Artaic Launches Revolutionary Mosaic Manufacturing Robot, Apollo
ARTAIC PARTNERED WITH BOLD LASER AUTOMATION CEO, TODD LIZOTTE, FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF APOLLO, ALONG WITH SUPPORT FROM MASSACHUSETTS TECHNOLOGY COLLABORATIVE’S MASSACHUSETTS MANUFACTURING ACCELERATE PROGRAM (MMAP) AND ADVANCED MANUFACTURING COLLABORATIVE (AMC), AND NUMEROUS TILE SUPPLIERS.
Artaic, a leading mosaic manufacturer that utilizes robotic technology and innovative design tools to customize, design, and fabricate award-winning mosaic installations, is thrilled to announce the launch of “Apollo,” the sixth generation of the brand’s proprietary robots for the fabrication of mosaic artwork. Apollo builds on the foundational technology of Artaic’s fifth-generation robot, Artemis, and over 17 years of innovating and improving manufacturing processes. The result is significant production capacity, faster throughput, and more accurate placement of a wider variety of tile types, including Vitreous and Sintered Glass, Glazed and Unglazed Porcelain, and Natural Stone, for which Artemis was previously limited. Apollo will be able to process virtually any tile material, finish, and size, 1” or less. Artemis was five times faster than Artaic’s first-generation robot, and Apollo will be four times faster again than Artemis. “Artaic has a long history of continuous investment in advanced technology.
I’m proud to say that Apollo is not just an upgrade; it’s a quantum leap,” says Ted Acworth, Founder and CEO of Artaic. “Building on Artemis’s foundation of a truly innovative, radical manufacturing approach, Apollo is improved in every way and is a commercially ‘hardened’ version of that advancement. We can’t wait to see what mosaic artworks Apollo creates for our clients.” Apollo’s processes and technology are a dramatic enhancement over those of its predecessor, particularly in addressing Artemis’s greatest challenge – tile feeding and sorting. With Apollo, the Artaic team employs Tylist™, the brand’s proprietary mosaic coding software, to determine the required tile colors and quantities.
The Tylist™ “blueprint” is then sent to Apollo, which interprets the code and produces the mosaic. Thanks to Apollo’s development, Artaic’s craftspeople can now pour bulk tiles into Apollo’s input hoppers and receive a fully assembled series of 12” x 12” mosaic sheets, as a prefitted kit ready for installation. Its new tile feeding system and optimized production strategy enable e!cient handling of complex designs and improved accuracy of the pick-and-place arms with a wide variety of tile materials. Significantly, Apollo represents a major advancement in Artaic’s ability to maintain its manufacturing domestically. This enables the Boston-based team to respond more rapidly to customer needs and produce custom mosaics at a lower cost with higher output per worker hour. Artaic’s commitment to excellence is embodied in its skilled team members who craft the mosaics.
Their work is enhanced and supported by technology, which elevates productivity and the overarching craftsmanship in mosaic creation. This advancement not only bolsters local manufacturing but also ensures that each mosaic is crafted with the utmost care and precision, overseen by an expert human craftsperson, reflecting the unique vision of each client. The inspiration behind Apollo’s name is as ambitious as the robot’s capabilities. Named after Artemis’s twin brother in Greek mythology, Apollo symbolizes speed and precision, mirroring the space missions that share its name. The choice reflects the innovative spirit of Artaic’s founder, Ted, a former NASA rocket scientist, embodying the fusion of art, science, and technology. Artaic partnered with BOLD Laser Automation CEO, Todd Lizotte, for the development of Apollo, along with support from Massachusetts Technology Collaborative’s Massachusetts Manufacturing Accelerate Program (MMAP) and Advanced Manufacturing Collaborative (AMC), and numerous tile suppliers. BoF
