AGVs are transport devices that are used in manufacturing and logistics. What benefits does their role of transporting things on behalf of people bring? We will introduce the effects of using AGVs, the types of AGVs, and combinations with technologies that are expected to have a major impact on the operation and evolution of AGVs.
AGVs in action in logistics
AGVs are widely used, primarily in logistics. Let's take a look at what role AGVs play and their features.
What is AGV?
AGV is an abbreviation for "Automatic Guided Vehicle" and is sometimes called an unmanned transport vehicle or an unmanned transport robot in Japan. Although it is similar to an industrial robot in the sense that it is a robot used in industry, there is a big difference between it and an industrial robot in terms of "moving".
Generally, an industrial robot refers to a robot that works without moving from the place where it is installed, while an AGV refers to a vehicle that transports non-human cargo in general. There are various shapes of AGVs, but many people may remember the video of them operating in the warehouse of the major shopping site Amazon. AGVs are becoming indispensable to logistics and manufacturing industries along with industrial robots. They are often introduced as a new technology and may seem to have appeared recently, but in fact they have been used since the 1980s.
Early AGVs only ran on magnetic tapes attached to the floor. However, advances in sensing technology and the use of AI (artificial intelligence) have led to the emergence of AGVs that can think for themselves as they move, and this has evolved significantly.
AGVs began to spread in manufacturing and logistics, but are now being used in a variety of other fields. They are already being used in the agricultural sector to transport harvested products in greenhouse farms, and in the medical sector to transport medicines and documents, and are expected to be used in even more fields in the future.
Differences between AGVs and AMRs
AMRs are similar to AGVs in terms of their uses and functions, and are often confused with them. AMR is an abbreviation for "Autonomous Mobile Robot". The main difference between AGVs and AMRs is whether they are guided or autonomous. AGVs determine their route using a guide to guide them, while AMRs estimate their own position using sensing with cameras and sensors and move forward while generating a route.
However , in recent years, as a result of the evolution of AGV guides, they have begun to utilize sensing technology just like AMRs. As a result, the boundary between AGVs and AMRs is becoming blurred. AMRs are often called next-generation AGVs, and nowadays it is not often possible to distinguish between them.
For more information about AMR, please see here. Introducing
the features of AMR, successful implementation cases, operational possibilities and required technologies | Stratus Blog
Benefits of using AGVs
The following benefits can be expected from using AGVs:
Improve work efficiency
In the manufacturing industry, there is no longer a need for people to transport parts and products, which improves the efficiency of the transportation process. It is also possible to create a system in which AGVs can bring the necessary items at the necessary time, which improves the efficiency of work in the process.
In logistics, this will significantly change the picking work that was previously done by people going around the warehouse. By having AGVs bring products to people by the shelf, human travel time is reduced and work efficiency is improved.
Reduce your workload
By using AGVs to carry things that were previously carried by humans, people no longer have to carry heavy objects, reducing the physical strain on them. Also, while forklifts and cranes are used to transport heavy objects, they require qualifications to operate, but by using AGVs, the amount of work that can only be done by qualified personnel can be reduced.
Labor saving and manpower saving
By utilizing AGVs, the AGVs can transport things efficiently instead of people, reducing the amount of labor required for human work. By accumulating labor-saving measures, labor savings can be achieved, allowing people to focus on tasks that require judgment or high creativity.
Improved work accuracy
AGVs can transport objects to locations precisely as determined by the control system, which prevents human error and not only improves work efficiency but also the quality of work.
Ensuring flexibility in factory layout
With conventional manual transportation, it was necessary to determine the layout of the factory based on storage locations that were less likely to cause mistakes and aisles that took into account the width of forklifts and pallets. However, with AGVs, there is no need to worry about mistakes even if the storage location changes, and the aisles can be freely set. This creates flexibility in the layout of the factory, making it easier to respond to changes in demand and production systems.
Classification and use cases of AGVs based on transportation method and driving system
There are various types of AGVs, but they can be broadly categorized according to their transportation method and driving style.
Types of transport methods
- Loading
- AGVs are classified as AGVs that carry goods by loading them onto them, or that lift and transport entire shelves. The ones used in Amazon warehouses are famous, but they are also widely used in logistics centers across the country. The basic form is a method in which goods are loaded by hand, but they can also be controlled to be loaded by conveyors or industrial robots, and loading methods are evolving.
- Towing Type
- This type moves by towing a trolley or trailer. It has been used since early on in the manufacturing industry. There are types where a towing vehicle with driving force tows multiple trolleys, and types where a towing vehicle slips under the leading trolley among multiple trolleys and tows it. Towing types are flexible, as the number of trolleys can be changed depending on the amount of cargo, and the size of the trolley can be changed to suit the shape of the cargo.
- Forklift type
- This type has a mast and forks like a forklift and is suitable for transporting pallets.It can transport pallets of the same specifications as a forklift operated by a human, so there is no need to change the shape of the package when pallet transport is the standard.
Types of driving methods
- Route guidance type
- This is a method in which the route to be traveled is determined in advance, and a guide is installed to guide the vehicle along that route, and the vehicle moves along that route. Magnetic tape was mainly used as the guide, but various guides have been developed, such as light-reflecting tape, electromagnetic induction cable, and colored tape. It is easier to install than magnetic tape, but changing the route requires reinstalling the guide. As it is widely used, it can generally be introduced at low cost.
- This method enables autonomous driving by using self-location estimation and driving control functions. AMR is also included in this category. It uses a laser range finder and a camera to measure the distance to walls and pillars. It can drive autonomously without a guide and can easily change routes. It can constantly estimate its current location and select the optimal route to proceed .
- Following type
- This is a method of moving while maintaining a certain distance from a person or a vehicle operated by a person. Since it follows the movement of a person, it has a high degree of freedom in route and does not require an induction motor or advanced image processing system. It makes it possible for one person to carry a lot of luggage without burden.
AGV and Edge Computing
In this way, AGVs have become more diverse, and it is no longer uncommon for a large number of them to be used at one site. In such an environment where multiple AGVs are operating at the same time, edge computing is attracting attention as a technology essential for stable control.
Distributed processing enables smooth running with control appropriate to each site, even when multiple AGVs are operating simultaneously. In addition, improved real-time processing makes it possible to control according to the situation at each moment, improving transportation efficiency.
In the future, if the development of AGVs that run autonomously by combining AGVs and AI progresses, the real-time nature of information obtained from cameras and sensors will become more important. In that case, the combined use of edge computing will make it possible to run multiple AGVs more smoothly, safely and reliably.
In addition, 5G is becoming the standard for communications used to control AGVs. Edge computing also plays an important role in taking advantage of 5G's features such as multiple simultaneous connections and ultra-low latency.
This article explains MEC, which is edge computing for mobile communications to take advantage of 5G performance.
What is the difference between MEC and edge computing? Network technologies required for 5G utilization in factories | Stratus Blog
Edge computing is expected to become an important elemental technology for the future use of AGVs.
AGVs will change manufacturing and logistics sites
We have introduced an overview of AGVs, the benefits of using them, classification based on loading method and driving method, and their relationship with edge computing, which is expected to become even more important in the future.
AGVs continue to pursue their role of transporting things on behalf of people, and the movement of AGVs is becoming able to assist even human work efficiency outside of the transportation process. In addition, the introduction of autonomously moving AGVs is progressing, and there is an increasing need to quickly and accurately process large amounts of information sent from multiple AGVs.
Amid these changes, edge computing plays a major role in improving the accuracy and real-time nature of information processing. Edge computing will likely become indispensable for the control of AGVs, which are expected to evolve further in the future.
