The Approach of

Automated Guided Vehicle Systems

Lothar Schulze, Alexander Wtillner

Abstract-The automation of transportation in the production, I. INTRODUCTION

trade and service sector is a key point in the optimization of T he main task of the material flow is to supply and to
intralogistics. For this task Automated Guided Vehicle Systems
(AGVS) provide special benefits. Main points of these systems dispose operational units, like machines, plants and work
are the centrally controlled Automated Guided Vehicles (AGV). areas, in time. A failure of the material flow can result in
In the beginning, the vehicles were guided by optical or inductive material holdup or a material undersupply. That clarifies the
guidelines. The main disadvantages of guidelines are the significance of an efficient material flow for the utilization of
inflexibility concerning the modification and changing of the these operational units.
routing and the necessity of installations on or in the ground. The material flow is an in-plant "service", which creates no
New developments result in systems without guidelines. An
example of this development is the laser guidance for the AGV. value. However, it guarantees that the value added processes
The AGVs have a high individuality. They are usually in the enterprises can run accurate. It follows from the main
developed and constructed for the demands of a special processes and is therefore often regarded as an "unimportant"
application and are therefore unique. Due to this individuality a process, whose meaning for profitableness is underestimated.
special problem is the wide variety of maintenance and part Particularly the quality of the material flow heavily depends
logistics. Research and development leads to new approaches to on the commitment of the coworkers, because of the man
this question. Examples are the implementation of the
modulation of AGV and the implementation of construction kits. based operations. An alternative is the automation of the
Further points are the reduction of complexity of the modules material flow [1].
and the establishment of compatibility between various AGVS- In this context the fundamental advantage of Automated
producers. Another main direction of the development is the Guided Vehicle Systems with their high flexibility and
supplementary automation of standard fork lift trucks. efficiency appears. For years Automated Guided Vehicle
Applications of AGVS exist in all fields of industry and trade. Systems proved that they are suited for a wide range of tasks
Typical examples are the use in assembly lines, warehouses, in the area of material flow. That applies equally to transport
order picking systems and production plants.
Based on the AGVS-Statistic Europe, which is created and
indoor in buildings and outdoor in the plant area. A substantial
administrated by the Department of Planning and Controlling of advantage is that the vehicle units are planable and calculable
Warehouse and Transport Systems (PSLT), the main application according to pre-defined strategies. The optimization of
of AGVS and the sectors in which they are used are analyzed. Automated Guided Vehicles takes place superordinately for
With this database developments and current trends in the the entire system with a full reproducibility of the material
AGVS-sector are identified. flow. To that extent automation also makes a substantial
More and more the AGVS-producers have to offer their contribution to the traceability of goods which is demanded
products in a global competition. The relevance of AGVS in the
area of automation will increase in the future. world-wide.
In the long run automation of processes must be regarded as
Index Terms-Automated Guided Vehicle Systems, Material an aspect of ensuring industrial locations as well. The opinion
Flow, Intralogistics, Automation that automation is a "job killer", yields increasingly to the
insight that for example by automated transport systems and
the associated processes qualified jobs in the enterprises can
be secured [2].

II. STRUCTURE OF AGVS

Components of AGV-Systems are essentially the vehicles, the
Manuscript received February 21, 2006. stationary system control as well as the peripheral and build-
L. Schulze is Head of the Department of Planning and Controlling of lateral components. Only by faultless interaction of all
Warehouse and Transport Systems, University of Hannover, 30167 Hannover, components an efficient operation can be ensured. The
Germany (+49 511 762 4885, fax: +49 511 762 3005; e-mail: building groups and technical mechanisms of an AGV-System
schulze opslt.uni-hannover.de).
A. Wullner is with the Department of Planning and Controlling of are to be assigned to the components.
Warehouse and Transport Systems, University of Hannover, 30167 Hannover,
Germany (e-mail: Wuellner apslt.uni-hannover.de).
1-4244-0318-9/06/$20.00 C2006 IEEE 522
 industry. First successful beginnings of standardization
concern the control system and the navigation technology.
This standardization was not achieved by the AGVS-
manufacturers, but it is caused by the fact that several AGVS-
manufacturers buy the same components by the same key
suppliers.
The standardization of AGV-Systems leads to two
important advantages. On the one hand the commitment on
lifetime to one AGVS-manufacturer is solved, since the users
can contact competitors in the context of modernizations or
extensions. On the other hand production costs of the AGVS-
manufacturers can be lowered by the standardization.
At the Department PSLT an AGV has been build up from
standard-parts. This Vehicle is completely modular, all parts
are taken from a construction kit. The aim is to prove the
feasibility of a modular strategy for AGV. It is yet proved that
The Automated Guided Vehicles are bound on the floor. the areas actuation, navigation, communication and security
Navigation systems have the task to lead the vehicles after equipment can be covered with standard parts. The next target
given strategies to their destination. Communication systems is to build a standard software kit for control purposes [5].
are responsible for the integration of the vehicles into the B. Contactless transfer of energy
system.
The system control covers the vehicles superordinated hard- A technical innovation is the inductive power transfer,
and software. It has the task of administrating orders, the which is increasingly used in AGV-Systems. For this
arrangement, the drive optimization, the right of way technology a constantly energized wire is placed in the floor.
regulation etc. The system control also contains visualization This is the primary conductor, which generates a magnetic
and tasks of statistics [3]. A hand interface to navigate and field above the floor. At the vehicle's lower surface a
communicate with the vehicles also belongs to the system "pickup" is attached. This "pickup" is a secondary winding on
control. a ferromagnetic core. The induced voltage is used for the
The peripheral components complete the facility from the vehicles power supply.
technical point of view. Elements are battery loading stations There are two basic principles of the inductive power
and load transfer mechanisms. transfer. In one case the vehicle is supplied continuously
The floor, the gates and so on are to be understood as build- inductively with energy. The primary conductor must be
lateral equipment components. installed on the entire driving course. Thus the vehicles do not
need batteries [6].
III. TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS In the second case the vehicle has a battery on board and
can thus compensate an interruption of the inductive power
The past years are characterized by significant supply. The battery of the vehicle could be charged
technological advancements. They contributed to increased inductively at one point, at several points or on a defined
attractiveness of AGV-Systems for the users and essentially course section.
concern modularity, standardization, energy concepts, For AGV-Systems the inductive power transfer opened new
navigation systems, automation of series vehicles and safety operational areas, which were reserved so far for other
systems [4]. conveyors. However, for complex driving courses that are
A. Modularity and standardization branched out strongly or on floors, which contain too much
Cost reduction in the stages of development and realization metal or cannot be millcutted, the battery will remain the
of AGV-Systems is the highest premise for all manufacturers. preferred energy concept. Presently manufacturers develop
A beginning is that each manufacturer develops the vehicles batteries which are based on the nickel cadmium principle.
on a base of a component system. Thus the variety of parts is The previous 3,000 full load cycles of a NiCd-battery are
reduced. Similar components can be used in different vehicle exceeded by more than one third. The new technology
types. The module principle simplifies the logistic of increases the lifetime of the battery and thus affects
replacement parts, increases the availability of parts and profitableness positively.
reduces the capital lockup of the manufacturer. A target of the development is to realize the power transfer
At present Automated Guided Vehicles of one as well as the data communication and the inductive guidance
manufacturer cannot operate on the driving course of another over the same wire. Thus the expenditure for the floor
manufacturer. The reason lies in the missing compatibility of installation will be reduced. Alternatively an antenna at the
the control systems. This disadvantage does not concern vehicle can be used for data communication, guidance and
individual manufacturers. It is a problem of the whole AGVS- positioning.
523
 The inductive power transfer does not require rails for to personnel-intensive material flow systems increase above
guidance or for power transfer. The danger that parts like average.
screws or pins falling into the rails or slots is eliminated. That The development of the labor costs, as for example a start-
is particular important in assembly areas, for example in the up financing for the job creation or a shortening of subsidies,
automotive industry. may not remain unconsidered. Each of these factors can either
Today the inductive power transfer represents an alternative promote or restrain the development of the AGVS-market.
to the conventional battery loading station, which can not be The investment in a plant with an AGV-System is usually
excluded. With the AGV-Systems put into operation 2004 the higher than for a plant with man-operated industrial trucks.
vehicles of 6 00 of all AGV-Systems were supplied with That has consequences on both the cost-accounting interest
energy inductively. and the height of the depreciation. For AGV-Systems higher
C. Navigation and communication
cost-accounting interests result. The height of the interest rate
has to be oriented at the development on the capital market. If
Guidance systems which work without a guideline provide the interest rate decreases, the profitableness of AGV-Systems
high driving course flexibility for the AGV-System. New and is affected positively.
also proven systems are the distance and angle measurement The depreciation has to be regarded under two criteria,
and laser navigation [7]. A new system realizes guidance by namely according to tax law and cost accounting criteria. It
transponders, which allow a point-to-point-ride. In particular has to be an aim of the plant operators to estimate the
the development of laser navigation for Automated Guided economic lifetime of the plant as short as possible. Therewith
Vehicles has forced this trend. it should be reached that the depreciation of the fixed capital
Beyond that laser navigation is a typical example how a can be made valid for taxation as promptly and completely as
supplier can set a standard for many AGVS-manufacturers. possible.
A tendency similar to the navigation systems can be The labor costs, the interest trend at the capital market and
recognized in communication systems. Conditional on the the amortization period belong to the substantial economic
guideline-free navigation, which is increasingly used in factors, which determine the development of the AGVS-
Europe, radio data transmission is applied in more than 80 % market. The development of these factors cannot be affected
of the AGV-Systems as communication technology. The data by the AGVS-manufacturers, the factors affect the market
communication by infrared or inductive technology is less from the outside.
important. The amortization period defined by the technical lifetime is
D. Automation of series vehicles applied for the cost comparison method, thus for the system
The automation of series-production vehicles represents a decision. A long technical lifetime affects the system
further line of development. That concerns equally industrial comparison positively. The technical lifetime is specified
trucks and motor trucks [8]. The series vehicles are automated enterprise-internally considering the tasks and the operating
by the AGVS-manufacturers. Industrial trucks are preferred in conditions.
particular if both manual and automatic handling has to be For the success of the European AGVS-manufacturers on
realized. non-European markets the rates of exchange are relevant.
The automation of motor trucks is used nearly exclusive for With a low US-Dollar price per Euro the European AGVS-
shuttle transport between different shop floors in one plant manufacturers can make attractive offers for the international
[9]. market.
This can as well be read of from the AGV-Systems put into
E. Safety systems operation during the last three years outside of Europe. In the
Scanners represent a technological standard for security. year 2000 about 12 00, in the year 2001 about 20 00 and in the
For example there are scanners, which measure the year 2002 about 12 00 of the AGV-Systems of the European
incremental signals of the Automated Guided Vehicles and manufacturers were installed outside of Europe.
thus realize a speed-dependent protection and warning field
change-over. V. REQUIREMENTS OF PLANNING AND REALIZATION
The current developments promise that automated transport
IV. OPERATING COSTS AS SCALE OF ECONOMY systems will have a high value for the operating company in
Contrary to man-operated conveyors the operating costs of the future as well. A set of ancillary conditions must be
AGV-Systems are only marginally affected by the fulfilled, in order to maintain the latest positive trend
development of the labor costs. From this it results that regarding the start-up of AGV-Systems.
relating to the labor costs a high calculatory planning A fundamental condition is to present positive references,
reliability can be achieved in the long term. This is a general which point out exemplarily the efficiency of the AGVS-
advantage of all automated material flow systems. On the manufacturers for the operators and planners. The reference
assumption that the labor costs will rise even more strongly in concerns not only the technology. It concerns the entire
the future than in the past, AGV-Systems will in comparison project realization up to the transfer of the system into the

524
normal operation. It is essential for potential operators of
AGV-Systems to profit from the experiences of other AGV-
operators.
Substantial aspects for potential operators are the following
- keeping appointment,
- accomplishing efficiency statements,
- Testing operational availability,
- Reaction rate in case of disturbances,
- Replacement parts logistics,
- Replacement parts prices
and so on.
It is a positive reference for an AGVS-manufacturer too if
he acts fair in a case of follow-up order for which no
competitors are applicable. This involves for example an Fig. 2. Guiding technologies in new Automated Guided Vehicle Systems,
adequate reliability and a fair price. Such a proceeding is openings of European AGVS manufacturers 2004
surely favorable for the sustainability of the relationship
between AGVS-manufacturer and AGVS-operator. The number of AGV-Systems put into operation world-
The quality of AGV-Systems is determined basically by wide by European AGVS-manufacturers amounts to over
planning and project management. Snapshots are usually 2,800 new systems and over 700 enlargement systems with
punished at short notice. Quality is connected with time and altogether over 27,500 Automated Guided Vehicles.
costs. Therefore the operators have to understand that these After an intermediate flattening related to the number of the
achievements cannot be adduced by the AGVS-manufacturers Automated Guided Vehicles and AGV-Systems put into
durably free of charge. That concerns for example layout operation a significant increase can be registered since 1999
planning, simulations etc. which exceeds the order for an until 2003. Thus in the three-annual average the level rose in
AGV-System. the meantime over 150 new systems per year. In 2003 a new
If external planners are involved by a potential operator, he peak with over 165 AGV-Systems was reached [11]. It is an
should be sure that the planner is manufacturer neutral [10]. In open question whether the decrease in 2004 was a temporarily
this context it is necessary that the planner is independent effect or the end of the AGVS-boom of the years from 1999 to
from single manufacturers or networks. Only in this way 2003. The evaluation of the AGVS put into operation in the
planning can be fulfilled confidentially in the sense of the year 2005 will clarify this question.
client. 180 2.000
160
I 140 A
IST_
H,bL
I
VI. AGVS NUMBER OF APPLICATIONS I

1.500
120
The trend of the markets and therefore the development of 100
N _--77
the AGVS-manufacturers are also of particular importance for 80
60
the investment decisions of the users. It must be ensured that u)
CD 40 500 (D
the acquired technology is future-oriented and that the < 20
manufacturer is present at the market segment of AGVS long- 0
N\ 1T (CO CO N T CO CN\
term. The selected AGVS-manufacturers should be available
O
00 00 00 00 o) o) o) o) o) C C C
o) o) o) o) o) o) o) o) o) C C C
C\
for service and support of the system as well as for spare part
N N

AGVS -AGV
logistics for a long time. The fluctuation on the market of the
AGVS-manufacturers in recent years underlines how Fig. 3. Openings of European AGVS-manufacturers
important these aspects are for the users [2].
In comparison to the year 2000 about a quarter of the AGVS- A similar process is ascertained for the number of
manufacturers are on the one hand "new" vendors. On the Automated Guided Vehicles put into operation. Thus in 2003
other hand the "old" vendors offer new and different a new peak for the last ten years with over 1,000 vehicles was
achievement profiles today. Both aspects point out the reached.
dynamic on the vendor side, which offers with more than It also is assumed that the average system size measured in
twenty five European AGVS-manufacturers a large variety. vehicles per system rises. The average number of vehicles per
A substantial indicator for the market tendency of AGV-
system amounts now again over six vehicles. The fastidious
Systems is the annual number of AGVS put into operation. systems increase again and all the requirements of planning,
They are ascertained for the European manufacturers by the engineering, project management, realization and putting into
Department of Planning and Controlling of Warehouse and operation rise. This trend is also pointed out by the fact that
Transport Systems (PSLT) of the University of Hannover in the average equipment price allocated on the vehicles
line with a data base for years and are based on the increased.
information of the AGVS-manufacturers.
525
 In 2004 a considerable number of AGVS in Europe with 900
curtly 5 00 were realized within the outdoor range. Thus 800 Source: PSLT, MHIA, JIVA
applications of AGV-Systems within port ranges for the I 700
containerization or as shuttle transportation on the work area 600
500
already proved their practice fitness and are to regard as 400
concrete delivery offers of the manufacturers [12]. C/)
>300
It is obvious that the development of the AGVS-market <200
depends directly on the strategies of the users. An example for 100
this is the choice of location of manufacturing plants, which is 0
of utmost economic importance for the companies. 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002
Geographical and political frontiers play almost no more roles U Europa USA 1 Japan
in this matter today. The aims are to produce as economically Fig. 9. Worldwide openings of vehicles in AGV-Systems of European,
as possible and to be as close as possible to the sales market. American and Japanese manufacturers
As a consequence the requirements of internationalization and
globalization approach to the AGVS-manufacturers. They First successful implementations of AGVS in China are
must be able to install and to support AGV-Systems world- made in the branches automotive and tobacco. These systems
wide. are installed predominantly by Chinese vendors.
The European AGVS-manufacturers have to be interested
in this development as well. New sales markets with partially VII. APPLICATIONS
considerable potentials are opened for them. It is estimated, AGVS can be found in virtually any area of industrial
for example that a world-wide market potential for the use of
AGV-Systems in over 1,000 hospitals exists.
production, trade and service. The main application areas are
production, connection of different work areas, order picking,
3.500
warehousing and assembly. AGVS are especially employed in
3.000 Source PSLT, MHIA, JIVA cases of consistent material flow connections. On the other
I 2.500 hand trends like laser guided vehicles and flexible software
2.000 lead to advanced application areas.
1.500 The realization of material flow processes in the
(-9
< 1.000 warehousing and order picking sector is characterized by high
500 volume of traffic from defined sources to defined drains. Thus
0
it is a standard application area of AGVS. The specialty of
1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 AGVS employed in this area is a high loading capacity.
0 Europa * USA * Japan
Regularly the units loaded by these AGVs are standardized
pallets, therefore the vehicles are equipped with standard
Fig. 8. Worldwide openings of AGV-Systems of European, American and loading devices. Due to the high amount of goods to transport,
Japanese manufacturers these systems often consist of more than 100 vehicles. This
demands a sophisticated central controlling unit and
In this relation some characteristic numbers clarify the optimizing approaches for routing and path-finding.
variability of the requirements for the operators in Europe,
Japan and the USA. Comparing to Japanese and American
Automated Guided Vehicle Systems, European systems have
the largest average number of vehicles per system. Japanese
systems have the smallest number. Most AGV-Systems are
operating in Japan, but most of these systems are very
"simple". That is also reflected in the engaged navigation
systems. In Europe laser navigation was realized in about
50 0O of the systems in the year 2004, in Japan the magnetic
procedures were realized predominantly in 2002. The export
of Japanese AGVS-manufacturers amounts about 6 00.
For AGV-Systems China is a market with future. First
systems were already taken into operation. Great efforts are Fig. 10. AGV with a capacity of four units
undertaken by European vendors to install reference assets. AG, Essen]
Together with Chinese partner-institutes the Department
PSLT of the University of Hannover has the aim to check the Another area with a high rate of application of AGVS is the
conditions for the use of AGV-Systems in China. In this assembly. In this sector the load is inhomogeneous and
connection long-term export possibilities for European changing. Therefore the loading devices must be fitted to the
AGVS-manufacturers are of particular interest. specific application. The AGV often not only transports the
526
load from one assembly station to the next but represents an
assembly station on its own. In this case the AGV can be REFERENCES
considered as a mobile workbench. Another assembly
[1] Schulze, L.; Lucas, M., "Logistics and Automation State of the Art and
application is the pick-up AGV which has the assembly good Trends in Europe", presented at Greater China Supply Chain and Logistics
mounted on it and builds the conveyor for both the worker and Forum and Academic Conference 2005, 30.10.2005, Nanjing, China
the assembly good. The worker assembles the good while [2] Schulze, L., "Tendenzen der Fahrerlosen Transportsysteme", in Logistik
fur Unternehmen, vol. 17, no. 4-5, pp. 40-43, 2003.
riding on the AGV. [3] Schulze, L., Lucas, M., Baumann, "Automated Guided Vehicle Systems -
In contrast to the expanded, complex systems with a high Trends in Technology and Application", in Proceedings of IMECE2005,
investment, small, fit and comparatively low priced systems ASME International Mechanical Engineering Congress and Exposition,
can be found in many environments. Systems with only one or Florida, USA, 2005.
[4] Schulze, L., Runge, J., "Europa-Marktuibersicht FTS 2003, Neuaufstellung
very few vehicles can be realized without any central bei den Herstellern - Innovative Technologien fur Betreiber", in Logistikwelt
controlling unit. Few vehicles with robust techniques can be 2003, vol. 10, no. 1, pp. 72-88, 2003.
apply in any industrial environment. These systems stand out [5] Schulze, L., "Technologie und Anwendung - Fahrerlose Transportsysteme
fur die Praxis", Proceedings FTS-Fachtagung 2004, Universitat Hannover,
by low investments and simple maintenance. 16.06.2004.
[6] Schulze, L., "Innovation und Modernisierung - Fahrerlose
VIII. CONCLUSION Transportsysteme zum Kundennutzen", Proceedings FTS-Fachtagung 2002,
Universitat Hannover, 19.09.2002.
Significant technological advancements contributed to [7] Gremm, F., "Laser steuert FTS zielgenau - FTS sichert 24-h-Betrieb", in
increase the attractiveness of Automated Guided Vehicle Schweizer Maschinenmarkt, vol. 10, no. 1/2, pp. 22-24, 2002.
[8] Schulze, L., Frenzel, M., Runge, J., "Eine Vision wird Wirklichkeit -
Systems for the users. They essentially concern the Fahrerlose Nutzfahrzeuge - heute im Werksgelande, morgen auf der StraBe",
modularity, the standardization, the navigation system, the in Logistikwelt 2000, vol. 7, no. 1, pp. 58-61, 2000.
energy concept, the automation of series vehicles and the [9] Makela, H., Numers, T., "Development of a navigation and control sys-
tem for an autonomous outdoor vehicle in steel plant", in Control Engineering
safety system. All in all it is to be noted that many new Practice, vol. 9, no. 5, pp. 573-583, 2000.
impressive reference systems and the technology innovations [10] Schulze, L., Lucas, M., Runge, J., "Mehr Planungssicherheit fur
of the last years opened new and fastidious applications for Hersteller und Betreiber: Zukunftsprognosen fur die FTS-Technik?", in
Automated Guided Vehicle Systems. Logistikwelt 2003, vol. 10, no. 1, pp. 66-70, 2003.
[11] Makela, H., Numers, T., "Development of a navigation and control
For the manufacturers of AGV-Systems the system for an autonomous outdoor vehicle in steel plant", in Control
internationalization and globalization represents a new Engineering Practice, vol. 9, no. 5, pp. 573-583, 2003.
challenge, which offers large chances for the future. Therefore [12] Schulze, L., Runge, J., "Europa Marktubersicht FTS-Anlagen - Daten
und Fakten fur die Investitionsentscheidung", in Logistikwelt 2000, vol. 7,
it is necessary to acquire a large-scaled knowledge of the no. 1, pp. 66-84, 2000.
different national operator requirements and to create
transparent basic conditions for the line operation. An Lothar Schulze, Berlin, 14.09.1945
emphasis represents surely the local support of the AGV- 1971 - 1974 Graduate engineer in mechanical
Systems. engineering at the University of Berlin
1974 1980 Scientific coworker at the University of
In addition, laws and rules, which regulate the use of the Army, Hamburg
Automated Guided Vehicles, can have a substantial influence Promotion and postdoctoral lecture qualification for
on the market trend. The close administration particularly in "Automated conveyor technique and storage systems"
at the University of Berlin
Germany and generally in Europe is repressive on the AGVS- since 1983 Head of the Department of Warehouse and
applications. Transport Systems at the University of Hannover,
For almost any internal material flow task an AGV-system Germany
can be made up that meets the demands. This ranges from the 2005 Guest Professor of the Southeast University, Nanjing, China
He was employed at Siemens, Berlin, division "Construction and Production
simplest systems with one vehicle to huge, complex systems Planning" from 1969 to 1971 and at Jungheinrich, Hamburg, assistant of the
with over 100 vehicles. technical executive and department manager for "Automatic Storage and
AGV-Systems offer possibilities to the companies for their Transport Systems" from 1980 to 1983.
Prof. Schulze is a member of the Verein Deutscher Ingenieure (VDI), the
position in the global competition sustainable. It is necessary Bundesvereinigung Logistik (BVL) and the Research Group AGVS within the
to use these chances for the reduction of costs and VDI.
improvement of quality.
Alexander Wiilliner, Arnsberg, 22.03.1981
2000 -a2005 Studies of industrial engineering at the
University of Hannover, degree: Diploma
since 2005 Scientific coworker at the University of
Hannover
Dipl.-Wirtsch.-Ing.. Wullner is a member of the Verein
Deutscher Ingenieure (VDI).

527