile, responsive and flexible production lines has become crucial.

The Pudu T300 is specifically designed to fill this need in the material logistics of discrete manufacturing, handling tasks like delivering supplies to production lines, transferring materials between different production areas, and assisting in the delivery of samples for quality inspection.

According to an April 2024 joint study from the Manufacturing Institute and Deloitte, the US manufacturing industry will need up to 3.8 million jobs to be filled within the next decade.

The Pudu T300 is designed to alleviate potential labor shortages by automating the delivery and transport of materials, allowing human workers to focus on more skilled and higher-value tasks.

By taking over the transportation of heavy or hazardous materials, the Pudu T300 also reduces the risk of workplace injuries associated with industrial work.

Felix Zhang, founder and CEO of Pudu Robotics, says: “There is a huge demand from industrial clients for automated, flexible robotics solutions that can operate continuously to meet high production rates and improve operational efficiency.

“As manufacturers struggle to attract and retain talent, the T300 fills the immediate gap by seamlessly integrating with facilities’ current processes as well as optimizing operations to spur sector-wide innovation.”

The Pudu T300 is built on the company’s proprietary Pudu VSLAM+ technology, the advanced visual positioning system that enables marker-free navigation.

This ensures the Pudu T300 can quickly adapt to changes in production layouts without the need for time-consuming reconfiguration or site remodeling, says the company.