What the Heck is an AGV System?

 

An AGV system, or automated guided vehicle system, otherwise known as an automated guided vehicle, autonomous guided vehicle or even automatic guided cart, is a system which follows a predestined path around a facility. AGV’s are mechanical vehicles which carry a load through either an assembly, manufacturing or warehousing facility.

 

An industrial AGV system is built to withstand very heavy loads as in Truck Outfitting assembly plants, which carry the frame through the assembly process. These AGV’s almost always require a custom design with tooling options in order to work with the assembly or manufacturing plant’s specific applications.

 

No longer are AGV’s built to follow fixed tracks which were traditionally built into the floor of a facility to guide the vehicles, but rather magnetic tape or QR coded tape via the AGV’s laser guidance system. Unlike tracks built in to the floor, the tape allows for easy and affordable reconfiguration of the facility’s floor operations.

 

AGV systems are battery operated, which also include a manual option for bringing the vehicle off the line for charging or maintenance tasks. They are usually fitted with motion stop sensors and kick stops for added safety. Each AGV is programmed to follow a course set by the QR coded tape as well as obey pre-programmed speeds to further customize the client’s specific applications and assembly needs.

 

An AGV system is an excellent addition to any busy operation in the manufacturing industry. Benefits include heightened safety, ergonomics, efficiency and flexibility in floor design. An AGV can be built to hold and carry virtually any weight capacity and with advancements in motion control, the AGV of the future is already here.

 

Industrial AGV systems are built for multiple industries including automotive, aerospace, food processing and other assembly and manufacturing applications.

 

For examples of an industrial AGV in application you can visit Handling Specialty’s Youtube pages and learn more about the AGV system on the website’s AGV Case Studies.