Application of AGV | Automated Guided Vehicle

Automated Guided Vehicles (AGVs) are material-handling vehicles that are used to load carriers that travel autonomously throughout 

a warehouse, distribution center, or manufacturing, without human operators.

Automated Guided Vehicle (AGVs) uses magnetic tape and magnetic sensor for navigation. 

Manufacturing industries

AGV are common in automotive production and increasingly in high-tech electronics manufacturing. AGV technology is also being adopted across a wider range of manufacturing sectors, such as packing, paper and printing, food and beverage, packaging, pharmaceuticals, heavy industries and more.

Warehouses

AGV is a key component of supply chain automation. According to numerous market studies, the adoption of AGVs in warehousing is expected to grow hugely in the coming years, even more so than in manufacturing.

Distribution & fulfillment centers

With the explosion of e-commerce, huge and fully automated distribution and fulfillment centers are being built from the ground up, creating massive demand for automated vehicles. 

Hospitals

AGV robots for hospitals perform important tasks in daily operations and help employees focus on their professional care

 to provide better patient care.

• Helps to reduce manpower costs

The first and foremost benefit of using AGV is reduction in manpower costs. 

If you install a mobile robot, you will immediately calculate the number of people you can transfer from non-useful tasks (such as material transport) to useful tasks such as production tasks.

 

• Eliminate human error

Removing the human factor from the equation reduces the error rate. AGVs are designed for precision and accuracy. Of course, the machine can still have problems,but the chance of error is low. Errors in the warehouse or production line can lead to delayed or lost shipments if products are damaged or not installed due to management errors. Reducing errors in the warehouse is important when weighing the pros and cons of automated guided vehicles.

Products can be tagged using QR codes that can be read by scanners on AGVs, making it easy to track and track shipments within the facility. Shipping errors can be detected before the product arrives on the truck for shipping. One of the benefits of automated guided vehicles is the reduction in error rates.

 

• Continuous operations

Even one AGV can improve a company’s productivity. AGV doesn’t require any downtime and could work 24 hours a day, seven days a week, if necessary. In round-the-clock factories and warehouses, this automation drives line productivity.

 

• Ensures workplace safety

The use of AGVs increases operational safety in several ways. In addition to eliminating the human element, which is the cause of many accidents, they can perform tasks that are dangerous for human workers, such as handling hazardous materials, working at high temperatures and materials that a lump. This ultimately keeps the workers out of harm’s way.

AGVs operate in a controlled manner, controlled by smoothness, acceleration/deceleration and speed, in contrast to forklift drivers, who can drive around trees at high speed and put workers at risk.

 

• Layout freedom

If you compare an automatic forklift to a human forklift, you may not see the benefit of layout.

A mobile robot doesn’t have to follow a line, but you can create as many turns and external positions as needed. You can create exceptions for quality checks, other services, product processing, etc.

Although you don’t need a civil service to install mobile robots, you can move your flexible assembly line to another area of ​​your company.

 

• Integrated with production planning systems

Another benefit of AGV is the Internet of Things (IOT). In design, machines can communicate with each other, allowing them to work more efficiently with this type of smart technology, interactive machines that make work less efficient.

 

How Automated Guided Vehicle Is Different From Autonomous Mobile Robot

Automated Guided Vehicle (AGV) and Autonomous Mobile Robots (AMR), both are different. But people don’t have complete knowledge about these. So, let us understand the difference between these two:

 

Basis	Automated Guided Vehicle	Autonomous Mobile Robots
Navigation	AGV navigates based on magnetic sensors and tapes.	AMR navigates based on LIDAR or Depth Camera.
Dedicated Path	Need a dedicated path	Doesn’t  need a dedicated path
Maintenance	Maintenance is high.	Maintenance is low.
Installation Charges	Installation charges are high	Installation charges are minimum
Obstacle Avoidance	It does not have the feature of obstacle avoidance.	It does have the feature of obstacle avoidance.
Movement	AGV moves on a predefined path.	AMR can create a new path on its own.
Re-programme	AGV can not be reprogrammed for a new path.	AMR can easily be reprogrammed for new paths.
Artificial Intelligence	AGV does not have artificial intelligence based guidance.	AMR does have artificial intelligence based guidance.
User-friendly	AGV software is not user-friendly.	AMR software is user-friendly.

AGVs are ideal automation solutions for warehouses, distribution centers and factories. AGVs have sensors to avoid collisions. Advanced AGVs like AMR have intelligent navigation capabilities that allow them to plan the best route through a warehouse or construction, reducing narrow doors and preventing injuries.

Automated guided vehicles are designed to perform tasks that do not require humans. They streamline long journeys from warehouses, set up workers faster, and eliminate the physical labor of traditionally demanding jobs.