Automated Guided Vehicles (AGVs), sometimes referred to as self-guided vehicles or autonomous guided vehicles, are material handling systems or load carriers that travel autonomously through a warehouse, distribution center, or manufacturing plant without the need for an operator or driver. In this article, we will explore the various types of AGVs, what they mean, how they work and their benefits.

Applications of AGVs

Automated Guided Vehicle (AGV) systems are used for tasks that would normally be handled by forklifts, conveyor systems or manual carts. systems or manual carts to move large quantities of material in a repetitive manner.

AGVs have a variety of uses. They are typically used to transport raw materials such as metal, plastic, rubber or paper. For example, AGVs can transport raw materials from the receiving end to the warehouse, or directly to the production line.AGVs can reliably and consistently deliver the required raw materials without human intervention, ensuring that the production line always has what it needs without interruption.

In addition to transporting raw materials, AGVs are used in work-in-process applications and finished goods to support production or manufacturing lines. In work-in-process applications, AGVs move materials or parts from a warehouse to a production line or from one workstation to another, providing repetitive and efficient material movement throughout the manufacturing process. Without AGVs, the manufacturing process may stop when the processing line runs out of material. Manufacturing would then be delayed, requiring manual labor to retrieve the necessary material from the warehouse and transport it to the production line.

AGVs are also used for inbound and outbound processing for replenishment and picking . For example, AGVs may be used to transport inventory from a receiving location to a storage location or from a long-term storage location to a forward picking location to replenish inventory. Transporting inventory from a long-term storage location to a forward picking location ensures that the picker has access to sufficient inventory, thereby making the order picking process more efficient. AGVs (e.g., collaborative mobile robots){ make the order picking process more efficient by guiding the warehouse employees through their tasks and transporting picking orders to packing and shipping workstations. to packing and shipping workstations to assist in the picking process.