---
title: "How 3D printing is enabling Ocado’s proprietary fulfilment robots"
url: https://www.voxelmatters.com/ocado-utilizing-3d-printing-for-proprietary-fulfilment-robots/
date: 2026-01-13
modified: 2026-01-12
lang: en
author: "Joseph Caron-Dawe"
description: "Ocado Group, the British grocery technology solutions business, took an additive-first design approach to the production of its latest fulfilment robot, incorporating 3D printing as an integral and fundamental part..."
categories:
  - "3D Printer Hardware"
  - "3D Printing Processes"
  - "Rapid Prototyping"
tags:
  - "insights"
image: https://www.voxelmatters.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/600-Series-Bot_02-e1768222177603-640x400.jpg
word_count: 299
---

# How 3D printing is enabling Ocado’s proprietary fulfilment robots

Ocado Group, the British grocery technology solutions business, took an additive-first design approach to the production of its latest fulfilment robot, incorporating 3D printing as an integral and fundamental part of its process for the creation of its 600 Series Bot.

The bot, which plays a central role in managing inventory at Ocado’s customer fulfilment center, was designed as a “highly advanced, multi-part, AI-powered industrial robot”.

The lightweight design of the bot led to a reduction in installation time of lighter grids in its automated warehouses of up to 40%, and also lowered installation costs for the company. 

![Grocery technology company Ocado claims to have created “world](https://www.voxelmatters.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/600-Series-Bot_01-e1768222523605-340x311.jpg)

By incorporating specific [3D printed parts](https://www.voxelmatters.com/researchers-use-ai-to-detect-origin-of-3d-printed-parts/) as opposed to modifying a design for manufacture, Ocado says its “all-in” additive approach “covers the entire process from design to prototype and production, with technological processes crafted to facilitate production at scale”. This also helped the business deliver “best-in-class” economics in the making of the bot.

“Our focus on additive-first design, combined with our specialized knowledge and state-of-the-art tools, has allowed our teams to rapidly produce an additive product at an unprecedented scale, setting us apart in the industry with the world’s most advanced 3D printed industrial product,” said Matt Whelan, Engineering Director at Ocado.

A specialized design team used techniques from the aerospace sector to improve component strength, and minimize the use of unnecessary materials.

The team partnered with [HP](https://www.voxelmatters.directory/company/hp-inc/) to establish cutting-edge equipment and printing capabilities and created a unified design tooling strategy that combined its own internal solutions with specialized cloud-based tools – such as [Onshape](https://www.voxelmatters.directory/company/onshape/) and [nTop](https://www.voxelmatters.directory/company/ntopology/)—to optimize lightweight designs.

Ocado has been involved in other AM advances within the grocery space, notably [bringing Redefine Meat's 3D printed steak to the UK market](https://www.voxelmatters.com/redefine-meat-expands-distribution-in-europe/), a year after the [Israeli brand first stepped into the British retail space](https://www.voxelmatters.com/redefine-meat-enters-european-market-with-uk-and-netherlands-launch/) with the UK-based company.